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6374 Portfolio Assignment S15

Page history last edited by kknight 9 years, 5 months ago

EMAC 6374 Final Portfolio

Spring 2015

 

 


 

Purpose:

  • To demonstrate familiarity with shifts in representation in text, image, and sound, including the relationship between them.
  • To utilize a variety of tools of digital production to communicate ideas in multiple media formats. 
  • To utilize the existing research and publications of media studies.
  • To engage in processes of collaborative feedback and revision to improve student work.

 

Overview:

In order to better grasp the contemporary landscape of digital textuality, students need to take the ideas from class readings and discussions and apply them to the production of a variety of digital media objects.  The production of these objects will take place in a scaffolded structure wherein students compose early versions, receive feedback, and improve them.

 

Students will be introduced to new tools for producing digital media objects each week in class.  These introductions will take the form of Tool Workshops led by their peers.  In addition students should browse the Tool Reviews and resource indexes in the course wiki.  Students are not required to use tools that are listed in the wiki, but in the spirit of collaboration and community, they should add any tools that they are using to the Resource Index pages.

 

 

Instructions:

 

  • What's in the portfolio? 
    • Four digital media objects, one each for text, still image, sound, and moving image.
      • Multimedia pieces are acceptable, however each should foreground one of the different media forms.  
      • You may use the sound piece in the moving image object, but other than that you should compose a different media object for each workshop. 
      • In order to emphasize the particular qualities of different media forms, each media object will tell the same story or make the same argument, in a different form. The media objects may differ in terms of abstractness or concreteness, degree of narrativity, or amount of material that can be covered. Despite these differences, the portfolio should ultimately contain four versions of the same story or idea.
    • Collaboration is allowed, but multiply the number of collaborators by the length requirements. You may collaborate on one or all media objects, but not on the final paper.
    • In addition to the digital media objects, each portfolio should also contain a research paper (2100 - 3000 words for MA students; 3600 - 4500 for MFA and PhD students) that makes an argument about digital textuality.  
    • See sections below for specifications on each particular media object and for additional items due in the Portfolio.
  • Topic
    • At the beginning of the semester, each student will choose a story or argument with which they will work all semester.
  • Audience
    • Consider your audience to be educated professionals interested in topics of emerging media.  
  • Turning it in
    • The portfolio materials must be copied into or linked from your course participant page in the class wiki.  
  • Each student will give a 5-minute, Ignite-style presentation in which they present their portfolio work at the end of the semester.

 

Technical Details:

  • Students should employ Revision Control so that version 1 can be submitted along with the final version in the portfolio.
  • If students need equipment to capture images, video, or sounds, EMAC has equipment available to borrow. Borrowing can be arranged through the ATEC equipment inventory. The UTD Library will also loan equipment.
    • To borrow equipment in the ATEC building, visit room ATC 2.402 M-F 8am - 10pm. You will need your net-id number and some form of photo id.
  • Be sure to allow plenty of time during the drafting process and before the final due date for technical difficulties.

 

Digital Media Objects - Specific Requirements

 

Text

  • 900 - 1200 words. 
  • Possible formats for the text media object include:
    • Digital Text: 900-1200 words that is formatted for a digital platform (wiki, blog, twitter, goAnimate, etc.).
    • Other ideas must be cleared with Kim prior to the due date of version 1. 
  • In addition to the criteria in the Grading section below, text-specific qualities include linguistic techniques such as double entendre, hyperbole, metaphor, etc.; material techniques such as text layout, colors, animation, meta-data, etc.; platform specific strategies such as tags and @-replies

 


 

 

