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Digital Photography

Course Description:

Learn how to communicate through graphics and digital photography. In this class, you will "focus" on the basics of camera operation, exposure, image control, picture composition, photo enhancement, and photo manipulation. This course discusses digital and traditional film photography, design, graphic arts, and electronic communication through discussions and mock-ups. You will complete photography projects which demonstrate techniques such as portraiture, composition, landscapes, architecture, wildlife, and nature. It is STRONGLY recommended that you use a digital camera for this course to complete all required assignments. If you choose to use a cell phone for this course, you will also need to access a photo editing application that permits users to apply settings that can generally be applied within menus typical of DSLR cameras. Note: This course does not focus on how to use specific photo editing software, but rather on the characteristics of various forms of photographic art and techniques used to achieve such artwork. Therefore, students should be prepared to use their camera and software editing tools or plan to learn and experiment with their use on their own while completing course activities.

Course Details:

Course Title (District): Digital Photography
Course Title (NCES SCED) : Photography
Course Provider : Michigan Virtual
Content Provided By : Michigan Virtual
Online Instructor Provided By : Michigan Virtual
Standards Addressed : Michigan Visual, Performing, and Applied Arts
Alignment Document : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YJ-ofUJ1MqInYchJLh4trTs95QtXbJWbOEBJ4rEQ9uU/edit?usp=sharing
Academic Terms : Semester, Trimester, Accelerated, Open Entry / Fixed End
NCES SCED Code : 05167
Subject Area : Visual and Performing Arts
Course Identifier : Photography
Course Level : High School (Secondary)
Available Credit : 0.5
Sequence : 1 of 1

How To Enroll:

Enrollment Website : https://slp.michiganvirtual.org/
Email : [email protected]
Phone : (888) 889-2840

Students and Parents: It is important to work closely with your local school counselor or registrar to follow the school's enrollment procedures. By clicking the "Start Registration Request" button below, you will be able to notify the school of your interest in registering for the online course. However, it is the responsibility of the district or school to review the registration request and approve or deny the request. Please make a note to follow up with your school after submitting a registration request.

Start Registration Request

Additional Course Information:

Additional Cost: $0.0

Additional Cost Description:

Students must have a digital camera and image editing software. See the technical requirements section for details.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to...

explain how photography has changed over time

 

experiment with your camera’s settings

 

adequately manage your digital files

 

develop an understanding of composition, elements, and principles of design

 

focus on objects for still life photography

 

explain the difference between a close-up and macro

 

understand the importance of quality photo editing

 

identify the genre of a photograph

 

explain the importance of ethics in the field of photography

 

discuss the character’s emotional state portrayed in a portrait

 

discover how to capture personality in a portrait

 

incorporate direction, framing, and the rule of thirds into your photography

 

apply composition techniques

 

apply four types of architecture photography to your work

 

create three types of action photography

 

explore color, pattern, texture, and lighting

 

interpret the type of action or abstraction within a photograph

 

apply photo narration to tell a story through your photography skills

 

