ART 358: Web Design

Digital Liturgies


Tuesdays 3:00 - 04:35


Ecclesiastes 1:9: The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

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Lecture:

Assignment: Show Me a Website

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Assignment: Show Me a Website

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Assignment: Show Me a Website

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Assignment: Show Me a Website

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Assignment: Show Me a Website

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Assignment: Show Me a Website

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Assignment: Show Me a Website

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Websites:

Web Design: Digital Liturgies

[ART 358] · Fall 2026 · Tuesdays, 3:00–4:35pm, via Zoom

Raegan Bird · Raegan.Bird@gordon.edu

This section meets remotely; office hours are held Thursdays, 3:00–4:35pm, via Discord.

Course Materials

  • A laptop or computer and reliable internet access

  • A Discord account

  • Additional, free, software will be suggested per module

  • Readings and podcast episodes are assigned throughout the semester—see the daily schedule block for expectations.

Course Description

In “A Rant about ‘Technology,’” Ursula K. Le Guin refers to technology as the active human interface with the material world. In other words, technology is how a society copes with physical reality. What if instead of doomscrolling we were to meet the web as a space of poetics, contemplation, and prayer? Each day we’ll ask ourselves what it means for a webpage to cultivate reverence. In this course, we will explore the devotional possibilities of net art and digital publishing through an introduction to the foundational skills of HTML, CSS, and web building platforms. By the end of the semester, you'll leave with practical skills to build for the web—and, I hope, with a more intentional relationship to it.

Course Objectives

Course Objective Assignment/Means of Assessment Assessment Tool/Method of Assessment Program Learning Goal or Core Learning Goal
Build and hand-code multipage websites using HTML and CSS, without relying on templated platforms. Sacred Code, Illuminated Manuscript Project rubric #6 Synthesize art and design theory and making practices to live and create with aesthetic and spiritual maturity
Situate contemporary web practice within net art and internet history—recognizing how the vernacular web, slow web, and platform-era web relate to and depart from one another. Digital trading card; class discussion Project rubric; in-class feedback #2 Think and work within the historic and ongoing conversations about art and design with critical discernment
Articulate a critical, intentional stance toward technology Slow web redesign; Digital Hygiene Liveblog reflection Project rubric; reflective reading #3 Hold an honest assessment of the distance between the current state and future possibilities of the visual and material world
Use constraint-based, repetition-driven exercises to build technical fluency and develop a personal creative voice. Sacred Code Project rubric #5 Begin discerning and living into their vocation as makers within God's redemptive work
Reflect on and articulate your own relationship to digital tools and attention. Digital Hygiene Liveblog; Illuminated Manuscript reflection Reflective reading #1 Understand and articulate the centrality of Christian faithfulness to lives of making visual art and design works
Give and receive constructive critique within a collaborative, remote learning community. In-class critique; Show Me a Website discussion; peer feedback on Illuminated Manuscript & Final Project In-class feedback; participation grade #4 Develop intellectual curiosity and steadfast hopefulness in their process of making in a complex and challenging world

Module Overview

  • Unit 1: History, Slow Web, & Digital Hygiene (4 sessions, 8/27–9/15): net art and internet history, the slow web/low-tech movement, and digital hygiene/attention economy. Exercises: net artist digital trading card, slow web redesign. Project: two-sit Digital Hygiene Liveblog.

  • Unit 2: Hand Coding (4 sessions, 9/22–10/13): HTML, CSS, layout, and linking/hosting. Project: Sacred Code, a repetition-based fluency exercise.

  • Unit 3: Illuminated Manuscript (3 sessions, 10/20–11/10): a structured, temporal project drawing on the historical form of the book of hours. Linked as a group publication. Exercise: Illuminated Initial, Project: Illuminated Manuscript

  • Unit 4: Final Project (4 sessions, 11/17–12/8): a passion-project website, built across multiple pages.

Readings or other required content: assigned weekly, opening each Tuesday's discussion (see each day's block for reading expectations).

Homework assignments: all hands-on building happens outside of our one weekly Zoom meeting—plan on roughly 6 hours a week. Weekly Show Me a Website posts to Discord.

Deadlines for major assignments: see the course schedule for each project's due date.

Weekly Expectations

Show Me a Website

Once a week, prior to the start of class on Tuesday, you will show me a website
This counts towards your participation grade.

Office Hours

If you need assistance, please post in the office hours channel on discord Thursdays 3-4:45.

Course Policies

Grading Breakdown

Your semester grade is comprised of 70% projects / 20% exercises / 10% participation. Each major project will have a point system. Exercises will be graded as complete/incomplete.

Late Work

In the formal sense, I do not accept late work. In the logistical sense, I must. What I mean by this is that a majority of our work is cumulative, so the work must be done, however you will not receive credit for individual checkpoints if you do not make the deadline.

For major projects, you will receive a 10% deduction for each 24 hours the project is not received.

If you know in advance you're falling behind, or have extenuating circumstances that will make your work late, email me before the deadline. I’d rather negotiate an extension with you ahead of time than penalize you after the fact for something we could have planned around.

Attendance

I take attendance seriously—please log in on time for our Tuesday Zoom sessions if you are able.

