Topics/Themes

This course covers design, development, and implementation of Web-based animation using Macromedia Flash. The student will create animations and Web interfaces. Content will include:

(Recommended) Prerequisite

CIS 212 (Take a look at the chart at the bottom of the GD Class List page for suggested course sequences)

Objectives

At the end of this course, each student will be able to:

• Work with graphics to create objects.
• Create Frame-by-frame and tweened vector animations and display them in a Web page.
• Create and edit symbols (Movie Clips, Buttons, Graphics) and use libraries to create efficient animations.
• Work with text, sound and video.
• Use Components to create interactivity quickly and easily.
• Create a Flash Web interface with rollovers, actions, and sound.
• Describe, synthesize, and apply animation design principles.
• Analyze whether animation is appropriate in a given situation.
• Analyze an animated Web site's usability and accessibility.
• Optimize and Publish Flash content.
  

Guidelines for Those New to Online Instruction

This is a fully online course, so please take advantage of these online resources to help you get the most out of this course. You may also be interested in what I as the instructor must consider to do my best.

Grading and Assignments

You will be graded on the quality of your lab assignments, interface project, participation in online class discussions, and performance on quizzes and the final exam.  You'll be provided with a scoring rubric for each assignment later in the semester. Your total grade will include the following:

Scale

A	90-100%, awarded for work that exceeds expectations and shows exceptional skill, effort, or creativity
B	80-89%, awarded for work that exceeds expectations
C	70-79%, awarded for work that meets expectations
D	60-69%, awarded for work that is below expectation

Due Dates, Make-ups, and Incompletes

Labs are due at 5 p.m. two weeks after they are assigned. For example, I will assign a lab on a Tuesday and it will be due at 5 p.m. two Tuesdays from that date. Labs lose 25% for each week late after the due date. There are actually 9 labs and I will allow one to be dropped.

Quizzes are due two weeks after they are assigned. Quizzes will not be accepted after the due date. I will typically make quizzes available on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. and they are due the Tuesday two weeks later at 5 p.m.

If you must miss the final exam, please contact me to arrange a make-up date well in advance of the exam. Incompletes are given only when there is an emergency and must be requested by the student as soon as possible.

Textbook for Spring 2008 - available at the campus bookstore or online

Adobe Flash CS3 Professional Classroom-In-A-Book by The Adobe Creative Design Team ISBN: 0321499824

Other good Flash Learning Resources

The Flash Professional 8 Hands On Training is an excellent text, but they did not come out with one on Flash CS3 soon enough for this course.

There is a very nice and inexpensive ($11.55+shipping) Visual Quick Project on "Creating a Web Site with Flash CS3 Professional" which you may want to consider. I am not using it for this course because its focus is too narrow (a web site on retail floral sales) and some content is quite advanced.

Lynda.com is an outstanding resource for online learning at your own pace using video tutorials, but it may be a bit expensive for your budget ($25/month, $250/year). However, the CD accompanying the required textbook contains several free video tutorials relevant to this course.

Total Training also provides online video tutorials for Flash, and they, too, have provide several free video tutorials on sound editing in Flash which you may find useful, plus a 20% discount coupon for their site.

Materials

You are encouraged to become familiar with USB flash storage technology if you plan to use campus computer labs.

It will be difficult for you to succeed in this course without your own copy of Adobe Flash (version CS3, 8, or MX 2004). Please see system requirements. Campus computers will have Flash installed on both macs and pc's, so this is an option for some.

If you are planning to get serious about web development, I strongly recommend purchasing Adobe Create Suite 3 Web Standard or Web Premium. One of our enrolled students, Mary, kindly pointed me to a site (uscollegebuy.com) offering these at good prices:

Adobe CS3 Web Standard, $214

Adobe CS3 Web Premium, $314

Either of these is a great deal. Those of you focusing exclusively on the web would be fine with Web Standard. Those of you planning to emphasize graphic design will want Web Premium. Each of these contains Adobe Bridge which is an excellent training resource.

Attendance

Students may be dropped for excessive absences or lack of progress in accordance with Cuyamaca College policy (see the Catalog). If you a struggling with issues unrelated to this course, please contact the Cuyamaca College Counseling Center, they have an outstanding staff who just want to help

Communication

When you send me e-mail, please include "gd222" in the subject heading.

About the Instructor

Learn more about me, Jeff Sale, your Instructor for GD222.

Academic Integrity

When creating Graphics or Web sites, treat Web content as you would treat content from a published article or book. Stealing content is unethical, and students guilty of academic dishonesty will receive a zero for the assignment and may be suspended or expelled.

Important Dates

Please mark your calendar!

This course adheres to the policies outlined in the Cuyamaca College catalogue. For further information, see Academic Policies stated in the catalogue.

Jeff Sale