Course Syllabus

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Course Title

FIL3041-0W60: History of Animated Films 1

School of Visual Arts and Design

College of Arts & Humanities,

University of Central Florida

SVAD logo

COURSE SYLLABUS

Class Information

Term

FALL 2021

Class Lecture Location

Online

Class Lecture Date & Time

Online

Mode

World Wide Web

Instructor

Darlene Hadrika

Office

191 OTC 500 & Zoom

Phone

(SVAD Office) 823-2676

Email

Darlene.Hadrika@ucf.edu

Office Hours

Mondays 2:00-6:00pm

Office Hours Zoom Link

https://ucf.zoom.us/j/98149965242?pwd=bURwREhGQnhBVjFucURUVWg2TjQzZz09 (Links to an external site.)

Meeting ID: 981 4996 5242
Passcode: 007919

Graduate Teaching Assistant

Hannah Huffman

University Course Catalog Description

Course Description

 3(3,0) History of Animated Films I: Evolution of animation from its roots in Art, Theatre, and Novelty Inventions to its rise as a cinematic force of popular storytelling. Even Fall.

Course will be in an online format with homework and tests done individually. Students will be evaluated through on-line tests, on-line discussions and evaluation of completed quizzes and tests. In this class, we will not only review the history of American animation studios, but we will discuss animation’s relevancy to what was happening in the world at that time.

Course Prerequisites:

PR: Cinema Studies, Art, Animation or Digital Media major

Course Objectives

At the end of this course:

  1. Student will understand the breadth of animation work created in various American Studios.
  2. Student will discuss the social relevancy and impact of animated films throughout history.
  3. Student will understand the different technology utilized over time to create animated films
  4. Student will exhibit knowledge of history of the American animated film

Basic Structure

Course will be in a World Wide Web format with homework and tests done individually. Students will be evaluated through on-line tests, and on-line discussions. The lecture portion of this course is primarily a combination of on-line visual video/PowerPoint presentations along with required watching of referenced animation works.  Students will be required to do readings on materials, watch videos, participate in class discussion topics, and exhibit an understanding of covered material through online tests.

Required Texts

Read assignments from text before reviewing lectures. Refer to text for references for assignments.

Review this text for in depth information on American animation up to 1985:

  • Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons, Revised Edition,  by Leonard Maltin 1987, Penguin Group, ISBN 0-452-25993-2

Review this text for in-depth analysis and historical reference on American Animation Studios:

  • The American Animated Cartoon A Critical Anthology, by Gerald Peary and Danny Peary, 2017, Amazon Publishing ISBN:   9781683900511

Read assignments on-line and view associated film links before completing weekly homework assignments or discussion comments:

Required Materials:

  • Online access to a computer with a fast Internet speed
  • Updated Adobe Flash Player

Recommended Materials:

  • A set of headphones if using a computer or smart device to watch videos in a public area.

Student Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course:

  1. Student will understand the breadth of animation work created over time in various studios in America
  2. Student will discuss the social relevancy and impact of American animated films throughout history.
  3. Student will understand the different technology utilized over time to create animated films
  4. Student will exhibit knowledge of the early history of the animated film

Course Prerequisites, Co-requisites and Other Enrollment Requirements

Emerging Media MFA - Animation and Visual Effects track student or C.I. 

Evaluation Procedures

Overall Grade Calculation

Assessment

Description of the requirements

Percent of final grade 

Prequiz #1

Online pre-test of your understanding of the syllabus

1%

On-Line Discussions

Appropriate participation in on-line discussion topics

15%

Quizzes

Quizzes on required reading and viewing materials

42%

Mid Term Exam

On-line mid-term test

21%

Final Exam

On-line cumulative test

21%

Pre-Quiz (1%)

  • A short quiz of your understanding of the syllabus will be given via WebCourses to verify enrollment for financial aid purposes. Speedy completion of this quiz is highly recommended for quick disbursement of your Financial Aid.

On-line Discussions (15%):

  • There are three discussion topics in this class.  Participation in each topic counts for 5% of your overall grade.
  • You must participate in the initial topic response before you will be allowed to participate and respond to other students in your discussion group. 
  • Students are expected to participate in discussions on-line through Webcourses
  • Webcourses utilizes your knights email for discussion group setup.  Failure to maintain a knights email could disrupt your ability to participate in discussions.  If you haven’t done so yet, be sure to set up your knights email immediately.
  • Failure to participate in on-line class discussions will result in a 2.5% deduction of your overall grade for every occurrence.
  • Participation in discussions should be polite and appropriate. Disruptive behavior is not professional and will lower your participation grade.  
  • Student is expected to cite any facts or references used in the content of the discussions.  
  • You will be expected to do some research on your own and present it with listed resources in you discussions topics.   Back up any facts with cited scholarly research.  Note that Wikipedia is NOT an academic resource.
  • Failure to conduct yourself in a professional and polite manner will result in a 2.5% deduction of your overall grade for every occurrence.
  • Failure to add well thought out commentary and discussion in topic conversation will result in a 2.5% overall grade deduction for every occurrence.

