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Guil Hernandez
Treehouse TeacherChanges to CSS Foundations and Web Design Track
Hey everyone,
Now that we've updated most of the basic content in CSS Foundations with the new CSS Basics and CSS Selectors courses, we will be retiring CSS Foundations on March 3, 2015.
Also, be aware that on February 17, 2015 we're going to remove CSS Foundations from the Web Design track and replace it with CSS Basics and CSS Selectors.
We will, however, keep the CSS Animations, Transitions and Transforms, Flexbox and Multi-Column Layout, and Media Queries stages in the Web Design track. Those stages will live in a new course titled CSS - Beyond the Basics.
Feel free to post any questions about these changes.
Guil
EDIT 02/18: We just re-published those stages in CSS Foundations, so you can continue with those stages –– sorry for the hassle. :)
If you still want to review or check out some of that re-worked content, you'll find it here.
Kevin Hewitt
4,329 PointsHi, I'm currently working through the Web Design track, and am currently on the CSS Foundations course. I've done the first stage "Getting Started with CSS", and have nearly finished the second stage "Selectors".
As CSS Foundations will soon be removed from the Web Design track, and replaced with "CSS Basics" and "CSS Selectors", will I need to do these two stages a 2nd time or will my Web Design track be updated to show that I've already done them (as part of the soon to be retired "CSS Foundations" course).
John Fisher
7,974 PointsI too am in a few lessons into css foundations course, should I change now, or will that affect my track? How can I get back on track if I do change to the new recommend CSS lessons now?
Guil Hernandez
Treehouse TeacherHi Kevin Hewitt and John Fisher,
Since CSS Basics and CSS Selectors are new courses, you will need to complete both courses as part of the Web Design track. But, if you start the courses now, the stage completions will carry over to the Web Design track once implemented.
Otto Mejia
744 PointsWhy exactly is the course being replaced?
Guil Hernandez
Treehouse TeacherMost of CSS Foundations is almost 3 years old and starting to show its age. The new courses were recorded on the new set, use Workspaces and they're broken down into shorter, more digestible bits.
Otto Mejia
744 PointsThank you Guil. I will be continuing the course as it is. Can we still use Sublime Text, or does it have to be Workspaces? I like Sublime Text because of its easy to see black background.
Guil Hernandez
Treehouse TeacherNo problem, Otto Mejia. Sure, you can use the text editor of your choice. I'll also include the project files so you can use them outside of Workspaces. :)
Otto Mejia
744 PointsThank you Guil. These lessons are fun.
tylerkreft
9,669 PointsI'm sure the new content is better, unfortunately I am a few units through CSS foundations as well and probably starting over in CSS Basics. Are there any other sections of the web design track you will be updating soon, so I can skip those for now? Thanks.
Also, a way around having to take courses in Web Design "off track" following CSS Basics would be to put it in parallel with CSS Foundations right now and only require one to move on with the track. It would be appreciated. Thanks again.
Kevin Hewitt
4,329 PointsIt's great that Treehouse is continuously improving the courses, and making sure they're kept up to date, but it is frustrating when the track changes while you're working your way through it, and you find you have to redo some stages.
I've been working on the CSS Foundations course and have finished the first two stages - "Getting Started with CSS" and "Selectors". From the replies, I understand there's not much point continuing with the CSS Foundations course which will soon be removed from the Track, and I should instead switch over to "CSS Basics" and "CSS Selectors" (which will soon replace "CSS Foundations"). This means I now need to start again and recover the same things I learnt in the first two stages of the CSS Foundations course.
I'm glad I wasn't any further through the CSS Foundations course - at least it's only two stages I need to redo.
Guil Hernandez
Treehouse TeacherI understand. This is all in an effort to improve the Web Design track and quality of content for our students. The content is similar, but the course structure is better and concepts are taught in different contexts.
Guil Hernandez
Treehouse TeacherHi John Mutch,
The Front-end Development track was the first track to replace CSS Foundations with CSS Basics. The content might seem the same, but it's a completely different course that teaches CSS in a more practical context.
Jennifer Perez
5,217 PointsOk, I have read through all these comments and haven't found someone in a similar position as me, so I remain unsure of how to proceed. I am smack dab in the middle of this CSS Foundations course, having just earned the Box Model Badge and about to start on completing the Backgrounds and Borders Badge. Should I try to blaze through the rest of these Badges so I can move on in the Web Design Track before the course is removed? If I make the switch to the new updated course now, does this mean I have to re-watch all that information in order to move on in the Web Design Track?
