COURSE SYLLABUS – PIC
I.
BASIC COURSE INFORMATION
Course Title: Bestiary
Course Number: PIC Course #3-- Section: tbd
School: N/A
Department: PIC
Day: tbd
Time: tbd
Classroom: tbd
Credit Hours: 3
Chairperson: tbd
Prerequisite Courses: None/TAKE semesters 5 & 6
II.
INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION
Instructors Name: Kim Sloane
Academic Title: Professor
Office Location:
Office Hours: M, T 12:00 - 1:00 by appointment
Phone Number:
E-mail: [email protected]
III.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
A. PIC Description:
The Pratt integrated courses are designed as interdisciplinary explorations of a wide
range of possible content, putting into practice multiple ways of thinking and ways of
making. The courses will employ and integrate skills students have acquired in both
studio and general education classes, recombining them in novel and unexpected
ways that test, challenge, and expand the student’s creative capacities.
These interdisciplinary courses allow students to explore themes and topics outside
their majors, to delve deeply into areas of research that cross disciplinary
boundaries, and to work with students in other departments on creative/critical and
collaborative projects.
The overall objective of these courses is to provide a unifying moment in the
educational experience of Pratt undergraduates and opportunities for them to work
on integrative signature assignments, during the period of their career when they
have completed their Foundation courses and their general education core work,
and are delving more deeply into the specialized training of their major disciplines
and the post-core courses in liberal arts.
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Detailed Description:
This course will explore the relationship between humankind and animals through
words, images, and the combination of the two. Since the dawn of time images
(and eventually words and images) describing and depicting animals have been
used to explore, investigate, and mediate this complex dynamic of animals as
both agents of nature and symbols of culture. It is the world oldest story; it
extends from the cave painting at Chauvet, to the signs of the Zodiac, to cats on
the Internet. The human/animal bond continues to have relevance, even as we
destroy habitat and endanger more and more species. The concept of the
Medieval Bestiary will serve as area of research and a schema for the creation of
novel compendiums of sequential words and images that could be book, film,
clothing, performance, or another form to investigate this rich and important
relationship.
As stated in the course outcomes, a primary objective will be to integrate modes
of communication to enhance meaning. The medieval bestiary will serve as a
model for individual projects for the first half of the course. Readings will include
texts that describe animals and their attributes. Students will be asked choose an
animal and to write their own short but specific character study of the beast. Then,
as in the medieval model, an image that visually carries the meaning and
expresses the character will be created.
Iterations of both image and text will be made to develop the expression until it
has achieved an expressive resonance of word and image.
The class will collectively arrive at a page layout that all text and image can share.
A booklet will then be created and printed.
With this experience of research and creation, and an introduction to
collaboration, the class will identify larger themes to explore and communicate.
Either in groups, as a class (or individually if desired), new forms, new
organizations and distributions of content, and new media will be determined to
best communicate the larger theme. Here student agency, together with what will
be possible to accomplish within the time, space and available resources will
determine the outcome.
It is hoped that the student will become aware of the development of not only the
concept, but the self, as they see that the process of research, writing, drawing,
sketching, and other modes of making are all a process of growth of ideas,
individuals, and groups.
This course has potential for bridging the following areas of study: Children's
books, illustration, product design, fine arts, writing, advertising, character
development, animation, fashion, photo, film.
