Most course materials and announcements will be delivered through the course Web site. TRACS will be used primarily for communication and posting grades. You will need your Texas State NetID and password to access the TRACS site.
Course Description
Dr. Cindy Royal designed this course to instruct students in Web site construction and design. Students will learn HTML/CSS/jQuery coding. I will introduce popular Web design and graphics programs including Photoshop and iMovie, as well as the content management system WordPress. The course will cover the usage of graphics, sound and video and discuss the appropriateness of multimedia on Web sites for journalism, advertising, public relations, and e-commerce. Students will work on several small Web projects that will lead to a final multimedia project. The goal is to emphasize more than just the skills associated with individual programs, but the integration of several programs into designing effective and attractive Web sites.
In addition, the class will address social and theoretical implications of technology, such as the digital divide, cyberlaw, e-commerce, and Web content credibility and accessibility.
The course requires attendance at lab sessions and lectures, as topics tend to build upon one another. In past semesters, students who attended class regularly turned in the more creative, impressive projects.
Purpose
The purpose of this course is to prepare students for the requirements of a multimedia design and social media world. In addition to gaining Web site production skills, students will learn about features of the multimedia and online communication environment and develop an appreciation for the future of communication technology.
Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will possess:
- an understanding of HTML, CSS, jQuery and other Web design technologies;
- an understanding of the role of a content management system (CMS);
- a broad perspective on the interactive, multimedia, Web 2.0, and communication environments, including issues of diversity and inclusiveness;
- the ability to create Web sites that are functional and well designed; and
- the ability to produce engaging multimedia to accompany sites.
You must use an active Texas State email account. Communication via TRACS uses your Texas State email, and the university is required to send grade information out only through the Texas State email system. I will send schedule changes to your Texas State email and TRACS so make sure you check your email on a regular basis.
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks this semester. Woohoo! You will have online or handout readings from time to time.
You are required to get a Web hosting account, which is roughly $5 per month. Details are in the Supplies and Equipment section.
Teaching Methods
This class uses a variety of teaching methods to accommodate various learning styles. Lecture is but one method in which I will introduce students to course concepts. I expect students to participate in news and current event discussions, providing topics that are of interest to them. I will cover skills in class as a group, and students will practice skills both in and out of class in order to complete projects. Assistance is available at designated times. OM212 is also available as an open lab for project work when it is not in use by a class. The course Web site provides a variety of resources for reinforcement of learning, including downloadable handouts and video tutorials. Students will also participate in online discussions and a blogging activity that will further provide an opportunity to communicate and contribute.
Course Requirements
- Student bio (basic Web assignment) — set up a site with at least four pages with biographical information, links, and one image (photo). One page will be an assignment page that will hold links to other projects.
- Student bio redesign (basic Web assignment) — Use Dreamweaver and Photoshop to redesign the personal site you made with HTML.
- Troubleshooting assignment — Fix problems on an existing page to demonstrate code knowledge.
- Hobby or organization site (basic Web assignment) — set up a Web site for a hobby or organization with which you are affiliated (no more than 5 pages total). Must be a new site, not a redesign of an existing site.
- jQuery exercise — use jQuery/JavaScript to create a photo slideshow.
- iMovie exercise — apply basic video editing concepts like cropping, splitting clips, adding audio, transitions, so you can use them in your final project.
- Final multimedia reporting project — Use all the skills gained during the course to complete an extensive project. May use HTML via a code editor, Photoshop, jQuery, iMovie, or any other program that we have discussed this semester. Use WordPress to design your final project, a multimedia reporting site.
Syllabus Changes
I may notify you of changes or updates to policies in this syllabus throughout the semester.
Grading
Assignments and projects, listed by the order of assignment throughout the class:
05% Short news presentation
05% Participation and attendance
10% Blog posts and other assignments
20% Exercises (3)
30% Basic Web site assignments (3)
30% Final multimedia reporting project
There is no extra credit available for this class. Please contact me early in the semester if you are having problems with any of the course requirements.
Grade Scale
90-100 = A exceeds requirements; memorable; high attention to detail; complete/on time
80-89 = B strong; moderate attention to detail; complete/on time
70-79 = C average and competent; functional; complete/on time
60-69 = D weak, unresolved issues; incomplete/late
59-00 = F persistent unresolved issues; incomplete/late
Late Assignments and Attendance
Assignments for this course are challenging and fun, but the class moves very quickly, so you will not want to fall behind. Missed assignments will receive a grade of F. A student may turn in one (1) assignment late during the semester, if there is an excused reason with prior arrangement with professor. Any other late assignments will receive a grade of F.
Attendance is required in this course. You may have two absences without penalty throughout the semester. For the third and fourth absence, you will lose 10% for each absence from your final course grade. After the fourth absence, you should strongly consider dropping the course or you will receive an F. (In the summer, we move more quickly. You cannot miss more than 1 class without penalty; 1 for a 20% reduction – after 2 you will be encouraged to drop). In addition, your overall participation grade will suffer, because you can’t participate if you are not in class. There are no excused absences; sickness and work-related absences fall under the policy above. Because we cover so much ground in this class, it is no coincidence that the students with the best attendance have historically turned in the best projects. For ANY absence, I expect students to catch up on her or his own (with online materials, tutorials and by asking fellow students) and ask only specific questions to either the TA me about what they missed. Do not ask “What did I miss?” or “Did I miss anything?” or “I’m lost” – which is not a question at all.
