Great Basin College
Spring Semester 2011
GRC 119 E01
Computer Graphics/Digital Media
Instructor
Time
Place
Website
Kathy Schwandt
office: High Tech Center (HTC) Room 129, 753-2218
email available through the WebCampus classroom
I do not check email or voice mail on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
1:00 – 3:45, Wednesdays
HTC 107
http://cot.gbcnv.edu/~schwandt/digimm19.htm
or, access through the WebCampus classroom
Textbook
Multimedia: Making It Work
Eighth Edition
Vaughan, Tay
ISBN: 978-0-07-1748469
Catalog Description
Introduction to the key digital elements of multimedia. Overview of hardware & software, design
principles, and management skills needed to develop dynamic, interactive multimedia products.
Comfort using a recent Windows operating system is strongly recommended.
3 credits.
Course Description
This class requires reading the textbook, handouts, and online resources; completing written
assignments based on the reading; hands-on activities related to weekly topics; and online
discussions of written assignments and hands-on activities.
Many different software applications related to multimedia are addressed with hands-on
activities. These activities are designed to provide a broad overview of many applications, and
are not designed to be in-depth training for multimedia software applications. There are many
other courses offered at GBC that do go in-depth with software training; please contact the
instructor if you are interested in in-depth software training.
The Final Project completed at the end of the semester is an application of many of the concepts
addressed in the class.
Expected Learner Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this class,
students will…
Measurements of learner outcomes:
be able to comprehensively define multimedia;
Participation in Class Discussions, Written
Assignments, Hands-On Assignments and
the Final Project
be able to identify the elements of multimedia,
such as text, graphic art, sound, animation, and
video;
Participation in Class Discussions, Written
Assignments, Hands-On Assignments and
the Final Project
have used multimedia authoring software tools;
Hands-On Assignments and the Final
Project
be able to describe computer system requirements
for multimedia development and playback;
Participation in Class Discussions, Written
Assignments, Hands-On Assignments and
the Final Project
have worked with text, graphic art, sound,
animation, and video in the context of basic
multimedia development;
Hands-On Assignments and the Final
Project
have planned, designed, created, and tested a
basic multimedia title with development and
completion of the final project;
Participation in Class Discussions, Written
Assignments, Hands-On Assignments and
the Final Project
be able to explain considerations when
developing multimedia for the web and when
developing for other delivery methods;
Participation in Class Discussions, Written
Assignments, Hands-On Assignments and
the Final Project
be able to demonstrate understanding of project
management regarding multimedia title
development.
Participation in Class Discussions, Written
Assignments, Hands-On Assignments and
the Final Project
2
Kathy’s Office Schedule for Spring 2011
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
11:00 - 12:15
IS 101
1:00 - 4:00
Office
Friday
11:00 - 12:15
IS 101
1:00 - 3:45
GRC 119
4:00 - 6:45
GRC 256
Thursday
1:00 - 3:00
Office
4:00 - 6:45
GRC 183
The grey boxes are the times when I should be available to meet with students in my office,
preferably by appointment.
The other labeled boxes are the times when I will be teaching in class.
If I am unavailable, please leave a voice mail message at 753-2218, an e-mail message through
WebCampus, or leave a written message with Delores, the receptionist.
I will contact you ASAP.
Methods of Instruction
o explanation, demonstration, and examples of multimedia concepts and software tools and
techniques using in-class and online resources
o
o
o
o
o
o
hands-on assignments incorporating multimedia concepts and software tools and techniques
reading and written assignments from textbook, handouts, and online sources
in-class and online discussions based on assigned readings and hands-on assignments
group work
working in pairs
individual work
3
Attendance & Participation
You must attend class. Attendance records are kept and you need to notify me in advance if you expect
to miss a class. If I’m not notified, your absence will be recorded as unexcused. The college catalog
states
“Unexcused hours of absence in excess of the number of course credit hours is excessive.
This translates to two hours of absence for a two-credit class, three hours of absence for a
three-credit class, and so on. An instructor may drop any student who has excessive
unexcused absences. An instructor has the sole right to excuse an absence, assign makeup
work, or apply a punitive grading policy as established by the instructor’s syllabus for the
class. Specifically, you are expected to comply with the attendance policy set by each
instructor.”
