Course Syllabus
ART107-49737 Syllabus
ART107-49737
The History of Animation
8-week Online Course | Aug 27- Oct 19, 2018
Santa Ana College
Instructor
Annapurna Kumar | adjunct faculty, Santa Ana College
MFA Experimental Animation, CalArts
BFA Art History, VCUArts
Kumar_Annapurna@sac.edu
Course Description
History of Animation is a Critical and historical survey of animation as a form of communication and cultural expression, from prehistoric origins to present digital formats. Animation history is studied in relation to the background for its creation in contemporary culture and society including the U.S.A., Europe, and Japan. Students analyze and evaluate a large cross-section of animated works.
ART 107 currently qualifies as a gen ed option under Plan A and Plan B.*
*Always see a counselor to confirm degree and graduation requirements.
Online Attendance
You may access our course site from home, the library or the student labs at SAC. When you are officially enrolled in the class and the class has been made available to students, you will have access to this class on our college Canvas site. Students are expected to monitor the Canvas site and complete all assignments in a timely manner. Students are expected to login at least every two days.
No Show Drop: In this course, you must complete all of the following activities by Friday of the first week of classes or you will be dropped as a “No Show”:
- Email me using the Canvas communication tool.
- Complete the Introductory Survey.
- Make an original post in the Week 1 Discussion Board, and reply to at least 1 peer's post.
Excessive Absence Drop: If two consecutive weeks of non-participation is observed by the instructor the student will be dropped.
SAC Absence and Drop Policy
It is the student's responsibility to withdraw officially from a course. Students must officially withdraw by the web before 75% of the term has expired to receive a transcript symbol of “W”.
Students who fail to turn in the weekly assignments and/or participate in the discussion boards will be considered “absent” and may be dropped from the class for “excessive absence.” Students are responsible to officially drop the class or they will receive a letter grade based on their performance. A student may be dropped for excessive absences when the total hours of absences exceed 10% of the total scheduled hours of the class.
Under extenuating circumstances, a student may be reinstated by the instructor.
Schedule Overview
Week 1: Orientation & The Beginnings of Animation
Technique Spotlight: Pre-Cinema toys
Week 2: Early Animation, 1920 - 1940: Experimentation and the Rise of the Big Studios.
Technique Spotlight: Rotoscoping
Week 3: The 1940’s: Warner Brothers, Propaganda, & The International Scene.
Technique Spotlight: Frame-by-Frame & Cel Animation
Week 4: The 1950's: Television!
Technique Spotlight: Cut-out animation
Week 5: The 1960s: Cultural Shifts & The Birth of Anime (+ Final Paper Proposal Due).
Technique Spotlight: CGI
Week 6: 1970s Experimentation: Special Effects & the Animation Revival.
Technique Spotlight: Optical Printing
Week 7: The 80’s and 90’s: Global Sensations, Advertising, and Video Games.
Technique Spotlight: Stop Motion
Week 8: From 2000 Onward: Museums, the Internet, & New Media (+Final Papers Due).
Technique Spotlight: Contemporary Digital Techniques
Assignments & Grading
Required Weekly Readings and Viewings will inform the following assignments:
- Weekly Discussion Board Posts (12 points per week)
- Weekly Discussion Board Responses (12 points per week)
- Weekly Short-Response Assignments (12 points per week)
- Weekly Quizzes (6 points per week)
- 1 Final Project Proposal (8 points)
- 1 Final Project (44 points)
- 2 Surveys (6 points each)
Total Possible Points: 400
A: 360 - 400
B: 320 - 359
C: 280 - 319
D: 240 - 279
F: 0 - 239
All assignments will be opened at least one week early in case anyone wants to work ahead.
Discussion Board Posts and Responses must be made on a weekly basis, as the point of the discussions is to facilitate dialogue between you and others in the class. Your initial post in response to a prompt will be graded, as well as at least two responses to other people’s posts. There is a separate discussion board available in each module, so each discussion can be kept separate.