Still Image

  • Generally 10-15 images, unless otherwise noted. 
  • Possible formats for the still image media object include:
    • Comic: A comic strip of 10 - 15 frames.
    • Photo Essay: A photo-essay of 10-15 original or creative-commons-licensed images (or a mixture).
      • You may only use creative commons images if:
        • the image is of an object or situation that is rare or inaccessible enough that you could not capture it yourself.
          • Note that this does include quality. 
        • or the image is heavily modified.
      • If you use creative commons images, you must follow the terms of the license and give proper attribution.
    • Collage: A collage composed of 10-15 source images (original, creative-commons, or a mixture).
      • The same cc guidelines apply as to the photo essay.
    • Visualizations: A series of 10-15 data or text visualizations.
    • Other ideas must be cleared with Kim prior to the due date of the version 1.
  • In addition to the criteria in the Grading section below, image-specific qualities include 
  •  

 

Sound

  • 90 seconds to three minutes.
  • Possible formats for the sound media object include:
    • Composition: Original musical compositions, abstract, vocal, or instrumental.
    • Recording: Original audio recordings of stories or arguments
    • Remixing: Remixes or mashups of public domain or creative commons music and recordings.
      • The remixed version should heavily modify the source material.
    • Other ideas must be cleared with Kim prior to the due date of version 1.
  • In addition to the criteria in the Grading section below, sound-specific qualities include 
    •  

 

 

Moving Image

  • 90 seconds to three minutes.
  • Possible formats for the moving image media object include:
    • Video Production: narrative, informative, time lapse photography (converted to video), music video, etc. 90 seconds to three minutes.
    • Animation: narrative, informative, etc. 90 seconds to three minutes. (note that this does not include GoAnimate or XtraNormal, which are too text heavy)
    • Remixing: Two or more videos combined to total 90 seconds to three minutes.
    • Other ideas must be cleared with Kim prior to the due date of the first version.
  • In addition to the criteria in the Grading section below, the specific qualities of moving images include include everything from still image  and sound, as well as framing, focus, narrativity, post-processing, titles and other graphics, etc. 

 

Portfolio

  • Should include:
    • Final versions of the four digital media objects, including a short explanation of revisions you made.
    • The research paper.
      • In addition to the digital media objects, each portfolio should also contain a research paper (2100 - 3000 words for MA students; 3600 - 4500 for MFA and PhD students) that makes an argument about digital textuality.
        • Cite 3 or more scholarly readings to support your argument. Use any citation format consistently.
        • You can reference your media objects in the research paper to help supplement your argument. 
      • Options for uploading the paper include:
        • 1. Cut and paste the contents of the paper into your wiki page or wherever you are hosting your portfolio. If you do this, please be sure to double check to ensure that your formatting (particularly paragraph breaks) remains intact.
        • 2. Upload the paper to google drive and include a link to your portfolio. Don't forget to set the sharing settings so Kim can view it.
    • First versions of the four digital media objects. 
    • Everything should be linked from your course participant page on the wiki. 

 

Grading

 

The Portfolio is worth 50% of your final grade.  You will be graded on the following criteria:

air

  Excellent
Good
Fair
Needs Improvement
Failing
Media object content
Media objects are consistently interesting or thought-provoking.  Any obfuscation is meaningful and purposely employed. Media objects are mostly interesting or thought-provoking. Any obfuscation is meaningful and purposely employed. Media objects have a clear argument or idea and are occasionally interesting or thought-provoking. Any obfuscation is meaningful and purposely employed.
Media objects may lack a clear idea or focus. Media objects may be boring.
One or more media objects is off-topic or so unclear as to be unintelligible. 

Media form

(see above for more about the signifiers of each medium)

Media objects are consistently daring or interesting on the formal level and utilize the unique affordances of each medium. The form enhances the meaning and is designed to appeal to the intended audience. Media objects are well-composed and mostly utilize the unique affordances of each medium. For the most part the design appeals to the intended audience.  The form of each media object supports effective communication and attempts to use the unique affordances of each medium. Additionally, each media object indicates an awareness of the audience.
One or more media objects may be unclear, the form disconnected from meaning, or exhibit confusion about the audience.
One or more media objects fails to communicate, is off-topic, formally obscures meaning, or ignores the audience.