University Writing Center:
http://uwc.cah.ucf.edu/

The University Writing Center (UWC) offers writing support to students from first-year to graduate in every discipline. Tutors provide help at every stage of the writing process, including understanding assignments, researching, drafting, revising, incorporating sources, and learning to proofread and edit. The UWC’s purpose is not merely to fix or edit papers, but to teach writing strategies that can be applied to any writing situation. Consultations are available for individuals and small groups. You may schedule a 45-minute appointment by clicking the Success Resources tab on Webcourses, calling the UWC at 407-823-2197, or through the UWC website.

  • NOTE: If English is your second language, or you feel you need help with grammar, I recommend that you schedule an appointment at the University Writing Center early in the semester to help with your class discussions. 

Quizzes (42%)

  • Students will take 6 on-line quizzes throughout the semester on topics covered in class. Each quiz will count for 7% of your overall grade. All quizzes have time limits in real time. Student should review material before taking a quiz.

Midterm (21%)

  • Students will take one on-line midterm exam during the semester on cumulative topics covered in class up to that point. The Midterm has a time limit in real time. Student should review material before taking the midterm.

Final Exam (21%)

  • Students will take one on-line Final exam during the semester on cumulative topics covered in class.  The test will be due by Friday, 12/10/21 at 11:59pm. The Final exam has a time limit in real time. Student should review material before taking the final exam.

Course Grading Policies:

Grading Scale:

  • Grades in the class will be calculated using the following scale:
Grade Scale Table

Letter grade

Required Score

A

95.0-100

A-

90.0-94.9

B+

87.0-89.9

B

83.0-86.9

B-

80.0-82.9

C+

77.0-79.9

C

70.0-76.9

D

60.0-69.9

F

0-59.9


Grading and evaluation: 

All assignment grades are part of your overall grade. Failure to turn in an assignment will result in a 0 for that grade

Make-up Exam and Assignment Policy:

If a student has a doctor’s written medical excuse, I will accept late work without penalty. Work turned in late without a medical excuse, will be devalued at least one full letter grade or more. If you miss a quiz or test deadline on Webcourses due to illness, you must provide proof from a doctor’s note to turn the test in late.

Grade Dissemination:

You can access your scores at any time using the Grade Book function of Webcourses.

Technology Requirements:

This course requires the use of the following equipment provided by the university:

  • Wireless access to on-line tools
  • Video and film access to UCF library resources

Technology Policies:

E-mail: 

E-mail your instructor to ask specific questions about material covered in class. The instructor will respond as soon as possible, usually within 48 hours.  You must use a knights email address for any communication regarding this class.

Webcourses: 

I will make general announcements and post assignments, grades, and files needed for assignments through Webcourses. Students should log in a few times per week to check for new postings.

Course Blog/Website:

There is no Blog or Website for this class.

Laptop Usage:

Access to a Laptop, personal home computer and/or software is required for this class because you will need it for completing assignments from home and taking tests. You can access the internet at the UCF library or borrow one of a limited number of computers from the library.  Although you can use a smart device to watch many of the videos presented in this class, I do not recommend taking any tests using a smart phone.  Be sure to take all tests on a computer with a reliable internet connection.

Other communication devices: 

Downloading or recording of presentations of copyrighted material is not permitted.  You can log into Zoom using any smart device or computer equipped with a microphone and speaker or headphone. 

Special tools (Software): 

You will need Quicktime or Adobe Flash to watch videos.

Course Policies: Student Expectations

Class Behavior Policy:

Students are expected to be courteous to the instructor, and other students in class, especially when discussing other’s work. Students who do not present themselves in a polite manner will be asked to leave the course. This policy of polite behavior extends to any time before and after class, the entire facility at the Orlando Tech Center and the University of Central Florida campus. Failure to act with appropriate conduct may lead to permanent expulsion from the class or university.

