Syllabus: CS 3121 Interactive Multimedia Technology (Fall 2001)


Course Information

Instructor: Chris Prince (http://www.d.umn.edu/~cprince)
Email: cprince@d.umn.edu
Office: 313 Heller Hall
Phone: 726-6514
Office Hours: Mon, Wed, Fri: 10am-11am; Tues: 3pm-4pm; and by appointment

Course web page: http://www.cprince.com/courses/cs3121fall01

Course Texts

Tannenbaum, R. S. (1998). Theoretical Foundations of Multimedia. W.H. Freeman & Co. ISBN# 0-7167-8321-5
   Text book web page: http://www.uky.edu/~rst/mmbook/

McGloughlin, S. (2001). Multimedia: Concepts and Practice. Prentice-Hall. ISBN# 0-13-018830-1
   Text book web page: http://cw.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/mcgloughlin/

Course Content and Prerequisites

This course is an introduction to the fundamentals of interactive multimedia computing. Course coverage will include both theoretical understanding of multimedia technologies, and hands-on experience with applications and hardware. Topics may include digitizing and manipulating images, voice, and video materials, including authoring a larger multimedia presentation.

You should have completed CS 2511 (Software Development) or its quarter equivalent.

Grading Basis

Your grade will be based on the total points you earn on exams and assignments. These points are broken down as follows (the following is subject to revision):

Item Number Points each Total
Midterm Exam 1 (October 5, class time) 1 75 75
Midterm Exam 2 (November 9, class time) 1 75 75
Final Exam (10am-11:55am, Tues, Dec 18) 1 150 150
Labs 10 10-15 (approx.) 130
Major project 1 125 125
Grand Total 555


A few of the labs will likely involve work directly related to your major project.

The final grades will be based on the point total (i.e, 555 points) across exams and assignments. Generally:

90% guarantees an A-
80% guarantees an B-
70% guarantees a C-
60% guarantees a D

These grade cutoffs will never be raised; but they may be lowered.

Course Policies

Lectures

You are responsible for all material presented in lecture. Lecture notes will be available from the course web page (see above).

Assignments and Labs

The assignments will be posted on the course website. Lab assignments will be discussed in the Tuesday lab. On an as needed basis (i.e., when stated specifically in the instructions for the specific lab) per lab, labs may be demonstrated to the lab instructor (Oleksandr Kosolapov) in the lab on the days they are due. A missed lab demonstration will be regarded as late and assessed a 20% penalty per day. On lab days in which no assignments are due, the lab instructor will be available for consultation.

Exams

Exams will cover all lecture, reading, and assignment material. The second exam should be considered to be cumulative, though the emphasis will be on course material not yet covered by exam. The final exam will be cumulative. Coverage and topics will be given on the course web page well before the time of the exam. Exams must be taken on the hour they are scheduled. They will not be given early, and can be made up only if documented evidence of medical emergency or death in the family is presented before the time of the exam.

Collaboration

Currently, there are no team projects scheduled for this course. You may discuss an assignment and general approaches to a problem with your professor, your lab instructor, lab consultants, or your classmates, but you must carry out the assignment yourself. You may consult with others about problems, but you must not collaborate with anyone on the writing of your assignment.

Labs & Other Assignments

Lab assignments are due into the lab instructor (Oleksandr Kosolapov) as specified for the particular lab. Late exercises and assignments will be charged 20% per day.

Etc.