Spring 2019

M&W 8:00-8:50am

Art 1100 M&W 9:00-9:50am

T&R 8:00-9:15 am
T&R 9:30-10:45am

Introduction to the Visual Arts & Culture Professor: Kathleen Baum

E-Mail: kamalk@cod.edu
Regular and Hybrid course Phone: 630 942-2068
Office: MAC 270
An overview of the visual arts as transmitters of cultural, humanistic, and aesthetic values. Global Office Hours: T-R 7:30-8am; T 11-12pm, W
selections from the remote past to the present examined in thematic studies including visual 12-1pm, R 11-1pm or by appointment
elements and design principles, motivations for art making within cultural and historical contexts, Blackboard: bb.cod.edu
material processes, and issues in the world art. Designed to encourage visual literacy and develop Blog: codjewelry.com
analytical skills of the non-art major. Facebook: Jewelry & Metals at
College of DuPage
Advising help:codartadviser.com
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Exploration of visual forms, methodologies, and processes for making and understanding art within
cultural and historical contexts. Designed to encourage visual literacy and develop analytical skills
of the non-art major.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon successful completion of this course the student should be able to do the following:
n Define functions, motivations, and meanings of art in different historical and cultural contexts
n Identify the spaces in which art is produced and consumed, and how they affect meaning
n Analyze visual elements and design principles
n Explain how the relationship between form and content creates meaning in works of art
n Describe materials and methods of artistic production
n Apply critical methodologies for analyzing visual images, objects, and spaces
n Develop the ability to relate works of art to individual, community, and global experiences
n Explore culturally rich institutions in the Chicago including the Art Institute of Chicago.
Topical Outline:
1. What is art?
2. Where is art?
3. Visual elements?
4. Design principles
5. Materials and methods
6. Critical art theory
7. Contemporary issues in visual culture
Textbook for the Course:
There is no textbook required for the course. Instead, weekly readings will be assigned and are located in Blackboard
COURSE ASSESSMENTS EVALUATION
o 6 bi-weekly tests taken on Blackboard (Bb) – one extra test for extra points/missed test – please avoid using Safari as your
browser with Bb
o Bb journal Assignments/readings
o Composition Book with Assignments
o Bb Assignments and other on-line activities
o Attendance/Class participation
o Art Experience - Museum personal reflection paper
Most assignments (Quizzes, readings, videos) are on Blackboard. The exception to this is the Composition Book which is a physical book. The Blackboard
quizzes are multiple choice and short answer and cover the material that was delivered in class and assignments of the previous 2 weeks. There is a time
limit of two weeks to take each quiz. There are Bb journal assignments, s that There will be no makeups for missed tests, journal and museum assignments.

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION
Lecture Students are required to attend class lectures. Missing more than 4 classes (two weeks of school) may affect your final grade. There
is no textbook for the course and evaluation will be based on understanding of the material that was given in class. It is
recommended that students take notes in class for use in taking the required evaluations. The lectures will be posted on Blackboard
after the class meeting time and students may review notes from the missed lecture by viewing under “Presenter notes” in
PowerPoint. Microsoft office 365 is free to college of DuPage students. Please go to Student Information Help Desk for information
on how to download the software - Information Technology Student Help Desk: (630) 942-2999 studenthelp@dupage.edu

Discussion Students are expected to participate in class discussions and engaged in the class. Sleeping, activities on phone or computer that
are not part of the class will be noted and will affect your grade. Remember, this is not discretionary time.
Reading Students must complete all reading assignments. Readings are found on Black Board and are usually part of the Journal question for
the week.

Writing/Visual Students will fulfill the requirements of the each assigned Composition Book (Comp Book) and submit for evaluation as requested.
Journal questions are found on Bb are to be submitted there. Plagiarism (copying and pasting words that are not your own) is not
Activities
permitted and could result in your dismissal from college.

If you have enrolled in the hybrid course up to 50% of course material must be presented in class meeting. The additional time is to be spent watching the required
video on your own time. The videos are shown in the regular courses. The course is structured this way to remain in the block schedule but not require you to attend
and additional day (Friday) to watch a video in class.

