Fall 2020 Syllabus

Instructor: Eric Hagan

Email: hagane@oldwestbury.edu

Meeting Times: Tu Th 3:50 – 5:20pm, REMOTE

Office hours: Tu/Th 9:45-11:15am and by appointment, REMOTE

Course description                                                                                                                           

Creative Coding: Art and Games focuses on the development of a contemporary art practice incorporating interactivity and technological developments from the ground up for the creation of Art and Art-based games. What types of artworks can be conceptualized and produced when incorporating computing power?

Students will learn the basics for working within the realm of physical computing; computer interfaces that go beyond the typical keyboard and mouse. The course will begin instruction with small-scale programmable computers called microcontrollers and students will become familiar with building electronic circuits in service of creative output. This course will also explore generative visual output through the fundamental steps and concepts of programming including variables, conditionals, iteration, and functions. Particular attention will be focused on creation of interactivity, whether this includes controlling and programming digital games or physical and digital artwork. 

This course will utilize weekly exercises to build dedicated technical skills, discussions and readings to foster critical understandings of the interactive media possibilities, and midterm and final projects to explore personal interests with conceptual rigor and creative freedom.

Prerequisites                                                                                                                                     

VA 2000 Introduction to Art or VA 2010 Introduction to Creative Thinking is required. No prior computer knowledge is assumed.

Course objectives and student outcomes                                                                                       

Students will learn:

  • Technical competence and informed aesthetic judgment in the context of contemporary art and design.
  • Ability to articulate and develop visually complex ideas applied to artistic production.    
  • To utilize fundamental programming concepts as a tool for creative work creation
  • To explore interactivity and how people inhabit and use computing in the physical world
  • To develop works using various techniques, and processes
  • To critically critique artworks, both personal and peer
  •    To clearly discuss the concepts & choices related to their artwork
  •    To learn documentation of images, ideas, sketches and thoughts
  •    To break with habitual thinking and see/think in more critical, expansive ways.

Textbook(s)                                                                                                                                      

No required text. The course will be augmented with several online resources. Suggested books:


Easy micro:bit Projects – Eric Hagan, Make Media

Learning Electronics with Arduino: An illustrated guide to physical computing
Jody Culkin and Eric Hagan, Make Media

Course Website                                                                                                                                

The majority of this course will be run through our course website: www.thiserichagan.com/creativecoding. This course will also use Blackboard to post assignments and provide online resources. You are expected to document your work on a personal blog site (wordpress or wix suggested).

Grading (describe what score is an A, A-, B+, etc.)                                                                      

A = Outstanding achievement that exceeds standards

B = Commendable achievement that exceeds standards

C = Acceptable standards to be expected

D = Completion of assignments but below standards expected

F = Failing

Deadlines are critical

  • Each project must be completed on time.
  • Critiques begin promptly at the beginning of class.
  • Your work will be assessed the day of the critique; if the work is unfinished, you must present it as is and it will be graded at that point.

Evaluations of individual projects are based on:

  • Creativity – openness to experimentation with materials and thought processes.
  • Concept – the content of your work developed from research.
  • Execution – attention to structure and details.
  • Presentation and Display – how the work is presented and displayed for the critique.
  • Discursive – How you discuss your work through context, ideas and process.

NO LATE PROJECTS WILL BE ACCEPTED,
 if issues arise please make arrangements with the professor prior to the deadline.

Course requirements                                                                                                                      

Weekly Exercises                                                                                                            25%           

Midterm                                                                                                                           25%           

Final                                                                                                                                30%

Participation / Attendance                                                                                              20%

Total points                                                                                                                   100%

Basic Calendar:

This calendar is subject to change, but offers an outline to the topics we plan to cover over the semester.

