Syllabus

General

We will meet in person once a week on Thursdays from 1:30 to 4:10 in AB 1021. The classes are required and during our sessions we will discuss work, complete assignments, and further our design knowledge. The class is scheduled to run for 15 weeks and you can expect to work for 6 hours outside of class each week.

Prerequisites

AVT 180: New Media in the Creative Arts, AVT 110: Digital Design Studio, or permission of instructor.

Course Description

An introduction to contemporary web design. Students gain hands-on experience with design issues specific to web-based forms as well as begin to write and understand the languages that make the web work.

Overview

Building a website or web application is a multi-disciplinary design process that encompasses visual design, interface design, interaction design, content development, coding, as well as business strategy. Exceptional web design is attentive to these different facets whether it is viewed from the perspective of product design, graphic design, or industrial design. Every student stretches themselves in this course.

This hands-on course teaches students how to conceive, prototype, design, and build websites. In order to better understand the possibilities and constraints of browser-based design, participants of this course learn how to build websites using modern web standards. This is not a course that will teach students about building websites that use a CMS or framework like Wordpress, Squarespace, Bootstrap, or similar tools. All projects in this course will be coded from scratch.

Participants should finish the course with a working knowledge of HTML and CSS, improved web imaging, layout, and typography skills, and familiarity with more technical facets like jQuery and responsive design.

Objectives

Textbook

The textbook for this course is available for purchase/rent on Amazon and other online retailers but is also available as a digital copy through the Mason library. Instructions on how to access the digital copy are on Blackboard. There is also an associated website for the book at learningwebdesign.com

Learning Web Design: A Beginner’s Guide to HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Web Graphics 5th edition by Jennifer Niederst Robbins ISBN: 978-1-491-96020-2

Programs

There are many different programs available to use for the work in this class. The programs I will be using are highlighted but alternatives are also listed.

design

Adobe XD, Figma, Sketch, Illustrator, Lunacy. We will not be using Photoshop for design tool.

coding

Sublime Text, Brackets, or other approved text editor. We will not be using Dreamweaver, Notepad, or TextEdit as a code editor in this course.

other

Github Desktop (updating your website), Chrome, Safari, or Firefox (viewing your website. Internet Explorer is not an acceptable browser for this class).

Work

This course consists of many shorter exercises, a few longer projects, quizzes, and discussion requirements. The exercises are to begin to familiarize students with specific concepts and ideas and the projects are a synthesis of the concepts and ideas we will cover. Quizzes will review information from the lessons and the discussion posts will be used for critiques and analysis of relevant topics.

project 1: linking narrative

The structure of a website is equally as important as the design of a website. Getting from page X to page Y needs to be intuitive and simple. This structure also needs to be reflected on the back end. Create a site that takes the user through a narrative using text, links, and multiple pages. More information here.

project 2: website for a [blank]

Students will conceptualize, plan, and design a multipage website using one of several provided topics. The project will build off of the weekly lessons and end at a design for a responsive website. Each students project will be unique in content and form but be based on the same set of requirements. More information here.

Discussion of Work

You will need to take an active role in both the presentation and discussion of your work. We will review projects in a variety of ways and you are expected to be able to talk and write about your own work and give feedback to your peers about their work. The ability to discuss your work and other student’s work is a very important part of your education at Mason. Use this class to improve on those skills.

Communication

Your ability to communicate with me is of prime importance in this course. If you are going to be absent, late, or not have your work, it will be your best interest in communicating those things to me in advance. I do not need to know your reasons for being absent, late, or not having your work but I do need to know. A simple, short email will be fine.

The same goes for if you are struggling in this class or having other issues that are hindering your ability to complete work in this class. The more you keep me in the loop the more I can help you and adjust as needed.

Attendance

There is no specific attendance grade for this class, it is tied together with your engagement grade outlined below. However, if you miss four or more classes you will automatically fail the class unless you have communicated with me prior to the fourth absence.

Engagement

This course has an engagement policy. Your engagement will affect your final grade (and, by extension, the quality of your work). You are expected to actively and passionately take part in this course in the following ways.

Grading

Grades will be based on your quizzes (10%), engagement (25%), exercises (25%), and projects (40%).

Quizzes (10%)

Each week will have a 5 question quiz that you can use any resources available to you on and take as many times as you want until the quiz is due.

Participation (25%)

This percentage will be based on your engagement in the class. Be engaged in this course and its content and this should be an easy 25%.

Exercises (25%)

The exercises are meant to be quicker, skill building tasks that improve your projects and design knowledge.

Projects (40%)

Each project will generate two different grades. One grade will be based on your week to week process and the second grade will be based on the final submission. At the end of the semester you will have 4 total project grades that are all weighted equally for this 40%.

Late Work

Late work will be accepted for three weeks after a deadline with the exception of the final project which will be due at the end of the semester. There is a section on the rubrics showing how late work is factored into the assignment grade.