Grading
Students are welcome to choose what assignments they prefer to do. You need 900 Points to achieve an “A”. If you don’t want to do a quiz but would
rather see an art exhibit and write about it (under Participation in Bb) you may do so.

There are more than 1000 points possible in the course. 900 points (A), 899-800 (B), 799-700 (C), 699-600 (D) The estimated grade distribution is as
follows:
Quizzes =150 points. There are 6 tests on Bb available for two weeks. Once the deadline has passed, the tests will not be available. There are no ‘make-
up’ tests but there is an extra test if you miss one. See “due dates” buttons on Bb.
Composition Book = 200 Points. 4 times that the comp book is collected. Points are deducted if the assignments are not up-to-date. See Composition
Book button on Bb. The Comp Book may be collected for just ‘check-in’ credit without points. See “due dates” buttons on Bb.
Weekly Journal Assignments = 200 points. There are 15 weekly journal assignments. These are private writings that are only seen by the instructor.
Journals are due in groups of two or three at the same time as the Quizzes. See “due dates” buttons on Bb.
Mid-term Meeting/Info sheet/surveys = 100 points. Students are required to meet with the instructor for advising purposes at mid-term. Appointments are
available during class time (class is not in session that day) or around that time for the student’s convenience. Other assignments that fall under this category
will be discussed.
Personal Museum Paper = 150 points. This is a reflection paper due the last week of class. Please go to the Museum Paper button on Bb for information
on this assignment.
Attendance/participation = 200 points. The point of this class is to become engaged in the visual world. The college has a gallery, a visiting artist program
and free bus trips to the museums. Taking advantage of these opportunities will be rewarded. It is important that you come to class to participate in
discussions and activities. Attendance is taken at the beginning of each class. The door to the class is locked about 5 minutes after class has begun.
Students are encouraged to exchange phone numbers with other students so that they can text this student and ask them to quietly come to the door and
let them in. The instructor cannot open the door for safety reasons. It is important that all students feel and are safe at College of DuPage.

Note: There is no extra credit available in this course. If you feel that you want to improve your grade, do extra in one of the above categories to earn more
points!

Student Conduct
It is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with and conduct themselves in accordance with all the policies set forth by the College of DuPage. This
information may be found in the college’s catalogue under Student Conduct (p. 114) and found on the College of DuPage website under Course Catalogue
– Student Services and General information. This course is participating in the Early Alert system. If your progress or behavior in this course falls below
course expectations, you may be referred to a Student Success Counselor from Counseling and Advising Services at College of DuPage to discuss how
you can improve your performance in this course. If a Student Success Counselor contacts you during the term, please make an appointment to see him or
her right away.

Disrespect/disruption will not be permitted or tolerated

Art making/viewing can be an emotional and sometimes intimate experience that may put students in a state of vulnerability. Students must feel safe in class
to express their personal thoughts and ideas. This is important to the objectives of the course listed above. If a student is behaving in a way that makes the
other students feel unsafe, the disruptive student will be asked to leave the class and may return once they have met with the Behavioral Intervention Team
through the counseling services at College of DuPage.

Definition of Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is any unwelcome attention of a sexual nature that creates and intimidation, hostile or offensive environment or interferes with educational
or work performance. Sexual harassment is a violation of state and federal law, as well as a violation of COD policy #4074. Harassment can be in the form
of verbal, non-verbal and physical behavior. If you experience any of this behavior, please see the instructor immediately.

Students with Disabilities

Qualified students with documented disabilities have the right to free accommodations to ensure equal access to educational opportunities at the College of
DuPage. For assistance and clarification of services provided, contact the Center for Access and Accommodations.
Special needs services: (630) 942-2154 or (630) 942-2155 TDD: (630) 858-9692 FAX: (630) 942-2071

Online Content Statement

Students must monitor the Blackboard course site for important announcements, updates, assignments and other materials related to course content.
Please let me know right away if a link isn’t working and do your work in a timely manner. A frantic email at 11:50pm on the day a project is due seldom gets
the response you want. In other words, poor planning on your part does not necessarily mean and emergency to the instructor. You are given two weeks to
do the work and more time on other assignments. Managing your time and assignments in a timely manner while the information is fresh is recommended.
Our goal is to build habits that will give you success in college and life.

