Digital Multimedia Arts Minor (proposed)

 

 

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Update! — Fall 2011 (see below or click here)

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DIGITAL MULTIMEDIA ARTS MINOR

The Digital Multimedia Arts Minor provides instruction for students in digital multimedia technologies.   Throughout the program, the concepts and methodologies of the arts and humanities will be brought to bear on digital multimedia technologies in order to deepen students' understanding of and engagement with information technologies.  The minor features integrated courses selected from multiple departments to provide theoretical and practical exploration in digital multimedia arts. 

For more information about the Digital Multimedia Arts Minor, contact any of the following faculty:

• Jeff Nyhoff, Computer Science — digital media and Web;
• Jennifer Steensma Hoag, Art — photography;
• David Leugs, CAS — theatre, scenic and lighting design;
• Brian Fuller, CAS — video and audio production;
• Frank Speyers, Art — graphic design;
• Keith Vander Linden, Computer Science — software design.

Program Description    (18-23 semester hours)

• Required Courses:

• IS 151             Computing Presentations (1) °
• IS 153             Computing With the Internet (1) †
  
  
  
• One course involving digital media programming/scripting, such as:
  
  
  • An approved Interim course. (3)
  • Independent study (3)
  • CS 108         Intro to Computing (4)
    
    

• Electives:

• Five or more of the following, with no more than two from any one department:

  ARTS 255     Communication Design I (3)
  ARTS 256     Introduction to Photography (3)
  ARTS 316     Digital Photography (3)
  ARTS 305     Communication Design II (3)
  CAS 190       Introduction to Video Production (4)
  CAS 249       Audio Design and Aesthetics (3)
  CAS 250       Multi-Camera Production (3)
  CAS 290       Video Production II (3)
  CS 108         Intro to Computing (4)
  CS 262         Software Engineering (3)
  CS  352        Computer Graphics (3)
  IS 337          Introduction to Website Administration (3)
  An approved Interim course. (3)

  The above courses contain a significant degree of creative, theoretical, and practical explorations of digital media technologies and lend themselves to the interdisciplinary integration that is the aim of this minor.  All students will have taken any prerequisites before taking any of the above courses, unless an exception is formally arranged with the instructor.  Students will also adhere to college policy regarding overlap between major and minor programs of study.

• Course Contracts:

  With advisor approval, a student may also fulfill a required elective through any course in which the instructor requires or is willing to accept a substantive amount of theoretical and practical artistic exploration of digital multimedia as part of the course work.

° IS 151 is in the process of being renamed "Multimedia Technologies."

† IS 153 is in the process of being renamed "Web Authoring."

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Update: Fall 2011

Calvin's Provost, Dr. Claudia Beversluis, has made it known that getting the Digital Multimedia Arts Minor made official at Calvin is one of her top priorities for the 2011-2012 academic year.

There is even growing support for also introducing a major of this sort!

The interdisciplinary faculty committee for this committee continues to meet and communicate with each other and with faculty in other departments to enable this to finally happen. 

As reported in the May 2011 update (below), there seems to be new interest and possibilities in the Music department that, we hope, will lead to inclusion of some of their courses as options in the DMA Minor as well.

There is even growing support for also introducing a major of this sort!

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Update: May, 2011

The Digital Multimedia Arts minor proposal went to Calvin's Faculty Senate for approval on May 2, 2011.  

At that meeting, the consensus in the Senate was that there were some additions and clarifications that would benefit the proposal before it is officially approved. 

This is actually good news, I believe.

For example, the representative from the Music department indicated that their department would really like to make arrangments for one or more of their courses to be among the electives listed below.  This is very exciting news, because the committee had really wanted for this to be the case but hadn't previously been able to obtain such a commitment from the Music Department.

Also, one of the faculty representatives Calvin's Communication Arts & Sciences (CAS) department offered to allow its newly created course, "New Media" (CAS 201) to be part of the proposed DMA Minor.  Frankly, I was surprised it wasn't included in the first place!

So, while this means that this minor is still not yet "official," the Faculty Senate meeting also demonstrated that there is very strong support for this proposed minor, giving all the more reason to be confident that the Digital Multimedia Arts Minor will soon be officially offered by Calvin — hopefully, starting already in the early Fall 2011 semester.

But you certainly don't have to wait to start this minor! After all, this minor proposal came about because a growing number of Calvin students have been, essentially, already doing this minor, by combining the following courses related to digital media from the multiple departments in which they are found at Calvin.  If you would like to do so as well, here are some suggestions for how to get started :

• Take IS 151, asap. 
  
  
  • Currently called "Computing Presentations," IS 151 is being officially retitled "Multmedia Technologies." 
    
    
  • This used to be the old "PowerPoint" course, but it has become (especially starting in Fall 2011) an introduction to digital media :
    
    
    • "bitmap" images — concepts of digital photos and manipulating them (using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Fireworks) ;
      
      
    • "vector" graphics — the combinations of geometric shapes that form the basis of illustrations, interactive web pages, digital animation, and videogames (using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Fireworks, Adobe Flash)
      
      
    • basics of digital audio and video (using Audacity and other software)
      
      
    • an introduction to easy, fun programming/scripting "code" to enable animation and interactivity, on the desktop and on the web (using Processing and Flash's ActionScript)
      
      
  • If you aren't being allowed to register because you haven't taken IDIS 110 prerequisite, let me know, and I will arrange to get you added to IS 151. 
    
    
  • When/if you do take IDIS 110, you might want to take it with me: I've begun doing a lot of digital media examples in my sections of IDIS 110! :-)
    
    
    
• After IS 151, take IS 153.
  
  
  • Currently called "Computing with the Internet," IS 153 is being officially retitled "Web Authoring." 
    
    
  • This course will take you beyond simple HTML and Dreamweaver.
    
    
  • With the emergence of "HTML5" , which I am introducing into IS 153, web authoring is increasingly involving more complex interactivity and multimedia.  Thus, you will find it helpful to take IS 151 before taking IS 153.
    
    
  • But, if it would work better for your schedule to take IS 153 before IS 151, that will work, too.
    
    
    
• Check with me before taking CS 108 .
  
  
  • If you have done some computer programming before and/or think you might be good at programming, CS 108 would be a great course to take.   
    
    
  • However, for students not majoring in Computer Science or Information Systems, CS 108 should be considered to be an advanced course.
    
    
  • Other options:
    
    
    • In Fall 2011, as an alternative to CS 108, I am hoping to offer a guided indpendent study course will take a more art/design-oriented introduction to programming & scripting for digital media. 
      
      Contact me asap if you are interested in this doing this course! :-)
      
      
    • I have been offering an Interim course each year that will fulfill the programming requirement of the DMA Minor. In January 2012, this course will be:
      
      Computer Games as Theatre
      
      

Remember also: an interdisciplinary major of this type is already an option for any Calvin student!

As always, please feel free to contat me if you have any other questions, whether you are a current Calvin student or are considering attending Calvin! :-)

Jeff Nyhoff <jnyhoff@calvin.edu>

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