“

"The future is here. It's just not evenly distributed yet." (i)

"To engage in telematic communication is to be at once everywhere and nowhere. In this it is subversive. It subverts the idea of authorship bound up within the solitary individual. It subverts the idea of individual ownership of the works of imagination." (ii)

"The Web is such a magnificent opportunity to waste time." (iii)

”

William Gibson (i) And (iii)

Roy Ascott (ii)

"The future is here. It's just not evenly distributed yet." (i)

"To engage in telematic communication is to be at once everywhere and nowhere. In this it is subversive. It subverts the idea of authorship bound up within the solitary individual. It subverts the idea of individual ownership of the works of imagination." (ii)

"The Web is such a magnificent opportunity to waste time." (iii)

William Gibson (i) And (iii)

Roy Ascott (ii)


SECTION ONE: Welcome To The Module


Welcome to Internet and Network Art!


Module Leader

name: Ian Grant
room: Grove 332
ext: 2119


Module Team Members:

name: Mitja Kostomaj
room: G308
ext: 2234



Module Summary top

The act of evenly distributing anything is a political one. The internet and other networks provide a means to share, communicate, inform, entertain, occupy, mobalise, and activate. Pick a verb and networks will probably facilitate that action: buy, teach, subvert, lie, enchant. As a tool, our networks allow us to communicate synchronously and asynchronously. They have become a vehical for artistic practice.

Networks have a past, They collect and store our interactions. We use them in the present, in real-time. And the internet always seems to be part of the future: a promise, an emerging technology: a project with goals.

Marshall McLuhan's global village is virtually here in network terms. Global space is transcended. Time is compressed: international distance is represented by a progress bar.

As a medium, networks allow us to express, to easily identify with others who express. Artists have, since early times (1992), adapted the internet for creative and aesthetic purposes. This module looks at the opportunitity electronic networks provide for artistic expression. Then and now.

Some network art courses get stuck looking at the past, trying to establish context in an area where change is rapid. Desipite frustration, we will attempt to do this. There is an historical basis to this area of study. Although artefacts designed for Iinternet Explorer 3 and not likely to work in current browsers, we will consider them. But this is important: it may be a creative mistake to emulate network / telematic art of the past: in form and in idea. Things change. And in terms of the internet and networked practice, seemingly very, very quickly. An innovative java applet or flash toy of yesterday exhibits skill, talent and maybe artistry. But today, it is quickly viewed as old, irrelevent, incompatible, outmoded, unfashionable. Net creativity and innovation seem to be dependent on fashion and on trends. We will ride on, play with and identify currently emerging technical practice: from the familiar: the blogosphere, the podcast, to the nearly new: the aggregate, the geotagged, geocached and geospatial, to the downright emergant:the mapped, the ajaxed, the timeshifted, the embedded, the meaningful (for meaning read semantic).

Our creative focus will attempt to establish key emerging internet technologies: learn them then play with them. You will document your progress and learning. In the networked space, you will make things. Toys, tools. Artefacts. Images. Stories. Things. You will aim to express. To narrate, to design, to illuminate, to enchant, to perform. Your audience may participate, may collaborate - who may be remote or who may be

You may collaborate with others in the groups. Swop skills. You may play with hardware, with software, with rules and competitions.

You are asked to extend your existing technical knowledge in the service of artistic exploration. If you struggling with HTML and CSS, brush up quickly. These are basic skills for the network artist.

As a level three module, Internet and Network art assumes you are - if not - becoming an independent learner. You set your own aims and goals. You identify what you want and need to learn in the context of the module. You plan your own time of sustained and self-motivated study outside the classes. The workshops will reflect this. We want to facilitate ideas and new explorations, not teach basic dreamweaver and ftp-ing to third years.


Basic Information About The Module top

Module Code: AD60060E


Module Title: Internet and Network Art

Module Level: Level 6 (formerly Level 3)

Learning Hours: 200

Semester Availability: semester 1

Length of the Module: 14 weeks

Core or Option: Core

Pre-requisite Module(s): None. Web Design and Network Aesthetics is useful.

Credits Awarded for the Module: 20 credits

Award Calculation: You must achieve 40% to pass the module.

Named Pathways: Digital Arts

Timetable Events:

Lecture for all with Ian Grant and Mitja Kostomaj on Tuesday at 10am-11am in Grove 014

Studio Practice for group 1 with Ian Grant on Tuesday at 12pm-2pm in Grove 236 (Mac Lab 2)

Studio Practice for group 2 with Mitja Kostomaj on Tuesday at 3pm-5pm in Grove 236 (Mac Lab 2)

SECTION TWO: Learning Experience top



Aims Of This Module
This module aims:

  1. to provide you with the practical tools required to create art projects that interface with computer networks such as the Internet.

    Depending on the option you choose, we aim for you to practically explore:

    • advanced internet design with flash and css.
    • intermediate/advanced internet scripting with php and javascript.
    • web services as a means of creating innovative networked experiences.
    • data visualisation as a web aesthetic.
    • innovating with devices to physically interface with computer networks.

  2. to generate theoretical awareness relevant to aim 1: in areas such as

    • the 'evolution' and development of web design.
    • the connections between art and new, emerging technologies.
    • the role 'reimagining', experimentation, subversion has in developing co-opted new technology.
    • the culture of innovation and creativity in art and commerce.
    • telematics, telerobotics, mobile and wireless technologies.
    • location and networks: locative media.

  3. to develop an understanding of strategies for initiating and organising such projects.

    • project management and getting things done
    • data management

  4. to use appropriate methods to present, maintain and document networked art. eg:

  5. to blog with style
  6. to podcast
  7. to have a consistent, well designed online identity / brand

Learning Outcomes top

Students who successfully complete this module will be able to:
  1. Create artworks that physically interface with large computer networks.

