Instructor: Jon Zmikly
Email: jz18@txstate.edu
Twitter: @jonzmikly
Course Meeting Time: M / W 2-3:20pm; T / Th 3:30-4:50pm
Location: Old Main 106-B
Office Hours: Media Innovation Lab, Old Main 106C (back room)
M/W 3:30-4:50 p.m.
T/Th 2-3:30 p.m., or by appointment
Most course materials and announcements will be delivered through our course website linked from TRACS. TRACS will be used for communication from time to time and for posting grades. You will need your Texas State NetID and password to access the TRACS site.
Course Objectives:
Objectives Upon completion of this course, students will possess the ability to:
- Demonstrate the use of HTML, CSS and other design technologies in digital storytelling
- Critique examples of online storytelling
- Explain the role of interactive, multimedia storytelling, including issues of diversity and inclusiveness
- Develop functional sites that demonstrate user-centered design concepts using current frameworks and content management systems
Assignments and Learning Outcomes
- Student Bio – develop a site with at least four pages with bio info, links, and one image (photo). Demonstrates comprehension of HTML techniques.
- Student Bio Redesign – Use HTML/CSS and graphic design techniques to redesign the personal site you made with html. Apply responsive design. Demonstrates comprehension of programming and graphic design techniques. Add one page to be an assignment page that will hold links to other projects.
- Troubleshooting Quiz – You will be given access to the code for an existing website that has a number of problems in HTML/CSS coding that you will be expected to troubleshoot and correct. Demonstrates comprehension of programming techniques.
- Multimedia Exercise – apply basic video editing concepts including cropping, splitting clips, adding audio, transitions, so you can use them in your final project; demonstrates multimedia editing capabilities.
- Multimedia Storytelling Project – use the Bootstrap framework to develop a project that tells a multimedia story. Site should demonstrate image, graphic and video editing capabilities and user-centered design techniques.
- Final Project – use WordPress to design your Final Project – a site for an organization or event. Site should reflect a comprehensive application of all concepts, including programming techniques, graphic and responsive design, multimedia storytelling and application of content management system, including appropriate use of themes and plugins.
Teaching Methods
This class uses a variety of teaching methods to accommodate various learning styles. Lecture is but one method in which students will be introduced to course concepts. Students are expected to participate in news and current event discussions, providing topics that are of interest to them. The instructor will cover skills session in class as a group, and students will practice skills both in and out of class in order to complete projects. Assistance is available at designated times in MILab, as available. The MILab is also available as an open lab for project work. The course Web site provides a variety of resources for reinforcement of learning, including downloadable handouts and video tutorials. Students will also participate in online discussions that will further provide an opportunity to communicate and contribute.
E-Mail
You must use an active Texas State email account. Communication via TRACS uses your Texas State email, and the university is required to send grade information out only through the Texas State email system. Make sure you check your email on a regular basis, as schedule changes will be communicated there as well as on TRACS.
Textbook
There are no required textbooks this semester. However, we will be reading some excerpts from Taylor Swift and Eminem (just seeing if you’re paying attention), as well as The Non-Designer’s Web Book and Design for Hackers. You will also be asked to do online or handout readings from time to time.
Instead of purchasing a textbook, you are required to purchase a self-hosted domain through Reclaim Hosting. You can use other hosting companies, but we have a special deal through Reclaim Hosting which provides 12 months of hosting, along with 2Gb of data for only $30.
Grading
- Student Bio (5%)
- Student Bio Redesign (10%)
- Multimedia Storytelling Project (20%)
- Exercises/troubleshooting quiz (15%)
- Final multimedia reporting project (30%)
- News, discussion and other Slack assignments (10%)
- Participation and attendance (10%)
There is no extra credit available for this class. Please contact the instructor early in the semester if you are having problems with any of the course requirements.
Late Assignments and Attendance
Assignments for this course are challenging and fun, but the class moves very quickly, so you will not want to fall behind. Missed assignments will receive a grade of F. A student may turn in one (1) assignment late during the semester, if there is an excused reason with PRIOR arrangement with professor. Any other late assignments will receive a grade of F.
Attendance is required in this course. But if you absolutely must miss, you are allowed two absences. There are no excused absences; sickness and work-related absences must be covered within this policy. Because we cover so much ground in this class, it is no coincidence that the best projects have been turned in by the students with the best attendance.
If a student knows he or she will be absent on a specific day, it is up to the student to inform the instructor to get details on class work. If a student misses for ANY reason, it is always up to the student to catch up on their own (with online materials, tutorials and by asking fellow students) and ask only specific questions to either the instructor or TA about what they missed.
You MUST be prepared for any material that you missed on the next class day you attend.
