Requirements
25% Discussion Leading
25% Collaborative Activist Game
25% Documentary Game
An important note on Participation: In this course, "Participation" means a set of four specific factors which are considered in combination by the professor when assessing the student's Participation grade. The four items are:
- Weekly journaling based on the Read/Watch/Play/Explore materials that are due that day
- Quantity and quality of the student's activities on the class Scalar site (which includes weekly journaling but also additional content)
- In-class creative/technical/critical exercises
- Engagement with class discussions and critiques
Weekly Journaling: Students are required to respond *in some way* to the weekly Read/Watch/Play/Explore materials. There is no required word count and there is no required format. Use this opportunity to respond in any creative and/or critical way you'd like. You may write, draw, perform, photograph, design, etc. The are three caveats:
- That you be prepared to explain, with specificity, how the Read/Watch/Play/Explore materials informed your response. Your explanation must be substantive; vague or sluggardly argumentation will not be accepted.
- That you utilize Scalar to post your response or, in the case that this is not appropriate or possible, documentation of your response.
- It is possible that throughout the quarter the professor assign a couple of responses to be in a specific format, this is TBD.
Discussion Leading: Throughout the quarter, students will be asked to lead discussions on the readings/films/games/websites other media that are due that day. The schedule for these discussions will be determined during class. If you are leading discussion, you do not need to do the journaling assignment for that week. Rather, during the week you lead discussion use the journaling assignment as an opportunity to set forth a series of in-depth questions about the texts. Draw parallels between them, and consider artists and designers who might be responding to these ideas. I also encourage students to include outside materials on artists, designers, filmmakers, or thinkers whose works come to mind in regard to the assigned media.
Game Projects: Additional constraints and guidelines for the Collaborative Activist Game and the Documentary Game will be provided in class. These two projects will be assessed and critiqued based on the five key areas of Concept, Design, Innovation, Technology and Resolve, defined as follows:
- Concept: intellectual and creative explorations; communication of concepts, play mechanics, stories and ideas.
- Design: quality of player experience; artful, critical and playful strategies that help support the communication of concepts, stories and ideas.
- Innovation: unique approaches; unexpected creativity; (ethical) risk-taking; self-initiated experiments.
- Technology (when applicable): software/hardware fluency; self-initiated technical problem-solving skills.
- Resolve: all guidelines satisfied; work beyond minimum requirements; generous, hard-working, and collaborative mindset.
Grading Collaborations: When working collaboratively, all group members receive the same grade. The professor does, however, reserve the right to modify this as necessary in order to best reflect fairness.
Lateness and Extensions: All assignments must be turned in on time. Extensions will be granted on an individual case-by-case basis. If you are confused about an assignment or need additional support, please contact the professor.
Absences: Please note that you are expected to inform the professor of any emergency and/or religious situations that require your absence from class. To the extent that it's reasonable and possible, excused absences should be cleared with the professor in advance of the class. Three unexcused absences will result in failure of the course. If you are absent from class, you are responsible for contacting a classmate for the information you missed.
This page has paths:
- Projects Descriptions Susana Ruiz
- Course Information Susana Ruiz