  2. Create artworks that can take place over several physical sites.

  3. Apply critical theories relevant to such practice.

  4. Apply appropriate presentational strategies for such projects.

Content Of The Module top

Creativity and networks are large and encompassing subjects. The opportunities are many and the technologies can be complex. As an aid to help you focus there are multiple briefs for you to choose between to guide your assessment and as content for your own research. They represent a snapshot of contemporary and emerging internet practice. If the ideas are unfamiliar, you will need to research each area in order to decide what you want to do. If you have a strong idea, but it is not represented here, choose the open brief.

It is up to you how you innovate within this framework. Remember, these briefs are starting points ONLY and not blueprints for final projects!

Lectures

Lectures will draw content from the briefs and will be delivered by the module team. They will be consist of more contextual material, eg. history, theory and examples. Where appropriate software and techniques will be demonstrated for the whole group.

Workshops

Workshops, like the lectures, will draw content from the briefs and will be delivered by the module team. Early workshops will focus on project management, 'getting things done' and facilitating creative ideas. Not all the areas will be convered in each workshop: due to time and expertise contraints. A suitable programme will be agreed by the group and the workshop tutor according to need. Independent, self-motivated and self-designed work is valued and will result in higher grades.


The Research Briefs

The briefs are intended as starting points for your own original research and creative responses. You should sit down with a brief and google, exploring the topics and ideas. We would expect you to deviate, expand and 'improvise' on the briefs.

Brief 1

net.art

Preamble

Your mission is to continue and extend the historical net.art project in the 21st Century

Issues and Research Starting Points

  • The net.art manifesto
  • political commitment
  • lecture 2
  • the yes men
  • vuk cosic, jodi and co
  • Reading: Internet Art by Rachel Green
  • Subscribe to and study the archive of NetTime

Technology Starting Points

  • anything retro and garish!
  • web standards for parodic pages

Brief 2

Geospatial Narrative: Maps as Storytelling

Preamble

The geo-spatial and graphical potential of the semantic web to 'know' about where are and to show us, has led to an explosion in free, open source ways to play with maps. Current examples tend towards mashing together map services like Google or Yahoo with commercial services, like estate agents. The network artist has yet to fully explore the narrative and visual possibilities of the 'locative' web.

"A map of the world that does not include Utopia is not worth even looking at, for it leaves out the one country at which Humanity is always landing." Oscar Wilde

Issues and Research Starting Points

  • Locative Media
  • Tracking
  • GPS
  • The digital divide
  • Geo-Games: node running, war-chalking
  • Geo-caching
  • Geo-tagging

In the bibliography see:

Mapping

Creative Artistic Starting Points

  • Visual design of information
  • Storytelling: place and time
  • Liveness
  • The sense of place
  • City - Time and Place
  • Collaborative Memory Maps

Technology Starting Points

  • Web services - Google Maps API
  • Dynamic Web graphics: PNG
  • Javascript, AJAX
  • Networkable devices - GPS and Wi-Fi, Phones
  • Track-logging
  • Open source (free) GIS tools: GRASS, GEOServer,
  • Web services
  • Web 3D

Brief 3

Mashup - Create Through Aggregation.

Preamble

The web is a huge, dynamic place. It changes. It has a temporal element. Several current web technologies attempt to manage this: RSS or "really simple syndication" being a major one. What if you could create a web tailored for a user focused on their choices, habits or behaviour?

Many people, companies and organisations provide a stream or feed of data that changes regularly representing updates or changes in the information they seek to provide. As a user you can subscribe to these feeds in multiple ways. As a user you can create these feeds: your blog, free software tools, web sites can help you do this.

The spirit of a mashup is to take a feed, mashit, blend it, collage it with another, or give it a new visuality, and represent it back to a viewing community. This creative appropriation and re-dissemination is central to the recombinant digital aesthetic typified by 'cut n paste'.

RSS and other associated technologies are an example of a future direction of the internet: the semantic web. Through computer-generated markup, resources and data 'reveal themselves' to our tools. So: feeds are not limited to textual data. You can have RSS feeds of audio (aka Podcasting), video (VidCasting), or images (like Flickr photostreams).

Issues and Research Starting Points

  • Copyright and Radical Appropriation
  • Text and Information Bricolage: Non-linear narrative with networks
  • The Semantic Web
  • Visualisation
  • Mood news
  • Remixing Culture

In the bibliography see:

  • Semantic Web
  • Data Visualisation

Creative / Artistic Starting Points

  • BBC Backstage
  • Innovative visualisation
  • Podcasting - create with audio
  • Video-casting - mashup web video
  • Screen Scraping - guerilla aggregation

Technology Starting Points

  • Easy RSS with Blogs and Feedster
  • Flash as a Graphical Front End to Web Services
  • XML
  • Making Feeds with Magpie RSS
  • Google to RSS (google2rss)
  • Web services
  • FOAF (Friend of a friend)
  • Javascript, AJAX
  • Screenscraping with PHP

Brief 4

Innovate with Design - Beautiful Interactive Visualisation and the Cinematic Interface

Preamble

The web can be a wonderfully visual space. Thinking of the web as an information space does not do justice to the wealth of moving and still imagery we see. Consider the idea that good design elegantly visualises information but good art transforms information and offers new ways of looking at both it and the world around it.

The visualisations must depend on an interactive element or a live data feed. Static animations or images that would live without a network will get less credit and are strongly discouraged on this module.

Edward Tufte is essential reading for this brief.

Issues and Research Starting Points

  • Independent Art verses Tainted Corporate Commercial Design
  • The Cinematic Interface
  • Net Art and Parody
  • Disinformation
  • Flash and the Abuse of Web Standards
  • Flash and coolness
  • Edward Tufte on Visualising Information
  • The CSS Zen Garden and Web Standards

In the bibliography see:

  • Edward Tufte
  • Data Visualisation
  • Web Design

Creative / Artistic Starting Points

  • Design Skills - online and offline
  • Innovative data (re)visualisation
  • Composition and Perspectives
  • Algorithmic patterns
  • Computer Generated Art
  • Processing Nature

Technology Starting Points

  • HTML and CSS: liquid, fluid design
  • Screen Scraping
  • Web Services
    • Flash as a Graphical Front End to Web Services
  • XML
  • Making Feeds with Magpie RSS
  • Javascript, AJAX
  • Screenscraping with PHP
  • Java programming with Processing

Brief 5

Make: Mobile Networked Media

Preamble

This brief is intended for students who have successfully studied on Maverick Machines, have good electronic and programming skills, and who have high levels of independence. It is an ideal option to choose if you want to work across modules and devise a complex physical device / sculpture / installation that is networked for your single project or the degree show.

