City University of Hong Kong

Course Syllabus

offered by School of Creative Media

with effect from Semester A 2018 /19

Part I Course Overview

Course Title: Writing Digital Media

Course Code: SM2289

Course Duration: One semester (13 weeks)

Credit Units: 3

Level: B2
Arts and Humanities
Study of Societies, Social and Business Organisations
Proposed Area:
(for GE courses only) Science and Technology

Medium of
Instruction: English

Medium of
Assessment: English
CS1103 Introduction to Media Computing or
Prerequisites: CS1103B Media Computing or
(Course Code and Title) SM1103A Introduction to Media Computing

Precursors:
(Course Code and Title) Nil

Equivalent Courses:
(Course Code and Title) Nil

Exclusive Courses:
(Course Code and Title) Nil

Course Syllabus 1
Jun 2017
Part II Course Details

1. Abstract
(A 150-word description about the course)

A project-oriented course combining creative writing with coding. Designed for creative
writers, visual artists, musicians, filmmakers, gamers, and programmers interested in integrating
text and language into their work, our reflective writing practice will embrace a three-fold
approach: production of writing, discussion of theory and example works, and acquisition of
technical skills. Both print and digital sources will be consulted for critical vocabulary and
historical foundation that is of relevance to student projects. Projects may include everything
from hypertext to sound/kinetic poetry, to SMS narrative, to texts authored in part or wholly by
computer program, to physically-situated installations and beyond. Lab time will focus on
developing the basic coding skills that are required for aesthetic expression in digital media
using free and open-source tools. Lectures will address aesthetic, conceptual, and technical
concerns arising at the intersection of digital media and textual art practice. Prerequisite:
Creative Coding, or equivalent experience with at least one modern programming language:
C/C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, ActionScript, etc.

2. Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs)

(CILOs state what the student is expected to be able to do at the end of the course according to a given standard of
performance.)

No. CILOs# Weighting* Discovery-enriched

(if curriculum related
applicable) learning outcomes
(please tick where
appropriate)
A1 A2 A3
1. Describe: X
 The essential features of literary practice in digital
media
 The role that forms of digital literary practice play
in contemporary culture
2. Distinguish the literary and linguistic from other forms of X
digital and computational media
3. Use concepts of art, literary, visual, and new media X
theory to describe and evaluate the salient aspects of digital
and computational writing
4. Use concepts of art, literary, visual, and new media theory, X X X
interface and software design to plan and develop their own
work of writing in digital media
5. Use concepts of art, media design, and software X X X
engineering to implement a working prototype of their
work of writing in digital media
6.^ Transform basic technical competence into a unique style X X X
or personal signature
* If weighting is assigned to CILOs, they should add up to 100%. 100%
#
Please specify the alignment of CILOs to the Gateway Education Programme Intended Learning outcomes
(PILOs) in Section A of Annex.

^ Negotiated Learning Outcome (NLO) explicitly articulating the elements of Discovery oriented
learning.

A1: Attitude
Develop an attitude of discovery/innovation/creativity, as demonstrated by students possessing a strong

Course Syllabus 2
Jun 2017
 sense of curiosity, asking questions actively, challenging assumptions or engaging in inquiry together with
teachers.
A2: Ability
Develop the ability/skill needed to discover/innovate/create, as demonstrated by students possessing
critical thinking skills to assess ideas, acquiring research skills, synthesizing knowledge across disciplines
or applying academic knowledge to self-life problems.
A3: Accomplishments
Demonstrate accomplishment of discovery/innovation/creativity through producing /constructing creative
works/new artefacts, effective solutions to real-life problems or new processes.

3. Teaching and Learning Activities (TLAs)

(TLAs designed to facilitate students’ achievement of the CILOs.)

TLA Brief Description CILO No. Hours/week (if

1 2 3 4 5 6 applicable)
Lectures Weekly lectures ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Critiques Group critique of existing work ✓ ✓ ✓
and peer projects
Presentations Student presentations at various ✓ ✓ ✓
stages of project development
Projects Completion of a substantial ✓ ✓
stand-alone work addressing
course topics

4. Assessment Tasks/Activities (ATs)

(ATs are designed to assess how well the students achieve the CILOs.)

Assessment Tasks/Activities CILO No. Weighting* Remarks

1 2 3 4 5 6
Continuous Assessment: 100%
Participation ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 15%
Assignments ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 30%
Presentations ✓ ✓ ✓ 20%
Final project ✓ ✓ 35%
Examination: 0 (duration: , if applicable)
* The weightings should add up to 100%. 100%

Course Syllabus 3
Jun 2017
  

5. Assessment Rubrics
(Grading of student achievements is based on student performance in assessment tasks/activities with the following rubrics.)

Assessment Task Criterion Excellent Good Fair Marginal Failure

(A+, A, A-) (B+, B, B-) (C+, C, C-) (D) (F)
1. Class Participation This assessment task  Active in-class  Active in-class  Attentive in  Unmotivated to  Unwilling to
and Performance reviews students’ participation, participation, in-class participate in class participate in class
participation and positive positive participation, discussion or discussion and
performance in
listening, strong listening, ability listening with comment on other comment on other
discussions, debates and
ability to to initiate class comprehension, people’s views points, even when
peer critique during the
stimulate class discussion and but only  Little pre-class requested by the
tutorial sessions. The
discussion and comment on infrequently preparation and teacher
evidence of
comment on other points contributing familiarity with peer  No pre-class
‘negotiation’, the sign
other points  Adequate  Adequate reports and other preparation and
of discovery, lies in
 In-depth pre-class pre-class materials familiarity with peer
students’ pre-class
pre-class preparation and preparation but  Poor ability in reports and other
preparation and
preparation and familiarity with little familiarity interpreting opinions materials
interpersonal sensitivity
to his/her peer familiarity with peer reports and with peer reports  Minimal ability in

members. peer reports and other materials and other interpreting opinions
other materials  Interpret materials
 Interpret others’ opinions  Fair ability in
views with an effectively interpreting
open mind and opinions
ready to
negotiate
 Readiness to
share personal
insight via

