Syllabus

LIBB 2500: Digital Media Art - Course Syllabus, Spring 2017    

Instructor: Casey Koehler
Meeting Time: Tuesdays and Thursday 3:30 -5:50 p.m.
Contact: casey.koehler@colorado.edu
Office: McKenna 130
Office Hours: after class and by appointment

Format

Students will utilize various multimedia hardware and software including the Mac computer, scanner, Adobe Creative Suite programs, Google apps, and other online resources for both artistic expression and professional development.  

Class time will include short demos, collaborative and individual exercises, discussions and troubleshooting. Some work time is built in to start projects and test ideas, but students will be expected to continue, evolve, polish and finish projects on their own time. Outside of class, students will brainstorm and journal using social media, write blog responses to assigned readings and videos, view tutorials, and complete and refine any unfinished work started in class.

The instructor will provide structure and guidance through assignments, exercises, and projects. Students will have the flexibility to customize their work based on their individual skill levels, personal goals, and aesthetic styles.

Schedule

The tenative schedule for the course is available on this site. Students are responsible for knowing the schedule and coming to class prepared with homework completed. The schedule is subject to change. Any schedule changes will be updated on the website. Students will be notified of any changes to the schedule via email. Examples of schedule changes include unanticipated campus closures.

Disclaimer

Please note that this course may discuss, read about or view images/media that include content of a sexual, religious, or political nature. Art can express diverse points of view or ideas, some of which – including works by your classmates – may be controversial.  

Objectives

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Apply knowledge learned in and outside of class to perform tasks common to digital or graphic artists or designers, college students, and workplace professionals.
• Apply critical thinking skills and troubleshooting strategies to access resources and solve both design and technology problems that arise in the creation of digital art.
• Recognize and contextualize the relationships between history, art, culture and technology.
• Display a basic understanding of design terms, elements and principles. Utilize them to convey meaning in the creation of art. Incorporate them into critiques/analyses of artworks.
• Create and present artwork examples to display online (via website or e-portfolio) and in a public exhibitio for Libby Residence Hall peers at the end of the semester.

Required Learning Tools

• Digital Art (second edition) by Christiane Paul (available at the CU Bookstore, amazon.com) 
• USB flash memory stick/flash drive (at least 16 GB)
• Lynda.com online tutorials through My CU Info under the CU Resources tab, trainings

Grading

1) Subversive advertisement - 20%
2) Self(ie) Portrait Collage -20%
3) Animation with sound - 20%
4) Website/e-Portfolio - 20%
5) Participation (including homework, in-class exercises/activities, quizzes, contribution in critiques, etc.) - 20%

Class Policies

Students will be expected to conduct themselves as adults- appropriately and professionally. Think of being in school as your job and the lab as a work environment. Developing good habits now will make you appealing to potential employers in the future.

• Treat everyone respectfully and contribute to a supportive learning environment.
• Attend class punctually, complete assignments on time, and be prepared for each class session. Last minute work shows minimal effort. Since you will be displaying work in public (on-line and in an end-of-the-semester exhibition), you will want to be proud of what you produce.
• Follow instructions. The ability to read or listen to, clarify, and execute directions will be valued by your future employer.
• Inform the instructor of lateness or absence due to illness or extenuating circumstances.
• Participate in class discussions and activities, online and in person.
• Refrain from any unnecessary technology use that is unrelated to this course. Our class is interactive and does not lend itself to multitasking.
• Do not submit assignments that contain any images/work from previous or concurrent other courses.

Lab

Our class will meet in a Mac computer lab in Eaton Humanities 1B35. 

Studio time will be built into this class for students to work under supervision. This is the best time to ask specific questions about work, get feedback on work in progress, or communicate any problems with the material, technology, pace, or concepts. It is expected that students will have enough work to occupy the full class period.

Homework Tutorials

1. Access Lynda.com through the CU Boulder Lynda.com link
2. Click the "Login to Lynda.com" button
3. Type in your identikey username and password
4. Answer question and accept agreement
5. Use the search bar at the top to find your assigned tutorials

Computer Issues

Occasionally, problems do arise. Files can be lost, corrupted, accidentally overridden or erased. Networks can go down, software programs can crash, and printers can run out of paper, toner etc. Be prepared! Give plenty of “buffer” time to troubleshoot and solve technical problems.Save work early and often. Backup all files onto USB drive (as well as uploading onto Dropbox or Google Drive).  Computer crashes are not an acceptable excuse for late or incomplete work. See the Office of Information Technology (OIT) website for computing resources and assistance available on campus. Other labs are also available on campus.  