At a lower level than playing with full blown electronics, this brief allows play with real time communications and webcam technologies. Exploring 'telepresence' and 'remoting', ie. controlling environments through networks.

Support and resources are limited for this option in the workshop time. Tutorial support will be arranged through discussion.

Issues and Research Starting Points

  • Telematics
  • Telerobotics
  • Telepresence - Webcams
  • Mobile and wireless technologies
  • Make magazine
  • SMS and Web Integration

In the bibliography see:

  • Make magazine
  • Hardware hacking

Creative / Artistic Starting Points

  • Practical Skills - online and offline
  • Embedded computing
  • Telematics
  • Telerobotics
  • Mobile and wireless technologies

Technology Starting Points

  • Microcontrollers: TINI, Stamp etc.
  • Basic stamp programming
  • TCP/IP and HTTP (the internet protocols)
    • Breadboard based electronic skills
  • Java programming with Processing
  • Sensors
  • MaxMSP

Brief 6

Distibuted Design: The Networked Desktop

Preamble

Design an innovative art / design piece exploiting the open standards based Apple Dashboard technology.

Introduced in Mac OS X, the Dashboard is a modal interface for cool mini-applications called 'Widgets'. A widget is a combination of HTML, CSS and Javascript and can work elegantly with web services by using XMLHTTPRequest. So: live data and network interactions integrated right into the desktop

At the present time, there are over 1200 dashboard widgets for download from Apple's website. With Apple's characteristic flair for cool design, widgets are often elegant and beautiful.

This brief invites you to think different from Apple guidelines for widgets, and make an immersive, net base experience living within a widget. It may poetic, textual, technical, visual, 'live'. Anything you wish - as long as it is experimental.

Issues and Research Starting Points

  • The web toy
  • Software as art
  • Non linear narrative
  • The networked desktop
  • Appropriate widget examples include 'the Hula Jesus'. 'Buzztracker', 'Oblique Strategies', the beautifully designed 'Bart', and 'Maya Cards'. Some excellent and serious visualisations, useful tools, others eye candy and toys.

In the bibliography see:

  • Apple Dashboard References
  • Maeda's "Creative Code"

Creative / Artistic Starting Points

  • Web and Graphic Design
  • Cool concepts and implementation

Technology Starting Points

  • HTML, CSS, Javascript
  • AJAX
  • Web services
  • Mac development

Brief 7

Play with Flickr - Social Photography, Mashups and Interfaces for Images.

Preamble

Flickr is an online photosharing / storage facility and is an quintessential example of a web 2.0 service. Most if not all of the value in visiting it comes from the users not the supplier. An independent start up with a great idea became one of the acquisitions of a hungry Yahoo who were rumoured to have paid between $17 and $30 million dollars for it. It seems the dot.com boom is returning for some.

Anyhow, the basic architecture of the site is simple and free to use for a limited account. You can upload photos in any number of ways.

Like its URL storing cousin, Del.icio.us , Flickr uses a tagging system that is communual and thereby produces a 'folksonomy', a web base collective categorisation system. Although this sounds complicated it is Flickr's strength and needs to be played with to be understood. People have played games, set photographic competitions, grouped photos by aesthetic properties of form or colour, eg. fog, red.

Not only is Flickr great to participate in on a simple level by uploading photographs (not good enough for this module!), it is a great place to begin hacking (creative coding) and making mashups. Flickr provides a well documented application programming interface (API) [wikipedia definition of api http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_programming_interface]. Flickr also provides RSS feeds it calls 'photostreams'.

The spirit of a mashup is to take an RSS feed, mashit, blend it, collage it with another, or give it a new visuality, a new design and represent it back to a viewing community. This creative appropriation and re-dissemination is central to the recombinant digital aesthetic typified by 'cut n paste' - in the case of flickr it has.

Note on RSS

RSS (Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary depending on who you ask) and other associated technologies are an example of a future direction of the internet: the semantic web. Through computer-generated markup, resources and data 'reveal themselves' to our web browsers. So: feeds are not limited to textual data. You can have RSS feeds of audio (aka Podcasting), video (VCasting), or images (like Flickr photostreams). [wikipedia definition of rss: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS_%28file_format%29"]

Issues and Research Starting Points

  • Photography as a social practice
  • Photo Sharing and Collaboration
  • Folksonomies and tagging
  • Copyright and Radical Appropriation
  • Visual Bricolage: image based collages, maps, narratives
  • The Semantic Web
  • Visualisation
  • Self-promotion and marketing

An Interview with Flickr's Eric Costello

http://www.adaptivepath.com/publications/essays/archives/000519.php http://www.mediamatic.net/artefact-200.9770.html

Art based examples:

Playing FLICKR v2.0 Mediamatic Screen 23bis: Imaginative Keyword Conversations in Public Space

Playing FLICKR is a public space installation by Mediamatic on the 11th floor of the PostCS building in Amsterdam. The diners in bar/ restaurant/club 11 will be subjected to the wrath of fellow visitors SMSing whatever keyword they want to the installation that pulls photos from the online community flickr and projects them onto Restaurant 11's huge panoramic screens" Source: http://listes.ilesansfil.org/pipermail/volontaires/2005-September/006096.html

Great Flickr Experiments:

Color Flickr Pickers, FlickrVerse and other http://krazydad.com/

In the bibliography/Google see:

Technology Starting Points

  • Flickr API
  • Flickr API Wrappers
  • Flash as a Graphical Front End to Web Services (Flickr in Flash)
  • RSS (feed mashups)
  • PHP, Javascript, AJAX (almost any scripting language)
  • Blog integration of photo-streams
  • Web services
  • Clusters

Simple Starting Points

  • Sign up.
  • Tag and share photos.
  • Create simple scripts using the api to get your images out of flickr!
  • Put a flick stream on your wordpress or moving type web-blog (or other blog).

