Syllabus: GDP 118 Creative Thinking Instructor: Liz Russotti russotti@sbcc.edu Department Chair, Graphic Design A-176 (Digital Arts Center/DAC). Office Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday: 11:00 -1:00 Online via Skype (liz@sbcc): Tuesday, Wednesday: 7pm-8pm OR email for an appointment... OR...just drop by and knock on my door SoMA-GDP website Required Text:“ How to Get Ideas", 2nd edition by Jack Foster Description: Creating is the process of finding and capturing ideas while playing, wandering, drifting, exploring, experimenting, floating. This course is designed to give students basic techniques which will enable them to enhance their own innate creative abilities. Numerous creative problem-solving skills and ideas will be explored. The underlying assumption of this course is that innovation (creativity) is a skill which, like many, can be learned. Learning to build your creativity takes a great amount of practice. This course is filled with exercises designed to give you the opportunity to practice on a regular basis. Only YOU can build and improve your creativity. Orientation: An email will be sent the week before class begins with a video orientation. Video link is also posted on the class webpage. Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) At the end of this semester students will: • Demonstrate specific techniques for enhancing their own creative abilities and communicate their ideas with confidence. • Identify their own creative strengths and weaknesses Objectives: Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to: 1. define creativity 2. identify the underlying mental and emotional factors involved in the creative process 3. identify their own creative ability 4. develop specific creative problem solving techniques 5. develop innovative ideas 6. communicate their ideas with confidence Course Materials and Supplies: The following text is required and may be purchased at the SBCC Bookstore: “ How to Get Ideas", 2nd edition by Jack Foster Optional Text: “Creativity Workout: 62 exercises to unlock your most creative ideas" by Edward De Bono This course requires no specific software. Email (russotti@sbcc.edu): Please start the Subject line of EACH email to me with GDP118. SBCC Attendance Policy (SBCC Catalog): Please refer to the Attendance policy detailed in the Academic Standards & Policies section of the current SBCC college catalog: www.sbcc.edu/catalog/2011_2012 All students admitted to Santa Barbara City College are expected to be punctual and to attend regularly. Note: Although this is an asynchronous online course, weekly contributions and participation in this virtual classroom are requirements for participation and success. Attendance for Online Classes: It is your obligation to LOGIN and participate in this course EVERY WEEK during this semester. More than two weeks without logging into this course may result in a drop from this class. A minimum of three/four hours of work per week online is anticipated. Please email me immediately if you are experiencing problems or special circumstances. SBCC Withdraw Policy (SBCC Catalog): Please refer to the Academic Calendar for drop and withdraw dates: www.sbcc.edu/calendar Attendance is mandatory. Students who do not attend the first class meeting may be dropped as a no show. Instructors may withdraw a student at any time for excessive absences. As a guideline, absence is considered excessive if a student misses three (3) meetings, or the equivalent of one week of class. Absence due to illness may be accepted as excused absence for a limited period of time. Students are expected to make appointments for medical and dental treatments at times other than when classes are scheduled. Course Assignments: Assignments, projects and due dates may change at discretion of instructor. Assignments will be listed in the Week’s Activities document and a direct link to each assignment will be found in that weeks block. Follow directions for uploading per each assignment. Reading assignments will include your text as well as readings from online lextures and specific websites. It is your responsibility to check Assignments regularly to see if any changes have been made. Resubmitting Assignments: All STUDENTS (Online and Face2Face) Late work - Submissions after deadline and up to one week late, minus 10 points  .............. Submissions 2 weeks late, minus 20 points .............. WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER WEEK 2 OF DUE DATE You may have the option of redoing and resubmitting most assignments.  