Dr. Amanda Licastro
Stevenson telephone number: Please use email alicastro@stevenson.edu
Stevenson email: Please use email alicastro@stevenson.edu
Best times for email contact: I will respond between 9am and 9pm Monday-Friday within 24 hours
*with noted exceptions for extenuating circumstances.
Office location: DC 238 on Greenspring, MAC S120 on OMN
Office hours: Mondays 3:30-4:30pm and Wednesdays 12:30-1:30pm on OMN; email for appointment
| COURSE INFORMATION |
Section number: ON1 and ON 2
Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): A grade of “C” or better in ENG-152
Course Description: This course introduces students to the principles of content creation, editing, and design of online publications. Students assess their current use of digital materials and build upon this practical knowledge base by developing an introductory knowledge of media theory. Students acquire the fundamental skills needed to produce web-based publications and the course culminates in the collaborative production of a digital text. Final projects will be created for a client based on their needs. This fulfills a SEE requirement.
Instructional Methods Used in this Course: Reading assignments, weekly online assignments, editing projects, in-class discussions, and creative compositions
Required and Recommended Texts, Manuals, and Supplies: You will need a notebook with pages you can tear out, reliable access to a computer, and the following books –
Arola, Kristin L., Cheryl E. Ball, and Jennifer Sheppard. Writer/Designer: A Guide to Making Multimodal Projects. Second Edition. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2018. Not the ebook! Get a paperback copy. Used is fine.
| COURSE OUTCOMES |
Course Objectives/Learning Outcomes:
- Apply principles and techniques of digital publication to solve well-defined information architecture, content, and editing problems,
- Read verbal and visual texts to identify and analyze differing modes of content management, communication platforms, and word-processing platforms,
- Demonstrate intellectual property principles by locating suitable sources,
- Create a digital publication, working in teams to manage layout, content production, and editing,
- Produce academic, professional, and/or creative texts to a publishable standard,
- Produce effective organizational patterns using principles of information architecture,
- Discuss possible career goals related to publication design, content production, and editing and select academic courses that sustain career goals.
| GRADING STANDARDS |
Grading Scale:
| Letter Grade | Percentage Points | QPA Points |
| A | 93-100 | 4.0 |
| A- | 90-92 | 3.7 |
| B+ | 87-89 | 3.3 |
| B | 83-86 | 3.0 |
| B- | 80-82 | 2.7 |
| C+ | 77-79 | 2.3 |
| C | 70-76 | 2.0 |
| D | 60-69 | 1.0 |
| F | 0-59 | 0.0 |
Passing standards are dependent on the catalog year in which you entered the University. For further information, please look under “Academic Standing and Grading Information” in the “Academic Information” section of the relevant catalog at http://www.stevenson.edu/academics/catalog/ .
Continuance and Progression Policies, if applicable: Students must earn a minimum grade of “C” in courses that are used to fulfill the SEE requirement and major requirements.
Course Requirements:
All assignments require the honor pledge be stated and agreed to before submitting.
Rhetorical Analysis 15%
Reading Responses 15%
Coding Reflection 10%
Accessibility Poster 10%
GSR Submission 15%
Editing Project 10%
Social Media Post 5%
Participation 20%
| COURSE POLICIES |
Policies: You must arrive to class on time and avoid leaving early unless there are serious extenuating
circumstances. Please contact me if you will be absent and find a classmate to share their notes with you.
Late journal entries and blog posts will not be accepted under any circumstances. However, extensions for
essays and digital projects will be considered on an individual basis. Please come see me for help – I welcome
you to visit my office hours to speak with you anytime!
Classroom and Studio Policies: The use of cell phones and headphones is prohibited unless explicitly stated in class. Remove your headphones before entering the room and put your phone on silent. You will be using a computer in class regularly. You are welcome to bring your own laptop. You are not to use this time to check social media, sports scores, gossip blogs, or anything other than our course work. Please respect our time together and use the computers to complete your assignments to the best of your ability…you are paying to be in this class and learn after all…
If the professor is late to class you must wait at least 20 minutes. After 20 minutes send me an email before leaving.
