IDC Lab: Media
Integrated Design Curriculum
Parsons The New School for Design

instructor: cynthia lawson
lawsonc@newschool.edu
Mondays, 3-5.40pm
55 W. 13th St. Room 406

Office Hours - By appointment
2 W. 13th St. Room 502

Visit course BLOG


DATE
CLASS MEETINGS

WEEK 1
09/08

INTRODUCTION TO COURSE & PROJECTS
INTRODUCTION WARM-UP PROJECT:
A Personal Techno Map PDF icon

Assignments:
  • Read "Connected, Yes, but Hermetically Sealed" by Ben Stein
  • Email Cynthia your map concept statement by Thursday at noon. 
  • With the feedback received, draft your final concept statement and finalize your map.  Bring in both a printed & mounted version and a digital one.  Non-digital productions should be scanned for the digital version.  Minimum size: 11x17.
Resources: See this chart on Information Visualization methods, this recent work on mapping body parts in music, and this presentation of various maps for some inspiration on visualizing your data.
+++Web 2.0 video on YouTube

WEEK 2
09/15

CRITIQUE: A Personal Techno Map

INTRODUCTION TO WARM-UP PROJECT: Recovering Reality
PDF icon
Assignments:
Introduce blog and assign bloggers

Weekly Blogger: Simone

WEEK 3
09/22
WE MEET IN ROOM 913

Critique: Recovering Reality

Assignments:
  • Bring one photograph, that you have taken, at least 1024x768 in size, preferrably 150 dpi, minimum.
  • Visit the exhibition at 66 5th ave and critically answer one of these two questions, in a minimum 500-word statement: 1) What is the role of media in this collaborative project and exhibition? OR 2) How do you define 'image' in the context of this project and exhibition? What uses and roles does it play?
Weekly Blogger: Alexa

WEEK 4
09/29
WE MEET IN ROOM 406

Introduction to Project 1: Images [just] in Time

Workshop
: Images in Final Cut Pro

Assignment: Create a quicktime file of a 30-second slideshow using, but not manipulating, the class' images.  Bring the file ready to present in class.

Weekly Blogger: Gabrielle

WEEK 5
10/06
WE MEET IN ROOM 406

Presentation of warm-up slideshows

Assignment: Create a storyboard for your slideshow (include thumbnails of images and times, and produce all images to work in class next week (goal: finish the slideshow project by the end of next class.  Due as much homework as you need to.)

Meet at the Whitney Museum on Friday, 5PM to visit the show - "Between the Still and Moving Image."  Then write a 300-word CRITIQUE of the show (not summary!)

Example: Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players

Weekly Blogger: Gemma

WEEK 6
10/13
WE MEET IN ROOM 406

Studio work

Weekly Blogger: Rachel

WEEK 7
10/20
WE MEET IN ROOM 913

Critique Project 1: Images [just] in Time

Weekly Blogger: Hilary
WEEK 8
10/27
WE MEET IN ROOM 913
Introduction to Project 2: Thinking through Sound

Weekly Blogger: Eric

WEEK 9
11/03
WE MEET IN ROOM 406


Workshop: Final Cut Pro

Weekly Blogger: Isabella

WEEK 10
11/10
WE MEET IN ROOM 406

Studio work

Weekly Blogger: Monica

WEEK 11
11/17
WE MEET IN ROOM 913

Critique Project 2: Thinking through Sound

Weekly Blogger: Angeli

WEEK 12
11/24
WE MEET IN ROOM 406

Introduction to Project 3: Your Stuff, Online
Workshop
: HTML

Weekly Blogger: Rostislav

WEEK 13
12/01
WE MEET IN ROOM 406

Workshop: Dreamweaver

Weekly Blogger: Maya

WEEK 14
12/08
WE MEET IN ROOM 406

Studio work

WEEK 15
12/15
WE MEET IN ROOM 913

Final critique: Your Stuff, Online

Course Description

Students work with various digital applications (including, but not limited to digital imaging, presentation, video and audio tools and internet) as platforms to investigate the concepts and processes of making, creating, imaging and representing the media in society today.   The course is both a hands-on introduction to various software applications as well as an exercise in bridging theory and practice.  A special emphasis will be placed on digital media for purposes of representation, dissemination and critique.

Learning Outcomes

The objective of this course is for you:

  • To use reading, writing, and digital media as a means to better understand the relationship between theory and practice and its importance to your development as an artist or designer.
  • To develop a personal conceptual process and to bring your process into play with others through group discussion and peer reviews.
  • To increase your ability to observe and identify, describe and analyze ideas and aspects of your work in order to deepen and expand the possibilities of exploration and experimentation.
  • To understand the different processes and meaning of invention through the experience of reading, reflection, and working with digital media.
  • To develop technical skills in imaging, presentation, and video, and understand the rela-tionship of technique to concept.

Working with Technology

All students are expected to

  • Keep copies of every version of every file
  • Hand in a CD or DVD with the final versions of both the project and artist statement the day of final critique.
  • Use hardware and software in The New School computer labs - for schedules and more information see http://www.newschool.edu/at
  • Know the policies on file deletion from Works in Progress and Drop Box.   Students are encouraged to purchase an external hard drive to backup their work.
  • Whatever can go wrong will go wrong.   Please keep this in mind when planning your week (ie. do not leave your homework for Sunday nights!