Brief 8

Brief 8- Open Project

Preamble

You need to propose your own brief clearly, in the format outlined below. Appropriate open projects include responses to relevant:

  • competitions
  • exhibitions
  • festivals
  • key open source technologies
  • conceptual themes
  • netart projects
  • personal aims for the degree show, relevant to this module

The tutors have the right to decline proposals for open projects. Effective documentation on your blog and thorough research is key.



Brief 9

Brief 9- Other Random Ideas Not Written Up Into A Full Brief

Preamble

This is a list of relevant and topical ideas that have not been fleshed out into research briefs of their own yet. Please check the module blog for updates and further information.

Link: http://ellington.tvu.ac.uk/ina/blog/

  • Syndication and RSS in Public Art: The Work of Thomson and Craighead
  • The Cinematic Interface: Online Motion Graphics with Flash
  • Web Narratives and Media Streaming: Vodcasting
  • Podcasting Space: Site Specific Audio and Mobile Devices
  • WikiSpace - Distributed Authorship
  • Please add your own by emailing the module leader.

These ideas need further elaboration through research and consultation with the tutors.




Lecture List (this is provisional. The order and content may change)

(1) 02/10/2007 Introduction to Internet and Network Art Ian Grant

(2) 09/10/2007 Historical Perspectives on the Context of Networked Art Ian Grant

(3) 16/10/2007 TBA Mitja Kostomaj

(4) 23/10/2007 Networked Futures I: Web 2.0 and The Contemporary Field of Network Play Ian Grant

(5) 30/10/2007 Art as Design I: Flash and Commercial Creativity Ian Grant

(6) 06/11/2007 Patterns I: Artistic Visualisation and the Network as Dataspace Mitja Kostomaj

(7) 13/11/2007 Reading / Exhibition Week No Lecture

(8) 20/11/2007 The Geospatial Web: Mapping Ian Grant

(9) 27/11/2007 Patterns II: Artistic Visualisation and the Network: Reading Edward Tufte Mitja Kostomaj

(10) 04/12/2007 Networked Futures II: WiFi, Embedded Networks and Hardware Hacking Ian Grant

(11) 11/12/2007 Telepresence: Live Networked Video Ian Grant

(12) 08/01/2008 Conversations: A Panel Ian, Mitja

(13) 15/01/2008 Student Presentations Ian, Mitja

(14) 22/01/2008 Student Presentations and Evaluation Ian, Mitja



SECTION THREE: Learning Resources


Essential Resources top


Apple - Dashboard Widget Development

Events
Upcoming.org: Free Information Infrastructures Summit at Limehouse Town Hall (Saturday, October 1, 2005)
http://upcoming.org/event/22527/


Ideas
backstage.bbc.co.uk - Prototypes
http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/prototypes/

Internet Art - Theory
amazon book cover
Greene, Rachel. (2004) Internet Art (World of Art Series). Thames and Hudson Ltd.
buy on amazon
 



amazon book cover
Stallabrass, Julian. (2002) Internet Art: The Online Clash of Culture and Commerce. Tate Publishing.
buy on amazon
 



Internet Resources - Mapping
amazon book cover
Erle, Schuyler and Rich Gibson and Jo Walsh. (2005) Mapping Hacks. O'Reilly. London.
buy on amazon
 



Multimedia Resource
amazon book cover
Herrington, Jack D. (30 August, 2005) Podcasting Hacks: Tips and Tools for Blogging Out Loud. O'Reilly.
buy on amazon
 



Technical Resources - Wireless
amazon book cover
Flickenger, Rob. (2003) Wireless Hacks: 100 Industrial Strength Tips and Tools. O'Reilly.
buy on amazon
 



Texts
amazon book cover
John Maeda and Casey Reas. (2007) Processing: A Programming Handbook for Visual Designers and Artists. The MIT Press.
buy on amazon
 



amazon book cover
Tom Corby. (2005) Network Art (Innovations in Art and Design). Routledge.
buy on amazon
 



Visualisation
amazon book cover
Tufte, Edward. (1997) Visual Explanations: Images and Quantities, Evidence and Narrative. Graphics Press USA.
buy on amazon
 




Recommended Resources top


Apple - Dashboard Widget Development
AlexEdelman.net | elephant ninja for america
http://www.alexedelman.net/2005/05/reverse-engineering-shiny.html


Events
Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA)
http://www.ica.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=22

Ideas
Moodgrapher: The World according to Livejournal
http://ilps.science.uva.nl/cgi-bin/livejournal/mood

amazon book cover
Maeda, John and Red Burns. (2004) Creative Code: Aesthetics and Computation. Thames and Hudson Ltd.
buy on amazon


 

Internet Art - Theory




Internet Culture
OReilly - Radar
http://radar.oreilly.com/

Internet Resources - Mapping
OReilly MAKE: Google Map projects round up
http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2005/04/google_map_proj.html


Slashdot | Maps on Path to Mass Innovation
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/07/05/2232243


Open Geodata
http://okfn.org/geo/

Geograph British Isles - photograph every grid square!
http://www.geograph.co.uk/

http://nearby.org.uk/
http://nearby.org.uk/



Wireless London : Free Network
http://wirelesslondon.info/FreeNetwork?v=5mj

RubyForge: Cartographer: Project Info
http://rubyforge.org/projects/cartographer/

The GMT Home Page
http://gmt.soest.hawaii.edu/

Google Maps Hacking and Bookmarklets
http://libgmail.sourceforge.net/googlemaps.html

Geocaching - The Official Global GPS Cache Hunt Site
http://www.geocaching.com/

The Ideal Government Project - competition
http://www.idealgovernment.com/index.php/weblog/comments/491/

