History of Photography Syllabus for 2019-2020
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Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

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Course

PHTC-1313-001 History of Photography

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: ARTS 2356

Course Description

A historical survey of the technical and aesthetic development of photography. Topics include the beginnings of the medium, inventors, development of photographic equipment, styles of the creative masters, aesthetic themes and the social impact of photography.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec, 1 lab)

Class Type

Hybrid

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Disappearing Witness: Change in Twentieth-Century American Photography
By Gretchen Garner

Supplies

1) 25 sheet 8x10 pack of darkroom paper: suggested brand - Ilford, RC, Multigrade, glossy surface

1 Epson SureColor P600 Wide Format Inkjet Printer TBD

Film for Visual Response format will vary for each project

Depending on projects, other supplies may be needed

Student Performance

Course Description:  A historical survey of the technical and aesthetic development of photography. Topics include the beginnings of the medium, inventors, development of photographic equipment, styles of the creative masters, aesthetic themes, and the social impact of photography. (WECM)

End-of-Course Outcomes:  Describe the aesthetic and technical evolution of photography; distinguish and identify historic and contemporary image makers; and perform research on a photography or historic theme. (WECM)

Specific Student Outcomes:

Students will

• Demonstrate knowledge of photographers, processes, and trends in the history of photography
• Conduct research utilizing library and internet resources
• Identify compositional devices used in photography
• Analyze photographs using appropriate terminology and articulate these thoughts effectively in writing (and/or in oral presentation)
• Understand and refrain from plagiarism
• Present work for grading in a professional manner, as directed by the instructor
• Participate meaningfully in critique
• Maintain a professional and respectful attitude
• Maintain classroom facilities and shared supplies

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

Course & Conduct

AC Connect (Blackboard) Online

The syllabus, assignment sheets, modules, and other documents are located on the AC Connect (Blackboard) website for this course. Students should contact AskAC with questions regarding log in. Students are responsible for downloading and printing documents as needed. Lecture comprehension and participation is greatly improved by reading the assigned material and reviewing assignment sheets before each lecture. Each week there is a module associated with the lecture; students are required to read assigned materials, watch videos, finish activities, and take the quizzes, etc. in each module. Grades are posted on a regular basis and should be reviewed by the student.

Attendance and Participation Policy

In order for students to complete this course successfully, it is necessary to attend the class and participate in the daily activities. Material covered during class, and in-class activities cannot be “made-up” and students should expect to do poorly on test questions and assignments related to topics discussed on missed days. It is the student's responsibility to get class notes from another student for any missed classes. In order to be fair to students that do attend classes, the instructor cannot provide private tutoring sessions to individual students who miss class. Because the instructor cannot possibly know the reason why a student missed class, there is no distinction between excused and unexcused absences.  Because student engagement plays a crucial role in learning, all students must attend every scheduled class. Each missed class reduces the Activities and Participation grade by 25 points, up to 150 points and/or 15% of the overall grade. Arriving late to class, or leaving early, reduces the Activities and Participation grade by 5 points. If students do not miss more than 3 classes (-75 points) the deduction will be waived at the end of the semester. Points will also be deducted for non-participation in the online components of the course. Deductions for attendance will be posted at mid-term and finals.

Copyright Notice

Students must be aware and responsible for the Copyright Notice for the course: The materials on this course website are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for the purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.

Critique Policy

In order to provide each person with a thoughtful critique of their work, all other activities must stop once a critique begins, and students need to engage in the critique process. So that everyone feels comfortable expressing their ideas about images, students need to listen to each other and respect varying viewpoints. To ensure students are able to hear all comments about their work, refrain from private conversations and direct all comments to the group discussion. Students learn about the creative process not only though creation, but also through looking at other work. Learning to use visual language to think and talk about photographs is another key component of the learning process. Before class review handouts on visual thinking, come prepared to discuss photography. A portion of the grade for a project is connected to critique participation, to earn full credit students must stay for the entire critique. Student projects not completed by the start of critique are late. (Refer to “Late Work Policy” for details) In fairness to those who completed their projects on time, please set aside incomplete projects so as not to distract from the critique. Unfortunately, the course schedule does not allow time to provide late projects with a group critique; the instructor will assess late work on the appropriate grading rubric.

Discussion Board Policy

A major part of the hybrid aspect of the course is for students to participate in an active discussion about looking at photographs. The discussion board is designed to engage students throughout the semester in thinking about and working on their research paper. Students will post by Thursday on the newest module, and then reply to other posts throughout the week. See Discussion Board Info and Guidelines in AC Connect for specific details.

Email Policy

All students are assigned an email account by Amarillo College that can be accessed through

Gmail. For correspondence with the instructor, please use rwest@actx.edu. The instructor, and Amarillo College, will use the AC student Gmail accounts and AC Online for correspondence with students. For this reason, students are responsible for checking these accounts on a regular basis, and may want to forward email to their personal addresses.

Technology

Cell phones and unrelated computer use detract from the learning environment. The following are examples of inappropriate use of technology during lectures, demonstrations, and critiques: checking email, texting, social network sites, making photographs during lecture, headphones, working on projects unrelated to class, etc.

