Interactive Arts Media II Syllabus

Course: Arts Col 741 #02519-7
Time: Monday/Wednesday 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Location: 1224 Kinnear Road room 205

Instructor: Jeremy Patterson
Email: jpatters.accad@gmail.com
Office Hours: Monday/Wednesday 7:30pm - 9:30pm or by appointment
Course Website: http://accad.osu.edu/~jpatters/741/
Syllabus [pdf]: Interactive Arts Media II Syllabus
Calendar: http://accad.osu.edu/~jpatters/741/calendar.php
Projects: http://accad.osu.edu/~jpatters/741/assignments.php

Prerequisites

Completion of Arts College 740 and graduate student standing.

Description
Advanced study in the application of interactive media for the web; production of websites for selected audiences.

Course Goals

Interactive Arts Media II is a course that conveys techniques for developing interactive content for the web. Development techniques are taught through in-class demonstrations and practiced through project assignments. Each assignment builds upon material covered in class lectures, and also builds upon technique learned in previous assignments.

In this course, students will learn to produce interactive web media for the Adobe Flash platform. Flash offers a flexible, easy to learn environment for building and deploying rich media content through the web. Students will not only learn the Flash tool set, but will also learn platform agnostic techniques for planning both linear and non-linear interactive experiences. These development techniques are standard methods of planning interactive media projects, and apply to the production of Flash content as well as other forms of interactive media.

The Interactive Arts Media II course recognizes students from diverse academic backgrounds and experience. Interactive media is a broad medium, and is utilized in varying ways for various means. In this course, students are taught raw techniques, and are encouraged to adapt and tailor their assignments in a manner that applies to their specific educational background and area of interest.

The course will present interactive media development in two ways: through steps to build interactive media content, and through observing and discussing example interactive content. The steps to build content are taught via in-class lectures and demonstrations of the Flash tools and various project planning techniques. These techniques are then reinforced through reading and project assignments. The theory behind interactive media production are presented through discussion of existing interactive media. The discussion of other’s work will serve as inspiration, and offer insight into the different ways in which students can leverage raw technique in order to yield very different results.

Grading Policy

Students will be graded on their class attendance and participation, as well as completion of assigned projects. Projects are comprised of base level criteria, which students can meet for an average level grade. Students are expected to produce professional level content that demonstrates a mastery of raw technique as well as an attention to aesthetic quality. In the case of interactive media, a professional level result is aesthetically pleasing while functionally sound. ‘A’ level work is a well-designed piece which meets and exceeds all base requirements. ‘C’ level work simply meets the base requirements set forth for each project. Work that is ‘D’ level and below fails to meet any or all of the project’s base requirements.

Projects must be completed on time and submitted at the beginning of the class on the day they are due. Projects that are submitted late will receive a lower score.

Students are graded on the quality of the project as well as the mastery of technique. In order to assess technique, the source media from which the result is built must be evaluated. In the case of Flash content, this simply means that students will be graded on the result (the compiled SWF file) and the source file for the project (the FLA file).

Attendance and participation are mandatory parts of the course. Students are expected to participate in class critiques of projects, as well as discussion pertaining to example work.


Assignments

Grading Scale

  • A = 100% - 94%
  • A- = 93% - 91%
  • B+ = 90% - 89%
  • B = 88% - 83%
  • B- = 82% - 80%
  • C+ = 79% - 78%
  • C = 77% - 73%
  • C- = 72% - 71%
  • D+ = 70% - 69%
  • D = 68% - 64%
  • E = 63% - 0%

Required Text


Reinhardt, Robert. Flash CS3 Bible. Wiley Publishing Inc., 2007.
ISBN: 0470119373

Academic Dishonesty


Any and all suspected cases of academic dishonesty will be dealt with according to university procedures. Students are referred to the student handbook for further information on academic dishonesty and the accompanying procedures and penalties.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities


It is the intent of the University and its instructors to provide access to support services and programs that enable students with disabilities to succeed in this course. Students with disabilities are responsible for making their needs known to the instructor and seeking available assistance in a timely manner. Students will be referred to the Office for Disability Services (ODS), located in Pomerene Hall, for further assistance (call 614-292-3307 or visit 150 Pomerene Hall).

Personal Safety


The University Escort Service operates until 3am when classes are in session (i.e. not during quarter breaks and University holidays), and will assist OSU students who live off campus as well as on campus. The University Escort Service can be contacted at 614-292-3322, and scheduled pick-ups are taken in advance.

Course Bibliography


Reinhardt, Robert. Flash CS3 Bible. Wiley Publishing Inc., 2007.
ISBN: 0470119373