Tisch School of the Arts at New York University
Fall 2021 – Professor Calli Higgins, GA Mingxi Xu
Tuesday + Thursday 5:05 - 6:35 at IMA, Room 412
Link to join our Discord server
To contact professor: on Discord @calli, email calli@nyu.edu
To contact our GA, Mingxi: on Discord @Mingxi, email mx657@nyu.edu
NOTE: The preferred communication tool for this course is Discord. You may direct message me short questions and/or code snippets. If you find yourself needing to write long paragraphs, that is an indication you should be setting up an appointment to meet for office hours. Email should be used in instances where you may need to cc someone outside of our class or administrative NYU business related to grades, etc.
Office hours are by appointment only.
- You may set up an appointment with Calli Here here.. Please note, the appointments visually appear to be 30 minute time slots but are actually for 15 minutes. Feel free to book two if you think you need the extra time.
- You may set up an appointment with Mingxi Here here..
This is a living document, as are the materials in this course repository. There are certain aspects of our course, such as our calendar or grading criteria, that will not differ from this syllabus unless there are extenuating circumstances. However, the pacing of this course may vary depending on student need, comprehension and technologies that are sometimes rapidly changing in the midst of our learning process. I will do everything in my power to update you on any changes ASAP (in class and via Slack) and to stay fully transparent about what you are expected to learn, produce, and share. Please engage in open communication, as I will do the same.
Basic computer knowledge. Basic familiarity with any programming/scripting language is preferred but not required.
This course will provide a foundation for understanding modern web development with a focus on front end technologies and accessing public data. The forms and uses of these technologies are explored in a laboratory context of experimentation and discussion. This studio stresses interactivity, usability, and the quality and appropriateness of look and feel.
Students will create two web applications, including one that leverages public APIs and Javascript libraries. The goal of the course is for students to learn how to think holistically about an application, both by designing a clear user experience and understanding the algorithmic steps required to build it. Assignments are arranged in sequence to enable the production of a website of high quality in design and engineering.
Students will:
1 – Effectively utilize computer programming to complete creative projects that may include working with data and engineering front end web experiences
2 – Learn how to think algorithmically; understand the process of breaking a task into discrete steps that a computer and/or user may employ to complete it.
3 – Students will develop critical thinking skills that will allow them to analyze and position their work within cultural, historic, aesthetic, economic, and technological contexts.
4 – Students will gain knowledge of professional practices and organizations by developing their verbal, visual, and written communication for documentation and presentation, exhibition and promotion, networking, and career preparation.
5 – Students will develop collaboration skills to actively and effectively work in a team or group.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
1 - Design, build, and develop content for a professional-quality website.
2 - Understand and implement the iterative process
3 - Learn how to proactively learn, also known as self-regulated learning. In any learning situation, you should study beforehand, make/do, debug, reflect, adjust, and do it all over again (iteration). Learning happens in a cycle.
4 - Create an internal developer / creative community
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User Interface (UI) / User Experience (UX)
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HTML5 / CSS3
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The Responsive Web (flexible media & media queries)
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Javascript, Javascript Libraries + Frameworks
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Using Public Data via APIs
Please note this is subject to change once students' exprience is guaged
- Week 1
- Introductions
- Web Overview
- Week 2
- Creative Inspiration
- HTML
- UX
- Week 3
- Visual Design
- CSS
- Week 4
- Flexbox
- Week 5
- Media Queries
- Github
- Midterm Project Proposals
- Week 6
- CSS Transitions
- CSS Animations
- Week 7
- Midterm Presentations
- Week 8
- Javascript
- Week 9
- More Javascript
- Javscript + Dom Manipulation
- Week 10
- jQuery
- Data with Public APIs
- Week 11
- Review APIs
- Final Project Proposals
- Week 12
- CMS APIs
- Thanksgiving
- Week 13
- Final Project Workshops
- Week 14
- Final Project Presentations
- A modern laptop:
- You will need a modern laptop (4 years old or younger is a good rule of thumb). Limited numbers are available for checkout from the department.
- Browser: Chrome or Firefox
- Github Account: github.com/join
- Developer Tools for Chrome or Firefox
- Firebug for Firefox, http://getfirebug.com or
- Chrome Developer Tools, https://developers.google.com/chrome-developer-tools
- HTML Text Editor (Visual Studio Code, Atom, Brackets.io, etc)
- Web Server Space
- We will be using Github Pages to host your websites, but you are welcome to purchase your own server space as well.
Class time will be spent as a combination of lecture, review, and in class exercises. Homework will consist of online tutorials as well as weekly projects that build on each week’s topics of discussion.
There is no required textbook for this course, however students will be required to complete various online tutorials between classes.
I love having WiFi available and I think it is a valuable tool for use in the classroom. Unfortunately, it can very easily be a distraction as well. Laptop use will be expected in class but should be focused on class-specific material, applications, and research. Whenever classmates or guests are presenting please keep your laptop closed. The quality of the class depends in large part on your attention and active participation, so please respect your fellow classmates and close your lid. Recreational use of phones, music players, video game systems and other devices are forbidden.
