David Ogborn (dktr0)
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MEDIAART 3D03: Detailed Schedule (Fall 2026)

Fall 2026 Schedule

Wed 9 Sept: Introductions / getting ready for what is to come

  • discussion of the history of this class
  • some stories about programming
  • review of course outline and assessment
  • installation of suitable terminal environments (see instructions in the first part of Terminal basics)

Fri 11 Sept: Jurassic Park: Experiments with a disaster-proof web

Wed Sept 16: The Imitation Game: Work on practice #3 (Codes)

Fri Sept 18 (cancelled due to illness)

Practice #3 (Codes) submission due Mon 2128 Sep at 10 PM on Avenue

Wed Sept 23:

Fri Sept 25: Partying like its 1999 (The web of the 1990s and early 2000s)

  • The web of the 1990s and early 2000s
  • work on practice #4 (Web 1.0)

Practice #4 (Web 1.0) submission due Mon 28 Sep at 10 PM on Avenue

Wed Sept 30: No class meeting - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Fri Oct 2: work on practice #5 (JavaScript)

Practice #5 (JavaScript) submission due Mon 5 Oct at 10 PM on Avenue

Wed Oct 7: The calm before the storm (net.art, live coding, generative art)

Fri Oct 9: work on practice #6 (Web APIs)

(mid-term recess Oct 12 -16)

Practice #6 (Web APIs) submission due Mon 19 Oct at 10 PM on Avenue

Wed 21 Oct: Cunning chatbots and deadly dungeons

Fri 23 Oct 23: work on practice #7 (Chat)

Practice #7 (Chat) submission due Mon 26 Oct at 10 PM on Avenue

Wed 28 Oct: The Beginning Of The End (Web 2.0)

Fri 30 Oct: work on practice #8 (Libraries)

Practice #8 (Libraries) submission due Mon 2 Nov at 10 PM on Avenue

Wed Nov 4: Living in the ruins (local knowledge, digital gardening, solar computing, etc)

Fri Nov 6: Experiments with markdown and static-site generation; Term project ideation activities

Wed Nov 11: TBD / practice / assistance

Fri Nov 13: TBD / practice / assistance

Wed Nov 18: TBD / practice / assistance

Fri Nov 20: work-in-progress mini-showcase

In-term exam in flexible testing centre, Sat Nov 21 - Fri Nov 27

No class meetings the week of Wed 25 Nov and Fri 27 Nov (please come to drop-in hours for assistance with your web art term projects in progress!)

Wed Dec 2: Dress Rehearsal for the Apocalypse

Web Art Term Project due Thu Dec 3 at 10 PM on Avenue

Fri Dec 4: Apocalypse Now! (in-class showcase, and demonstrating Practices #1 & #2)

Wed Dec 9: After the End (final exam review)

Final multiple-choice exam during examination period to be scheduled by registrar

Schedule from the previous offering of the course (Winter 2026)

Part A

In Weeks One through Six (Mon Jan 5 - Fri Feb 13), we'll work through fundamental content and activities in each of the six areas/learning outcomes, while completing a first project (project #1) that engages with those learning outcomes. The last day of class in Week Six (Wed Feb 11) will be devoted to last minute peer and instructor assistance with project #1, which will be submitted by 10 PM on Fri Feb 13 (and will be showcased during the first day back after the Winter recess, Mon 23 Feb).

Mon 5 Jan

  • discussion of the prehistory of this class
  • big question: what is the web as a technology and what can we make with it?
  • big question(s): digital gardens and local first computing
  • big question: how improvisational engagement with the web and programming lets us learn and explore these questions
  • how I've come to these topics, personally
  • review of course outline and assessment
  • Devops: terminal basics
  • JavaScript: JavaScript basics
  • Codes: Cryptograms

Wed 7 Jan

Mon 12 Jan

Wed 14 Jan

Mon 19 Jan

Wed 21 Jan

Mon 26 Jan

(snow day)

Wed 28 Jan

Mon 2 Feb

Wed 4 Feb

Mon 9 Feb

  • CSS flexbox and grid
  • Experiments with styling images via css, c.f. this w3schools reference
  • Further demonstration of what I mean by a "self-contained" website (including e.g. with respect to images)
  • Further experiments with both Punctual-in-a-website and example 7 from "javascript in the browser"

Wed 11 Feb

  • "dress rehearsal" for project showcase (serving your own site on our local network) and other assistance with project #1
  • see especially: Using node to run a webserver

Project #1 is submitted on Avenue by 10 PM on Fri Feb 13

Part B

In Weeks Seven through Nine (Mon 23 Feb - Fri 13 Mar), we'll work through some more advanced content and activities in each of the six areas/learning outcomes, while also conceiving, planning, and proposing a second project (project #2) that must be more ambitious/scaled than project #1 was. The last class meeting (Wed 11 Mar) will be devoted to last minute peer and instructor assistance with the full proposal for project #2, which is due by 10 PM on Fri 13 Mar.

There will be no scheduled class meetings on Mon 16 Mar and Wed 18 Mar, while I inspect and approve all of the proposals. You are strongly encouraged to begin working in earnest on the execution of project #2 immediately, prior to receiving my feedback on your proposal.

During both part B and most of part C, you'll be able to complete the six asynchronous (on your own time), open-book, re-doable tests on each area/learning outcome, repeating each test as many time as necessary to receive the necessary 80% (between Mon 23 Feb and 10 PM on Mon 30 Mar, after which point the tests will become no longer available to complete, strictly). You are strongly encouraged to start attempting these tests early in the window in which they are available, to complete them without assistance or collaboration, and to use the possibility of repeated attempts as a way of learning and preparing for the final exam.

Mon 23 Feb

Wed 25 Feb

  • SSH demonstration
  • Discussion question: What's the most important thing you think you learned in this course up to and including Monday's showcase?
  • Discussion question: What is something you think you should have learned (or learned better) in this course up to and including Monday's showcase?
  • Discussion question: What is something (more or less related to our discussion so far) you'd be particularly excited to explore in the last half of the course?
  • Introduction of project #2

Mon 2 Mar

Wed 4 Mar

Mon 9 Mar

  • Experiments with web 2.0 technique, including writing custom web-servers, working with databases, and asynchronous update of webpages (AJAX)

Wed 11 Mar

Part C

The last three weeks of class (Mon 23 Mar to Mon 6 Apr) are devoted to the execution, completion, and showcasing of project #2, which is due by the end of day on Thu 2 Apr, and will be exhibited during a public showcase during the last class meeting (Mon 6 Apr).

Mon 23 Mar

Final Examination

A final multiple choice exam will be scheduled during the exam period (Apr 9-22). The exam represents a final chance to earn a higher grade through demonstrating objective comprehension of each of the six areas/learning outcomes touched on by the course. The exam consists of 5 questions in each of the six areas, and to receive credit (a grade higher by one point on the McMaster 12-point scale) for each area at least 4 out of 5 of the questions must be answered correctly (80%). The 30-question exam will be scheduled by the registrar's office and will be completed in 90 minutes.