required textbooks

introducing media studies by ziauddin sardar, et al
Totem Books, 2000

august sander: face of our time, ed. alfred doblin
Schirmer Art Books, 2003

looking at photographs: 100 pictures from the collection of the museum of modern art, by john szarkowski
Museum of Modern Art, 2009

additional readings may be available on the web or as handouts.

When I see the sea once more will the sea have seen or not seen me?

—Neruda

 

other required resources:

Netflix membership or access to a credit card so that you can watch assigned films at Amazon.com

 

Expectations for this Online Class

Because this class is WHOLLY ONLINE, students are expected to be familiar from the outset with most commonly used electronic media: Blackboard (the Discussion Board in particular), email, Microsoft Word, Internet Explorer, Foxfire, and at least one search engine such as Google. Some background with image editing software would also be very helpful but is not mandatory (examples: Adobe Photoshop or Elements, Macromedia Fireworks, Microsoft Power Point).

If you need assistance with such media, you should contact the Technology Learning and Media Center (TLMC) at NDSU's Information Technology Services (ITS) for training, tutoring, and answers to quick questions. CLICK HERE for the TLMC website.

You are also expected to check email and Blackboard daily for updates and announcements. (At least twice daily would be better.) In email communications with me, ALWAYS include the name of the course you are in and its section number, if applicable.

And, finally, I can't stress enought the importance of READING ALL COURSE MATERIALS EXTRA CAREFULLY. In face-to-face encounters, all kinds of nuances are communicated through body language and voice. Since we won't be meeting that way, you MUST pay extra heed to all written stuff. Don't just skim documents; read them slowly and thoughtfully and more than once.

If you're a bit uncomfortable with the online method, don't worry; everyone else probably is too :) If you ever feel confused, don't hesitate to email me with questions or concerns: Cindy.Nichols@ndsu.edu.

 

Course Objectives

This course involves a combination of reflection, practical application, and brazen experiment.

At the end of the semester, students should be able to:

  • Discuss visual culture and language intelligently with classmates, instructors, friends and family, drawing on principles and vocabulary introduced in class.
  • Explain the importance of visual literacy to classmates, instructors, friends and family.
  • Analyze print and screen forms of communication with precision, drawing on the frameworks introduced in class.
  • "Write visually." I.e., produce effective visual communication in several genres and media related to personal, professional, and/or educational goals.


Major Coursework and Grades

Grading is based on a simple, cummulative, 100-point scale. The final grade scale looks like this:

88-100 pts. = A
75-87 pts. = B
62-74 pts. = C
49-61 pts. = D

Semester points are earned through the following:

Projects (70 pts. total possible)  (For full instructions, click on each project title below.)

  1. Self-Portrait in a Visual Culture 20 pts.
    (writing with light)
  2. A Timeline of Visual Culture 30 pts.
    (charting the rise of visual culture products)
  3. Looking at Film 30 pts.
    (a visual essay drawing on media theory and film studies)

Quizzes, Worksheets, Discussions (10 pts. total possible)

You will take quizzes and complete electronic worksheets or Blackboard discussions from time to time to assist you with course readings and subject matter.

Extra Credit (7 pts.)

Looking at Photographs

Portfolio (10 pts. possible)

For full instructions, click here.

Your electronic portfolio will be handed in no later than 11:59 pm on Dec. 17. content. The portfolio will include the following:

1) A letter to the English Dept. Upper Division Writing committee reflecting on what you've learned over the course of the semester.

2) Copies of your finished projects.

3) A selection of your quizzes and/or class discussion postings.

 

Performance and Participation

 

Digging Class

A key word in this class is CURIOSITY. One of the WORST things you can do is tell me that SOMETHING BORED YOU. All coursework will require active thinking and engagement. If you are energetically reflecting, imagining, questioning, and struggling when you read course materials or complete course work, YOU WILL NEVER BE BORED. Admissions of boredom are embarassing, because they reveal that you yourself are a boring person.

If you do not UNDERSTAND something, do not become frustrated, angry, or defeated. REJOICE! :) You are in exactly the right place to begin LEARNING. When confused or otherwise stumped, ASK QUESTIONS. Be willing to be dumb. Dig. Explore. LOOK THINGS UP. Engage others. Contact your instructor. And, yes, even RE-READ assignments!

Becoming a better writer requires critical thinking, dialogue, and practice. This is in part a workshop course, which requires your active input and involvement.



Policies (Course, Department, and University)

 

Special Needs: In keeping with the Americans with Disabilities Act, I would encourage students with disabilities who need accommodations in this course to contact me as soon as possible so that the appropriate arrangements can be made to accommodate particular needs. This syllabus can be made available in alternative formats upon request.

