CSCI 12 Stained Glass Tiling
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course combines medieval craftsmanship with contemporary geometry. Each student will build a piece of stained glass using colored glass tiles that fit together to form two or three-dimensional tiling patterns. Students will learn how to cut glass; to paint and print on glass with kiln-fired enamels; and to assemble and solder a stained glass window. Assignments require both artistic decision-making and practical problem-solving in figuring out ways to support, connect and assemble the tiles into a unique work of art. Instructional sessions on the use of tools and safe handling of materials are included where necessary.
Time commitment: Instruction and supervised workshop sessions from 10am – 1pm Monday to Friday. Students will be required to work approximately fifteen additional hours per week on their own time.
The course includes a field trip to see hand-painted stained glass in North Adams and southern Vermont (mandatory). Exhibition of projects on the last day of Winter Study is mandatory.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Evaluation will be based on final project plus a 10 page written paper on some aspect of stained glass or tiling patterns. Overall attendance, effort, creativity and teamwork whilst mounting final exhibition will also be taken into account.
PREREQUISITES: No prerequisites. Previous experience in art or geometry is not necessary, however, ideal applicants will have an interest in art or mathematics, patience and good hand skills.
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: Preference to seniors and those who express an early or specific interest.
COST: $250 for materials, kiln firings, tools and art supplies.
MEETING TIME: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
ADJUNCT INSTRUCTOR: Debora Coombs
ADJUNCT BIO: Debora Coombs’ stained glass windows are exhibited and commissioned internationally. She is a Fellow of the British Society of Master Glass Painters with a Masters degree from London’s Royal College of Art and 35 years of experience in the design, fabrication and teaching of stained glass. Contact: (802) 423-5640 debora@coombscriddle.com. Photos: http://www.coombscriddle.com and http://coombscriddle.wordpress.com
CSCI 13 Designing for People CROSSLISTING: PSYC 13
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Many technologically-innovative and aesthetically-beautiful products fail because they are not sensitive to the attitudes and behaviors of the humans who interact with them. The field of Human Factors combines aspects of psychology and sociology with information technology, education, architecture, and physiology, to design objects and information that are easy for people to learn and easy for people to use. The course will provide students with a theoretical framework for analyzing ease-of-learning and ease-of-use, as well as practical knowledge of a variety of human factors testing methodologies. The course will examine usability of a wide variety of designed objects, including buildings, publications, websites, software applications, and consumer electronics gadgets. Students will demonstrate their understanding of human factors theory through a short paper and participation in class discussion. Students identify a usability problem and design a solution which they will evaluate by heuristic analysis and a usability test with 8-10 human test subjects. Findings will be presented to the class. Books to be purchased: The Design of Everyday Things by Donald Norman and The Inmates are Running the Asylum by Alan Cooper. Students will also be assigned additional readings.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Five-page paper on usability theory, and presentation of usability design and testing project.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: Instructor seeks a diverse group of students with interests in design, psychology, and human-computer interaction
COST: $36
MEETING TIME: afternoons
ADJUNCT INSTRUCTOR: Rich Cohen ’82
ADJUNCT BIO: Rich Cohen ’82 has designed communications, social networking and education applications used by over 100 million people and has conducted usability research on four continents.
CSCI 23 Introduction to Research and Development in Computing
COURSE DESCRIPTION: An independent project is completed in collaboration with a member of the Computer Science Department. The projects undertaken will either involve the exploration of a research topic related to the faculty member’s work or the implementation of a software system that will extend the students design and implementation skills. It is expected that the student will spend 20 hours per week working on the project. At the completion of the project, each student will submit a 10-page written report or the software developed together with appropriate documentation of its behavior and design. In addition, students will be expected to give a short presentation or demonstration of their work. Students must consult with the instructor before the beginning of the Winter Study registration period to determine details of projects that might be undertaken.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Final paper and presentation/demonstration
PREREQUISITES: Permission of instructor
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: none
METHOD OF SELECTION: Preference given to sophomores and juniors
COST: $0
MEETING TIME: TBA
EXPLANATION OF MEETING TIME: TBD
INSTRUCTOR: Williams Lenhart
CSCI 31 Senior Honor Thesis
To be taken by students registered for Computer Science 493-494.