If you do miss a class, you are required to catch up on your own and be prepared for any material that you missed on the next class day you attend.
Students (and teachers, too) often learn best from one another, so an open environment is encouraged. Ask questions and help each other.
We will start class at the designated time. It is important that you show up on time, as I will likely make announcements early on, and you could miss valuable information. If you arrive later than 5 minutes after the designated time, you will be marked as late. This can affect your participation grade, as well as your ultimate course grade.
Supplies & Equipment
You will need a USB storage device (flash drive) to save a backup of your files. You will also receive access to a shared folder on the department server, but it is best to have a backup on disk.
We will discuss Web hosting options in class. For most of you, I recommend going through companies like Bluehost or Dreamhost. This is $5 per month. There are several other hosting options, but many students prefer to get their own domain so that they can use it for resume/portfolio later on. Students should also have a Texas State email account that they check frequently. This will be the main method of course communication.
Equipment Checkout
We have several digital still cameras and DV camcorders assigned to this class. Please contact me in advance if you want to check one out. The checkout timeframe is from one class period to the next (i.e. check out on Saturday, return the following Saturday), so plan your shoots accordingly. On the day you return a still camera, you must download your photos and delete them from the memory stick at the first available lab time and return the camera to me. This is not applicable for camcorders, as you will be using your own tape. To reserve a camera for a specific date, email me.
You MUST return the camera(s) in full working order on the following class period. It is important to respect other classmates’ needs to use the equipment. I will accept no excuses. Failure to return the equipment on the next class period will result in an automatic reduction of 10% from your final course grade, and you will lose your equipment checkout privilege for the remainder of the semester.
You are responsible for the equipment that you check out. The university will charge your TX State account for the replacement value of any equipment that is missing due to loss, damage, theft or any other reason.
Student Conduct
In this class, you should feel comfortable to participate and express opinions and ideas. Please respect the opinions of others and be considerate of their need to contribute and learn. Turn off cell phones before entering class, and do not take calls during class. Do not use your phone for text messaging during class. Browsing the Web, checking email, IMing, Twitter, Facebook or other non-related activities during class are not acceptable. Please do not have private conversations with your neighbors during class time, whether I or other students are talking.
I will ask any student who does not adhere to these conduct policies to leave the classroom, and that student will receive zero (0) participation points for that class. In general, please be respectful of others’ desire to learn and help to create a fun and beneficial classroom environment.
You will display your work on the Web, which means that it will be available to anyone with Internet access and a browser. Please see me if you have any concerns about posting your projects to the Web.
Dropping the Course
You can withdraw from this or any course by Oct. 24 (Fall 2013) and receive an automatic ìWî. After that date, you cannot drop only one course, so you will have to withdraw from all courses.
Students with Disabilities
Texas State University seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with disabilities. This university will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws. Students with disabilities who need special accommodations should contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS) at 512.245.3451, and register with that office. ODS is located in Suite 5-5.1 at the LBJ Student Center. If you are a student with a disability certified by ODS and you require accommodations in this class, it is your responsibility to notify the professor no later than the fifth class day of this semester so that accommodations can be discussed and promptly provided.
Academic Honesty
Students are required to submit original work in this course unless otherwise specified in the assignments. This includes text, content, graphics and photography. Students may use art from free sites with appropriate credit and identification, but are encouraged to design their own artwork (grades will be higher for using original work as opposed to anotherís artwork).
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication commits itself to the preparation of mass media professionals and scholars. Such a mission demands the highest standards of academic honesty and integrity. The university does not tolerate violations of academic honesty, including but not limited to plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, collusion, deception, conflict of interest and theft, and each violation can lead to severe penalties. The Texas State Academic Honesty Statement outlines disciplinary actions for violations of the standards for academic honesty, printed each year in the Student Handbook. The policy is also available at http://www.dos.txstate.edu/handbook/rules/honorcode.html.
Schedule of Topics
This is a brief outline of topics to covered in this class. Please see the course outline on the class Web site for readings, assignments, and handouts.
31 Aug. Introductions, history of Internet, search engines, basic design issues
07 Sep. History of the Web, beginning HTML
14 Sep. Project 01 due, linking and interactivity, work on Project 01
21 Sep. Basic design, information architecture, CSS
28 Sep. Using a digital camera, intro to Photoshop
05 Oct. Project 02 due, responsive design
12 Oct. Troubleshooting exercise due, advanced design concepts
19 Oct. Project 03 due, intro to multimedia, jQuery
26 Oct. jQuery exercise due, multimedia journalism, Mass Comm Week
02 Nov. iMovie exercise due, Content Management Systems
09 Nov. Intro to WordPress, plugins
16 Nov. Data journalism, final project work
23 Nov. Final project draft due, university course evaluations
30 Nov. No class — Thanksgiving
07 Dec. Final project due — there is no final exam