Academic Conduct Policy:

Academic dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. If you are uncertain as to what constitutes academic dishonesty, please consult The Golden Rule, the University of Central Florida's Student Handbook (http://www.goldenrule.sdes.ucf.edu/) for further details. As in all University courses, The Golden Rule Rules of Conduct will be applied. Violations of these rules will result in a record of the infraction being placed in your file and receiving a zero on the work in question AT A MINIMUM. At the instructor’s discretion, you may also receive a failing grade for the course. Confirmation of such incidents can also result in expulsion from the University.

COVID-19 Information

Notifications in Case of Changes to Course Modality

Depending on the course of the pandemic during the semester, the university may make changes to the way classes are offered. If that happens, please look for announcements or messages in Webcourses@UCF or Knights email about changes specific to this course.

COVID-19 and Illness Notification

Students who believe they may have a COVID-19 diagnosis should contact UCF Student Health Services (407-823-2509) so proper contact tracing procedures can take place.

Students should not come to campus if they are ill, are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, have tested positive for COVID, or if anyone living in their residence has tested positive or is sick with COVID-19 symptoms. CDC guidance for COVID-19 symptoms is located here: (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html )

In Case of Faculty Illness

If the instructor falls ill during the semester, there may be changes to this course, including having a backup instructor take over the course. Please look for announcements or mail in Webcourses@UCF or Knights email for any alterations to this course.

Remote Instruction

This course utilizes a remote-only instruction, the university has provided several resources to assist students with learning: https://digitallearning.ucf.edu/newsroom/keeplearning/

Technology Access – This course is conducted fully online and thus this could require access to additional technology. If students do not have proper access to technology, including a computer and reliable Wi-Fi, please let the instructor know as soon as possible. Information about technology lending can be found at https://it.ucf.edu/techcommons/site. and https://library.ucf.edu/libtech

Resources:

https://www.ucf.edu/coronavirus/

Daily Personal Health Evaluation Before Physically going to Campus

  • Although, this class does not require you to come to campus, if you choose to come to campus, you should follow do a daily personal health evaluation before coming on to campus.  To accomplish this you will need a thermometer to take your temperature and you must fill out the on-line app evaluating if it is safe for you and others for you to come to class.  If you do come to campus, be prepared to wear a face mask the entire time you are inside any building and around others outside.  You should try to maintain a social distance of six feet between you and others and be prepared to wipe down your workspace and wash your hands often
  • The ability to participate in face-to-face classes and activities is dependent upon every member of the campus community adopting simple steps, such as wearing a face covering.and physical distancing, outlined in the policy to prevent further spread of the coronavirus. UCF employees and students must complete the COVID Self-Checker each day they will be on campus and prior to their arrival on campus. The COVID Self-Checker can be completed online. or through the UCF Mobile app., with the student version of the assessment launching today.

Academic Integrity

Students should familiarize themselves with UCF’s Rules of Conduct at <https://scai.sdes.ucf.edu/student-rules-of-conduct/.>. According to Section 1, “Academic Misconduct,” students are prohibited from engaging in

  1. Unauthorized assistance: Using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information or study aids in any academic exercise unless specifically authorized by the instructor of record. The unauthorized possession of examination or course-related material also constitutes cheating.
  2. Communication to another through written, visual, electronic, or oral means: The presentation of material which has not been studied or learned, but rather was obtained through someone else’s efforts and used as part of an examination, course assignment, or project.
  3. Commercial Use of Academic Material: Selling of course material to another person, student, and/or uploading course material to a third-party vendor without authorization or without the express written permission of the university and the instructor. Course materials include but are not limited to class notes, Instructor’s PowerPoints, course syllabi, tests, quizzes, labs, instruction sheets, homework, study guides, handouts, etc.
  4. Falsifying or misrepresenting the student’s own academic work.
  5. Plagiarism: Using or appropriating another’s work without any indication of the source, thereby attempting to convey the impression that such work is the student’s own.
  6. Multiple Submissions: Submitting the same academic work for credit more than once without the express written permission of the instructor.
  7. Helping another violate academic behavior standards.
  8. Soliciting assistance with academic coursework and/or degree requirements.

Unauthorized Use of Websites and Internet Resources

There are many websites claiming to offer study aids to students, but in using such websites, students could find themselves in violation of academic conduct guidelines. These websites include (but are not limited to) Quizlet, Course Hero, Chegg Study, and Clutch Prep. UCF does not endorse the use of these products in an unethical manner, which could lead to a violation of our University’s Rules of Conduct. They encourage students to upload course materials, such as test questions, individual assignments, and examples of graded material. Such materials are the intellectual property of instructors, the university, or publishers and may not be distributed without prior authorization. Students who engage in such activity could be found in violation of academic conduct standards and could face course and/or University penalties. Please let me know if you are uncertain about the use of a website so I can determine its legitimacy.

