As an instructional designer, I spend most of my day (okay, the part of my day when I'm not playing online Mah Jong) trying to design training that will both engage the learner and ensure long-lasting knowledge retention; believe me, it's hard to do both, especially with technical instruction. Sadly, most training materials (especially technical manuals) spew forth an avalanche of terms and jargon, all with the tacit belief that if you want to learn something badly enough, then you will slog through the mire to get that knowledge. When my local Adobe Users Group offered Elisabeth and Eric Freeman's "Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML" to someone for review, I accepted the mission and feared the worst. However, instead of a dry, overly-technical tome that would cure anyone's insomnia, I found a well-written, cleanly-designed book that uses educational design to teach skills in a way that anyone can grasp. More importantly, the book's design makes sure that the information sticks with you.
First and foremost, know that the authors' primary audience is the html novice. (They don't even assume that a reader has a high level of computer proficiency. If you can open your text editor and save files, you're golden.) However, because the book's scope runs from basic html through xhtml, more advanced users can jump into the fray later in the book and still learn a lot. The authors take the reader through basic html- and Web-related terms, stopping to examine how servers and Web sites interact, before plunging into page creation, design, and XHTML.
However, if that was all that could be said about the book, then it would be no more valuable than the five kajillion other html books on the market. No, the true value of Head First HTML is the way in which information is presented. (Amazingly, the authors even explain their educational design in the book's beginning.) They use conversational English to help readers grasp content quicker, as opposed to more traditional manuals that follow the dictate that instruction is only valuable when it's confusing. Additionally, they use images (black-and-white and color pictures, as well as drawings and clip art images) to help visual learners. Best of all, they incorporate hundreds of puzzles and exercises into the book to make sure that not only will you understand what you just read, but you'll be able to use that knowledge. (The application exercises are great because they don't follow the standard multiple choice question model. Studies show that learners are more likely to retain knowledge when they apply it soon after they learn it.)
I cannot say enough good things about Head First HTML. If you want to learn html or the more advanced design elements of xhtml, but have been afraid to take the plunge because of horrid instructional manuals, buy this book. You won't be disappointed.
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