A Linwood Holton Governor School's

Advanced Multimedia Applications

ITE 170 - Multimedia Software & ITE 270 - Advanced Multimedia Development:

8:20-9:50; 1:20-2:10

AMA Home

Instructor: Melissa Wilson

Office: 276-859-0008;  Hours: 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Sykpe: melissa_wilson1

Email: mwilson@hgw.k12.va.us

Governor's School Website: http://www.hgs.k12.va.us

PageOut Website: http://melissabwilson.pageout.net

Wilson's PortaPortal: http://guest.portaportal.com/mrs_wilson  

Advanced Multimedia Applications  introduces students to the exciting world of multimedia, a combination of sound, animation, graphics, and video. Students will work with a variety of software including programs used for sound and video production, multimedia presentations, web and desktop publishing, and photo & image editing. This course incorporates lecture, tutorials, and hands-on activities, which build skills and techniques for a variety of software programs to create and edit multimedia content. Once students have developed proficiency with these software programs, they will complete individual and group projects utilizing interactive methodologies to turn their creative visions into projects. A final project will be required in both sections. At the end of the course, students will understand current multimedia data types, efficient design solutions and established standards for multimedia, and gain experiences in multimedia processing.  The core of this class is creativity! Let your mind, gifts, and talents come alive here!

Community College Equivalents:

ITE 170 - Multimedia Software: Explores technical fundamentals of creating multimedia projects with related hardware and software. Students will learn to manage resources required for multimedia production and evaluation and techniques for selection of graphics and multimedia software.

ITE 270 - Advanced Multimedia Development: Refines multimedia skills, focusing on project development using digital media; video clips, still images, and audio (sounds, music, and narration).

Course Materials:

Vaughan, Tay. Multimedia: Making it Work, 7^th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008. 

PaintShop Pro Photo X2 Software

Class CD Software

2 gig jump drive / headset

Your school library has a FlipVideo camera for you to use. 

Grading Scale:

Homework and Participation: 10%

Attendance: 10%

Tests: 30%

Projects: 50%

Software Used in Class:

PROJECT LIST:

Self-Portfolio:  Students will introduce themselves to the class by creating a personal multimedia self-portfolio presentation. This project will outline and storyboard information such as name, nickname, extra-curricular activities, family, college goals, hobbies, etc. Students are allowed to use familiar software and hardware.  PPTs need to be 15-20 slides; WMM files need to be one minute.

Audio Project 1: Create an audio file of music and other sounds to represent a story with various moods. Students will choose their "story"to be created. They can choose one already published or can write their own. They must submit a story outline for teacher approval. Music and audio clips must represent mood changes in the story. This production must be at least 3-5 minutes long. Music clips must be 10-15 seconds in length. The recorded story will be a live feed. 

Group Project introducing school: Students will work within the groups from their schools to create a video or PPT that define their schools using chosen software.  This project will be completed early in the semester. 

Storyboard Project of daily routine: Create a video depicted student's daily routine using a variety of software programs working toward the final project.  This project needs to include audio clips, narrations, visual graphics, screen credits if available, motion shots, and transition effects.  Students will be required to submit a "paper/pencil"storyboard first to teacher for project approval.

Audio Project 2: Create an audio file to represent information for a radio broadcast with appropriate background sound effects. Students will write a public service announcement for a radio broadcast. This announcement can be a product advertisement, a newsworthy item, etc. Students will be required to edit sound files needed for the final product.  Audio must be two minutes in length.

Video PSA: Create a video PSA to represent information for a television or Internet broadcast with appropriate background sound effects. This announcement can be a product advertisement, a newsworthy item, etc. Students will be required to edit sound files needed for the final product.  Video must be two minutes in length.

Interactive Presentation: Students will create a presentation which allows the viewer(s) to select the pathways of the presentations. Students will be allowed to choose the subject of their presentations. This presentation will be built for a predetermined audience containing build sequences, transitions, a variety of formats, audio and visual elements, and timings. Organizational tools will be needed to design and plan the layout of the interactive presentation.   

