As this is a new and experimental course, some additional explanation is required:

The 20th Century saw a new understanding of viewers as crucial to the ontology of artworks. In this approach, the viewer/user/consumer helps bring the artwork into the world, not merely as an interpreter, but as an active participant in an exchange that produces "art." For Duchamp, Warhol, and Rauschenberg, this was a new concept. For artists and consumers today, this phenomenon is deeply embedded in many of the most heterodox, mainstream cultures.

Barthes' "reader as author," the dematerialization of commerce, even the internet itself might all be described as aspects of a phenomenon in which the act of consumption constitutes the being of a thing in the world. When has so much attention been paid to the act of reception? Polling drives politics, marketing is relentless, and the amount of data collected about consumers is ever-increasing. Meanwhile, under the guise of "Relational Aesthetics" or other contemporary art-critical models, artists have surpassed Duchamp's readymades to locate art outside of any object at all, but solely in an exchange, an agreement, a word or gesture transferred.

Marxist and Feminist critiques shone a new light into this scenario, articulating the ways in which these acts of exchange and production reflect the power structures that create them, or depend on them. Cultural Studies and the Social Sciences depend even on statistics to gain measurable data about exactly what kinds of power is created, given away, or taken in particular exchanges.

Multimedia, and more particularly, Interactive Digital Media, are tailor-made for this sort of world. Unlike more conventional forms, interactive media make literal the need for a user or viewer to ACT. Artists and Designers find themselves working on the same problems, called to anticipate the viewer's response with a maximum of self-consciousness and intentionality. Working in interactive digital media, we are asked to examine and design very specific sorts of exchanges, of roles for the viewer and creator.

We will try a little bit of a lot of technologies, toward the end of practicing the same rigorous examination of interactivity through a variety of scenarios. Mastery of technology will not be a priority- identification of different technologies and their functions will. Even more important will be demonstration of careful intention in designer-user relationships.

We will move through the following units:

1. AGENCY: in a particular interactive relationship, where do ascribe presence, control?
2. SPACE: how can interactivity alter and construct spaces, objects?
3. TIME: how interactive scenarios utilize time as an element, producing change?

We will approach individual projects utilizing the following process:

1. Conceptualization / Storyboarding
2. Prototyping
3. Fabrication / Production

Not all projects will complete this process - in fact, only one or two may reach beyond the prototyping process. A project may begin at the prototyping stage, based on materials I give you in process, or may start at the storyboarding stage. In some cases, the project will never get farther than the concept, though we may go to great lengths to demonstrate and explore that concept.

Through our work, three activities will remain crucial and essential:

• DOCUMENT EVERYTHING
• EXPERIMENT TO LEARN
• SHARE WHAT YOU KNOW

We'll be using the computer labs throughout the semester, as well as the resources of the check-out window.

In addition, however, we'll be trying some new things to UIUC. In order that you get the full experience of utilizing computing in interactive scenarios, we will be setting up our own, temporary lab, in Noble Hall, using outdated equipment.

Some of our projects will even be utilizing specialized equipment that belongs to ME, your instructor.

RESPECT AND CARE FOR ALL EQUIPMENT IS THEREFORE CRUCIAL!

There will be opportunity as well for you use your own equipment, or things you find around.

I recommend that you purchase a flash USB drive, to store your work on. This can be an easy way to transfer files and carry around a good bit of data - you can get 512MB of storage for less than $50- order online from places like amazon, or in stores like Best Buy.

We'll also be doing a great deal of reading from Arjen Mulder's book, Understanding Media Theory. I'll provide xeroxes, but you might think about purchasing the actual book online.

Many of our projects will be conducted in groups, and your outside classwork might often consist more of research, writing, and collecting than in actual production. Due to this and the experimental nature of this course, more weight than usual will be placed on your in-class participation.

50% of your grade will be based on participation, 50% based on your work, AS DOCUMENTED in a website you should be keeping as you go. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING, using photos, videos, text, audio. I'll show you how as we go. Anywork not documented will be counted as incomplete.

Grading will be based on the following parameters, in order:

1. Intentionality and clarity
2. depth of investigation
3. attention to project parameters

Students will be expected to attend class, even on "work days." Poor attendance will reflect on the final grade - missing more than three classes FOR ANY REASON will result in a full drop of your final letter grade.