History of Still Photography

About this Site

Bookmark this site. If you're on your phone, add a shortcut to it on your desktop. This site will serve as our syllabus once the course gets started (check back for new info then!). For now, it is designed to prepare you for week one.

Welcome!

I'm Michelle Pacansky-Brock and I will be your online instructor for the History of Still Photography. Please take 90-seconds to view my video and learn a little about me. And then explore the rest of this page to get prepared for week one.

I'll see you online!

Michelle (You are welcome to call me Michelle or Professor Pacansky-Brock.)

My Commitment to You

I recognize that this is an especially stressful time to be a student. COVID-19 has added significant stress and trauma to all of our lives, some more than others. The racial injustices in our country add additional stress to the experiences of Black people and those who are from other racially and ethnically minoritized groups. These stressors may affect your ability to process information and manage your learning. Give yourself grace as you try your best. I will be flexible throughout this course to support you towards your academic success. I believe in you!

With that said, I'd like to acknowledge my own learning and growth and commitment to improving my teaching. As a White college instructor, I am strive to understand the experiences of my racially and ethnically minoritized students. I want you to know that I am committed to creating a learning environment where all students feel safe and are treated with dignity. I welcome your feedback at any time in this course. Your feedback empowers me to become a better teacher.

How this course works

  • This is an 8-week, late start fully online course that begins on October 19, 2020.

  • There is no required textbook.

  • You will learn in a community with your peers. This is not a self-paced course.

  • This class does not meet regularly in Zoom. Your learning will be conducted asynchronously (which means "not live") in Canvas.

  • By Wednesday of Week 1, you will be expected to log-in to our course in Canvas and complete the Getting to Know You Survey to signal your intent to complete this course.

  • This class is organized into eight one-week modules that open each Tuesday morning.

  • Each module contains readings and videos, a study guide, a quiz, and collaborative activities including discussions and image-curation assignments.

My Teaching Philosophy

I believe learning should be meaningful and that the differences each person brings into a course enrich the learning of the group. Each of us learns at a unique rhythm, which is precisely why I love online classes! Unlike a live classroom, asynchronous (delayed) online environments, like ours, provide you with the luxury of thinking and reflecting before you engage. They create a seat at the table for everyone. They also enable us to use the world as our classroom. I design my courses to showcase and celebrate the diversity of the members of our learning community and to encourage each of you to connect our course content to your own life.  

Our Pact

What you can expect from me:

  1. I will treat you with dignity and respect and be flexible to support your individual needs.

  2. I will provide you with a clear, organized course that is designed to ensure you meet our course outcomes in a meaningful manner.

  3. I will provide a variety of assignments to ensure your learning needs are met.

  4. I will be actively present in your learning.

  5. I will provide a supportive and safe environment for you to share and discuss ideas with your peers.

  6. I will reach out to you when I sense that you need support.

  7. I won't be perfect. I am human and will make mistakes at times. I will view mistakes as an opportunity to learn and grow.

  8. Is there anything else you would like to add to this list? If so, you will have the opportunity to make a suggestion in our Orientation module.

What I will expect from you:

  1. You will treat me and your peers with dignity and respect.

  2. You will strive to be an active participant in this course and aim to meet due dates.

  3. You will maintain an open line of communication with me so I understand how to support you.

  4. You will contact me if you have a concern with meeting a due date.

  5. You will strive to regularly contribute to collaborative activities to ensure other members of the community have ample opportunity to read/listen, reflect, and respond to your ideas.

  6. You will do your best to have patience with technology. There will be hiccups, expect them. We will get through them together.

  7. You will give yourself grace. Expect to make mistakes. You are human and mistakes are part of learning and growing.

  8. Is there anything else you would like to add to this list? If so, you will have the opportunity to make a suggestion in our Orientation module.

Equity Statement

Our Pact (see above section) reflects a commitment to ensuring each student is treated with dignity and welcomed into a safe environment. We will be constructing knowledge together in this online course and the more diverse perspectives we engage, the more robust and meaningful our learning will be. As humans, we are all influenced by psychological biases. If you find yourself feeling upset by a comment made by another student, pause and reflect on what is happening. Why do you think you feel this way? What can you learn from your response. Take a deep breath, be mindful of the situation and reflect before you respond. Disagreements are part of learning, but we will always treat one another with kindness and respect. 

Week 1 Success Plan

Online courses move quickly and getting off to a good start is the best way to prepare yourself for success. Read this page carefully and you'll have all you need to start this course on the right foot.