Aurelien Bouron
Front End Web Development Techdegree Student 2,770 PointsHey, I am following the Web Design track, and as you advised, I've just finished the CSS Basics course (which was great!), now, should I go for CSS Selectors? And when I will be done with this course, should I continue with the HTML forms course like the track suggests, or should I keep learning CSS with CSS Animations, Transitions and Transforms etc... even though they are not in the Advanced CSS course yet?
Guil Hernandez
Treehouse TeacherHi Aurelien Bouron,
Sure, I'd continue with HTML Forms, and CSS Selectors. Hold off on Animations, Transitions & Transforms, etc... The last 4 stages of CSS Foundations are being reworked as a separate course that's releasing next Tuesday.
Carlos Serrano
3,351 PointsI'm aware that the content for the new courses will be updated and that this is a good thing. But fact that now it's necessary to go through some of the content again kind of sucks. I was about to complete the Flexbox module and now it's waaaay ahead on the track. Again, I value the fact that the content is being updated and that, but this definitely also responds to a strategy to keep people more time on the track$, only this time repeating an important amount of stuff.
16 Answers
Jasper Leenarts
13,830 PointsI finished the CSS basics a couple of weeks ago and now I am tackling the CSS foundations course when I need a break from the AJAX course ;-)
Yeah, I am hearing things I already heard in CSS basics, but repetition and practice are the key of learning.
If you get (really) frustrated because this course disappears and you have to do the CSS basics course all over again... Then my question is, what is your purpose on treehouse? To learn CSS as best as you can or to achieve badges and complete tracks asap.
Both answers are fine, it is just some food for thought.
Brad Lacke
7,438 PointsGlad to find this thread. I, like many, am right in the middle of CSS Foundations, and it seems like the general consensus is that it's best to switch over now and watch the more current, better videos. Think it's rad you guys are updating your lessons and giving us a heads up.
I'll miss the shots of Guil randomly inspecting various set props.
Guil Hernandez
Treehouse TeacherBrad Lacke You will not be disappointed with the new course structure. Aww, yeah, I'll need to bring back the random weird stuff in another course. :)
Sue Dough
35,800 PointsHow does this effect points? Will people who completed this get to keep the points? Will new people not be able to get those points?
Guil Hernandez
Treehouse TeacherYep, you'll get to keep your CSS Foundations points. Once we remove the course from the library, students will no longer be able to earn points for that particular course. But, there will be plenty of new courses to earn points on. :)
Craig Watson
27,930 PointsHi Guil Hernandez ,
I had never spotted this thread but as you have read I have done both courses now and the CSS Basics is great I will be doing the new CSS Selectors Course as soon as i get though Frameworks.
In my opinion whether or not you have already completed the CSS Foundations course this is well worth a watch, not only does it refresh your memory on areas you possibly have not put into practice yet but covers a range of newer and more up to date concepts.
This coupled with the new workspaces and not having to download and upload files constantly you are in for some fast, efficient and very effective online learning!
I love the way treehouse is developing and I feel myself moving from sublime text3 and local hosting to using workspaces a little more for messing around with code!
Craig
Guil Hernandez
Treehouse TeacherThank you, Craig Watson.
Arny Hope
Courses Plus Student 1,421 PointsThank You Guil I've learned a lot from you!
Jonathan Grieve
Treehouse Moderator 91,252 PointsCarlos Serrano Josue Rodriguez
Hi there, both.
If you follow this link, http://teamtreehouse.com/library/css-foundations
the CSS Foundations Course is still available to take until it goes in Early march so you can finish it individually before you move on to CSS Basics and CSS Selectors. I really recommend you take them when done, especially as repetition will help you take in the teaching and they're great courses IMO. :)
Josué Rodriguez
Front End Web Development Techdegree Graduate 24,118 PointsThanks but it's not the same version as the older one as some parts have been cut out such as Media Queries. After searching in the Library I found it here: http://teamtreehouse.com/library/css-beyond-the-basics
It would be helpful to know why things get removed, or moved around.
Jonathan Grieve
Treehouse Moderator 91,252 PointsThen it seems that for now you do seem to have missed out on those points.
My last suggestion is to maybe try downloading all the videos via itunes using the link on the course. Maybe the videos will still be there. I downloaded them to keep them as an extra resource.
If the videos really are gone than it can't be too long to go before an alternative course comes out.
