In well-developed instructional programs, professional skills such as business writing, team organization, project management, and oral presentation skills are built into coursework throughout the curriculum. Because of limitations of the classroom environment, these experiences only simulate those encountered in the field, making it difficult for students to appreciate the importance of these skills in their career preparation. In the Digital Media (DIGM) program at East Tennessee State University (ETSU), students often see professional skills aspects of projects in animation, web design, or 3D visualization courses as unnecessary obstacles to learning primary course material. It isn't until they have an opportunity to work in the field that these skills suddenly become relevant. Only then do they understand the consequences of poorly developed professional skills. Industry advisors for our program emphatically stress the need to help students develop professional skills. Our graduates have been praised for technical and artistic skill, but even though they work in teams, write proposals, and make oral presentations in many of their classes, when it comes to applying these skills on the job they haven't fared as well. In a highly competitive job market, it is often demonstration of these professional skills, combined with an overall professional demeanor, that make or break an applicant's ability to successfully land a good job. To address this need, a service-learning project designed to give students real world experience was implemented in the fall 2005 Portfolio Development in Digital Media class. Using "Maryland's 7 Best Practices for Service Learning" as a guide, the project was developed in collaboration with the Tri-City Metro Advertising Federation (TMAF). Students would compete for the opportunity to produce the promotional campaign for the ADDY Awards Competitioni for the Tri-Cities (Johnson City, Bristol and Kingsport, TN). Student teams answered a "Request for Proposal" for the project, which was also sent to advertising professionals. Classroom limitations were removed, and real-world consequences and rewards were in effect. Students were placed in competition with professionals as peers, with the same expectations for performance and delivery. Curricular objectives were achieved by allowing students to apply digital media skills in a professional setting, on a real-world project, that would become a case study for their portfolios. The project provided incentives for a successful proposal in that the proposal chosen was professionally produced and actually used by TMAF. In each year that the project was assigned, one of the student teams designed the winning campaign and was given community recognition for their contribution to their field. Students met the same criteria as competing professionals for responsibility, professionalism, proposal preparation (including research, creative solution, and adherence to instructions), effectiveness of the "pitch" (persuasive oral communication of ideas), and delivery of product. By working with professionals, they made contacts that could assist them in their careers. As the case study will show, this was an eye-opening experience for the students and a learning experience for all involved. Students indicated they felt better prepared to meet workplace expectations. It has enhanced the DIGM program's relationship with the advertising community, and has opened opportunities for our students after graduation by creating a greater awareness of our program within the community.

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Digital media courses are usually found in art or communications departments where the instructional emphasis is weighted toward artistic and creative aspects of project development. In digital media courses offered in departments oriented to the technical professions, such as computer science and engineering technology, the instructional emphasis is usually on technical skills. Regardless of where these courses are housed, graduates working in animation, 3D visualization, and interactive media fields are finding that an ability to apply both technical and creative skills is necessary. This presents challenges in classrooms where students range from the "very artistic/somewhat technical" to the "very technical/somewhat artistic", not least of which is how to assess projects in which both technical and artistic skills must be demonstrated. There is often a negative perception of the critique process as being purely subjective. This "that's-just-the-teacher's-opinion" perception often becomes the stopping point in attempts to get students to recognize critique as part of an iterative development of a design solution. How we handle this assessment can be the difference between a student seeing critique as truly constructive criticism, or merely a matter of opinion. This researcher has developed a comprehensive method that addresses both objective and subjective criteria while giving students confidence in the validity of the critique. In this method, peer and instructor feedback is given informally as students develop their ideas, and formally at project completion with a traditional class critique. This is followed by completion of an on-line form incorporating Rikert scales and comment fields for specific criteria. Works being evaluated are also posted so students can view each piece as they complete the form. Results are compiled into a database, and a password protected report is automatically generated for each student showing the average ranking for each question and compiled comments. Anonymity is preserved, allowing students a comfortable way to provide honest feedback to classmates. Students can use this report to guide revisions to their work, and the instructor can use it to evaluate how the class, and each student, understands the principles being taught, and how their abilities to think critically are developing. By tracking averages of student evaluations over several years, it has been found that peer feedback and instructor feedback closely correlate, providing affirmation of the critique to the student, and support for the final grade.

