This course serves as the capstone of the Digital Arts and Sciences degree programs.
To develop a production (defined below) worthy of a graduating senior of the DAS degree programs. It is anticipated that DPS4 student projects should be encouraged for public dissemination. In this fashion, selected projects may serve future generations of students, as well as informing the public at large about the diversity and quality of projects possible in Digital Arts and Sciences.
It is envisioned that DPS 4 is where students actually create a meaningful product born of Art-CS synergy, and so it is primarily about "process" and not a course where specific skills are taught or communicated. Such skills are covered in DPS 1 and 2. Instead, skills that are needed in DPS 4 can be based on an "on demand" basis, as suggested by the students or DPS faculty.
| Name | Office | Office Hours | Phone | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dave Small | dts@cise.ufl.edu | CSE E422 | -tba- | 392-6839 | |
| Arturo Sinclair | arturo@kidsrule.com cc: to asinclair@quaxar.com |
-tba- | -tba- | -tba- | |
Think of this course as your senior project--your goal is to define and create a production worthy of your considerable talents. Because you will be devoting so much time and effort, you are strongly encouraged to choose something that is not only educational, but with which you'll have fun.
Digital Arts and Sciences, defines production as the act of producing, and recognizes that productions are more diverse than digital media productions. The only criterion for a production is that it is a product resulting from the synergy of two or more disciplines. Currently we work within two different disciplines, art and computer science, but the plan is that other disciplines will be involved in this synergy. Examples of productions include, but are not limited to, hypermedia fiction; information, model and scientific visualizations; semi-automatically generated physical sculptures, paintings, and sketches, that are in some way created or treated differently than they would be in a traditional art studio course; computer music software; musical compositions; multi-media theatrical performances; interactive 3D games; and videos. The content can be digital media, but also might be a software program; a non-digital physical artwork; a research paper, based on research and explorations that are outside the traditional mode; or any other physical result stemming from interdisciplinary synergy. The Digital Arts and Science programs offer diversity in content as well as process, and the content of DPS productions is not limited to digital media.
Students will propose their own projects. If instructor assistance is needed in the proposal phase, the instructors, in consultation with each other, and other colleagues as appropriate and desired, will assist students in brainstorming project proposals. Students may work alone or in teams to produce their project. Part of the project proposal will include outcomes for display and review. The instructors will serve more as resources, guides, to provide assistance and expertise as needed rather than as overseers of projects.
As a class--that is, everyone at once--we anticipate meeting only a few times during the semester (dates will be announced in advance on the course website). You are expected to work an average of 9-12 hours per week on your project and free to do so when and where ever best suits your needs.
We will be meeting with you individually (and with project groups) on a weekly basis to provide guidance and monitor your progress. These meetings will be by regularly scheduled appointment.
During the semester you will submit material to the instructors for their approval. Some deliverables may require presentation to the entire class.
Due to the diversity of possible productions, final grades will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Factors that will be considered shall include:
Credits: 3 hours
Meeting time & place: TR 8-10 in MCCB G108
Homepage: http://www.cise.ufl.edu/~dts/dps4/
Prerequisites: DPS 3
Final production due: 4/17
Final production crits: 4/17 and 4/22
You are expected to attend all class meetings. You are responsible for all materials covered and announcements made in the class meetings. Should you miss class, it is your responsibility to determine what you missed from your fellow students -- lectures will not be repeated. We will be glad to help you resolve any question you may have, but only if you have first studied the material you acquired from another student.
To foster a positive learning environment, you are expected to behave in a professional, courteous manner during class. Arrive on time. Turn off cellphones and other disruptive devices. Stay focused on class activities--engaging in non-class related activities (e.g., checking e-mail, IMing, surfing the web, having non-class related conversations) is prohibited. Failure to abide by these guidelines will--without further warning--adversely affect your grade.
As a rule: there are no make-ups. In certain unusual cases approved by the instructor -- e.g., jury duty, military service, documented illness, etc. -- accommodations will be made. It is the student's responsibility to immediately contact the instructor and supply documentation in a timely manner.
Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the instructor when requesting accommodations. Students who will be requesting accommodations must notify the instructor during the first week of class that they shall be making the request and provide the documentation in a timely manner.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. Unless otherwise explicitly stated, assignments are individual projects. You are expected to do your own work; individuals who misrepresent work as being their own, submit fabricated data, or otherwise engage in anti-intellectual behavior will be dealt with severely and reported to the Office for Student Judicial Affairs. You may freely use any code presented in the textbook, provided by your instructor, or authored by yourself. You are prohibited from using code from any other source without written permission from the instructor. Remember, sharing your work with another student is a violation of the honor code. For more information consult the Academic Honesty Guidelines section of the University of Florida's Student Guide at http://oss.ufl.edu/STG/
Our goal is simple: to help you learn -- both inside and outside the classroom. If you have questions, there is no excuse for not getting help. Arturo and Dave hold office hours just for the purpose of helping you, either one-on-one or in small groups. No matter how busy we may look, during office hours, you have priority over everything else. If you have a problem or question, come by and we'll talk about it -- don't put it off.
This document is subject to revision as needed. All modifications will be noted in this section.