Seminar One, 2018: Objectives, Policies, Grading

6 min readAug 26, 2018

Objectives

Seminar One is a fun and rigorous class. My goal is to make it a place where you can develop ideas for the world of design you’re entering. For that to work, I ask that you be here, do the readings, do your Medium posts, and be a good contributor and listener.

In this class, you will:

Deepen and broaden your understanding of the principles, perspectives & practices that make up design
Understand different ways to frame problems
Attune your sensitivity to values and ethical issues in design
Become confident and fluent in discussing design and issues in multiple contexts
Develop a critical stance about contemporary technology
Read and write analytically and creatively

Tools for success for grad school reading, writing and research

I keep a Medium post updated with strategies for reading, writing, research, Medium, images, and so on — and will continue to post to it throughout the semester. Please be sure to visit it for more information.

Grading

Reflective essays in Medium as reading responses throughout the semester, 250–500 words: 20%
Discussion leadership with small group: 10%
Two short papers: 40% (includes first draft, peer review, and final draft)
Final curatorial paper and assignment: 20%
Participation: 10%

Medium posts: 20%

(10 over the course of the semester: you may skip 1)

Complete the readings in time for each class, and respond to each prompt with a 250–500-word (maximum equivalent of two single-spaced pages) response that you will publish on Medium. Your reflections on the prompt will take the readings into consideration, and then apply them in some way to broader issues. You may incorporate images, video, links, your own drawings or photos, and so on. Think of it as a sketchbook in words, a way of bookmarking your interests and ideas in writing. You can and should be creative in your Medium posts. Have fun with them. Complete your response no later than 7 pm Sunday night before class unless specified otherwise. No late responses accepted. Please see the Reading & Writing Resources page for more information on writing on Medium.

Leading discussion & conversation: 10%

Many Wednesday class sessions will be led by teams of 2–3 discussion leaders. You will provide a critical backdrop for week’s meeting, coming up with provocative questions for our discussion, and adding your own examples, applications, and artifacts to the conversation, and publishing them on a Medium post. For classes that have an external guest, you will host their visit. You will need to be prepared as well to introduce the texts on Mondays in lecture.

Discussion leaders will meet with Molly in advance of class. As you put together your approach for the session, start with an end in mind. Where would you like to end up and what kind of questions will get you there? Good questions tend to bring in the how and the why, and are more effective than making a statement and asking the class what you think. You might consider activities or debates you might like to do. You may want to turn a discussion on its head, or play devil’s advocate, or choose a contrary position. At the end of the class, you’ll conclude and summarize the discussion to see us out.

Short papers: 40%

You will write two short papers on specific topics in this class. The focus on the papers will be developing and supporting a strong argument. You will complete one draft, then you will engage in peer review with a small group (usually 3) of classmates, and then you will revise and hand in a final draft.

Curatorial paper and project: 20%

Return to the “what is interaction design?” question from the beginning of the class: where do you stand now? What is interaction design? With your definition in place, your job is to critique the design of three objects, experiences, services, places, algorithmic outcomes, activist events—or whatever else might fit in your purview. As a class, we will develop our own publication on Medium that makes this argument. Also as a class, we will determine the themes and organizational structure for the publication. Finally, during design week, you will present your thinking in a 5-minute lightning talk.

Academic integrity

The point of this class is to develop and situate your own ideas in a broader discourse — and in order to do that properly, you need to cite your work. No form of academic dishonesty will be tolerated. When you use words, images, videos, or even ideas and thoughts that are not yours and that you do not credit or properly cite, you are guilty of plagiarism. It is better to ask for more time on a deadline than to plagiarize. If you have any questions, ask.

Do not cut and paste from other sources, even into your own notes, without keeping some system that tells you exactly where your work came from. Get in the habit now of taking good notes. We will discuss plagiarism and steps to avoid it, and we will be using Turnitin, a web-based plagiarism detection program, for the papers that you hand in.

If you are caught plagiarizing on a paper, you will receive a zero on the full assignment (which includes draft and final versions of your paper) — which is a zero on 20% of your grade. Note that a B- is the passing grade for master’s courses (82%), and it is likely that you will not pass Seminar One as a result. This grade does not rule out further ramifications depending on the infraction.

Attendance policy

Absences of any kind are strongly discouraged as your learning and work will be adversely affected by the information and activities you miss. Be punctual, arriving just before the class start time so we can begin sessions promptly, and stay for the duration of each class. If you are five minutes late or leave class early you will be marked as absent. Three absences may cause your final grade to drop a letter. Six absences may earn you a failing grade for the course. Please schedule doctor’s appointments, interviews, etc. for times other than class sessions. In the event that you encounter a health or life issue that requires you to miss class (such as a physician providing you with instructions that necessitate your quarantine) please notify me as soon as possible to provide an idea of the severity of your illness/issue and the length of time needed for recovery. Keep in mind, you are responsible for information you miss through absences or lateness. (Note: If your illness/issue requires recovery time that exceeds the absence policy for a passing grade, a leave of absence may need to be considered. If this becomes the case consultation with university resources on how best to support you may be necessary.)

Lastly, a review or exhibit will likely be scheduled for this course during finals week. Failure to attend and participate in this session may cause your final grade to drop a letter. Please bring academic timing conflicts to my attention as soon as possible and do not make travel plans before verifying the date of the event with me.

Take care of yourself

Remember that we—your professors and your classmates alike—want you to succeed and thrive. Stress is real. Emotions are real. Depression is real.

Please take care of yourself. Do your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle this semester by eating well, exercising, avoiding drugs and alcohol, getting enough sleep and taking some time to relax. This will help you achieve your goals and cope with stress. All of us benefit from support during times of struggle. You are not alone. There are many helpful resources available on campus and an important part of the college experience is learning how to ask for help. Asking for support sooner rather than later is often helpful. If you or anyone you know experiences any academic stress, difficult life events, or feelings like anxiety or depression, we strongly encourage you to seek support. Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) is here to help: call 412–268–2922 and visit their website at http://www.cmu.edu/counseling/. Consider reaching out to a friend, faculty or family member you trust for help getting connected to the support that can help.