Possible Larger themes:
Animals as wild creatures
Animals domesticated
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Animal for work
Animals as companions
Animals as food
Animals for clothing
Hunting/hunted
Endangered animals
Indicator Species
Migration
Imaginary Animals/composite animal
Anthropomorphism
Zoomorphism
Spirit Animals/Animals as Gods
Animals in Myth and Fable
How we differ/how we are alike: the folly and wisdom of animals/humans
Bio mimicry
Animals in the City
Potential Area of Research:
Art historical
Literary
Popular culture
Advertising
Biological, habitat and behavior
Environmental/contextual
Zoological
Artistic- drawing as research, or photo- film as research- gathering information
Some Skills and Methodologies:
Reading
Writing for expression
Writing for communication
Writing as in iterative tool
Visualization
Image making for communication
Organization of information
Word an image relationship
B. PIC Integrative Course Goals:
The course will:
•
•
Build integrative (analytic and generative) capacities;
Prepare students to solve unscripted and complex problems both in teams
and individually;
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•
•
•
Engage students in practices of making, thinking, and doing that integrate
multiple disciplinary knowledge and skills in ways that enhance collaborative
work and self-knowledge;
Instill a sense of agency in production of knowledge and creative work;
Provide a platform for reflection and self-definition that spans majors and
academic coursework;
Course Specific Goal:
•
To build awareness and respect of the integrated nature of all life earth:
"emphasize that all creatures and objects are part of a whole universe" Commenius
C. PIC Outcomes
Students will be able to:
•
•
•
•
•
Connect relevant experiences gained outside the classroom and academic
knowledge.
Make connections across disciplines and perspectives
Adapt and apply skills, abilities, theories, and methodologies gained in one
situation to new contexts and situations.
Integrate modes of communication in ways that enhance meaning, making
clear the interdependence of language—both visual and verbal—form,
thought and expression.
Self-assess, track learning process, and demonstrate a developing sense of
self as learner, building on prior experiences to respond to new and
challenging contexts.
Specific Course Outcomes:
•
•
Present an integrated research based verbal and visual that communicated
an intended message both individually and in collaboration with others
To clearly make a statement that demonstrates a deep knowledge of the
integrated nature of all life on earth
Course Calendar/Schedule:
Weeks 1-5: Acquisition of Knowledge
Week 1: Introduction:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Introductions
Review goals and outcomes of class
Modes of knowledge acquisition explored: Multisensory, multi-modal, actual
exercises in class, overview of terminology and concepts.
Discussion of kinds of knowledge
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And its acquisition in various disciplines
What is the knowledge of the poet?
What is the knowledge of the scientist?
What is the knowledge of the historian?
What is the knowledge of the critic?
What kinds of knowledge will we need for this exploration?
5)
6)
PowerPoint of Images of animals across time and space, culture, media, etc.
Discussion
Rapid Sketching
Assignment: read
Anonymous. “Physiologus (Ponce de Leon edition).” In Physiologus: A Medieval
Book of Nature Lore,
Think of Animal
Outcomes: 1,2,3
Tracking of learning:
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge, Comprehension
Affective Domain: Receiving
Week 2: Acquisition of Knowledge
1)
2)
3)
4)
Introduction to and definitions of research methods of the disciplines being
combined. Research will include but not be limited to the following:
Art historical, literary, popular culture, advertising; biological, habitat, habits,
food sources, behaviors, genus, species, etc.
Conduct various kinds of research in class
Discuss preliminary animal characterizations - look for specificity
Drawing as research
Assignment:
Begin research and analysis: how does information received from research apply to
problem, how does it inspire further research, follow the trail- how far can you take
it?
Find examples of animal in art history across time and culture
Find examples of animal in literature
Find examples of animal in popular culture
Assemble into PowerPoint to be shared in next class- look for what these images
say about our interactions with and attitudes toward the animals.
Readings: Natural History, Pliny the Elder- selections to be determined is classeach reads parts
Further Writing and Drawing- research and iteration
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Outcomes: 1, 2. 3
Tracking of learning:
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge, Comprehension, Intro to analysis
Affective Domain: Receiving, responding, valuing
Week 3: Definition of problem: Modes of Communication
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
Show power points, discuss written work, animal characterizationsAnalyze material for what it says about the relations of man to animals
Analyze images for degree of abstraction, iconic and/or symbolic
presentation, how do they communicate to us?
Projections, powers, attributes, anthropomorphic, composite an imaginary
beasts.
Look at manuscripts that combine word and image.
