SYLLABUS ICAM101
VIS140

DIGITAL IMAGING: IMAGE & INTERACTIVITY

with Lecturer Naomi Spellman
SPRING 2008
Course Description: Students will work on the computer with a variety of media such as
graphics, sound, images, text, animation and interactive narrative. The main project is a User
Interaction project. Methodology in interaction design will be emphasized. Working in
groups, students will conceive, prototype, and test a User Interaction Project. Students will
also complete readings and assignments related to their Course Project.
Course Goals: Students will build confidence solving visual design problems across
different media.
Prerequisites: VIS 40/ICAM 40. Open to Studio, Media and ICAM majors; Computing and
ICAM minors only. Two production course limitation. Materials fee required. 4 units.

SCHEDULE
SECTION #’S DAY TIME LOCATION
LE A00 Th 5:00p - 6:50p YORK 2622
21286 LA A04 Th 09:00a - 10:50a U201 230
621287 LA A05 Th 11:00a - 12:50p U201 230
21288 LA A06 Th 1:00p - 2:50p U201
Students must enroll in lecture AND in a lab.

COURSE WEBSITE
All instructional materials are online on webct.ucsd.edu
Additionally a mirror of the webct site is available at
http://34N118W.net/101
Consult the course website at least once a week. All assignments, reading, and resources are
on the course website. If you have a question, consult the website first! The information you
need is probably there.
Use the course website email client at webct.ucsd.edu to email the Instructor and the TAs.
To reach Naomi you can also use spellman@ucsd.edu

ASSIGNMENTS
We will have one main Course Project, which will evolve over the quarter. Each week, a
portion of this project will be due. Additionally students will have short exercises. All
assignments must be submitted to your Lab Section instructor according to instructions. Do
not submit any assignments to the Lecturer unless instructed to do so.
If you are absent from the room when information is given, it is up to you to get that
information from your classmates and/or from the website. Project due dates will be listed
on the course website. Project and short assignment descriptions will be linked to the course
website. Assignments must be submitted on the day they are due.

READING
Several recommended books are listed on the course website, with links to amazon ordering.
There are no required books for this course.
 Additional reading and resources will be provided online. You are expected to keep up with
reading assignments, and to be able to demonstrate your understanding of concepts from
these assignments in discussion and in your work.

SUPPLIES
Sketchbook
Pencils or Markers for drawing
Digital storage media such as CD-ROM or DVD disks. Also a 4-gig or larger USB or
firewire drive is recommended.
Additional supplies will be provided to groups for Paper Prototyping

EVALUATION
Grading will be based on the following (see website for complete breakdown):
Group Course Project: 65%
Individual Assignments: 35%
A- Outstanding achievement, available only for the highest accomplishment. B-
Praiseworthy performance, definitely above average. C- Average, awarded for satisfactory
performance, the most common grade. D- Minimally passing, less than the typical
undergraduate achievement. F- Failing.
An incomplete grade will only be granted for extenuating circumstances.

ATTENDANCE
Students are expected to be present in Lecture and Lab and to participate in discussions and
exercises. After 2 Lecture or Lab absences grade will be reduced by 5% for each absence.
More than 6 absences total will result in a grade of F. Consult a classmate about any
information that you may have missed during an absence, and refer to the class website.

PROJECT RULES
Students are responsible for backing up all Course Projects through the last day of the
quarter. You should have a digital backup of each assignment. You should also save
different versions of each assignment. If a project file becomes lost or corrupted you are
responsible for bringing in a copy of that assignment to show to the instructor.
Students need to show the Lab Instructor files associated with the evolution of each project.
Your research, variations, experiments, etc., need to be evident. So save a folder for each
Project containing these supporting documents. Be prepared to submit this Digital Archive
containing all files you worked on or contributed to at the end of the quarter.
All copy must be written by the student, except for specific short quotes or unless cleared by
the instructor for a particular situation.
Quotes should have an appropriate credit. All copy must be spell-checked and proofread.
Photographs must be original photos taken by the student unless the instructor specifies that
a particular project may incorporate appropriated images.
Plagiarism may result in a grade of F on the project, a referral to Judicial Procedures and the
possibility of failure in the course.