Syllabus Elements For Distance Teaching / Learning

Our class plan has been adjusted due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Course Description, Outcomes, Grading, and Academic policies remain the same unless noted in this addendum.

Technology Being Used

• https://mica.upwithq.com/gd2 — I will continue to use our class website to post resources, lectures, and assignments, as well as collect homework.
• Jitsi Meet—We will use Jitsi Meet for class in-person discussions, critiques, and lectures: https://meet.jit.si/micagdgd2sanders. No extra software is needed, simply visit the URL. NOTE: Jitsi Meet works best if you use Chrome or Firefox as your browser for these virtual meetings.
• Slack—We will be using Slack instead of email, for the majority of communication during the times we are not meeting as a class. You can access our workspace via https://micas20gd2-01.slack.com. I strongly recommend you install the Slack app on your computer and turn on notifications. If you do not, make it a habit to check Slack daily.
• Email—I will communicate via email with official communications about the class, grading, and MICA announcements. NOTE: This is will not be my primary means of communication, but I will be checking daily in case you have no other way to get in touch with me.

IMPORTANT: As faculty for this course, I guide you and help you through course material and answer questions about interaction design. That said, I am not Tech Support for all the tools we will be using. 

•  If you are having general technical difficulties, contact MICA’s help desk.
• If you are new to Slack, please consult About Slack’s features for a overview of the service.
• If you have unreliable internet connections, please let me know so I can make accommodations for you to actively participate in the class via alternative ways of working / communicating.

Distance Office Hours and Email Protocol

My distance office hours will be held via Jitsi Meet Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4-6pm. You must schedule an appointment to meet with me. I will create a Jitsi Meet and send you a URL where we can discussion in real time.

Monday through Thursday, I will respond to Slack/email within 24-30 hours (usually much faster, but understand that the window is up to 30 hours). You know what is due well in advance; it’s your responsibility to stay on schedule and prioritize your time. Don’t wait until the last minute to message me about something that’s due in a few hours or the next day because I may not get back to you in time.

Instructional Strategies

The course will utilize the technology specified above and be taught asynchronously since many of us are in different parts of the world and at different time zones. As faculty, I will play an active role in monitoring student interaction and providing constructive feedback. Completion of some course activities will be self-paced; however, /all assignments have firm deadlines/.

https://mica.upwithq.com/gd2 will serve as our course “classroom.” Throughout the rest of the semester, I will post announcements, files, and documents to our class website. You are expected to follow these announcements and posts as you would information in a classroom.

As before, I will post the next week’s class at 830am EDT and you will have until 1 week later to complete and submit the required work. Following directions and submitting your weekly assignments will be your attendance.

Specific Course Activities/Assignments

We will be shifting our current Impossible Problem project to focus on typography / design, interaction, user testing, and refinement. As before, each class I will introduce a new aspect of CSS / HTML necessary to complete your weekly assignment. Our goal is to have a comprehensive, thought provoking, and visually compelling site that allows you and other users to explore your Impossible Problem from a variety of perspectives.

Following is a rough outline of our weekly class activities:

Apr. 1
Typography

Apr. 8
Interaction

Apr. 15
Interaction 2

Apr. 22
Advanced Layout

Apr. 29
User Testing

May 8
Final site due

Grades

With the shift to distance teaching / learning to complete the Spring 2020 semester, all student grades will be based on Pass/Fail unless a student specifically requests a letter grade. The deadline to request a letter grade is April 30, 2020.

In order to receive a “Pass”, you must complete assignments on time, communicate with me weekly, and demonstrate a basic comprehension of the class learning objectives.

Tutoring, Coaching, and Library Resources

• The Writing Studio is ready to provide virtual tutoring. Students can make an appointment for a virtual tutoring session via the Writing Studio’s Calendly.
• The LRC’s academic coaches are ready to provide virtual peer-to-peer support. Students can see availability and schedule an appointment here.
• Decker Library is offering many remote resources that can be accessed here: Current Operations Information.

Academic Integrity

All of the Academic Policies in the original course syllabus apply during this period of transition. In addition students must agree to affirm the originality and integrity of the work they submit via email/online, as well as not engage in activities that will dishonestly improve their results or hurt the results of others.