College

Disability Statement Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact Disability Services (SSC 119, Phone: 371-5436) as soon as possible.

Drop Policy Should the need arise; the student is responsible for dropping a course. See the Amarillo College master calendar on the AC website and the course calendar for the date of the last day to drop a course. 

Coursework & Exams

Discussion Board Policy Students must actively participate in the discussion board modules available through AC Connect (Blackboard). There are 11 discussion boards related to the research paper. Through peer editing, and seeing other examples, students will work collectively on their individual research papers. Students that keep up with the topics each week will find the research paper to be almost finished by the due date. Each discussion board is active for two weeks. The lowest discussion board grade is dropped.

Exam Policy Each module has a quiz at the end of the section that covers materials from the module. Quizzes are available on AC Connect (Blackboard). Weekly On-line Modules for the course open at 9 am on Monday mornings, and close at 11pm on Sunday evenings. Each module is open 14 days. All exams and quizzes follow this schedule, except the final exam. The two lowest quiz scores are dropped.

Homework Policy Although some open lab time is scheduled during class, successful completion of this course will require work outside of class. To receive full credit for projects students must have exercises and portfolios completed at the start of class on the scheduled due date.

Late Work Policy Projects considered on time will be ready for presentation at the beginning of class on the scheduled due date. In fairness to students who finish projects on time there are penalties for late projects. Late projects submitted within one week of the critique date receive a 20-point deduction off the project grade and for projects submitted within two weeks there is a 30-point deduction. Projects not submitted within two weeks will not be accepted, and a zero will be recorded in the grade book for this assignment.

Make-up Exam Policy Tests (quizzes and exams) are available online during the module. In order to be fair to students who take the test as scheduled, failure to take tests by 11 pm on day of the exam will result in a zero for that test score. Since there are two opportunities to take the test during each module, there will be no other dates scheduled.

Department

Photography Policy Throughout the study of photography, students must make new photographs for each assignment; this ensures that students are using their cameras on a regular basis and refining their visual thinking and technical skills. Submitting old photographs or photographs used as an assignment in another class will earn a zero for the project. Appropriation of images, regardless of the source, is plagiarism (refer to Plagiarism Policy).

Lab Policy Only students currently enrolled in photography classes are allowed to use photography labs. Do not invite friends and family into the labs. The computer labs, darkrooms, and studios require students be enrolled in a course, or have taken specific courses, before using those areas.

Plagiarism Policy It is crucial for students not to pass off the ideas or words of another as their own, to do so is considered theft and will be treated accordingly. When paraphrasing or quoting another source always use parenthetical citation to credit the source, and include all websites and/or books reviewed in the bibliography. In fairness to other students who worked hard on their essays and photographic projects, students caught plagiarizing will earn a zero for the project and may be subject to additional disciplinary actions by Amarillo College.

Grading Criteria

Grading Format / A-F 1000-0 points (100-0%)

A = Excellent (1000-900) 100-90%

B = Good (899-800) 89-80%

C = Adequate (799-700) 79-70%

D = Weak (699-600) 69-60%

F = Unacceptable (599-0) 59-0%

Grading Criteria/Grade Scale

The course is graded on a 1000-point scale and the percentages are as follows:

Lab Projects (5% or 50 points each)       20% (200 points)

      Salted paper print, photomontage, combination printing, and street photography

Research Paper & Discussion Boards    30% (300 points)

The associated discussion boards are worth 10% of the grade

Visual Response                                   20% (200 points)

Quizzes & Exams                                 15% (150 points)

Each quiz is 10 points (12 quizzes) Final exam is 30 points)

In Class Participation                            15% (150 points)

Refer to handouts for the requirements of each assignment.

Grading Policy

Assessment is based on the following:

• Attends lectures, labs, and demonstrations
• Participates in in-class activities, discussion boards, and critiques
• Demonstrates the ability to conduct research
• Comes prepared for class, stays on task, and brings appropriate materials
• Displays an understanding of the concepts discussed
• Discusses ideas and asks questions
• Writes in an academic style that is coherent and conveys an understanding of the topic
• Utilizes the vocabulary of photography
• Submits essays with sources cited, bibliographies included and does not plagiarize the material of others
• Presents projects on time and meets the requirements of each

Attendance

In order for students to complete this course successfully, it is necessary to attend the class and participate in the daily activities. Material covered during class, and in-class activities cannot be “made-up” and students should expect to do poorly on test questions and assignments related to topics discussed on missed days. It is the student's responsibility to get class notes from another student for any missed classes. In order to be fair to students that do attend classes, the instructor cannot provide private tutoring sessions to individual students who miss class. Because the instructor cannot possibly know the reason why a student missed class, there is no distinction between excused and unexcused absences.  Because student engagement plays a crucial role in learning, all students must attend every scheduled class. Each missed class reduces the Activities and Participation grade by 25 points, up to 150 points and/or 15% of the overall grade. Arriving late to class, or leaving early, reduces the Activities and Participation grade by 5 points. If students do not miss more than 3 classes (-75 points) the deduction will be waived at the end of the semester. Points will also be deducted for non-participation in the online components of the course. Deductions for attendance will be posted at mid-term and finals.

Calendar

Additional Information

Additional course material is available through AC Connect (Blackboard)