These days I would highly recommend Vue.js over jQuery. However I think the barrier to entry for Vue is a little high and that beginning front-end developers could still benefit from starting with jQuery.
I recently taught two classes at the Startup Institute for the Product and Design track. You can view the interactive slideshows online. Use arrow keys or page up/down to navigate, and play around with some of the live demos! Best viewed fullscreen. Copyright © 2013 me.
2014 lectures:
I will be giving a guest lecture at the University of Notre Dame on October 8, 2014, for a new course called "Case Studies in Computing-Based Entrepreneurship." Afterwards I will put the slideshow up here.