Week 1-7 Basics of Programming – p5 visuals
1: Basic computer overview, setting up blogs, JavaScript basics,
2: Javascript Basics Continued, Digital Drawing, project execution and display

3: Programmatic Animation

4: Interactivity, User Control, User Interface

5: Types, Duplicating, Visual Art and Game Logic
6: Midterm brainstorming, prototyping, breaking down project steps
7: Midterm work
8: Midterm project presentations
Week 9-16 Physical computing

9: Introduction to electronics for artists

10: What is Interactivity? Digital sensors (onboard and wiring)

11: Analog Sensors (onboard and wiring), Interactivity Continued
12: Exploring Outputs (Lights, Sounds, Motors, etc)
13: Connecting the pieces: physical and digital

14: Final Projects, project steps, prototyping
15: Final Projects

16: Final project presentations

Additional SUNY- Old Westbury information and important Dates:

FALL TERM 2020: August 31st, 2020 – December 22nd, 2020

Mid Term Week: October 17th – October 23rd

Finals Week: December 16th – December 22nd

Study Day: December 15th

Holidays: Thanksgiving: Thursday November 24th, 2020

Dates for Add/Drop and for withdrawal:  AUGUST 30th – SEPTEMBER 7th
Last withdraw date is October 14th, December 4th with Professor approval

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Technology and Remote Learning

Taking online and remote classes can be challenging, and we have several resources to help students adapt. 

Blackboard Orientation: Enter Blackboard itself and click on Student Center in the upper right corner.

MS Teams: See the MS Teams link on the Old Westbury Tutoring page.

SUNY Online: You can find additional support at https://online.suny.edu/covid19/students/. 

For general questions or problems with technology issues, contact the IT Service Desk at servicedesk@oldwestbury.edu or click on the ITS Support Icon on the portal.

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: If you have or suspect you may have a physical, psychological, medical or learning disability that may impact your course work, please contact Stacey DeFelice, Director, The Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (OSSD), NAB, 2065, Phone: 516-628-5666, Fax (516) 876-3005, TTD: (516) 876-3083. E-mail: defelices@oldwestbury.edu. The office will help you determine if you qualify for accommodations and assist you with the process of accessing them. All support services are free and all contacts with the OSSD are strictly confidential. SUNY/Old Westbury is committed to assuring that all students have equal access to all learning activities and to social activities on campus.

BASIC NEEDS STATEMENT: Any student who faces challenges securing their food or housing and believes this may affect their performance in the course is urged to contact the Dean of Students for support at (516) 876-3067 or Student Union 303. The college has a food pantry available for the campus community, Panther Pantry Student Union 301B. 

COUNSELING and CAREER RESOURCES: As a college student, there may be times when personal stressors interfere with your academic performance or negatively impact your daily life. If you are looking for some guidance regarding career choices or help with personal issues such as family or relationship problems, issues with friends or roommates, depression, anxiety, alcohol and/or other drugs, or if you need some help just figuring out who you are and what you would like to do with you life, or if you or someone you know at this college is experiencing mental health challenges, please contact the Counseling and Psychological Wellness Services at 516-876-3053. We’re located at the Student Union, Lower Level, Suite 100, and are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. If a crisis situation occurs after hours, contact a Residential Director. The University Police, at 516-876-3333, will also be able to offer assistance. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline also offers help 24/7, and can be contacted at 1-800-273-8255.

Title IX, sexual discrimination, harassment and violence: SUNY Old Westbury prohibits sexual discrimination, harassment and violence, and will promptly respond to all complaints.  The purpose of Title IX is to prevent sex discrimination on campus, address reported assaults and incidents, limit the effects of harassment on the educational environment, and prevent its recurrence.  If you or someone you know believes they have been subjected to sexual discrimination, harassment or violence, help is available. To report or for more information please visit https://www.oldwestbury.edu/title-ix, please contact the Title IX coordinator, Deputy Title IX coordinator or University Police at 516-876-3333. Confidential resources and support is also available from the counseling professionals in the Counseling & Psychological Wellness Services department, located in the Student Union Lower Level Room LL100 (off the Rotunda) at 516-876-3053.

