Photoshop 1 Online Section 4323
Spring 2012 Syllabus
Welcome
Welcome to CS 70.11A Adobe Photoshop 1! Once you have read this syllabus, check in through SRJC's CATE (Center for Advanced Technology in Education) system. Click on this link: check-in, scroll down to the Class Check-In section, and follow the instructions. You will need to remember your user name and password to take tests, upload homework to an inbox, or check your grades. Check in only once. After checking in, click the Schedule link at the top of this page to access a weekly schedule of topics covered, reading assignments and homework assignments. Let me know if you have any questions.
Description of the course
This course covers the introductory features of Photoshop CS5, the premier software for creating and manipulating bitmapped graphics. Topics include the toolbox, basic layer techniques, Bridge, selecting, painting, image sources and copyright issues, resolution, printing, strokes & fills, color and tonal correction, image repair, some filters, some automation, and more. This course and CS 70.11B Photoshop 2 explore all the topics needed to pass the Adobe Certified Associate in Adobe Photoshop exam. Photoshop is essentially the same program whether running under Windows or Mac OS.
If you are a new student at SRJC, I recommend that you visit the SRJC Orientation page. Here is the official SRJC course outline for CS 70.11A.
Be aware of some important SRJC deadlines relevant to this section: the last day to opt for Pass/No Pass, to withdraw from the course, to get a refund, to have no record of attempting the course, or to receive a "W" for the course. View these dates by visiting our CATE section page and then clicking on Deadlines.
Student learning outcomes
- Demonstrate competency in identifying Photoshop interface elements.
- Construct simple documents utilizing selections, layers and blending modes.
- Differentiate between simple graphic file formats and choose the appropriate usage for each.
Online learning
Taking an online class is different from taking a traditional in-person class. If this is your first online class at SRJC, please click on the following links to prepare yourself to take an online course:
Much of our communication will be through email. It is important that you develop the habit of checking your email frequently in order to be current with the class. Online classes require more regular attention from students than in-person classes.
Class schedule
Each week of the course will run on a Tuesday to Monday schedule with a homework assignment due by the end of each Monday.
Each Sunday or Monday I will send the class an email outlining the next week's activities. I will send a second email later in the week with comments about the graded homework. Other class emails will be sent as needed.
A typical week's activities
I recommend the following schedule for each week:
- Complete the reading assignments specified on the Schedule page. For example for class 1, read Getting Started, Overview and Tutorial Guidelines and Tutorial 1 from the textbook, and Lesson 1. You will likely need to read them more than once. For further reinforcement, especially if you are a visual learner, watch the recommended videos listed in the lesson.
- Click on the homework link on the Schedule page and complete the assignment. As part of the homework, read all of the forum posts since your last visit and participate in the forum as described in the homework.
- On our Schedule page, use the inbox for the homework to upload your work so that I can grade it. Make sure everything has been completed by the Monday homework deadline.
- Use the Review Questions to test yourself on how well you understand and remember the material for this week and to help you prepare for the next exam.
Contact information
Instructor: Bruce Purcell
Office hours: M 3:00-5:00pm or by appointment. My office is in room 2938, which is located on the third floor of Maggini Hall.
I also have an online office hour M 8:15-9:15pm. The best way to contact me during this time is using Elluminate Live!. It allows multiple participants to communicate over the Internet using video, voice, and/or text. We can share screens so that you can see what I am doing in Photoshop on my computer or I can control Photoshop on your computer. Although you can also call my office phone or email me, priority will be given over those who use Elluminate Live!. Instructions for using this program appear in Homework 1.
Office phone number: 527-4216. Unanswered and busy calls are forwarded to the campus voice mail system so that you can leave me a message, but I will only check them on Mondays. I respond much more promptly to email.
Email address: bpurcell@santarosa.edu (checked daily unless I am out of town). It is important that you include your section number in the subject line of the email.
Course materials: www.santarosa.edu/~bpurcell
Computer Studies Department website: www.santarosa.edu/cs
Computer Studies Department phone: 527-4778
Texts and supplies
Required textbook
Practical Photoshop CS5, Level 1 by Heiman, Laird, Haverinen & Green. 2010. ISBN 978-0-9822931-2-6
We were unable to find a textbook that adequately covered all of the course topics, so several of the Photoshop instructors wrote our textbook specifically for this course. The book may be purchased from the SRJC bookstore at either Santa Rosa or Petaluma campus. You can also order the textbook online from the SRJC bookstore.
The book was printed in grayscale to keep the cost down. At the back of the book you will find a DVD that includes all the image files you will need to complete the tutorials in the book. The DVD also contains a file called color-images.pdf. This file shows the key images in color. You will want to refer to this file while working on your homework assignments.