Guil Hernandez
Treehouse TeacherHi Josue Rodriguez,
We just re-published those stages in CSS Foundations, so you can continue with those stages –– sorry for the hassle. :)
If you still want to review or check out some of that re-worked content, you'll find it here.
huckleberry
14,636 PointsStay tuned for a question at the end...
Hi Josue Rodriguez,
We just re-published those stages in CSS Foundations, so you can continue with those stages –– sorry for the hassle. :)
If you still want to review or check out some of that re-worked content, you'll find it here.
TY! I just came here to vent a bit but right as I clicked the post comment button I the page rung my bell up there hehe.
I know we went over everything ad nauseum already in here but I did not realize that because they were being split up (which you did mention in here and that was made very clear) that any progress on those later stages of the course (i.e. transitions, animations, media-queries) would not carry over. You probably did mention that so I'm not saying you didn't, it was just a lot of conversation in here and that finer point may have eluded my attention. So the progress being reset on those stages made me rage-a-herp-a-derp there for a bit lol.
Anyway, thank you treehouse team.
Question: You know how you're given the chance to stick with the old track model or switch to the new one? Ok well I stuck with the old one at first because I was like "meh, let me just bust out media queries first in CSS foundations and then I'll go to the new one." But I can't seem to find any way to switch over to the new track layout. Is there a way to switch to the new once you've already selected "stick to the old" ?
Thanks Guil,
John Mutch
6,962 PointsPlease help me! I just finished the Web Design Track. CSS foundation had several stages which are now in the CSS Basics for Front End Development. I don't have time to re-due materiel I have already covered. THIS IS FRUSTRATING. I see some tracks carried over and others did't. WHY!!!!
Muzafar Haq
14,272 PointsPlease suggest, I have almost finished Text, Fonts, and Lists stage (step 8/10) that is 5 out of 13 stages completed. Should I continue with this CSS Foundation Course or start with the CSS Basics course? Also as someone mentioned in the thread, are there any other courses in the Web Design Track going to retire anytime soon so that we should re-consider taking them.
Also I am on trial, and was planning to continue with teamtreehouse until this point when I see that in the middle of a track I get a news that what ever I learned I have to redo in order to move on.
tylerkreft
9,669 PointsThe new videos have better production value and the inclusion of workspaces to code along easier. I think you should be more willing to subscribe due to them continually updating the videos, but I would also like my questions and suggestions answered above as well.
Josué Rodriguez
Front End Web Development Techdegree Graduate 24,118 PointsUgh I was about to finish CSS Foundations and I saw the message that the course was going to be retired:
"This Course will be retired on March 3, 2015. We recommend starting CSS Basics or CSS Selectors for newer, up-to-date content. You may also download the Course videos to watch after the Course is retired."
It doesn't mention anything about todays change. So I figured I might as well finish it. I had only Media Queries left to do. I finish two sections and then proceeded to the Objective just to get a page not found.
OK in another tab I had the Web Design track opened with a message saying: "An update is available. Would you like to preview these changes? What's changed? Yes, Preview --- No Thanks"
I hit No, thinking I'll get the old course back but it still changed the course.
Sigh, I was looking forward to finishing the last section today...
Otto Mejia
744 PointsSo is it worth going through the old CSS Foundations? Or should I pause it and do something else? I'm kinda starting out and I'm a couple of videos in. I'm afraid If I continue I won't be able to look back on it.
Guil Hernandez
Treehouse TeacherOtto Mejia - If you take the CSS Basics and CSS Selectors courses, your progress will carry over once they're implemented in the Web Design track.
CSS Foundations is still worth taking - it just no longer fits our current Tracks model. In fact, we may leave it in the library for a while as an additional CSS reference.
ella
2,252 PointsI finished CSS Foundations last year and it was great! I have a few questions about the non-Basics topics because I'd like to refer to them in the future:
- Will any of the content in CSS Animations, Transitions and Transforms, Flexbox and Multi-Column Layout, and Media Queries be updated, or will the videos stay the same?
- When will the Advanced CSS course be launched?
- Will it be a Pro membership account course only, or open to all accounts?
Thanks Guil!
Guil Hernandez
Treehouse TeacherHi ella,
- The videos will be the same – just broken up into shorter, more digestible bits that are easier to reference
- The course will launch February 17th
- It will be open to all accounts :)
Thanks!