  • William Kimmins (Faculty/Staff Reports)
    Assistant to the President for Administration & Title IX Coordinator
    Campus Center I-211
    Phone:  516-876-3179
    Email: kimminsw@oldwestbury.edu 
  • Claudia Marin Andrade (Student Reports)
    Dean of Students & Deputy Title IX Coordinator
    Student Union Suite 303
    Phone: 516-876-3067
    Email: marinandradec@oldwestbury.edu

SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES POLICY ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Plagiarism and cheating are condemned at all institutions of higher learning.  These acts detract from the student’s intellectual and personal growth by undermining the processes of studying, reading, note-taking and struggling with one’s own expression of ideas and information.   Moreover, cheating inevitably involves secrecy and exploitation of others.  See “Academic Integrity” and related topics in the Old Westbury Catalog, 2006-2008, p.46.  Plagiarizing means “presenting somebody else’s words or ideas without acknowledging where those words and ideas come from” (Ann Raimes, Keys for Writers, 5th ed., p.188).  Examples include: copying material from the Internet or other sources and presenting it as your own using any author’s words without quotation marks; using any quotation without credit changing any author’s words slightly and presenting them as your own using ideas from any published sources (even in your own words) without exact credit.  Note: This includes all material from the Internet or electronic databases.using long passages in a paper that have been written or rewritten by a friend or tutor turning in any assignment written by someone else However, using quotations or borrowed ideas while giving exact credit is good academic procedure. Other types of academic dishonesty include unauthorized collaboration or copying of students’ work (cheating); falsifying grades or evaluations; and others.  They are treated as equivalent to plagiarism.  When detected and verified, plagiarism and other academic dishonesty will be punished severely. Normally, the first offense will result in a failure on the specific assignment; a second offense or a particularly flagrant first offense will result in failing the course. Know what plagiarism is and how to avoid it; for guidance see Raimes or any other college writing handbook. Please note: in this matter, ignorance is never an acceptable excuse. Dated: August 2007.

BLACKBOARD SUPPORT:

1. Course Enrollments

Please make sure your registration is current and/or you do not have any outstanding holds (e.g. immunization hold). If you verified the above information and still cannot access your course, please submit a request to:

http://support.oldwestbury.edu, by phone 516.876.3098, or in-person at the New Academic Building Room 0107

2. Login: If you need assistance logging in please read the Blackboard article on student login topic at http://support.oldwestbury.edu.You may also submit a support request at http://support.oldwestbury.edu, by calling 516.876.3098, or in-person at the New Academic Building Room 0107.

3. Technical problems with the site/course: For all other Technical Support issues, please contact the OPEN SUNY Helpdesk at: 1-800-875-6269 or go to http://sln.suny.edu/help/help_overview.shtml, where you’ll find their hours, Knowledge Base, email, and chat. In some rare instances the OPEN SUNY Helpdesk might ask you to contact your on-campus instructional technology support team. If it happens, please submit a request at http://support.oldwestbury.edu, by phone 516.876.3098, or in-person at the New Academic Building Room 0107. When submitting a support request, please provide as much detail as possible, including: semester, course #, instructor’s name, your Panther ID, and list of any steps taken to resolve the issue.

 4. Learn how to use Blackboard: After login into the Old Westbury Blackboard site, please click on “Help” tab in the right top corner of the page, and complete Open SUNY Orientation. On the same page you will also find links to Blackboard knowledge base and other help resources.

WRITING CENTER: Visit the Writing Center for help brainstorming or organizing your ideas or for feedback on a draft.  You can make an appointment online at https://oldwestbury.mywconline.com or stop by the Writing Center located in room L-242 on the main floor of the Library in Campus Center.  Hours: Mondays and Tuesdays, 11am-8pm and Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10am-7pm.  Phone: (516) 876-3093.