PUDT 3200 A Core Studio Collaboration: CT W 1900 to 2140 D 1002 Browning
Parsons School of Design
BFA in Design & Techology
PUDT-3200 A
Spring 2017
Wednesdays 7p–9:40p
Room 1002, 6 E 16th St
Instructor Cameron Browning [email protected] Office hours by appointment or email. Specific instructions provided in class
This class consists of lectures, in-class discussions and project work surrounding Creative Technology as a discipline. The first half of the class sessions will focus on computation in context, including history of digital computing and the stories and personalities that have imbued creativity into technology development in the past 70 years.
In transitioning to project work, emphasis will be placed on data collection and visualization, with special attention paid to personal expression and investigation of data stories. 1-on-1 work sessions with the instructor will provide critique on technique, use of visual language, and provide feedback on appropriate balance of expression and invention.
At the end of the semester, students will exhibit their project and/or assignment work in an exhibition that is planned and organized by the students themselves, with the support of the instructor.
Students will come away with a broad understanding of the history of computing and the human societal and context of its invention and innovation. This technology-agnostic approach sets the stage for project work that centers around analyzing creativity in museum in gallery contexts, and collecting data as an instrument for creative storytelling and expression. Specific techniques discussed will be web scraping with NodeJS, data transformations with command lines tools such as Imagemagick, and animation and interaction with Processing.
| Class date | Description | Assignment |
|---|---|---|
| 1/25 | Intro Statement Presentations, Creative Technology Overview | Reading for next week: Gertner, The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation Chapter 6 |
| 2/1 | Intervention | Reading: Levy, Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution Chapter 10. Assignment Two: Museum Visit & Documentation |
| 2/8 | Commercialization & Personalization, 1-on-1s | Assignment Three feedback provided |
| 2/15 | Assignment Three In Class Discussion | Reading for next week: Mitnick, Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker Chapter 2, 9 |
| 2/22 | Systems & Subversion, Data Storytelling | Assignment Four given (due following week) |
| 3/1 | Assignment Four Presentations, Affordances | Reading for next week: Dealers of Lightning: Xerox PARC and the Dawn of the Computer Age Chapter 16 |
| 3/8 | Work session | Reading for next week: Kushner, Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture Chapter 3 |
| 3/15 | Mid-term assignment presentations | Final Project Outline and Assignments Five, Six Seven outlined |
| 3/22 | NO CLASS (SPRING BREAK) | TBD |
| 3/29 | The Artist's Statement | Assignment six for next week |
| 4/5 | Exhibitions | Assignment seven for next week |
| 4/12 | Spectacle | Final project progress due for next week |
| 4/19 | Work session, review final project progress with instructor | Present final project draft next week |
| 4/26 | Present final project drafts | TBD |
| 5/3 | Problem solving and improvisation | Plan for opening |
| 5/10 | Final projects exhibition and discussion | N/A |
- Assignment One: Intro Statement
- Assignment Two: Innovation Presentation
- Assignment Three: In Person Collection Visualization
- Assignment Four: Scraping the School
- Mid Term Project: Data Visualizations
- Assignment Five: Artist's Statement
- Assignment Six: Artist profile and gallery visit
- Assignment Seven: Expression
- Final Project: Transformation
All presentations should be submitted via email following their presentation in class and grades will be provided in a timely manner to students. Printed project work should be ready at the start of the class.
A student’s final grades and GPA are calculated using a 4.0 scale. Please note that while both are listed here, the 4.0 scale does not align mathematically with the numeric scale based on percentages of 100 points.
A [4.0; 95 – 100%] Work of exceptional quality, which often goes beyond the stated goals of the course
A- [3.7; 90 – <95%] Work of very high quality
B+ [3.3; 87 – <90%] Work of high quality that indicates higher than average abilities
B [3.0; 83 – <87%] Very good work that satisfies the goals of the course
B- [2.7; 80 – <83%] Good work
C+ [2.3; 77 – <80%] Above-average work
C [2.0; 73 – <77%] Average work that indicates an understanding of the course material; passable Satisfactory completion of a course is considered to be a grade of C or higher.
C- [1.7; 70 – <73%] Passing work but below good academic standing
D [1.0; 60 – <70%] Below-average work that indicates a student does not fully understand the assignments; Probation level though passing for credit
F [0.0; 0 – <60%] Failure, no credit
Grade of W The grade of W may be issued by the Office of the Registrar to a student who officially withdraws from a course within the applicable deadline. There is no academic penalty, but the grade will appear on the student transcript. A grade of W may also be issued by an instructor to a graduate student (except at Parsons and Mannes) who has not completed course requirements nor arranged for an Incomplete.