Given that we are only meeting online once a week, you will be able to miss two classes without penalty. Each additional absence will result in a deduction of half a letter grade.

Arriving within 15 minutes late of, or leaving within 15 minutes early from, our Zoom session results in a tardy. Two tardies result in a full unexcused absence.

When you are in class, please be in class. This means camera on, and ready to join the conversation. If you can't have your camera on for a given class, just let me know beforehand. Greg has kindly reserved "The Perch" (BCA 201) for you every Tuesday from 2:30–5pm (and Thursday too, if you'd like to use it during asynchronous work time).

Conduct

  • Active Participation: Engage in class discussions, critiques, and workshops. No matter how small an observation, speaking it through is helpful to your learning process. Please be patient with each other, we are all learning.

  • Collaboration: Embrace collaboration with peers—it is something you will have to do often in the future. Your classmates are excellent resources and having community is something you should use to your full advantage while you are in school. I am still in contact and conversation with many of my undergrad peers and we have helped each other with gallery shows, publications, and jobs over the years.

  • Feedback and Critique: Provide constructive feedback during critiques and receive feedback with an open mind. We should also be open to taking risks and failing miserably! Making bad work is necessary sometimes, we all go through this. Your grade will not suffer as long as you show that you put in effort and critical thinking to your process.

  • Attention: Simone Weil , in a 1942 letter to the poet Joë Bousquet, wrote that attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity. In a time where our attention is often scarce or scattered, I hope to cultivate a space where we are encouraged to strengthen our practice of listening and consideration for each other. I think we will all become stronger artists, designers and people for it.

  • Trickery and Deception: Please do not trick or deceive me.

    AI Policy

    We will be discussing at length the practical and ethical implications of using Artificial Intelligence. Please note the individual policies per assignment. Some will explore it, some will forbid it. It is very important during foundational projects to hand write your own code and to not outsource that time to an LLM. This is important for building preliminary literacy and skills that you will be using later.

    Institutional Policies

    CCI Statement

    The Career & Connection Institute (CCI) supports students in discerning vocation and preparing for life after Gordon by connecting academic learning, faith, and career development. Grounded in the NACE Career Readiness Competencies, CCI helps students build skills in self-development, communication, professionalism, leadership, teamwork, critical thinking, inclusion, and technology through coaching, workshops/programming, and experiential learning opportunities. Students can schedule career advising appointments and register for events through Handshake and are encouraged to visit the CCI website at gordon.edu/academics/resources/cci for resources upcoming programs, and additional information. Faculty are encouraged to partner with CCI to integrate career readiness into coursework and help students make intentional connections between learning, calling, and meaningful work.

    Academic Accommodations Statement

    Our academic community is committed to providing access to a Gordon education for students with disabilities. A student with a disability who intends to request academic accommodations should follow this procedure:

    1. Meet with a staff person from the Academic Success Center (ASC) and provide them with current documentation of the disability.
    2. Obtain an Accommodation Letter from the Academic Success Center, listing appropriate accommodations.
    3. Submit this form to professors and discuss those accommodations with them, ideally within the first two weeks of classes.

    Some accommodations need more time to arrange so communicating early in the semester is important. For more information consult the Academic Success Center webpage: gordon.edu/asc/disabilities or email asc@gordon.edu.

    Academic Dishonesty Statement

    Academic dishonesty is regarded as a major violation of both the academic and spiritual principles of this community and may result in a failing grade or suspension. Academic dishonesty includes plagiarism (see Plagiarism in Student Handbook), cheating (whether in or out of the classroom), and abuse or misuse of library materials related to course requirements.

    Statement on Academic Credit

    For each semester hour of credit, students should expect to spend a minimum of 2–3 hours per week outside of class in engaged academic time. This time includes reading, writing, studying, completing assignments, lab work, or group projects among other activities.

    Title IX Statement

    Gordon College is committed to providing a safe learning environment for all students that is free of all forms of sexual harassment (including sexual assault, domestic and dating violence, stalking, and retaliation). Gordon faculty and staff are committed to your well-being and safety, and are available to listen and direct you to campus resources.

    Please know that all Gordon faculty and staff are mandated reporters of sexual misconduct at Gordon College. This means that in certain situations, we are required to share information privately with the College's Title IX Coordinator to help ensure a student is safe and that care is being provided.

    Although we have to notify the Title IX Coordinator when we learn of possible sexual misconduct, it will be up to you to control how your case is handled, including whether to pursue a formal complaint or any other action. The goal is to make sure you are aware of the range of options available to you and that you are offered the supportive measures you need. The Title IX Coordinator will keep the information private and will reach out to you, but you are under no obligation to respond.

    If you, or another student you know, wish to speak to a confidential resource who does not have this reporting responsibility, please contact the Center for Counseling & Wellness (978-867-4311), the Chapel Office (978-978-4213), or the Gordon College Health Center (978-867-4300). If you are in need of immediate medical attention, call the Gordon College Police at 978-867-3333 (or dial 911 if you are off campus).

    More information about Gordon's Title IX policy, procedures and resources is found here: Gordon College Anonymous Report of Sexual Misconduct Form.