INF 385H Digital Media Design I

Spring 2007

Unique #26945

Course time and location:

9:00-12:00AM, Thursday (SZB 546)

Description:

Study of a variety of computer software, covering the basic concepts of digital media design and production, and their applications in information services.

Objectives:

1.      To learn how to express ideas in visual forms.

2.      To study the concepts of digital media design and production.

3.      To design appropriate digital media for effective information services.

4.      To develop digital media for different user groups.

5.      To obtain hands-on experience in the use of digital media creation software.

Competencies:

1.      Understand and apply theoretical concepts to digital media design and production.

2.      Operate and utilize basic technologies for image processing and digital audio-video editing.

3.      Incorporate digital media for information services.

Grading:

1.      15% weekly assignments (5% for each)

2.      25% midterm (InDesign)

3.      15% iMovie

4.      10% Integration I

5.      10% Integration II

6.      10% group or self evaluation

7.      15% course attendance

A+: 100-95% A: 94-92% A-: 91-90% B+: 89-85% B: 84-82% B-: 81-80%

C+: 79-75% C: 74-72% C-: 71-70% D+: 69-65%

Online resources:

1. Graphic design

Communication Arts (www.commarts.com)

2. Software

Adobe (www.adobe.com): InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator.

Apple (www.apple.com): iMovie

3. Turtorials

School of Information IT lab (www.ischool.utexas.edu/technology/tutorials)

Iowa State College of Design (www.design.iastate.edu/LABS/tutorials/homepage.html)

Mike's sketchpad (www.sketchpad.net)

Listserv:

Send a message to: listproc@lists.cc.utexas.edu

In the body text:

subscribe INF385H FIRSTNAME LASTNAME

Course policies:

1.      The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471-4641 TTY.

2.      All assignments must be written in a gender-inclusive language.

3.      All assignments must be typed in a 12 point font, double spaced and single sided.

4.      Submit all your assignments on time. Late submissions will not be accepted unless an emergency is involved. In the event of an emergency, the student must contact the instructor as soon as possible.

5.      The instructor will provide any assistance upon the student's inquiry. However, the student is responsible for his/her own effort to complete the assignments.

6.      Students are required to attend class and to be on time. Any absence or lateness will affect the class participation grade.

7.      The instructor reserves the right to issue a course grade of F if any assignment is not completed.

8.      The instructor welcomes feedback from the class. 

Course assignments:

In this class you are required to design and create a variety of digital media for the different environments. You will choose a theme carefully, and develop a multimedia kit for the theme. The instructor encourages students to form a team and work together. However, it will be your decision to work by yourself or with a team. There are four components of the final project and students need to manage their time wisely to finish these assignments. Please investigate the topic of your final project carefully before you start working on it. The final term project is a multimedia kit consisting of a hard-copy manual/lesson plan/handbook or other learning materials, digital videos, PowerPoint slides and Web pages.

Prerequisite: Students should learn basic knowledge of PowerPoint and HTML editor such as Dreamweaver outside of this class. The iSchool IT lab provides workshops on different software and online instruction is also available. Students should learn basics of PowerPoint and Web page design before Integration 1 and 2 (See course schedule below).

1. Hard-copy medium (InDesign)(March 8 )

In the first several weeks you will learn some basic concepts of graphic design, and use PhotoShop and Illustrator to create collages. You will choose a theme carefully and create images for that topic. There are assignments for PhotoShop and Illustrator due each week. After learning PhotoShop and Illustrator, you will use InDesign to create a manual/lesson plan/handbook or other learning materials based on your own decision. The InDesign assignment is the midterm project in which you put images you have created with text. You are also required to create a PDF version of the InDesign project and save the PDF file on a CD-ROM with the assignements #3 and 4.

2. Digital video and audio (iMovie)(April 12 )

After finishing the mid-term project, you will create digital AV materials using iMovie and other sound-editing software. You can digitize audio/video materials available from other resources or produce your own AV materials. If you are going to use copyrighted materials, you should consult the property owner first. You may want to use this project in the future and you should get permission right away. Again, you should tie this assignment with your theme. You will submit the iMovis project on a DVD.

3. PowerPoint slides (Integration I) (May 3 )

In the session, you are required to use PowerPoint as a tool to present your materials. By doing this, you will learn how to design and create materials in different environments and how to choose better formats and structures.

4. Web publishing (Integration II) (May 3 )

You will create an online version of your materials. The key point of the session is to decide what format, structure and components of the online version will be a better choice. You are required to put all files (InDesign, Integration 1 and II) on a CD-ROM.

Course Schedule (Subject to revision)