Art Appreciation Online - How to Do Assignments
Art Appreciation Online is designed so that you can complete a variety of assignments to earn points towards your final grade. You don't have to do EVERYTHING listed in the course, you get to make many different choices. In general, your assignments are made up of quizzes and written work and replies posted to the Forum. What topic that written work takes is where you get the variety.
Quizzes (10 or 20 points each)
What: These quizzes each have between ten and twenty questions and earn either ten or twenty points for each quiz you complete. They are located under the "Quizzes" button on the Blackboard site. They are required to pass the course, yet you have several you can take for "extra credit" between the Chapter 13 quiz and the Chapter 23 quiz.
They are made up of multiple choice questions, true/false questions, and matching questions.
How: Take these quizzes with an open book and submit them when you are finished. There is a "save" button after each question. USE IT.
You may re-open the quiz as many times as necessary until you press the "Submit" button.
After you open the quiz, there is no time limit on it. Again, save each of your answered questions as you do them, with the button on the right side.
You can save your individual answers to each question, so you can resume it later. However, once you press the "Submit" button, you cannot change anything.
After you Submit the quiz, the results are available for you to see which answer was correct.
Your final quiz score usually appears immediately.
Discussion Group Postings - Various Web Sites - Posted in the Discussion Area
Around 150 words unless otherwise noted. Posting a New Thread and then replying to others' threads.
You are asked to visit a website or websites chosen by the instructor. Please be aware that these sites take 30 minutes to an hour to explore, view images, and appreciate the artwork involved. Some sites are easier to navigate than others.
These sites relate to topics coverd in your book chapters and are considered valuable to your learning experience for several reasons:
- they present ideas for discussion,
- sometimes you learn about an entirely new area of art
- the sites introduce you to controversy
- the sites open up your mind to the vast exploration of our rich human heritage.
How to complete the assignment:
After visiting the sites, return to the Blackboard Discussion Forum for that assignment and post your comments. Write at least 150 words about what you saw and your personal response, including what you learned. These assignments will be the primary criteria for your instructor to evaluate your college-level writing skills.
For MAXIMUM POINTS, read others' postings and reply to them with content-related information. (No, "Yes, I agree/disagree" posts, you MUST add new content, such as another web site, image or fact not in the original post.) You'll need to reply to the top level post if you want the writer to know you've said something. Replying to a reply will not generate an email notice to you that someone has replied to your post. You can subscribe to your own thread when you create it, and get notified when anyone replies to it. This is a good way to continue discussions and conversations as you respond to posts and other students respond to yours. This is new this year. You may choose to rate others' posts as well, showing appreciation for well-written work. Discussion Board postings have been an enlightening experience for students, and converstions are an integral part of it and this course. Once you have received your grade for that forum, YOU MAY NOT GO BACK IN expecting a higher adjustment. So post your work, and then quickly reply to several other postings. If you're one of the first, come back no later than a couple days to respond.
Your instructor scores your initial posting (not your replies) based on its content, depth and thoughtfulness. Strong opinions are appreciated, and your taste will be respected. Don't be hesitant about stating your opinion, in fact, that is the CORE of your writing for success. Art is subjective--there are no "right" answers, only opinions--only time will tell whether art has validity.
What won't get points for is just cutting and pasting the facts from a web site or from your book. I WANT OPINIONS!!! I want to see YOU in the writing--lots of sentences beginning with "I". And again, for maximum points, respond to others' postings.
If you have the web skills you can add links, audio or video files or embed images to your posts on the discussion board so that other students can refer to the site or sites that you have been using. The html feature has been expanded in the new Blackboard. I hope you'll use it!