Students (and teachers, too) often learn best from one another, so an open environment is encouraged. Ask questions and help each other. The site has updated schedule, handouts and video tutorials. There will regular email updates of activities. Please confer with a fellow student to catch up with anything you miss.
We will start class at the designated time. It is important that you show up on time, as announcements tend to be made early, and you could miss valuable information. If you arrive later than 5 minutes past start time, you will be marked as late. This can affect your participation grade, as well as your ultimate course grade.
Supplies and Equipment
You will need a USB storage device (Flash drive) to save a backup of your files.
We will discuss Web hosting options in class. For most of you, I am going to recommend going through www.reclaimhosting.com to obtain your own domain for about $30 for a one year subscription. There are other hosting options, but I may not be able to assist with hosting problems from other providers.
Equipment Checkout
You may utilize the School of Journalism and Mass Communication Equipment Checkout Room. Use of equipment is a privilege earned through your respect of and cooperation with the checkout rules. These rules are put in place to ensure all students have a chance to use the equipment. If you are late returning a camera to the Equipment Checkout Room, you lose all checkout privileges. In addition, a return that is two days late may result in up to a letter deduction on your grade. If equipment is kept five days past the due date, it is considered stolen, and UPD will be notified.
Student Conduct
In this class, you should feel comfortable to participate and express opinions and ideas. Please respect the opinions of others and be considerate of their need to contribute and learn. If you must take a phone call, please leave the room. Do not use your phone for text messaging during class. Browsing the Web, checking email, messaging, Twitter, Facebook or other non-related activities during class are not acceptable. Please do not have private conversations with your neighbors during class time, whether the instructor or other students are talking.
Any student who does not adhere to these conduct policies will be asked to leave the classroom. In general, please be respectful of others desire to learn and help to create a fun and beneficial classroom environment. Students (and teachers, too) often learn best from one another, so an open environment is encouraged. Ask questions and help each other.
Student work will be displayed on the Web, which means that it will be available to anyone with Internet access and a browser. Please see the instructor if you have any concerns about posting your projects to the Web.
Dropping A Course
- February 6, 2019 (Census Day) – Last day to drop with 100% refund while remaining enrolled in at least one course
- April 2, 2019 – Last day to drop / Automatic “W” deadline
- April 25, 2019 – Last day to withdraw / Go to zero hours enrolled
Academic Honesty
Students are required to submit original work in this course unless otherwise specified in the assignments. This includes text, content, graphics and photography. Students may use art from “free” sites with appropriate credit and identification, but are encouraged to design their own artwork (grades will be higher for using original work as opposed to another’s artwork). Students may are also prohibited from submitting work from another class or media organization as original class work.
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication commits itself to the preparation of mass media professionals and scholars. Such a mission demands the highest standards of academic honesty and integrity. Violations of academic honesty, including but not limited to plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, collusion, deception, conflict of interest and theft, are not tolerated and can lead to severe penalties. Disciplinary actions for violations of the standards for academic honesty are outlined in the Texas State Academic Honesty Statement, printed each year in the Student Handbook. The policy is also available at http://www.mrp.txstate.edu/studenthandbook/rules.html#academic.
Note to Students with Disabilities
Texas State University seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with disabilities. This university will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws. Students with disabilities who need special accommodations should contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS) at (512) 245-3451, and register with that office. ODS is located in Suite 5-5.1 at the LBJ Student Center. If you are a student with a disability certified by ODS and you require accommodations in this class, it is your responsibility to notify the professor no later than the fifth class day of this semester so that accommodations can be discussed and promptly provided.
Instructor may notify you of changes or updates to policies in this syllabus throughout the semester.
Our University Mission
Texas State University is a public, student-centered, Emerging Research University dedicated to excellence in serving the educational needs of the diverse population of Texas and the world beyond.
Our Shared Values
In pursuing our mission, we, the faculty, staff, and students of Texas State University, are guided by a shared collection of values. Specifically, we value:
- An exceptional undergraduate experience as the heart of what we do.
- Graduate education as a means of intellectual growth and professional development.
- A diversity of people and ideas, a spirit of inclusiveness, a global perspective, and a sense of community as essential conditions for campus life.
- The cultivation of character and the modeling of honesty, integrity, compassion, fairness, respect, and ethical behavior, both in the classroom and beyond.
- Engaged teaching and learning based on dialogue, student involvement, and the free exchange of ideas.
- Research, scholarship, and creative activity as fundamental sources of new knowledge and as expressions of the human spirit.
- A commitment to public service as a resource for personal, educational, cultural, and economic development.
- Thoughtful reflection, collaboration, planning, and evaluation as essential for meeting the changing needs of those we serve.
University Code of Conduct & Honor Code