Welcome to ART 207: PreColumbian Art History

My name is Dr. Michelle Huntingford Craig, and I will be your instructor for this course. This letter provides the basic information you will need before enrolling in Art 207.

Course Description:

Surveys the arts, architecture, and archaeology of ancient Mesoamerica and South America from 1200 BCE to the conquest/16th century. Advisories: ENGL 201A. Transfer: CSU; UC.

This course will survey the a selection of artistic and architectural production of the Ancient Americas, from roughly 1200 BCE until the Spanish Conquest (early 16th century). Artworks and monuments will be studied chronologically, by civilization, first from Mesoamerica (Mexico and Central America) and then the Andes (South America). Together we will study the form and content of these artworks and monuments, as well as the historical, cultural, social, and political contexts in which they were produced. We will begin by examining artwork and architecture created by the Olmec of Mexico’s Gulf Coast and the Maya of Central America. We will then move to the art of Teotihuacan in Central Mexico, Monte Alban in Oaxaca, and Veracruz on the Gulf Coast. Next we will continue our investigation of the Maya. We will then look at Mesoamerica after the fall of Classic cities and finally the art and architecture of the Aztecs (Mexica) before shifting our attention to the Andes. In the Andes we will begin our inquiry with art produced by the Chavín of the North Highlands and then move to consider  the work of Paracas and then Nasca in the South Coast. We will continue our study with the art of the Moche of the North Coast. Finally, we will learn about the  Inca, who ruled the Andes until Conquest by the Spanish.

This course aims to teach you to value the diversity of human cultures through an understanding of visual arts traditions; to foster critical thinking; to increase awareness of the multiple ways of looking, understanding, and appreciating the visual arts; to achieve the above goals through cooperative learning.

If you are enrolling in this class, I’m asking you to commit to spending the coming weeks being “into ancient art.” Be open-minded and see where it takes you.

You should plan to spend at least as much time in this course as you do in a traditional class (roughly 10-15 hours a week).

• • Because there is no lecture component, it is your responsibility to do the readings, access all required materials, participate in the discussion, complete other assignments, and research independently.

This Course Is Not Optimized For Mobile Devices

Make sure you have access to a large screen. This course is not meant to be taken via phone screens.

• • While it is possible to access Canvas and the course content via a mobile device (such as a cell phone or tablet), this course is not optimized for mobile devices. You will be more successful if you routinely engage with this class via a laptop or desktop computer. Frankly, the larger your screen, the happier you will be while engaging with visual arts.

    As you have likely experienced already, viewing a photo on a small screen is not the same experience as viewing it on a large screen.

There are no prerequisites for this course, but it’s important that you think carefully about whether you are a good candidate for distance learning. Those who are both well-organized and self-disciplined are best equipped to succeed. Below you will find some information that can clarify technical requirements and how to use our online learning platform CANVAS. It is not your syllabus. Those enrolled in the course will receive the syllabus when classes open in Week 1.

I look forward to your participation in Art 207.

Respectfully,

Dr. Craig

Instructor: Dr. Michelle Huntingford Craig

Contact information

Email Address: michelle_craig1@cuesta.edu 

Office Location/ Hours: Zoom Virtual Office Hours

Instructor Contact Expectations: 

The best and fastest way to contact me is email or Canvas Inbox. Always use your Cuesta College email for official correspondence and include our course name in the subject. Check your Cuesta College e-mail account regularly, or arrange for messages to be forwarded from your Cuesta College e-mail account to your personal e-mail account. I will typically respond within 24 hours to emails received between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. I do not check email after 4:00 p.m., or on weekends, or during academic breaks. During busy times of the semester, the response time may increase to 48 hours.  

• I will typically send messages to the whole class or to individual students via their Cuesta College email addresses or Inbox.
• Announcements will be posted weekly. Individual student feedback is generally posted in the Gradebook (click on the grade for an individual assignment to access individual comments). You will want to make sure you read all comments as they are often intended to help you improve on future assignments.

Course Environment:

This online course will be using a Web-based Learning Management System Canvas as the method to disseminate information. Canvas provides the framework for the course including lecture presentations, links and videos; student data files; the tools to receive and send course materials; and a grade book. Using the communication tools, you can communicate using e-mail, and you can share materials and ideas with other course participants via the discussion forums and groups.

Class opens / Accessing Canvas:

• You can log into the course on the first day of the semester; you cannot access the course before the semester starts.
• When the semester starts, please log in right away, so that you are able to complete the week one assignments; otherwise, you will be dropped from the course.
• Mark your calendars! Starting on day one of the semester, course information will be provided in Canvas.
• Use Modules to access all the required information

To access the course web page during the first week of classes, follow these instructions:

1. To get to the host site: Go to the Cuesta College home page (www.cuesta.edu) and click on “Canvas” (in the upper left corner of the page)
2. Log in: Enter your Canvas username and password (same as for MyCuesta)
3. User Dashboard: Click on the link for ART 203; this will take you to the course home page. Download the syllabus and familiarize yourself with the course using Modules.