Muzafar Haq
14,272 PointsI have come to a conclusion, that because I have already started the CSS Foundation course that is going to retire, I will continue with it, and once I finish, I will not take the new CSS Basics and CSS Selectors course yet. But after taking a couple of other courses in the web-design track, to review my CSS I will take the newer CSS courses. As I have said before on a tweet to Guil, "-- after all CSS is an important part of designing a web-structure"
Guil Hernandez
Treehouse TeacherGreat idea using the new CSS courses as refreshers, Muzafar Haq. I often take refreshed courses, and read several web dev books that touch on the same concepts just to get a fresh perspective and see concepts being taught/used in different contexts. :)
huckleberry
14,636 PointsGuil!!
First and foremost, love your videos. I find you to be very attentive to detail and explain things rather well and they've helped me immensely so thank you :).
I also found it interesting to watch your own presentational development progress in the early stages of the course. Not important nor relevant but I thought I'd throw that out there. And like one of the other users mentioned, I enjoy the random quirksmode you go into at times (inspecting props, slapping your palms together and forward as you say let's get started). I like that some of y'all have fun with it and aren't all stuffy and selferious-taking™
Hope your back is unscathed after all that patting... but now on to the heart of the matter.
I took a long break from completing the Web Design track to tackle some other things such as life, JS and programming in general and that break happened during my flexbox stage of CSS Foundations. I've recently come back to it and finished the flexbox and transitions and will actually finish the course and then take the other ones in full due to
- Feeling that review is important so it won't hurt and can only benefit
- My long break left some gaps and
- As you've said, they're 3 years old anyway, there's updated things and your presentational style and contextual examples will be different.
I'm not so much concerned about workspaces though seeing as how I do everything in sublime, rework the examples and then commit to doing 3 more page examples using the concepts covered in each lesson so I don't even know why I mentioned that... anyway, on to the questions.
Please help me with the confusion here dude...
ella
I finished CSS Foundations last year and it was great! I have a few questions about the non-Basics topics because I'd like to refer to them in the future:
Will any of the content in CSS Animations, Transitions and Transforms, Flexbox and Multi-Column Layout, and Media Queries be updated, or will the videos stay the same?
Reply
Guil Hernendez
Hi ella,
The videos will be the same – just broken up into shorter, more digestible bits that are easier to reference
The course will launch February 17th
However...
*Guil Hernendez
Hi Aurelien Bouron,
Sure, I'd continue with HTML Forms, and CSS Selectors. Hold off on Animations, Transitions & Transforms, etc... The last 4 stages of CSS Foundations are being reworked as a separate course that's releasing next Tuesday.
So one post of yours says they've been reworked and sounds like they're new videos... but in another you say no. So, to be clear
Have the last 4 stages been redone like the rest of CSS or they're the same videos but just restructured differently and put into their own stage?
If so, why haven't they been redone to account for things such as prefix requirement changes and updated features or feature deprecation?
If so #2... Are there plans to reshoot them because of the aforementioned considerations? If so, when is that getting done and when can we expect them?
Thanks a ton Guil!
p.s. sorry for the novela...
Guil Hernandez
Treehouse TeacherHey, thanks for the kind words, huckleberry!
Have the last 4 stages been redone like the rest of CSS or they're the same videos but just restructured differently and put into their own stage?
Not yet. They will be the same videos, but the video lengths, code challenges, quizzes and teacher's notes have been reworked. Students will also have the handy option of following along with Workspaces.
If so, why haven't they been redone to account for things such as prefix requirement changes and updated features or feature deprecation?
That's all in the works for mid/later this year. Except for flexbox and transitions, not much has changed as far as prefix requirements––but I will mention the updates in the teacher's notes.
If so #2... Are there plans to reshoot them because of the aforementioned considerations? If so, when is that getting done and when can we expect them?
Yep, it's all in the plans as I mentioned above. I wanted to refresh all the basic, job-ready topics in the Web Design track first, then refresh the more advanced topics as separate courses.
We're retiring CSS Foundations, but still want to keep the advanced parts I've yet to refresh in the track. Also, if you've completed those 4 badges in CSS Foundations, you won't have to retake the new-ish course. :)
huckleberry
14,636 PointsSweet! Thanks a bunch for getting back to me and so quickly to boot! You're welcome for the words, you deserve em.
Not yet. They will be the same videos, but the video lengths, code challenges, quizzes and teacher's notes have been reworked. Students will also have the handy option of following along with Workspaces.
Oh that's so great to hear! One of my qualms with some of the older stuff is, while the videos themselves have fantastic walkthroughs on a feature by feature basis, I feel that the challenges, not so much the quizzes, are lacking in ... depth. Ya know? In my opinion they're falling short in 2 ways.