Unauthorized Distribution of Class Notes

Faculty have reported errors in class notes being sold by third parties, and the errors may be contributing to higher failure rates in some classes. The following is a statement appropriate for distribution to your classes or for inclusion on your syllabus:

Third parties may attempt to connect with you to sell your notes and other course information from this class. Distributing course materials to a third party without my authorization is a violation of our University’s Rules of Conduct. Please be aware that such class materials that may have already been given to such third parties may contain errors, which could affect your performance or grade. Recommendations for success in this course include coming to class on a routine basis, visiting me during my office hours, connecting with the Teaching Assistant (TA), and making use of the Student Academic Resource Center (SARC), the University Writing Center (UWC), the Math Lab, etc. If a third party should contact you regarding such an offer, I would appreciate your bringing this to my attention. We all play a part in creating a course climate of integrity.

Responses to Academic Dishonesty, Plagiarism, or Cheating


Students should also familiarize themselves with the procedures for academic misconduct in UCF’s student handbook, The Golden Rule <https://goldenrule.sdes.ucf.edu/.>. UCF faculty members have a responsibility for students’ education and the value of a UCF degree, and so seek to prevent unethical behavior and respond to academic misconduct when necessary. Penalties for violating rules, policies, and instructions within this course can range from a zero on the exercise to an “F” letter grade in the course. In addition, an Academic Misconduct report could be filed with the Office of Student Conduct, which could lead to disciplinary warning, disciplinary probation, or deferred suspension or separation from the University through suspension, dismissal, or expulsion with the addition of a “Z” designation on one’s transcript.

Being found in violation of academic conduct standards could result in a student having to disclose such behavior on a graduate school application, being removed from a leadership position within a student organization, the recipient of scholarships, participation in University activities such as study abroad, internships, etc.

Let’s avoid all of this by demonstrating values of honesty, trust, and integrity. No grade is worth compromising your integrity and moving your moral compass. Stay true to doing the right thing: take the zero, not a shortcut.

Disability Access:

The University of Central Florida is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities. This syllabus is available in alternate formats upon request. Students who need accommodations must be registered with Student Disability Services, Ferrell Commons Room 185, phone (407) 823-2371, TTY/TDD only phone (407) 823-2116, before requesting accommodations from the professor. Students with disabilities who need accommodations in this course must contact the professor at the beginning of the semester to discuss needed accommodations.

Course Accessibility 

The University of Central Florida is committed to providing access and inclusion for all persons with disabilities. Students with disabilities who need access to course content due to course design limitations should contact the professor as soon as possible. Students should also connect with Student Accessibility Services (SAS) <http://sas.sdes.ucf.edu/> (Ferrell Commons 185, sas@ucf.edu, phone 407-823-2371). For students connected with SAS, a Course Accessibility Letter may be created and sent to professors, which informs faculty of potential course access and accommodations that might be necessary and reasonable. Determining reasonable access and accommodations requires consideration of the course design, course learning objectives and the individual academic and course barriers experienced by the student. Further conversation with SAS, faculty and the student may be warranted to ensure an accessible course experience.

Campus SafetyLinks 

Emergencies on campus are rare, but if one should arise during class, everyone needs to work together. Students should be aware of their surroundings and familiar with some basic safety and security concepts.

  • In case of an emergency, dial 911 for assistance.
  • Every UCF classroom contains an emergency procedure guide posted on a wall near the door. Students should make a note of the guide’s physical location and review the online version at <http://emergency.ucf.edu/emergency_guide.html.>.
  • Students should know the evacuation routes from each of their classrooms and have a plan for finding safety in case of an emergency.
  • If there is a medical emergency during class, students may need to access a first-aid kit or AED (Automated External Defibrillator). To learn where those are located, see <http://www.ehs.ucf.edu/AEDlocations-UCF> (click on link from menu on left).
  • To stay informed about emergency situations, students can sign up to receive UCF text alerts by going to <https://my.ucf.edu.> and logging in. Click on “Student Self Service” located on the left side of the screen in the toolbar, scroll down to the blue “Personal Information” heading on the Student Center screen, click on “UCF Alert”, fill out the information, including e-mail address, cell phone number, and cell phone provider, click “Apply” to save the changes, and then click “OK.”
  • Students with special needs related to emergency situations should speak with their instructors outside of class.
  • To learn about how to manage an active-shooter situation on campus or elsewhere, consider viewing this video

You CAN Survive an Active Shooter

Though most emergency situations are primarily relevant to courses that meet in person, such incidents can also impact online students, either when they are on or near campus to participate in other courses or activities or when their course work is affected by off-campus emergencies. The following policies apply to courses in online modalities.