If you are not familiar with logging into canvas, please refer to the Canvas Quick Reference Guide.

If you are having difficulty logging into Canvas after the first day of classes and need assistance please email me or technical support at this email address: support@my.cuesta.edu. 

Online Learning: 

If you have never taken an online class or this is your first experience with Canvas, please be patient with yourself. Online classes are not inherently easier, although they may be more convenient for many students. You should expect to spend at least as much time, if not more on this course as you would on a course that meets face to face. Since there is no lecture component, much of this time will be self-directed and there will be a substantial amount of reading, viewing, studying, and writing required. This course is completely online using Canvas; all coursework (discussions, assignments, quizzes) is submitted online. There are no face-to-face meetings.  Please be prepared to spend 10-15 hours per week on coursework for this 15-week class.

Is an Online Course Right for You? 

Please  go to the Online Readiness Resources. to take a "self-assessment”. There are many resources that were designed to help you understand the basis for an online class and the skills necessary for success. (If the tutorials do not describe you, then taking this class online is not for you and I strongly suggest that you drop the online class and enroll in a traditional classroom section.)

Regular Effective Contact:

Regular and Effective Instructor Contact will be met through weekly instructor initiated threaded discussion forums; weekly announcements to students; timely and effective feedback on student assignments; email, or messaging to individuals; and virtual office hours.

We will keep in contact in a variety of ways:

1. Students are welcome to see me via Zoom office hours listed in your syllabus. Such meetings are often the quickest way to answer questions.
2. Students are welcome to contact me by email. I will typically respond within 24 hours to emails received between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. I do not check email after 4:00 p.m., or on weekends, or during academic breaks. I will typically send messages to the whole class or to individual students via Inbox or Cuesta College email addresses.
3. Weekly announcements responding to group discussions and assignments as well as outlining upcoming plans of action.
4. Gradebook comments and rubrics.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will be able to demonstrate art historiographical literacy and communication, research,

and critical thinking skills in the following ways:

1. Think critically and speak and write clearly and effectively about works of art and art history

2. Identify and explain the significance of representative works of art and architecture of the major cultures of the pre-Columbian art of Mesoamerica and South America

3. Analyze works of art and architecture in terms of iconography, style, historical context, and cultural values

4. Write about art using correct art historical terminology

5. Identify and develop a research project involving visual analysis, reading research, critical thinking, writing, and/or standard methods of documentation

6. Demonstrate an understanding of and ability to apply major art historical methodologies.

Text Book and Materials

No textbook is required for this course. All readings will be made available through the Cuesta College LMS.

Technical Support

Cuesta students are encouraged to direct all technical support inquiries to  support@my.cuesta.edu. If you are having issues with Canvas, you should contact the Canvas Support Hotline at (877) 921-7680, or click on the help button on the Canvas Navigation to report a problem.

If you are having difficulty viewing the course or logging in, it may be because you are not using the correct url: https://cuesta.instructure.com/ or you are using your phone or using an unsupported browser.

Your learning environment is best accessed from a desktop or laptop computer, using Firefox or Chrome.  This may solve your problem!  Please review the browser requirements and minimum computer specifications.

Accommodations:

This course is designed using an accessible Learning Management System, and course materials have been created with ADA compliance in mind. If you have a disability and might need accommodations in this class such as extended time on exams or other resources. Please contact the instructor as soon as possible so that you can receive appropriate accommodations in a timely manner. You should also contact DSPS (Disabled Student Programs & Services).

College & Course Policies:

Academic Honesty Policy:

There is a zero tolerance policy for academic dishonesty in this class and at Cuesta College. Any student found cheating or plagiarizing will receive a zero on the assignment and will be reported to administration. If you have further questions, please consult the 2020-2021 Cuesta College Catalog for a full description of academic honesty.

Examples of academic dishonesty include but are not limited to:

• Copying from another student’s exam
• Giving answers during a test to another student
• Using notes or electronic devices during an exam when prohibited
• Taking a test for someone else
• Submitting another student’s work as your own, e.g. copying a computer file that contains another student’s own work

• Knowingly allowing another student to copy/use your computer file(s) as his or her  own work

• Completing an assignment for another student
• Plagiarizing or “kidnapping” other people’s thoughts, words, speeches or artistic works by not acknowledging them through proper documentation

In addition to my course policy, please note all students attending San Luis Obispo County Community College District at any district site and when representing Cuesta College in any off-campus activity, assume an obligation to conduct themselves in an acceptable manner compatible with the Student Code of conduct. Please review the Cuesta College Student Code of conduct.

Drop Policy:

Students who miss the first week of assignments or have not submitted 60% of assigned work (at any point in the semester) may be dropped from the course without notice.

In addition to my policy, please review the Cuesta policy for drops.

Waitlist Policy: Please review Cuesta’s waitlist procedure and instructions: 

If the term has started and you are on the waitlist, please contact me. I do not have access to your email and cannot email you an add code if space becomes available.