Add / Drop / Waitlist / Withdraw

If you are waitlisted for this class, or if you chose to drop the class, please familiarize yourself with course registration policies and deadlines.

Honor Code 

All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct will be reported to the Honor Code Office (honor@colorado.edu; 303-735-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy are subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). 

Classroom Behavior

 Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, color, culture, religion, creed, politics, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, and nationalities. Class rosters provide the student's legal name. Your instructor will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise her/him of this preference early in the semester so that s/he may make appropriate changes to her/his records.

Disability Accomodations

If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to your instructor a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs can be addressed. For exam accommodations provide your letter at least one week prior to the exam. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. You may contact Disability Services at 303-492-8671 or by e-mail at dsinfo@colorado.edu. If you have a temporary medical condition or injury, please contact Disability Services, fill out the required paperwork, and discuss your needs with your instructor.

Discrimination and Harrassment

The University of Colorado Boulder (CU-Boulder) is committed to maintaining a positive learning, working, and living environment. The University of Colorado does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status in admission and access to, and treatment and employment in, its educational programs and activities. (Regent Law, Article 10, amended 11/8/2001). CU-Boulder will not tolerate acts of discrimination or harassment based upon Protected Classes by any employee or student or related retaliation against any employee or student. For purposes of this CU-Boulder policy, "Protected Classes" refers to race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation, or political philosophy. Any student, staff, or faculty member who believes s/he has been the subject of sexual harassment or discrimination or harassment based upon the above-mentioned Protected Classes should contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at 303-492-2127 or by email at cureport@colorado.edu, or the Office of Student Conduct (OSC) at 303-492-5550 or by email at student.conduct@colorado.edu. 

Diversity

 "At the University of Colorado Boulder we are committed to building a campus community in which diversity is a fundamental value. People are different and the differences among us are what we call diversity—a natural and enriching hallmark of life. Diversity includes, but is not limited to, ethnicity, race, gender, age, class, sexual orientation, religion, disability, veteran status, gender identity/expression, veteran status, political affiliation or political philosophy and health status. A climate of healthy diversity is one in which people value individual and group differences, respect the perspectives of others and communicate openly." 

Religious Observances

Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to deal reasonably and fairly with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. Please contact your Instructor during the first two weeks of class to let her/him know of any possible conflicts in order to make the necessary arrangements.

Copyright and Fair Use 

The University of Colorado Boulder community respects the intellectual property of others, regardless of the medium by which it is transmitted. This is a cornerstone of academic integrity. We prohibit the use of unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material, which is subject to both civil and criminal penalties as well as university procedures.

Distributing copyrighted materials using peer-to-peer or file-sharing programs is illegal and the university uses technological solutions to deter this activity. Still, the university regularly receives notices of copyright violations and is required by law to take action. Common consequences include loss of network access and referral to the Office of Judicial Affairs. 

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined as the use of another’s ideas or words without appropriate acknowledgment. Examples of plagiarism include: failing to use quotation marks when directly quoting from a source; failing to document distinctive ideas from a source; fabricating or inventing sources; and copying information from computer-based sources, i.e., the Internet.

Student Email

All CU students receive an email account from the university, which is an official means of sending information to students. Students are responsible for maintaining this CU email address. The official email address can be used by professors to contact students and provide course-related information. Administrative offices, such as the Office of the Registrar, use official email addresses to contact students and provide important information. Students are responsible for frequently checking their official CU email address. For more information on the student email policy, call the IT Service Center at 303-735-HELP or email them at HELP@colorado.edu.

Final Exams

Final exams are to be taken on the day determined by the university and the department. No excuse such as family meetings, employment, or travel will grant an exception to this. If you have three or more final exams on the same day, you are entitled to arrange an alternative exam time for the last exam or exams scheduled on that day. If you have two final exams scheduled to meet at the same time, you are entitled to arrange an alternative exam time for the later course offered that day or week. To be eligible to re-schedule a final exam, you must provide evidence of either of these situations and make arrangements with your instructor no later than Friday February 17, 2017.