CCO ARTS 102 Sample Syllabus

Transcription

1 arts102cco.web.unc.edu CCO ARTS 102 Sample Syllabus ART 102: Core Concept: Image Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you will be able to: effectively construct compositions using the elements and principles of 2D design apply 2D visual language to the formation of image content develop and articulate independent artistic intent implement revision and refinement based on critical feedback implement digital skills associated with 2D documentation, image preparation, and online presentation demonstrate awareness of contemporary image production and circulation demonstrate the ability to describe, analyze, and critique 2D imagery as applied to personal and peer artwork, and images in broader cultural circulation. A Combined Approach: Hands-on and Virtual Through a combination of hands-on and digital approaches, ART 102 asks you to explore your daily surroundings and the objects you encounter every day with the intent and eye of an artist, and then to use these observations to respond creatively to course assignments. We take a hands-on approach to materials, creative process, and critical decision-making. By creating our visual work in the world, we encounter it in different contexts and conditions. We learn, for example, how surrounding colors and changing light affect our perception of color. Through cutting paper, collecting materials, or selecting the appropriate drawing tool, we discover areas of visual and tactile experience that are crucial components to learning about image construction. This being an online course we also develop digital skills, using digital cameras as tools for documenting, observing, and recording. We visit online exhibitions and collections, both contemporary and historic, and use online image viewing and blog-posting to professionally present course assignments in cyberspace! Creative Process In addition to building our 2D design vocabularies in ART 102, we discuss the creative process itself. How do you get from A to B? You don t always get there with the first thing you try, and it s not always a linear path. How do you generate ideas, explore multiple approaches, experiment with materials, reconsider works-in-progress, revise assignments, and refine portfolios? Creating strong visual solutions often requires perseverance, the willingness to take risks, try things out one way and then change course to go in a new direction. We talk about workmanship and professional presentation, too. These are all ways of valuing your own creative output and investing in the steps you take to get there. While assignments give parameters, yardsticks, and frameworks, there are no formulas. Often instructions may not have a single answer. It is crucial that you explore several solutions before selecting the strongest one. Allow yourself to go too far, make mistakes, and experiment with materials and approaches. It may not always look or feel like art,

2 but the learning, practice, and discussion we engage in will most certainly take you in that direction. Course Organization and Format An on-campus studio course includes many different activities and styles of learning. Class time and homework combine studio projects, discussion of relevant readings and images, learning new techniques, experimenting with materials, brainstorming with classmates, hands-on work time, and feedback and critiques with the course instructor and peers. Each of these activities comes together to form an active and dynamic learning environment. While our course takes place in an online environment, we combine many similar activities in order to create a similarly stimulating and energetic learning process. To that end, each lesson encompasses a variety of activities and approaches. The first few lessons are designed to help us get acquainted with each other and orient us to these different online approaches, which we ll then use for the remainder of the term. Weekly Schedule Our typical weekly schedule runs from Tuesday morning to the following Monday at noon. A typical week begins with my start-up , followed up by your review of the lesson, completion of the reading assignment, and viewing of the visual lecture. You will then work on the week s visual assignment and discussion forum posting until the week s conclusion on Monday at noon. The cycle begins again on Tuesday either moving on to the next lesson, or (in the case of longer lessons) proceeding to the next part of the current lesson. Tuesday Step One Step Two Ongoing Monday review weekly start-up review lesson page complete reading assignment view visual lecture move on to visual assignment (allow time to do and re-do!) if assigned, complete visual journal or blog assignment participate in discussion forum every couple of days all work for the week must be submitted by 12 noon Eastern Time review weekly wrap-up Readings, Equipment, and Materials Readings There is no text to purchase for this course. Weekly reading assignments are from the following texts and can be accessed through a link on each lesson page to UNC s electronic reading reserves: Design Basics by Lauer and Pentak Color Basics by Pentak and Roth Launching the Imagination by Stewart Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture by Sturken and Cartwright Foundations of Art and Design by Fichner-Rathus Sol Lewitt, Introduction and interview by Kent, Modern Painters, July-August 2007 See Lesson-by-Lesson Reading List for more details.

