STA 380 : Sec. 001
T/TH 3:00-5:50
Kresge Art Center, RM 37
Fall 2012
Course Credits: 3

Instructor: Professor Adam W. Brown
Office: 314 Kresge Art Center
Office hours: Wendnesday 1 pm – 3 pm (room 5)  or by appointment
E-mail: brown293@msu.edu (preferred method of contact)
URL: www.adamwbrown.net
Office: 517-432-2465

GA: Ryan Groendyk
Email: groendy4@msu.edu

Connect to course on Angel

This is an introductory electronic and experimental art production course designed to explore the intersection of technology and culture. Lectures, demonstrations and screenings will cover the practical and conceptual use of computers by visual artists. In addition, current trends and evolving concepts within electronic media and their relationship to Intermedia will be discussed. Some of these concepts will include investigations of topics such as digital imaging, interactivity, body and identity, and emerging fields. This course will focus on the creation of innovative electronic art and new media projects that introduce students to conceptual as well as technical skill sets. Class time will consist of artist screenings, technical lectures/workshops and creative projects. Introduction to Electronic Art is intended to provide a foundation for more advanced study in electronic media.

No prior computer experience is necessary, but it is recommended that you have a basic knowledge of Macintosh OS or Windows.

Course Objectives:
• Develop strategies to work with computer software
• Learn about electronic media artists
• Incorporate research into the art process
• Cultivate an understanding (both conceptually and practically) of computer software and how it can be used to make creative projects

Students are expected to regularly consult the course website for project and homework due dates.  You should expect that the schedule will be adjusted periodically throughout the semester, and it is your responsibility to stay informed via the website and regular class assignments.

Course Requirements:
• Students must complete a series of projects and class workshops as well as actively participate in class critique.
• Radical Walks: Throughout the session we will be visiting different labs and research facilites to inform our creative process.

Reading Assignments and Lectures:
Reading assignments will be comprised of articles, books and web pages. The assigned reading materials and guest lectures are designed to compliment the imaginative process and provide a context as well as inspiration for creative projects. Students are expected to have the readings completed before class and post a 1-2 paragraph response to the class blog on the days indicated on the schedule.

Students must attend at least 2 of the Art and Art History Guest Lecture Series.

Participation:
It is very important that students come to class prepared and participate to their fullest level of ability. Group critique and discussion is an essential tool for developing  comprehensive artistic knowledge and vocabulary. Therefore, it is critical that students learn how to talk about their own art and the work of other artists. During critique and class discussion, strive to offer constructive feedback. Listen to the comments made by your peers and the instructor to evaluate the effectiveness of your work. It is important that you express ideas clearly, and have fun. Projects must be complete to be included in a critique.
Please pick up after yourself and keep the computer lab clean. Phone use, texting,
e-mailing, and non-course related web surfing is not permitted during class time.

Evaluation and Grades:
Overall grades are based on in-class participation and completed projects. I will be looking for development of conceptual clarity, evidence of research, aesthetic application of software and technology, understanding of project concept and problem solving abilities. Expectations will be explained in detail for each project when it is assigned. If anything seems unclear, you are responsible for asking the instructor for clarification far in advance of the due date. In order to receive a grade, students must turn work in by the due date outlined in the syllabus. Work that is not turned in on time will result in a reduced grade.

Projects will be evaluated on the basis of:
• Technical and conceptual quality
• Development throughout the course (strive for excellence)
• Quality of documentation
• A willingness to act on criticism
• All projects must be documented online to receive a grade.

Grades will be computed according to the following breakdown:

In-class assignments and participation: 10%
Reading responses: 10%

Project 1: Hybrid-Working with a bitmap image: 20%
Project 2: Sound and Video: 20%
Project 3: Vector Drawing and Electronic Fabrication: 20%

Final Project and Website Portfolio: Students will have the opportunity to re-make one of the three main projects: 20%

Incompletes “I” are intended for the rare circumstance when a student who has been successful in a class has an unexpected event occur shortly before the end of the class. I will not consider giving a student a grade of “I” unless the following three conditions have been met.
• It is within two weeks of the end of the semester.
• The student has a grade of C or better in the class.
• The reason that the student cannot complete the class is properly documented and compelling.

Attendance: 
Attendance is mandatory. Interaction and collaboration are an important aspect of the learning process and are critical for establishing trust among your peers. Please note that three unexcused absences will result in failure of Introduction to Electronic Arts I.
Being late to class is very disruptive. Please make sure that you arrive to class on time. Attendance will be taken at 3:15. If you arrive after attendance has been taken you are considered to be late. Three late arrivals is equal to one absence.

Communication:
Have your university supplied email account properly forwarded to the location where you read email.

Reasonable Accommodation Policy: 
Michigan State University is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services and activities. Accommodations for persons with disabilities, with documentation from the MSU Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (http://www.rcpd.msu.edu), may be requested by contacting me at the start of the term. Contact me as soon as possible so we can discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation and facilitate your involvement in this class.

Materials and supplies:
• Microscopy fee $50 (this fee is to be paid in the office)
• USB Flash drive (at least 3 GB) – I like the SanDisk Cruzers $10-$20
• Firewire + USB combo hardrive, (I recommend 250 GB or more Lacie Rugged Portable Hard Drive) or equivalent. about $100
• A digital still camera. The more mega pixels the better. $50 – <$5000
• 2-3 Mini DV tapes. $9-15
• Materials expenses for electronic fabrication project. (Laser cutting with plastic, wood, or cardboard) >$25
• A notebook to hold ideas. practically $0
• Subscription to Lynda.com

Logistics:
Access to the computer labs in the Kresge Art Center is available to students enrolled in Department of Art and Art History courses. To get access, fill out the Computer Lab Access Form and return it to your instructor or to the Visual Resources Library.

To reserve and check out equipment such as video cameras, data projectors or for information about the printing lab go to the VRL Info for Faculty and Students page and/or contact Alex Nichols

Academic Integrity:
In accordance with MSU’s policies on “Protection of Scholarship and Grades” and “Integrity of Scholarship and Grades,” students in STA 380 are expected to honor principles of truth and honesty in their academic work. Academic honesty entails, among other things, that students will not plagiarize. This means (1) students will not submit someone else’s work as their own (e.g., they will not submit another student’s paper or project, etc., nor will they hand in a paper copied from the web or another published source). Academic honesty also means students (2) will not knowingly permit another student to copy and submit their work as that student’s own and (3) will not use unacknowledged quotations or paraphrases as part of their work. As provided by university policy, such academic dishonesty or plagiarism may be penalized by a failing grade on the assignment or for the course. Failure in a course as a result of academic dishonesty will also result in written notification to the student’s academic dean of the circumstances. Additional discussion of cheating or academic dishonesty is available on the Ombudsman’s web page.

Copyright notice: Many of the materials created for this course are the intellectual property of Adam Brown. This includes, but is not limited to, the syllabus, lectures and course notes. Except to the extent not protected by copyright law, any use, distribution or sale of such materials requires the permission of the instructor.