Course


Tuesday and Thursday 2-4:50pm
UCLA Broad Art Center 4240

Professor: Lauren McCarthy
(office hour: T 12-1pm, Broad 3246)

TA: Kate Hollenbach
(office hour: W 12:30-1:30pm, Broad 4240)

Description

Network Media explores the creative, technical, and critical tools to realize web-based projects. Workshops on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are framed by cultural discourses examining the Internet. Conceived for artists, designers, and technologists, the course is focused on gaining a deeper understanding of the technical concepts in web design while learning the history of the Internet as well as its social, political, and philosophical implications.

Units

0: Hello World Wide Web. What is the Internet? How did it get here? How does it work? How do you work with it? You will learn to build a simple HTML page and put it online.

1: Online identity. How do you represent yourself online? What can you learn about yourself and others by following information trails? You will create a portfolio site or website that represents your Internet identity.

2: Location, space, mobility. Where is the Internet? How do we exist in relation to the network? You will create a mobile experience that is distributed over space and time.

3: Social networks and crowds. How does the internet connect us and allow us to socialize, to express opinions, to do work? You will create a multimedia web project using crowdsourced material.

Expectations

Grades will be determined according to the following breakdown:
  1. Participation 15%
  2. Weeklies 10%
  3. Project 1 25%
  4. Project 2 25%
  5. Project 3 25%
Participation. Participation is critical to passing and enjoying this class. Do the work, share your thoughts, ask questions, offer feedback during critiques. This class is meant to be a safe space in which you feel encouraged and supported in learning and taking creative risks. This means being aware and considerate of different backgrounds, perspectives, and identities. Respect each other and this space we are building together. Don’t assume, ask. Remain open, be willing to take responsibility, apologize, and learn. Help each other in this. If there are concerns please let me or Kate know as soon as possible.

Attendance. Each unexcused absence will result in one full letter grade down. Three unexcused absences will result in a failed grade in the class. If there is an emergency and you must miss class, email me before class. Absences will not be excused after the fact except in extreme circumstances. Illness requires a doctor’s note. If you are more than 10 minutes late, you will be marked tardy. Three tardies results in one unexcused absence. Your attendance can be viewed here, any disputes should be discussed with the TA within two weeks.

Weeklies. Each week there will be a couple assigned readings/viewings and a short activity or question. Create an html file containing your response, and link to it clearly from your index page. These should be posted before the start of class each Monday. Each one is graded solely on completion and represents 1% of your grade. They will always be posted at least a week in advance, on the weeklies page. The P/F status of each weekly can be viewed here, any disputes should be discussed with the TA within two weeks.

Projects. There will be 3 projects during the semester. Each project will be evaluated on (1) demonstrated understanding of the material, (2) conceptually creativity, (3) aesthetic quality, (4) technical skill. Outstanding or exceptional work will receive As, good work will receive Bs, sufficient work that does nothing more than meet requirements will receive Cs.

Late work. If you turn in a project late you miss the opportunity to share during the review and receive feedback, an essential part of this process. If you don’t have a project done at the deadline, we will discuss an alternative deadline and one letter grade will be subtracted from that project. If you miss this second deadline, you forfeit credit for that project. Weeklies are graded P/F based on completion on the day they are due, these cannot be turned in late. If you are absent from class you are still responsible for posting the work due on your index page. Any work not posted in absence will be considered late, unless prior arrangements are made with me.

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