Welcome to The National GPS Network
http://www.gps.gov.uk/

LONDON TERRORIST ATTACKS : 7 July 2005
http://geepster.com/london.php

Productivity
43 Folders | Getting started with "Getting Things Done"
http://merlin.blogs.com/43folders/2004/09/getting_started.html

Technical Resources - General
OReilly - Weblogs
http://weblogs.oreilly.com/


OReilly - CodeZoo
http://www.codezoo.com/

Technical Resources - Hardware Hacking
O-Reilly - MakeZine.com:
http://makezine.com/



Technical Resources - Php, Mysql
OReilly ONLamp.com
http://www.onlamp.com/

Technical Resources - Wireless

Technical Resources - XML
OReilly XML.com
http://www.xml.com/

amazon book cover
Hammersley, Ben. (22 April, 2005) Developing Feeds with RSS and Atom. O'Reilly.
buy on amazon


 

Telematic Art
amazon book cover
Goldberg, Ken. (2001) The Robot in the Garden: Telerobotics and Telepistemology in the Age of the Internet (Leonardo Book S.). The MIT Press.
buy on amazon


 

Texts
amazon book cover
Ira Greenberg. (2006) Processing: Creative Coding and Computational Art (Foundation). APress, US.
buy on amazon


 



SECTION FOUR: Teaching, Learning And Assessment



Learning Activities top



Guide To Each Learning Session top


Session 1

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | top
Title: Introduction to Internet and Network Art
Tutor: Ian Grant
Lecture date: 02/10/2007
Key Concepts/Issues
  • Module Content
  • Understanding the Assessments
  • Overview of the Subject
  • Exciting Examples

Teaching/Learning

Understanding the module aims, learning outcomes and assessment.


Studio Action

Critical Blogging as Project Documentation and Research

  • Presentation of Assessments.
  • Blogging Software, hosting.
  • Setting up \"wordpress\" - excellent open source php/mysql based blog
  • Setting up \"moveable type\" - perl based blog
  • Getting Started with \"Blogger\" - online blog from google
  • Offline Blogging - ecto, marsedit and others
  • Podcasting by blog.

Links to LSDS/Key Skills Activity

Planning and Preparation


Independent Learning

Preparation for Session 2

Reading TBC




Session 2

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | top
Title: Historical Perspectives on the Context of Networked Art
Tutor: Ian Grant
Lecture date: 09/10/2007
Key Concepts/Issues
  • Art as interactive communications
  • History and Contexts
  • Artistic Motivation: The Politics of Global Networks
  • Usages and Trends in the Technology of Network Art

Teaching/Learning

Telematics and Roy Ascot

Net.Art and Vuk Cosic

Studio Action

Skills Refresh

  • HTML and XHTML
  • CSS
  • Javascript and the DOM
  • Javascript is Actionscript

Links to LSDS/Key Skills Activity

Understanding the assessments. cont.

Technical Awareness


Independent Learning

Research and Self-guided Skills Refreshing

Reading Anything from the key texts




Session 3

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | top
Title: TBA
Tutor: Mitja Kostomaj
Lecture date: 16/10/2007
Key Concepts/Issues
TBA
Teaching/Learning
TBA
Studio Action

Workshop:

  • Continue grounding work from last week
  • Blog setup and testing
  • Getting around the limitations of Blogger
  • Cont. skills refresh

Links to LSDS/Key Skills Activity

Understanding the assessments. cont.

Technical Awareness


Independent Learning

Preparation for Session 4

Reading TBC




Session 4

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | top
Title: Networked Futures I: Web 2.0 and The Contemporary Field of Network Play
Tutor: Ian Grant
Lecture date: 23/10/2007
Key Concepts/Issues
  • Locative Media
  • Ideas for Minor Students
  • Geo-caching
  • Geo-tagging

Teaching/Learning

In the workshop:

  • Locative Media
  • Tracking
  • GPS
  • The digital divide
  • Geo-Games: node runner, war-chalking
  • Geo-caching
  • Geo-tagging
  • Visual design of information
  • Storytelling: place and time
  • Liveness
  • The sense of place
  • City - Time and Place
  • Collaborative Memory Maps

Studio Action

getting things done ™ and project management

  • time planning
  • organsing
  • visual action plans.
  • work flows
  • collaborative managment
  • data management
  • networked file management- eg. subversion

Links to LSDS/Key Skills Activity

Research, Self Organisation, Project Planning


Independent Learning

Preparation for Session 4

Reading TBC




Session 5

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | top
Title: Art as Design I: Flash and Commercial Creativity
Tutor: Ian Grant
Lecture date: 30/10/2007
Key Concepts/Issues
  • Art and Commerce
  • Cool Interaction Design in Network Art
  • Art Distribution and the Internet
  • Is design art?
  • Flash as a Frontend
  • BBC Backstage
  • Innovative visualisation
  • Podcasting - create with audio
  • Video-casting - mashup web video
  • Screen Scraping - guerilla aggregation

Teaching/Learning
  • Copyright and Radical Appropriation
  • Text and Information Bricolage: Non-linear narrative
  • The Semantic Web
  • Visualisation
  • Mood news
  • Remixing Culture

Studio Action

Mashup - Create Through Aggregation.

