50158 Netcultures and Practices

UTS: Communication: Creative Practice
Credit points: 8 cp
Result Type: Grade, no marks

Requisite(s): 50117 Media Arts and Production 2 OR 50248 Media Arts and Production 2
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses. See access conditions.

Handbook description

In this subject, students engage with the diversity of cultures and practices on the internet, and with the concepts and techniques involved in website development. Through lectures, tutorials, workshops and production exercises, students explore a range of websites and online communities, and gain core technical skills in website production. These include production skills for animation, streaming media and publishing for the internet. Students work individually or in groups to develop a small website.

Subject objectives/outcomes

At the completion of this subject, students are expected to be able to:

extend creative and conceptual skills and critical thinking through investigating the various cultures and communities on the internet
have some knowledge of aesthetics and internet industry issues
develop website production concepts and skills involving relevant software and techniques
extend technical and conceptual skills in developing new media projects through producing a prototype website
have an overview of technical and conceptual and creative issues surrounding emerging internet technologies for the delivery of media rich content.

Contribution to graduate profile

On completing this subject students will:

have developed specific basic skills in new media production which are applicable across a range of existing and emerging formats; including internet
have some knowledge of aesthetics and new media industry issues, within the landscape of media production in general
be aware of industry practices in new media production
have had the opportunity to develop some conceptual skills and critical thinking in relation to various areas of media production
be able to develop and critically revise their own work
have had the opportunity to develop and work on a new media project
have had the opportunity, as practitioners in a particular media industry, to apply existing skills to a new or related media.

Teaching and learning strategies

Lectures and seminars and tutorials in most sessions
In and out of class technical workshops
In-class and out of class exercises
Concept development
Project synopsis presentations
Project development.

Content

Study of net cultures and practices in Australia and internationally
Developing an idea, concept, project synopsis, and development, and then analysis of the final project
Concepts and techniques for incorporating animated and interactive material into websites
Emerging softwares and technologies enabling the delivery of rich media content across the internet
Workshops and tutorials will examine a range of the technical challenges of internet delivery
Students will familiarise themselves with programs commonly used as tools in web content production and authoring, and relevant emerging softwares and technologies.

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Animation and basic web authoring exercise

Objective(s):	a, c, d
Weighting:	25%
Task:	Working individually, students complete a production exercise involving online animation and basic web authoring.
Assessment criteria:	Creativity achieved within brief Degree of aesthetic and technical refinement Degree of engagement with relevant software and production techniques Degree of engagement with design issues such as interface, interaction, information design

Assessment item 2: Project proposal

Objective(s):	a, b, c, d
Weighting:	25%
Task:	Students must produce a proposal for their web project incorporating the following components: A 1,000 word synopsis outlining what the student is planning to develop within this subject for their website project, which includes a clear description of the underlying motivation of the piece, the intended user experience, and the intended target audience. A navigational diagram or flowchart, which clearly demonstrates the navigational pathways of the project.
Assessment criteria:	Demonstration engagement with the subject of emerging cultural practices within internet spaces Demonstration of ability to develop an idea into a concept and project plan Demonstration of the ability to plan and organise work schedule.

Assessment item 3: Web project

Objective(s):	a, b, c, d, e, f
Weighting:	50%
Task:	Working individually, students are to develop a website which engages with the issues and thematics of the subject.
Assessment criteria:	Websites will be assessed equally in terms of production/technical skills and engagement with cultural/critical themes. Projects must be compact, creative, original and interactive, rather than linear. Projects must engage with one or more themes introduced in the subject outline or a suggested theme approved by the lecturer. Students should aim for the projects to be as bug-free as possible within the confines of the subject. Students are responsible for testing and revising their own work on an ongoing basis. The project should be tested across both major browsers and Mac and PC platforms – in an ideal world it will be compatible with both.

Minimum requirements

Students are expected to read the subject outline to ensure they are familiar with the subject requirements. Since class discussion and participation in activities form an integral part of this subject, you are expected to attend, arrive punctually and actively participate in classes. If you experience difficulties meeting this requirement, please contact your lecturer. Students who have a reason for extended absence (e.g. illness) may be required to complete additional work to ensure they achieve the subject objectives.

Attendance is particularly important in this subject because it is based on a collaborative approach which involves essential workshopping and interchange of ideas. Students who attend fewer than ten classes are advised that their final work will not be assessed and that they are likely to fail the subject.

Indicative references

Due to the rapidly changing nature of this field, texts are updated regularly.

Online references are provided each semester.

Core texts include:

Peter Weibel and Timothy Druckrey (eds.) net_condition: art and global media, MIT Press, 2001

Timothy Druckrey (Editor), Ars Electronica: Facing the Future: A Survey of Two Decades Electronic Culture: History, Theory, and Practice, (Ars Electronica 1999)

Steven Holtzman, Digital Mosaics : The Aesthetics of Cyberspace (Touchstone, 1998)

Peter Lunenfeld (Editor) The Digital Dialectic : New Essays on New Media (MIT Press, Leonardo Book 2000)

Mark Dery , Escape Velocity : Cyberculture at the End of the Century (Grove Press, 1997)

Paul Virilio, The Information Bomb (London: Verso 2000).

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