Return of Work
All tests and most assignments are posted on Blackboard and the instructor will grade the work in a timely fashion – usually within a week of turning the
assignment in. The composition books will be collected at least 4 times for feedback and are returned the next class. Students are expected to keep up
with the assignments and not fall behind. This is imperative to success in the course.
Withdrawals
The final day for a student to withdraw from any course will be equal to 75% of the time for the respective academic session (see the Registration Calendar)
through myACCESS or in person at the Registration office, Student Services Center (SSC), Room 2221. The date for withdrawal for this semester is April 12,
2019 After the deadline, students will be required to appeal for late withdrawal and provide appropriate documentation to the Student Registration Services Office
for all requests. Students who are granted approval to withdraw by petition will not be eligible for refunds of tuition or fees and will receive a 'W' grade on their
transcript. Appeals must be submitted prior to the designated final exam period for 16-week classes and before the last class meeting for all other session classes
Incompletes are not given. The grade earned will be recorded if a student has not officially dropped.

Rules of Engagement
Students are expected to demonstrate qualities of morality, integrity and honesty. As the facilitator of this course it is my job to have you
complete the course knowing more about yourself, the visual world you live in, and how to communicate in that world. To this end, we
need to agree on the following expectations:
• Please arrive on time to class. I know it is early and your bed is warm, soft and difficult to leave. Prioritize your life as a student
and come to class to be involved. It is disruptive to others to constantly come to class late. If showing up on time is going to be
an issue for you, consider taking this class at a different time and get to bed early!
• We will use smart phones in class as a tool to gather class opinion and information using phone software. However, class time is
not discretionary time. Please switch your ring tone off and refrain from texting/social media during class. As your instructor, I
notice when you are not paying attention to class images and the whole point of this course is about looking. Not paying attention
and participating in class may adversely affect your grade. I need to see your eyes!
• Please don’t take notes by hand – much better for memory than typing on a laptop. I suggest you take them short notes in your
Comp Book. To achieve your goals in life and develop skills for future success, we will be looking and discussing many images.
Multi-tasking doesn’t exist when two information streams are coming to the brain at the same time. Your participation in class is
part of your grade and it will be noted if you are not engaged in class. The information that was given in class is also posted on
Google Docs (linked through Blackboard). If you feel you missed some material, you can always go to the class session and
review.
• The Composition Book is an important part of the course and should be brought with you to each class. There will be a Comp
Book assignment for each class meeting that should be completed right away. This is a very ‘hands on’ assignment intended to
give you the experience of working with memory, art, creativity, material, and images.
• You may collaborate with other students out of class on class assignments if you are helping each other and not doing someone
else’s work.
• The class is usually structured with an opening exercise, some lecture, video, and class group work. The course is intended to
be 1hour and 15 mins long two days a week. The hybrid class is shortened to 50 mins. Students enrolled in this class may watch
the required video at home. Breaks may be taken if needed but please try not to be disruptive. Remember, the door to the class
is locked so please use the other doors and block it open so you may get back in.
• Please feel free to contact me before or after class with questions or concerns. If this is not possible, email is probably the best
way to contact me but feel free to come to my office hours. If I am not in my office MAC270 then I may be in the Jewelry Studio
MAC 264.
• Please feel free to speak out when I ask questions in class. You may raise your hand if you feel more comfortable but I encourage
you to practice talking about your ideas openly and in a safe place.
• “Question Cards” are provided for students who may have a question that they would like to ask but not out loud. They are
meant to be anonymous. I will try to answer question cards in class. If I don’t get to the card, I will answer the card in the FAQ
section on Blackboard.
• Eating and drinking are allowed in class put please be discrete so as not to disrupt other students. Sometimes we have a sign-up
to bring in breakfast for celebrations in class. In the ‘Student Information’ page that I handed out, would you please make sure
you put in food allergies on the Information form (on Bb) if you have them.