The instructor will score your response based on how much of your own opinion you put in your writing. Again, strong personal opinions are welcomed. Below is a guideline for you (called a rubric) that helps to more fully explain how I grade discussion postings:
| Full Marks | Average Marks | Fair | Poor | |
| Timely contributions and responsiveness | Posts Initial thread and two or more posting replies to others' threads | Initial Thread, one posting reply to other thread | Initial Thread, no posting replies, not meeting assignment guideline | No Thread, or not meeting assignment guideline |
| Knowledge and incorporation of course content | Provides evidence that text and web site material is incorporated in the content of post. Posts suggest critical thinking and/or systhesis of information. Opinions substantiated by cultural references and experience. Additional web information shared. | Provides evidence that material was clearly understood and opinions clearly stated with reasons. | Postings have shallow opinions with little relationship to course material. | Provides little evidence that readings and web sites were visited. |
| Responsiveness to Peers | Responds to students with thoughtful ideas and other information not contained in original post. Poses additional questions or discussions | Responds to other students with thoughtful ideas and opinions | Does not respond to other students with thoughtful ideas and opinions. "Yeah, I liked that, too." | Responds inappropriately to peers |
| Use of Online Etiquette | Follows Discussion Board Etiquette (see MSJC guidelines at my.msjc.edu) | One to two infractions against Discussion Board Etiquette | Three infractions against Discussion Board Etiquette | Significant infractions against Discussion Board etiquette |
How to Complete Your Movie Report for a Big Paper
Worth up to 50 points, 500 words, respond to others' for maximum points.
There are several movies and documentaries available in most video stores and through Netflix which are biographical films about Twentieth Century artists. Here are some of the titles of movies that you can rent in video or DVD format:
| Basquiat (Jean Michael Basquiat, Graffiti Artist) | Frida (Frida Kahlo, Mexican Artist) | |
| Surviving Picasso (Pablo Picasso) 1996 | Girl with the Pearl Earring | Maya Lin (Viet Nam Wall) |
| Rivers and Tides | Crumb (Underground Cartoonist of the 1960s) | Ansel Adams, Photographer |
| The Horse's Mouth | Camille Claudel | Lust for Life (1956 version) |
| Artemisia (1997) | Vincent & Theo (Vincent van Gogh | Modigliani (2004) |
| Edvard Munch (1974) | Art 21 |
There are also old, less accurate, Hollywood movies such as "The Agony and the Ecstacy" which are also available. The basic criteria is that it must be related to the content of your textbook. You might explor the documentary series from National Public Television called Art 21, available from various sources. These feature excellent interviews and work from contemporary, living artists.
Rent or watch one of these movies, and look at the culture in which the artist worked. See if you have strong feelings about the artist's life and work. You should probably watch the movie once just as entertainment (with popcorn), then skim it later with your "pause" button and watch a few scenes again to help you write your report.
For your report, please include the following:
- Your overall impression of the movie, whether you think it was drivel/entertainment, or contained good, factual information that taught you something.
- Your analysis of the culture and times in which the artist lived, and its influence on the artist.
- What you learned about the artist's life and work
- A description of the scene that you felt best helped you understand the artist
- DO NOT cut and paste someone else's review from any source. This report must be YOUR OWN opinions, again with lots of "I" sentences.
Your finished Big Paper should be 500 or more words. Please note that you ought to compose the report in a word processing program, save it, and then select the text and paste it into a new message on the Discussion Board's forum. Any imagery may be html'd or attached into the report. Pictures cannot be brought over by a cut and paste from a word processed file.
Field Trips for a Big Paper - Actual Travel
Worth up to 50 points, 500 words, reply to others' reports
You are strongly encouraged to visit art galleries and museums during the duration of the class. The instructor will assist you in finding locations that are convenient to where you live.
Please note: Because it is not convenient for some class members to take actual field trips due to physical limitations, it is still possible to earn all the points needed for an "A" grade by doing other assignments instead of actual trips. However, unless you have physical limiting circumstances, it is expected that you will do at least one actual museum/gallery visit during the course.