Submission of Assignments or Projects: All assignments will be submitted online using Blackboard and WordPress. Technical difficulties will not be an acceptable excuse for late work. RULE OF THREE: you must back-up all work to the Cloud, your hard drive, and a USB. In the case of a computer failure, submit in an alternate means (email, print, etc.). All citations should be in MLA format. Please use our library guide for guidance in formatting your citations.
Attendance
Each student is responsible for his or her own class attendance and regular attendance is expected. Every student is responsible for the material covered or the skills exercised during scheduled classes. Grades will be based on demonstrated achievement of the objectives of the course, not on attendance in class as such. Students who stop attending and fail to officially withdraw from a class will be given a grade of “FX” which calculates as an “F” in the GPA. Class participation DOES count toward your final grade, as do your daily journals. You cannot make these up if you are absent.
| UNIVERSITY GUIDELINES |
Diversity Statement
Stevenson University commits itself to diversity as it relates to awareness, education, respect, and practice at every level of the organization. The University embraces people of all backgrounds, defined by, but not limited to, ethnicity, culture, race, gender, class, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, physical ability, learning styles, and political perspectives. The University believes its core values are strengthened when all of its members have voice and representation. The resulting inclusive organizational climate promotes the development of broad-minded members of the University who positively influence their local and global communities.
Standards of Academic Integrity
Stevenson University expects all members of its community to behave with integrity. Honesty and integrity provide the clearest path to knowledge, understanding, and truth – the highest goals of an academic institution. For students, integrity is fundamental to the development of intellect, character, and the personal and professional ethics that will govern their lives and shape their careers. Stevenson University embraces and operates in a manner consistent with the definitions and principles of Academic Integrity as set forth by the International Center for Academic Integrity. Students are expected to model the values of academic integrity (honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage) in all aspects of this course. Students will be asked to assent to and to uphold the University Honor Pledge:
“I pledge on my honor that I have neither given nor received unauthorized assistance on this assignment/exam.”
Suspected violations of the Academic Integrity Policy will be reported and investigated as outlined in the Policy Manual, Volume V.
| ACADEMIC SERVICES AND RESOURCES |
Disability Services
Stevenson University will make reasonable accommodations for qualified students with documented disabilities. The Office of Disability Services (ODS) facilitates equal access for students who self-identify as having a disability and provide appropriate documentation. If you are a student with a disability who needs accommodations in this class, please contact ODS located in Garrison Hall South or send an email to ODS@stevenson.edu. Once accommodations are authorized by ODS, please provide me (your instructor) with your approved accommodations memo as soon as possible. Accommodations are not retroactive. For questions regarding the University’s Office of Disability Services please visit: http://www.stevenson.edu/academics/academic-resources/disability-support-services/
Academic Link
The John L. Stasiak Academic Link, located in the Center for Student Success (GHS 101), provides free tutoring for many classes as well as writing support across the curriculum. Students are encouraged to seek out content-based or writing tutoring early in the semester, as tutoring can make a difference in a student’s grade. To sign up for an appointment, go to stevenson.go-redrock.com, visit the Link in person, or call 443-394-9300.
SU Library
The SU Library provides extensive electronic and print resources to support your coursework. Research Guides and databases can be found on the library home page, as well as brief tutorials to assist you in using these resources. A professional librarian is always available to help you find the best information sources for your needs. For more information about library services, please visit: http://stevenson.libguides.com/stevensonlibrary
Online Learning Resources
Hoonuit (Atomic Learning) is an online learning resource available to all Stevenson students that provides 24/7 access to step-by-step video tutorials and workshops on a variety of topics including student success and 200+ technology applications. This resource can be accessed directly through Blackboard or the SU Cloud.
The Wellness Center
Stress is a normal part of being a student. However, if personal, emotional, or physical concerns are interfering with your ability to be successful at Stevenson, please call the Wellness Center at 443-352-4200 to make an appointment. More information about the Wellness Center can be found at: http://www.stevenson.edu/student-life/health-wellness/