The theme of the semester is:
THE AMERICAM DREAM
Here is the abridged syllabus:
California College of the Arts
EYE OPENERS: Introduction to Visual Studies
VISST-220-02 (802)
Fall Semester 2013
Instructor: Matteo Bittanti
Meeting Place & Time:
San Francisco Campus, Graduate Building GC1, Classroom GC4
Tuesdays 4:00 - 7:00 PM
Start Date: September 3, 2013
End Date: December 10, 2013
Office hours:
I am available to students for consultations by appointment
Please contact Matteo Bittanti via email at mbittanti@cca.edu
Table of contents
1 Course Description
1.1 Class Format
1.2 Learning Outcomes
2 Course Requirements
2.1 Course Content: Important Notice
2.2 Bibliography
2.3 Assignments Overview
2.3.1 Weekly Blog Contributions (Monday, September 16 - Monday, October 29, 2013)
2.3.2 Final Project (Tuesday, December 10, 2013)
2.3.3 Final Project Proposal (Tuesday, November 12, 2013)
2.3.4 Final Project Presentations (Tuesday, December 3 and Tuesday, December 10, 2013)
2.4 Evaluation Criteria
3 Measurement of Student Performance
4 Classroom Conduct & Attendance Guidelines
4.1 Policy on Academic Honesty
5. Schedule
5.1 Important dates
Syllabus walkthrough
1. Course Description
Eye openers are flashes of insight. As an introduction to Visual Studies, this course will relate the theoretical and practical study of Visual Culture - from painting, photography, graphic design, architecture, and film - to contemporary life, popular culture, mass media, advertising, and digital media. Some of the topics we will examine include the effects of consumer culture on our habits and surroundings; the impact of communication technologies such as the internet, smartphones, and television on our understanding of the world; the question of identity in subcultures as it is expressed in visual media; the effect of the politics of art production, display, and criticism on contemporary artists. The goal of this class is to develop techniques of critical analysis and interpretation of visual phenomena and to learn to understand the complex social, cultural and political power structures that govern them, connecting texts to contexts.
1.1 Class Format
Classes will consist of lectures, screenings of videos and documentaries, in-class exercises and discussions, online contributions, and student presentations. Students are required to read and discuss different texts, submit written responses for the course blog, write a detailed proposal, write and present in class a final research paper.
1.2 Learning Outcomes
1. Students will develop a general understanding of visual studies:
a. Understand the vocabulary and methods of visual studies;
b. Understand how visual culture affects the representation of identity and difference;
c. Recognize the interdisciplinary nature of visual studies.
2. Students will develop skills for analyzing visual culture from a visual and critical perspective:
a. Ethics: Recognize visual studies as an ideological practice:
b. Critical Analysis: Use principles of visual studies to analyze works of visual culture:
c. Cultural Diversity: Develop an understanding of cultural diversity in relation to the representation and power.
3. Students will develop projects and class presentations using principles of visual studies:
a. Research: Engage in research and organize content in a clear, concise and logical manner;
b. Visual Literacy: Demonstrate the ability to analyze and compare works of visual culture using principles of visual studies;
c. Written, Oral, Visual Communication: Present projects in a professional manner as a final paper and an oral presentation with visual images.
2. Course Requirements
Attendance is mandatory. Students are required to attend the full length of all classes, turn in all assignments, and contribute to the blog. Try to think of class meetings as a resource session in which you can get your questions answered and at the same time, learn what concerns are driving your colleagues. One of the primary goals of this class is to help the students develop a critical eye. This class presents elements of both seminar and lecture courses. As such, students will be asked to provide relevant input, during discussions and in-class critiques. All papers, assignments, presentations, and final projects must be completed on time and in full. No exceptions. Eye Openers carries a significant workload. If you plan to attend this course be prepared to devote several hours per week. Classroom guidelines are illustrated in section 4.
