College of Mount St. Joseph

Fall 2004 S1-05

Art Department

Course Syllabus

(tentative as of 08.23.04)

GRD 470-99: Web & Interactive Design Seminar (3)

Prerequisites: ART 103 or ART 104 or GRD 205, COM 210, GRD 253, GRD 270, GRD 370, GRD 380 and permission of instructor. Independent Study

iDesign Program (Web & Interactive Design Program)

Instructor: Michael Kroeger

Office: 201A Art Building

Telephone: 513-244-4203

Office hours: Tuesday 10 – 12; 1 – 2:30 p.m.; Thursday. 1:00 – 4 p.m.

E-mail: Michael_Kroeger@mail.msj.edu

Course Description

Students will prepare final program summation. The students will present written and visual documentation of a significant interactive project. Projects and discussions, outside consultants to visit and give advise to the students.

Overview

This seminar course is the final time the students have an opportunity to develop a project and written explanation of their interactive design philosophy. This will be an independent study situation. The students will initiate a significant interactive project to be completed by the end of the semester. Research is necessary to begin the process and should be started before the in-class work. It is encouraged to work with other disciplines on this research.

Learning Outcomes and Performance Indicators

At the conclusion of this course the student will be able to:

• A. Global/citizenship: Understand and appreciate the interdependence and interrelatedness of all people as well as of people and their environment.
• B. Ethics: Understand the Judeo-Christian ethical tradition and recognize ethical responsibility in one’s personal and professional life. For example, using things from the Internet and not giving proper credit.
• C. Interdependence/interdisciplinarity: Draw on disciplinary perspectives and integrate your insights through construction of a more comprehensive perspective. Understand and demonstrate the ability to communicate through group and individual critiques.
• D. Socio-cultural relationships: Understand social and cultural influences on behavior. Demonstrate the ability to express aesthetic qualities and feelings.
• E. Communication: Construct and interpret various forms of communication including written, oral, and visual effectively and ethically. Demonstrate the ability to apply drawing and form as a communication tool.
• F. Critical/Creative thinking: to reason in an open-ended manner to evaluate a situation, generate multiple solutions, and support the reasoning behind a solution.

Projects (see WebCT for project assignments)

1) research paper describing a significant final project

2) Interactive Design (visual documentation). Synthesis project to create a new interactive design for publication to the Web, CD or DVD.

Deadlines

There are two deadlines given for all exercises, midterm and the end of the semester. The course is organized this way for two reasons:

(1) the students are able to refine projects as needed throughout the semester

(2) deadlines build self-discipline through time organization

Midterm Presentation

The midterm presentation is considered a target and is by appointment. At this point half of the semester work is ideally complete. Keep in mind that it may be necessary to refine some earlier projects towards the end of the semester.

Final Presentation

Your final presentation is by appointment during final exam week. The presentation is cumulative. Evaluation criteria comprise the project requirements and the self-evaluation personal development points. Deficiencies are recorded and considered in the final evaluation. There is a grade penalty (unsatisfactory) for late or incomplete presentations. Some work may be temporarily retained for faculty discussion and documentation.

Policies

This course follows College, and Department guidelines, objectives, and regulations. Listed below are some specific points for student attention.

Attendance

The Advanced Web & Interactive Design calls for regular course attendance and participation. Each student must fulfill 87 percent attendance and participation. Attendance and participation below 87 percent (two classes) affect grading. Absences are ‘no fault’ that is, there are no excused/unexcused absences. If there is a serious problem, such as accident, illness, family or personal problem that causes significant absence, contact the professor promptly to discuss your choices.

Grading

The final grade is a professor/student consensus evaluation based on these course policies, the achievement of specific project criteria, and the developmental points listed on the evaluation criteria. A student self-evaluation conducted at midterm and finals records student progress perceptions.

Incompletes

A mark of ‘I’ (incomplete) is given by the professor only when a student who is otherwise doing acceptable work is unable to complete a course because of conditions beyond personal control. An incomplete requires external verification such as a physician’s letter. If at reviews, your work is incomplete but otherwise meets standards, and you do not qualify for ‘I’ grade, you will receive a ‘D’ or ‘F’ grade. When you complete the work, a grade change to a ‘C’ will be submitted.

Books for Reference

Flash Math Creativity

Manny Tan, Jared Tarbell, Gabriel Mulzer, et al.

Friends of ED – ISBN: 1-903450-50-0

Mapping Web Sites

Paul Kahn and Krzysztof Lenk

RotoVision SA – ISBN: 2-88046-464-1

Macromedia Flash MX A Beginner’s Guide

Bruce Underdahl

McGraw Hill/Osborne – ISBN 0-07-222266-2

Macromedia Flash Advanced for Windows & Macintosh

Russell Chun

Peachpit Press – ISBN 0-201-75846-6

SAMS Teach Yourself Flash MX ActionScript in 24 Hours

Gary Rosenzweig

Sams Publishing – ISBN 0-672-32385-0

GRD470-99_S105.doc

Revised 08.23.04