  • To stay informed about emergency situations, students can sign up to receive UCF text alerts by going to <https://my.ucf.edu> and logging in. Click on “Student Self Service” located on the left side of the screen in the toolbar, scroll down to the blue “Personal Information” heading on the Student Center screen, click on “UCF Alert”, fill out the information, including e-mail address, cell phone number, and cell phone provider, click “Apply” to save the changes, and then click “OK.”
  • Students with special needs related to emergency situations should speak with their instructors outside of class.

Deployed Active Duty Military Students

Students who are deployed active duty military and/or National Guard personnel and require accommodation should contact their instructors as soon as possible after the semester begins and/or after they receive notification of deployment to make related arrangements.

Make-Up Assignments for Authorized University Events or Co-curricular Activities

Students who represent the university in an authorized event or activity (for example, student-athletes) and who are unable to meet a course deadline due to a conflict with that event must provide the instructor with documentation in advance to arrange a make-up. No penalty will be applied. For more information, see the UCF policy at <https://policies.ucf.edu/documents/4-401.pdf>

UCF Creed

Integrity, scholarship, community, creativity, and excellence are the core values that guide our conduct, performance, and decisions.

  • Integrity
    I will practice and defend academic and personal honesty.
  • Scholarship
    I will cherish and honor learning as a fundamental purpose of my membership in the UCF community.
  • Community
  • I will promote an open and supportive campus environment by respecting the rights and contributions of every individual.
  • Creativity
    I will use my talents to enrich the human experience.
  • Excellence
    I will strive toward the highest standards of performance in any endeavor I undertake.

Ethics

UCF faculty support the UCF Creed. Integrity – practicing and defending academic and personal honesty – is the first tenet of the UCF Creed. This is in part a reflection of the second tenet, Scholarship: – I will cherish and honor learning as a fundamental purpose of membership in the UCF community. – Course assignments and tests are designed to have educational value; the process of preparing for and completing these exercises will help improve your skills and knowledge. Material presented to satisfy course requirements is therefore expected to be the result of your own original scholarly efforts.

Plagiarism and cheating – presenting another’s ideas, arguments, words or images as your own, using unauthorized material, or giving or accepting unauthorized help on assignments or tests – contradict the educational value of these exercises. Students who attempt to obtain unearned academic credentials that do not reflect their skills and knowledge can also undermine the value of the UCF degrees earned by their more honest peers.  Note that rotoscoping or tracing live action footage or other people's animation is considered plagiarism in this class.

Copyright

This course may contain copyright protected materials such as audio or video clips, images, text materials, etc. These items are being used with regard to the Fair Use doctrine in order to enhance the learning environment. Please do not copy, duplicate, download or distribute these items. The use of these materials is strictly reserved for this online classroom environment and your educational use only. All copyright materials are credited to the copyright holder.

In-Class Recording Policy

Outside of the notetaking and recording services offered by Student Accessibility Services, the creation of an audio or video recording of all or part of a class for personal use is allowed. Such recordings are only acceptable in the context of personal, private studying and notetaking and are not authorized to be shared with anyone without the separate written approval of the instructor.  For more information on UCF's class recording policy click here. 

Honor Code and Intellectual Property

Here are some guidelines:

  • If you reuse work that you did for another course or project, you must cite the source, including the author (yourself), date and venue of publication.
  • If you use any language (even a phrase), imagery, sound or other data that was not explicitly created by you as part of this project, you must
  1. Receive written permission from the owner of that intellectual property and include the permission in your project’s final report; and 
    Properly cite the work in the presentation or product itself.
  • Penalties for incorrect management of intellectual property may include failure of the course itself, and disciplinary action by the School, College or University.

Diversity

The University of Central Florida considers the diversity of its students, faculty, and staff to be a strength and critical to its educational mission. UCF expects every member of the university community to contribute to an inclusive and respectful culture for all in its classrooms, work environments, and at campus events. Dimensions of diversity can include sex, race, age, national origin, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, intellectual and physical ability, sexual orientation, income, faith and non-faith perspectives, socio-economic class, political ideology, education, primary language, family status, military experience, cognitive style, and communication style. The individual intersection of these experiences and characteristics must be valued in our community.

