UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE
School of Information Studies
INFOST 375– Multimedia Web Design
SYLLABUS Summer 2015 – (May 31st – July 9th)
Section 201
Instructor: Adam Hudson
E-mail: arhudson@uwm.edu
Location: Northwest Quad, Building B Rm 3414
Phone: 414-229-3822
Meeting Times & Location: online, no scheduled meetings
CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
Course covers the fundamentals of Adobe Flash and ActionScript that will allow students to create web
animations and more interactive website content. 3 credits
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Use Adobe Flash to create animations for use on the web. Examples include creating banner-ads,
slideshows, menus, and character animations. Use ActionScript together with Flash to control
animations and the interactivity that users can experience with the animations. Students will learn how
to control the timeline and the basic principles of animation in order to create more fluid designs.
Students will learn how to publish Flash files and display them on different devices and operating
systems. Students will examine and work with new interactive and JavaScript-based HTML5 including
canvas and drag & drop.
PREREQUISITES:
INFO ST 240 Web Design I, familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite preferred (Photoshop, Dreamweaver) but
not required.
Software Requirement:
Throughout the course we will be exploring graphic design, web development, and animation through
the use of a variety of industry standard software programs (mainly Flash). For this course, you will
need to have access to the following software programs: Adobe Flash, Photoshop, and Adobe
Dreamweaver. All of these programs are included in the Adobe CC Web Premium Package. The
package is available for you via the SOIS Virtual Lab:
http://www4.uwm.edu/sois/resources/it/virtuallab/. Students can also try a free trial version from
Adobe for 30 days or get a subscription via the following link:
http://www.adobe.com/creativecloud.html.
OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
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1. Effectively use Adobe Flash and the other accompanying Adobe design programs like
Dreamweaver & Photoshop to edit and create content.
2. Create animations, navigation menus, banner advertisements, canvas drawings, slideshows, and
other interactive content for use on the web.
3. Understand and critically evaluate important principles in design and the design process like font
type and face, use of color, and layout.
4. Utilize Flash content (including the scripting language ActionScript) and different publishing
options to create content across multiple devices and platforms.
5. Have an understanding of some of the new dynamic features of HTML5 API’s like canvas and
drag&drop.
6. Analyze and evaluate the differences animating in Flash vs. HTML canvas and CSS.
METHOD OF DELIVERY: Online
Lecture notes, and video demonstrations.
On-line Course Expectations:
• Online learning assumes a high level of maturity, time management, and the ability to self-learn.
Learning is more convenient but no less rigorous. The lack of formal schedule in an online course can
be liberating. It can also be demanding because the student must determine when to make time for
class. A bit of self-discipline is helpful for taking an online course.
• Please remember that you will spend as much or more time completing this course as you would
taking it in a traditional, classroom-bound, format. Due dates are as "real" as they are in a traditional
format.
• The following resources will help you if you have technical problems: SOIS Distance Education:
http://www4.uwm.edu/sois/online/, UITS Help Desk:
https://www4.uwm.edu/technology/help/campus/index.cfm
Students with special test and note-taking needs should contact the instructor as early as possible for
accommodations. See policies on page 5 of the syllabus.
TECH RESOURCES:
UWM Help Desk: http://www4.uwm.edu/technology/help/campus/gettechhelp.cfm
SOIS Tech: http://www4.uwm.edu/sois/resources/it/, soistech@uwm.edu, (414-229-5275), NWQB
3432. The SOIS Tech office hours are available on the website.
SOIS Virtual Lab: http://www4.uwm.edu/sois/resources/it/virtuallab/
The link includes information, tutorials, and login information for using the Virtual Lab.
Lynda.com access: http://www4.uwm.edu/sois/resources/it/lynda/
Resources for SOIS students on IT related topics, includes many useful tutorials.
TEXT:
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REQUIRED:
Adobe Flash Professional CC 2014 release (Paperback)
Adobe Press (ISBN: 978-0-13-392710-8)
COURSE SCHEDULE (subject to change):
Week:
1 – (May
31 – June
4)
2 - (June 5
- 11)
3 - (June
12 – 18)
4 - (June
19 – 25)
5 – (June
26 – July
2)
6 – (July 3
– 9)
Topics:
Introduction to the course and Adobe Flash
interface (tools, file types, intro to working
with layers). Working with colors, fills,
gradients, etc. Importing graphics/files
from external programs like Photoshop and
Illustrator. Editing external graphics
Start animation: introduction to both
motion and shape tweening, and important
principles for both. Creating first
animation scene and character animation.
