Syllabus

Instructor Information
Class Overview
Class Content
Labs, Fees, and Requirements
Academic Policies
Health & Safety

Instructor Information

instructor: Jen Witkowski

email: jw36@buffalo.edu or jwitkowski79@gmail.com

class slack channel: http://art320bworkspace.slack.com

EP/GD slack channel: Optionally, please also join the Slack workspace for Emerging Practices and Graphic Design discussion: EPGD Slack Channel

class website: www.jenwitkowski.com/ART320

office hours: upon request

Class Overview

Art 320 will focus on techniques and topics for the design and development of web-based media. Web design and development is a fast-paced, ever-changing medium where new technology can directly affect how you design and present content to the user. Knowing how to read and effectively use HTML and CSS creates a strong foundation for providing a well-designed site that is usable and accessible.

You will learn how to design, code and maintain a website that uses well formed HTML and incorporates well thought out designs that incorporate accessibility using standards compliant code. This class will focus on creating semantic HTML, creating well formed CSS for positioning and styling, understanding basic HTML form development, and will also introduce you to creating responsive websites. This course will also examine WordPress, social media integration, information architecture, and user experience design.

Goals and Objectives

Goal: Students will show technical ability in designing and programming a basic website.

Objectives: Students will understand and be able to define concepts and terminology pertaining to the strategy, design, and development of websites and online media.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Demonstrate knowledge of web standards, including usability and accessibility
  • Understand and use semantic HTML effectively
  • Design and position HTML design elements using CSS
  • Define and understand CSS and HTML terminology
  • Understand the basic concepts of dynamic coding languages, including JavaScript, PHP and mySQL
  • Be able to develop, Q/A test, and launch a website. To this end, students will learn about registering domain names, working with hosting providers, setting up email accounts, analyzing site statistics, installing scripts, and using ftp
  • Demonstrate the ability to incorporate design trends and design principles to construct well designed, user friendly websites that communicate the proper message to the user
  • Understand how to approach and implement a responsive design
  • Employ the techniques used in the professional practice of web design to design, deploy and maintain a dynamic, responsive website
  • Install WordPress and create a custom theme
  • Integrate site content with social media channels
  • Discuss the design process with a client, analyze supplied content and create information architectures to facilitate navigation and meaningful user experience
  • Utilize critical problem solving, decision-making skills, and relevant vocabulary necessary for presenting work and engaging the work of others

Class Content

This course will combine a variety of lecture topics, in-class technical exercises, creative projects, presentations and online research.

Exercises:

  • Intro HTML and CSS
  • Building a Site with HTML5 and CSS3
  • Installing WordPress and Creating a Child Theme
  • Building a Custom WordPress Theme
  • CSS Animation, jQuery Drop Down Menus, Responsive Collapsible Menus

Projects:

  • Personal Website, HTML
  • Non profit website makeover

Research :

  • Research will consist of responding via Slack to assigned online readings.
  • To receive an A for this course component you must respond to all reading assignments by posting a response in the Slack channel

All projects and exercises must be submitted before class on the day it’s due. If it has not been submitted to the appropriate folder or uploaded to the appropriate site, your project and/or exercise will not be critiqued and therefore points will be automatically deducted from the grade. Late exercises will not be accepted after 2 weeks and will be further penalized.

Sketchbooksare an essential creative tool. They will also be included in your project and exercise grade. Throughout the creation of a project or exercise, you are expected to document any ideas, thoughts or difficulties that you had while creating the project or exercise. You do not have to use a sketchbook per say but can gather a folder on your computer of digotal files that inspired you during a project. You can sketch, write, or cut and paste anything that will help or inspire you. Photos or digital files will be handed in the day of the critique.

Exercises

Labs will provide an opportunity to apply skills learned during class lectures and readings. They will demonstrate your knowledge on the weekly topics.

There are 5 exercises throughout the duration of this course. You will be given the opportunity to work on exercises in class. This provides an opportunity to ask any questions.If you didn’t finish the exercise in class, you are expected to complete the assignment outside of class.

Class Critiques

All student project will be posted for critique. As part of the project or exercise grade, students must attend and participate during class critiques. If you are absent on a critique day, your project or exercise grade will be deducted 10 points.