- The instructions a lot of the times are too clear. It's like there's no thought process required by the user. Yeah some are slightly "hinty" and you have to remember some things but others are just too up front. It's like having the answer key. Your notes that you've taken and your fiddling around with the stuff during the lessons should be your guide and then the challenges should just say "do this" and you should then have to think "ok, that requires this this and this" and then if you fail you get the further instructions.
They shouldn't just be "add this selector" great job! "add this property with a value of XX" fantastic work!!. IMHO they should be more along the lines of "Now that you've learned transitions, make a div dance across the screen in 5 steps over 3 seconds and have it change color from blue to red. Oh, and make it do that little bounce in the beginning".
- The actual challenges could be a bit more contextual/functional. Not just add this property or add this transition, but an actual build of something. Just learned transitions and transforms? Cool. Now your challenge is to apply it to a navigation or an image gallery or form buttons. First build the nav/gallery/form in the html. Great! Now make the links/images/buttons rotate a full circle. Awesome! Now make them change color and make the text decoration transform to underline... but make that fade in. Fantastic!
I know, not all people want that. Some want to be spoonfed. But really, is that best?
Oooo... have y'all thought about maybe different difficulty levels for challenges? Each one could have different levels of clarity in the instructions or different levels of steps in the process.
Anyway, sorry, ranting. I tend to do that.
That's all in the works for mid/later this year. Except for flexbox and transitions, not much has changed as far as prefix requirements––but I will mention the updates in the teacher's notes.
Oh nice! That's great news :)
Yep, it's all in the plans as I mentioned above. I wanted to refresh all the basic, job-ready topics in the Web Design track first, then refresh the more advanced topics as separate courses.
I'm not sure what you mean about job-ready topics. You mean just all the topics that you need to learn to be well rounded and get you prepared to hit the job-market?
Thanks again Guil!
Guil Hernandez
Treehouse TeacherNo problem, huckleberry.
Difficulty levels for challenges is a pretty awesome idea! We're working on something similar to that—and ways of improving assessment—so stay tuned. :)
I'm not sure what you mean about job-ready topics. You mean just all the topics that you need to learn to be well rounded and get you prepared to hit the job-market?
Yep, the essential topics that can help you get a job as an entry-level or junior designer/dev.
Thanks for the suggestions!
huckleberry
14,636 PointsNo problem, huckleberry.
Why so formal? Please... call me Huck
Difficulty levels for challenges is a pretty awesome idea! We're working on something similar to that—and ways of improving assessment—so stay tuned. :)
Thanks :) and sweet! That's good to hear.
Yep, the essential topics that can help you get a job as an entry-level or junior designer/dev.
Thanks for the suggestions!
Ah ok, cool. You're welcome, thanks for listening and replying :)
Guil Hernandez
Treehouse TeacherYou got it, Huck!
Jonathan Grieve
Treehouse Moderator 91,252 PointsSorry to come to the thread late. I've just found it in the featured posts list. :)
Guil Hernandez I'd like to echo what huckleberry said. I think the topics would have benefitted from fresh content. Since the new courses will be launched in 5 days it's much too late to reshoot now.
Is there any plan to refresh on any changes to browser support in say on screen graphics or updated teachers notes? I think this will be important if we're revisiting the videos again after 3 years. Thanks
Guil Hernandez
Treehouse TeacherHey there, Jonathan Grieve.
As I mentioned to huckleberry, there are plans to refresh those topics later this year. This is just a temp. solution that keeps those topics in the track while we refresh them. :)
Jonathan Grieve
Treehouse Moderator 91,252 PointsAwesome, thanks for your reply Guil :)
Matt Varner
5,373 PointsI just want to thank whoever jammed those last stages back into the CSS Foundations course. I know you guys are updating the info...and I understand it just so happens that I'm working on the very stages you pulled...but I maintain a fairly (perhaps ludicrously) structured offline study regime alongside the Treehouse content, based on that content...and I was rushing through my usual careful process to learn it before it was retired.
I ran into a bug in Chrome 40 that threw a wrench in the works for the Transitions and Animations...the element behaviors were not conforming to expectation at all, giving me the impression the code challenge was asking me for incorrect information as "the right answer." ...my sincere apologies to whoever had to read that horribly obnoxious (and incorrect) feedback before I discovered it was a bug.
Anyhow...back to the learnin'.
Unsubscribed User
5,512 PointsUnsubscribed User
5,512 PointsAwesome, Guil. Thanks for the heads up!