Title IX prohibits sex discrimination, including sexual misconduct, sexual violence, sexual harassment, and retaliation. If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted, you can find resources available to support the victim, including confidential resources and information concerning reporting options at www.shield.ucf.eduand http://cares.sdes.ucf.edu/

If there are aspects of the design, instruction, and/or experiences within this course that result in barriers to your inclusion or accurate assessment of achievement, please notify the instructor as soon as possible and/or contact Student Accessibility Services.

For more information on diversity and inclusion, Title IX, accessibility, or UCF’s complaint processes contact:

Student Grades

You can access your scores at any time using the Grades section of Webcourses@UCF.

UCF Cares

During your UCF career, you may experience challenges including struggles with academics, finances, or your personal well-being. UCF has a multitude of resources available to all students. Please visit UCFCares.com  if you are seeking resources and support, or if you are worried about a friend or classmate. Free services and information are included for a variety of student concerns, including but not limited to alcohol use, bias incidents, mental health concerns, and financial challenges. You can also e-mail ucfcares@ucf.edu with questions or for additional assistance. You can reach a UCF Cares staff member between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. by calling 407-823-5607. If you are in immediate distress, please call Counseling and Psychological Services to speak directly with a counselor 24/7 at 407-823-2811, or please call 911.

Technology/Software Requirements

Internet Usage

You will be expected to have daily access to the internet and email, since I will be emailing you constantly about assignment updates, additions and changes. All students at UCF are required to obtain a Knight’s Email account and check it regularly for official university communications. If you do not own a computer, there are computers accessible to you in all UCF’s computer labs, and most computer labs have computers connected to the internet. For further information on computer labs, please see the following website: <http://guides.ucf.edu/c.php?g=78577&p=517810.>.

Rules/Protocols of Communication

The following are three sample rules:

  1. Before posting in a forum, always make sure your posting has no grammar, punctuation or spelling errors. You may do this by copying and pasting the text into Microsoft Word, and pasting it back to the posting area.
  2. If you would like to send me email, please add the following to the subject line: “: <Student’s last name, first name>“. Since I get a variety of email each day, I do not read all emails I receive. By having this heading in the subject line, I will read your email immediately.
  3. No shorthand notation or acronyms (such as “TTYL”, ” LOL”, or “IMO”) may be used at any time for this course. I feel it is unprofessional to use and is ambiguous for those unfamiliar with the acronym. Furthermore, please use smiley sparingly.
  4. Be sure to include an academic citation for any material you references during your discussions.

Email Policy

In this class our official mode of communication is through email located inside Webcourses. All communication between student and instructor and between student and student should be respectful and professional. It is the student’s responsibility to check the “coursemail” tool frequently. 

As of 2009, Knightsmail is the only official student email at UCF. Class rosters list Knightsmail addresses rather than external email addresses, and all official class communications will be sent only to the Knightsmail addresses. Students are responsible for checking their Knightsmail accounts regularly. See www.knightsemail.ucf.edu for further information.

Third-Party Software and FERPA

During this course you might have the opportunity to use public online services and/or software applications sometimes called third-party software such as a blog or wiki. While some of these could be required assignments, you need not make any personally identifying information on a public site. Do not post or provide any private information about yourself or your classmates. Where appropriate you may use a pseudonym or nickname. Some written assignments posted publicly may require personal reflection/comments, but the assignments will not require you to disclose any personally identity-sensitive information. If you have any concerns about this, please contact your instructor. 

How to Study for the Course

As you read the textbooks, and watch the video lectures, I recommend taking notes. Read the material and watch the associated video example to understand the visual concept being described.  You may choose to pause the lecture to watch the associated video link to the film I am discussing.  Or, you can take thorough notes and then emphasize your learning by watching the associated video links.

Why Study "The History of Animation"?

The history of American Animation integrally merges with the history of film itself.  In this class, we will not only review the history of American animation studios, but we will discuss animation’s relevancy to what was happening in the world at that time.  The personalities working in this industry and their business relationships helped to shape this visual medium.

Controversial Content

Since we will be studying older media, there may be times when some of these films have racist and/or sexist imagery in them that reflect the opinions of that day. Understand that it is important to study this work in the context of history.  And please understand that just because it is part of history, it doesn't mean that this work is acceptable today.   Please also be aware that not all films we will study are appropriate for children.  There may be frightening, violent or scary imagery.  As the human form exists in all types of art, there may also be nudity in some of the work we look at in this class.  If you feel uncomfortable with this, please let me know and we can make accommodations.

