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Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title Advanced Creative Coding
Module Code ICT1021 (ITS: CM287)
Faculty Humanities & Social Sciences School Communications
NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 10
Description

Appropriate development environments and scripting languages will be used to acquire key skills and present concepts inherent in production of non-linear media to the students. Programming techniques and principles will be extended to enable students to produce truly interactive / responsive media. Offering best practice for novice programmers and interaction designers this module will help students gain new skills for writing programs and developing applications for a variety of platforms. Students will engage with interaction design and development for exhibition, mobile devices and the Internet. Students will follow pitch-prototype- user test, iterative development process.

Learning Outcomes

1. 1D64604B-4506-0001-9147-C0D81903B180
2. Outline the principle programming structures and concepts.
5. 1
6. 1D64604B-4F46-0001-D179-12D013601981
7. Identify appropriate structures to construct and application.
10. 2
11. 1D64604B-4E3A-0001-6099-14341932111E
12. Develop appropriate algorithms and data structures as solutions to a range of problems.
15. 3
16. 1D64604B-49BE-0001-509F-15EB32601820
17. Apply the principle programming techniques in developing simple applications.
20. 4
21. 1D64604B-52DA-0001-F85E-1814198E1230
22. Test and debug their own applications.
25. 5
26. 1D75DBEA-9C1C-0001-6813-4614EC1041B0
27. Develop appropriate plans for online and offline interactive media
30. 6
31. 1D75DBEA-CC46-0001-2D2F-88551C40FC00
32. Design a responsive / interactive piece of media which behaves and reacts reliably to user input.
35. 7
36. 1D75DBF5-40F9-0001-AFFD-C09014408480
37. Scope and scale a multimedia project regarding personnel, skills needed and time available.
40. 8


WorkloadFull time hours per semester
TypeHoursDescription
Lecture12Theory and Case Study based
Lecture24Lab session practice based, demonstration, feedback and problem solving exercises
Directed learning30Weekly class challange, problem solving exercises
Directed learning30Pitch of ideas and prototype of responsive systemmedia survey
Independent Study64independent learning time
Assignment Completion40Online Interactive Media Application
Assignment Completion50Responsive media installation / Mobile device application
Total Workload: 250
Section Breakdown
CRN10822Part of TermSemester 1
Coursework100%Examination Weight0%
Grade Scale40PASSPass Both ElementsN
Resit CategoryRC1Best MarkN
Module Co-ordinatorDónal MulliganModule Teacher
Assessment Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
Digital ProjectOnline Interactive Media Application40%Week 7
Digital ProjectResponsive media installation / Mobile device application50%Sem 1 End
PresentationPitch of ideas and prototype of responsive system10%Week 10
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories;
RC1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module.
RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element.

* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite None
Co-requisite None
Compatibles None
Incompatibles None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Designing for Interactive systems
Scoping a project, defining the user/audience needs and expectation. Researching and choosing appropriate technologies for a project

Control and logic in interactive applications.
Conditional Structures, controlling rich media integration, storing and retrieving remote data, integrating remote data. Parent /Child / Ancestor scripting, Object Oriented Approaches -objects, methods, classes

Understanding Users / User Consideration.
Defining interaction, personae and user modelling.

Planning and Prototyping
Algorithms, Pseudo-code and pilot testing for functionality. Planning for scale-up for multiple users and platforms.

User testing
Testing techniques to gain reliable feedback.

Indicative Reading List

Books:
  • Saffer, Dan: 2007, Designing for interaction: creating smart applications and clever devices, New Riders, Berkeley,
  • Andrew Sears (Editor), Julie A. Jacko (Editor): 2009, Human-Computer Interaction: Designing for Diverse Users and Domains (Human Factors and Ergonomics), CRC Press,
  • Vora, Pawan: 2009, Web application design patterns, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers/Elsevier, Boston,
  • Norman, Donald A: 2005, Emotional design: why we love (or hate) everyday things, BasicBooks, New York,
  • Rogers, Yvonne: 2011, Interaction design: beyond human-computer interaction, Wiley, Hoboken, N.J,
  • Hofstadter, Douglas R,: 1980, Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid, Penguin, Harmondsworth, Middlesex,
  • Pirsig, Robert M.: 1984, Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance., Morrow, New York,
  • Klanten, Robert: 2010, Data flow 2: visualising information in graphic design, Gestalten, Berlin,
  • Iliinsky, Noah P. N; Steele, Julie: 2010, Beautiful visualization, O'Reilly, Farnham,
  • Ira Greenberg: 2007, Processing: Creative Coding & Computational Art: Creative Coding and Computational Art, FRIENDS OF ED ACADEMIC,
  • Shupe, Rich; Rosser, Zevan: 2011, Learning ActionScript 3; 0, O'Reilly, Farnham,
  • Casey Reas & Ben Fry: 2007, Processing A Programming Handbook for Visual Designers and Artists, MIT Press,
  • Van Der Spuy, Rex: 0, Foundation game design with Flash, Friends of Ed, Berkeley, Calif,


Articles:
None
Other Resources

  • 1: Website, A List Apart Magazine, A List Apart,
  • 420700: 1, Website, interaction-design.org,
  • http://www.interaction-design.org/: 420701, 1, Website, I miss my pencil.com
  • http://imissmypencil.com/:

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