Seton Hall University 

Department of Communication

INTRODUCTION TO MULTIMEDIA
COGR-2112
Dr. Kenneth Hoffman 
hoffmake@shu.edu

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        Multimedia communication can be defined as the delivery of video, animation, graphics, sound and text in a computer based or electronic form and may be interactive, that is, non-linear and user directed. Multimedia is used in business presentations, training materials, kiosk displays, reference materials and entertainment (games, interactive videos, etc.).  This survey course will examine the various applications of multimedia, discuss hardware and software tools, and generally serve as an introduction to multimedia design and production practices.


 TEXTBOOK
Vaughan, Tay Multimedia:  Making It Work .  7th ed.  New York :  McGraw-Hill.  2007.  978-0-07-226451-7.

DISCUSSION LIST   From time to time you will be asked to post short messages at our class Web site, and react to the comments left by others.  I will also be posting messages and other important information so check often.  Your participation is encouraged because your comments will help others refine their multimedia proposals.  Log on to the site with your SHU email account name and password.  The site can be found at: http://setonhall.blackboard.com/

REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING

 

Midterm and Final Examination

25%

Written Assignments and Class Participation

25%

Interactive Pirate Web Page 

25%

Treatment & Story Board for hypothetical Multimedia or Web presentation

25%

CLASS ATTENDANCE
Regular class attendance is essential.  Irregular attendance and/or chronic lateness will adversely affect your grade.  Two absences or three latenesses may lead to a grade reduction, at the discretion of  instructor.

PLAGIARISM
Cheating on a test will result in an automatic failure for that test.  Plagiarism of papers or projects will result in a failure for that assignment or for the course at the discretion of the instructor.

COURSE SCHEDULE
Please read the following chapters prior to the dates listed below:

   WEEK OF : 

Week One

 

Introduction to Multimedia. Multimedia defined. Applications: business, education, reference, entertainment, medical, point of sale, and simulation.  Multimedia Concepts Web site.

Chapter 1.  What is Multimedia?  Introductory Notes

 

This assignment is designed to provide the instructor with an overall appreciation of the technological experience you have had prior to this class. In paragraph form please answer the following questions before our next class meeting:

1.  What is your name and what should we call you in class?
2.  How would you describe your computer literacy (experience level)?
3.  What software programs have you worked with?
4.  Do you have experience with creating Web pages?  Writing HTML code?  Using Web authoring or multimedia authoring programs?
5.  What is your major?
6.  When do you expect to graduate from college?
7.  Where are you from?  Where did you grow up?
8.  What type of experience have you had with computer technology before coming to  SHU?
9.  Describe the way(s) in which you have been most comfortable learning about software applications--for instance, one-on-one instruction or hands-on training in a laboratory setting?
10. What do you expect to learn from taking this class?

 

Project:  Post a review of a magazine or newspaper article having to do with multimedia or the Web on our Introduction to Multimedia discussion page.  Due by next class meeting.  Important:  Be sure to check reviews left by other students and add your reactions to the discussion. 

Week Two

 

Introduction to Multimedia continued.  Obtaining an SHU Pirate account.

Chapter 2.  Introduction to Making Multimedia

Examples of Web multimedia:

SecondStory

Interactive models

YourPresentations.com

Kilobyte—Megabyte—Gigabyte

Project:  Apply for a Pirate Generic (FTP) Account at: http://pirate.shu.edu/cgi-bin/iap

Scroll down to the bottom of the page where you see the heading:  To apply for a new, generic (FTP) account.  Click the button and follow directions.

Project:   Find a computer information kiosk in a mall, hotel, library, etc., and use it.  Answer the following questions:  Location of the kiosk; purpose of the kiosk; intended audience; how the user interacts (touch screen, keyboard, mouse); navigation process; ease of navigation; multimedia elements used;  equipment used if known.  Post your paper on our discussion page no later than our Monday class meeting.

Week Three

 

Stages of multimedia project defined. 

Chapter 3.  Multimedia Skills

Project:  Log on to your Pirate Web page account with the password provided to you via your SHU email account.  Notify instructor if there are problems logging on to account.

Week Four

 

Chapter 9Hardware
Multimedia Production Platforms. Macintosh , Windows and UNIX platforms.  Peripherals. 

Introduction to Department of Communication computer graphics laboratory. 

Ivan Sutherand:  "Sketch Pad"

The Paperback Computer Web Resources

Project:  Do a search on Google.com about best practices for creating a Web site.  The do's and don'ts, what makes for a professional Web site and what makes for an amateur one.  Prepare a response to what you find, describing best practices in the field when it comes to navigation, color, graphics and multimedia.

Project:  Create a home page for your Web site including a paragraph about who you are.

Creating your Web Page

Week Five

 

Using and formatting text and images for multimedia presentations.

Chapter 4Text.

Bandwidth Comparison

Chapter 10.  Basic Software Tools. 

Project:  Post a one page proposal for a hypothetical multimedia project.  Your proposal should include:  concept for your project (i.e., what you want to do); purpose, goals, and objectives; target audience.   Post no later than our next class.

Week Six

 

Word processors, spreadsheets, databases, presentation tools. File Extensions for Multimedia

Chapter 11.  Multimedia Authoring Tools.

Project:  Add a picture of yourself to your Web page.  (A digital camera will be available before and after class.)   Due no later than our next class.

Week Seven

 

Authoring multimedia presentations: 

Chapter 11Multimedia Authoring Tools (continued).

Week Eight

 

MIDTERM EXAM 

Developing and delivering multimedia for CD-ROM and the Web

Chapter 15 (pp. 336-347).  Planning and Costing

Project:  1) Submit a treatment  for your hypothetical multimedia project (narrative describing navigation and menus for a short section of the proposal).  2) Include an annotated bibliography of at least 10 Web sites that are similar in content to your proposed project.  Include a brief description of each site, noting strengths and weaknesses.  Include site URL's (http://....) with your descriptions. See Guidelines

See Treatment Example.   Post no later than our next class. 

Project:   Add your comments to project ideas posted by other students.  Post no later than our next class.

Week Nine

 

The Internet.

Mouseover Buttons Link

Chapter 12-14How the Internet Works.  Tools for the World Wide Web

As We May Think by Vannevar Bush (excerpts)

Net Neutrality—See article on Blackboard assignments page

Project:  Add your class schedule to your Web site.  Add a hobbies section with links to related Web sites.  Due no later than our next class meeting.

Project: Turn in a navigation map for your multimedia presentation. Due by our next class meeting.

Week Ten

 

The Internet (Continued)
Storyboard blank page

Project:  Create a portfolio section on your Web page.  If you have taken Introduction to Computer Graphics or another computer graphics course, include JPG examples of your work.  Include a paragraph explaining how you created these images.  Or, you may download several computer graphics images from the Web, creating a gallery section on your Web page.  Include a  paragraph explaining why these images are good examples of computer graphics.  Due by our next class meeting.

Week Eleven

 

Designing a multimedia presentation

Chapter 16.  Designing and Producing

Week Twelve

 

Multimedia design (continued). 

Chapter 17.  Content and Talent

Project:  Treatment, story board, navigation map due week before final exam.

Week Thirteen

 

Securing content for your multimedia project. Copyright, privacy and censorship Issues.

Chapter 18.  Delivering

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Evaluate Web sites & Multimedia

Computer Graphics Glossary

PowerPoint Lecture Slides—The PowerPoint lecture slides dated November 15, 2006, can now be found as the last item on our Blackboard discussion page.
 
 

ALWAYS BACK UP PROJECTS ON YOUR ZIP DISK