Rubrics

Rubrics are used to grade exercises, projects, and checkpoints. The rubrics are on the last pages of the PDF syllabus and tied to each submission on Blackboard. The rubrics are here to allow you to understand how work is graded and to reference while working to self-evaluate.

Weekly Schedule

Class is on Thursdays from 1:30–4:10. Most days we will meet for the entire time but some weeks we will have individual meetings or end early. Some classes will be work days so make sure to bring things to work on each class. Unless otherwise specified, all work is due at the beginning of class.

A note—Time management is an important skill to master and should be worked on all your classes. Staying up all night working is not a badge of honor, it typically means you didn’t budget your time correctly. Staying up all night isn’t healthy and making sure you are keeping yourself healthy is your first priority.

Semester Schedule

The schedule on this site is an outline of what we will be covering this spring with due dates. It is subject to additions, subtractions, and shifts.

Open Studio

The design faculty will be hosting open studio hours in room 1023. When the open studio is open, you will have access to computers, a space to work, or get feedback and help from the faculty member in the room. The schedule will be posted on the door of 1023 and online at art.gmu.edu/open-studio.

Visual Voices Lecture Series

Voices is a year-long series of lectures by artists, art historians and others about contemporary art and art practice. Visual Voices lectures are held on four Thursday evenings from 4:45–6:30 pm. More information on the lecture series.

School of Art Social Media Accounts

Covid Protocols and Face Coverings

Face coverings are OPTIONAL, with some exceptions:

Official Communications via Mason e-mail

Students are responsible for the content of university communications sent to their George Mason University e-mail account and are required to activate their account and check it regularly. All communication from the university, college, school, and program will be sent to students solely through their Mason e-mail account.

Students with Disabilities and Learning Differences

Students with disabilities who seek accommodations in a course must be registered with the George Mason University Office of Disability Services (ODS) and inform their instructor, in writing, at the beginning of the semester.

Attendance Policies

Students are expected to attend the class periods of the courses for which they register. In-class (including sections that meet online) participation is important not only to the individual student, but also to the class as a whole. Because class participation may be a factor in grading, instructors may use absence, tardiness, or early departure as de facto evidence of non-participation. Students who miss an exam with an acceptable excuse may be penalized according to the individual instructor’s grading policy, as stated in the course syllabus.

Honor Code

To promote a stronger sense of mutual responsibility, respect, trust, and fairness among all members of the George Mason University Community and with the desire for greater academic and personal achievement, we, the student members of the university community, have set forth this Honor Code: Student Members of the George Mason University community pledge not to cheat, plagiarize, steal, or lie in matters related to academic work. Honor Code

Responsible Employee Disclosure

As a faculty member, I am designated as a “Responsible Employee,” and must report all disclosures of sexual assault, interpersonal violence, and stalking to Mason’s Title IX Coordinator per University Policy 1202. If you wish to speak with someone confidentially, please contact one of Mason’s confidential resources, such as Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC) at 703-380-1434 or Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at 703-993-2380. You may also seek assistance from Mason’s Title IX Coordinator by calling 703-993-8730, or emailing titleix@gmu.edu

Commitment to Diversity

This class will be conducted as an intentionally inclusive community that celebrates diversity and welcomes the participation in the life of the university of faculty, staff and students who reflect the diversity of our plural society. All may feel free to speak and to be heard without fear that the content of the opinions they express will bias the evaluation of their academic performance or hinder their opportunities for participation in class activities. In turn, all are expected to be respectful of each other without regard to race, class, linguistic background, religion, political beliefs, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, ethnicity, age, veteran’s status, or physical ability.

Important Deadlines:

Once the add and drop deadlines have passed, instructors do not have the authority to approve requests from students to add or drop/withdraw late. Requests for late adds (up until the last day of classes) must be made by the student in the School of Art office (or the office of the department offering the course), and generally are only approved in the case of a documented university error (such as a problem with financial aid being processed), LATE ADD fee will apply. Requests for non-selective withdrawals and retroactive adds (adds after the last day of classes) must be approved by the academic dean of the college in which the student’s major is located. For AVT majors, that is the CVPA Office of Academic Affairs in College Hall.

Technology Requirements

Note that this course requires/strongly recommends the use of Adobe Creative Cloud applications. If you do not already have an Adobe license and are interested in purchasing one or have an Adobe license and need to renew it, please visit this link. If you cannot afford an Adobe license, you may submit a request for funding to the Student Emergency Assistance Fund. Please visit this link to apply. Please note that the Adobe license agreement is on an annual basis.

The Collaborative Learning Hub Located in Johnson Center 311 (703-993-3141), the lab offers in-person one-on-one support for the Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, Blackboard, and a variety of other software. Dual monitor PCs make the lab ideal for collaborating on group projects, Macs are also available, as well as a digital recording space, collaborative tables, and a SMART Board. Reservations are strongly encouraged due to COVID-19 precautions and limited amounts of resources, but walk-ins will still be accepted so long as the occupancy of the lab does not exceed the maximum of 16 people details here.