Deadlines:

Projects--Final Versions: you have a 1-week grace period (which includes weekends) following the due date of each major project. No penalty is applied to projects turned in during that week; however, such materials will go into a late pile and will be graded at the instructor's convenience. (I.e., late projects will be graded late.) After the 1-week grace period, 2 points are deducted from your semester score for each day, counting weekends. This deduction is only waived with documented evidence of SERIOUS hardship or illness. THIS GRACE PERIOD DOES NOT APPLY TO THE LAST ASSIGNMENT (PORTFOLIO).

Projects--Drafts: failure to hand in assigned drafts and/or to go through the critique process will result in more intensive scrutiny of your final version. Projects handed in without having gone through the process rarely earn greater than a "C." Late drafts are acceptable, but but be aware that I or your peer critiquer may not have time to offer feedback and that no drafts will be received after the due date for the final version. Late drafts--especially a consistent pattern of lateness--will also result in increased scrutiny of the final product.

Quizzes and Discussion Board: quizzes cannot be made up or taken after their due date. The same applies to discussion postings. You'll have a chance to make up some lost points by completing option extra credit offered at some point in the semester.

Portfolio: your portfolio is due by midnight on Dec. 8th. Late portfolios will only be accepted with documented evidence of serious hardship or illness. Weddings and family vacations do not count as hardship or illness.

English Department Attendance Policy: In compliance with NDSU University Senate Policy, Section 333: Class Attendance and Policy and Procedure, located at <http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/policy/333.htm>, the English Department has established the following attendance policy. All English Department courses require active learning. Students are expected to speak, listen, and contribute. Moreover, each student is accountable for all work missed because of absence, and instructors have no obligation to make special arrangements for missed work.

Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism: Work submitted for this course must adhere to the Code of Academic Responsibility and Conduct as cited in the Handbook of Student Policies: “The academic community is operated on the basis of honesty, integrity, and fair play. Occasionally, this trust is violated when cheating occurs, either inadvertently or deliberately. This code will serve as the guideline for cases where cheating, plagiarism, or other academic improprieties have occurred. . . . Faculty members may fail the student for the particular assignment, test, or course involved, or they may recommend that the student drop the course in question, or these penalties may be varied with the gravity of the offense and the circumstances of the particular case” (65). See also: http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/policy/335.htm.

Academic Honesty Defined: All written and oral presentations must “respect the intellectual rights of others. Statements lifted verbatim from publications must be cited as quotations. Ideas, summaries or paraphrased material, and other information taken from the literature must be properly referenced” (Guidelines for the Presentation of Disquisitions, NDSU Graduate School , 4). In other words, if it is not your work or words, give proper credit to the author.

English Department Policy on Plagiarism: Instructors in the English department try to distinguish between inadvertent and deliberate plagiarism. Initial instances of inadvertent plagiarism will be pointed out and revision will be expected; deliberate plagiarism may result in zero for an assignment, possible F for the course. Plagiarism isn’t worth it. You all have your own great ideas; why not share them?

Code of Student Behavior: All interactions in this course will be civil and show respect for others.  Student conduct at NDSU is governed by the Code of Student Behavior: http://www.ndsu.edu/ndsu/vpsa/code/

University's Emergency Action Guide: http://www.ndsu.edu/police_safety/safety/Forms/EmergencyActionGuidePosterNew09.pdf (We are told that it's always good to review this info.)

 

Failure to heed the above information may result in my sending you to the

"YOU ARE A DORK" web page.

 


General Education Outcomes

English 357, Visual Language and Culture, has been approved for the Communications category in general education in the North Dakota University System. Students in this course will be asked to meet two General Education Outcomes:

GE Outcome 1: Communicate effectively in a variety of contexts and modes, using a variety of communication skills.

  • Communicate effectively in assigned written, visual, and hybrid genres (written-visual).
  • Develop a meta-language for being able to talk about and analyze visual language.

GE Outcome 6: Integrate knowledge and ideas in a coherent and meaningful manner.

  • Provide written analysis of visual language artifacts.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the history of visual culture and language.

 

English Department Content Goal for this Course

While this course is designed to appeal to, and be appropriate for, students from all majors at NDSU, English majors taking this course will produce work that can meet three departmental outcomes. English majors in this class should save all work for possible inclusion in their capstone portfolio.

  • Outcome 1: English majors will be able to write and speak effectively for a variety of purposes and audiences in a variety of genres and media.
  • Outcome 2: English majors will be able to read (analyze, interpret, critique, evaluate) written and visual texts.
  • Outcome 6: English majors will be familiar with visual language and communication as culturally and historically embedded practices.

This course can also count towards an English Minor in Writing.

 

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Thanks to Melissa Vossen and Kevin Brooks for many of the materials and information on this website.