The DVD also contains videos that demonstrate the key Photoshop and Bridge techniques covered in the textbook. Watching them is optional since they do not contain any additional information that is required for the course. However, many students learn better watching videos rather than reading a textbook, Some videos have not been updated from a previous version of Photoshop if the instruction has not substantially changed. The volume on some of these earlier videos can be very faint so you may need to turn your volume way up to hear them. For more information on the videos, visit Textbook Videos & Errata.
If you are delayed in getting your textbook, you can download the Table of Contents, first chapter, and the pumpkin image from the textbook website: Download Sample Chapter. There are no passworded materials available from the textbook website.
You need Adobe Reader (version 7 or higher) to open the many PDF files used in this course. If you don't already have this program, download it for free: Adobe Reader.
Recommended Text
Photoshop CS5: The Missing Manual by Lesa Snider. 2010. O'Reilly Media/Pogue Press. Print ISBN: 978-1-4493-8168-4 | Ebook ISBN: 978-1-4493-8170-7
This book is a good reference, but no reading will be assigned from it for this class. It has a website for description and ordering and one for images and errata.
Hardware / Software
The course textbook, homework, and exams use either Photoshop CS5 or Photoshop Extended CS5, released April 2010. Photoshop Extended CS5 contains some additional features such as 3D image manipulation and enhanced video editing that we are not covering in this course. Every Creative Suite 5.5 package includes Photoshop Extended CS5 except for Design Standard which includes Photoshop CS5.
If you have CS4, you can do almost all of the homework, but there are a few required features that will not be available, such as Content-Aware Fill. You may use our computer labs at either the Petaluma or Santa Rosa campuses or choose to take a deduction on the homework. I do not recommend that you try to use a version earlier than CS4. CS4 as well as CS5 videos are available on the textbook DVD.
You may purchase software at academic prices from the SRJC bookstore on either the Santa Rosa or Petaluma campus. Click on this link for further details or to purchase the software online: SRJC bookstore software. For example, you may purchase CS5.5 Design Premium for Windows or Macintosh at a relatively excellent price of $370. It contains Photoshop Extended, InDesign, Illustrator, Acrobat, Dreamweaver, Flash, and more. Photoshop Extended CS5 alone is $190. They also have CS5.5 Design Standard, which includes Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator for $199. The software may get backordered, but it is quickly restocked. College Buys is another source for lower-cost, academic versions of Adobe software. Adobe academic software is the same as the commercial version except that it is not licensed to be used for commercial purposes.
To get started, you may also choose to download a free 30 day trial version of Photoshop Extended CS5 from the Adobe website.
Check the hardware and software requirements before buying software. Photoshop does not run well or at all on older computers.
In order to view the movies that are part of the course, you will need a Quicktime Player. For Mac users, it is part of the Mac OS. For Windows users who don't already have it, you will need to get a free download: Quicktime Player for Windows.
I will send the class an email at least twice a week using the email address that you provided when you registered at SRJC. The sender is identified as GU.Weblink@santarosa.edu. Please check your email at least three times weekly and update any change to your email address using the SRJC Student Portal. When you email me, please include your section number in the subject line.
Understanding the navigation bar
Almost every page uses the same nav bar with these items:
Home takes you to my instructor home page with links to other sections that I teach.
Syllabus takes you to the page that you are currently reading. It describes the course requirements.
Schedule gives a weekly schedule for the class with links to the homework assignments and exams. Use this page as the starting point for accessing the course materials; I recommend bookmarking this page.
FAQs answers frequently asked questions.
Forum takes you to our class discussion forum where we can discuss Photoshop and other related topics. Please note the following:
- Use the forum for Section 4323 for topics specific to our class and the General Photoshop Discussion for topics that would be of interest to all the Photoshop students.
- Before you can upload posts to the forum, you will need click the Register link at the top of the forum page. Please choose a user name that allows me to easily identify who is posting. The forum user name and password are distinct from those that you used for the class CATE check-in, but you may wish to use the same ones for both.
- The forum is a good place to ask questions, share information, or seek help with a problem.
- The forum is not password protected and is open to anyone on the Internet.
- Please be courteous to your classmates and use appropriate etiquette in your posts.
- Keep your comments positive - if you want to complain about something, please email your instructor.
Grades asks for your CATE user name and password and then lets you see your scores on homework assignments and exams. Look for feedback on your homework. I typically grade homework assignments within a few days after they are due and will send the class an email when I have completed the grading.
Resources provides links to other web pages that may be useful to you in this course.
Reading
The weekly reading assignments are listed in the Schedule (see link above). The reading should be done prior to attempting the homework or participating in forum discussions on that topic. Don't fall behind!