Assignments MUST be submitted (even if incomplete) by the DUE DATE in order to be resubmitted for an improved grade. ALL assignments handed in on time will have until Midnight,  Friday of WEEK 14 of the semester to resubmit. I will not accept any redos after that time. Assignments submitted AFTER the Due DATE MAY NOT be redone. There will be NO exceptions. Email me to let me know you have resubmitted an assignment. Your final grade will be based on: Exercises = 35% Projects = 45% Discussion and Participation(forums)=20% Grades: A 100-90 Only expect an A if work is exceptional. This means that the project must be completed and presented in a professional manner. It has to stand up against the best. B 89-80 Work that goes further than the project requires. Concept, and composition show extra merit. C 79-70 Competent work. Basic requirements of project are met. D 69-65 Work which does not meet project requirements, is poor in concept, execution or composition. F 64 Work which is completed below standard or work not handed in. Digital Arts Center (DAC): (refer to above link for open hours) The DAC lab is available for all students, face-2-face and online, to work on class projects. Some classes are required to spend at least one or two hours of computer time outside of class to fulfill your unit requirements. The DAC Lab has all the equipment and software to complete required assignments. Please refer to the website on College Policies for Students Use of Computers and Networks. Software The Graphic Design classes require the use of some or all of the following software to complete assignments: The Adobe Creative Suite CS: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Indesign. GDP 111: Illustrator, Photoshop and Indesign - no software necessary GDP 113: Indesign - some knowledge of software helpful but not necessary GDP 114: Illustrator, Photoshop and Indesign - some knowledge of software helpful GDP118: Internet access, no other specific software required GDP 212: Illustrator, Photoshop and Indesign - knowledge of software necessary to be successful GDP 215: Illustrator, Photoshop and Indesign - knowledge of software necessary to be successful GDP 230: Illustrator, Photoshop and Indesign - knowledge of software necessary to be successful DSPS — Disabled Student Programs & Services SBCC students with disabilities who are requesting accommodations for classes, college activities or tests should use the following SBCC procedure. (NOTE: This also includes students who are requesting to bring service animals into classes. The procedure also includes requests to bring personal service attendants into classes as volunteers or hired by outside agencies.) [1] Contact Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS). [2] Submit documentation of your disability to the DSPS office. [3] Communicate with a DSPS counselor regarding options for services and accommodations. [4] Reach written accommodation agreement with the DSPS counselor and your instructor. SBCC requests you complete this process at least ten working days before your accommodation is needed, in order to allow DSPS staff time to provide your accommodation. Contact: DSPS office (805) 965-0581 x 2364, SS Building, room 160, dspshelp@sbcc.edu Academic Honesty The instructor expects and trusts each student to maintain high standards of honesty and ethical behavior. All assignments submitted in fulfillment of the course requirements must be the students’ own work. All assignments except those designated as “group” are meant to be individual efforts. Group efforts are meant to be equal efforts of all group members. It is assumed that students will perform professionally in preparing work for this class. A little bit about my Philosophy in life.... "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is a habit, not an act." Aristotle I truly believe that hard work, perseverence and creativity are the keys to success in all you do in life. Human beings are essentially a creative species. The human mind is designed to create. I believe it is my job to help each of my students discover their strenghs and weaknesses and to help keep each one motivated. I will try to inspire you and encourage you to go beyond what you feel is your best. I'll be encouraging you to dig deep, to challenge yourself and discover that you have the ability to be/do more than you ever realized. Any class you take during your educational career will require you to think and make decisions. I will expect you to think critically about various issues; concepts, design, layout, creativity, ethics as it relates to media, and to participate in class discussions and ask questions and even to challenge my responses. Let me know that your brain is working! Always remember that the true success of anything you do in life lies in your ability to question, seek answers and work hard. Never settle for mediocrity. You deserve better than that. I hope this semester will be successful and enjoyable. I look forward to working with each of you.   Bibliography Edward De Bono: Creativity Workout: 62 Exercises Mumaw and Olfield: Caffeine for the Creative Team Ayan, Jordan: Aha! 10 Ways to Free your Creative Spirit Barron, Montuori, Barron: Creators on Creating Cameron,Julia and Bryan, Mark: The Artist's Way Greenfield, Susan: The Human Brain, A Guided Tour       Michael Michalko: ThinkerToys Parlette, Snowdon: The Brain Workout Sawahata, Lesa: Creativity, Innovative ways to Build Great Design Von Oech, Roger: A Whack on the side of the Head Ward, Finke, Smith: Creativity and the Mind: Discovering the Genius Within     Landa, Robin: Creative Jolt and Creative Jolt Inspirations Landa, Robin: Thinking Creatively, New Ways to Unlock your Visual Imagination Maisel, Eric PhD.: Fearless Creating Landa, Robin and Gonnella, Rose : Visual Workout: Creativity Workbook RobertWeisberg: Creativity: Beyond the Myth of Genius