Course Syllabus

Spring 2024 | ART-1210-VM01H - Introduction to Adobe Creative Cloud

Hybrid Class

Hybrid courses combine online instruction with limited in-person meetings throughout the semester. Hybrid courses can take place in standard or accelerated formats.

Faculty

April Turner
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Jennifer Gundy

General Education Requirements

VSCS Digital and Technical Literacy

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This course is an introduction to the industry-standard software package for professional graphic designers for use in digital image manipulation, digital illustration, and page layout. Students will learn basic navigating skills within the Adobe Creative Cloud software, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Students will learn how to select, modify, adjust, combine, and manipulate pre-existing digital raster images, as well as the basic method for creating new vector images from scratch. Students will then investigate how these images can be integrated with type to create a page layout.

Essential Objectives

1. Demonstrate fundamental skills using Photoshop (bitmap/raster images), Illustrator (vector graphics), and InDesign (page layout) for use in print and web application.
2. Import and export files between software packages, including usage of various file formats.
3. Demonstrate methods for optimizing size, color, and quality of images and/or photographs using Photoshop for print and web applications.
4. Create vector graphics and utilize tools to create, resize, and design type in Illustrator.
5. Create basic page layout using key tools such as parent pages and style sheets within InDesign. Examine and discuss traditional methods of design and pre-press, with reference to the art historical, social, and cultural context.
6. Demonstrate the ability to properly store data, set appropriate permissions for cloud-based files and applications, and apply file management and file packaging processes on local and remote networks.
7. Examine and discuss images in their current and historical contexts with attention to the ethical use of information and technology.
8. Discuss how digital technologies can perpetuate systems of inequality and/or can be used as tools for social transformation.
9. Create individual projects and display in a professional manner.

Required Technology

Students in this course will need access to the Adobe Creative Cloud software suite available on lab computers at CCV academic centers and/or on a home laptop or desktop computer. For personal computers, this software can be purchased directly from Adobe for an annual plan of $19.99 per month (note that an annual commitment is required). To get student pricing, you will need to use your CCV email address.

Please note: Adobe Creative Cloud software requires a desktop or laptop, and usage on Chromebooks may be limited. Please consult the system requirements below.

Adobe Creative Cloud system requirements can be found here. Individual applications can be downloaded separately, and requirements may vary. Links to requirements for Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop are below.

Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Photoshop

If you have difficulty in acquiring or accessing these resources for your course, please contact your advisor or financial aid counselor to see if there are assistance programs available to you.

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

*** This is a no cost textbook or resource class. ***

This course only uses free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials. For details, see the Canvas Site for this class.

Evaluation Criteria

Your final grade will be based on the following assessments:

Assignment Category	Grade Weight Percentage
Discussion Forums	30%
Weekly Assignments	25%
Quizzes	10%
Final Project	25%
Final Exam	10%

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

Discussion forums are a vital and required component of this course; this is the place where you learn and practice skills while building community with your classmates. It is expected that you engage with each week’s topics and skills-building activities as well as connect positively to your peers and me. Discussion forums will take place weekly online. In addition, we will have discussions during our time together in the classroom and during class critics.

Class Participation (Discussion Forums) will make up 30% of your total class grade.

Missing & Late Work Policy

Missing and Late Work Policy

Late Assignments: All homework assignments are due on Mondays by 11:59 pm EST. A 10% deduction will be taken for every day an assignment is late. Quiz due dates will be specified by Instructor. Late quizzes will not be accepted. One homework assignment and one quiz will be dropped at the end of the course to allow for situations that may cause you to miss an assignment or quiz.

**Please contact instructor IMMEDIATELY if there are circumstances that make it hard to complete assignments, quizzes, final project, final exam, or discussions on time. Mrs. Turner will work with CCV regarding school policies for that circumstance.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity