| RIT School of Interactive Games & Media | Spring 2018, Dubrovnik, Croatia | Professor Elizabeth Lawley |
|---|
These classes will be taught as a single 6-credit experience during the spring semester in Dubrovnik, so the materials have been combined into a single syllabus.
- Class Meetings: M/W 2-3:20pm in Room 11, 3:30-5pm in Room 35
- Slack: #igme580-590 channel in dbv-sa-2018
- Professor Lawley's Office Hours: Tues 3:30-5:30pm, Thurs 2-4pm
- Course Topics & Schedule
IGME-590: From “gamified” tours of locations to augmented reality games to board games based on specific locations, games are increasingly being used by the tourism and hospitality industry as tools to attract new visitors to locations, and engage tourists in activities. In this course, students will review research and case studies of games related to tourism. The class will include presentations by experts in tourism and hospitality as well as experienced game designers. Students will work individually and in groups to create and refine ideas for both analog and digital games related to tourism.
IGME-580: This course will allow students to work as domain specialists on teams completing one or more large projects over the course of the semester. The projects will be relevant to experiences of the Interactive Games and Media programs, but will require expertise in a variety of sub-domains, including web design and development, social computing, computer game development, multi-user media, human-computer interaction and streaming media. Students will learn to apply concepts of project management and scheduling, production roles and responsibilities, and their domain skill sets to multidisciplinary projects. Students will complete design documents, progress reports and final assessments of themselves and their teammates in addition to completing their assigned responsibilities on the main projects
There is no required textbook, but there will be required weekly readings; all readings will be linked from the weekly topic schedule.
MyCourses will only be used for grading (and the occasional copyrighted reading), not for distribution of materials or communication. There will be links in myCourses pointing you to this Github repository and to our class Slack.
From 2-3:20 class will typically consist of a short lecture focused on the weekly topic, followed by an in-class activity, a guest lecture, or a site visit. During weeks 1 and 2, that will be extended into the 3:30-5pm time slot.
Starting in week 3, the 3:30-5pm time slot will be used
The schedule of topics, readings, and exercises can be found in the Schedule.md file. Materials for in-class exercises can be found in the Github folder for that week's class, and will be linked from the schedule. It is your responsibility to check the schedule for each week's readings. You will find the in-class exercises very challenging if you do not complete the readings for that week.
Because much of the class revolves around in-class activities, attendance is critical. If you miss a class, you should check Github and/or Slack for information on what was done, and contact me about options for making up the in-class work. If you know you'll be missing a class due to illness or a conflict, please let me know before class starts.
Your final grade for IGME-590 will be based on your individual assignments. Your final grade for IGME-580 will be based on your group game project.
I give only three possible final grades in these classes. You'll receive a grade of A ("good work!"), C ("you passed, but your work was unimpressive"), or F ("you have not mastered this material"), based on your overall average for the class. Here's the breakdown:
| Class Average | Grade |
|---|---|
| 83%-100% | A |
| 65%-82.9% | C |
| 0-64.9% | F |
Each week there will be lectures, readings, and in-class activities. You will be expected to maintain a journal in which you discuss the week's materials and activities--either as a Google Doc (with access granted to me), or as an entry on the class blog. You will receive a weekly grade on this, although the grades will only be posted every 2-3 weeks.
You are expected to attend class regularly, since there will be many guest lectures, site visits, and group activities that cannot be made up outside of class.
Game Analysis Paper (20% of final grade)
You will write a 5-7 page paper about an existing tourism-focused and/or location-based game (or games). Due at the end of week 5.
Final Paper (20% of final grade)
You have two options for this paper; you can write about ideas you have for tourism-related games, or you can write about the game you worked on this semester. (See link for more details.) This paper is due by May 8.
Projects will be assessed twice; once at the end of week 7, and once at the end of the semester. Your group will also turn in a series of progress reports throughout the semester.
I will assess your group's progress at the end of week 7. This assessment will include your pitches, proposals, ongoing documentation, and team communication and organization effectiveness. I will include a peer evaluation component in this assessment.
If you have created a prototype and/or performed a playtest, I will review that separately, and will use it to determine whether you should apply to pitch your game at the Reboot Develop conference. Applications for the ptiching sessions are due by March 18 at 6pm (which is the day before spring break ends).
Your group will submit a project progress report at the end of weeks 8, 10, 12, and 14. Each will be worth 5% of your final grade, and the grade will be the same for all members of the team. It should be submitted by the student producer, but they can (and should) assign some components to other team members.
Your final assessment will include all prototypes and playtests, design documentation, team communication and effectiveness, and the final version of the game itself. I will include a peer evaluation component in this assessment, as well.
- Last day of add/drop is 22 January 2018.
- Last day to withdraw with a grade of “W” is 6 April 2018.
- You have one semester after the class has ended to challenge your grade.
Any updates to assignments or the syllabus will be posted in Github and automatically announced in Slack. Major announcements (such as class cancellations) will be posted in the general channel in Slack. This means you should regularly check the class Slack, and consider setting up notifications for the general channel. I check both email and Slack frequently, and will try to always respond within 24 hours (the exception to this is when I’m traveling, for which I’ll give you advance notice). You will get a faster response using Slack, with the bonus that other people in the class can help answer questions, as well. If you want to send me email, please make sure you send it from your RIT account to my primary RIT email: Elizabeth dot Lawley at rit dot edu.
If you are having problems with an assignment or have an emergency that may make you late in submitting your work, please contact me before the due date. Late assignments that have not been cleared with me before the due date may not be accepted, or may incur a grade penalty.
If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to check with classmates for notes to supplement the materials I've already provided online. I will not recap classes for you.
I will have a minimum of four office hours per week. This is an excellent time to come in with questions on the course material, homework, or in class work. I am always happy to help you understand the course material or assignments—or just to chat about whatever topic you’d like. Take advantage of this time, since few students bother to talk with their professors outside of class. If for some reason I’m called away during office hours, there will be a note on the door.
Please turn off sounds on your phone, so that you don’t disturb the people around you with notification noises. If you must take a call, please leave the room to do so.
If you have a “Notice of Accommodation”, I should have received a copy electronically. Please discuss this with me after class or during my office hours, so that I can make sure all of your accommodations are met.
I don’t initiate friend requests on Facebook, because I don’t want you to feel obligated to accept. However, I do generally accept friend requests from students. I have a private Twitter account that I seldom use, and don’t accept follower requests on it. I maintain a LinkedIn account, and am happy to connect with students there in order to help them find job-related connections. Links to my various social media accounts can be found on my website (lawley.rit.edu).
Incomplete grades will be given only in the most exceptional circumstances, and then only by prior arrangement with me. Note that I only give incompletes in the event of: 1) military deployment or 2) documented and verifiable family or personal illness/emergency. Being overcommitted, overwhelmed, and/or not having enough time to complete your coursework does not fall into either of those two categories. Please come see me ASAP if you’re having difficulty so we can find a solution together.
My policy on academic dishonesty is simple: If you get caught cheating or plagiarizing, you get an “F” as a grade for the course, a letter detailing the incident goes into your records folder, and you are immediately removed from the class. (If this is a second occurrence during your career at RIT, the penalties are harsher.)
Please review RIT’s policy on academic integrity: https://www.rit.edu/academicaffairs/policiesmanual/d080
RIT is committed to providing a safe learning environment, free of harassment and discrimination as articulated in our university policies located on our governance website. RIT’s policies require faculty to share information about incidents of gender based discrimination and harassment with RIT’s Title IX coordinator or deputy coordinators, regardless whether the incidents are stated to them in person or shared by students as part of their coursework.
If you have a concern related to gender-based discrimination and/or harassment and prefer to have a confidential discussion, assistance is available from one of RIT’s confidential resources on campus (listed below).
- The Center for Women & Gender: Campus Center Room 1760 +1-585-475-7464; CARES (available 24 hours/7 days a week) Call or text 585-295-3533.
- RIT Counseling Center - August Health Center /2nd floor – 2100 +1-585-475-2261.
- The Ombuds Office – Student Auxiliary Union/Room 1114 +1-585-475-7200 or 585-475-2876.
- The Center for Religious Life – Schmitt Interfaith Center/Rm1400 +1-585-475-2137.
Any or all of the previous information is subject to change or modification during the semester. Any changes to the syllabus will be published here on GitHub, and will be announced in Slack.