Interactivity is a term used across technology and the arts to think about how objects and systems invite and respond to human actions. By encouraging students to understand media and art as technological and computer design as creative, this program delves into concepts of interactivity through both theory and practice. This program is suitable for computer science or visual and media arts students who are interested in the intersection of these disciplines. No prior knowledge of either is expected, but students with that experience will be able to build on it.
The term “Computer” originally referred to people who perform mathematical calculations. To understand how computing machines are used today, we have to study their interrelationships with human beings who are designers, workers, programmers, creators, and consumers. Computers are physical devices that always exist in a historical and social context. In this program, we will learn about computer science applied to the physical world (robotics, media devices, and everyday technology), the basic structure and functions of computing hardware and software, and the human factors – such as gender, race, culture, and labor – that have shaped them. This critical inquiry falls under the umbrella of “technology studies” and involves faculty lectures and a weekly seminar on academic readings. We will also look at texts, films, digital games, performances and installations that conceptually and formally engage concepts of interactivity.
Hands-on technical and creative exploration will complement these studies. We will offer instruction in a range of tools and students will be expected to develop their skills on a relevant set of them. The culminating assignment will be a self-directed project that can focus on media, visual arts, robotics, software, or some combination of these. Other assignments will include quizzes, written reading responses, and written documentation of and reflection on the project.
Anticipated Credit Equivalencies:
4 - Culture, Computing, and Technology
4 - Programming for Interactive Arts
Registration
Academic Details
computer science, interdisciplinary visual arts, filmmaking, technology, education
$30 for a pre-printed reader
Students should expect to spend $0-75 on project supplies, depending on the nature of the project.