Introduction to Interactive Media

Professor Elizabeth Lawley

• Office Hours: Wednesdays from 1-5pm in GOL-2545
• Email: Elizabeth.Lawley@rit.edu
• Class Slack: https://lawley-110-fall2018.slack.com/

TA: Emily Turner

Contacting me: While I try to check email regularly, I get so many work-related messages every day that your questions can sometimes get lost in the deluge. To make it easier for students to get quick responses, I have created a Slack workspact for the class, which we'll be discussing on the first day of class. You will always get a faster response from me if you send your questions via Slack. (And if you post it the #help channel, you may get an even faster response from me (or Emily, or a fellow student!) If you need to send me email, please make sure you send it from your RIT account (not your personal email).

3:30-4:45pm in GOL-2435 (TA: Emily Turner)

This class is a "big picture" overview of the study of interactive media, ranging from social and legal aspects of media through the underlying technical aspects of various media types. You will learn research, analysis, and communication skills using a variety of media, including text, images, audio, video, and presentation software.

By the end of the class, you will be able to:

• Research topics in interactive Media
• Critically assess the quality of information resources
• Recognize and apply relevant legal principles in the creation and use of media
• Create media in a variety of formats, incorporating knowledge of underlying technical concepts
• Design and implement a website incorporating text and images
• Effectively communicate ideas through written argument, web-based content, and presentations

(Here's what the official course catalog description says: "This course provides an overview of media in historical, current and future contexts. Incorporating lectures and discussion with hands on work involving written and interactive media assets, students examine the role of written and visual media from theoretical as well as practical perspectives. The course also provides an introduction to interactive media development techniques, including digital media components and delivery environments. Students will be required to write formal analysis and critique papers, and use digital modes of writing including collaborative editing and effective presentation design. ")

There is no required textbook for the course, but there will be an assortment of handouts and online readings that you will receive over the course of the semester. They will be uploaded to (or linked from) this site.

We will be using Slack, a group communication tool, for announcements, discussions, and Q&A about class activities and projects. We will also be using Google Docs for collaborative note-taking. We'll be discussing both of these tools in week 1.

MyCourses will *only* be used for grading, quizzes, and submission of assignments, not for distribution of materials or communication. There will be links in myCourses pointing you to this site and to our class Slack.

Because much of the class revolves around in-class exercises, attendance is critical. If you miss a class, you should check Github and/or Slack for information on the exercise, and complete it on your own time. If you know you'll be missing a class due to a conflict please let me know, so I can make sure you have the materials for the exercise. While I do not give a grade for attendance, missing a class where there's a quiz will result in a zero on the quiz, and missing a class where there's an exercise, if you haven't completed the work in advance, results in a zero on the exercise.

These are brief descriptions of each graded activity in the class. Your grades will be posted regularly in myCourses.

Exercises & Homework (20% of final grade)

At least once a week there will be an in-class exercise. I will also occasionally assign homework in addition to the exercise. Exercises and associated materials will be linked from the schedule page with information on their required submission date and time. The due dates will also be in the myCourses calendar. I will accept late exercises, but you will receive reduced credit for late work.

Group Notes (10% of final grade)

You will be assigned to a group for collaborative note-taking during the semester, using RIT’s Google Docs. You are expected to actively participate in creating and/or editing the notes. Your group will receive a grade for the quality of the notes, but if you did not participate in a substantive way you will receive no credit. We will not post a grade for your overall participation until the end of the semester, but we will check regularly to see who's participating.

Quizzes & Study Guides (10% of final grade)

For each week's readings, I will either give you a study guide to complete and turn in, or I'll give an in-class quiz. For quizzes you're allowed to bring a sheet of (handwritten) notes with you to class to use while taking the quiz. The quizzes and study guides will also serve as an attendance-taking mechanism. Only your top ten grades on these assignments will count towards your final grade. I do not give makeup quizzes; if you miss a quiz, even for an excused absence, it will count as one of your dropped grades.

Persuasive Argument Research Paper (20% of final grade)

For your research paper, you will need to select a topic related to interactive media, identify or formulate an argument about it, and find (and properly cite) supporting evidence for your argument.

