Instructor: Russet Lederman
E-mail: russet@mfaca.sva.edu

Course Description:

This studio-based course will introduce students to art making possibilities using networked media. The primary focus will be on creating interactive projects that utilize telecommunication and web technologies. Readings, presentations and discussions of the major themes currently being explored by networked media artists will be used to stimulate and inspire individual student projects. An overview and introduction to the telecommunication tools needed to complete assigned projects will be presented and discussed. The goal of this course is to encourage class members to develop a personal voice as an artist working with these technologies.

Students will be required to complete the following assignments in this course:

3 screen based art projects (min of 3-5 screens each posted to your web site)
1 written paper (2-4 pages) to be presented in class (15-20 minutes)
weekly readings and discussions

Explanation of creative online projects:
screen based art project #1:
Topic: New York City
Due Dates:schematic of proposed project presented in class 3
Completed project due in class 6
screen based art project #2:
Topic: The Digital Life: Heaven and Hell
Due Dates: Schematic of proposed project presented in class 8
Completed project due in class 11.
screen based art project #3:
Topic: Streaming Digital Video
Completed project due in class 15.

Explanation of written paper:
Students will select a topic from the syllabus and must write a 2-4 page paper to be posted on their SVA web space Presentations will be due at the beginning of the class with the corresponding topic. For example, if a student's chosen topic is Hypertext, their presentation will be due the day that the class syllabus indicates Hypertext. Visual and net based illustrations of comments and questions are required for student presentations. All written papers are due by class 12 -- some presentations will occur after papers have been handed in.  Research for the written papers must incorporate required readings for the selected topic, plus 3 additional sources. A bibliography, footnotes and 3 links to artwork exemplifying the selected topic are required within the paper. (Do not use instructor's links.) Late papers will result in a lowered grade for the assignment.

Link to student class presentations

Explanation of class readings and discussions:
Each class will focus on a different issue concerning networked art.
As outlined above, each week a different class member will present an overview of his/her analysis of the day's topic. Every week, each class member must prepare reactions to the proposed issue and reading assignment that will be used in a class discussion. Students are required to write down specific ideas and quotes which they will use in the class discussion . 

The following questions are suggestions of preparing reactions
* How does this reading connect with what we've already read/discussed in class?
* What do you agree with in the reading? What do you disagree with?
* What provokes a response/reaction, either good or bad?
* What differences do you see in your own beliefs and the beliefs informing the researcher's work?
* Is there anything that you don't understand?
* How can you relate this to your own work?
* What new insights did you gain?