Q: How will the class be conducted?
A: Online, of course. While some online courses have 'synchronous' sessions (via Zoom), this class is planned for the 'asynchronous' format. This class website, located at http://karlcleveland.com/190, is the primary source of content and resources for the class. It will have links to everything else. MiraCosta's learning management system, Canvas, will be used for used for online discussions, announcements, and the grade book. Instructor-created instructional videos and other class material will be available on the class website. Additional instructional videos will be available to you through Dan Shiffman (and the Coding Train YouTube Channel). Class assignments, videos, support materials, links and resources, and reading will be posted to the class website each week.

Q: How do I find out what I should be doing in the class?
A: Review the tasks listed in the schedule section of the class website. The tasks include instructions about what to do and links to resources and content. New tasks will be added each week. You are responsible for completing each of the tasks listed (unless it is a "recommended" task). In addition to the primary tasks listed, there will often be a listing of alternative and/or supplemental tasks that are optional, but recommended if you wish to supplement your learning or explore class topics in greater depth.

Q: How often do I need to check the class websites? When will new material be posted and when are projects and exercises due?
A: I will run this online class from Wednesday to Wednesday (as if we "meet" on Wednesday). New tasks and course material will be added to the class website on a weekly basis (ie. weekly modules will be added). Most projects and exercises will be due on Wednesdays (but there may be some exceptions, so pay attention to the listed due dates). All work is due before midnight (by 11:59 p.m.) on the date that it is due. To keep up with the class schedule, you will need to check the class website frequently.

Q: Is the class a lot of work?
A: Yes, there is a fair amount of work. You’ll need to be dedicated to the class, check in frequently with the class material, and try not to procrastinate.

Q: How is the online class different from the on-the-ground course?
A: I make every effort to deliver the same quality course online as I offer on the ground. The course content is functionally the same and students in both the online section and on-the-ground section complete the same exercises and projects. However, online students must be motivated to be independent learners. I will provide a plethora of resources to help you learn creative code, animation and interactive design, but I cannot force you to utilize these resources or keep up with the course content. On-the-ground students have the benefit of a weekly class session to keep them on track. Online students must be self-motivated to stay on track. It is recommended that you set aside a block of time on a weekly basis in which you can engage in the course material, similar to how an on-the-ground student would come to class each week (i.e. put it on your schedule!).

If you are new to online learning, you may be interested in MiraCosta's Student Orientation to Online Learning programs. The current schedule is available here.

Q: Are there any tests or quizzes in the class?
A: No. You will demonstrate your knowledge and engagement through completing class exercises and projects and submitting your code/sketch library.

Q: What software is needed for the course and what version of the software will we need?
A: We will use Adobe Animate CC and perhaps other software from Adobe. Dreamweaver or Brackets can be useful. The latest version of Animate CC is preferred and recommended, but it is possible to satisfy course requirements with older versions of the software. We will also be using open source coding libraries (not software per se) including p5.js, p5.play and the coding editor at p5js.org.

Q: Do I need to buy the software or is it available for me to use on campus?
A: Copies of Animate CC, Photoshop CC, and the rest of the Adobe Creative Cloud tools will be available in the Library (HUB) on both the Oceanside and San Elijo campuses. There also will be open lab ours in the Media Arts and Technologies classrooms on campus (see the schedule here). So, you do have the option of working in the library or our labs. Moreover, we will not use Adobe software for most of the course, but rather focus on the p5.js framework which is free and open source.

Q: How much is the software? Where should I buy it if I want to?
A: The Foundation for California Community Colleges offers the best deal through http://store.collegebuys.org. The cheapest option is to buy a six-month subscription (which will suffice for our class) for $49.99, but 12-month subscriptions are also avaialble for $99.98. This pricing is available only to participating Community Colleges, and as a MiraCosta student, you are eligible. Traditionally, Adobe offers student (education) subscriptions to their Creative Cloud for $19.99/month (with an annual commitment). Creative Cloud subscriptions include access to nearly every application that Adobe makes, including Animate, Dreamweaver, and Photoshop. Once you have a membership, you can download any application you wish to use and install it on your computers (you do not need to be online to use the software). If you intend to take several classes in the Media Arts & Technologies (MAT) department, having access to the full creative cloud software suite on your own computer is useful.