Short-Response Assignments are due one week after they are assigned. They must be submitted via Canvas. You will see a page for each assignment within the appropriate modules. Each assignment has a short prompt and an area for you to type a short response (4-6 sentences). You can use your notes , the internet, and any materials found on our Canvas site when answering an assignment.
Quizzes contain 6 multiple choice questions based on the readings and viewings from that week. You can take quizzes at any point in the semester. You can use your notes , the internet, and any materials found on our Canvas site when taking a quiz.
Final Project: This project can be done on your own or in collaboration with up to two other people. It will be submitted via Canvas. The final project is your chance to study an animation topic of your choice more in-depth. Students must have their project topic approved ahead of time by the instructor via the Final Project Proposal Assignment. The Final Project should be a 4-6 page paper for most, but if you want to do something more visual such as a video essay or a series of illustrations and infographics, you can propose that as well. Final Papers must include at least 3 references and use proper citation. You can use references from your assigned readings and viewings, and I would be happy to help you find additional references as well.
Grading Policy: Grades for each assignment will be based on how well the work meets the assignment objectives as discussed in the assignment description and grading rubric. Evaluation will include the demonstration of thorough editing, citations, use of course resources, and following directions. If you need assistance in writing, please do not hesitate to seek tutoring through our Learning Center.
For full credit, work must be turned in on time. If you are unavailable on an assignment due date, it is your responsibility to deliver your work to me prior to the due date via Canvas, otherwise it will be counted as a LATE assignment. Rubrics will be made available for every assignment. Late work will be reduced by 1/3 total earned points for each week it is late, do try to turn things in on time. ••Late discussions that require replies from peers will not be graded, as the point of discussions is peer-to-peer engagement.•• Respect your peers enough to post and respond in a timely manner, I encourage a respectful classroom and others will only reply with helpful comments. Do not be embarrassed to post a work-in-progress or ask for assistance in framing a response.
Online Class Rules of Conduct
Students are expected to be respectful of each other and of the instructor. Any form of bullying, harassment, or insult on the discussion boards will not be tolerated.
Required Materials
-There is no textbook required. Course readings will be made available online.
- A computer is recommended.
You will find it difficult to complete this course and the exams on a personal device such as an iPhone or Tablet as some prompts will require that you have multiple windows/tabs open.
-Regular internet access and a Canvas account is required.
This is necessary in order to receive announcements, emails, and complete graded activities via Canvas. Please verify your email address is accurate via WebAdvisor as you cannot change your email address in Canvas. If you do not have reliable internet access at home, an alternative would be to schedule hours in the Academic Computing Center. You can access our class via canvas by going to http://rsccd.instructure.com
Course Objectives
- Introduce students to animation as a form of communication and cultural expression.
- Offer historical context as a backdrop for animation's creation in contemporary culture and society including the U.S.A., Europe, and Japan.
- Evaluate a large cross-section of animated works.
Student Learning Objectives
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Identify themes associated with animations styles and eras.
- Identify key figures from animation history across cultures; including Japan, USA and Europe.
- Distinguish animation studio styles and innovations within the context of cultural history.
- Have a basic understanding of how animation is made.
Digital Media Arts Program Information
Digital Media Arts Website: https://sacdigitalmediaarts.wordpress.com (Links to an external site.)
DMA offers multiple pathways to receive Certificates and Degrees via 2-year plans (Links to an external site.)
DMA Courses (Links to an external site.)
Communication Policy
The primary sources of communication in this course will be through the discussion board and by email. Please be sure to have a current working email address in your Canvas profile - if you need to change it, go to WebAdvisor (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. (Links to an external site.).
Personal Questions: For questions regarding personal issues such as a grade on a specific assignment, please communicate with me via email. I will generally respond to emails within 24 hours between Monday 9am and Friday 4pm. Emails received over the weekend will be answered on Monday.