Remixing, re-use, remediation

(if applicable)

Media objects amplify aspects of the  source material and consistently enhance meaning.
Media objects amplify aspects of the source material and are generally used to enhance meaning. 
Media objects amplify aspects of the  source material.
Repurposed material is used ineffectively.
Source material is largely unaltered or becomes unintelligible in repurposing. 
Drafting and Revising First versions are full-length and polished. Feedback for peers is consistently concrete and constructive. The student's revisions make extensive improvements to their own work.
First versions are full-length and polished. Feedback for peers is mostly concrete and constructive. The student's revisions show substantial effort and generally improve their work. First versions are full-length and mostly polished. Feedback for peers makes a substantial effort to give concrete and constructive feedback. The student's revisions show substantial effort. First versions may be short or in draft form. Feedback for peers or revision of one's own work may lack substance. First versions are never completed. The student may give unhelpful feedback or fail to revise their own work.
Research Paper The research paper is consistently thought-provoking and well-organized. The author uses well-chosen sources to enhance meaning. The research paper is generally thought-provoking and well-organized. The author uses sources carefully in support of meaning. The research paper is well-organized and interesting. The author's use of sources does not obscure their own voice. The paper may lack clarity or be boring. Sources may be missing or obscure the writer's voice. The paper may be off-topic, fail to cite sources, or may be unintelligible.

 

 

Things that will detract from your grade:

  • Failure to meet minimum length requirements.
  • Late materials, including first versions. See the "Late Work" section for more information. 
  • Missing items from the final portfolio.
  • Ignoring the license(s) of repurposed media objects. 
  • Failure to present your portfolio, in the time allotted, at the end of the semester.

 

A Word About Late Work

  • First versions: Each instance of late first versions of written/image/video/acoustic work will result in a loss of 1/3 of a grade on the final portfolio. If you are not in class for the portfolio workshop, your work is considered late.
  • Final portfolio: Final portfolios will be marked down one letter grade for each day (or fraction thereof) that they are late.
  • Presentations: Late presentations are not allowed. 

 

A Word About Drafting and Revising

  • You'll notice the use of the terms "version" instead of "draft."  That is because these are not "rough drafts."  On days that first versions are due, you should bring in a polished and completed object so that your peers may give you as much helpful feedback as possible.
  • It is important that feedback is given constructively and with respect.  It is also important that feedback be concrete and specific.  We will come up with peer review guidelines in class on portfolio workshop days. 
  • You will receive feedback from multiple student peers.  Though you are required to revise your work, you do not have to make any of the specific changes suggested during peer review. However, if you are hearing similar suggestions from multiple people, you would be wise to strongly consider them. 
  • Make sure to retain copies of your first version of each media object to include in the portfolio.

 

Timeline and Due Dates

  • Feb 13: Text Object, Version 1 due in class.
    • Put a link on your course participant page.
  • Mar 6: Still Image Object, Version 1 due in class.
    • Put a link on your course participant page.
  • Apr 3: Sound Object, Version 1 due in class.
    • Put a link on your course participant page.
  • Apr 24: Moving Image Object, Version 1 due in class.
    • Put a link on your course participant page.
  • May 6, 7pm: Presentations
    • Presentations: 5 minutes each 
      • You may focus on selected media objects or give a brief overview of the entire portfolio.
    • If you go over 5 minutes, you will lose 1/3 of a letter grade on your portfolio.
  • May 11, 11:59pm Final Portfolio Due
    • Please verify that your media objects are accessible to someone who is not signed in under your account on the various platforms on which they are hosted.

 

Peer Review Groups

 

Norma

Bailey

Suzanna

 

June

Infamous RPD

Chas

 

Kathleen

Chris

Eun Ah

 

Perry

Amanda

Yan

 

David

Sandy Bones

Ariana

 

Ben

Shannon

Susan E Riveter

 

 

 

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