Assignments & Assessment
Course Structure
This course is divided into zoom lectures, which covers theory and fundamental concepts and section which puts concepts into practice. Each student will have completed a 5 minute digital animation by end of the quarter, including documentation of the design process.
Weekly Assignments
Weekly assignments corresponding to the animation project’s milestones will be turned in for evaluation at the start of section time, on Canvas. Students will also conduct a total of 5 (five) collaboration sessions of their game prototypes. These will be turned in along with the weekly assignments and will constitute a portion of the grade.
Assessment Varies based on complexity of the assignment. Some skill building assignments are measured by a check plus/check/check minus system, where a check plus represents work that goes above and beyond the basic requirements of the assignment and in a way that shows a deep understanding of the material, a check represents work that meets the minimum requirement of the assignment, and a check minus represents incomplete or underdeveloped work. Failure to submit the assignment by the announced deadline will result in a lower grade.
Response Papers
Two response papers analyzing one of the readings (which include video lectures) identifying how the ideas in the reading influenced you to make a specific change in your story or visuals. Papers should be concerned with readings listed in the syllabus, not shown in lecture.
Assessment Pass/Fail. Designed to measure you reading/viewing comprehension.
Final Submission
The final animation design project results in the production of assets suitable for animation, and final documentation.
Assessment measured by the synergy of animation and visual presentation, as well as the clarity, craft, and polish of presentation.
Midterm Review
Midterm Review Students are required to turn in an in-progress version of their animation files and present them during section time.
Assessment Pass/Fail. Designed to measure you reading/viewing comprehension.
Grading Breakdown
- Response Papers (2) 10%
- Weekly Assignments (8) 50%
- Midterm Review 15%
- Final Submission 25%
- Patricipation Variable%
Virtual Learning
What a Virtual Classroom Is And Why It Matters
A virtual classroom environment ensures human connection, a vital element of classroom teaching that video-on-demand courses don’t have and sorely miss. In a virtual classroom, teachers interact with students in real time; students can voice their questions and interact with peers similar to how they would in a regular classroom, albeit over the internet.
An additional perk of virtual classrooms is that they are scalable to accommodate a larger number of students. Physical classrooms often limit seating to a maximum number so that students can sit comfortably and have enough space to themselves. By contrast, virtual classrooms use virtual meeting solutions that have a higher cap on numbers, allowing more students to attend interesting classes at once. This enables better and higher participation rates and ensures knowledge is that much more accessible.
Like brick-and-mortar classrooms, virtual classrooms are also synchronous as learners and teachers appear online at the same time to facilitate immediate interactions. However, virtual classrooms also make use of pre-recorded components such as videos, presentations, and lecture slides to facilitate learning, much like offline classrooms do.
Why Virtual Classrooms Are Important For Democratizing Learning<br />
Virtual classrooms level the playing field of education, allowing students from all over the world to access interesting classrooms regardless of where they live or work. Virtual classrooms can supplement existing education structures or be used as the main structure for imparting knowledge.
Virtual classrooms promote inclusive and democratic learning, and also help reduce the costs of highly coveted educational courses and certifications. And, seeing as how traditional classrooms have closed down across the world for the foreseeable future, virtual classrooms and online virtual meeting platforms ensure education continues albeit online and at home.
“We need technology in every classroom and in every student and teacher’s hand, because it is the pen and paper of our time, and it is the lens through which we experience much of our world.”– David Warlick
Advantages Of Virtual Classrooms
- High interactivity
An effective virtual classroom is one that makes use of multiple communication channels, such as online virtual meeting software, chat rooms, messaging, voice calls, and conferencing options. This is so that learners with varying preferences are all able to benefit equally.
- Collaborative education
Digital whiteboards, file sharing, virtual meeting applications, and chats facilitate collaborative learning between students. This mimics the real-time atmosphere of classrooms without having to meet physically; it also reinforces materials learned so that knowledge retention is higher.
- Student-focused teaching
Virtual classrooms focus on students and their real-time education, unlike pre-recorded videos which are highly teacher-centric. Students can ask questions, clarify concepts, and discuss topics in real time.
- Range of content types
Virtual classrooms make use of a range of media types to present knowledge such that a variety of student abilities and learning styles are catered to. These include videos, presentations, SlideShare, animations, digital whiteboards, and webinars.
- Comfortable learning space
Virtual classrooms make learning online feel much less robotic. Human interaction is critical to the success of an education system; virtual classrooms ensure learners are able to interact and chat with peers and teachers without compromise.
What To Look Out For In A Virtual Classroom To Facilitate Better Learning
Real-time instant mesaging
- Every virtual classroom must have messaging features to accommodate lower bandwidths without destroying the potential for communication.
High-quality video chat
- This option perpetuates the feeling of human connection and ensures students are paid attention to. It can be implemented through Zoom.
Video streaming
- This feature is essential for classrooms hosting hundreds of students from all over the world.
Third-party integration
- Some virtual classrooms may need to be augmented with additional features because not even the best video conferencing software has it all.
Student groups
- A separate group for students allows for collaboration over academic and non-academic subjects, which is a key feature of traditional classrooms.
