SAMPLE SYLLABUS
Intro to Creative Technologies
ART 2604
Spring 2024, M W 12:20 pm-2:15 pm
Newman 120 - DAAS
INSTRUCTOR
Name: Lesley Duffield
E-mail: duffles@vt.edu
Office: Media Annex 103B
Office Hours: Tuesdays By appointment
OVERVIEW
This course will prepare you artistically, conceptually, and technically for the Creative Technologies major-specific courses. Students are introduced to video, 2D animation, and sound. Students will develop their creative toolkit through short creative-making assignments, readings, writings, art experiences (watching, listening to, and experiencing artwork), collaboration, and discussion. You will learn about the creative process, critique methods, software techniques, how the technological materials function, and the historical and contemporary artistic context for creative technologies.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
Describe a set of inspirational media artworks
Conceive and shape digital media files as materials
Craft digital videos and animations
Collaborate with your peers to make an artwork
Apply creative and experimental uses of technology to making artwork
Develop a creative process that suits you
Critique artworks
Absorb and reflect on feedback from your peers
Explain the importance of your ideas and persuade an audience to support them
MATERIALS
Laptop, Adobe Suite, free software
CALENDAR
Please take a look at the full calendar of assignments in Canvas. The calendar is subject to change.
Foundations Grading Rubric
Creativity + Problem Solving
Ability to employ innovative solutions for communicating a narrative, idea or concept
Evidence of problem solving abilities and intentional visual communication
Dedication + Effort
Evidence of effort put forth in creativity/problem solving, comprehension, technique and presentation
Composition
Successful application of visual elements of unity, visual organization, and hierarchy
Technique
Quality of technique and intentional use/ control of medium. Strategic use of materials, color, and applied technology
Presentation
Printing quality, surface quality, , mounting and display of individual works.
Critique Participation
Participating in critiques means
Always being respectful of your peers
Adding to the conversation
Including others
Not dominating the conversation
Following the critique format
Keeping the feedback on topic
I will be keeping track of each of these standards and grading your participation in each critique with comments about what you did or where you can improve.
Assignment Turn-in
Everything for this class will be turned in via Canvas.
All due dates will be listed on Canvas. Everything is due at 11:59pm on a Monday. It is your responsibility to be aware of the deadlines on Canvas.
Deadlines
It is important to submit work on time. A lot of the assignments will be viewed together in class for you to receive feedback from your peers and for everyone to be inspired by each other’s work.
If the project is submitted after the deadline, it will receive a 10% deduction for each day it is late.
For example, if it is submitted between 12:00am and 11:59pm on Tuesday there will be a 10% deduction. If the project is submitted between 12:00am and 11:59pm on Wednesday there will be a 20% deduction.
If you need an extension (SSD, emergency, etc), let me know ahead of time. It is very rare that I will grant an extension after the fact.
Attendance Policy
Expectations:
1.1. Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes, lectures, seminars, workshops, and any other compulsory academic activities outlined in the course syllabus.
1.2. Punctuality is also highly valued as it demonstrates professionalism and respect for fellow students and instructors. If you are beyond 15 minutes late you may be counted absent for the day.
1.3. If students anticipate an absence due to illness, personal emergencies, or other valid reasons, it is their responsibility to notify the instructor in advance and to take steps to obtain lecture notes, etc from colleagues.
Definition of Excused and Unexcused Absences:
2.1. Excused Absences: Absences due to documented medical reasons, family emergencies, religious observances, or other circumstances deemed acceptable by the instructor will be considered excused. Documentation is not required but if available, may come from (Dean of Students, SSD, Schiffert, doctor’s office or Cook counseling). Observed religious holidays are also excused as long as the student notifies the instructor a minimum of two weeks in advance. Documentation from another VT faculty member demonstrating that the student is required to miss class due to another academic activity (such as a class trip, or competing in a sporting event) may be excused at the discretion of the instructor. Notification must be given prior to class.
2.2. Unexcused Absences: Absences not supported by appropriate documentation or not meeting the criteria of excused absences will be considered unexcused.
Excused Absence Threshold:
3.1. Excused Absences: A student who accumulates excessive excused absences may be asked to consider withdrawing from the course. The college will be notified, and whether the student is encouraged to withdraw is at the discretion of the instructor and academic advisor.
Unexcused Attendance Threshold:
4.1. A student who accumulates more than three (3) unexcused absences in a single semester will suffer a grade penalty. A student who accumulates more than four (4) unexcused absences may fail the course.
Consequences of (3) Three or More Unexcused Absences:
5.1. Third Unexcused Absence: Upon the third unexcused absence, the student will be formally notified by the instructor of their attendance status. The student will be advised to meet with the instructor or academic advisor to discuss strategies for improvement.
5.2. Fourth Unexcused Absence: Upon the fourth unexcused absence, there will be a 10% grade reduction.
For example, a student with four unexcused absences and earning a 92% in the course will receive an 82%.
5.3 Fifth Unexcused Absence: Upon the fifth unexcused absence, the student will fail the class.
VT ACADEMIC INTEGRITY STATEMENT
The Undergraduate Honor Code pledge that each member of the university community agrees to abide by states:
“As a Hokie, I will conduct myself with honor and integrity at all times. I will not lie, cheat, or steal, nor will I accept the actions of those who do.”
Students enrolled in this course are responsible for abiding by the Honor Code. A student who has doubts about how the Honor Code applies to any assignment is responsible for obtaining specific guidance from the course instructor before submitting the assignment for evaluation.
Ignorance of the rules does not exclude any member of the University community from the requirements and expectations of the Honor Code.
For additional information about the Honor Code, please visit: https://www.honorsystem.vt.edu/