Proposal for
the establishment of an Interdisciplinary Minor in Interactive Media
Presented by the taskforce appointed by the Dean of the
Raymond Nichols,
Professor of Art / Visual Communications,
John Courtright, Chair of the Department of Communication,
Sandra Carberry, Chair of the Department of Computer and Information Science,
and Jerry Beasley, Chair of the Department of English
Additional important participants in the taskforce include
Hendrik-Jan Francke,
Assistant Professor of Art / Visual Communications,
Elizabeth Perse, Acting Chair of the Department of Communication
Debbie Andrews, Professor, and Rebecca Worley, Assistant Profess of the
Department of English
Carl Jacobson, Director of Management Information Services
Submitted
I. DESCRIPTION
This is a proposal for the establishment of an interdisciplinary Minor in Interactive Media. It is championed by a taskforce supported by the Dean of the College of Arts & Science and four contributing core departments: Art / Visual Communications, Communication, Computer and Information Science, and English.
Interactive Media is defined here as the convergence of the media of television, film, radio and the Internet. The Minor in Interactive Media offers an educational experience for students interested in the development of relevant content and the study of the efficacy of its presentation over the Internet. With the already unmanageable flood of information available, it is crucial that the development and presentation of new content be easily accessible and useful or desirable.
II. RATIONALE AND DEMAND
A. Institutional Factors
1.
The University has a documented and publicized presence at the forefront of the use of technology and has expended significant effort and resources to provide student and faculty ready access to the Internet and its almost endless body of content. At the same time there has been little effort toward providing an academic focus on the development of that content. The establishment of the Minor in Interactive Media will balance and complete both the use and the contribution to the use of Internet-related technology through the added emphasis on content.
2. Planning Process
At the urging of a group of faculty from core departments having an interest in the development of Internet sites and content, the Dean of the College of Arts & Science formed a taskforce consisting of representatives from the Departments of Art/Visual Communications, Communication, Computer and Information Sciences, and English. The charge was to investigate the development of an interdisciplinary academic program focused on the development of content for Internet-based sites.
3. Impact on Other Programs
While there are individual classes in various areas of the
University, the establishment of a Minor in Interactive Media should enhance
any and all areas. The
The
The
All of these are outstanding programs, but they lack the
breadth of concern for content and lack access to the general student
population. The Minor in Interactive Media will better serve the purpose of the
educational spirit of this proposal while being centered in the
4. Utilization of Existing Resources
Currently three of the four required courses will be taught starting in the Fall 2003 semester. The fourth course will not be taught until the second year following approval of the minor. The faculty who are intended to teach the courses are already on the full-time faculty at the University. A variety of existing computer sites are accessible and available for the teaching of these courses. In addition, the two elective courses can be approved from current established courses.
B. Student Demand
1. Enrollment Projections
Based on our current resources it is our intention to limit the number of minors admitted each year to 15 with a maximum of about 45 (typically 2nd- and 3rd-year students will be admitted). Several of the proposed required courses do not lend themselves to larger class sizes and/or current departmental faculty resources are not yet available for multiple course offerings within a given year.
2. Specific Student Clienteles
Initially we expect to draw the bulk of the students from the four core departments included in the required courses (Art, Communication, Computer and Information Science, and English). Individual students may come from any part of the University, but it seems abundantly clear that those who are currently employed professionals, non-traditional students, those preparing to reenter the job market, etc. along with students who want to broaden their career possibilities would eagerly welcome the opportunity to grasp a solid understanding of developing Web-based content within their chosen field.
We expect admission to be quite competitive given our expectation of student demand versus the resources the associated departments currently have to offer .
C. Transferability
In our survey of other regional colleges and universities, there do not seem to be many courses which are comparable, indicating that other universities have not yet envisioned the importance of such a program or developed ways to invite students from a wide variety of subjects to utilize the benefit. Based on this we are not expecting much concern for transfer of the courses which are required for the minor.
There are two elective courses that are approved on a case-by-case basis. It seems likely that if there were going to be courses that were transferable, they would most likely fall into this requirement of the curriculum.
D. Graduate / Professional Program Access
The dual functionality of dealing with a subject while also understanding the dissemination of that subject over the Internet obviously makes a University of Delaware student with a Minor in Interactive Media better equipped and more interesting than those students who simply focus on a major subject. The ability to contribute to the success of a chosen field and environment offers immense personal satisfaction as well as enhanced desirability by graduate / professional programs and potential employers.
E. Demand and Employment Factors
It is difficult to imagine many instances where an employer wouldn’t find benefit in an employee who had an understanding of the planning, development and production of Web sites. Because the development of most Web sites is in fact the combined effort of a variety of people working on a variety of tasks, a student with a minor in Interactive Media should have the ability to work within the required team environment, should understand the responsibilities of the various participants, and should be able to contribute in different areas and at different levels to the relevance and optimum usefulness of a site.
