Note to commuting students: This course uses software that may be difficult for you to access off campus.
Web Expressions teaches students how to have a voice
on the Internet. Our philosophy is
founded in the principle that the message is the medium. As a result of this course, students will
have the skills necessary to effectively express themselves over the
Internet. The class will cover five
basic modes of expression, static text, interactive text, sounds, images, and
animation. Students will select the
content for each mode of expression by researching a selected topic. Students will explore the notion of effective
communication by reacting to other similar expressions and peer review. After having explored each mode of
expression, students will select subject matter for a larger integrated web
project that draws from each mode of expression. Students will be expected to review the web expressions
of their classmates and provide constructive feedback.
In addition to learning about expressing themselves over the
Internet, students will be informed of the potential danger of revealing
personal information over the Internet, and informed how to make their
expressions anonymous. Other issues such
as intellectual property, violating the privacy of others, spyware, cookies,
netiquette and other topics concerning creating appropriate web expressions
will be discussed.
Students will be challenged to provide constructive feedback in response to creative expressions produced by students in class. The feed back will follow guidelines provided in class geared to creating a productive dialog around developing creative works.
Students will read several essays by artists addressing their creative process to better understand the creative processes that lead to the generation of ideas and to engage in new interpretations of existing ideas.
|
Week |
Concept(s) |
Challenges |
|
|
1
|
The creative process. |
Understanding how to think creatively. |
Essays on the creative process: http://www.ndoylefineart.com/artmaking.html For you to ponder: When are you the most creative? What are the necessary conditions for creativity? |
|
2
|
Basic Internet concepts: Web, email. Cookies, and other privacy concerns. “Caching” web pages. Where are your emails stored? Professional ethics of email. Phishing. Spyware, other malicious software. Backing up files. |
Evaluating web pages. What common characteristics do good web pages share? |
In response
to the reading write a brief definition/explanation for each concept/term. How the web works:
http://www.learnthenet.com/english/animate/webworks.html How email works: http://www.learnthenet.com/english/animate/email.html How search engines works: http://www.learnthenet.com/english/animate/search.html Cookies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_cookie (what controversies exist concerning cookies?) Phishing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phishing Spyware: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spyware Computer Viruses: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_virus Computer worms: |
|
3
|
Intellectual property. Ethics of web expressions and privacy concerns of having a web page (SPAM resulting from email addresses etc) Basic HTML concepts. Selecting a focus for creative/provocative expression. |
Creating basic (text and links) web content. How to select a coherent purpose for your web page. |
What is copyright? (read first six bullets) http://www.abanet.org/intelprop/comm106/106copy.html#what%20COPYRIGHT%20IS What can and cannot be copyrighted? How do you copyright something? How can you violate copyright? How long does copyright last? Creative Commons animation: http://mirrors.creativecommons.org/reticulum_rex/clicktoplay.html What is a sampling license? What kind of copyright/creative commons rights will you specify for your web site? How does Creative Commons encourage creativity? What are the advantages of sharing? What are the drawbacks of sharing? The spectrum of rights: http://creativecommons.org/about/licenses/comics1 Name four major categories of rights and briefly explain each. Which ones would you select under what circumstances? Sample attribution license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ Read about how you can use CC: |
|
4
|
Peer review process. Other Computer concepts: Netiquette. Develop goals for your web site. |
How does one constructively give feedback on creative and informational resources? |
Before you start your web site, read about planning and specifying it: http://www.webstyleguide.com/process/before.html Follow both links on planning and developing a site specification. Netiquette issues: http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html (make a brief note on each of the ten rules) |
|
5
|
What is a weblog? Do weblogs adequately offset the monopolization of media outlets? E.g. Disney’s refusal to distribute Fahrenheit 9/11. Over 100 bloggers got media passes to the democratic convention during August 2008. (30 in 2004) |
How does one set up a weblog? What are good sources for weblog content? Why are certain weblogs more influential than others? |
What are weblogs or blogs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weblog Read entire article. What is a blog? How did blogging get started? Name a couple newsworthy blogging incidents.
|
|
6
|
Multimedia content: What type of image files are there? Why should I be concerned with the various image file formats? Converting image file formats. File compression. Image quality issues associated with various formats. |
How does one create and edit images? CH 1,2 WWG MM |
The Web Wizard’s Guide to Multimedia: chapters 1,2 |
|
7
|
Editing images with Photoshop
|
How to effectively use Photoshop. |
Work on your web pages! Don't forget to blog. |
|
8
|
Frame and Vector Animation. |
How does one use animation effectively? How can one create an animation? |
The Web Wizard’s Guide to Multimedia: chapter 3 |
|
9
|
Peer-review Bring clay to class Thursday. |
How does one use animation effectively? How can one create an animation? |
Plan your claymation figure for Thursday. Plan three poses.
