Syllabus

DTC 338: AI in the Arts

Spring 2024

Class Time: F 11:10am-2:00pm
Location: VMMC 111
Instructor: Will Luers
Phone: 503-975-3254
Email: wluers@wsu.edu
Office Hours:  

NOTE: All matters associated with this course are subject to change. Any changes will be communicated to students.

COURSE OBJECTIVE

“DTC 338: AI in the Arts” is designed to guide students through the exploration and application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in various creative fields. This course provides an in-depth look at how AI tools and techniques can be utilized in writing, image generation, cinema, music and sound, coding, game development, and generative art. Through class readings, discussions, and project work, students will investigate critical questions such as the impact of AI on originality, the role of the artist in an AI-driven process, the ethical implications of AI in art, collaboration between artists and AI, the integration of AI into traditional artistic workflows and the future of AI in the art world and creative industries. 

The course will include collaborative and individual projects where students create original works using AI tools, critically reflecting on their process and outcomes. These projects, along with individual research, will contribute to a broader understanding of AI’s role and potential in the arts. All final projects and accompanying research findings will be showcased in the “AI Arts Showcase,” a curated online exhibition dedicated to exploring the intersection of AI and artistic expression.

 

LEARNING GOALS

Required Course Activities	Student Learning Outcomes and Activities	University Learning Objectives	CMDC Goals & Objectives
1. Short Assignments	SLO1: Critical and Creative Thinking Understand the principles of framing, continuity, time frames, montage, spatial montage, practical videotaping needs like a job profile, hybrid space, hypervideo, database cinemaSLO4: Communication Learn to make effective presentation of your work in varying scenarios from formal to personal critiques of work	Combine and synthesize existing ideas, images, or expertise in original ways. Express concepts propositions, and beliefs in coherent, concise, and technically correct form.	Goal 3: Employ the principles of visual and written forms
2. Blogging and reflective essays	SLO1: Critical and Creative Thinking Gain a better understanding about how to engage in self-reflection about your own work through blogging about your process, methods, and ideasSLO4: Communication Become more adept about writing about your work by blogging about your insights and influences.	Combine and synthesize existing ideas, images, or expertise in original ways. Express concepts propositions, and beliefs in coherent, concise, and technically correct form.	Goal 7: Recognize various forms of language processing and their implications for media authoringGoal 10: Be practiced and capable communicators in all mediums
3. Multimodal Game and Final project	SLO1: Critical and Creative Thinking Produce the script, storyboards and other items needed for the final digital cinema projectSLO2: Information Literacy Become adept at working with tools related to video production, including cameras and softwareSLO4: Communication Be able to articulate your ideas in the 250-500 statement that accompanies your final project.SLO7: Depth, Breadth, and Integration of Learning Synthesize a broad array elements of multimedia elements (sound, movement, images)	Combine and synthesize existing ideas, images, or expertise in original ways. Determine the extent and type of information needed. Express concepts propositions, and beliefs in coherent, concise, and technically correct form. By applying the concepts of the general and specialized studies to personal, academic, service learning, professional, and/or community activities.	Goal 3: Employ the principles of visual form for sophisticated image manipulationGoal 5 : Understand the production and assessment of media objects

COURSE STRUCTURE

• Assignments and Projects
• Blogging
• Lectures
• Discussions
• In-Class Exercises

REQUIRED TEXTS/SUPPLIES

• ChatGPT Plus membership – $20/month x 4 = $80
• Midjourney and RunwayML – $10/month each = $20
• headphones or earbuds
• digital camera or smartphone 
• notebook/journal and pen

COURSE POINT-EARNING POTENTIALS

Blogging (2% x 10 = 20%)

• ten 300-500 word blog posts based on readings, viewings and discussions (2% each post)

Short Writing Assignments (5% x 3 = 15%)

• art research goals  5%
• poem/story/script 5%
• fictional world gpt prompt – 5%

Short Visual Assignments (5% x 3 = 15%)

• art image series in a slide show 5%
• narrative series – storyboard/comic 5%
• animation/video 5%

World-building Website (5%)

Interactive Multimodal Game (groups)  (10%)

Multimodal Reflective Essay (15%)

Final Projects (groups optional) (20%)