Using the pen tool for tracing and creating
shapes and characters.
Flash for web marketing and working with
banner ads. Creating a complex graphic
using an effect known as parallax.
Introduction to ActionScript. Creation of a
picture slideshow and application of
ActionScript. Using layer masks for
picture cropping and gotoAndStop() and
gotoAndPlay() methods. Actionscript for
object manipulation; allowing for user
control over an object’s properties using the
mouse and keyboard
Introduction to HTML5 canvas tag and
drag and drop functionality. Completion of
canvas drawing exercises.
Canvas practical example; using canvas to
draw a graph directly to a webpage.
Making web-based presentations using the
reveal.js framework
Readings:
Chapter 1 (Getting Acquainted),
Chapter 2 (Working with Graphics),
Chapter 3 (Creating and Editing
Symbols)
Chapter 4 (Animating Symbols),
Chapter 5 (Advanced Motion
Tweening), Chapter 6 (Animating
Shapes and Using Masks), Chapter 8
(Using Text)
Chapter 10 (Publishing)
Chapter 7 (Creating Interactive
Navigation)
ASSIGNMENTS:
Assignments are due on the specified date (midnight CST on the day it is due) *unless specifically
noted by the instructor. Post the link to the assignment in the drop box on D2L. Grades will be
reduced one full letter grade for each day that they are late thereafter. Most assignments are worth 10
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points, so you will lose 1 point for each day that it is late. Assignments submitted more than 5 days
past the due date will not receive any credit.
Submissions that include an incorrect link (such as a link to the local file path rather than the url for the
file hosted on your webspace account or the submission of an actual HTML file rather than the url)
will receive a 1 point deduction. Assignments encompass the largest portion of your grade at 80%, so it
is imperative to turn them in on time.
Rules of academic conduct require that you not use the work of others without clearly indicating it as
such. Academic misconduct may result in a lowered grade, no credit for a given assignment, or
removal from the course.
ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTIONS:
This list is of the major assignments, more may be assigned throughout the course of the semester.
The majority of the assignments are worth 10 points each with the exception of the book chapters with
are worth 5 each.
Description:
Book chapters (6 total to be
completed)
Photo Editing
Postcard Animation
Bouncing Ball Animation
Pen tool assignment
Banner Advertisements
3d effect assignment
Photo Gallery (placed in HTML
page)
Movie clip properties/mouse events
Movie clip properties/keyboard
events
3 HTML5 canvas exercises
Lynda.com Drag&Drop Course
Canvas Chart Example
Reveal.js presentation
Objectives:
1-3
Point Value:
5 for each
1-2
2
2
1-2
2-4
2-4
2, 4
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
Due:
Beginning of the course
(chapters 1-3, 6, 9-10)
Week 1
Week 2
Week 2
Week 2
Week 3
Week 3
Week 4
2, 4
2, 4
10
10
Week 4
Week 4
5-6
5
5-6
5
10 each
10
10
10
Week 5
Week 5
Week 6
Week 6
Final:
The final will be taken during the last week of the course. The test will be taken online through D2L,
and be scored immediately upon completion. The test consists of 35 multiple choice questions and 15
True/False questions. All of the questions originate from either the book chapters or the lecture notes
provided throughout the course. More details will be provided about the test during the week that it is
given (week 6).
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EVALUATION:
Criteria
Assignments
Final Test
Total
Amount
80%
20%
100%
GRADING SCALE:
93-100
90-92.99
89-89.99
83-88.99
80-82.99
79-79.99
A
AB+
B
BC+
73-78.99
70-72.99
69-69.99
63-68.99
60-62.99
Below 60
C
CD+
D
DF
UWM AND SOIS ACADEMIC POLICIES:
The following link will take you to UWM pages/links which contain university policies affecting all
UWM students: http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/SecU/SyllabusLinks.pdf
Undergraduates may also find the Panther Planner and Undergraduate Student Handbook useful
(http://www4.uwm.edu/dos/student-handbook.cfm).
For graduate students, there are additional guidelines from the Graduate School
(http://www.graduateschool.uwm.edu/students/current/), including those found in the Graduate Student
and Faculty Handbook: http://www.graduateschool.uwm.edu/students/policies/expanded/.
The following link will take you to pages/links which contain SOIS policies affecting all SOIS
students: http://www4.uwm.edu/sois/resources/formpol/policies.cfm