Writing Center and Library Resources

Students who need intensive help with grammar, structure or mechanics in their writing should make use of the services of Writing Center. For Spring 2024, the Writing Center is holding all sessions online, with writers choosing between meeting their tutor in real time on Zoom or uploading a draft for their tutor’s written feedback. Please send your questions to wcenter@gmu.edu

Provisions Research Center for Art & Social Change is in Room L001 of the Art & Design Building. This student resource assists students in exploring and engaging new models for artmaking that lead to a more inclusive, equitable, and connected society. Provisions is also a hub for developing art projects through Mason Exhibitions, the Mural Brigade, and art partners throughout the metropolitan area, and beyond. Contact Don Russell for more information: drusse10@gmu.edu

Art and Art History Librarian, Stephanie Grimm, will offer appointments and virtual office hours for the Spring 2024 semester: details

Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)

CAPS provides a wide range of free services to students. CAPS offers crisis, counseling, and psychiatric services virtually, and limited services in person. Services are provided by a staff of licensed clinical psychologists, licensed professional counselors, licensed social workers, doctoral-level trainees, and a board-certified psychiatrist. Our individual and group counseling, workshops, and community education programs are designed to enhance students’ personal experience and academic performance. For distance learners, please see our Resources for Distance Learning page. We also provide consultation to faculty and staff who have concerns about a student.

CAPS provides short-term mental health services for enrolled students. When a student’s needs require a different level of care, CAPS works with students to transition care to community providers. If a student is currently seeing a professional in the community for therapy and can continue to work with them, we encourage the student to continue care with their current provider.

To begin services with CAPS, please call us at 703-993-2380 during our business hours. Due to the rise in COVID cases, we are only offering services via telehealth during this time.

If you are experiencing a crisis after our business hours or on weekends or holidays, please call us at 703-993-2380. Please select option 1 in our phone system to be connected to an after-hours crisis counselor.

If you are interested in connecting with a provider in the community for long term counseling, please visit our Find a Community Provider page for our database of community provider options and other options for connecting with a therapist. If you have student health insurance through Aetna, you may also choose to access services through TelaDoc.

Student Support and Advocacy Center

The Student Support and Advocacy Center assists students who are encountering a life crisis or significant barriers that impact their academic and personal success and/or overall functioning. Our goal through individual consultations is to best understand the student’s situation, answer questions, provide guidance, and make connections to appropriate on and off-campus resources. For more information, please visit this website.

Land Acknowledgment

At the place George Mason University occupies, we give greetings and thanksgivings to these Potomac River life sources, the Doeg ancestors, who Virginia annihilated in violent campaigns while ripping their lands apart with the brutal system of African American enslavement, to the recognized Virginia tribes who have lovingly stewarded these lands for millennia including the Rappahannock, Pamunkey, Upper Mattaponi, Chickahominy, Eastern Chickahominy, Nansemond, Monacan, Mattaponi, Patawomeck, and Nottaway, past, present, and future, and to the Piscataway tribes, who have lived on both sides of the river from time immemorial.

Statement on Ethics in Teaching and Practicing Art and Design

As professionals responsible for the education of undergraduate and graduate art and design students, the faculty of the School of Art adheres to the ethical standards and practices incorporated in the professional Code of Ethics of our national accreditation organization, The National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

Anti-racism Statement

The School of Art plays an integral role in building an educational environment that is committed to anti-racism and inclusive excellence. An anti-racist approach to higher education acknowledges the ways that individual, interpersonal, institutional, and structural manifestations of racism against Black, Indigenous, and other people of color contribute to inequality and injustice in our classrooms, on our campuses, and in our communities. It strives to provide our community members with resources to interrupt cycles of racism so as to cultivate a more equitable, inclusive, and just environment for all of our students, staff, faculty, alumni, and friends, regardless of racial background. An anti-racism approach is an active and ongoing, long-term process. In all our efforts, we uphold a commitment to creating honest, respectful, supportive, and healing spaces where members of our community can meaningfully dialogue and learn from each other’s lived experiences for the betterment of our entire community.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Inspired by mass actions and worldwide protests demanding racial justice, CVPA’s Arts in Context continues the Kritikos Anti-Racist Reading Group this semester, moderated by Mason faculty members Jessica Kallista and Kristin Johnsen-Neshati, with help from co-organizers, Cynthia Fuchs, Jordan McRae, and Sang Nam.

Members of the community are called to meet in Spring 2024 for a 90-minute session once a week with a goal of long-term commitment to relationship building, awareness, reimagining, transformation, and action, around anti-racist practices, racial justice, and the creation of conversations as well as systems of compassion and healing. We continue to focus on anti-Black racism and its effects on society.

Grounded in the knowledge that it is not a question of whether we are racist, but rather, how racism is expressed and experienced in ourselves, our lives, our behaviors, and our institutions, we explore books, music, art, essays, podcasts, and documentaries that allow us to critically question and consider our roles as artists, thinkers, citizens, and creatives in a society founded on racist values and practices. A schedule of sessions will be available here.