ENG 354 Advanced Electronic Publishing Spring 2008
Prof. Chris Funkhouser (funkhouser@adm.njit.edu)
Tuesday 6-9 p.m. 315 Cullimore
Office Hours (425 Cullimore) Tuesday 3-5 and by appointment

Course description: Follow up of Eng 353, explores information structuring via digital media, and how computer technology has influenced the ways in which information is presented in contemporary culture. Through guided interactive research, presents information for technical, commercial, and artistic use. Projects involve use of HTML editors, NJIT networks, and graphical and animation software.

Course requirements:

• Assignments: Students will complete five individual assignments and one collaborative assignment. Grading on a scale of 1-10. (50% of grade)
• Course Project: Students will engage in a month-long, multi-stage, WWW-based, hypermedia project of their own invention, based on their own interests. (30% of grade)
• Attendance and participation are mandatory. (20% of grade)

Students who have laptops are encouraged to bring them to class.

Jan. 22 Introductions, course/assignment overview, lab assessment.

Assignment 1: Create a Myspace page. Add me to your friends list. Make a list of your favorite and least favorite Myspace pages and write a one page review (about what you do and do not like about these pages); bring to class next week.

Jan. 29 Myspace page review and discussion; Introduction to WWW publishing and Dreamweaver (the basics: program, linking tools, publishing process).

Assignment 2: Using skills acquired in ENG 353, and your own instinctive/intuitive design response to the WWW, create a new NJIT personal homepage.

Feb. 5 Dreamweaver practicum (incorporating media, frames, css); links to templates here (to use for design research).

Assignment 3: Creates a series of three interconnected WWW pages that incorporate frames &/or css &/or media.

Feb. 12 Discuss Assignment 4; Review of works in progress & Studio.

Assignment 4: Students will work collaboratively to re-version ENG 353 publications.

Feb. 19 Introduction to Flash and Flash practicum (incorporating media, text, animation).

Assignment 5: Create a basic 30 second animation.

Feb. 25 Artist Ben Neill will make a research presentation, Cullimore 411, 11:30-1 p.m. Attendance is encouraged.

Feb. 26 Flash animation review and tutorial (animation, interactivity); Studio.

Any Video Converter link.

Assignment 6: Create an interactive animation.

Mar. 4 Flash animation review and tutorial (behaviors; behaviors tutorial for Flash 8 is here); Studio.

Mar. 6 Andrew Klobucar presentation, "If Language Could Talk: Technology, Knowledge and Meaning in Digital Writing," Cullimore 411, 2-3:30 p.m.

Mar. 11 Review of assignments 1-6 (assignments 1-6 should be completed by now).

Mar. 18 S p r i n g B r e a k

Mar. 25 Discuss Course Project & Online Portfolio (both are WWW-based, should include hypermedia, animation).

Gather Project materials.

Apr. 1 Project workshop & Studio:

Project plan is due.

Begin to assemble Project materials.

Apr. 8 Project Studio. Preloader tutorials at:

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/143232

http://www.smartwebby.com/Flash/Flash_simple_preloader.asp

http://www.ollaz.com/flash/preloader.html

http://www.flashkit.com/search.php?term=preloader

Refine Project materials.

Apr. 15 Project Studio.

Apr. 22 Project demonstrations.

Apr. 29 post Online Portfolios. STUDENT PROJECTS & PORTFOLIOS

All course materials must be posted online for grading by May 5.

Note: the NJIT Honor Code will be upheld in this course, and any violations will be brought to the immediate attention of the Dean of Students.