Movie Trailer: Students will create a movie trailer of their favorite movie. The length of the movie needs to be at least 30 seconds long but not longer than 60 seconds. This project needs to include audio clips, narrations, visual graphics, screen credits if available, motion shots, and transition effects. 

Video Scrapbook: Students will create a video scrapbook of their most memorable high school event. This can be a sporting event, a prom, a competition, etc. Teacher will entertain other ideas students may have. Students will produce a video scrapbook from scanned and digital pictures using video editing software.  All graphic files will be manipulated for best results. Audio and sound files will be used as background for images. 

Website Creation: Create an interactive Website on careers in Advanced Multimedia Applications. Users must be able to navigate this website. Students will create an interactive website that depicts Multimedia career opportunities. The website must include bulleted and numbered lists, marquee and scrolling text, animated gifs, an e-mail link, internal and external links, targets to move within pages, and page modified date. The site should also follow design strategies for layout, color usage, background, and graphics. The site should also be creative, easy to navigate, and error free.

Multimedia-Portfolio:  Students will create an interactive multimedia portfolio that demonstrates all their newly acquired technology skills. This portfolio will include three of their best projects with project descriptions. Students are expected to refine all their graded projects to perfection before submitting this final project for publication. 

--There will be miscellaneous projects throughout the course that are not listed. 

Information about Projects:

• Project Rubrics will be given;
• Students will be required to explain how they got from point A to point B;
• Be prepared to share your work--we have a community of learning here in AMA
• Projects are due on the dates they are due.
• Zip all your projects!  This secures the transmission of your projects.  

Goals for both Student and Teacher

Student Objectives:

• Students will understand multimedia in respect to business, schools, home, education, and virtual reality;

• Students will understand the hardware and software needed to create projects using creativity and organization to create them;

• Student will develop multimedia skills understanding the principal players of individual players in multimedia teams in developing projects;

• Students will work with the power of computer text and its language to control design and structure in project development;

• Students will work with all aspects of sound;

• Students will work with all aspects of images;

• Students will learn to create and manipulate animation;

• Students will create and manipulate video;

• Students will study different hardware systems;

• Students will study different software tools;

• Students will  study multimedia authoring tools;

• Students will study the Internet, its dynamics, and its design tools;

• Students will  learn the cost involved in multimedia planning, designing, and producing;

• Students will learn copyright laws associated with multimedia;

• Students will  learn ways to present their multimedia projects

Teacher Objectives:

• Teacher will deliver content to students in the following modes: Lecture, PowerPoint, Group Activities, and Library Activities;
• Teacher will be available before and after class for one-on-one student sessions;
• Teacher will provide ample resources for students to utilize and will direct students on the right pathways;
• Teacher will monitor students' successes and failures seeking to make the failures  learning experiences and a growing opportunities; 
• Teacher will work with school and county technologists to make this class an ultimate learning experience;
• Teacher will visit schools when necessary;
• Teacher will provide all resources needed to schools, facilitators, and students for everyone to be successful. 

How to be Successful:

• Make sure you read all your course materials for useful information.

• Stay on task by printing off your assignment sheets and keeping them in a notebook with a calendar.

• Print off all your completed assignments if possible, save them on a disk, and email them to yourself providing ample backup copies if needed.

• Plan ahead, and do not procrastinate. The dual enrollment classes are college classes. I DO NOT hound you for your work. This is a college class. If you do it, then you do. If you do not, then you do not. 

• You must stay focused and keep a steady pace, or you will fall behind. If you are serious about being successful here, then make sure your parents too have my contact information. Working together, we can all see to your success!

• Expect technical difficulties. There are very few times the system will not work. Remember that technical difficulties happen with online courses. Here is what you do. You call my office. 276-859-0008. I will know where the problems lie, and we can go from there. 

•  If you are going to be gone on a field trip, let me know ASAP! 

• During class:  I do monitor your screens.  I have three computers in my office.  One I teach from, one I record from, and one with two monitors I work from to provide you an excellent educational experience.  If you are caught doing something in class you aren't supposed to be doing, then you will be dismissed without notice.  If you get a "request to view screen" during class, cancel it.  That simply means I clicked the wrong button. 