Q: The cheapest price at College Buys requires a .edu email address. Can I get one of those from MiraCosta?
A: Yes. Students can now get .edu email addresses from MiraCosta College (as well as free access to Microsoft Office 365). To get your email, simply 1) Sign into SURF, 2) Click "Message Center", 3) Click "Office 365 Welcome Email" which is where you will find your student.miracosta.edu email address. For more information on Email and Office 365 see the Student Office 365 FAQ on the MiraCosta website.

Q: Is there any other software (besides Animate) that I will need for the course?
A: Yes. You will also need an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) program to upload files to the MAT web server. You can use Dreamweaver for this (if you have it) or an FTP client such as FileZilla, WinSCP, or Fugu. You can download the free FileZilla FTP client here: http://filezilla-project.org/. Lastly, Animate CC does have tools for creating graphics and very simple audio and video editing capabilities. However, it is designed as an authoring tool for creating animation and time-based, interactive multimedia content. Most designers will create and edit their graphic and a/v content elsewhere and then import these assets into Animate. Thus, software such as Photoshop and Illustrator can be very useful (and integrate nicely with Animate), but will not be required (as you can create your graphics in Animate too).

Q: What is Canvas and how will we use it?
A: Class conversations will be conducted within the Canvas learning management system. You can use the Canvas to connect with your fellow students (and the instructor), ask questions, provide critiques, get feedback, see your grades, and more. I will not host lecture/tutorial content within Canvas, however. That material will be on the class website.

Q: Does participation on Canvas count towards our grade? How do you grade for class participation?
A: Yes. Your participation in the Forum Discussions on Canvas count towards your class "participation" grade in the class. Class participation is 12% of your grade. In general, to earn a 'C' in class participation, students must at least participate in all project critiques and blog postings. To earn a 'B' a student will additionally participate in class conversations within the Canvas site (including Q &A), leave comments for other student posts, ask questions or share insights, and leave impressions (or other feedback) about exercises or work in progress. To earn an 'A', a student will do all of the above robustly and thoughtfully. And, I sometimes (depending on the quality of the answer or contribution) give extra credit to students to who beat me to the answer of questions on Canvas and/or contribute particularly useful or meaningful thoughts and answers.

Q: What if I have a technical problem or question about Animate?
A: Ask it. There is a Question and Answer (Q & A) category in the Forum discussions on Canvas. I will be frequently checking for these questions (as will your classmates). Of course, you can e-mail me too, but there are several reasons that Canvas is a better forum for most of your questions. One, the answer to your question could benefit other students. Secondly, I might not be available right away to answer your question, and it may be answered sooner by a classmate who had the same problem (and solved it).

Q: Is there a book for the class?
A: Yes. It's Make: Getting Started with p5.js : Making Interactive Graphics in JavaScript and Processing by Lauren McCarthy, Casey Reas, and Ben Fry. This book and other optional titles listedin the syllabus can be accessed for free through the College Library via O'Reilly (formerly Safari) Books Online.

Q: How can I find out my grades in the class?
A: Login to Canvas and click on the Grades link.

Q: How do I turn in my work?
A: You will turn in your work by uploading it to the MAT web server using SFTP (for details on how to use an FTP client and login to the server see FTP Info for the MAT Server ). In general, you will create an 'exercise' folder for each exercise and upload this folder (with all source and dependent files included) to turn in your work.

Q: Can I redo my projects to improve my grade and/or for extra credit?
A: Students turning in projects on time can request to redo the project for some extra credit. The extra credit they earn is up to 1/2 of the missed points on the project/exercise. For example, a student getting 80 out of 100 on an exercise can earn up to 10 extra credit points for a redo... (20 missed points x 1/2). Essentially, I regrade the project, divide the difference of the two grades by 2, and then add that many points as extra credit. You'll notice that with this formula, it behooves you to do quality work from the get go.

Q: Do you accept late work?
A: Yes, but late projects may be graded down by one full letter grade for each week late. However, I offer one ‘freebie’ and will not penalize students for missing a deadline provided it does not become habitual. Once you get behind, it's difficult to catch up, however. Moreover, if you don't complete project's on time, you may not get feedback on the work you did from your classmates. The final project will not be accepted late. If you find yourself getting behind in the class, please reach out to me.