Some students are new to college and expect college to be an extension of High school (this class is not intended to be 13th grade). As
the instructor, I assume that you are an adult and free to make your own decisions. That being said, there are consequences for making
poor decisions. If you believe this course to be an ‘easy A’, you may be disappointed. This course may ask you to dig deep and decide
what you truly believe and who you are. My goal as your instructor is to prepare you for your future goals. Help me help you succeed!

Here is the difference between an “A” student and a “C” student. As an instructor, I don’t favor one student over another but I respond to
students who are engaged in the course and doing the work.
Grade Expectations at the college level
The “A” Student – An Outstanding Student
Attendance “A” students have virtually perfect attendance and read the syllabus, assignments and schedules and on time. They go to art events and
research beyond what is given in class.
Preparation “A” students are prepared for class. They have their supplies on hand at all times. They hand in assignments on or ahead of time. “A”
student work hard at time management skills. They take notes and ask questions during class and participate in class discussion. As an
instructor, I rarely look up and see them asleep or on their phones/lap tops.
Curiosity “A” students show interest in the class and in the subject. They often do their own research to clarify what they don’t understand. They
participate actively in class discussions, asking provocative questions, making thoughtful comments and constructive contributions to the
class.
Retention “A” students have retentive minds. They are able to connect past learning with the present. They bring a background with them to class.
They keep up with class assignments and plan ahead.
Attitude “A” students have both the determination and the self-discipline necessary to reach their goals. They show initiative.
Results “A” students earn the highest grades, usually the highest in the class. Their work exhibits a high degree of exploration and enthusiasm and
working with the A student is a pleasure.

The “C” Student – An Average Student

Attendance “C” students miss class or arrive late frequently. They put other priorities ahead of schoolwork. In some cases, their health or constant
fatigue renders them physically unable to keep up with the demands of high-level performance needed to do well in college.
Preparation “C” students prepare their assignments consistently but in a perfunctory manner. Their work may be sloppy or careless. At times it is
incomplete or late. They often have to rely on classmates or don’t bother to read the assignment/schedules.

Attitude “C” students are not visibly committed to the class. They participate without enthusiasm. Their body language often expresses boredom.
They often believe they can multitask and check their phone for social media updates instead of paying attention. Amazingly, these
students seem to be the most surprised when they don’t do well on the assignments and tests.
Results “C” students obtain mediocre or inconsistent grades on their work. They have some concept of what is going on but clearly have not
made the effort to either explore or master the material.
Which student will you choose to be?

Important
This is an art course with real images of art objects used as examples and discussed in class. One of the functions of art is to have the
viewer question their beliefs and assumptions. Much Art challenges what is acceptable in our culture and what is not. Some of the art
shown may involve nudity or sexual imagery/content and may make students uncomfortable. If this experience is unacceptable to you, it is
recommended that you select another Humanities course.
Final Note:
As the instructor, my job is to get you excited about learning, care about you as a person, and mentor you to pursue your goals and
dreams. The assignments have been carefully chosen to meet these ends and may seem personal in nature. There are a lot of other
students in class and it is difficult to recognize specific student’s needs. I am counting on you to come to me with issues and ideas. If you
are really trying to get your work done and accomplish goals, we can always find a way. I am not very tolerant of students who pretend to
be thinking and working but are not engaged. It is my great pleasure to reward real effort. It is also my job to point out laziness and
insincerity.

“The grade you receive in this class won't make much difference in later life, but my reaction to you will and the reactions of your
classmates to what you do will. Your classmates are your world, your future will be like this now, as you relate to your present, you will
relate to your future, recognize your weaknesses and do something about it.” – Paul Thek

Remember, I believe that life is a process of perpetual revision in the interests of greater understanding. In order to meet this goal, I need to
criticize your work but as the facilitator in this class, I do want our time together to be enjoyable. To this end, I tell bad jokes, use
questionable humor, throw soft things and occasionally use bad language for dramatic affect.
Kathleen Baum January 15, 2019