Email Information:

I sign into school's email constantly throughout day but not on the weekends. I do not sit here all day waiting for email since I have other classes that I teach. If your email requires an answer and I have not returned your email in a few hours, do not go ballistic and end up in the emergency room taking nitroglycerin pills! I will get to it in the next twenty-four hours. You may leave me a telephone message at 276-859-0008 also if you need quicker attention. 

Emails written in chat language should be deleted and ignored immediately. Remember, I am an English instructor, and you are college enrolled and bound! Woo-hoo! Do not apologize for bothering me when you email me because that annoys me to no end. Isn't answering questions my job?

Spell-check your emails.

When sending me email, make sure you are specific. Do not say, "I cannot get on that discussion board."Please tell me which discussion board you are having problems accessing. I need specific information from you in order to answer your questions accurately. 

Assignment Information:

I do not make surprise assignments. I give you ample time to complete an assignment.  If there is an emergency, then someone needs to contact me via email or telephone immediately!

Your homework assignments must be turned in to me before we go over these in class or you will not get credit for them. 

When you turn in an assignment, name it appropriately. For example: mwilson_portfolio_council. There is a combination here. Your first initial and last name, assignment name, and school name.

Your guidance counselor and other teachers have recommended you to this class; therefore, I expect your academic performance to meet their recommendations and my expectations. 

I try to grade assignments quickly. I am not fond of grading late work, nor am I required to take it. Keep all your assignments.

Do not email me and ask me what you need to complete unless you have been absent. You have your assignment. It takes you just as long as it does me to do this, and this is your responsibility not mine. (BTW, if I use a word in an email to you and you do not know what that word means, then look it up! Do not send me an email and ask me what the word means. Use this as a learning opportunity!)

 Class Policies:

• Attendance is required. The class operates by the Washington County Public School system's schedule.  If you are going to be absent from class, then EMAIL ME and let me know ASAP!  I need a reason for your absence.  Without a reason, you will have an unexcused absence that deducts from your participation and attendance grades. Excuses need to be verified by your facilitator.  You can fax your excuses to me. 276-859-2177.

• Participation is more than attending class. For each class login on time, bring the right text, and show that you have completed the assigned reading, writing, and or research by joining the discussion. Comment on class work. I want to hear that you are alert and interested. Everyone should speak out: give us the benefit of your views and life experience. Peer review of classmates' research is an especially important component of the course; always treat classmates and guests with respect. 

• Academic Honesty: This information is found in your student planner.

• Late work will not be accepted unless there is an emergency.

• Prepare your projects and homework the night before the assignment is due. Avoid having to explain that your disk malfunctioned or computer crashed just before class. Such explanations suggest you were not conscientious in completing your work; therefore, I will question its quality.

• Syllabus: Keep the syllabus handy and up-to-date.

• Academic Support: Contact me if you have problems with any aspect of this course. I will be available for you before and after class. You can call me or email me.

Unit Breakdown: 

Advanced Multimedia Applications

ITE 170 - Multimedia Software: Explores technical fundamentals of creating multimedia projects with related hardware and software. Students will learn to manage resources required for multimedia production and evaluation and techniques for selection of graphics and multimedia software.

Unit 1: The World of Multimedia

AMA Orientation: Getting Starting and Preparing for Class!

The first few days: Syllabus, Successful Student, Teacher's Websites, Researching, and Multimedia APA

Chapter 1: What is Multimedia?

Objectives: This lesson introduces students to the course and multimedia. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

•          Define common multimedia terms such as multimedia, integration, interactive, HTML, and authoring.

•          Describe the two primary multimedia delivery media – CD-ROM and DVD vs. the World Wide Web – and the difference between them.

•          Describe several different environments in which multimedia can be used, and several different aspects of multimedia that provide a benefit over other forms of information presentation.

•          Quality various characteristics of multimedia: nonlinear versus linear content.

•          Cite the history of multimedia and note important projected changes in the future of multimedia.