Web Site (20% of final grade)

To demonstrate your understand of basic web development, you will create a website that provides access to resources related to your paper topic.

REVISED WEBSITE PROJECT

If you received a grade below 8/10, you may submit a revised version for a new grade of up to 8/10. The revised version is due NO LATER THAN 8AM ON NOVEMBER 27.

Presentations (20% of final grade)

Instead of a final exam, you will create a slide presentation with 20 slides, each of which auto-advances after 15 seconds. Each of the twenty slides should be used to present something that you learned in this class. You will have the option to either present this live during finals week, or to submit it as a video file with an accompanying audio narration.

Last day of add/drop is 5 September 2018.

Last day to withdraw with a grade of "W" is 10 November 2018.

You have one semester after the class has ended to challenge your grade.

Late Work Policy

If you are having problems with an assignment or have an emergency that may make you late in submitting your work, please contact me before the due date. Late assignments that have not been cleared with me before the due date may not be accepted, or may incur a grade penalty.

Missed Classes

If you know you'll be missing a class for an approved reason, please let me know beforehand so I can make sure you know what we'll be covering. If you're too ill to attend class, please let me know before class starts (via email or Slack). If you miss a class for any reasoon, you are still responsible for completing any exercises for that class.

Mobile Phones

I realize that many students will need access to their phones for two-factor authentication on myCourses, but I expect you to put your phone away at all other times. Please make sure notification sounds are silenced, so that you don't disturb the people around you. If for any reason you must take a call, please leave the room to do so.

Notices of Accommodation

If you have a notice of accommodation, I should have received a copy electronically. You are also required to discuss your accommodation needs with me so that we're both clear on what support you'll need to be successful in the course; you can do this after class, during my office hours, or on Slack.

Incomplete Grades

I give incompletes only in the most exceptional circumstances, and then only after we agree on what your plan for completing the work will be. Being overcommitted, overwhelmed, and/or not having enough time to complete your coursework does not constitute an exceptional circumstance. If you're having difficulty keeping up with the material, come see me ASAP so that we can come up with a workable plan. Don't wait until the end of the semester, because by then it's generally too late.

Academic Dishonesty

My policy on academic dishonesty is simple: If you get caught cheating or plagiarizing (which includes code or images that you fail to attribute, not just prose), you get an "F" as a grade for the course, a letter detailing the incident goes into your records folder, and you will not be able to withdraw from the class.

Please review RIT's policy on academic integrity: https://www.rit.edu/academicaffairs/policiesmanual/d080

Discrimination and Harassment

RIT is committed to providing a safe learning environment, free of harassment and discrimination as articulated in our university policies located on our governance website. RIT's policies require faculty to share information about incidents of gender based discrimination and harassment with RIT's Title IX coordinator or deputy coordinators, regardless whether the incidents are stated to them in person or shared by students as part of their coursework.

If you have a concern related to gender-based discrimination and/or harassment and prefer to have a confidential discussion, assistance is available from one of RIT's confidential resources on campus (listed below).

1. The Center for Women & Gender: Campus Center Room 1760 585-475-7464; CARES (available 24 hours/7 days a week) Call or text 585-295-3533.
2. RIT Student Health Center - August Health Center/1st floor 585-475-2255.
   
3. RIT Counseling Center - August Health Center /2nd floor - 2100 585-475-2261.
   
4. The Ombuds Office - Student Auxiliary Union/Room 1114 585-475-7200 or 585-475-2876.
5. The Center for Religious Life - Schmitt Interfaith Center/Rm1400 585-475-2137.
6. NTID Counseling & Academic Advising Services - 2nd Floor Lynden B. Johnson 585-475-6468 (v), 585-286-4070 (vp)

Social Networks

I don't initiate friend requests on Facebook, because I don't want you to feel obligated to accept. However, I do generally accept friend requests from students. I have a private Twitter account that I seldom use, and don't accept follower requests on it, and a public one that I also seldom use. I maintain a LinkedIn account, and am happy to connect with students there in order to help them find job-related connections.

Modifications to Syllabus or Schedule

Sometimes I will need to make changes to assignments, readings, or the schedule of topics during the semester. Any such changes will be announced in class, on Slack, and will be visible via the update history in the GitHub repo.