Grade of Z The grade of Z is issued by an instructor to a student who has not attended or not completed all required work in a course but did not officially withdraw before the withdrawal deadline. It differs from an “F,” which would indicate that the student technically completed requirements but that the level of work did not qualify for a passing grade.
Grades of Incomplete The grade of I, or temporary incomplete, may be granted to a student under unusual and extenuating circumstances, such as when the student’s academic life is interrupted by a medical or personal emergency. This mark is not given automatically but only upon the student’s request and at the discretion of the instructor. A Request for Incomplete form must be completed and signed by student and instructor. The time allowed for completion of the work and removal of the “I” mark will be set by the instructor with the following limitations: [You should include one the following standards, depending on the level of your course].
Work must be completed no later than the seventh week of the following fall semester for spring or summer term incompletes and no later than the seventh week of the following spring semester for fall term incompletes. Grades of “I” not revised in the prescribed time will be recorded as a final grade of “F” by the Office of the Registrar.
● Responsibility Students are responsible for all assignments, even if they are absent. Late assignments, failure to complete the assignments for class discussion and/or critique, and lack of preparedness for in-class discussions, presentations and/or critiques will jeopardize your successful completion of this course.
● Participation Class participation is an essential part of class and includes: keeping up with reading, assignments, projects, contributing meaningfully to class discussions, active participation in group work, and coming to class regularly and on time.
● Attendance Parsons’ attendance guidelines were developed to encourage students’ success in all aspects of their academic programs. Full participation is essential to the successful completion of coursework and enhances the quality of the educational experience for all, particularly in courses where group work is integral; thus, Parsons promotes high levels of attendance. Students are expected to attend classes regularly and promptly and in compliance with the standards stated in this course syllabus.
While attendance is just one aspect of active participation, absence from a significant portion of class time may prevent the successful attainment of course objectives. A significant portion of class time is generally defined as the equivalent of three weeks, or 20%, of class time. Lateness or early departure from class may be recorded as one full absence. Students may be asked to withdraw from a course if habitual absenteeism or tardiness has a negative impact on the class environment.
Whether the course is a lecture, seminar or studio, faculty will assess each student’s performance against all of the assessment criteria in determining the student’s final grade.
● Canvas Use of Canvas may be an important resource for this class. Students should check it for announcements before coming to class each week.
● Delays In rare instances, I may be delayed arriving to class. If I have not arrived by the time class is scheduled to start, you must wait a minimum of thirty minutes for my arrival. In the event that I will miss class entirely, a sign will be posted at the classroom indicating your assignment for the next class meeting.
● Electronic Devices The use of electronic devices (phones, tablets, laptops, cameras, etc.) is permitted when the device is being used in relation to the course's work. All other uses are prohibited in the classroom and devices should be turned off before class starts.
● Academic Honesty and Integrity Compromising your academic integrity may lead to serious consequences, including (but not limited to) one or more of the following: failure of the assignment, failure of the course, academic warning, disciplinary probation, suspension from the university, or dismissal from the university.
Students are responsible for understanding the University’s policy on academic honesty and integrity and must make use of proper citations of sources for writing papers, creating, presenting, and performing their work, taking examinations, and doing research. It is the responsibility of students to learn the procedures specific to their discipline for correctly and appropriately differentiating their own work from that of others. The full text of the policy, including adjudication procedures, is found at http://www.newschool.edu/policies/# Resources regarding what plagiarism is and how to avoid it can be found on the Learning Center’s website: http://www.newschool.edu/university-learning-center/student-resources/
The New School views “academic honesty and integrity” as the duty of every member of an academic community to claim authorship for his or her own work and only for that work, and to recognize the contributions of others accurately and completely. This obligation is fundamental to the integrity of intellectual debate, and creative and academic pursuits. Academic honesty and integrity includes accurate use of quotations, as well as appropriate and explicit citation of sources in instances of paraphrasing and describing ideas, or reporting on research findings or any aspect of the work of others (including that of faculty members and other students). Academic dishonesty results from infractions of this “accurate use”. The standards of academic honesty and integrity, and citation of sources, apply to all forms of academic work, including submissions of drafts of final papers or projects. All members of the University community are expected to conduct themselves in accord with the standards of academic honesty and integrity. Please see the complete policy in the Parsons Catalog.
● Intellectual Property Rights: http://www.newschool.edu/policies/#