Websites: www.moviefone.com; www.travelocity.com; www.nytimes.com; www.5pm.co.uk

Chapter 2: Introduction to Making Multimedia

Objectives: This lesson introduces the students to the multimedia creation process. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

•          Describe the four primary stages of a project.

•          Describe the skills and talents needed for a multimedia project.

•          Identify the most common hardware platforms for multimedia production and delivery.

•          Discuss some of the common pitfalls of multimedia production, including the difficulty of appropriately crediting the production team.

Chapter 3: Multimedia Skills

Learning Objectives

This lesson analyzes the skills that a multimedia production team needs to have. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

•          Understand the multimedia skill-set and how it applies to multimedia projects, and the skills needed to successfully manage a project team.

•          List the multimedia skill categories related to the information and interface of a project.

•          Identify the multimedia skill categories related to the media used in a project.

•          Define the multimedia skill categories related to the computer programming aspects of a project.

Unit 2:  Creating Multimedia

Chapter 4: Text

This lesson looks at text design issues that the multimedia producer should consider. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

•          Discuss the importance of text in a multimedia presentation.

•          List at least five attributes of a block of text, for example, font, tracking, kerning, leading, bold, underline, and color.

•          List at least three attributes of a font, for example, serif/sans serif, PostScript/TrueType, aspect, and metrics.

•          Describe the difference between a font and a typeface.

•          List at least three factors that affect the legibility of text.

•          Discuss font encoding systems and HTML character encoding standards.

•          Define multimedia, interactive multimedia, hypermedia, hypertext, links, anchors, and nodes.

•          Discuss the potential and limitations of hypertext and hyper-linking systems.

Websites:  http://www.webstyleguide.com/type/index.html;

http://www.sun.com/980713/webwriting/; http://www.webgrammar.com.typogrpahy.html

http://www.w3org/TR/html4/; http://www.w3org/MarkUp/Guide/; 

http://www.w3schools.com/html/default.asp; http://www.htmlcodetutorial.com

http://www.fonts.com; http://www.typequarry.com/; http://www.oldfonts.com/

http://www.myfonts.com/foundry/ ; http://www.bitstream.com; http://www.fonts.com/-

http://www.will-harris.com/type.htm; http://www.larabiefonts.com

Chapter 5: Sound

This lesson looks at audio that can be used in multimedia. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

•          Use sound in a multimedia project.

•          Use MIDI and understand its attributes, especially relative to digitized audio.

•          Calculate sampling sizes and considerations for digitized sound.

•          Record, process, and edit digital audio.

•          Determine which audio file formats are best for use in multimedia projects.

•          Manage audio files and integrate them into multimedia projects.

Websites: http://www.musitek.com; http://www.harryfox.com

Chapter 6: Images

This lesson looks at images and shows the students what they need to create and edit them. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

•          Discuss the various factors that apply to the use of images in multimedia.

•          Describe the capabilities and limitations of bitmap images.

•          Describe the capabilities and limitations of vector images.

•          Define various aspects of 3D modeling.

•          Describe the use of colors and palettes in multimedia.

•          Cite the various file types used in multimedia.

Websites: http://www.webaim.org; http://www.vischeck.com/examples/

Unit 3: Moving Multimedia

Chapter 7: Animation

This lesson introduces the students to animation for multimedia projects. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

•          Define animation and describe how it can be used in multimedia.

•          Discuss the origins of cel animation and define the words that originate from this technique.

•          Define the capabilities of computer animation and the mathematical techniques that differ from traditional cel animation.

•          Discuss some of the general principles and factors that apply to the creation of computer animation for multimedia presentations.

Websites:  http://www.mpeg.com

Chapter 8: Video

This lesson introduces the class to video concepts and shows how it can be used in computer-based projects. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

•          Consider the implications of using digital video in multimedia.

•          Discuss video recording and how it relates to multimedia production.

•          Prepare digital video and images for conversion to television.

•          Prepare for shooting and editing video for use in multimedia.

•          Select the best video recording formats for your multimedia project.

•          Begin preparing video for the Web and CD-ROM.