2.1 Course Content: Important notice
The visual culture artifacts we will be covering in this course include some works that are sexually explicit, culturally controversial and/or politically provocative. Some individuals may find these works disturbing or even offensive. Such works are included because they represent significant aspects of visual culture. They present important challenges to artistic conventions, social norms, standards of beauty, and definitions of culture. Students will not be asked to subscribe to any particular definition of visual culture, nor will they be required to like all the works shown. However, if you choose to take this course, you will be expected to understand the issues involved and why they are important. If you have any special concerns, please discuss them with the professor.
2.2 Bibliography
The main text for Eye Openers is:
Rose, Gillian. Visual Methodologies. An Introduction to Researching with Visual Materials. New York: Routledge. 2012, Third Edition.
Additional essays/texts/videos/documentaries – both required and optional – will be provided by the instructor on a weekly basis via the password-protected class blog.
A Writer’s Reference (7th Edition) by Diana Hacker will be our style guide.
2.3 Assignments Overview
Throughout the semester, students will be required to give two presentations and submit three kinds of written assignments. Specifically:
- Weekly assignments (1 page blog contribution, 7 submissions in total);
- Mid-term: Final Project proposal (4 pages);
- Final project (10 page minimum essay).
2.3.1 Weekly Blog Contributions (Monday, September 16 - Monday, October 29, 2013)
Students are required to contribute to the online discussion that supplements in-class participation. Such contribution will take the form of seven written entries to the Eye Openers course blog. Each contribution consists of a posting of approximately 1 page (at least 400 words) reflecting thoughtfully and critically upon the weekly assignment and applying that knowledge to a specific case study provided by the instructor.
In other words, the analysis of a specific visual artifact (e.g. image, installation, artwork, advertisement, billboard, video etc.) should be conducted by applying a specific method of analysis. Evaluative comments (“I like this”, “I hate that”) or colloquialisms are strongly discouraged. Spelling mistakes, typos, and fragmented sentences will result in a lower grade.
Please be aware that the posting should not be a summary of the reading. Students should instead use this opportunity to construct a solid, convincing argument closely related to the topics explored in class and in the readings. Specifically, each entry should accomplish two main objectives:
1) It should demonstrate to the instructor that the student is effectively analyzing a visual example, using the most appropriate set of analytical tools and pertinent language;
2) It should also indicate that students are connecting ideas or information found in the readings, lectures, and/or class discussions to elucidate the case study.
Consider this exercise a form of training for the final project.
All contributions will be posted on the course blog to encourage transparency and to foster the conversation. They will be accompanied by comments, suggestions, and links.
Technical requirements: Each contribution consists of a posting of approximately 1 page (at least 400 words). Required format: Arial Font, Size 12, Spacing 1.5. For the attached electronic version, the paper must be saved as a .RTF or .DOC format. Other formats, e.g. .PDF, are not acceptable.
Submission method: The written assignments must be sent via email to mbittanti@cca.edu on Mondays no later than noon (12 o'clock). The assignment must be a) embedded into the main body of the email, and b) attached to the email. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Evaluation: Blog entries will not receive individual letter grades. Each submission will be given one of the following grades:
√+ [above average]
√ [average]
√- [below average]
I [incomplete/late/missing]
At the end of the semester, each student will receive one letter grade for her/his written contributions as a whole. Any student who receives an "I" grade for more than three submissions (and has no legitimate medical excuse) fails this assignment for the entire semester.
The course blog will be a central feature of this class. Do not underestimate the importance of these assignments.
2.3.2 Final Project (December 10, 2013)
Over the course of the semester, students will complete a research paper of 10 pages minimum, excluding bibliography and footnotes. The paper is designed to help you reflect, analyze, and discuss core themes and ideas encountered in Eye Openers, engaging with primary and secondary materials, and develop a background in the area that will allow you to pursue more in-depth research projects in the future, e.g. a thesis or a dissertation. The final paper require a Midterm proposal and a literature review.
It is essential to discuss your ideas with the instructor before developing and submitting full proposal. It is also a very good idea to look ahead in the syllabus and get started early.
The essay must be critical in nature, that is, analytical and interpretative and not merely descriptive. Students are expected to apply the methods examined in class for a poignant investigation of a visual culture artifact - or series of artifacts.