Department and Class Policies

Student Responsibilities
•    Treat class time as an opportunity.
•    Arrive to class on time, with all materials, ready to work steadily throughout the ses-sion. Be prepared with all your required materials for every class. Complete all as-signments on time.
•    Participate in all class discussions and critiques. Confront difficulties in your work in the spirit of learning, creative exploration and personal growth. Ask for help from your instructors when needed.
•    Respect your fellow students at all times. Disruptive behavior is not tolerated. You are responsible for cleaning up after yourself at the end of each class.
•    No radios, players, walkmans, beepers or cellular phones are allowed in class.
•    NO SMOKING ANYWHERE IN THE BUILDING


The New School Statement on Academic Integrity and Honesty

Academic honesty is the duty of every member of an academic community to claim authorship of his or her own work, and only for that work, and to recognize the contributions of others accurately and completely.   Academic honesty is fundamental to the integrity of intellectual debate and creative and academic pursuits.   All members of the University community are expected to conduct themselves in accord with the standards of academic honesty.   Students are responsible for knowing and making use of proper procedures for writing papers, present-ing and performing their work, taking examinations, and doing research.

Plagiarism and cheating of any kind in the course of academic work will not be tolerated.   Academic honesty includes accurate use of quotations, as well as appropriate and explicit cita-tion of sources in instances of paraphrasing and describing ideas, or reporting on research findings or any aspect of the work of others (including that of instructors and other students).   These standards of academic honesty and citation of sources apply to all forms of academic work (examinations, essays, theses, computer work, art and design work, oral presentations, and other projects).

It is the responsibility of students to learn the procedures specific to their discipline for correctly and appropriately differentiating their own work from that of others.   Compromising your academic integrity may lead to serious consequences, including (but not limited to) one or more of the following: failure of the assignment, failure of the course, academic warning, disciplinary probation, suspension from the university, or dismissal from the university.  

Every student at Parsons signs an Academic Integrity Statement as a part of the registration process.   Thus, you are held responsible for being familiar with, understanding, adhering to and upholding the spirit and standards of academic integrity as set forth by the Parsons The New School for Design Student Handbook .


Attendance Policy
Class attendance is mandatory. There is no substitute for working and participating in class. The attendance policy applies to everyone. There are no exceptions. Students must return to class promptly after breaks. Undo tardiness following a given break will result in an absence. Leaving the class before it is over will be considered an absence.


Absences
For classes meeting one time per week for 15 weeks, 3 absences constitute grounds for failure.

Tardiness
Two (2) tardies will be counted as one absence.
Class begins on the hour sharp. The door to the classroom will be closed at that time. Anyone walking in after the door has closed (class has started) will be marked late. 5 minutes is con-sidered tardy, and over 20 minutes is considered an absence.
The following may be counted as tardy:
•    Coming to class without the required materials
•    Sleeping in class
•    Being asked to leave class because of disruptive behavior.
•    Doing other course work in class.


Academic Warning
Students who do not complete and submit assignments on time and to a satisfactory standard will fail this class. It is a student's responsibility to obtain missed assignment sheets from other classmates and make-up the work in time for the next class.

Evaluation and Grading

Course Expectations
In order to receive a grade for this course, students must complete all presentations, and ac-tively participate in classroom discussions and critiques. Any student that does not present work during any of the formal presentations will automatically fail. Expectations for the pres-entation are clearly defined. The presentation will be evaluated on the following basis:

•    if the project fulfills the requirements and objectives of the assignment
•    if the student demonstrates initiative and inventiveness in the exploration
•    if the student has improved
•    if the project is carefully considered and consistently iterated and developed

Assignments and work in progress must be completed on time and included in class discussion & critique. Late assignments will be penalized. Consideration will be given to how much a stu-dent's work has developed and how well that development demonstrates an understanding of the concepts of the course in conjunction with the arguments present within your project.  Students will also have an opportunity to re-do the major projects before the end of the se-mester for extra credit.

Your grade is determined by your performance in following:
    Blogging: 20%
    Assignments: 15%
    Project 1: 25%
    Project 2: 25%
    Project 3: 15%


Grade Descriptions: (from Parsons Student Handbook & Core Studies Faculty Handbook)
A      
4.0
Work of exceptional quality.These are projects that go above and beyond the expectations and requirements described in the assignment. They d substantial effort and achievement in the areas of critical thinking, technique and presentation.
95-100%
A-     
3.7 
Work of high quality. 90-94%
B+     
3.3   
Work of high quality, higher than average abilities  
86-89%
B     
3.0
Very good work that satisfies goals of course.  
The "B/B+" student offers a clear and convincing structure to a visual endeavor that is more complex and unique than a project at the average level. The creator's point of view and point of the project are merged successfully and organized fairly consistently throughout the project. Although minor structural problems may be present in the assignment, they do not hinder the overall outcome.
83-85%
B-    
2.7    
Good work. 80-82%
C+     
2.3     
Average work, Average understanding of course material. 76-79%
C    
2.0    
Adequate work;   passable.     The student demonstrates some success in engaging with the assignment. The project will show that the creator can identify and work with key ideas and examples found in reference material. Typical of a "C" project is that the original problem or assignment once approached, does not move forward. Projects may also have organizational, technical weaknesses. 73-75%
C-   
1.7    
Passing work but below good academic standing. 70-72%
D     
1.0    
Below average work; does not fully understand the assignments.
                                                                        

Although this is passable work, the project only answers the minimum requirements of the assignment. The projects shows very little effort, is incomplete, late or incorrect in its approach. The outcome shows a lack of understanding and commitment on the part of the creator.

60-69%
F
0          
Failure, no credit. 0-59%