Your instructor recommends visiting any of the following major museums:
The Getty (Los Angeles)
LA County Museum of Art (Los Angeles)
The Norton Simon Museum (Pasadena)
Bergamot Station (Santa Monica)
The San Diego Museum of Art (San Diego)
The Mingei Museum of Craft and Folk Art (San Diego)
The Timken Museum (Old Masters) (San Diego)
The Museum of Photographic Art (San Diego)
However, you can click HERE and go to a full page of many other galleries and museums in Southern California that qualify for this course. You can also do one of the monthly First Thursdays (an evening walk in Riverside) sponsored by the Riverside Art Museum for a more local experience. They provide maps to over twelve galleries open late on the first Thursday each month, all within walking distance of the Art Museum.
This field trip allows you to get out and see some real art. You must do ONE of these during the course, unless you can provide valid reasons why this is not possible. A valid reason includes physical limitations or excessive financial hardship, but not time limitations, as these trips can be done on a weekend with family. Some venues are free, and although gas prices are high, the cost is usually cheaper than a Big Mac meal at McDonald's and far better for you!
If you live in Southern California, the list of Galleries and Museums provided on this website will give you many great possible places to visit. Click here to see this list (opens a new page). You can also search a geographic area using google.com with words such as "art gallery" and the city or town name.
If you are a distance learning student and don't live in Southern California, please locate galleries and museums that are in your area. If you are not sure about what may be near you, just leave a message on the "Got Questions?" forum on the Discussion Board, and your instructor will help you out.
It is STRONGLY recommended that you visit a major museum if you can, and the museums located in Balboa Park in San Diego, the Laguna Art Museum in Laguna Beach, the Irvine Museum in Irvine, and the Palm Springs Art Museum are your instructor's top choices.
Your Field Trip Report
This Field Trip Report should be around 500 words in length, and must either include images if you are able to scan any images, use digitals you've taken, or download images from the website of the place you visit, OR have the complete URLs (beginning with http://) in the text so that we may visit the images you have seen in real life.
Your writing should include:
- The name, address and location of the Gallery or Museum
- Your overall impression of the experience you had, including parking, crowds, time you visited, and your first impressions of the exhibit(s) layout and "feel". Use lots of descriptive adjectives in this part.
- Information about the exhibition you saw--how big, how many pieces, etc., and your personal reactions to it/them.
- Information about at least one particular work or art or artist that affected your experience, three is better!
- Attach or include images (html links or img src) in your reports.
Use copy and paste functions to put your text into the Discussion Board from a word processing program.
Surf and Research Big Paper - Instead of a Museum or Gallery Visit
Worth up to 50 points (500 words) - One of Two Major Papers for the Course, and Replies to Others' Reports
This assignment is only allowed if you are not able to actually go and visit a gallery or museum during the course. This option allows you to do research on most any artist mentioned in your textbook using the Internet as your library. Your finished work should contain some factual information from your research, but be mostly your personal observations and opinions about the artist, their works, and their style of art.
Or, if you have interests outside the content of the book, with the instructor's consent you can present your own topic. Are you into grafitti? Or tattoos? Your completed report will contain text and images, will allow you to use the internet as a kind of online library to expand your knowledge. This is a grand opportunity to find out more about things that interest YOU!
Resources
Your instructor recommends that you use Google as your search engine when you do research for this class. Google ranks the search results it gives you based upon the finding of the words you type, and you should find more than enough search results on most artists or topics mentioned in the text. Since it is text-based, watch your spelling! Using Google for searching for a type of art or art movement will mean you'll have to be somewhat creative in your descriptive words. "Illustration" will bring back far too many pages. You'd have to add words such as "Wyeth" and "Brandywine" and "Pyle" to get illustration history for the turn of the last century, for example.
Also, as an MSJC student, you are allowed to search online databases including EBSCOhost which has articles and images from thousands of magazines including art publications. You can find articles, abstracts of articles, and images to assist you in your research. You can log into EBSCOhost by going to:
You will need the MSJC login, which is:
USERNAME: s6693662
PASSWORD: p0004614
Topics
You can do a Surf and Research on any artist specifically mentioned in the chapters of your text. For example, the first image in Chapter One is by Wassily Kandinsky, so he could be the subject of your report. You can also ask permission to do a topic or artist not represented in your text by clearing it with your instructor through the "Got Questions" forum on the Discussion Board.