When reading a chapter for the first time, I recommend that you just skim through the Guided Exercises. When working on the homework assignments, you will be asked to go back and complete each step in most of the Guided Exercises.
Grading
15 Homework assignments.. 267 points (9 to 32 points each)
3 Exams ............................ 120 points (40 points each)
Final exam .......................... 60 points
MTM evaluation ....................10 points
Total ................................. 457 points
Your course grade will be calculated by dividing the total points earned by the total points possible. Grades will be assigned according to the following percentages:
90-100% .... A
80-89.9% ... B
70-79.9% ... C
60-69.9% ... D
0-59.9% ..... F
Exams
The dates and chapters covered by the exams are listed in the Schedule (see link above). All four exams will be taken online and are open book and untimed. The Photoshop program may also be referenced, but you may not get help from another person. The questions will be based on the textbook, lessons, review questions, and homework assignments. Exams will consist of multiple-choice and true/false questions.
The exam questions are randomly drawn from a testbank. Once you open a exam, you must take it. I will know if you open the exam more than once and will assess a 10% penalty for each extra time the exam is opened. If you feel that you have a good reason for having to open the exam more than once, email me your explanation and I may waive the penalty. After completing the exam, you will be able to review all of the questions, your answers, and the correct answers for any questions that you missed.
Unless you make prior arrangements with me, each exam must be taken within the week specified in our schedule. On the first three exams, if you miss the deadline, you will have another week in which to take the exam with a 25% penalty. If you miss this second opportunity, the exam will be recorded as a zero. Since I process and submit the course grades right after the final exam, it cannot be taken late. Technical problems with taking an exam do not constitute a valid excuse for missing the exam deadline. I strongly recommend that you do not wait until the last few hours to take an exam.
Homework assignments
Our fifteen homework assignments are listed in the Schedule (see link above). Most students will need to spend a total of 3 to 5 hours per week to complete each homework assignment (not including other reading and studying time). As you work on the step-by-step exercises, make sure you understand why each tool or command is used.
Each homework is due by 11:59pm on a Monday. If you notice that you made a mistake on a file already submitted online, resubmit the file with a similar but different name before the due date. I will only grade the last file submitted. Unless you get my approval for extraordinary circumstances, a late assignment will be docked 20%; after one week late, it is docked 40%; after two weeks, it is docked 60%. If you submit any part of an assignment after the due date, the penalty is based upon the value of the entire assignment. Assignments will not be accepted more than three weeks late or after the final exam. You must email me if you submit late homework so that I know to grade it. Technical problems with submitting homework do not constitute a valid excuse.
A link to a CATE inbox will be provided for each assignment on the Schedule page. Submit images with the specified pixel dimensions and a file size less than 150 KB. This way the image will have enough detail that I can evaluate them properly and yet not take up too much room on the CATE server. Step-by-step instructions for preparing your files for web submission are located at the end of Homework 2.
Participation in the discussion forum is an important part of an online class since we do not meet face-to-face. You are part of a learning community even though you can't physically see your fellow students. Postings to the forum will be a part of every homework assignment. Follow discussion threads whenever possible. Since it is important that we discuss the topics of the current homework at the same time, postings will only receive credit if they are made during the week specified. Please proofread your comments carefully for grammar and spelling.
An online course has the benefit of giving you a lot of flexibility as to when and where you spend time on the class. However, since there is no structured class time, it is easy to fall behind unless you are disciplined in budgeting your time. Please don't fall into that trap. Try to complete each homework assignment early so that if you run into any problems you will still have time to get help.
I encourage you to try to resolve problems with your assignments on your own since you will learn more and become more self-reliant. I recommend this problem-solving strategy:
- Use your textbook, lessons, reveiew questions, my emails, the videos, Photoshop Help, and experimentation.
- If you get stuck, post a message on the class Forum (see link above).
- Contact me. Email works well for online students and simple questions. Remember to put your section number in the subject line. For more complex situations, I recommend using my office hours (see above) including the online office hour on Mondays from 8:15-9:15pm.
Miscellaneous
Student conduct
Students who register in SRJC classes are required to abide by the SRJC Student Conduct Standards. Violation of the Standards is basis for referral to the Vice President of Student Services or dismissal from class or from the College.
Students are expected to know and abide by the SRJC policy of academic integrity. Collaborating on or copying of tests or homework in whole or in part will be considered an act of academic dishonesty and result in a grade of 0 for that exam or assignment. I encourage students to share information and ideas, but not their work.
Accommodations for students with disabilities
If you need disability-related accommodations for this class, please contact Disability Resources Department (DRD) at the Santa Rosa campus (527-4278) or the Petaluma Campus (778-2491). For more information visit the DRD webpage.
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