ARTT1005 Arts Tech Theories I (Past, Present, Future) and ARTT2005 Arts Tech Theories II (Interaction and Participation) are required introductory theory courses to be offered in the lower-level years of the BASc (Hons) in Arts and Technology programme. They will be offered along with the required practice courses ARTT1006 Arts Tech Practices I (Making Senses) and ARTT2006 Arts Tech Practices II (Transmedia Beyond Spectacles). Together these courses are intended to introduce fundamental practical and theoretical knowledge, skills and work attitude to students to train up their ‘minds’, ‘eyes’ and ‘hands’ for further study in various academic/artistic/technological subject areas within the BASc (Hons) programme, and to familiarise them with the settings of transdisciplinary teaching and learning at the university.

ARTT1006 Arts Tech Practices I (Making Senses) and ARTT2006 Arts Tech Practices II (Transmedia Beyond Spectacles) focuses on introducing students to a selected set of practical “maker” skills that enable them to start off their personal creative and prototyping production and develop a sense for a “maker culture” and hands-on studio practice. As this may be the first instance for students to experience professional practice in arts and technology, the course starts off by reiterating and consolidating elementary principles of creative practice. It then introduces basic skills like analogue and digital sketching, and model making and prototyping, as well as the use of essential tools and equipment, which students are expected to apply through practical exercises.

ARTT2006 Arts Tech Practices II (Transmedia Beyond Spectacles) aims at introducing key concepts and critical issues in transmedia creative practice relating to arts and technology.

With different forms of media converging, together with simulations across five senses and beyond, it is often challenging to create substantial and enduring contents, instead of simply achieving extravagant and overwhelming effects.

Informed by aesthetic concepts and theories, such as the discussions between simplicity and complexity, figuration and abstraction, control and chance, fullness and nothingness, tradition and innovation, etc., students learn to develop transmedia contents that go beyond superficially, with artistic integrity and criticality.

Students are expected to apply their understanding of these concepts creatively through hands-on exercises and creative projects.