ITE 270 - Advanced Multimedia Development: Refines multimedia skills, focusing on project development using digital media; video clips, still images, and audio (sounds, music, and narration).

Unit 4: Multimedia's Hardware & Software

Chapter 9: Hardware

This lesson looks at the hardware that comprises the production platform for multimedia producers. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

•          Discuss the two computer platforms most often used in multimedia, and choose an appropriate platform for a project.

•          Understand how computers are networked, and select the appropriate tools to connect workstations.

•          Select the appropriate input devices for projects during development and deployment.

•          Select the appropriate output devices for projects during development and deployment.

•          Understand communication devices and protocols that are used in multimedia development.

Chapter 10: Basic Software Tools

This lesson looks at software tools that will be of use to multimedia professionals. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

•          Understand common types of programs that are used to handle text in multimedia projects, and determine when to use them.

•          Determine which graphics programs to use in various multimedia projects, including draw, paint, and 3D programs.

•          Understand how graphics and animation programs are used in multimedia projects, and discuss their capabilities.

•          Select appropriate formats and architectures to integrate video on computers.

•          Identify tools used to handle video in multimedia projects and discuss their capabilities, and how they capture, process, and compress video.

Chapter 11: Multimedia Authoring Tools

This lesson looks at the factors that should be considered when choosing multimedia authoring tools. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

•          Determine which of the three different types of authoring systems is most appropriate for any given project.

•          Identify the multimedia elements as objects and state how they relate to and interact with each other and their environment, including programming tools.

•          Understand Macromedia Director and the metaphors it uses in its authoring environment.

•          Avoid common pitfalls of cross-platform project development.

Websites: http://www.runrev.com; http://www.toolbook.com/index.php?src+sumthome

http://www.adobe.com; http://www.allencomm.com; http://www.tribeworks.com

Unit 5: Multimedia and the Internet

Chapter 12: The Internet and How It Works

This lesson introduces students to Internet basics. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

•          Discuss the origins of the Internet.

•          Define what a computer network is, and how networks are conceptually structured.

•          Describe how the Domain Name System (DNS) manages the identities of computers connected to the Internet.

•          Define bandwidth and discuss how bandwidth limitations govern the delivery of multimedia over the Internet.

•          Define the most common protocols used on the Internet.

•          Define how protocols, MIME-types and URLs are used to identify, serve, and deliver multimedia.

•          Discuss the World Wide Web, HTML, the limitations of HTML, and how various technologies are stretching the limitations of HTML.

Websites: http://www.alltheweb.com; http://www.altavista.com; http://www.search.aol.com;

http://www.ask.com; http://www.askjeeves.com; http://www.dogpile.com; http://www.gigablast.com; http://www.google.com; http://www.hotbot.com; http://www.looksmart.com; http://www.lycos.com; http://www.search.msn.com; http://www.search.netscape.com; http://www.dmoz.org; http://www.yahoo.com; http://www.xml.org; http://www.xml.com

Chapter 13: Tools for the World Wide Web

This lesson introduces the students to tools for the World Wide Web. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

•          Discuss the current state of multimedia on the Internet.

•          Define server and browser, and discuss their purposes, capabilities, and limitations.

•          Discuss the uses of HTML and its limitations, and what tools are available to edit HTML pages.

•          Describe how HTML is extended through Plug-ins and helper applications.

•          Define some of the more common media types, their uses, and how browsers or helper applications handle them.

•          Discuss other technologies gaining new ground on the Internet.

Websites: http://www.thecounter.com/; http://www.upsdell.com/BrowserNews/stat.htm/; 

http://www.asp.net/; http://www.activeserverpage.org; http://www.php.net/; http://www.adobe.com/products/coldfusion/; http://www.autodesk.com/;

http://www.adobe.com/products/director/3d/3dservices/; http://www.discreet.com; http://www.famous3d.com/; http://www.havok.com/; http://www.maxon.net/;  http://www.newtek.com/; http://www.nvidia.com/; http://www.nview.com/; http://www.righthemisphere.com/; http://www.softimage.com/

Chapter 14: Designing for the World Wide Web

This lesson shows the students how to work with different kinds of material on the World Wide Web. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

•          Describe the limitations of the World-Wide-Web for delivering multimedia.

