MATX 604 (Schedule #17499)
Virginia Commonwealth University
Spring 2011
T 4-6:40pm :: 330 Hibbs Hall
Prof. David Golumbia
324D Hibbs Hall
Spring 2011 Office Hours: m 2-3:30pm & 5:30-6pm; w 5:30-6:30pm

MATX Core Curriculum
Production and Application Workshop

This course, exclusively intended for the first year MATX students, provides an opportunity for students to focus in on the technologies and media that they intend to learn in greater detail, and even more so provides the opportunity for the students to work individually and in groups to develop the spefici areas in which they plan to do professional research. Projects and topics will be chosen in consultation with the students, but will in general apply new media and technologies to interdisciplinary reserach topics. Some attention will be paid to preparing for, planning, and even executing part of the portfolio that is requied in the 1st semester of your second year. The class is graded via participation and engagement with projects, rather than how many new technologies you manage to "learn."

Assignments and Evaluation

Evaluation is based on participation (40%) and final projects defined by and with the instructor.

Policies

• This course is taught primarily via discussion. Your attendance and participation are vital to its success. A significant portion of your grade (20%) depends on your class participation. Because the class meets only once a week, more than one unexcused absence will count against your final course grade. 3 unexcused absences results in automatic failure of the course, in accordance with College guidelines.
• Papers for this class will be accepted in printed form only (ie, not emailed or posted online) unless otherwise arranged with instructor.
• No late work is accepted in this class. Work handed in late is automatically marked down one-third grade (e.g., a B becomes a B-) for each day it is late, and after one week becomes a failing grade for the assignment.
• You are expected to have done the primary reading and any other primary course assignments before the beginning of course each week.
• All work in this course is subject to the University's Honor Code. You may work in teams for some assignments, but all written work must be solely your own, and any reliance on published work must be properly cited.
• Final grades for the course will not be released until the entire class has submitted online course evaluations.

Week-by-Week Syllabus

Week One. Introduction

• Tues, Jan 18.

Week Two. Projects

• Tues, Jan 25. Second Life intro and project discussion

Week Three. Projects

• Tues, Feb 1. Second Life orientation

Week Four. Projects

• Tues, Feb 8. Production modules and project presentations

Week Five. Projects

• Tues, Feb 15. Production modules and project presentations

Week Six. Projects

• Tues, Feb 22. Production modules and project presentations

Week Seven. Projects

• Tues, Mar 1. Production modules and project presentations

Week Eight. Projects.

• Tues, Mar 8. Production modules and project presentations

Spring Break

Week Nine. Projects

• Tues, Mar 22.

Week Ten. Projects

• Tues, Mar 29.

Week Eleven. Projects

• Tues, Apr 5.

Week Twelve. Projects

• Tues, Apr 12.

Week Thirteen. Projects

• Tues, Apr 19.

Week Fourteen. Projects

• Tues, Apr 26.

Week Fifteen. Projects

• Tues, May 3.

Final project due in my English Dept mailbox or via email by 5pm, Tuesday, May 11, 2010. There is no final exam for the course.

Last updated  February 3, 2011.