Concept of abstraction
Discuss initial project:
Image/text presentation of character
Assignment:
1) Further Research, revise written animal character development, get specific
about attributes - decide on writing form. It could be poetry, prose, simple
explanatory text, fable, or other. The writing might dominate the image, or viceversa. Arrive at a relationship. Be specific and clear.
2) Preliminary studies of animals- finding the appropriate form to communicate your
character (Picasso’s bulls)
3) Reading: The Book of Imaginary Beings, Borges, Jorge Luis
Outcomes: 1, 2, 5
Tracking of learning:
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge, Comprehension, Analysis, evaluation, Begin
synthesis
Affective Domain: Receiving, responding, valuing, organizing. Writing and drawing
as organizational, iterative, and research tools
Week 4: Definition of problem: Modes of Communication
Animal Design:
Ideation
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Begin work on Animal Design.
Identify attributes
Identify message/audience
Experiment with style/ meaning, format, color, and border
How will formal elements convey message?
Assignment:
1) Work on design - this includes, text image, message, format
Begin with analog media
2) Reading: Creatural Fictions: Human-Animal Relationships in Twentieth- and
Twenty-First-Century Literature, excerpts to be determined in class
Outcomes: 1,3,5
Tracking of learning:
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge, Comprehension, Analysis, evaluation, Begin
synthesis
Affective Domain: Receiving, responding, valuing, organizing, Modes of making
Week 5: Definition of problem: Modes of Communication
Assess Current status and progress as relates to syllabus: revise and retool
as needed
Group critique
Character development and the image
Assignment
Work on design- this includes, text image, message, format, and border
Reading: The Animal Part: Human and Other Animals in the Poetic Imagination
Tracking of learning:
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge, Comprehension, Analysis, evaluation, synthesis
Affective Domain: Receiving, responding, valuing, organizing, characterizing
How are we achieving this multi- modally?
What is the synthesis of disciplines?
Multi, cross, inter, etc.
Week 6: Definition of problem: Modes of Communication: Text and image
Together
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Text image relationship
Border, Layout, Spread
Determine Common Layout for consistency
Assignment
1) Revise and refine image, border, layout
2) Reading: Words, Script, and Pictures: Semiotics of Visual Language, Meyer
Shapiro, excerpts to be determined in class
Outcomes: 3, 4, 5
Tracking of learning:
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge, Comprehension, Analysis, evaluation, Begin
synthesis
Affective Domain: Receiving, responding, valuing, organizing
Week 7: Definition of problem: Modes of Communication: Text and image
Together
Creation of book: spread, sequence
Print and printing
Assignment
Revise, refine, and print
Outcomes: 1,2,3,4,5
Tracking of learning:
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge, Comprehension, Analysis, evaluation, Begin
synthesis
Affective Domain: Receiving, responding, valuing, organizing
Week 8 & 9: Definition of Problem 2: Application of Learning and Research to
Larger Theme and New Forms, Collaboration, Communication, New Media
Assess Current status and progress as relates to syllabus: revise and retool
as needed
1)
2)
Discussion of Collaboration and collaborations
Given the work already completed how might the class collaborate to send a
message to the world about human animal relationships?
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3)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
Defining new problems/finding new forms, how can this be productively
transformed? Still to Motion? Interactive Web page? How can new
experience extend, redistribute, more powerfully or poignantly illuminate
aspects of our human/animal interaction?
How many groups?
What role will writing/words have in our process and product?
What will empathy consist of in this new form?
What kinds of research will be required?
Awareness of Design Process
Awareness of Kinds of Collaboration
Stanford Design School: Design Process (one of many)
Empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test
DEFINITIONS:
Empathy: the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
Define: state or describe exactly the nature, scope, or meaning of: the contract will
Seek to define the client's obligations.
• Give the meaning of (a word or phrase), esp. in a dictionary.
• Make up or establish the character of, mark out the boundary or limits of
• Make clear the outline of; delineate
Ideation: the formation of ideas or concepts in written and visual form
Research: This can take many forms. Ethnographic research, empathic research,
research of materials, needs and context, historical research, etc.