discuss the impact that photography can have on the world

iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Courses

Academic Content Standards and Assessments Rating Comments
The goals and objectives clearly state what the participants will know or be able to do at the end of the course. The goals and objectives are measurable in multiple ways. Fully Met
The course content and assignments are aligned with the state’s content standards, Common Core curriculum, or other accepted content standards set for Advanced Placement® courses, technology, computer science, or other courses whose content is not included in the state standards. Fully Met
The course content and assignments are of sufficient rigor, depth and breadth to teach the standards being addressed. Fully Met
Information literacy and communication skills are incorporated and taught as an integral part of the curriculum. Fully Met
Multiple learning resources and materials to increase student success are available to students before the course begins. Fully Met
Course Overview and Introduction Rating Comments
Clear, complete course overview and syllabus are included in the course. Fully Met
Course requirements are consistent with course goals, are representative of the scope of the course and are clearly stated. Fully Met
Information is provided to students, parents and mentors on how to communicate with the online instructor and course provider. Fully Met Provided in the Michigan Virtual (MV) Blackboard learning management system (LMS).
Legal and Acceptable Use Policies Rating Comments
The course reflects multi-cultural education, and the content is accurate, current and free of bias or advertising. Fully Met
Expectations for academic integrity, use of copyrighted materials, plagiarism and netiquette (Internet etiquette) regarding lesson activities, discussions, and e-mail communications are clearly stated. Fully Met Provided in the Michigan Virtual Blackboard learning management system.
Privacy policies are clearly stated. Fully Met Provided in the Michigan Virtual Blackboard learning management system.
Instructor Resources Rating Comments
Online instructor resources and notes are included. Fully Met
Assessment and assignment answers and explanations are included. Fully Met
Accessing Course Effectiveness Rating Comments
The course provider uses multiple ways of assessing course effectiveness. Fully Met Students have the ability to rate the lesson as completed as well as a student evaluation at end of course. Michigan Virtual also has access to additional data regarding student success and satisfaction with courses.
The course is evaluated using a continuous improvement cycle for effectiveness and the findings used as a basis for improvement. Fully Met
Course Updates Rating Comments
The course is updated periodically to ensure that the content is current. Fully Met
Certification Rating Comments
Course instructors, whether faceto-face or virtual, are certificated and “highly qualified.” The online course teacher possesses a teaching credential from a state-licensing agency and is “highly qualified” as defined under ESEA. Fully Met All Michigan Virtual instructors are certified in the state of Michigan, endorsed within their assigned content areas and grade levels, and highly qualified under state and federal guidelines.
Instructor and Student Support Rating Comments
Professional development about the online course delivery system is offered by the provider to assure effective use of the courseware and various instructional media available. Fully Met Michigan Virtual instructors complete an onboarding course prior to teaching, annual professional development and conference attendance, participate in monthly department meetings, and are provided online resources for various instructional media.
The course provider offers technical support and course management assistance to students, the course instructor, and the school coordinator. Fully Met Michigan Virtual instructors have access to the Michigan Virtual Knowledge Base with tutorials to assist them as well as the Course Issue Tracker to request additional support for technical issues in a course. Students also have a Customer Care center that offers technical support and course management assistance.
Course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, have been provided professional development in the behavioral, social, and when necessary, emotional, aspects of the learning environment. Fully Met
Course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, receive instructor professional development, which includes the support and use of a variety of communication modes to stimulate student engagement online. Fully Met
The provider assures that course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, are provided support, as needed, to ensure their effectiveness and success in meeting the needs of online students. Fully Met
Students are offered an orientation for taking an online course before starting the coursework. Fully Met Students are offered Michigan Virtual-specific orientation lessons and activites within all courses in addition to the Online Learning Orientation Tool (OLOT) located on the learning management system homepage for students with no prior experience in taking an online course.
Instructional and Audience Analysis Rating Comments
Course design reflects a clear understanding of all students’ needs and incorporates varied ways to learn and master the curriculum. Fully Met
Course, Unit and Lesson Design Rating Comments
The course is organized by units and lessons that fall into a logical sequence. Each unit and lesson includes an overview describing objectives, activities, assignments, assessments, and resources to provide multiple learning opportunities for students to master the content. Fully Met
Instructional Strategies and Activities Rating Comments
The course instruction includes activities that engage students in active learning. Fully Met
The course and course instructor provide students with multiple learning paths, based on student needs that engage students in a variety of ways. Fully Met
The course provides opportunities for students to engage in higher-order thinking, critical reasoning activities and thinking in increasingly complex ways. Fully Met
The course provides options for the instructor to adapt learning activities to accommodate students’ needs. Partially Met Did not see where material can be altered but Michigan Virtual instructors can add supplemental content.
Readability levels, written language assignments and mathematical requirements are appropriate for the course content and grade-level expectations. Fully Met
Communication and Interaction Rating Comments
The course design provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student interaction, including opportunities for timely and frequent feedback about student progress. Fully Met
The course design includes explicit communication/activities (both before and during the first week of the course) that confirms whether students are engaged and are progressing through the course. The instructor will follow program guidelines to address non-responsive students. Fully Met Michigan Virtual (MV) instructor guidelines ensure such interaction through welcome letters, instructor introductions, and regular progress reporting.
The course provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student and student-student interaction to foster mastery and application of the material. Fully Met There is no additional resources outside what is located in the content for students. However, these could/would be provided by the instructor teaching the course.
Resources and Materials Rating Comments
Students have access to resources that enrich the course content. Partially Met
Evaluation Strategies Rating Comments
Student evaluation strategies are consistent with course goals and objectives, are representative of the scope of the course and are clearly stated. Fully Met
The course structure includes adequate and appropriate methods and procedures to assess students’ mastery of content. Fully Met
Feedback Rating Comments
Ongoing, varied, and frequent assessments are conducted throughout the course to inform instruction. Fully Met
Assessment strategies and tools make the student continuously aware of his/her progress in class and mastery of the content. Fully Met
Assessment Resources and Materials Rating Comments
Assessment materials provide the instructor with the flexibility to assess students in a variety of ways. Fully Met
Grading rubrics are provided to the instructor and may be shared with students. Fully Met
The grading policy and practices are easy to understand. Fully Met
Course Architecture Rating Comments
The course architecture permits the online instructor to add content, activities and assessments to extend learning opportunities. Partially Met Instructors cannot alter content provided by the course vendor, but Michigan Virtual instructors are permitted to add supplemental materials as needed via the Blackboard learning management system.
The course accommodates multiple school calendars; e.g., block, 4X4 and traditional schedules. Fully Met The calendar within the learning management system permits adjustments to the pacing guides, though MV has established start and end dates for fall, spring, summer, and trimester enrollment terms.
User Interface Rating Comments
Clear and consistent navigation is present throughout the course. Fully Met
Rich media are provided in multiple formats for ease of use and access in order to address diverse student needs. Fully Met
Technology Requirements and Interoperability Rating Comments
All technology requirements (including hardware, browser, software, etc...) are specified. Fully Met Communicated in the syllabus, the Michigan Virtual website, and the Blackboard learning management system.
Prerequisite skills in the use of technology are identified. Fully Met
The course uses content-specific tools and software appropriately. Fully Met
The course is designed to meet internationally recognized interoperability standards. Fully Met
Copyright and licensing status, including permission to share where applicable, is clearly stated and easily found. Fully Met Communicated within the Michigan Virtual Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) through the website and the learning management system.
Accessibility Rating Comments
Course materials and activities are designed to provide appropriate access to all students. The course, developed with universal design principles in mind, conforms to the U.S. Section 504 and Section 508 provisions for electronic and information technology as well as the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility guidelines (WCAg 2.0). Fully Met Units have screen reader capabilities for Audio text reading. Completed the web accessibility checklist
Data Security Rating Comments
Student information remains confidential, as required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Fully Met Course is password protected; the privacy policy is communicated in the Blackboard learning management system.