Online Learning

Online learning requires lots of planning and self-pacing so that you may be successful in my course. Since I will be covering a lot of material in 16 weeks, I would highly recommend treating this course like a regular lecture course and keeping up with lectures and assignments. Please do not be tempted to skip two weeks of lectures and expect to catch up easily.  You may want to set aside an hour a day to watch animation so that you don’t have to watch five hours of animation right before a quiz or discussion is due.  I give the length of each video in Webcourses so you can plan and schedule your watching time each week.

Time Commitment

For most students striving for B grades or higher, I recommend that you schedule about 5 hours per week to watch videos and an additional 3-4 hours to read, study material, take quizzes and participate in discussions for this course. Your background knowledge/experience and other variables may require you to spend additional time. Please plan accordingly by scheduling time on your calendar now. Several factors influence student academic performance and long-term learning. Active engagement in all course activities (e.g., class participation, readings, homework, assignments, projects, studying, etc.) will contribute to your learning and to success in this course. According to research, a metacognitive  learning approach combined with practice testing and distribution of practice over time is most effective. UCF offers a wide range of free academic resources to support student success, including services offered by KARS. (Knights Academic Resource Services), SARC (Student Academic Resource Center), UCF Libraries, the University Writing Center, the Math Success Center, the Chemistry Tutoring Center,  and VARC (Veterans Academic Resource Center). I am available at darlene.hadrika@ucf.edu if you are seeking more information on how to be successful in this course. Your academic advisor is another helpful resource to assist you in meeting the requirements of this course.

Important Dates to Remember

All dates and assignments are tentative and can be changed at the discretion of the professor, however Add/Drop, Mid-Term and Final Exam times and places are mandatory.

University Important Dates Fall 2020

Event

Due Date(s)
Drop/Swap Deadline:   Friday, 8/27/21 11:59pm
Add Deadline:   Friday, 8/27/21 11:59pm
Pre-quiz due by Friday at 5:00pm on 8/27/21,
Six On-line Quizzes due on  Fridays at 11:59pm on 9/17/21, 9/24/21, 10/1/21, 10/29/21, 11/5/21 and 11/12/21
Three on-line Discussion entries due on: Fridays at 11:59pm on 9/3/21, 9/10/21,  10/8/21, 10/15/21, 11/19/21 and 12/3/21
The online Midterm exam  Friday at 11:59pm on 10/22/21 
Withdrawal Deadline:  Friday, 10/29/21
Online Final Exam Friday at 11:59pm 12/10/21
Grade Forgiveness Deadline: Friday, 12/3/21

Holidays

Event

Date
Labor Day      Monday, September 6, 2021
Veterans Day   Thursday, November 11, 2021
Thanksgiving Wednesday   (No Classes) Wednesday., November 24, 2021
Thanksgiving      Thursday., November 25, 2021 –Sat, November 27, 2021

Religious Observances

Students are expected to notify their instructor in advance if they intend to miss class to observe a holy day of their religious faith.

Course Timeline:

Class Schedule

Week

Date

Topic

Reading / Viewing

Due Dates

1

8/23/21-8/27/21

Introduction to The History of Animation Art

Modules 0-1

Prequiz DUE 5:00pm Friday 8/27/21

 

2

8/28/21-9/3/21

The Silent Era

Maltin ch 1, Peary pp1-46 & Module 2

Discussion Topic #1 (Favorite Animation) initial Responses DUE 11:59pm Friday  9/3/21

3

9/4/21- 9/10/21

Walt Disney

Maltin ch 2, Peary pp 47-99, 234-240 & Module 3

Discussion Topic #1(Favorite Animation) Reaction to two initial Responses DUE 11:59pm Friday 9/10/21

 

9/6/21

LABOR DAY

 

 

4

9/11/21-9/17/21

Disney Studios after Walt

Module 4

Quiz 1 DUE 11:59pm Friday 9/17/21

5

9/18/21-9/24/21

Fleischer Bros, Paramount/Famous Studios

Maltin ch 3 & 11, Peary pp 201-207, 241-244 & Module 5

Quiz 2 DUE 11:59pm Friday 9/24/21

6

9/25/21-10/1/21

Paul Terry and Terrytoons & Walter Lantz & George Pal

Maltin ch 4 & 5, Peary pp 169-177 & 192-200  Module 6

Quiz 3 DUE 11:59pm Friday 10/1/21

7

10/2/21-10/8/21

Ub Iwerks, The Van Beuren Studio, Columbia: Charles Mintz & Screen Gems

Maltin ch 6, 7 & 8, & Module 7

Discussion Topic #2  initial Response DUE 11:59pm Friday 10/8/21

8

10/9/21-10/15/21

Warner Bros

Maltin ch 9, Peary pp103-168, pp 211-233 & Module 8

Discussion Topic #2 Reaction to two initial Responses DUE 11:59pm Friday 10/15/21