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Computer-Based Non-Photorealistic Rendering is a rather elaborate term for a set of 3D rendering techniques that focus on nonrealistic, or stylized, output. Specifically for this paper, the style is a type of concept sketching, done with a computer rather than markers and pens and other traditional tools. This paper will give an overview and show examples of some of the nonphotorealistic rendering capabilities available with Maya. This curious set of tools and techniques gives you the ability to create the look and feel of pen, marker, and other traditional media concept drawings with the changeability, flexibility, and creative control offered by a 3D computer-based tool. The tools will also leverage your existing 3D capabilities of moveable cameras, lighting setups, animation, overnight renders, etc. to create multiple views and looks that can require significant amounts of rework for the traditional artist. The paper will compare computer-based versions of architectural drawings with professional artist renderings of the same project.

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The design of a new input device to help break the barriers mainly created by keyboard and mouse is discussed. The new design integrates digital pen and mouse technologies with a new industrial design to provide artist with natural pen and mouse based input interaction. The design enables the user to hold the input device in a more comfortable position and thus reduces repetitive strain injury, stress, discomfort, and fatigue. The design also enables the user to remain productive for longer periods without adding further physical injury.

The purpose, information architecture and some relevant design theory of IdeasAlive Design System are discussed. The methodology of the system and a detailed design guide to help teachers effectively use it in the classroom are outlined. The implementation strategies and techniques involved in translating the system into an interactive learning tool are also described. Case studies of the system is presented and the ability of the system to effectively teach and assist design in the classroom is assessed.

The research problem at the centre of this study is twofold. First, not enough Research Data Management studies have been conducted in either the humanities or the Digital Humanities that present a well-developed understanding of the nature of data in these fields, or the appropriate management thereof. Second, there is a critical lack of Research Data Management and data sharing support provided to researchers in these fields. While multiple stakeholders play roles in providing such support, this study focuses on the support provided to researchers by publishers. While the overarching study investigates data management and sharing in the Digital Humanities and how publishers support these practices, the specific case concerns the field of Web Archive Studies. The case study also gathers broader insights into Digital Humanities researchers, under which WAS is classified as a specialised field. The purpose of the study was to explore the nature of data, and current RDM and data sharing practices of Web Archive Studies researchers, with a focus on publishers' engagement with researchers and support for said practices. The aim was to uncover ways in which publishers might better support Web Archive Studies researchers in managing and sharing their data. The case study answered the following research questions: (1) ‘What kinds of data do Web Archive Studies researchers generate and work with?'; (2) ‘What RDM and data sharing practices do these researchers tend to use?'; (3) ‘What challenges and limitations do they encounter when collecting, managing, and sharing data?'; (4) ‘How can publishers better support Web Archive Studies researchers in managing and sharing their data?'. The study is exploratory in nature and uses a convergent mixed-methods approach based within an interpretive paradigm. Three semi-structured interviews (using predominantly open-ended questions) and a questionnaire (including predominantly multiple-choice questions) were conducted. A content analysis approach was used to analyse qualitative data, while quantitative data were interpreted using inferential statistics. The populations sampled included publishers and Web Archive Studies researchers. The study found that Web Archive Studies researchers tend to manage their data proficiently. The biggest gaps in their current practices concern data sharing in formal repositories due to challenges like legal restrictions. Additional findings reveal a lack of funding for Research Data Management and data sharing in this field, as well as a lack of guidance and training from publishers for Web Archive Studies researchers. Information Classification: General Key recommendations include the following: (1) publishers should develop guidance specific to Web Archive Studies researchers' RDM and data sharing needs; (2) publishers should focus on sharing methodological processes, audit trails, and research instruments, rather than sharing data for Web Archive Studies and other humanities subjects. These actions would promote transparency in subject areas for which data sharing is often not possible due to legal restrictions, among other challenges.