Mapping: Imagining and writing out or diagramming of the life cycle of the product
or system, and the identification of stakeholders, etc.
Proto-type: a first, typical or preliminary model of something, form from which other
forms are
Develop Testing: a procedure intended to establish the quality, performance, or
reliability of something, esp. before it is taken into widespread use: no sparking was
visible during the tests.
Evaluation: Criteria for judgment must be established and projects assessed with
the given criteria.
Iteration: Make further proto-types based on evaluation and testing.
Final Form: Project’s final iteration, improved and adjusted based on evaluation
and testing.
Presentation: The ability to articulate in writing, orally, and visually the design
solution in a Compelling manner.
Assignment:
Watch:
1) Video of shopping cart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M66ZU2PCIcM
2) Meet as group to brainstorm, come in ready to share ideas.
Outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Week 10 & 11: Defining / Mapping Group Project
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1) Empathy and Ideation
2) Mapping of project
3) Begin research
4) Determine media and final form of project
Assignment:
Begin work on project
1) Exploration of media and material
3) Symbol Systems, visual and verbal- some semiotics
4) What is the artifact?
5) Discussion of distribution(s)
Outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Tracking of learning:
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, evaluation
Affective Domain: Receiving, responding, valuing, organizing, Awareness of
Design Process, Awareness of Kinds of Collaboration
Assignment:
Work on projects, have material to share in class
Outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Tracking of learning:
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, evaluation
Affective Domain: Receiving, responding, valuing, organizing
Awareness of Design Process
Awareness of Kinds of Collaboration
Integration and interaction of modes of communication
Week 12 & 13: Prototype / Rough Draft/ Rough Cut
Making discussion of venue of distribution, make necessary arrangements
Reading
Division of labor, to be determined by class, will determine out of class work:
Individual work, contribution to collaboration
Application and synthesis
Awareness of Design Process
Awareness of Kinds of Collaboration
Making: continue the making process
Application and synthesis:
Awareness of Design Process
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Awareness of Kinds of Collaboration
Assignment: Continue work on projects
Outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Week14: Mock Up ready for Testing/Evaluation
Preliminary presentation
Feedback
Application and synthesis
Awareness of Design Process
Awareness of Kinds of Collaboration
Assignment: Refine and prepare for distribution
.
Week: 15 Presentations
Final Class, presentations
IV.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
A. Class Materials:
B. Assessment and Grading:
The student is required to save all work for a review at the end of the
semester. All work must be documented by student and kept in a digital
portfolio throughout the semester, allowing periodic assessment by
faculty and self-assessment by student.
Homework and Classwork:
As this is a studio class, work done both in class and at home are essential to
the course. Homework is given a little more weight since it reflects the
learned experience from the lesson of that day, the accumulated experience of
the semester's curriculum, and the ability to work independently. Homework
that is consistently turned in late (without dispensation from the teacher) will
result in a reduced grade.
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Homework Assessment Standards:
● Must be presented on due date, unless an extension is agreed to by
the professor
● Demonstration in homework that assignment parameters are
understood
● Degree of conceptual understanding
● Quality of presentation
● Willingness to revise or redo an assignment when this is requested
and/or required
● Doing at least six hours of homework per week
Classwork Assessment Standards:
● Attendance and punctuality
● Being prepared with correct working materials
● Degree of conceptual understanding
● Quality of presentation
● Attentiveness
● Generosity to fellow students, for example by:
● Participating in critiques and volunteering to help another student
with the material.
● Making good use of work time during class
● Keeping detailed, clear, and attentive notes
Other Assessment Standards:
● Willingness to research a subject further
● Participation in collaborations
Grading Breakdown:
Students will be given a rubric of reach assignment.
The class is divided into two major sections, and each section into parts. Grades will
be determined in the following way; percentages are of the total grade.