(p. 51 of the 2010-2011 GBC General Catalog)
If, for some reason, you feel that you cannot complete the course, you must officially withdraw from the
class by the course drop deadline (Friday, April 29, 2011) by contacting Admissions & Records at 7532102, and completing the Course Withdraw Form.
 Officially withdrawing results in a "W" on your grade report. The "W" is not used in
computing your cumulative GPA; it will appear on your transcript and be permanent.
 If you do not officially withdraw, your grade will be based on the work you have completed
averaged with zeros for work you have not completed.
Class Work
Students should keep their graded work until they know their final course grade at the end of the
semester in case there is any discrepancy in grades.
Grade Appeals
If a student has concerns or complaints about grading, s/he should follow the steps of the published
procedures as stated on page 53 in the 2010-2011 GBC General Catalog.
Course Grade
Grades describe the quality of work completed. Grading in this course is based upon the
following:
Attendance & Participation
30%
Attendance, in-class discussions, and hands-on assignments count as this
part of the class grade.
Weekly Assignments
50%
Weekly Assignments #1 - #13 count as this part of the class grade.
Final Project
20%
Participation
 Some hands-on assignments are evaluated using a “Hands-On Assignment
Rubric,” and each graded hands-on assignment is worth 100 points.
 Expect to spend time outside of scheduled class time working on some hands-on
assignments.
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Course Grade, continued
Weekly Assignments
 Each weekly assignment (Assignment #1 through Assignment #13) has its own
Grading Explanation handout giving the specifics of the assignment; each graded
weekly assignment is worth 100 points.
 Weekly assignments are based on textbook reading, and can also involve research
for information beyond what is presented in the textbook.
 No late work is accepted, unless turning in work late has been approved by the
instructor prior to its due date.
 Expect to spend time outside of scheduled class time working on assignments.
The Final Project will be development of your own digital multimedia-rich product.
Details about the Final Project will be provided later in the semester after you have
completed several weeks of learning about multimedia.
The final course grade is calculated on a percentage scale and then recorded as the corresponding
grade point value and letter grade as shown below.
Grade
Percentage
Grade Point Value
Letter Grade
Quality of Work
94-100
90-93
87-89
83-86
80-82
77-79
73-76
70-72
67-69
63-66
60-62
<60
4.0
3.7
3.3
3.0
2.7
2.3
2.0
1.7
1.3
1.0
0.7
0.0
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
Superior
General Definition
Above Average
Average
Below Average
Failure
Work Demonstrated
A
Demonstrates
Exceptional
Competence
 An ability to transcend the obvious, apply principles innovatively, and
relate theoretical concepts to everyday life. Resulting insights are
often personal and illuminating.
 A capacity to develop ideas flexibly and fluently, yet with control and
purpose.
B
Demonstrates
Competence
 Understanding of concepts and principles, and the ability to interpret
them meaningfully in a personal context.
 A capacity to develop an idea with a clear sense of order.
C
Suggests Competence
 Satisfactory understanding of concepts and principles.
 Application of classroom-based learning often lacks depth and insight.
D
Suggests Incompetence
 A frequent inability to express competence.
 A limited understanding of much of the subject matter.
 A lack of commitment or failure to follow instructions.
F
Demonstrates
Incompetence
 Work has failed to meet the minimum requirement for the course.
 Student may not be adequately prepared for the courses which follow.
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General Education Objectives
In addition to degree requirements, the faculty of GBC has established a goal to ensure that all
students graduating with either an AA, AS, BA, or BS degree have had the opportunity to
develop an awareness of and abilities in specific areas. These areas are detailed on pages 55 and
56 of the 2010-2011 GBC General Catalog.
GRC 119 is a General Education Technology Area class option, and therefore has particular
emphasis with the following General Education Objectives.
Communications Skills Objective (strong)
Students will be responsible for completing weekly assignments involving oral and
written forms of communication, including presentations (informal and formal) and
discussions.
Presentations and discussions will be evaluated on evidence of: insight, quest for
knowledge, and reflection.
Written assignments will be evaluated on content and mechanics.
Research, comprehension, and analysis of course-related materials will be expected from
students throughout the course; materials will be from print and online resources.
The final project will be the development of an interactive digital multimedia project,
which inherently requires effective written and graphic communication. The final project
will be evaluated on appearance, content, organization, usability, layout, navigation,
spelling, and grammar.
Students will give a descriptive oral and visual presentation of their final project
multimedia project. The presentation will be evaluated on preparedness, organization,
clarity, content, appropriate length, and delivery.