Grading

Evaluation of your performance for the semester will be based on three design projects (approx. 65%), eight in-class technical exercises (approx 25%), weekly research and class participation (approx. 10%). Your final grade will also include your attendance.

Project 30 x 2 = 60 points
Exercises 5 x 5 = 25 points
Research and Participation 15 points

Slack

Slack is an application widely used by developers and teams of collaborators in the web industry. It provides the best of email and text messaging, allowing for organized discussion threads and file sharing. We will be using it extensively for communication between the instructor and students, collaboration, and general discussion outside of class.

You should receive an invitation to join the class channel within the ART 320B Slack workspace. If you do not receive one, please inform your instructor ASAP.

You can use Slack through a web browser, or preferably download the Mac, iOS, Android or Windows application and install it on your device.

Zoom

Zoom will be used to conduct regularly scheduled class sessions, individual consultations and for instructors office hours, by appointment.

It is expected that students will follow video conferencing etiquette during our sessions:

  • Find a quiet place free from distracting noise and movement.
  • Refrain from engaging in outside conversations during class.
  • Wear headphones to block noise and help you focus on class content.
  • Be close to your mic. Earbuds with mics work well.
  • Please have your webcam/video turned on — this goes a long way in facilitating interactions during class, allowing the instructor to connect with you by putting a face to a name, communicating things like interest and confusion non-verbally (helpful to the instructor during lectures,) and generally building community among students.
  • Mute your mic until you wish to speak. (Zoom provides a shortcut—press the spacebar to speak.)
  • Refrain from walking around or eating while on camera. (We’ll take several breaks.)

Much of what we will be doing is building code, which involves making and learning from our mistakes. The lectures and demos I conduct are for our own use and are not meant to be considered finalized professional content appropriate for public sharing.

Submitting Work

All work must be dropped in a folder in UBBOX or shared via website link. Do not email me your work unless it’s a link. You should label the folder as follows lastname_projectNumber. Projects and exercises must also be linked from your ART 320 website. We will critique from this link, so make sure it’s posted and works from this location before coming to critique. You will also need to provide a 100+ word reflection on your experience with the assignment.

Readings

Readings will be posted on the ART 320 class website.

Attendance

Attendance for all classes, critiques and consultations is required. For every unexcused absence beyond three the final grade will be reduced 5%. Lateness of more than 10 minutes, or leaving more than 15 minutes before class is dismissed, will count as 1/2 absence.
Under rare circumstances, if a medical condition or other unavoidable circumstance results in an excessive number of absences, the student may request a grade of “I”, incomplete. Assignments must otherwise have been turned in on time, the average grade of work submitted to date must be passing, and the request must be made before the semester ends. See UB’s policy on Incomplete grades.

Conduct

Cell phone use is not permitted during class. Please turn off or silence your cell phone before entering the classroom.
During open lab hours, you may work together.
When in the Zoom lecture, your camera must be turned on.

Labs, Fees and Requirements

Open Lab

You may schedule time to use the EPGD Open Labs in CFA 136 or 142.

All lab users must review and comply with the provisions in our “Guidance for Principal Investigators & Support Lab Directors to Complete a Laboratory Operations PlanDownload pdf(376 KB).” (If you are unable to access this document, contact Domenic Licata for an accessible version.)

UBbox

UB students, faculty and staff can use UBbox to store, share and access academic and university-related documents from anywhere, with people inside and outside of UB.

Your instructor will demonstrate how Box wil be used in class to distribute and collect materials.

For more details, see the UBIT UBbox instructions.

Software

Graphic apps

Used for developing visual content, image creation and optimization. You may choose to use any apps at your disposal.

Communications apps

Hardware

In order to be successful in your online classes, for both attending sessions and making work, you must have access to a laptop or desktop computer with a functioning webcam and microphone.

If you will be purchasing a new computer, to maximize compatibility and the level of support we can offer you within the department, we recommend Macintosh computers.

Internet Requirements

To participate in online classes with active video, and to upload and download potentially large files, you must have a high speed Internet connection. If you are on campus, your dorms, all buildings, and several outdoor areas (parking lots) will have WiFi. At home, ideally you will have high speed access through a cable or be able to create a hotspot with a smartphone.

