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User Education: Multimedia

Daily Outline (last updated 06/09/11)

Office Hours:
After class or by appointment.  Google chat sessions may be arranged.

Goals:
*Produce professional digital images, sound, and video for distribution on the internet
*Create and manage the directory structures of dynamic websites
*Use multimedia in the context of a library's instructional programs

Expectations:
*attend all classes
*complete assignments by due date
*read assigned readings
*participate in class discussions
*contribute to a collegial work/learning atmosphere

Purchases:
*Readings for the course will be available electronically via free Internet sources, the ICON course page, and s well as free Internet sources.
*Flip-style and mini-DV video cameras are available for checkout in the SLIS office.
*You will need to have access to a dedicated digital still camera greater than 4 megapixels (i.e. not a cellphone camera)
*A quality microphone if your laptop does not come with an integrated microphone input.
* Please bring a simple set of headphones to class for more discrete editing in Audacity and IMovie
* It would be impossible to create step-by-step handouts for every scenario we will encounter across multiple computer applications and platforms ina distance learning environment. Therefore, it is your option to purchase books for the programs your system supports if you deem it necessary to supplement lecture and hands-on experience.

General Notes:
This course a) helps the rest of the SLIS community of learners get to know you as a person b) compared to the rest of the SLIS curriculum, has some degree of levity and creative possibilities. You are afforded an opportunity to stamp your personality on your projects.  Beware, these labors of love can sometimes be a black hole for work time.  Budget your time accordingly and expect to be asked to present on deadline dates.

Assignments: 
Assignment 1: Multimedia Journaling 20%
Assignment 2: Podcast 20%
Assignment 3: Screencast 15%
Assignment 4: How-to video 20%
Assignment 5: Wordpress portfolio 15%
Class participation 10%

A Note On Grading:
You may be used to grading systems that quantify your work using points and percentages. For projects in this class, grades are by necessity sometimes more qualitative than that. Media itself is evaluated on different terms than text (a look at the local film review section of your paper will demonstrate that truth).  Most of the project grades will be equally balanced between three components: 1)Artistic Quality, 2) Conceptual Quality, and 3)Technical Quality. See each assignment's grading rubric below.

For Assignments 2-5 you may optionally create an Artist's Statement.  The purpose of this informal email is to afford YOU an opportunity to illuminate the overarching idea that should be used in evaluating your project.  In it, you should explain what you were trying to achieve.  The reasoning behing the Artist's Statement it is that, to some extent, human judgment plays a role in evaluating media. You will receive clear explanations of grades, but these grades will not be quantified as they may be in other courses.


Course reserve:  (Must be signed into ICON course reserve to access)

Farkas, B. (2006). Secrets of Podcasting: Audio Blogging for the Masses. Berkeley: Peachpit Press.
Cochrane, Todd. (2005). Podcasting: Do it yourself guide. Indianapolis: Wiley.
Carlson, Jeff. (2009).  iMovie '09 & iDVD for Mac OS X.  London: Peachpit Press.
Breen, Christopher (2009). The Flip Mino pocket guide. Berkeley: Peachpit Press.
Schroder, Carla (2011). The book of Audacity: record, edit, mix, and master with the free audio editor. San Francisco:  No Starch Press.