Review Conducted By: Michigan Virtual
Date of Review: 03/20/2018

Module 1: Introduction to Digital Photography & Communications

Module 2: The Digital World

Module 3: Getting in Focus

Module 4: Extremely Focused

Module 5: Getting More Personal

Module 6: Moving Out

Module 7: Special Effects

Module 8: Lasting Impressions

Term Type Enrollment Opens Enrollment Ends Random Draw Date Enrollment Drop Date Course Starts Course Ends # of Seats Course Fee Potential Additional Costs
Drop Policy Completion Policy Term Type Enrollment Opens Enrollment Ends
Instructor Contact Expectations: Students can use email or the private message system within the Student Learning Portal to access highly qualified teachers when they need instructor assistance. Students will also receive feedback on their work inside the learning management system. The Instructor Info area of their course may describe additional communication options.
School Year Enrollment Count Pass Count Completion Rate Notes
23-24 183 171 93.44%
22-23 161 154 95.65%
21-22 267 248 92.88%
19-20 212 149 70.28%
18-19 191 163 85.34%
17-18 136 102 75.0%

A digital camera is required for this course. Video Cameras are NOT suitable. A cell phone may be difficult to complete some assignments successfully, though most assignments can be met with the use of a modern smart phone camera app accompanied by a photo editing application. Ideally, the camera, or combination of camera and photo editing application, you use should allow for experimentation with lighting, settings, and menu functions.

Your Camera Must Have: (a) a flash that you can control and turn on/off as needed; (b) OPTICAL zoom (the range doesn't matter as long as it can zoom); (c) macro capability; (d) USB cable or other means of transferring your photos from the camera to the computer; (e) viewfinder OR monitor screen; and (f) the ability to export photos in a .JPEG image file format.

Students will require a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube. Please review the Michigan Virtual Technology Requirements: https://michiganvirtual.org/about/support/knowledge-base/technical-requirements/