Web Design, Graphics and Theory - COM 370

Thursday 9:05am-1:10 pm, Room 1P-231, Fall 2008
Prof. David Jimison david.jimison (AT) gmail.com
Course Syllabus: http://davidjimison.info/courses/370/syllabus.php

Course Description:

Web Design, Graphics, and Theory will provide an overview to culture and media on the internet. The course will cover design principles and coding practices for web page development. In addition, the course will provide a theoretical grounding to web design that includes both historical roots and contemporary trends. The course will be split into a series of topics, each with a corresponding assignment. The course will use software programs Dreamweaver and Flash for some of the assignments.

Course Prerequisite: COM 250, or permission of professor.

Materials and Texts:

Required Text:
Designing Interfaces: Patterns for Effective Interaction Design - Jenifer Tidwell
The Internet Galaxy - Manuel Castells

Optional Text: Dreamweaver CS3 Hands On Training, Green & Rudner Publisher: Peachpit Press
Adobe Type Library, Reference Book (Open Type Edition), Second Edition

Materials and Supplies:
A secure way of storing your files (Pen drive) is mandatory
If you are planning on using a laptop, get it connected to the Wireless network.

Grading Criteria:

We will be covering a great deal of information at a fast pace, so attendance is a strong determinant to your grade and is important to being informed about assignments. College of Staten Island Attendance Policy states that on your 2nd absence your grade will be reduced by one full letter grade. On your 3rd absence, you will receive a WU (withdrew unofficially). Tardiness beyond 10 minutes is counted as an absence.

• Projects: Projects are due on the assigned date, emailed to the professor before the beginning of class. NO EXCEPTIONS. Each day it is late the project grade will be reduced one letter grade.
• Revisions: I encourage you to revise projects that we have a critique on. Finished projects turned in on time have one week to revise these projects and resubmit them. The grade for the assignment will be the average of the original and revised grades.

Scale:

• Offline Participation - 10% (discussion and critiques)
• Quizzes - 10%
• Projects - 50%
• Midterm Exam - 10%
• Final Project - 20%
• Online Activity (with written overview) - Extra Credit up to One Letter Grade

Classrom Policies

No cell phone use at all. This includes texting.
Computers may only be used during work periods.
No food or beverage allowed in lab at any time.
No private software is to be brought to lab or loaded onto school computers.
No games are allowed in lab
You may only listen to music during work periods if you use headphones.