Moreover, students are STRONGLY encouraged to include images in the final paper, but to make a point, not for mere decorative purposes. Images must be fully examined and referenced in the text. All images must be properly accompanied with proper credits and captions.
Technical requirements: The Final Paper must be formatted in Chicago Style and use the following parameters: Arial Font, Size 12, Spacing 1.5. For the electronic version, the paper must be saved as a .RTF or .DOC format. Other formats, e.g. .PDF, are not acceptable.
Submission method: The final paper must be submitted in two ways: 1) as a printed document handed brevi manu to the instructor on the last day of class and as 2) an electronic file, sent to the instructor via email no later than 4 pm on December 10, 2013. Late papers will not be accepted. Failure to submit the paper on time in both printed and electronic format will result in a “F” grade. All papers will be reviewed and graded within a week.
The Final paper requires a Proposal.
2.3.3 Final Project Proposal (Tuesday, November 12, 2013)
Students must submit a 1500 word (approximately 4 pages) page proposal that provides a detailed description of the final project and outlines plans for research as well as relevant questions and concerns. Like any solid proposal (for a grant or exhibition), this proposal should be persuasive and demonstrate why this project is creative, compelling and worth pursuing.
The four essential elements of the proposal are:
1. A title, subtitle, and description of your object of study, its significance, and the key issues or questions you want to address in your research. Do you have a novel approach or hypothesis? If so, describe it.
2. A concise, tightly-focused review of the scholarly literature on your topic. What are the most significant scholarly contributions in your area of investigation? You must explain how your work will relate to the works you cite.
3. A brief discussion of research methods. What kind of research methods will you use to answer the questions you have posed or to test your hypothesis? Why are those the methods best suited for this case? What will they allow you to discover? Do you need any special resources to complete your research?
4. A timetable. What are the key parts of your project (research, writing, etc.) and by when will you have them completed? What are the milestones?
Technical requirements: The Final Project Proposal is a written document consisting of 1500 words (approximately 4 pages). It must be formatted in Chicago Style and use the following parameters: Arial Font, Size 12, Spacing 1.5. For the electronic version, the paper must be saved as a .RTF or .DOC format. Other formats, e.g. .PDF, are not acceptable.
Submission method: The final paper must be submitted in two ways: 1) as a printed document handed brevi manu to the instructor on Tuesday December 10, 2013; and as 2) an electronic file, sent to the instructor via email no later than 4 pm on Tuesday December 10, 2013.
A graded/reviewed version of the document will be returned to the student within a week.
On November 26, 2013, we will have an in-class discussion, workshop and individual meeting related to your final project. Bring your essay drafts and work-in-progress material for review.
2.3.4 Final Project Presentations (Tuesday, December 3 and Tuesday, December 10, 2013)
During the last two weeks of the semester (December 3 and December 10) students will give a 20-minute formal presentations of their final projects. These presentations must include visual material and should make full use of presentation tools such as Keynote, Powerpoint, SlideRocket, Prezi or other available digital tools. The presentations will be followed by Q&A and class discussion. Students are required to make appropriate arrangements for showing visual material in advance. Students are expected to use their own computer equipment for the presentation: the instructor will not provide a laptop. All students are required to attend the presentations. No make-up presentations.
2.4 Evaluation Criteria
Written assignments will be evaluated on the basis of the Visual Studies Assessment Grid (available here) which includes the following criteria: thorough research; clear, logical, and original arguments; critical and creative analysis of visual material supported by visual examples; serious effort, preparation, and engagement in the subject matter.
Visual presentations will be evaluated on the basis of the students ability to look critically and express their ideas in oral and visual form. The assessment guide is available online: Download Visual Presentation Rubric
Each area of assessment corresponds to the following numeric evaluation:
1 insufficient
2 developing skills
3 proficient skills
4 exceptional skills
3. Measurement of Student Performance
The final grade for Eye Openers will be determined by an evaluation based on the following five areas:
Attendance and Participation 15%
Weekly Written Assignments 25%
Final Project Proposal 15%
Final Project Paper 30%
Final Project Presentation 15%
Please note: If the Final Paper is not submitted, previously assigned grades for both the Final Proposal and Final Presentation will be discarded.