Syllabus :: DMA 408 : Capstone :: Fall, 2008
DMA learning and skills will culminate in a final project and portfolio. Critique will be a major focus, through in-class and written evaluation of peer work.
Students will develop a project of their own choice, or for an outside client. Service learning projects are strongly recommended in this course, and Sr. Pat Brady will present several projects available through service learning. Students will complete a professional quality portfolio and present it to an appropriate professional during a mock interview.
- Storage device (CD-ROMs, external drives, etc.)
- Sketchbook/Notebook
- Drawing materials-pencils, markers, erasers, etc.
- Portfolio case (minimum 11"x14")
- Blank DVDs/CDs
- High-quality laser printing paper for portfolio examples and stationery.
| Grade item | QPs | Quantity | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capstone project interim grade | 100 | 1 | 100 |
| Capstone project final grade | 300 | 1 | 300 |
| Portfolio | 400 | 1 | 400 |
| Research Paper/Contest Entry | 100 | 1 | 100 |
| Mock Interview (including resume/cover letter design) | 100 | 1 | 100 |
| TOTAL QPs | 1000 | ||
| Total QPs for Class | Final Grade (Total points divided by 10 and converted to a letter grade) |
|---|---|
| 925-1000 | A |
| 895-924 | A- |
| 865-894 | B+ |
| 825-864 | B |
| 795-824 | B- |
| 765-794 | C+ |
| 725-764 | C |
| 695-724 | C- |
| 595-694 | D |
| <595 | F |
Note: In the event that there are fewer or more than 1000 qps for the class, grades will be weighted. For example, if he maximum number of QPs ends up being 900, grades will be multiplied by 1.1 to yield 1000 QPs.
Grades are based on quality and effort. Late assignments will not be acceptable after two weeks, and will be penalized. Folders submitted to my drop box and are timestamped, meaning I can see the date they were submitted. Resubmitted assignments are acceptable until the final exam, meaning that grades can be adjusted if the resubmitted work shows improvement.
Grades of 2. This means I either can't open your files, lost your files, or see a major problem with your work. Check Blackboard constantly for your grades. As soon as you see a 2, see me so we can clear it up. If a 2 is not addressed within 1 week after it appears, it becomes a 0 and will not be changed.
Assignments may be resubmitted until the last day of the semester for grade reconsideration, as long as the first version was handed in on time. Grades will drop by 2 QPs for every day the assignment is late. If an assignment is at all late, it CANNOT be resubmitted.
Back up your files. "My hard drive died, I dropped my flash drive in a puddle, My computer got a virus" and the like are unacceptable excuses. You MUST ALWAYS keep two current copies of everything you do. There are many viable sources for backup-your portable drive, your home computer/laptop, Chupacabra, GMail.
Websites will be served in either your sites folder on Chupacabra or your public_html folder on WLAB. When submitting a website project, the site must be dropped off in my dropbox, as well as available via a link on your web space (http://wlab.canisius.edu/~username or http://dma.canisius.edu/~username)
See my Lab Notes for more detailed instruction on submitting work.
- Talking via cell phones is not permitted in class
- Text-messaging via cell phones, Instant Messenger, chat rooms, etc. is not permitted in class
- Web surfing and listening to music is not allowed during lectures and discussions but is allowed during lab work if the web surfing is relevant to a class assignment and the music listening is done with headphones.
- Treat people respectfully. Working together and asking questions of each other is encouraged. Please communicate with respect regarding technical and personal differences. Diversity of thought, culture and creativity will be encouraged.
- Do not bring food or drink into the classroom
- Do not touch the screens with your fingers
- Eyestrain, muscle and joint aches are common ailments that result from long hours working at the computer. Get up from the computer to take frequent breaks to give your body a rest. Alert the instructor if you are feeling any pain in your wrists or having any symptoms related to bad computer posture.
Participation grades will be largely based on classwordk assignments. During lecture/demo classes, students will be expected to follow along and produce work that reflects their learning. If you are not in class, you will not be able to complete classwork.