•          Discuss HTML, how it is structured, and how several of the most important tags for marking up a document work.

•          Recognize important limitations for presenting good-looking images on the Web.

•          Lay out a Web page using a background image.

•          Add interactivity to a Web page by making images clickable.

•          Use the most common sound and animation functions.

Websites: http://www.webstyleguide.com/multimedia/animation.html

http://www.needbeyond.com/animation/default.htm;

http://www.members.aol.com.royale/gifanim.htm

Unit 6: Multimedia's Price Tag

Chapter 15: Planning and Costing

• This lesson takes a more detailed look at the process of proposing and planning a multimedia project. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

•          Determine the scope of a multimedia project.

•          Recognize common obstacles to the successful completion of multimedia projects.

•          Identify tools and techniques to overcome project management problems.

•          Determine the cost, timeline, and tasks required to complete a project.

•          Discuss the process and elements of a multimedia project proposal.

Websites: http://www.careerbuilder.com; http://www.lycos.oodle.com; http://www.monster.com

http://www.hotjobs.com; http://www.jobbankusa.com; http://www.dice.com

http://www.fedworld.gov/jobs/jobsearch.html

Chapter 16: Designing and Producing

This lesson looks at the design and production phases of a multimedia project. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

•          Describe various strategies for creating interactive multimedia.

•          Discuss different types of multimedia structures and how they might be organized.

•          Cite concepts that affect the user interface, including structures and navigation maps.

•          Discuss buttons and how they are typically used.

•          Identify principles for good multimedia production project management.

Websites:  http://www.tsworldofdesign.com/tutorial/interface.htm

http://www.digital-web.com/features/feature_2002-12b.shtml

http://www.scottberkun.com/essays/essay09.htm

http://www.stcsig.org/usability/topics/articles/he-checklist.html

http://developer.apple.com/techpubs/mac/HIGOS8Guide/thig-2.html

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnwui/html/iuiguidelines.asp  

http://www.useit.com; http://www-3.ibm.com/ibm/easy/eou_ext.nsf/Publish/570

http://www.desktop.about.com; http://www.webtechniques.com/archives/2001/02/kilian/

http://www.sun.com/980713/webwriting

Unit 7: Publishing Multimedia

Chapter 17: Content and Talent

This lesson provides an overview of issues relating to content and talent that multimedia designers will use in their projects. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

•          Describe what content is, what production values are, and how to consider what a project's production values should be.

•          Identify the benefits and drawbacks of various sources of content, such as clip art, stock libraries, and public domain sources.

•          Discuss the concepts of copyright, public domain, licensing, and derivative works.

•          Determine whom a work is copyrighted to, depending on who contracted the work and for what purpose.

•          Discuss the process for identifying the appropriate talent for the production, and issues in using talent, including union rules, contracts, and releases.

Websites: http://www.timestream.com/stuff/neatstuff/license.html

http://www.timestream.com/stuff/neatstuff/mmlaw.html

http://www.copyright.gov/laws; http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/DMCA.html

http://www.isma.tv/; http://www.doi.org/; http://www.current.tv/make

Chapter 18: Delivering

This lesson covers the delivery phase of a multimedia project. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

•          Determine what steps you need to take in preparing your project for delivery in the marketplace.

•          Establish a protocol for internal and external testing of your project.

•          Figure out what methods to use to archive your project's files and compress your project for delivery.

•          Determine which CD-ROM standard is appropriate for delivering your project.

•          Understand the benefits and drawbacks of various options for packaging and delivering your project, including hosting Web delivery.

Websites: http://www.allaboutyourownwebsite.comj/web_site_promotion.php3

http://www.webpronews.com/wpn-4-20030318Getting-Listed-a-Search-Engine-Jump-Start.html

http://www.insideoutmarketing.com/index.php?p=pages&pid=4

http://office.microsoft.com/assistance/2002/articles/fpSearchRanking.aspx