NOTE: While you are expected to document and host your work on Github or another external server, links to assignments, projects, and documentation will be submitted and graded on Brightspace. This will allow me a space to privately communicate any notes and point deductions connected to each student's assignment. It will also allow you to track your progress in the class. After midterm and final presentations, grades from the Brightspace gradebook will be migrated to Albert.
Grades will be determined according to the following breakdown:
Regular Assignments 30%
We will have weekly assignments that are relevant to material from the previous class. Most assignments will include a Learning Log, where you will be asked to provide some assessment of your clarity on a topic after doing a tutorial. Please refer to the Learning Logs file in this repository for more instructions.
Each assignment is due by the next class meeting after they are assigned unless stated otherwise. It is expected that you will spend 6 to 8 hours a week on the class outside of class itself. This will include reviewing material, reading, watching video, completing assignments and so on. Please budget your time accordingly.
Each assignment will be marked as complete (full credit), partially complete (half credit), or incomplete (no credit). To be complete an assignment should meet the criteria specified in the syllabus including documentation. If significant portions are simply not attempted or the assignment is turned in late (up to 1 week) then it may be marked partially complete. If it is more than a week late, not turned in, or an attempt isn’t made to meet the criteria specified it will be marked incomplete.
Mid-Term Project 20%
The midterm assignment will be a project that demonstrates a working knowledge of website design and responsive HTML & CSS. This project must be completed, published, and presented.
Participation and Attendance 20%
Attendance is mandatory. Please inform me via Slack direct message if you are going to miss a class. Showing up late for class or an excessive number of absences will adversely affect your grade. This class will be participatory, you are expected to participate in discussions and give feedback to other students both in class and participate with their projects. This (along with attendance) is 20% of your overall grade. Each student will be asked to do a 5-min presentation on a Learning Log throughout the semester, which is part of your participation grade.
At most two (2) unexcused absences will be tolerated without effect to your grade. Any more than two (2) unexcused absences will result in a lowering of your final grade by one whole grade for each unexcused absence. For example, three (3) unexcused absences will result in your highest possible grade being a B instead of an A. Four (4) unexcused absences will result in your highest possible grade being a C and so on. Six (6) unexcused absences will result in an automatic F for the course. Two (2) late arrivals will count for one (1) absence.
Final Project 20%
Class will culminate with final projects. It is expected that these will be both technology and content driven. The final project will be built over the course of several weeks. This project must be completed, published, and presented.
Documentation/Tickets to Leave 10%
5% - Students will be expected to document their work on Github. This will involve regular publishing of source code and assignments, using comments and README files as necessary. (Github will be a topic we cover in class.)
5% - At the end of each session, students will need to submit a Ticket to Leave. Please view the Ticket to Leave file in this repo for specific instructions.
Each student will be judged on the quality, experimentation, and improvement that their work shows.
Performance, participation, and attendance of the student has been of the highest level, showing sustained excellence in meeting course responsibilities. Work clearly differentiates itself from other work, has memorable impact, pursues concepts and techniques above and beyond what is discussed in class. The student thoroughly understands the web design and development process.
Performance, participation, and attendance of the student has been good, though not of the highest level. Work demonstrates a better than average web design and development process.
Performance and attendance of the student has been adequate, satisfactorily meeting the course requirements. Work is average and competent, showing a basic understanding of the web design and development process.
Performance and attendance of the student has been less than adequate. Work is lacking in many or most areas that show any understanding of visual foundation. Problems may include lack of interest, procrastination, poor planning and poor craft.
Performance and attendance of the student has been such that course requirements have not been met. Work shows no overall understanding of the course material on many levels or either a severe lack of interest.
You can find the official academic calendar here
Tuesday, September 15, 2020 - Last day to drop a class and receive a refund of 100% of tuition & fees for Undergraduate, Graduate and Diploma students who are dropping classes, but will remain enrolled in at least one course. For Undergraduate, Graduate and Diploma students who 'Completely Withdraw' from ALL courses during the semester, please see the Refund Schedule for Complete Withdrawal. Last day to drop Spring 2019 classes and not receive a grade of 'W.' Last day of active waitlists. Last day to add/drop on Albert.
Monday, December 6, 2020 - Last day to use the Term Withdrawal Form to submit a spring semester term withdrawal request or submit a request to withdraw from a course. Students should consult the academic calendar of their home school for specific deadlines pertaining to course withdrawal for the term
Tuesday, December 14 - Last day of Fall 2020 Classes
Statement of Academic Integrity Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s work as though it were your own. More specifically, plagiarism is to present as your own: A sequence of words quoted without quotation marks from another writer or a paraphrased passage from another writer’s work or facts, ideas or images composed by someone else. More information can be found on Tisch’s page regarding Academic Integrity.
Accessibility Academic accommodations are available for students with documented disabilities. Please contact the Moses Center for Students with Disabilities at 212 998-4980 for further information.
Wellness Your health and safety are a priority at NYU. If you experience any health or mental health issues during this course, we encourage you to utilize the support services of the 24/7 NYUWellness Exchange 212-443-9999.
Title IX Tisch School of the Arts to dedicated to providing its students with a learning environment that is rigorous, respectful, supportive and nurturing so that they can engage in the free exchange of ideas and commit themselves fully to the study of their discipline. To that end Tisch is committed to enforcing University policies prohibiting all forms of sexual misconduct as well as discrimination on the basis of sex and gender.