External Storage and Backups

  • Have a removable storage device (hard drive preferred, or at least 16GB USB Jump Drive) to every class/work session, and backup all work after each session. UBbox or other cloud storage can also be used for session backup.
  • Lost or corrupt data, through the fault of yourself, an IT administrator, or hardware breakdown, is never a valid excuse for late work — in class or in the commercial world. Rigorous backup and saving procedures should be followed habitually. Losing a file is not justification for not submitting an assignment. Following all submission instructions is the responsibility of the student. Poorly named, misfiled or corrupt files may not be graded.

Time Commitment

  • For sections that meet during the Fall or Spring semesters, an average of nine hours weekly should be committed to this course — typically four hours of work per week outside of class along with five hours weekly in class.
  • For sections that meet during summer sessions, an average of 20 hours weekly should be committed to the six-week course — typically eight hours of work per week outside of class along with 12 hours weekly in class.

Portfolio

It is essential that you archive all of your work so that it can be used in your portfolio. Each assignment should be saved on cloud storage and backed up onto a removable drive. I am not responsible for archiving work–that is your responsibility. Your class website is not an archive–there are other assets that comprise your assignments, such as Adobe source files and fonts. Include everything you used to complete an assignment in your folders.

Academic Policies

Academic Integrity

Students are required to comply with the University’s policy on Academic Integrity. The following actions, among others listed in the policy, constitute academic dishonesty:

“Work submitted to other courses; Plagiarism; Receiving major assistance completing an assignment without acknowledging that assistance; Falsification of academic materials; Misrepresentation of documents; Selling or purchasing academic assignments.”

The sources of all quoted or appropriated material must be credited.

Accessibility

Students with disabilities in need of special accommodations should inform the instructor immediately. Contact the UB Office of Accessibility Resources for more information.

Feedback

Most feedback is given during critique. I often include feedback with each graded project. More comprehensive feedback on graded assignments to students who request it, either during class or office hours. If a student wants to discuss the reasoning behind a certain grade (whether good or bad), he/she should speak to me during office hours or send me an email/instant message and I will respond promptly.

Health and Safety


Ergonomics

Workspace ergonomics play a key roll in the prevention of eyestrain, neck & back aches, and repetitive stress injuries. Proper posture, seat height, and arm position are important. Take frequent breaks to relieve muscle tension and eye strain. More information can be found in Apple’s comprehensive discussion, Ergonomics. [link]

Wellness

Sexual Violence: UB is committed to providing a safe learning environment free of all forms of discrimination and sexual harassment, including sexual assault, domestic and dating violence and stalking. If you have experienced gender-based violence (intimate partner violence, attempted or completed sexual assault, harassment, coercion, stalking, etc.), UB has resources to help. This includes academic accommodations, health and counseling services, housing accommodations, helping with legal protective orders, and assistance with reporting the incident to police or other UB officials if you so choose. Please contact UB’s Title IX Coordinator at 716-645-2266 for more information. For confidential assistance, you may also contact a Crisis Services Campus Advocate at 716-796-4399.

Mental Well-Being: As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning or reduce your ability to participate in daily activities. These might include strained relationships, anxiety, high levels of stress, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, health concerns, or unwanted sexual experiences. Counseling, Health Services, and Health Promotion are here to help with these or other issues you may experience. You learn can more about these programs and services by contacting:

  • Counseling Services:
    120 Richmond Quad (North Campus), 716-645-2720
    202 Michael Hall (South Campus), phone: 716-829-5800
  • Health Services: Michael Hall (South Campus), 716- 829-3316
  • Health Promotion: 114 Student Union (North Campus), 716- 645-2837

Emergencies

In case of emergency, call University Police, 645-2222. Do NOT call 911, or time will be lost as they have to contact UB Police

A first aid kit is located in CFA 142.

An AED is located in the hallway opposite CFA 136.

In the event of a medical emergency, confirm that the environment is clear of hazards, begin first aid/rescue, have someone retrieve the AED and phone 645-2222.

AEDs (automated external defibrillators) are located in the corridor outside CFA 136, in the Atrium near the Drama Theatre, and elsewhere in the CFA. The AED is a critical life saving device used in cases of cardiac arrest, and must be used by trained personnel only. Several CFA staff in the EP/CD area have been trained in the operation of the AED, including Daniel Calleri (CFA 123), Dom Licata (CFA 139), Jerry Kegler (CFA 101) and Vince Harzewski (CFA 103).