3 Equipment A digital camera and tripod are required throughout the course. See the Equipment and Materials List to be sure your equipment fits course criteria, or for recommendations and supplier information if you plan to purchase new equipment. Materials In order to complete visual assignments, you will need to purchase a variety of art supplies and materials. Most lessons include a material list of the specific supplies required to complete the visual assignment for that lesson. I encourage you, whenever possible, to collect and gather from materials you already have on hand. Often, reconsidering familiar materials yields creative momentum and generates new ideas. See the Equipment and Materials List for more details. Library Services (including e-reserves) Students enrolled in Carolina Courses Online have access to the UNC Library System. Visit Distance Education Library Services to access a wide array of online services and resources including e-reserves, online databases, online journals, online books, and live help with research and library access. Most online resources require you to log in with your Onyen and password. If you have any trouble finding the resource that you need or logging in to a resource, you can contact the library through the contact information at Distance Education Library Services. You can chat live about your problem, or send an to request assistance. Course Requirements Evaluation Criteria Successful completion of this course requires the creation, analysis, and critique of visual assignments; submission of visual journal and blog assignments; submission of mid-term and final portfolios; and ongoing participation in the discussion forum and critiques. Your grades are based on the following criteria: quality of work: ambitious intent, effort, and commitment (curiosity, exploration, revision, and refinement), workmanship, attention to detail, presentation, and completion on time demonstrated comprehension of concepts, formal issues, and techniques discussed and practiced your level of preparation, thoughtful engagement, and intelligent participation in all critiques and group discussions your ability to listen and respond to suggestions, criticism, and general discussions about your work and to selectively incorporate this feedback into your work being an active, curious, and productive presence in the class your commitment to learning and growing as an artist. Grade Distribution

4 30% Discussion Forum Participation: quantity and quality of contribution to critiques and discussions 50% Visual Submissions: timely submission of visual assignments and visual journal; mid-term portfolio and final portfolio refinement, revision, and presentation 15% Research and Online Presentation: course blog and Flickr group participation and organization 5% Overall Collegiality: appropriate behavior, course community citizenship Course Policies Timely Submission, Revision, and Grading Submission Verification Visual assignment and discussion forum submissions will be verified for completion and recorded at each due date, both within lessons and at their conclusion. Revision Between initial assignment due dates and portfolio submission deadlines, you ll receive feedback and fresh ideas from your peers and myself, see others visual solutions, and hone your skills. Take this opportunity to revise and improve your visual assignments prior to grading. Portfolio Evaluation Visual assignment portfolios will be evaluated and grades assigned twice during the term, once at mid-term and once at end-of-term. I will send the class an with detailed information about how to submit your portfolio and what it should include. Late Submission Policies Visual Assignments Late submissions will be lowered by one letter grade per day. Late submissions will not be accepted beyond one week after the original due date. Late submissions forfeit the option to revise and resubmit improvements. Discussion Forum Posts No discussion posts will be accepted after the due date. Technical Problems and Deadlines Creative risk-taking in your visual assignments is encouraged and productive! Care and caution with your digital files and equipment is crucial and required! All course assignments must be posted by the deadline no exceptions. Deadlines will not be adjusted due to equipment crashes, lost files, power surges, and so on. You must take precautions to ensure that your work is submitted on time. Prepare for the unexpected!