9

10/16/21-10/22/21

Midterm Exam

Module 9

Midterm Exam DUE 11:59pm Friday 10/22/21

10

10/23/21-10/29/21

MGM

Maltin ch 10  Module 10

Quiz #4  DUE 11:59pm Friday 10/29/21

11

10/30/21-11/5/21

UPA

Maltin ch 12, Peary pp 178-183, 245-251 & Module 11

Quiz #5  DUE 11:59pm Friday 11/5/21

12

11/6/21-11/12/21

Hanna/Barbera, Jay Ward/ TV commercials

Peary pp255-268 & Module 12

Quiz #6 DUE 11:59pm Friday 11/12/21

 

11/11/20

VETERANS’ DAY

 

 

13

11/12/21-11/19/21

1970’s-1985

Maltin ch 13, Peary pp 269-296 &  Module 13

Discussion Topic #3 initial Responses DUE Friday 11:59pm 11/19/21

14

11/20/21-11/26/21

Experimentation / MTV

Module 14

Begin to study for the Final.  Watch cartoons and eat turkey.

 

Wed.11/24/21 -Sat 11/27/21

THANKSGIVING BREAK

 

 

15

11/27/21-12/3/21

A Brief history of Computer Animation

Module 15

Discussion Topic #3 Reaction to three initial Responses DUE 11:59pm Friday 12/3/21

16

12/4/21-12/10/21

Final Exam

NOTE: FINAL DUE BY FRIDAY!!

Final Exam DUE 11:59pm Friday 12/10/21

 

 

Assignment List:

Assignments

Assignment

Description

 Grade value

Assigned Date

Due Dates

Prequiz 1

On-line Quiz on course syllabus, and readings from first week

1%

8/23/21

DUE 5:00pm Friday 8/27/21

Discussion Topic 1 Initial Response

On-line Submission of Initial Response to Discussion Topic

2.5%

8/27/21

DUE 11:59pm Friday 9/3/21

Discussion Topic 1 Reactions

On-line Submission of Reactions to three initial Responses to Discussion Topic

2.5%

9/3/21

DUE 11:59pm Friday 9/10/21

Quiz 1

On-line Quiz on readings from first, second and third weeks

7%

9/3/21

DUE 11:59pm Friday 9/17/21

Quiz 2

On-line Quiz on readings from fourth, fifth and sixth weeks

7%

9/17/21

DUE 11:59pm Friday 9/24/21

Quiz 3

On-line Quiz on readings from tenth, eleventh and twelfth weeks

7%

9/24/21

DUE 11:59pm Friday 10/1/21

Discussion Topic 2 Initial Response

On-line Submission of Initial Response to Discussion Topic

2.5%

10/1/21

DUE 11:59pm Friday 10/8/21

Discussion Topic 2 Reactions

On-line Submission of Reactions to three initial Responses to Discussion Topic

2.5%

10/8/21

DUE 11:59pm Friday 10/15/21

Midterm Exam

On-line Cumulative Midterm Exam on material covered so far in class

21%

10/15/21

DUE 11:59pm Friday 10/22/21

Quiz 4

On-line Quiz on readings from tenth, eleventh and twelfth weeks

7%

10/22/21

DUE 11:59pm Friday 10/29/21

Quiz 5

On-line Quiz on readings from tenth, eleventh and twelfth weeks

7%

10/29/21

DUE 11:59pm Friday 11/5/21

Quiz 6

On-line Quiz on readings from tenth, eleventh and twelfth weeks

7%

11/5/21

DUE 11:59pm Friday 11/12/21

Discussion Topic 3 Initial Response

On-line Submission of Initial Response to Discussion Topic

2.5%

11/12/21

DUE 11:59pm Friday 11/19/21

Discussion Topic 3 Reactions

On-line Submission of Reactions to three initial Responses to Discussion Topic

2.5%

11/19/21/21

DUE 11:59pm Friday 12/3/21

 

Final Exam

On-line Cumulative Final Exam on material covered through entire class

21%

12/3/21

DUE 11:59pm Friday 12/10/21

 

Method for submitting assignments:

  • All quizzes, discussions and exams must be submitted online to WebCourses by the due date and time. Be sure to use a machine connected to a strong internet and give yourself enough time to complete and submit them.

Course Summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due