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SYLLABUS
Welcome !!
Welcome !!
Welcome to Computing and the Arts! I’m David Sherman, MFA and I’m very excited to be able to teach this class in its asynchronous online iteration for you folks. I feel that fully engaging digital platforms for this course gives students new opportunities to think, research, and make art in new and exciting ways!
About Me: I am an active media artist teaching in the UA School of Information. My practice includes digital video, sound, installation and computational art forms.
My Contact:
My Contact:
(Students MUST Include "ISTA 301" in the subject line of all email correspondences)
(Students MUST Include "ISTA 301" in the subject line of all email correspondences)
Introduction
Introduction
In this class everyone has the opportunity to function as an ARTIST for a semester!
In this class we will focus on the questions:
What does an artist do?
What is the process of making art?
How do the concepts of computing relate to the history of art?
What is computing?
What is art?
How does art affect the individual and society?
How has technological tools allowed artists to express themselves?
We will be exploring art concepts and history through a computational lens.
WE all work as artists in this moment in time!
If you have never taken an art class before, then this class is for you!
If you have no experience with computer coding, then this class is for you too!
(Though if you do have a coding background, you can use it extensively for artmaking!)
ESSENTIALS
ESSENTIALS
This is a semester long (15 weeks) fully asynchronous online course.
You will learn in a community with your peers. This is not a self-paced course.
This class does not meet regularly in Zoom. Student learning will be conducted asynchronously (which means "not live") on D2L.
By Monday of Week 1, you will be expected to log-in to our course on D2L and complete the Getting to Know You Survey to signal your intent to complete this course.
AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT
What you can expect from me:
What you can expect from me:
I will provide you with a clear, organized course that is designed to ensure you meet our course outcomes in a meaningful manner.
I will provide a variety of assignments to ensure your learning needs are met.
I will be actively present in your learning.
I will provide a supportive and safe environment for you to share and discuss ideas with your peers.
I will reach out to you when I sense that you need support.
I will treat you with dignity and respect and be flexible to support your individual needs.
I won't be perfect. I am human and will make mistakes at times. I will view mistakes as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Is there anything else you would like to add to this list?
What I will expect from you:
What I will expect from you:
You strive to be an active participant in this course and strive to meet due dates.
You will maintain an open line of communication with me so I understand how to support you.
You will contact me if you have a concern with meeting a due date.
You strive to regularly contribute to collaborative activities to ensure other members of the community have ample opportunity to read/listen, reflect, and respond to your ideas.
You will treat your peers with dignity and respect.
You will do your best to have patience with technology. There will be hiccups, expect them. We will get through them together.
You will give yourself grace. Expect to make mistakes. You are human and you are stressed.
Is there anything else you would like to add to this list?
Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing this course successfully, students will be able to:
Upon completing this course successfully, students will be able to:
Identify and critically evaluate formal, aesthetic, historical, social issues engaged by artists employing computational strategies.
Exercise synthetic, analytic and/or computational reasoning as needed to solve problems.
Solve computational problems using coding concepts of variables, branching conditionals and loops.
Design artworks that implement algorithmic reasoning and/or computer coding to generate audio/visual media and other information forms using interpretative techniques including instruction and data sets.
Construct a research presentation that analyzes, synthesizes and that critically addresses artists and artworks that employ computational concepts.
Recognize how computational strategies have influenced the history of art and contemporary art practices.
Demonstrate basic computer coding using the Processing programming environment.
Improve written and visual documents in response to feedback.
MY TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
MY TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
I believe learning should be meaningful and that the differences each person brings into a course enrich the learning of the group. Each of us learns at a unique rhythm, which is precisely why I love online classes! Unlike a live classroom, asynchronous online environments, like ours, provide you with the luxury of thinking and reflecting before you engage. They create a seat at the table for everyone. They also enable us to use the world as our classroom. I design my courses to showcase and celebrate the diversity of the members of our learning community and to encourage each of you to connect our course content to your own life.