5 Equipment fails. Back up your work to external hard drives or discs; run a virus scan each week; don t wait until the last minute to complete your work. Be proactive. Locate a friend s computer or camera to borrow in case of emergency; familiarize yourself with the public library computer resources. Image Permissions You are participating in the first run of this online studio course! I may include examples of your visual assignments in future lectures and course presentations. Unless you notify me otherwise, I will assume I have your permission for this. Course Expectations The following is a review of expectations and responsibilities as they relate to both instructor and students. What You Can Expect from Your Instructor As the course instructor, I endeavor to: present course material and requirements in a timely, consistent, and thorough manner facilitate individual and group interaction and learning in discussion forums provide ongoing individual feedback give regular grade updates. Throughout the course, I aim to maintain a fair and accessible presence with clear schedules, due dates, and expected response times. Just as in the traditional studio classroom, my goal is to activate and energize everyone in our class to inspire you to bring curiosity, self-motivation, rigour, and collegiality to all aspects of your course work. Each of you will start from where you are your own perspective, your own existing visual and critical skills. I see my role as stimulating your artistic progress and active learning. To that end, you will not be graded in comparison to one another but rather in comparison to where you start from, and your energetic progress from there forward. While each of you may start from a different point, remember that in our discussions, the perspectives and ideas you share and the questions you ask benefit everyone in the class. What is Expected of You Participation in Our Online Course Community Be engaged. Take an active role in all course-related discussion activities. Make energetic and thoughtful contributions to group critiques and discussions. Be respectful; pay attention to critique etiquette when discussing others artwork. Be proactive and motivated in your learning. Use course resources such as the Ask Any Question discussion forum. Ask questions especially if you are unsure about an assignment or its directions. Chances are others are wondering too. Continue to ask questions.

6 Ask questions of your materials and of yourself; share them with your peers. In some cases, answers may come quickly; in others, questions may lead to more questions. Discover the freedom to make mistakes, to be confused, impassioned, and ambitious. Be on time. Bring consistent and steady effort and exploration to all your course work. Each lesson builds on the completion of the previous lesson. You will learn the most in this course if you complete and submit assignments on time. Productive critiques rely on timely submission. Discussion Forums Participation in Discussion Forums (Quantity and Quality) We ll use the Blackboard discussion forum to discuss readings, offer one another in-progress feedback, and critique visual assignments. It is a dynamic and interactive complement to digital image presentation on Flickr and the course blog. The discussion forum is a key component to our online course community that requires the participation of every class member. The discussion forum can take a little getting used to, partly because the flow of the discussion is different from a traditional classroom context at times you will be responding to a comment made the previous day or the previous hour. Weekly start-up s outline the specific topics for each week s discussion along with comments and questions to get the discussion going. Start-up s also specify the number of posts you are expected to contribute. This refers to the number of times you are required to start a thread (introduce a new direction to the discussion) or respond to a peer s comment. In either case, to be counted, your post must make a substantial contribution to the discussion. Here are a few important guidelines to follow : Do not simply repeat what another student has stated. If you do agree, state your reasons and develop the thought further. Be courageous, outspoken, and articulate. Always proofread before you hit Submit. Clearly state your ideas and support them from readings, visual lectures, or other sources. Post your contributions on separate days. Waiting until the last minute and sending all your posts at once inhibits discussion flow. Consider the number of required postings a minimum; there is no maximum! You cannot make up for late or missed posts by posting to forums for previous weeks. After noon on Monday, I will verify discussion and assignment submissions. Discussion postings submitted after the due date will not be counted. Tips for Success in an Online Studio Course Start Where You Are Start by noticing your visual environment; pay attention to the skills you have; utilize what you already do and know visually the materials you have around you. Much of this you may not have thought of as creative or artistic material. From day one, dive in and explore course assignments rigorously with curiosity and experimentation. Your best

