Number and Title of Course: CS 600 / Mascom 600 / Design 600 - Principles of Media Arts and Computer Science

Instructor(s): Dr. Wayne Summers
Office: SCA204       Office phone: (505) 454-3230
Department phone: (505) 454-3295
Office Hours: M 5:00-5:50 p.m. TR 2-3:15; via e-mail, net-meetings and by appointment
e-mail address: summers_wayne@ColumbusState.edu
homepage:http://csc.ColumbusState.edu/summers
Dr. Drake Bingham
Office: MC-B6       Office phone: (505) 454-3239
Department phone: (505) 454-3588
Office Hours: ; via e-mail, net-meetings and by appointment
e-mail address:

Catalog Description of Course: An interdisciplinary investigation of the terminology, roots, assumptions, and principles that underlie the merging disciplines of Computer Science, Mass Communications, and Design Studies. (3 credits).
Course Prerequisite: Graduate Status.

Required Textbook(s): Theoretical Foundations of Multimedia, Robert S. Tannenbaum, W.H. Freeman, 1998, ISBN 0-7167-8321-5.

Supplementary Books and Materials

  • Material from the Internet
  • Software and manuals found in the labs and on the Internet.

Educational Outcomes

  • Students will be able to understand and use the terms and concepts of Computer Science, Mass Communications and Design Studies.
  • Students will be able to individually and with others, create multimedia presentations that integrate concepts from the different disciplines.
  • Students will be able to use the "tools of the trade" from the different disciplines.

Major Topics

  1. History and Uses of Multimedia
  2. Light and Sound, Seeing and Listening
  3. Hardware That Enables Multimedia
  4. Software That Enables Multimedia
  5. Communication Theory and Developments Underlying the Use of Multimedia
  6. Computer Science Fundamentals and Developments Underlying Multimedia
  7. Design Considerations for Multimedia
  8. Software Engineering and Management Considerations Related to Multimedia
  9. Legal and Societal Issues Related to Multimedia
Instructional Methods and Techniques
  • The class will meet for three hours of lecture/discussion each week.
  • The lectures should be conducted using state-of-the-art multimedia techniques including a computer projection system.
  • There should be facilities for demonstrating software and access to computer networks in the classroom.
  • Many of the assignments should stress hands-on applications by the students.
  • Each student will be expected to attend all lectures. Class participation by all is expected.
  • There will be frequent interaction with second-year students from the CS/Mascom 650 class.
Exit Competencies
By the end of the course, the student will be able to:
    1. Plan, develop, and document a professional-grade multimedia product that can be used to educate, sell, or inform.
    2. Identify and analyze the technological impediments to multimedia production and distribution.
    3. Evaluate and critique multimedia productions.
    4. Work effectively as a member of a multimedia production team.

Assignments for Course

  •     Readings from the textbook(s)
  • Outside reading from popular computing and information technology periodicals like PC-Week, PC-Magazine, etc.
  • Readings from documents found on the Internet

Class Attendance: Class attendance is the responsibility of the student, and it is the student's responsibility to independently cover any material s/he may miss. Class attendance and participation may also be used in determining grades.

Exams and Assignments: There will be one midterm exam and one comprehensive final exam. Exams cover material from the text as well as laboratory activities. The lectures may not cover all the material in the textbooks and may be supplemented by additional materials. Late assignments will be subject to up to a 25% deduction in points per day. No credit will be given for assignments that are more than one week late.

Course Evaluation (tentative):

  • Homework = 100 pts.
  • Project / Term Paper = 100 pts.
  • Class participation = 100 pts.
  • One midterm exam = 100 pts.
  • 1 Comprehensive FINAL EXAM = 200 pts.
(Graduate students will be expected to do "graduate" quality work)
  • Midterm(s) and Final Exams over the lectures and readings.
  • Homework including lab assignments on material discussed in class.
  • Project and / or a Term paper on a topic in Media Arts and Computer Science.

Students will be expected to do graduate quality work on the homework, project and exams and to actively participate in both synchronous and asynchronous discussions throughout the semester.

Grades may be determined according to this scale (tentative):
A 90% - 100%      B 80% - 89%
C 70% - 79%      D 60% - 69%

SCHEDULE (tentative)
  Lecture Topic Assignments
Week 1: Ch. 1 - History and Uses of Multimedia  
Week 2: Ch. 2 - Light & Sound, Seeing & Listening  
Week 3: Ch. 2 - Light & Sound, Seeing & Listening  
Week 4: Ch. 3 - Hardware That Enables Multimedia  
Week 5: Ch. 4 - Software That Enables Multimedia  
Week 6: Ch. 4 - Software That Enables Multimedia  
Week 7: Ch. 5 - Communication Theory and Developments Underlying the Use of Multimedia  
Week 8: Ch. 5 - Communication Theory and Developments Underlying the Use of Multimedia  
Week 9 Ch. 6 - Computer Science Fundamentals and Developments Underlying Multimedia  
Week 10: Ch. 6 - Computer Science Fundamentals and Developments Underlying Multimedia  
Week 11: Ch. 7 - Design Considerations for Multimedia  
Week 12: Ch. 7 - Design Considerations for Multimedia  
Week 13: Ch. 8 - Software Engineering and Management Considerations Related to Multimedia  
Week 14: Ch. 9 - Legal and Societal Issues Related to Multimedia  
Week 15: Ch. 10 - Emerging Issues in Multimedia  
Week 16: FINAL EXAMS