WEEK 1 SUCCESS KIT
WEEK 1 SUCCESS KIT
Online courses move quickly and getting off to a good start is the best way to prepare yourself for success. Read this page carefully and you'll have all you need to start this course on the right foot.
How This Course Works
How This Course Works
You will use D2L to facilitate our course and access all of the content. This semester course is organized into thirteen modules that are generally one-week in length (some modules are longer). Each module will open on Sundays around noon. The modules will have similarities, but they each are unique and have assignments with staggered due dates. There will be regular Discussion posts and VoiceThread assignments that require you to leave voice or video comments in response to my prompts and your peers' contributions, quizzes, and hands-on mini-projects.
The first item in each course module is "Module #:START HERE!". Click on that link first to see a table of contents to all activities (linked) that are required for that module. Complete all of the activities in the order that they are listed, as each activity creates context for the next. Refrain from doing the activities out of order, as students may miss important content that will be needed for successful completion of all activities in the module!
Materials You Will Need for Week One
Materials You Will Need for Week One
There is only one textbook that you will need to buy/rent for this course:
Christiane Paul, Digital Art, 3rd ed. (London; Thames & Hudson, 2015)
You may purchase this as physical or Ebook, but make sure it is the THIRD EDITION, as there will be quizzes from the new chapters added in this 3rd edition. The class will only be reading about 1/4 of this book, so an Ebook copy is the most economical choice!
You will need this for the second week of the semester.
You will need the following items for the first course Module. Please get them together now so you're set for success.
A computer with a microphone or webcam or a smartphone (for recording video or voice comments).
D2L Brightspace and VoiceThread apps (recommended) - This mobile app is required for this course. If you're on your phone, download them now!
D2L Brightspace Pulse mobile app
5 TIPS FOR SUCCESS
5 TIPS FOR SUCCESS
You'll have more opportunities to be successful if you follow these 5 tips:
Be proactive. Log into our course every Sunday to preview the new module. Carefully read the Module Overview page, which includes the week's learning objectives and a list of assignments. Assess the workload and put the due dates on your calendar. Having a mental picture of what's ahead is the best thing you can do to prepare each week.
Plan for the unexpected. Aim to have all of your assignments done by 24 hours before they are due. Why? Because life happens and when you wait until the last minute, you're more likely to have problems meeting a due date.
Communicate with me. If you identify a challenge meeting a due date, contact me right away. I am willing to be flexible. Contacting me in advance of a due date will keep you and I in sync and ensure you don't get overwhelmed by unfinished work.
Use the course Calendar. The Calendar on the D2L NavBar will allow you to track and stay current on your assignments.
Come to Office Hours! This is a way that I can get to know you better and help you out with any questions you may have. I am here to brainstorm, inspire and problem solve with you! It is my experience that students who get the best grades in this course take advantage of the personalization that comes with office visits!!
HOW GRADING WORKS
HOW GRADING WORKS
I recognize that this is a very stressful time for you. COVID-19 has added significant stress and trauma to our lives. That stress affects your ability to learn. Give yourself grace as you try your best. I will be flexible throughout this course to support you towards your academic success. I believe in you!
I welcome your questions any time and I'm happy to help you think through your ideas so you can successfully complete an assignment. Sometimes just a five minute conversation in Zoom or on the phone is all you may need. Struggle is a natural part of learning, but if you're feeling frustrated that means it is time to reach out to me for some assistance. You know how to reach me, right?
My Grading Philosophy
My Grading Philosophy
Grades are a reflection of your learning progress. Each week, you should click on the Grades button in our course navigation and review your scores and my feedback. Sometime it is the case that individual students in the course will receive the same or similar feedback as other students on assignments. I individually evaluate each assignment, and it can periodically be the case that I focus on general positive and/or negative issues that are common for multiple students' assignments. If at any point you would like to receive more in depth feedback on an assignment, sign-up for an office hours session and I'll be happy to break down your assignment grade and give you detailed critique!! There are no hidden points in this class. You do the work, show that you've learned by meeting the assignment criteria, and you get a percentage grade. It's that simple. If something seems not right, reach out and let me know.
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