Critical Thinking Objective (strong)
The progression of this class toward the development of an interactive multimedia project
requires creativity, logic, quantitative reasoning, and inquiry as the means toward
knowledge.
Quantitative Ability Element
Students will determine appropriate file sizes for elements in their multimedia projects.
This determination includes calculating optimal image resolutions, image dimensions, and
file formats of all the multimedia elements; and the calculation of the size of the finished
multimedia project. Specific file size calculation is addressed each week beginning with
Week 3.
When designing with multimedia elements, students will have to consider varying
capabilities of playback systems, and speed/size limitations of online delivery. These
considerations are addressed from Week 3 through final project work.
Reasoning and Independent Thought Element
Students will search the Internet for class resources. Potential resource sites will be
evaluated based on relevancy to class concepts, authority of sites, credibility of sites, and
usefulness of sites. Students will contribute to an online resource guide on the class web
site in the areas of multimedia planning, design, software, development, and testing.
Online searches and referencing begin in the second week of class and continue through
final project work.
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Beginning with Week 2 and continuing through Week 13, students will analyze existing
multimedia projects based on design, content, and usability.
Beginning with Week 2 and continuing through final project work, students will evaluate
types of software available and will determine what is appropriate for creation of various
multimedia elements.
Beginning with Week 2 and continuing through final project work, students will learn and
apply steps involved in the management of a multimedia project, including planning,
development, design, and testing.
Scientific Understanding Element
By experimenting with methods of multimedia project development throughout the
course, students will gain relevant hands-on experience and knowledge.
Each week, Week 1 through Week 13, students will participate in inquiry-based
discussions about the characteristics of a well-designed multimedia project. These
characteristics emphasize user-centered design, which is a process that focuses on
cognitive factors (such as perception, memory, learning, and problem-solving) as they
occur during a person’s interaction with a multimedia project. They will apply knowledge
of these characteristics to the development of their own multimedia projects in their final
projects.
Concepts such as digital data representation and additive vs. subtractive light will be
addressed.
Personal and Cultural Awareness Objective (moderate/considerable)
Sense of Individual in Society Element (to some degree)
Ultimately, the audience for a multimedia project is an individual. Analyzing their own
reaction to a variety of multimedia projects will inform students’ own project
development. They will recognize they are developing for unique individuals as well as
(potentially) for the masses. Students must always consider their intended audience when
planning the design of their own multimedia projects for their final projects.
Sense of the Past Element (to some degree)
Periodically during the course, students will consider, discuss, or write about how
multimedia has impacted communication, interactivity vs. passivity, what’s constant in
communication, and what’s innovative in communication.
Sense of Accountability Element (significant)
Throughout the course, students will consider, discuss, or write about ethical
accountability. Topics concerning ethical accountability include privacy policies,
copyrights, licenses, citation of sources, and intellectual property rights.
Throughout the course, students will consider, discuss, or write about practical
accountability. Topics concerning practical accountability include usability and usefulness.
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Appreciation of Fine Arts Element (significant)
The entire course will incorporate recognizing and valuing creative human expression—
our own and others’.
Characteristics of well-designed multimedia fall into the categories of usefulness and
usability. Usefulness considers intended audience, content, interactivity, and user
retention; usability considers visibility, user memory load, feedback, accessibility, layout
and navigation, legibility, language, and visual design.
Personal Wellness Objective (some degree)
Students will discuss potential problems with extensive computer use and methods of
prevention.
The class atmosphere will be one of openness, expression, and acceptance.
Throughout the class, students will have the opportunity to enjoy a feeling of
accomplishment as they create with computers, discuss their research findings, and upon
successful development of their own multimedia project.
Technological Understanding Objective (strong)
The primary tools used in this class will be technology based: computer hardware and
software.
Students will use standard computer hardware, and may use a DVD burner, jump drive,
graphics tablet, scanner, and digital camera.
Students will use a variety of software, which may include file management, word
processing, database, presentation, animation, web browser, web page design, vector
graphics, bitmap graphics, authoring, digital video editing, and digital audio editing.
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Student Conduct and Academic Honesty
Students are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with college standards. GBC’s Student
Conduct Policy is outlined on pages 28-30 of the 2010-2011 GBC General Catalog.