  • Easy RSS with Blogs and Feedster
    • Flash as a Graphical Front End to Web Services
  • XML
  • Making Feeds with Magpie RSS
  • Google to RSS (google2rss)
  • Web services
  • FOAF (Friend of a friend)
  • Javascript, AJAX
  • Screenscraping with PHP

Links to LSDS/Key Skills Activity

Aesthetic / Technical Skills Development


Independent Learning

Preparation for Session 6

Reading TBC




Session 6

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | top
Title: Patterns I: Artistic Visualisation and the Network as Dataspace
Tutor: Mitja Kostomaj
Lecture date: 06/11/2007
Key Concepts/Issues
  • Independent Art verses Tainted Corporate Commercial Design
  • Net Art and Parody
  • Disinformation
  • Flash and the Abuse of Web Standards
  • Flash and coolness

Teaching/Learning
  • Design Skills - online and offline
  • Innovative data (re)visualisation
  • Composition and Perspectives

Studio Action
  • HTML and CSS: liquid, fluid design
  • Screen Scraping
  • Web Services
    • Flash as a Graphical Front End to Web Services
  • XML
  • Making Feeds with Magpie RSS
  • Javascript, AJAX
  • Screenscraping with PHP
  • Java programming with Processing

Links to LSDS/Key Skills Activity

Aesthetic / Technical Skills Development


Independent Learning

In the bibliography see:

  • Edward Tufte
  • Data Visualisation
  • Web Design



Session 7

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | top
Title: Reading / Exhibition Week
Tutor: No Lecture
Lecture date: 13/11/2007
Key Concepts/Issues

No Lecture


Teaching/Learning
No Lecture. Reading / Exhibition Week
Studio Action
No Lecture. Reading / Exhibition Week
Links to LSDS/Key Skills Activity
No Lecture. Reading / Exhibition Week
Independent Learning

Preparation for Session 8

Reading TBC




Session 8

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | top
Title: The Geospatial Web: Mapping
Tutor: Ian Grant
Lecture date: 20/11/2007
Key Concepts/Issues
  • Locative Media
  • Tracking
  • GPS
  • The digital divide
  • Geo-Games: node runner, war-chalking
  • Geo-caching
  • Geo-tagging

Teaching/Learning

Examples of Artistic Practice


Studio Action

Personal sessions and Material not considered from the Previous week


Links to LSDS/Key Skills Activity

Aesthetic / Technical Skills Development


Independent Learning

Preparation for Session 9




Session 9

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | top
Title: Patterns II: Artistic Visualisation and the Network: Reading Edward Tufte
Tutor: Mitja Kostomaj
Lecture date: 27/11/2007
Key Concepts/Issues
  • Edward Tufte on Visualising Information
  • The CSS Zen Garden and Web Standards

Teaching/Learning
  • Algorithmic patterns
  • Computer Generated Art
  • Processing Nature

Studio Action

last week continued


Links to LSDS/Key Skills Activity

Aesthetic / Technical Skills Development


Independent Learning

Preparation for Session 10

Reading

In the bibliography see:

  • Make magazine
  • Hardware hacking



Session 10

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | top
Title: Networked Futures II: WiFi, Embedded Networks and Hardware Hacking
Tutor: Ian Grant
Lecture date: 04/12/2007
Key Concepts/Issues
  • Embedded computing
  • Telematics
  • Telerobotics
  • Mobile and wireless technologies

Teaching/Learning
  • Microcontrollers: TINI, Stamp etc.
  • Basic stamp programming
  • TCP/IP and HTTP (the internet protocols)
    • Breadboard based electronic skills
  • Java programming with Processing
  • Sensors
  • MaxMSP

Studio Action

Personal sessions and Material not considered from the Previous week


Links to LSDS/Key Skills Activity

Aesthetic / Technical Skills Development


Independent Learning

Preparation for Session 11

Reading TBC




Session 11

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | top
Title: Telepresence: Live Networked Video
Tutor: Ian Grant
Lecture date: 11/12/2007
Key Concepts/Issues
  • Playing with WebCams
  • Flash Communication Server

Teaching/Learning

Examples of Artistic Practice


Studio Action

Personal sessions and Material not considered from the Previous week


Links to LSDS/Key Skills Activity

Aesthetic / Technical Skills Development


Independent Learning

Preparation for Session 12

Reading TBC




Session 12

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | top
Title: Conversations: A Panel
Tutor: Ian, Mitja
Lecture date: 08/01/2008
Key Concepts/Issues

Emergent Ideas


Teaching/Learning

Emergent Ideas


Studio Action

Presentation Preparation


Links to LSDS/Key Skills Activity

Debate and Argument


Independent Learning

Individual preparation




Session 13

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | top
Title: Student Presentations
Tutor: Ian, Mitja
Lecture date: 15/01/2008
Key Concepts/Issues

Student Presentations and Evaluation


Teaching/Learning

Student Presentations and Evaluation


Studio Action

Student Presentations and Evaluation


Links to LSDS/Key Skills Activity

Student Presentations and Evaluation


Independent Learning

Individual preparation




Session 14

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | top
Title: Student Presentations and Evaluation
Tutor: Ian, Mitja
Lecture date: 22/01/2008
Key Concepts/Issues

Student Presentations and Evaluation


Teaching/Learning

Student Presentations and Evaluation


Studio Action

Student Presentations and Evaluation


Links to LSDS/Key Skills Activity

Student Presentations and Evaluation


Independent Learning

Fin




SECTION FIVE: Assessment top


Assessment 1: Assessment Point One: Online Blog: Research, Proposal and Contextual Analysis top

Assessment Rationale:

1. Research Journal

Key network based artworks, technologies and topics will be identified on the online module study guide for weekly sessions. These will be referred to during the lecture where you will discuss key concepts, historical precedents and contemporary issues relevant to the module.

You will be expected to research the identified material prior to the lecture, take notes in the lecture and complete further self directed research study after the session.

This research will be documented in an online journal / diary format week by week. Each entry will give brief analysis of, and a reference to web-sites, artworks, articles, books, exhibitions, films, games and any other contextual media that you have researched for the module.

  • Each entry will be no more than 100 words
  • It will be online in the form of a weblog with links to external pages .
  • Bibliographic references will be referenced using the Harvard system . Properly credit the work you find.
  • It will make full use of illustrations / concept drawings / diagrams / photographs where relevant. It must be spell-checked and presented in an effective manner .
  • You will develop your own ?tagging? system to organise your thoughts and research.
  • You should be doing this research from the very first week of study.
  • A printed version will be submitted to TC308

2. Concept Proposal

A detailed proposal for an artwork relevant to the themes identified in the key lectures of the module and outlined in the list of optional areas of study for this module.

