Brief

Over the course of the semester, approximately 10 randomly assigned in-class responses will be required. A prompt will be given in class and students will have 3–5 minutes to write a response on Learning Suite. Responses will be primarily graded on completing the assignment, and randomly selected In-class Responses will be graded more thoroughly.

Grading

This project will be graded on the following

• Conceptual Concerns (45%)
  • Student demonstrates evidence that they understand and inventively integrate conceptual concerns. The student’s research is evident and ample given the allotted time.
    • Excellent: Student demonstrates conversational familiarity with the material—making interesting connections between ideas, readings, and presentations.
    • Average: Student is able to recall and recite material, but not do anything interesting with it.
    • Below Average: Student struggles to demonstrate a grasp of the material and shows no facility in connecting ideas or new thinking.
• Articulation (45%)
  • When selecting a thesis or POV, the student is able to succinctly and plainly build a case using good storytelling techniques.
  • This includes proper spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, grammar and formatting for written assignments; and annunciation, confidence and focused arguments for oral assignments.
    • Excellent: Student writes an ample quantity given the allotted time and draws connections between the course discussion, readings, their own insights, and the prompt.
    • Average: The writing quantity is slim and the response draws little to no connection to the course material.
    • Below Average: Student writes only one sentence, doesn’t write in complete sentences, and/or provides no evidence that they are absorbing or processing course material.
• Following Instructions (10%)
  • The student follows instructions in the assignment brief and what is given in class.
    • Excellent: A detail-oriented student who takes instruction and fastidiously executes it within their work.
    • Average: A student who misses some details because they didn’t read instructions thoroughly or take proper notes when instructions were given.
    • Below Average: Student ignores basic instructions and guidance given for assignments.
• On-time Submission
  • All responses must be submitted within one week of the In-Class Prompt being given. Late In-Class Responses are not accepted, resulting in a zero for the assignment. You may drop your lowest In-Class Response score.

Learning Outcomes

Design and Cultural History

Students will be able to identify ways in which visual design shapes and is shaped by society through communications, social relations, culture, economies, education, politics and history.

Critical Discourse

Students will be able to understand, discuss, and write about the theoretical, philosophical, social, and critical discourse—the “whys” and “why nots” of design practice and visual culture—and how their work fits into these contexts.

Image and Meaning

Students will be able to demonstrate fluency in interpretation and analysis of image systems, semiotics and meaning of visual culture in its diverse forms.

Ethics and Innovation

Students will be able to understand the ethics of design and principles of innovation for engaging with and improving the world through design and image.