Project one:
Quality of research, including assigned reading, and its demonstrable
inclusion in the project:
10 %
Quality of writing
Quality of image
Evidence of meaningful integration of modes of research and modes of
communication
10%
10%
20%
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Project Two:
Quality of research
Evidence of meaningful integration of modes of research and modes of
communication
10 %
15 %
Effectiveness of delivery and distribution- media and messageCollaborative participation
15%
10%
Absences: It is mandatory to attend all classes.
●
Unexcused Absences: More than two unexcused absences will result in
reduction of the grade by one whole grade. More than three unexcused
absences are grounds for failure.
●
Excused absences: More than three excused absences will result in a
reduction of the grade by one whole grade. More than four excused
absences are grounds for failure.
●
Lateness: Lateness is not acceptable. Chronic lateness will result in a
lower grade or, in extreme circumstances, failure.
Grading:
A, A- Excellent
Student consistently demonstrates outstanding ability in comprehension
and interpretation of course content. He/she exhibits leadership qualities in
class, inspiring peers in classwork, homework, and contribution in
critiques.
B+, B, B- Above Average
Student demonstrates a comprehensive knowledge of course content and
shows ample growth in skills, ambition, and leadership qualities.
C+, C, C- Acceptable
Student shows satisfactory understanding of course content. Student's
talent, drive, or growth is average.
D, Less than acceptable
Student lacks satisfactory understanding in some important respects.
He/she exhibits less than average growth, performance, and/or
attendance.
F, Failure
Student has not met minimum standards for the course. Does not meet
attendance requirements, has inadequate or incomplete homework, lack of
class participation.
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Incomplete:
A designation given by the instructor at the written request of the student
and available only if the student has been in regular attendance, has
satisfied all but the final requirements of the course, and has furnished
satisfactory proof that the work was not complete because of illness or
other circumstances beyond control. The student must understand the
terms necessary to fulfill the requirement of the course and the date by
which work must be submitted. If work is not submitted by the agreedupon date (which must not be later than the end of the following term) the
incomplete results in failure. An incomplete left unresolved at the end of
the following term automatically becomes an F on student’s transcript.
C. Bibliography:
Anonymous. “Physiologus (Ponce de Leon edition).” In Physiologus: A Medieval
Book of Nature Lore, Translated by Michael J. Curley, Chicago: University of
Chicago Press, 2009 ed.
Borges, Jorge Luis, The Book of Imaginary Beings, translated by Andrew Hurley.
New York: The Penguin Group, 2005
Danahay, Martin A. Victorian Animal Dreams: Representations of Animals in
Victorian Literature and Culture. Routledge: 2007
Morrison, Elizabeth. The Medieval Imagination - Beasts: Factual and Fantastic. Los
Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum, 2007.
Pilbeam, Mavis, ed. Haiku Animals. London: The British Museum Press, 2010.
Pliny the Elder, “Natural History.” In Natural History: A Selection, translated by John
F. Healy, London: The Penguin Group, 2004.
Shapiro, Meyer, Words, Script, and Pictures: Semiotics of Visual Language, George
Braziller, 1996
Utamaro: A Chorus of Birds. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The
Viking Press, 1981
The Animal Part: Human and Other Animals in the Poetic Imagination
ISBN: 9780226650845 Published October 2010 University of Chicago press
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Creatural Fictions: Human-Animal Relationships in Twentieth- and Twenty-FirstCentury Literature. Editors: Herman, David (Ed.) Palgrave Studies in Animals and
Literature, 2016
V.
POLICIES
Institute-wide policies:
All students must adhere to all Institute-wide policies as listed in the Bulletin
under "Community Standards.”
Anyone requiring special accommodations for disabilities must obtain
clearance from the Office of Disabilities Services at the beginning to the
semester. Please contact Mai McDonald in the Office of the VP for Student
Affairs, 718 636-3711.
Further questions on academic issues: contact the Foundation Office, Room
430 Main, 718 636-3617
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