F. Regional / State / National Factors
1. Advantages Over Regional Programs
Having looked at the Web sites of numerous comparable
colleges and universities, we have determined that others are making little
effort in the direction that this proposal is heading. The
While many universities have Web design programs, none have the breadth of interdisciplinary interaction we feel is represented in this proposal. Considering that the University of Delaware has such a high national ranking in Internet accessibility for its student body and faculty and hasn’t had such a proposal before, it is incumbent upon this University to lead by example. It is only a matter of time before other institutions begin to see the need for their own programs to fill such a vacancy.
In the first months of discussion, it seemed obvious to
the taskforce that this idea was long overdue. While we don’t see this kind of
educational opportunity at other schools, it is critical to have it at
2. Accrediting / Professional Mandates
G. Other Strengths
1. Special Features
The retrieval of content from the Internet is entrenched
everywhere. Pages are added by the hundreds of thousands every day judging by
the amount searched through Google, currently almost 2.5 billion pages.
Humanity is being buried in data. It is apparent that the next crucial stage is
an improvement in the value of the data and not simply in its mass. As a major
educational institution that seeks to raise its reputation and status above the
better competitive educational institutions, the
2. Collaborative Arrangements
If our research is right and few other comparable
institutions have such an educational opportunity in play, the
Given the current financial situation we propose starting small and evaluating development before trying to encumber the commitment of scarce finances from the University. Clearly there are many opportunities for grants from a wide variety of places. As soon as we have established ourselves officially, we can start immediately to seek collaborations.
III. ENROLLMENTS, ADMISSIONS AND FINANCIAL AID
A. Enrollment Limitations / Criteria
This proposal recommends that we start by admitting a maximum of 15 students to the Minor in Interactive Media, or a total group of about 45. We expect to put most of our effort into recruiting students in their second year who have settled into their major. The minor takes a minimum of four semesters to complete given our suggested sequence of classes and the expected offering of those courses. We hope to attract students who would start taking the courses in the spring of their second year and complete them in the fall of their fourth year. If approved, the Minor in Interactive Media could begin accepting students for the Fall 2003 semester.
B. Admission Requirements
1. Criteria
The Governance and Admissions
Committee, which is made up of a representative from each of the four core
departmetns, will review applicants to the minor. Admission will be based on
academic abilities, including grade point averages (overall and in each
student’s major) and each applicant’s written proposal.
Inititially by recruiting mainly from within the four core contributing departments, it is possible to simply encourage students whom the faculty know to have good academic potential and who also have personalities that will help create a successful start for the minor. The taskforce, who will logically form theInteractive Media Admissions Committee, have agreed that the interdisciplinary nature of the minor requires that the students be spread over a number of departments and have agreed to a quota system which will ensure that no single department will dominate the enrollment.
2. Transfer Policy
Initially the committee is not interested in allowing transfer credit of the four required courses. It is our contention that the sequence of courses are so interrelated that much variation will be disruptive to the group who will share their journey together. We want the students in the minor to be taking our version of the classes so we can have the opportunity to learn as much from them as they learn from us. For classes that deserve to be transferred we would most likely consider those courses for the general electives.
3. Retention Policy
The sequence of classes establishes a hierachy which should draw students along. Each course adds significantly to the previous class, making the added value of each class more important and effective.
D. Student Expenses and Financial Aid
1. Extraordinary Required Student Expenses
2. Graduate / Professional Studies Financial Support
III. CURRICULUM SPECIFICS
A. Degree Awarded
Minor in Interactive Media
B. Curriculum
1. Requirements
The minor requires 18 total credit hours. There are four required courses and two elective courses.
Required courses (4):
ART 307: New Media Design (can be taken first or second)
CISC 103: Introduction to Computer Science with Web Applications (can be taken first or second)
English 413: Designing Online Information (can be taken second or third)
COMM 408: New Media Project Development (must be taken fourth)
Elective courses (2):
Students must take two additional
courses from existing University courses approved by the Governance and
Admissions Committee. These courses are approved by the student’s advisor and
the Governance and admissions Committee on a student-by-student basis depending
on each student’s major. Students will be strongly encouraged to participate in
an internship experience as one of these courses. There are a number of viable
and pertinent internship possibilities on campus, which would enhance the
student’s experience and benefit the University.