|
|
10 No class Thursday due to conference participation
|
More multimedia content: Sound |
How does one create/edit sound files? What kinds of sound files exist? |
The Web Wizard’s Guide to Multimedia: chapter 4 |
|
11 No class Tuesday for Veterans' Day |
Web page design principles. Exploring Cascading Style Sheets Creating accessible web pages. I will collect sketchbooks.
|
How does one create a well designed web page? What techniques exist to make web pages more accessible? |
Focusing question: Draw the site map of your web site today and how you want your site to be at the conclusion of class Don't forget to blog. Web Site Design: http://www.webstyleguide.com/site/index.html Read beginning sections:
Read about style sheets: Sample style sheets: http://www.w3.org/StyleSheets/Core/preview What is WAI?
http://www.w3.org/WAI/about.html Accessibility design guidelines:
http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/#overview-design-principles Focusing question: What is WAI? What are 5 top-level principles that you could apply to your web site.
|
|
12
|
Using Video. |
How does one use video effectively? How can one create/edit video? |
The Web Wizard’s Guide to Multimedia: chapter 5. |
|
13 No class Thursday for Thanksgiving
|
Peer-review
|
|
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| 14 | Revising web sites | ||
|
15
|
I will collect sketchbooks |
How to effectively showcase your web page.
|
Students showcase their web sites, emphasizing their creative expressions. |
|
16 Exam week
|
|
How to effectively showcase your web page.
|
|
20% - Quizzes
20% - Assignments and Lab work
15% - Participation.
10% - Weblog
On lab days the instructor will give a lab assignment which is due at the end of the lab period or by the end of the week, as specified. The purpose of lab assignments is to ensure that students feel comfortable with a new concept, and can demonstrate their mastery of this concept. Students who do not attend a lab class cannot receive credit for the lab assignment.
The instructor may also give students regular assignments, which are due on a specified date. Assignments handed in late will have 10% deducted per calendar date after the due date.
The purpose of quizzes is to ensure that students carry out assigned readings. Students are expected to do readings before the Tuesday of the week of the assigned reading. Students may use their notes to take all quizzes, so you should make careful notes on each reading, paying particular attention to any focusing questions. No make-up quizzes will be given, but the lowest quiz will be dropped to allow for legitimate absences.
This course is a Creative Thought Direction in PSU’s General Education program.
Creative Thought
Direction
This course is driven by your interests and passions. The nature of this course is to teach you how to most effectively express your ideas, interests, and creations on the World Wide Web. . In addition there are a number of concepts that you will be held accountable for. These concepts are important to your effective use of the Internet, such as ethical and social aspects of using and creating expressions on the web. You are expected to participate in all modes of expression covered in class, but you should not have to memorize large quantities of information. In order to avoid the need to memorize you should keep a good set of notes. All quizzes will be open notes, so it is important that you take notes from your readings as well as keeping notes on how to do a number of technical tasks. You should find your notes useful in the future when you develop other web expressions.
Please read the following statement of departmental policy very carefully: Students are expected to attend each course meeting and to arrive at class on time. It is acknowledged, however, that a student may need to miss class occasionally. Accordingly, each student is limited to two unexcused absences during the semester (the equivalent of missing an entire week of course content). Absences beyond the second will result in the deduction of one-half letter grade (five points) per absence from the student’s final grade in the course. In addition, arriving late to class is an unacceptable practice. As such, two late appearances to class count as one absence. Appropriate official documentation for excused absences must be submitted to the course professor within one week after the student returns to class; otherwise, no credit will be granted for such absences. There are no exceptions to this policy.
Please read the following statement of departmental policy very carefully: The work you submit in this course must be your own. Whenever possible, it is preferred that students paraphrase/explain key concepts in their own words and cite the original source material appropriately. However, if you include four or more consecutive words directly from any source, be certain to surround them with quotation marks, and to properly cite the source and page number. Plagiarism, however unintentionally it may occur, is a serious violation of academic integrity. A student who is found to have plagiarized on any assignment should expect to receive a failing grade for the entire course. There are no exceptions to this policy.
| low | medium | high | |
Appropriate behavior in class |
Does not always participate in class exercises. Appears to be engaging in non-class related activities. (0-11) |
Is engaged in class exercises and pays attention during class discussions. (12-24) |
Is clearly engaged in class discussions and always participates in class exercise. (25-33) |
| Shares ideas | Rarely shares creative ideas, answers to questions, or other solutions with class. (0-11) |
Occasionally shares creative ideas, answers to questions, or other solutions with class. (12-24) |
Frequently shares creative ideas, answers to questions, or other solutions with class, and allows other students to participate as well. (25-34) |
| Uses lab time well. | Sometimes plays games, IM's, or views videos not relevant to class material. (0-11) |
Uses lab time to work on labs and assignments, but rushes through them to leave class early, but never plays games, IM's, or views videos not relevant to class material. (12-24) |
Always works on labs and assignments in a thoughtful manner, clearly attempting to benefit learn as much as possible. (25-33) |