Content
Your completed assignment should be at least 500 words (or 1,000 words for the final if you don't do a field trip) and should include biographical information about the artist or movement, and descriptions of his or her best known works or periods of production as well as your own response to the work cited. Do not just cut and paste information on the Web, but write from your head and heart about the work you cite.
If you want to include images with your report, you can find info in "Tech Tips" about how to download an image and attach it to your discussion board post. Reminder: No attaching .doc, .docx, txt. or Word documents. The text of your report MUST be in the body of the forum messge.
Please use your own original thoughts and ideas when writing this paper, as well as reporting facts and re-stating what your sources have to say. Be sure to show your sources on all copied text passages!
Save Your Work
You will be turning this assignment in by posting it on the Discussion Board's appropriate forum, but be sure to save a copy on your own computer as well.
Period and Style Report for a Big Paper
Worth up to 50 points each - 500 Words, and Replies to Others' Reports
This assignment is a report which demonstrates your interest and understanding of a significant style or period of world art. You can choose any period or style mentioned in Chapters 14 through 25 of your textbook.
The style can be a cultural style (for example, Islamic Art), an historical style (for example, French Impressionism) or even a period style that is part of a larger culture (for example, Ming Pottery). It can be very contemporary, such as Manga anime or the culture of tatooing or grafitti, as well.
Your Report Should Include the Following:
1) Information about the style or period of art, including history on the geography, culture, religion, dates and context of the style. You must do some research about the culture in which the style is prevalent, and link the culture to the art in your writing.
2) Relevant information about any individual artists, tribes or regions associated with the style.
3) Discussion and description of at least three works of art or architecture from the style, with links or embedded images.
4) Your response to the style or period of art, what it is about it that attracted your interest, and most importantly, your OPINIONS.
5) Include some thoughts about whether or not it would be similarly done in today's culture.
Your completed assignment should be minimum 500 words, and should include links to any websites you used in your research. Your report must include research beyond that contained in your textbook, for maximum points.
You will be turning this assignment in by copying and pasting it into the class discussion board. You should also attach or include at least two images or linked URLs to images for best points.
Living Artist Interview
How to Complete Artist Interviews, and Replies to Others' Reports
The goal of this assignment is to find a living artist whose work intrigues or amazes you. Remember, the key is "LIVING" artist! Van Gogh is dead. So are Michaelangelo and Da Vinci. Be sure the artist is alive, as there are web sites for dead artists all over the place.
Many artists today maintain websites to present their work. You can locate the website of an artist by doing a Google search using terms that define art you like, by looking at eBay auctions of living artists or trolling through many of the big galleries, you can find an artist whose work is appealing to you.
A good place to find living established living artists (those who make a living by selling their work) is to find the national organizations that support their type of work. There are many, and I've listed a few traditional artist organizations here, which have membership lists and many web links for their members:
Those artists who sell at auction can be found on the website of "ebsq" or ACEO which is a club of several hundred artists who sell their work on eBay. When you search the ebsq site, you will find images and bios for each artist as well as an e-mail address which you can use to contact them.
You can also find the websites of artists by going to a portal site like Yahoo! and looking for the links to many categories of artists.
One way I find artists is by putting in words into google.com that describe the kind of art I am seeking. For example, "painting miniature silk" would lead me to artists who paint miniatures on silk.
For your report, please include the following:
- A brief biography of the artist
- Why you like their work
- Information about how you found their work
- Links to their website (Complete URLs, "http://www...)
- A description of their artwork
- At least one image of their artwork or active link to that work.
- Information of interest that you obtain by exchanging an e-mail with the artist (optional).
- And if you can find it, the range of prices for their artwork.
IMPORTANT!
Be sure to keep a copy of all assignments on your own compuer so you'll always have a copy. Blackboard has been known to fry itself with the corresponding loss of all work from all courses! It has happened not once, but twice in my experience. Your instructor downloads grades regularly as a safety precaution. YOU need to keep copies of all your written work too, just in case!