Design for The Web

Overview of the Learning System

Design for The Web (DFTW) is a guided, distraction-free, and highly interactive learning journey. Instead of overloading students with condensed information taught out of context, disconnected automated tests, or follow-along tasks that don’t stick, the program empowers learners to focus on what truly matters.

By teaching the appropriate concepts in the order of practical need and emphasizing real-world problem-solving over rushing to completion, DFTW helps students engage deeply, think critically, create real projects, and actually retain what they learn.

Here’s how it works:

Workshops as the core of learning

• Daily workshops: Each workshop is a self-contained, focused exploration of a key topic or skill.
• Workshops combine written lectures, video walkthroughs, hands-on exercises, code examples, and interactive discussions.
• Contextual resources: Alongside each workshop, students gain access to:
  • Study hall: A set of flash-card-like prompts to quiz yourself or use as prompts for discussions with other students
  • Key concepts/glossary term: Definitions of relevant concepts to reinforce understanding.
  • Additional related internal or external resources that add to the concept we’re discussing
  • All newly explored language features and short-cuts
  • Additional exercises and prompts: Real-world applications of the day’s lesson.

The goal is to create a cohesive learning experience that balances and interwines theory with practice.

Progressive resource unlocking

• Resources are tied directly to the workshops and are made available in tandem with the content.
• This means students see only the materials relevant to their current stage in the program, ensuring focus and reducing cognitive overload.
• By the end of the course, all resources from every completed workshop remain accessible, offering a full library for review and reflection.

High-touch human interaction

• Instructor guidance: Every student receives personal feedback on their code and projects from experienced instructors.
• Group collaboration: Teams are encouraged to work together, review each other’s work, and provide constructive feedback.
• Public work: Students host their projects on live servers, enabling peer and instructor review in real time.

Journaling and reflection

• Students maintain a journal throughout the course, documenting their challenges, breakthroughs, and questions.
• This reflective practice deepens understanding and helps both students and instructors track growth over time.

Portfolio development

• As part of the course, students build a portfolio of real-world projects.
• These projects are designed to demonstrate their skills in design, development, and problem-solving.
• By the end, students have a polished body of work ready to share with potential employers, collaborators, or clients.

Searchable learning system

• Students can search within their unlocked resources to revisit past workshops, glossary terms, or code snippets.
• This system ensures they can find what they need, when they need it, without introducing unrelated material.

Lifelong learning community

• After completing the program, students remain connected to our alumni network, where they can share insights, collaborate, and continue growing as professionals.

Why workshops are designed this way

Each workshop is essentially a web page containing a curated collection of:

• Key concepts
• Prompts
• Videos
• Exercises

Distilled lectures in video format

• Purposeful refinement: Traditional live lectures are replaced with edited and refined video content. These videos distill essential ideas and are crafted for clarity and precision, ensuring students get the highest value from each moment.
• On-demand learning: Videos allow students to work at their own pace, rewinding when needed and eliminating the distractions caused by interruptions in a live setting.
• No redundancy: Lectures are well-established concepts that don’t need live repetition. By presenting them in video format, everyone gets the same polished, repeatable explanation, freeing up live time for deeper, more personalized learning.

Focus on active learning

• The goal of the workshop isn’t to passively consume information but to actively engage with the material.
• Exercises are designed to provoke thoughtful questions and guide students toward their “ah-ha!” moments.
• The exercises force engagement: They challenge students to think critically and surface their own questions, which leads to deeper understanding.
• Questions naturally arise as they work through problems, not during passive listening.

Human interaction where it matters

• Plenty of human time: Students still receive ample one-on-one or small-group time with facilitators. This time is focused on reviewing their work, answering specific questions, and addressing unique challenges.
• Better use of resources: By eliminating repetitive, live lectures, the time instructors spend with students is more meaningful and focused, creating a much higher value experience for everyone.

Support Structures and Student Expectations

Our program is designed not only to impart technical skills but also to cultivate essential professional habits. We emphasize:

• Goal Setting and Career Planning: Assisting students in defining their career trajectories and connecting daily tasks to long-term objectives.
• Time Management and Planning: Encouraging the development of effective time management skills through structured daily work and stand-up meetings.
• Collaboration and Communication: Facilitating teamwork and peer interactions to mirror real-world working environments.

We expect students to actively engage with these components, as they are crucial for success both in the program and in their future careers. Our instructors and support staff are committed to providing guidance and assistance, but the ultimate responsibility for growth lies with the student.

By clearly outlining these expectations and support mechanisms, we aim to ensure that prospective students are fully aware of the program’s structure and are prepared to take full advantage of the opportunities provided.

Why this approach works

• Efficiency: Videos eliminate redundancy and allow students to revisit explanations as needed.
• Empowered learners: The format encourages students to seek answers through exploration and experimentation.
• Asynchronous flexibility: Workshops can fit a variety of schedules without disrupting the team dynamic.
• Real-time support: Facilitators are always available for personalized guidance, ensuring no one feels stuck or unsupported.