  • It will be no more than 1500 words.
  • It will be presented online as a single well identified entry on your blog
  • It will make full use of illustrations / concept drawings / diagrams / photographs / maps / mock-ups, sample-code and prototypes where relevant.
  • It must be spell-checked and presented in an effective manner
  • The presentation of your whole blog is crucial. You should seek to brand it with an identity fitting to your project aims and ambitions.
  • A printed version will be submitted to TC308

3. Contextual Analysis

Using the research that you have accumulated, you will provide contextual justification for your proposed artwork. This will refer to historical precedents, technological developments and contemporary issues relevant to your idea. It will give theoretical rationale for your project concept.

  • It will be no more than 1500 words.
  • It will make full use of illustrations / concept drawings / diagrams / photographs where relevant. It must be spell-checked and presented in an effective manner
  • It will be presented online as a single well identified entry on your blog

You will make your research available online to your tutor and other members of your class throughout the module. You will be expected to discuss your research and your contextual analysis relative your project ideas throughout the module. Your peer group and your tutor will give you formative feedback on your progress, commenting on the level and standard.

Group Work

If you decide to collaborate with others and work in a team you must still do the assessment as detailed above. You can, however, share a single blog and clearly indicate who has authored each entry. The blogging system you use may help you to do this. The 2 and 3 components above can be collaboratively written and must be co-signed by each member of the group.

Note: Where the module study guide says your blog it means you should set up a blog with your own host or on Zappa, or on Blogger or a similar service. The best solution is to host your own blog with a company that provides access to the scripting language PHP and a mysql database. You can get this service relatively cheaply. Then you can learn about PHP and databases while setting up a the blog for your assessment. Blogger and other free services have limitations. For example, you cannot 'categorise posts' although there are some work-arounds. Search google for these with the term 'categorising posts in blogger'

Briefing date: 02/10/2007

Due date: 16/11/2007

Weighting: 45%

These are the criteria that you will be assessed upon for Assessment 1: top

  • Organisation and Coherence

  • Quality of Content

  • Clarity of Expression

  • Level of Analysis and Synthesis

  • Use of literature showing knowledge and understanding

  • Quality of referencing

This is how standards/grades will be determined for assessment 1 top


Marking Criteria

%

Low

Mid

High
Marking Criteria % Low Mid High
Organisation and Coherence 10 0 to 4 5 8

  • The research blog must be clearly structured and presented. Keep each entry to one topic.
  • These areas once identified must be followed up logically ithroughout the blog. You can use 'post categories' to help this.
  • There must be a firm conclusion of the areas discussed.

  

  • Poor organization and structure.
  • Limited discussion

  • Some attention paid to the structure and organization/coherence.
  • Evidence of discussion.

  • Good structure, presentation and coherently expressed.
  • Widely discussed
  • Clear analysis and conclusions

Quality of Content 25 0 to 9 10 18

  • The contents must clearly relate to the area of study, and the learning outcomes being tested, and demonstrate originality and creativity.
  • Knowledge and understanding must applied to practice.

 

  • Limited relevance to the area of study and practice.
  • Does not meet the theoretical learning activities. Relevance of writing not made clear

  • Addressed the aims of the area of study with some originality and creativity.
  • Does not meet all the theoretical learning outcomes.

  • Clearly relevant.
  • Original and creative.
  • Application and integration of knowledge to practice.
  • Meets all the theoretical learning outcomes.

This is how standards/grades will be determined for assessment 1 (continued)


Marking Criteria % Low Mid High
Clarity of Expression 15 0 to 5 6 10

  • Areas must be clearly expressed, articulate and fluent.
  • Accurate spelling and grammar.

 

  • Vague, over simplistic, does not get to the point.
  • Poor spelling and grammar.

  • Meaning clear.
  • Spelling and/or grammar needs some improvement.

  • Articulate and fluent.
  • Good spelling and grammar.


Level of Analysis and Synthesis 25 0 to 9 10 18

  • There should be a clear critical analysis and synthesis of relevant issues, which are well integrated and evaluated, as appropriate.

  

  • Wholly or mainly descriptive.
  • Not relevant to the area of study.

  • Shows some critical thinking and the beginnings of synthesis and evaluation.

  • Well integrated study with clear evidence of critical analysis/ synthesis, and evaluation relevant to the area of study.


Use of literature showing knowledge and understanding 15 0 to 5 6 10

  • The study must demonstrate an appropriate use of academic literature/research, which is appropriate to the study.

  

  • Limited use of academic literature/research evidence.

  • Moderate range of depth and complexity appropriate to area of study.

  • Extensive range, depth and complexity, which is appropriate to the area of study.


Quality of referencing 10 0 to 4 5 8

  • All key sources must be cited, and a consistent and accurate use of Harvard referencing system must be maintained.

  

  • Limited or no use of an accepted referencing system.
  • Main key sources not cited.

  • Most sources cited using an accepted referencing system.

  • All key sources cited.
  • Consistent and accurate use of an accepted referencing system.

Assessment 2: Assessment Point Two: Presentation, Artefact and Documentation top

Assessment Rationale:

This consists of 3 components.

  1. Project Development - 20% of overall grade (36.5 hours independent study)
  2. Artwork / Artefact - 30% of overall grade (47.5 hours independent study)
  3. Self Evaluation - 5% of overall grade(7.5 hours independent study)

There will be a presentation of your artwork in week 14

How you are expected to prepare and complete this assignment

1. Project Development

This will detail the technical developments that you have made towards the realisation of your artwork. It will be in the form of a technical report that will include technology and processes. It will also include decisions and rationalisations that were made to enable the completion of the artwork. You are advised to keep a journal / diary of technical development throughout the project. This will be used to inform this component of the Assignment

  • It will be no more than 1500 words.
  • It will make full use of illustrations / concept drawings / diagrams / photographs where relevant. It must be spell-checked and well presented.
  • It will make full use of illustrations / concept drawings / diagrams / photographs where relevant. It must be spell-checked and presented in an effective manner
  • It will be presented as a PDF file that can be downloaded from your weblog

2. Artwork / Artefact

This will be in a format and media appropriate to your research topic. It can be interactive, animated or real-time. It must be online or present on a network in some agreed form. Prototype demos of complex or large scale projects are acceptable, but network functionality must be demonstrated.

