Policy Statement and Syllabus: FA 4100- Interactive Multimedia Design
Arts Technology Program - University of Utah
Semester: Spring 2006

Online Information & Server Address

http://help.finearts.utah.edu
http://www.finearts.utah.edu/help/student/srvreq.html
fileserver.artstech.utah.edu

Week 1 - January 9-13
Introductions
Inspiration

Week 2 - January 16-20
Technical - recap drawing tools

Week 3 - Jan 23-27
Aesthetic - investigate unity, line, color, tone, proximity
continue re-cap of drawing tools

Week 4 - January 30-Feb 3
Creative - begin project I - personal branding

Week 5-8 - Feb8-Mar 2
work on personal Websites

Week 9-12 - Mar 7-30
Work on client based website
In class lectures on basic actionscripting

Week 10 - March 13-17
Spring Break - no class

Week 13 - April 4-25
work on final project of student's choosing

All assignments due by the end of the term: personal website, client based website, final project.

This course is an investigative study using Flash, Dreamweaver and possibly other software programs for creating interactive online content.

Completing this course will satisfy the prerequisites for other Fine Arts courses. This course does not satisfy the FA or IE requirements for graduation. To find courses that will fit those requirements, please visit your university or departmental advisors. Meanwhile, we hope you will consider the value of this course for the information and skills that it teaches.

Prerequisites- FA2000 or instructor's permission

Reference Manual and equipment

Forthcoming manuals based on first day's disucssion.

Recommended: Design Basics by David Lauer. This book is widely available to purchase used online. I won’t be too picky about the version of this you choose, or if you can find one to borrow or check out. There will be a presentation that you make to the class in which this book will be invaluable, however, so accessing a copy is important.

Jump or flash drive - We provide server space for this course, but you may find that transferring and storing files will be easier for you to do with one of these handy devices. Drive can be any size; a 256 MB drive tends to be most affordable right now. A few blank CD's are a good idea, too.

Course Requirements Attendance is one of the most important aspects of this course. This class meets approx. 3 hours a week. Missing class means you miss lectures, work time and time to meet with the instructors and fellow students. As a result, a great deal of work and effort is required on your part to make up any lost time outside of class, and also to keep up with what is currently happening. Arriving late to class also slows down the tempo of class and tardy attendance accrues to equaling absences. 3 tardies = 1 absence. Preventing any of these headaches is easy, simply by attending class. Grading is weighted by attendance. 3 absences = 1 grade reduction on final grade. 2 weeks of missed courses will be considered unofficial withdrawl from the course.

Participation: Students are expected to participate in discussions, interact with the instructor and other students during lab time, and present finished projects to the rest of the class for review.

Attendance: Successful completion of this course will depend on good attendance. A great deal of technical information will be covered in class. Attending lab time allows students to receive individual help from the instructor and benefit from other students in the class who are working on the same assignments. If you are absent from class you will be responsible for following-up on missed work and obtaining any missed handouts or information. Please contact the instructor immediately if an unavoidable attendance problem arises or for university excused absences or other accommodations.

Lab Exercises: There will be a few short assignments given throughout the semester to be completed during lab time. These lab exercises are meant to help student's strengthen software skills after the technical information has been demonstrated in class. Lab exercises will not be accepted late.

Project Completion: Students will be assigned a variety of projects throughout the course. Each project will have a description stating project goals and due dates. Project evaluations will be based on meeting the assignment goals, demonstration of technical skills and the quality of the finished work. If you are unsatisfied with the results of a project, you have the option to re-work it and hand-in an updated version for a better grade, but only if the original version of assignment was handed-in on time. No late work will be accepted without discussing details with the instructor. Late work has an automatic 10% deduction from the grade, if the instructor chooses to accept it.

Grade Scale: A = 95-100 / A- = 90-94 / B+ = 86-89 / B = 83-85 / B- = 80-82 / C+ = 76-79 / C = 73-75 / C- = 70-72 / D+ = 66-69 / D = 63-65 / D- = 60-62 / E = 59

Course Schedule: Daily assignments are subject to change. Any changes will be announced in class. You are responsible for being aware of them. In addition to the assignments due in class, each student will make one presentation in class that will equal one assignment.

Additional Information

The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that reasonable accommodation be provided for students with physical, sensory, cognitive, systemic, learning, or psychiatric disabilities. Students requiring such accommodation should speak with the professor at the beginning of the semester in order to make appropriate arrangements for this course. The Center for Disabled Student Services (Olpin Union, 581-5020) will also need to be informed. See the following link for more information: http://www.sa.utah.edu/ds/

The registrar cautions students that withdrawing from a course and other registration matters, including tuition, are the student's responsibility. See the following link for more information: http://www.saff.utah.edu/regist/calendar/datesDeadlines/fall2004.htm

In accordance with university policy (as articulated in the Student Code), academic misconduct-including cheating, fabrication of information, and plagiarism-is not tolerated in this course. A student found engaging in this behavior will receive a failing grade. If at any time you are unsure whether your actions constitute academic misconduct, please see the professor in order to clarify the matter. See the following link for more information: http://www.sa.utah.edu/code/

Activities and materials assigned for this class have been carefully scrutinized and selected. Some students may find some of the materials, presentations, lectures, or audio/visual materials controversial or in conflict with their core values. It is your responsibility to review the syllabus, readings, assignments, and materials to be sure that this is a course you wish to take. Should you have questions or concerns, please see me immediately. Details on the university's accommodation policy are available at this link: http://www.admin.utah.edu/facdev/accommodations-policy.pdf

PPM 9-7 Sec 15: Excused Absences: Students absent from class to participate in officially sanctioned University activities (e.g., band, debate, student government, intercollegiate athletics) or religious obligations, or with instructor's approval, shall be permitted to make up both assignments and examinations. The University expects its departments and programs that take students away from class meetings to schedule such events in a way that will minimize hindrance of the student's orderly completion of course requirements. Such units must provide a written statement to the students describing the activity and stating as precisely as possible the dates of the required absence. The involved students must deliver this documentation to their instructors, preferable before the absence but in no event later than one week after the absence