Week 1 Suggested Plan. Tuesday: Log in, view the video on the homepage, and click Start Here to begin the Orientation module. Wednesday: Due Getting to Know You Survey. Thursday: Review the My Favorite Photograph assignment. Friday: Due - My Favorite Photograph (VoiceThread) Saturday and Sunday: Finish reading the pages in the Orientation module. Or take a break if you've already completed it! Monday: Due - Orientation Quiz & My Favorite Photograph Replies

Required 20-minute Zoom Check-In

By the end of week one, you will need to attend a 20-minute Zoom Check-In with me and a few classmates (choose a time from the options on our calendar).

    • On our Course Calendar (which you can get to from our Home page), you will find several "Check-In" options provided for week one. Select one 20-minute slot, sign up to attend it, and meet me and a few of your classmates in Zoom. This will be an opportunity for us to connect and for you to ask for clarification about anything that is unclear. 

Due Dates for Week One

  1. Wed, October 21 at 11:59pm PT 

    • Complete the Getting To Know You Survey. This is our "check-in" assignment and an opportunity for me to get acquainted with you. Your responses come directly to me, will be kept confidential, and I will use them to support you in this course. By completing this assignment, you signal your intent to complete this course. If you do not complete this assignment on time, you will receive a message from me and your spot in our course may be given to a student on my waitlist if you do not respond.  This is an institutional policy for all MSJC online courses to ensure active students receive the courses they need.

  2. Friday, October 23 at 11:59pm PM PT  

    • Agree to our Pact (Canvas Discussion)

    • Complete the VoiceThread assignment: My Favorite Photograph.  This assignment is simple, fun, and will help us get to know each other. Just upload a photograph you love and in a voice or video comment, share why you selected it. This assignment can be done on a computer or on a mobile device, provided you have downloaded the Canvas Student app and the VoiceThread mobile app (don't make a VoiceThread account, you do not need one). 

  3. Monday, October 26 at 11:59pm

    • Submit the Submit the Orientation Quiz.*

    • Two replies due: My Favorite Photograph assignment

Success Tip! Get started on the hands-on activity: Create a Camera Obscura - due at the end of week two. 

Michelle 6 Tips for Success

You'll have more opportunities to be successful if you follow these tips:

  1. Be proactive. 

    • Log into our course every Tuesday to preview the new module. Carefully read the Module Overview page, which includes the week's learning objectives and a list of assignments. Assess the workload and put the due dates on your calendar. Having a mental picture of what's ahead is the best thing you can do to prepare each week.

  2. Each time you log in, start on our course Home page. 

    • I will change it weekly. It will also guide you to our current module and provide you with tips for success. You'll also find the two most recent announcements from me at the top of the page.

  3. Download the study guide in each module.

    • Use it as you complete the readings/videos. It will support your success on the module quiz.

  4. Plan to submit early. 

    • I know, this one is hard because there is so much expectedness right now. Set a personal goal for yourself to have all of your assignments done by 24 hours before they are due. Why? Because life happens and when you wait until the last minute, you're more likely to have problems meeting a due date.  

  5. Communicate with me. 

    • Teaching online can feel like teaching in the dark. I need you to let me know what's happening on your end. If you identify a challenge meeting a due date, just reach out and let me know. I am grateful for your efforts to inform me. I understand these are difficult times and I'm here to support you. Contacting me in advance of a due date will keep you and I in sync and ensure you don't get overwhelmed by unfinished work. In your message, propose an alternative due date (within 48 hours is advised to ensure you don't fall too far behind). 

  6. Use the Canvas To-Do List and Calendar to track and stay current on your assignments. 

    • They are so helpful! You'll find all of these goodies on the right side of our homepage if you are on a computer and at the bottom of your screen if you are using the Canvas app.

How to get your questions answered

Need individual help or guidance with our class?

I am here for you! I prefer that you contact me through the Canvas inbox. But you can also reach me at mbrock@msjc.edu.

  • If you contact me Monday-Friday, I will respond within 24 hours (usually much sooner). I will also reply during the weekends but I might be slower.  

  • I'm happy to arrange times to meet individually in Zoom or call you directly via phone if that's preferred. Just let me know!

Have a general course-related question?

Use the Student Lounge Discussion.

  • If you have a general question about the course, I invite you to ask it in the Student Lounge. Your question will be seen by your peers and if anyone has the answer -- by all means, answer it! 

    • To find the Student Lounge, click on Discussions in our course menu.

  • If your question is personal in nature, please send it directly to me through the Canvas inbox.

Need assistance/help that is not specific to our course?

Visit MSJC's Student Hub. 

  • The Student Hub is your simple, one-stop resource to get your questions answered. Pop into Zoom and connect with a helpful college representative or find a link on the hub webpage to financial aid, academic and crisis counseling, tutoring, library services, and more!

History of Still Photography

PHOT 130 • Mt. San Jacinto College 

Michelle Pacansky-Brock

This is a late-start online course that begins on October 19, 2020.

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