Creating Digital Culture
Undergraduate course
- ECTS credits
- 15
- Teaching semesters Autumn
- Course code
- DIKULT105
- Number of semesters
- 1
- Teaching language
- English
- Resources
- Schedule
Course description
Objectives and Content
The course is an introduction to practical and interactive creation in digital culture. Students participate in and explore a range of digital technologies and create interactive and web-based digital artefacts. This is done within the fields of creative coding, web and app design, and/or digital interaction design. The course also introduces theories that support these areas, dealing with the creation and dissemination of digital cultural production.
The course involves analytical, aesthetic and practical aspects for creating digital interactivity. The analytical aspect means that the students practice cultural and/or technological analysis of digital technology. The aesthetic aspect means that the students practice understanding and using digital conventions and techniques. The practical aspect means that the students practice methods for the creation of stand-alone digital artefacts.
This course introduces students to a range of typical processes for creating a stand-alone digital project. Within this, students might take on a range of roles in the production of their project, which may include project/artistic director, coder, visual designer, sound artist, interface developer, and interaction designer.
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge
The candidate has knowledge...
- of programming languages and digital design software at an introductory level
- of theories and conventions in digital practices
- about creative techniques for software
- about the typical practical process, from concept design through to exporting and submitting a digital artefact
Skills
The candidate can...
- create digital outputs
- use theories and conventions for digital work
- analyze design and aesthetics in digital interaction
- write a critical report about practical work
General competence
The candidate can...
- organize group work and negotiate tasks and strategies
- look critically at digital practical outputs
- look critically at the digital creative industries
- discuss and defend their own work
ECTS Credits
Level of Study
Semester of Instruction
Place of Instruction
Required Previous Knowledge
Credit Reduction due to Course Overlap
Access to the Course
Teaching and learning methods
A week with classes typically contains a combination of lecture or lab time. The class schedule will be available by the beginning of the semester.
It is important for students to attend the orientation session early in the semester, before the teaching begins.
The class follows a student-active learning model typically involving a combination of practical learning, digital skilling, and lectures. In addition to the readings, students may be assigned homework tasks, including reading, practical tasks, and writing.
Students are expected to work 18 hours per week on the course from the beginning until the end of the teaching period, including weeks with no scheduled classes. During the teaching-free weeks, students are expected to use this time for reading course materials, completing assignments, and preparing for the exam.
Students may be invited to relevant guest lectures and events organized by Digital Culture and the Center for Digital Narrative.
If fewer than five students register for the course, the department may offer reduced tuition. Please refer to the department’s guidelines on Mitt UiB for more information. In this case, students will be notified before the semester registration deadline.
Compulsory Assignments and Attendance
Attendance is compulsory for everything the course covers. Course participation is approved by the course coordinator. If a student exceeds 25% in absences, they will not be eligible to take the exam.
Students are responsible for tracking their own attendance and should keep a record of any missed classes.
To be able to sit for the exam, the student must complete between three and six compulsory assignments. This will include practical assignments and related tasks. Each assignment is assessed as either "approved" or "not approved". More information will be available at the beginning of the semester.
All assignments must be completed and approved within the semester of teaching before the student becomes eligible to take the exam.
Forms of Assessment
The student compiles a portfolio as a base for assessment:
The student submits a stand-alone practical work, and a term paper of around 2,000 words about the practical work in accordance with a theme.
Only one grade will be given.
Students can submit either in English or Norwegian.
Grading Scale
Assessment Semester
Reading List
The required course materials are typically in English.
The list of compulsory and recommended readings, as far as available in advance, will be posted on Mitt UiB before the start of the semester and updated as necessary. The readings will be available at Akademika or as downloadable e-books or articles.
Students are also expected to familiarize themselves with additional relevant academic materials through the library, online academic sources, and independent research on the topic.