Syllabus

fall term

Course Meeting Times

Lectures: 2 sessions per week, 1.5 hours per session

Lab: 1 session per week, 2 hours per session

Course Goals

Develop the theoretical tools and human capital to interpret media and make meaningful decisions.

Obtain greater insight into the modern social experience as well as our central institutions and their evolving practices that lead to the process of media transition and transformation, together with their influence on society and contemporary aesthetics.

Understand the need for shared understanding across cultures and disciplines.

Foster awareness and skills in media literacy, academic and reflective writing, openness and collaboration, identity and cross-cultural understanding, visual presentations and project completion.

Contribute new ideas to the classroom. Explore perspectives. Competently field questions. Reflect on what is learned and think of ways to make improvements.

Instructor Expectations

Learn and have fun! Respect varying points of view. Be present for class. Arrive prepared with finished work and all appropriate materials. Embrace academic integrity. Take responsibility for your own learning.

Grading

Midterm Paper                     15%

Final Paper                          25%

Individual Presentation        15%

Group Presentation             20%

Student Portfolio                  10%

(Used as a basis of continuous assessment.)

Participation                           5%

(In-class contribution and interaction with other students and the instructor. Asking questions, offering answers, sharing opinions and ideas are all ways of demonstrating participation.)

Attendance                          10%

(Punctuality counts. Attendance is taken sharp at the start of class.)

*Papers turned in late will receive one letter grade lower per day.

**Independent reading and media viewing are vital components of the course and to be completed outside of class.

***Drinks are permitted in the classroom. Students are expected to pick up after themselves.

****Plagiarism, cell phone use, text messaging during class…hmm.

*****The texts for the course are fast and easy reads.

Calendar

Week             Topics                                                             Key Dates

1                    Course Introduction

                      Communication Theory

2                    Society and Culture

                      Advertising as a Pervasive Medium

3                    Advertising Practices

                      Guest Speaker

4                    Colloquium                                                      Portfolio Review

                      Network Television News

5                    Sports Programming and Reality Shows

                      Music and the “New Cyborg”

6                    Student Presentations

                      Student Presentations

7                    Film and Society

                      Cinematic Storytelling

8                    Guest Speaker

                      Colloquium                                                      Midterm Paper Due

9                    Violence and the Media

                      Term Paper Preparation and Review

10                  Online Social Spaces and New Media

                      Video Gaming and Stimulus Addiction

11                  One-On-One Student Consultations, Group Preparation

                      One-On-One Student Consultations, Group Preparation

12                  Group Presentations—Emerging Technologies

                      Group Presentations—Emerging Technologies

13                  The New Millennium                                       Portfolio Review

                      Waning Privacy, Waxing Propaganda

14                  Consumerism + Corporatism

                      SMB—Stealth Media Broadcasting

15                  Student Selected Topic(s)

                      Workshop—Media Fast

16                  Media Illiteracy                                                Final Paper Due

                      Course Review