Students are expected to be academically honest. GBC’s Academic Honesty section of 2010-2011
General Catalog is on page 30.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Great Basin College is committed to providing equal educational opportunities to qualified students
with disabilities in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations, including the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. A qualified student
must furnish current verification of disability. The Director of Services for Students with
Disabilities (Julie G. Byrnes) will assist qualified students with disabilities in securing the
appropriate and reasonable accommodations, auxiliary aids and services. For more information or
further assistance, please call 775.753.2271.
Student Computer Lab Use
The GBC computer labs are provided as a service to students. Use of the computer lab is a
privilege, not a right. Users must refrain from doing anything that annoys others or disrupts their
education. The computer lab cannot be used for non-college work. If you notice anyone violating
the policy of the computer lab, notify one of the lab assistants or a faculty member immediately.
Expect to use the lab often unless you have the software you need available to you outside the lab.
There are several hours each week when a lab aide monitors the lab, and is available to assist
students.
Lab Rules
1. Computer lab use is restricted to authorized individuals: students, faculty, and staff with
appropriate logins.
2. Logins are issued to individual users and ARE NOT to be used by anyone else.
3. Drinks are permitted if they are in a covered container and are kept on the floor.
4. Children are allowed in the labs only if they are enrolled in a course offered specifically for
them.
5. Internet access is to be used for class-related work only. Internet activities will be randomly
monitored.
6. Computer labs are for students to use for class-related work only.
7. Copying of ANY software is prohibited without prior authorization.
8. No ringing cell phones in the labs.
Final Notes
Don’t let yourself get behind! Once we begin, we will address several concepts each week. If you
are confused about any particular concept, let me know immediately.
You will be learning a tremendous amount of new material in this semester. For some, all this new
information may be overwhelming. Be patient. You are here to learn and I am here to facilitate
your learning.
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GRC 119 E01 Class Schedule Spring 2011 (Subject to Change )
Week
Date
Topic
1
W, Jan. 26
Introductions, Computer Logins, WebCampus, Syllabus, Class
Website, Textbook Overview
2
W, Feb. 2
Discuss Chapter 1 and Chapter 8: Assignment #1
Hands-on: Project 1.1 adaptation
3
W, Feb. 9
Discuss Chapter 2: Assignment #2
Hands-on: Project 2.2 adaptation, Download Fonts
4
W, Feb. 16
Discuss Chapter 3: Assignment #3
Hands-on: Project 3.4 adaptation, Image Editing
5
W, Feb. 23
Discuss Chapter 4: Assignment #4
Hands-on: Chapter 4, Essay Quiz 3; Audio Editing
6
W, Mar. 2
Discuss Chapter 5: Assignment #5
Hands-on: Animation
7
W, Mar. 9
Discuss Chapter 6: Assignment #6
Hands-on: Video Editing
8
W, Mar. 16
Discuss Chapter 7: Assignment #7
Hands-on: Project 7.3 adaptation, Your Choice of Hands-on practice
M, Mar. 21 –
F, Mar. 25
Assignment
Read
Chapter 1
Chapter 8
Assignment #1
Read
Chapter 2
Assignment #2
Read
Chapter 3
Assignment #3
Read
Chapter 4
Assignment #4
Read
Chapter 5
Assignment #5
Read
Chapter 6
Assignment #6
Read
Chapter 7
Assignment #7
Read
Chapter 9
Assignment #8
Spring Break
9
W, Mar. 30
10
W, Apr. 6
Discuss Chapter 10: Assignment #9
Hands-on: HTML, Web Pages
11
W, Apr. 13
Discuss Chapter 11: Assignment #10
Hands-on: Web Pages
12
W, Apr. 20
Discuss Chapter 12: Assignment #11
Hands-on: Javascripts, Web Pages
Read
Chapter 10
Assignment #9
Read
Chapter 11
Assignment #10
Read
Chapter 12
Assignment #11
Read
Chapter 13
Assignment #12
13
W, Apr. 27
Discuss Chapter 13: Assignment #12
Hands-on: CSS, Web Pages
Final Project Information
Read
Chapter 14
Assignment #13
14
W, May 4
Discuss Chapter 14: Assignment #13
Hands-on: Work on Final Project
Work on Final
Project
15
W, May 11
Hands-on: Work on Final Project
Course Evaluation
Work on Final
Project
16
W, May 18
Finals Week
Final Project Due, presentations during class this week
Discuss Chapter 9: Assignment #8
Hands-on: Combining Multimedia Elements
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