A sample of other existing courses
that would count toward the elective requirement include:
ART 306: TV Commercials to Mtv
CISC 370: Object-Oriented Programming, Java and
the World Wide Web
COMM 418: Social Impacts of New Technologies
ENGL 317: Film History
ENGL 318: Studies in Film
HEPP 433: Internet Literacy
HRIM 346: Hospitality and Industry Web-Based
Marketing
PSYC 340: Cognition
2. Sample Curriculum
Spring 2nd year – ART 307: New Media Design
Introduction to interactive
design involving information architecture, interactivity, navigation, page
sequencing, imagery and page design using still images, moving images and
sound. Projects emphasize web site design for the Internet and may also include
games, training and educational applications.
Requires permission of the instructor.
Fall 3rd year – CISC 103: Introduction to Computer Science with Web Applications
Principles of computer science
illustrated through programming in scripting languages such as JavaScript and
VBScript. Topics include control structures, arrays, functions, and procedures.
Programming projects illustrate Web-based applications.
Restrictions: Open to non-majors. Students may not get credit for both CISC-103 and CISC-105.
Spring 3rd year – English 413: Designing Online Information
The course focuses on the design of information displayed on the computer screen, specifically Web sites, but it also covers tutorials, software help files, and other information presented online. Divided between lecture and lab sessions, it covers both the theory of information design and its practical application.
Fall 4th year – COMM 408: New Media Project Development
Application of communication research processes to designing new media (e.g., Web sites, streaming video, electronic communication, interactive media) for a client. Involves conducting research for planning, developing strategies, designing prototypes, and making recommendations for implementation and evaluation.
Elective courses can be taken at any time approved by the Interactive Media Admissions Committee.
3. Approvals from Affected Departments
The taskforce which has developed this proposal was made up of department chairs and full professors to guarantee full acceptance of the minor and the required offering of courses within the teaching and facility resources. Letters of collaborative agreement are attached in Appendix B.
4. University / College / Departmental Requirements
The taskforce feels that there are valuable opportunities to couple with LIFE courses which include issues relating to the Internet and that the minor will provide important extensions of such classes.
V. RESOURCES AVAILABLE
A. Learning Resources
The Internet itself serves as a ready resource to help educate students through the discovery of high quality content, as well as the demonstration of content which lacks proper usability. Side-by-side comparisons will confirm the value of the educational experience students receive.
The accessibility of online information through the services supplied by Morris Library is also an important existing resource. While it is often reasonable to encourage an improvement in the library resources, there is already a clear commitment on the part of the University with regard to the value of the Internet. Based on this it is reasonable to say that the demands of our proposal have been foreseen and most of what we would need is currently available or will probably be part of the normal library puchases.
B. Faculty / Administrative Resources
As the taskforce worked to develop this plan over the last two years, the dire status of the economy was clearly an issue, especially because a majority of the group is made up of department chairs. It is with full knowledge that University funds are tight and resources are stretched that the participating departments agreed to introduce the Minor in Interactive Media for 15 students annually without any initial commitment of additional funds or faculty.
C. External Funding
While we have not sought external funding at this point, the adoption of this proposal will offer a highly desirable visiblity which should increase the opportunity for attracting willing benefactors.
IV. RESOURCES REQUIRED
A. Learning Resources
Computer access in classroom situations will continue to
be an important priority. The speed at which the Internet can be accessed and
tools that best utilize its potential are required in a timely manner. The
ability to bring outside speakers and take field trips should heighten the
academic potential of the various courses. The University enjoys an unusually ideal
location in proximity to the top Internet pacesetting companies found in the major metropolitan areas of
B. Personnel Resources
For the beginning level of this proposal, highly qualified faculty are currently in place.
C. Budgetary Needs
At the level of initial implementation no specific funds are being requested. Obviously future growth and expansion of the minor could require support in the form of additional faculty and facility improvements.
IV. IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION
A. Implementation Plan
The first class, ART 307: New Media Design, normally a course taught only during Winter session, will be taught this coming spring. CISC 103 and ENGL 413 will be taught during the 2003-2004 academic year.
The Dean of Arts & Science recommends that this be an interdisciplinary minor governed by an equally interdisciplinary committee, which is the Legal Studies model (and also the model for the various area studies programs). The program director can be appointed by and be responsible to the Office of the Dean of Arts & Science.
B. Evaluation Plan
1. Internal Evaluation, other than standard program review
maybe mention that we will undertake an evaluation in year 3 (is that enough time?) look at post-graduation work of students with minor (careers, jobs, graduate school) look at number of applicants to judge interest in the program?
2. Criteria for External Evaluation
III. APPENDICES
A. Accreditation Criteria (if appropriate)
B. Letters of Collaborative Agreement
C. Transfer / Retention Policy
D. Letters of Approval from Contributing Departments
E. Other Pertinent Documents