Assignment and Course Questions: For questions about assignments, the course or Canvas, please refer to our “General Course Questions” Discussion Board. If an answer to your question cannot be found, please post a question on our discussion board. Students are encouraged to post answers to each other’s questions. I will check the board at least once each day Mon-Fri to post answers.
Other SAC Policies:
Disabilities Statement
Your success in this course is important to me. Santa Ana College and I are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability that may have some impact on your ability to do well in this course, I encourage you to speak with me as soon as possible. Information regarding specific diagnostic criteria and policies for obtaining academic accommodations can be found at https://www.sac.edu/StudentServices/DSPS/ (Links to an external site.)
Also, please contact Disabled Student Programs & Services so that we can all collaborate on your classroom accommodations in a timely manner. DSP&S is located in U-103 and their phone number is 714-564-6264. The DSP&S office requires documentation of your disability in order to receive reasonable accommodations. If you do not have documentation they will work with you to acquire it. I look forward to supporting you to meet your learning goals. You can visit the DSP&S office located in the Johnson Campus Center, Rm. U-103 or call them at (714) 564-6264.
Course DSPS Policy: If you require extra time on exams, YOU MUST EMAIL ME 48 hours prior to the exam to confirm that you will be receiving the necessary accommodations for your exam.
Academic Policy Information
Students at Santa Ana College are expected to be honest and forthright in their academic endeavors. To falsify the results of one’s research, to steal the words or ideas of another, or to cheat on an examination, corrupts the essential process by which knowledge is advanced. Academic dishonesty is seen as an intentional act of fraud, in which a student seeks to claim credit for the work or efforts of another without authorization, or uses unauthorized materials or fabricated information in any academic exercise. As institutions, we also consider academic dishonesty to include forgery of academic documents, intentionally impeding or damaging the academic work of others, assisting other students in acts of dishonesty or coercing students into acts of dishonesty.
In cases where a violation of academic honesty is discovered, the faculty member is encouraged to file an "Academic Misconduct Incident Report" form and distribute the form to the appropriate offices listed.
There are two categories of sanctions: Limited and College-wide. Limited sanctions include an academic action such as assigning a lower grade or a grade of "F" for the assignment, project, or test. College-wide sanctions include any sanction that will affect a student's standing with the college-at-large, up to and including suspension or expulsion from the college.
In matters relating to academic honesty violations, the primary responsibility for disciplinary proceedings rests with the instructor and the academic division where the violation allegedly occurred. The Dean of Student Affairs will assist in all College-wide sanctions.
Family Education Rights and Privacy Acts (FERPA)
As required under the provisions of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, the Rancho Santiago Community College District will make public without student consent only certain directory information. This information consists of the following:
- a student's name
- city of residence
- major field
- participation in officially recognized activities and sports
- weight, height and age if a member of an athletic team
- dates of attendance
- degree and awards received and
- the most recent previous educational institution or agency attended by the student.
A student may request the Admissions and Records Office to withhold this information. Such request must be in writing and submitted every semester.
Procedures for Student Grievances Regarding Grades
Education Code 76224 states:
(a) When grades are given for any course of instruction taught in a community college district, the grade given to each student shall be the grade determined by the instructor of the course and the determination of the student's grade by the instructor, in the absence of mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetency, shall be final.
Procedure
- Student shall meet with the instructor to discuss the grade.
Email me at kumar_annapurna@sac.edu to arrange a meeting time and discuss.
- If the issue is not resolved and the student believes that the grade is based on mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetency (EC 76224), he/she may appeal in writing to the Dean. Such an appeal must be made within a one year period following the semester in which the grade was assigned. Forms for the written appeal may be found in any instructional Dean's office or the Student Services Office of the college.
- The student may be requested to set-up an appointment with the appropriate Dean to discuss the written grievance.
- The appropriate Dean will review the allegations with the instructor.
- The Dean will review the issue and will notify the student and instructor in writing of his/her decision.
- The decision of the Dean is final.
Course Summary:
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