Getting started and general class overview

Systems requirement The first thing we need to do is make sure you are using the right software for this class. You must have the following programs. Microsoft Word Adobe Reader PowerPoint Failure to use these programs may result in not being able to open assignments or vice versa. If I can’t open the document I will send it back to you and if not resubmitted will result in an F.

Troubleshooting If you are having computer problems, first see if the problem is coming from me. I will be honest, and say I’m not the greatest with computers and majority of the time the fault is mine or the Canvas program failed to operate the way I intended. However, if it is not coming from my side, then you need to make sure its not coming from your side of things.

Make sure you have reliable computer and internet connection Make sure you have reliable computer and internet connection. Students often tell me that their internet wasn’t working and could not complete an assignment or test. That is not an excuse and I will not accept it. If you procrastinate and do the assignment at the last minute and have trouble submitting it due to internet failure, I will not accept it. Don’t wait till the last minute.

If you plan on being out of the country and visiting a place with little or no internet connection, then I need to be informed of this at the beginning of the semester. Failure to do so will result in assignments and tests not being accepted.

If none of these are the issue Call the IT Help Desk at (361) 698-2330.

Announcements Always check the announcements. This is how I mostly communicate with the class as a whole. I will inform you of deadlines, changes in assignments and news and other information relating to the class. If you ask me a question after I have already answered it via announcement I will not respond. I don’t have time to answer questions that can easily be found. (I know that sounds harsh but I waste a lot of time needlessly answering such emails)

E-Mails This is the best way to communicate with me. I’m an adjunct professor and do not have an office on campus. If you need to speak with me please do it using Canvas e-mail or my Del Mar account at mstephens@delmar.edu. I will check it daily. I usually check it in the morning and at night. However, I do not sit all day at my computer waiting for students email and so don’t expect me to solve or answer your problem within 5 minutes.

The Course

Inside you will find 5 or more items related to that Chap. Power Point Images Chapter Vocabulary Chapter Questions Online Discussion Questions Chapter Test.

I will now break down the following items…. Power Point Images These are simply the images from the textbook. This is to help you study or refer to an image in case you are without your book. Yes, you still need to buy the textbook!!!! If you can’t get the text from the local bookstore, which does happen, order it from Amazon!

You need to textbook the FIRST WEEK OF CLASS!!!!! I will not accept the usual excuse of I don’t have a textbook after the first week, if you can’t get the book from the local bookstores then order it online and have it expressed mail. Class does not have time to wait for you and your personal finances……… ( Once again this sounds harsh, but this is becoming a real problem!!!!)

Chap Vocabulary These are the terms you need to know for that chapter. Art has a lot of terms and jargon, it is crucial to have a base knowledge of the vocabulary if you want to discuss art. Some of this will be on tests.

Chapter Questions This is your homework assignments. Due every Friday. Late work will not be accepted unless you have a valid excuse. Students turning it in till the last minute and having a computer problem is not an valid excuse. These are essay questions and are not simple questions to answer. If you do not write at least a paragraph or more to each question, most likely you will not get full credit. These are comprehensive questions and are not just find the answer in the book and repeat back to me. You need to read the whole chapter and THINK about the answers. You might even have to, dare I say it, look outside of the text and use other resources to find your answers.

I am looking for certain information that needs to be hit upon, but as long as you give me well-informed opinions that are back by sources or examples, you will receive credit. It might not be full credit, but partial depending on the answers. Is this vauge and subjective? Yes, but so is art. I’m trying to get you to analyze and then discuss your viewpoints in a thoughtful, intelligent way and hope these questions do that. In other words, if you can’t think, you can’t understand art.

Discussion Questions Since we are not a class that meets face to face, we lose one of the most important aspects of learning: our peers. So I have created a set of discussion questions for each chapter, to help create student interaction. You must participate in each discussion. Your class participation grade (20% overall) is based on this.

I will grade you according to this scale Each question you participate in is worth 10 pts 5 pts for the first response to my question and then you must respond twice to a fellow students response for the other 5 pts. This means a serious, thoughtful response! “Hey I agree” or “yes” is not considered a real response. If you don’t add anything to the conversation I will not count it. Also I will not participate often, this is for the class to debate and discuss ideas. I will only contribute if I feel that the conversation is off topic or I need to play devil’s advocate to help bring new ideas. You will have one week to participate in these discussions.

Chapter Tests Tests will be multiple choice, True/False, matching and essay. The test is timed and you will have 3 hours to complete The test is on Monday starting at 11:59PM and you will have only 24 hours to take the test Once you move on from one question to the next, you can not go back to that previous question. The reasons for this is to minimize cheating.

If due to internet or computer crash you are unable to complete the test, I will allow you to retake it. That means the whole test from the beginning. If you missed a test for an unexcused reason and a couple a weeks later see it reopen, do not take it. That test was reopened for another student with an excused reason.

Other Assignments There are some other assignments that will be due Paper Museum checklist

Paper Is a 4-pg report on an artist of your choice. Don’t do this till after Chap. 1.6-1.10 See assignment and read carefully……

This is an example of a good collage a student did……….

Museum Checklist This is a worksheet that you must fill out before the end of the semester. You have to go to an Art Museum or Gallery and fill out the sheet viewing the art.

Submitting work Most of the assignments have links that will let you submit the work. You can submit it as a separate attachment or answer right in the comment section. It is up to you. If you have trouble submitting work to me feel free to e-mail it.

The End? Last, I want to say that if you have more questions, especially if I didn’t cover it, please email me and I will hopefully have an answer. The rules have evolved over time and will help everyone have a successful class. This Course has bee rebuilt from the ground up. New text book demanded I redo things, so if you have a suggestion, comment or just see something wrong or off, let me know and I will correct it as soon as I can. Thanks.