7 strategy to progress in this course is to challenge and stretch yourself as energetically as you can from wherever you begin. Time Management As an online student, perhaps your greatest challenge is keeping on track and independently managing your time. This has its advantages since course work can be completed at any time of day in any location that is convenient, but it is up to you to establish productive routines that work for you. Think about the following questions: Where will you work? Do you need to set up a place, clear the kitchen table after dinner in the evenings? When will you work? After the kids are in bed, on your lunch hour, Saturday mornings? Find a place and routine that works for you, and stick with it! The material in this course is cumulative. Similar to a math or biology class, each lesson builds on the next. Stay up to date, submit assignments on time, and work steadily. The visual assignments cannot be completed at the last minute; start as soon as you are able and enjoy the process as much as the product. Most learning in art happens in the doing! In general, you can expect to spend approximately one-third of your time completing assigned readings, viewing visual lectures, and posting comments to the discussion forum. Plan to spend the remaining two-thirds of your time completing and documenting visual assignments. Technical Components of the Online Learning Environment Lessons 1 through 3, along with introducing course materials and topics, will gradually introduce the particular technical and digital components of taking a studio course online. Visual assignments for these lessons are designed to be less time-consuming, allowing you time to get settled in our online learning environment. You can expect a bit of a learning curve as you familiarize yourself with course mechanics and technical procedures. Throughout the course, ask lots of questions! In particular though, I encourage you to ask questions during these first few lessons. And explore: Navigate the course home page, try out links, access e-reserves and Blackboard, and so on. Also practice the image submission routines: Read your camera manual, practice using your tripod, sign up on Flickr. Once you are comfortable with the digital components of the course, you will continue to use your new skills for the remainder of the semester. Digital Camera Use: Assignment Submission and Documentation We ll use our digital cameras in two different ways throughout the course: 1. Keeping a visual journal: The purpose of your visual journal is to notice, observe, and record your visual surroundings. Visual journal assignments ask you to explore your daily surroundings and the objects you interact with every day with the intent of an artist. 2. Documenting visual assignments: Documenting visual assignments allows you to present your completed 2D artwork accurately, professionally, and advantageously. Documentation of visual assignments requires a different attention to detail from keeping a visual journal. Each approach takes a bit of practice. The first three lessons are designed to familiarize you with these two uses of your camera. Assignments in these initial lessons are adjusted to allow you time to practice.

8 Assignments and Exams Anynthing related to assignments, exams, quizzess or projects. Helpful Resources You should review the following course resources now and reference them as needed at various points throughout the course. Documenting Two-dimensional Artwork: Camera and Tripod Use Image Submission: From Camera to Computer to Flickr and Blog Recommended Web Resources Equipment and Materials List Lesson-by-Lesson Reading List Academic Policies By enrolling as a student in this course, you agree to abide by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill policies related to the acceptable use of online resources. Please consult the Acceptable Use Policy on topics such as copyright, net-etiquette, and privacy protection. As part of this course, you may be asked to participate in online discussions or other online activities that may include personal information about you or other students in the course. Please be respectful of the rights and protection of other participants under the UNC-Chapel Hill Information Security Policies when participating in online classes. When using online resources offered by organizations not affiliated with UNC-Chapel Hill, such as Google or YouTube, please note that the terms and conditions of these companies and not the University s Terms and Conditions apply. These third parties may offer different degrees of privacy protection and access rights to online content. You should be well aware of this when posting content to sites not managed by UNC-Chapel Hill. When links to sites outside of the unc.edu domain are inserted in class discussions, please be mindful that clicking on sites not affiliated with UNC-Chapel Hill may pose a risk for your computer due to the possible presence of malware on such sites. Honor Code Remember that as a student of UNC-Chapel Hill, you are bound by the University s Honor Code, which states that It shall be the responsibility of every student at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to obey and support the enforcement of the Honor Code, which prohibits lying, cheating, or stealing when these actions involve academic processes or University students or academic personnel acting in an official capacity. An especially serious Honor Code violation is plagiarism. You may wish to take tutorial on plagiarism that was developed by librarians at UNC, Duke, NCSU and NCCU. If you have questions, please consult your instructor. Please note that downloading or printing out the quizzes or exams in Sakai is prohibited; doing so is considered a violation of the Honor Code. The University of North Carolina All Rights Reserved