Course Syllabus 4
Jun 2017
  

Assessment Task Criterion Excellent Good Fair Marginal Failure

(A+, A, A-) (B+, B, B-) (C+, C, C-) (D) (F)
analysis and
synthesis with
informed views
 Constructively
critical, thus
facilitating the
discovery of
new issues

2. Project/ Final Students should  Work has strong  Strong  Basic appreciation  Marginal  No appreciation of
Project demonstrate ability to affective quality appreciation, and/or application appreciation of the the aesthetics and
utilize primary and and the exploration of the aesthetic aesthetic and expressive qualities
secondary sources,
articulation of and/or and expressive expressive qualities of the medium
execute creative ideas
personal styles application of qualities of the of the medium  Fail to create
and projects. The
and signature the aesthetic and medium  Marginal ability to project/ work that
threshold of ‘discovery’
 Excellent expressive  Limited ability to create project/ work demonstrate the
lies in a student’s
appreciation, qualities of the create project/ that demonstrate the processes of
proactively turning
exploration medium work that processes of thinking and creative
theory into praxis, to
and/or  Ability to create demonstrate the thinking and creative exploration
transform course
application of project/ work processes of exploration  Minimal adjustment
material into self-owned
the aesthetic and that demonstrate thinking and  Limited adjustment of plans and
authorship.
expressive the processes of creative of plans and strategies in
qualities of the thinking and exploration strategies in response to
medium creative  Adjustment of response to resources (time,
 Work raises exploration plans and resources (time, space, equipment,
questions and  Proper strategies in space, equipment, etc) available
Course Syllabus 5
Jun 2017
  

Assessment Task Criterion Excellent Good Fair Marginal Failure

(A+, A, A-) (B+, B, B-) (C+, C, C-) (D) (F)
instill insights adjustment of response to etc) available
about the plans and resources (time,
process of strategies in space, equipment,
conception, response to etc) available
creative resources (time,
strategization space,
and production equipment, etc)
 Innovative available and
exploration by constructive
combining feedback/
knowledge from suggestions
different
disciplines (e.g.
mathematics,
psychology,
physics,
anthropology,
etc.) to create an
inter-disciplinar
y project
 Efficient
adjustment of
plans and
strategies in
response to
resources (time,
Course Syllabus 6
Jun 2017
  

Assessment Task Criterion Excellent Good Fair Marginal Failure

(A+, A, A-) (B+, B, B-) (C+, C, C-) (D) (F)
space,
equipment, etc)
available with
constructive
adjustment

3. Presentation This assessment will  Rich,  Adequate  Adequate content  Weak content, loose  Inadequate content,
grade on content and informative content with with grasp of the general fail to identify the
fluency of presentation. content, firm grasp of the comprehensive ideas with some general ideas with
Students should show excellent grasp material that grasp of the knowledge of the knowledge of the
their co-operation to of the material informs the material subject matter subject matter
conduct a with in-depth audience on a demonstrating  Poor organization,  No organization,
well-organized and extensive subject matter basic knowledge structure and structure or/and
presentation with their knowledge of  Reasonable of the subject composition composition
own argument and the subject organization, matter  Poor presentation  Poor presentation
evidence from readings matter balanced  Fair organization, skills: marginal skills: marginal
and notes. The  Rigorous structure and weak structure pronunciation, pronunciation,
threshold of ‘discovery’ organization, composition and composition expression and expression and
lied in a student’s self coherent  Good verbal  Fair presentation diction, poor diction, minimal
initiatives to conduct structure, and communication: skills: acceptable time-management time-management
additional research and systematic comprehensible pronunciation,
to personalize theories exposition with pronunciation, expression and
for her/his personal a strong sense of fluent diction, fair
daily experience. narrative expression and time-management
 Superior diction, fair
presentation time-manageme
Course Syllabus 7
Jun 2017
  

Assessment Task Criterion Excellent Good Fair Marginal Failure

(A+, A, A-) (B+, B, B-) (C+, C, C-) (D) (F)
skills: distinct nt
pronunciation,
fluent
expression and
appropriate
diction, exact
time-manageme
nt
 Critical analysis
with insightful
comments
opening up new
issues, or
suggesting the
ability to
theorize

Note: All A+/A/A- grade assignment should comply with the highest performance of Discovery-oriented learning.

Course Syllabus 8
Jun 2017
  

Part III Other Information (more details can be provided separately in the teaching plan)

1. Keyword Syllabus
(An indication of the key topics of the course.)

Kinetic Poetry, Hypertext, Recombination, Oulipo, Lettrism, RiTa,Text Generation, Natural Language
Processing, Sound Poetry, Interactive Text, Concrete Poetry

2. Reading List
2.1 Compulsory Readings
(Compulsory readings can include books, book chapters, or journal/magazine articles. There are also collections of
e-books, e-journals available from the CityU Library.)

1. The New Media Reader, edited by Noah Wardrip-Fruin & Nick Montfort The
Oulipo Compendium, edited by Harry Matthews (2002)
2. Virtual Muse by Charles Hartman
3. The RiTa Library: http://www.rednoise.org/rita/

4. UbuWeb: http://www.ubu.com/

2.2 Additional Readings

(Additional references for students to learn to expand their knowledge about the subject.)

1. To be distributed in class
2.
3.
…

Course Syllabus 9
Jun 2017