Assignment Requirements: Presentation

Duration: 15 minutes

Materials: Artwork / Artefact, slide show, verbal presentation.

3. Self Evaluation

This will be a 500 word evaluation of your realised project against your original intended concept. You will also give yourself marks out of 10 for each key skill of this module:

  1. Research Skills
  2. Contextual Awareness
  3. Synthesis of research material
  4. Critical Analysis of subject
  5. Creativity, originality and innovation
  6. Application of theory to practice
  7. Technical Development
  8. Rationality & Realisation
  9. Organisation & Time-planning
  10. Presentation & Documentation

Group Work

If you decide to collaborate with others and work in a team you must still do the assessment as detailed above. You can, however, share a single blog and clearly indicate who has authored each entry. The blogging system you use may help you to do this. You must individually write up an account of your own contributions, achievements and failings within the project.

Briefing date: 02/10/2007

Due date: 25/01/2007

Weighting: 55%

These are the criteria that you will be assessed upon for Assessment 2: top

  • Organisation and Coherence

  • Quality of Content

  • Clarity of Expression

  • Level of Analysis and Synthesis

  • Use of literature showing knowledge and understanding

  • Quality of referencing

This is how standards/grades will be determined for assessment 2 top


Marking Criteria

%

Low

Mid

High
Marking Criteria % Low Mid High
Organisation and Coherence 10 0 to 4 5 8

  • The research blog must be clearly structured and presented. Keep each entry to one topic.
  • These areas once identified must be followed up logically ithroughout the blog. You can use 'post categories' to help this.
  • There must be a firm conclusion of the areas discussed.

  

  • Poor organization and structure.
  • Limited discussion

  • Some attention paid to the structure and organization/coherence.
  • Evidence of discussion.

  • Good structure, presentation and coherently expressed.
  • Widely discussed
  • Clear analysis and conclusions

Quality of Content 25 0 to 9 10 18

  • The contents must clearly relate to the area of study, and the learning outcomes being tested, and demonstrate originality and creativity.
  • Knowledge and understanding must applied to practice.

 

  • Limited relevance to the area of study and practice.
  • Does not meet the theoretical learning activities. Relevance of writing not made clear

  • Addressed the aims of the area of study with some originality and creativity.
  • Does not meet all the theoretical learning outcomes.

  • Clearly relevant.
  • Original and creative.
  • Application and integration of knowledge to practice.
  • Meets all the theoretical learning outcomes.

This is how standards/grades will be determined for assessment 2 (continued)


Marking Criteria % Low Mid High
Clarity of Expression 15 0 to 5 6 10

  • Areas must be clearly expressed, articulate and fluent.
  • Accurate spelling and grammar.

 

  • Vague, over simplistic, does not get to the point.
  • Poor spelling and grammar.

  • Meaning clear.
  • Spelling and/or grammar needs some improvement.

  • Articulate and fluent.
  • Good spelling and grammar.


Level of Analysis and Synthesis 25 0 to 9 10 18

  • There should be a clear critical analysis and synthesis of relevant issues, which are well integrated and evaluated, as appropriate.

  

  • Wholly or mainly descriptive.
  • Not relevant to the area of study.

  • Shows some critical thinking and the beginnings of synthesis and evaluation.

  • Well integrated study with clear evidence of critical analysis/ synthesis, and evaluation relevant to the area of study.


Use of literature showing knowledge and understanding 15 0 to 5 6 10

  • The study must demonstrate an appropriate use of academic literature/research, which is appropriate to the study.

  

  • Limited use of academic literature/research evidence.

  • Moderate range of depth and complexity appropriate to area of study.

  • Extensive range, depth and complexity, which is appropriate to the area of study.


Quality of referencing 10 0 to 4 5 8

  • All key sources must be cited, and a consistent and accurate use of Harvard referencing system must be maintained.

  

  • Limited or no use of an accepted referencing system.
  • Main key sources not cited.

  • Most sources cited using an accepted referencing system.

  • All key sources cited.
  • Consistent and accurate use of an accepted referencing system.

Assessment Feedback top

Feedback is provided to students in accordance with the current university and faculty guidelines. Normally, marks and formative feedback are given within 15 working days of the submission of an assignment.

During the workshop time and the regular presentations you give of your progress, formal feedback will be given. The tutor will note it down and you are expected to note it down, consider it and act on it if you deem it relevant. It will provide material for your research / development blog category.



SECTION SIX: Evaluation top



Student Support And Guidance

Technical support:

The Grove House technical support window in Mac Lab 2 is open between 10am and 3pm.

John Williamson, PC Network Administrator G328 extn 2486

Carl Rohumaa, Macintosh Network Administrator G230 extn 2962

Grove House has an open access policy to most computer rooms and is very well resourced, so students can arrange their self study time fairly flexibly.

Where possible, workshop tutors will lend technical support during the workshop hours. Due to the diverse nature of the module, some queries may be best targeted.

Google is an excellent means of support. Online forum and the course blog, http://ellington.tvu.ac.uk/ina/blog/ may also be of assistance. Tutors will not offer support if a technical query could easily be answered by Googling.

Administrative support:

Jenny Mullaney Jenny.Mullaney@tvu.ac.uk is the administrative officer for this module.

The faculty office TC308 and G308 offer support to students on this module.

LRC:

Susan Arthur is the subject librarian and there are some fantastic resources in the library for this module.

Lucie Hernandez is the guru of library provision in our area. She has most of the books out at any one time!

LSDS:

LSDS provision is provided separately for Level 6 Digital Arts students.



Evaluation Of The Module

Formal Evaluation:: This happens through an anonymous web based questionnaire at the midpoint of the module and at the end.

You will elect 2 workshop representatives and a substitute at the beginning of the module. They, with a perk as motivation, will do a short written report on the module after consulting with the group.

Informal evaluation: we all take conversational feedback seriously and will continuously seek it and act on sensible, well formed responses to the module.