Syllabus

Location: Merion Hall 174
Instructor: Rachael Sullivan
Office: Merion Hall 186
Comm. department phone: 610-660-3385
Email: rsulliva@sju.edu (no “N”)
Twitter: @rachaelsullivan
Office hours: Please book an appointment

 

Course description: This course examines the role of aesthetic, sensory-based experience in digital environments. We will focus on contemporary ways to understand sensory perception (especially sight and sound) and its relationship to meaning-making. We will try to understand aesthetics as a mode of complex communication intricately related to social and cultural influences. You will try out many different creative roles during the semester, participating in hands-on activities in the areas of (1) graphic design (2) photography (3) audio-video and (4) online advocacy.

Required materials:

Recommended materials:

  • Access to a digital camera
  • Headphones

Note: I realize this course asks for a steep financial investment. Please talk to me right away if you are genuinely concerned that a lack of funds will hinder your participation in class.

Course goals:

  • To create original design projects that engage audiences through a variety of rhetorical strategies.
  • To gain an understanding of both the theory and practice of digital design. Through readings, discussions, film screenings, critiques, and writing, we will explore how design makes meaning and moves people.
  • To create a body of work that shows knowledge and experience in contemporary design practices.
  • To become comfortable with a variety of tools, including Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Audacity, still and moving cameras, and online content management systems such as WordPress.

Overview of course requirements: The final grade is based on the following requirements. I will cover the specific details of each assignment in class. The four major projects will require multiple drafts, peer critiques, and project narratives to be counted as “complete.”

  • Project 1, visual resume (15%): Use InDesign to create a visually compelling resume.
  • Project 2, Dada photo collage (15%): Use Photoshop to assemble a collage of images and text in the style of the early 20th-c. “anti-art” movement called Dada.
  • Project 3, video/audio production (15%): In small groups, recreate, film, and edit the opening sequence of Dexter, a TV show that aired on Showtime from 2006-2013.
  • Project 4, advocacy website (15%): Work in project teams to build a multimedia website that advocates for a cause important to college students.
  • Mini-projects (3 x 5% each) are small, low-stakes assignments to encourage creativity and help you prepare for the larger projects.
  • Final exam (10%) is a portfolio-style project that asks you to explain key terms/concepts from the course by drawing on examples from the work you created during the semester. It will be a take-home assignment.
  • Class preparation (15%) combines participation during class time and at-home exercises.

 Class participation:

  • Show me you did the reading and you are tuned in to class. Open your book if we are talking about it and say things during class discussions.
  • Contribute to group work.
  • Bring the right reading / textbook to class.
  • Don’t fall asleep.
  • Don’t stare at your computer screen or phone during discussion. I am not a huge fan of confrontation, but I will call you out for sleeping and hardcore screen staring during discussion times.

At-home exercises: Often, I will ask you to complete an exercise to help you get more comfortable using the software and to practice good design skills. You can complete exercises alone or work through the steps with a group (as long as each person produces his or her own file at the end). Exercises are assessed as either complete (3 points) partial (2 points) or missing (0). They are homework assignments and they are due at the start of class on the due date. Time spent working on assignments outside of class is necessary; plan on an average of 8 out-of-class hours per week. Making good art and design always takes longer than you think!

Attendance: Missing six classes will result in a half-letter reduction of your final grade in the course. Missing seven classes will result in another half-letter reduction. Upon your eighth absence, you will fail the course. Absences for religious observation do not count against the permitted number as long as you notify me. Please also notify me if you play a spring sport and, if you’re missing class for it, give me a copy of your competition schedule.

Lateness: Three late arrivals (indicated by missing the sign-in sheet that I circulate at the beginning of each class) will result in one absence. Leaving early more than once may also count as an absence. 

Grading:

A 94-100% “A” work exceeds basic assignment criteria in several ways.
A- 90-93%
B+ 87-89% “B” work meets and exceeds basic assignment criteria.
B   84-86%
B- 80-83%
C+ 77-79% “C” work meets basic assignment criteria.
C   74-76%
C-   70-73%
D+ 67-69% “D” work fails to meet some basic assignment criteria.
D   60-66%
F     0-59% “F” work is incomplete, not received, or fails to meet any basic assignment criteria.

Project assessment criteria:

Credit for the rubric below: Fernando Orellana

  • CONCEPT – idea, intention, and meaning (Does the artwork clearly communicate something to the audience?)
  • CREATIVITY – originality of thought and expression (Does the artwork show innovation and uniqueness? Did the designer approach the task in an expected or unexpected way?)
  • COMPOSITION – arrangement and organization of elements (Has the designer carefully considered elements such as balance, proportion, texture, color, shape, and positive/negative space and user navigation?)
  • CRAFTSMANSHIP – attention to detail (Does the designer carefully construct the work? Are all details carefully finished and/or intentional-looking?)

Late work: I am willing to grant extensions for good reasons, but you must request an extension before the assignment’s due date. For every day or part of a day that an assignment is late without an extension, I may reduce your grade by a step, e.g., from A to A-, from A- to B+, and so on. You can submit homework assignments (exercises) late.

Technology concerns: Please bring your laptop to class every day if you own one and it’s convenient. Plan ahead for technology problems and allow extra time to ensure that technology does not interfere with your work. Make sure your work is backed up in more than one location. During class, be aware of your cell phones and laptops and how they can either add to or detract from face-to-face communication.

Digital Media Zone (DMZ): The DMZ is a great resource if you need help working through the assignments of this class. They have computers with Adobe Creative Suite and trained staff. The DMZ is located on the second floor of the library.

COM studio: In addition to the DMZ, the Communication Studies Department will hold weekly studio sessions that you can attend on a drop-in basis for extra help. The schedule/location of these sessions is TBD, but it will be posted on the course website.

University policies

  • Academic honesty: You are expected to know and follow the university’s Academic Honesty Policy.
  • Disability support: In accordance with state and federal laws, the university will make reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. If you have or think that you may have a disability requiring an accommodation (learning, physical, psychological), you should contact Services for Students with Disabilities, Room G10, Bellarmine, 610-660-1774 (voice) or 610-660-1620 (TTY) as early as possible in the semester for additional information and so that an accommodation, if appropriate, can be made in a timely manner. You will be required to provide current (within 3 years) documentation of the disability. For a more detailed explanation of the university’s accommodation process, as well as the programs and services offered to students with disabilities, please see the Student Resources Page. If you have any difficulty accessing the information online, please contact Services for Students with Disabilities at the telephone numbers above.