This course is an entry point into the University of Washington Department of Communication’s Master of Communication in Digital Media (MCDM) program.
The course focuses on the past, present, and future of digital communication technologies, in contrast to traditional mass media studied in most communication programs. We will examine the connections between new technology, traditional media content, social and individual influences, and communications theory. In short, we will explore what may be truly new and revolutionary about digital media contrasted with what may be a continuation of traditional technology, content, and audience uses.
Although we will examine these topics from a traditional “Who said What to Whom through What Channel with what Effect” model of mediated communication, we will also move beyond this traditional “transmission approach” to examine how the technology itself shapes our concepts about self, culture and group membership.
Complete syllabus, schedule and assesssment/assignments as one page @ GoogleDocs.
Course Goals
By participating in this course, students will:
Learning Outcomes
After completing this course, students will be able to:
Student Responsibilities
Alignment With MCDM Core Values and Competencies:
| Value/Core Competency | COM546 |
|---|---|
| Identify and analyze the latest developments in digital media technology. | After questioning invited guest speakers and reading course materials, students can explain the origin of contemporary technologies and offer informed hypotheses as to their future trajectory |
| Understand how to use digital media to create and convey a message. |
|
| Pursue new business and management models based on the application of digital media. | After reflecting upon the course material and questioning invited guest speakers, students can explain where contemporary digital technologies are in the adoption cycle and offer informed hypotheses as to appropriate marketing efforts |
Teaching methods for this course will include lectures, video demonstrations, student presentations, reading, and writing assignments. Some classes may feature a guest lecturer who is a leading professional or scholar in interactive digital media. Although there will be 25 students in the class, we will structure it as closely as possible to a seminar. Class discussions are a key element of the course, and students are encouraged to ask questions, offer their own observations, and share their own experiences with technologies.
The course instructor and graduate assistant will coordinate all class material, keep in close touch with each student in order to assess and meet individual needs, and evaluate all course assignments.
The class meets weekly on Tuesday from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m., and the scheduled is posted on the class web site; net access and regular checking of UW email is essential. Readings are from the texts or are available online.
Instructor’s Educational Philosophy
My goal is to provide a stimulating environment for learning. Course material includes both theory and application, with an emphasis on application to real world problems and situations. Written and oral reports are required because these skills are needed in the work environment in general, and in web development, management, and consulting in particular. Students are required to comment and collaborate as these are practical skills; the means used demonstrates theories discussed in class.
Communication with the Instructor
If you are unable to meet with me during office hours, I am happy to meet with you after office hours to accommodate your schedule. I also strongly encourage you to send questions, comments, concerns to me via email. I check my campus email less frequently on F-Su; please do not expect an answer to email sent F-Su until Monday. Please use clear subject lines (add “urgent” if the message is time-sensitive). Double your chances of a quick response by also sending the note to my gmail account: kegill at gmail.com. If you have not heard from me within 48 hours, please resend to both email accounts; it might be a good idea to also change the subject line.
Required Books:
Recommended Books:
Optional Books:
Suggested Books For Improving Writing:
Your work in this course will be evaluated primarily on a term project, composed of a project proposal, two preliminary papers, a final paper, an annotated bibliography and an end-of-quarter presentation about your project. For this research, each student will choose an industry, issue, or technology related to digital communication. These are very broad topics; it will be up to each student (with help from the instructor, teaching assistant and peers) to develop a specific, appropriate, and innovative focus to the term project. Those students interested in reading one of the two science fiction books on the optional reading list may approach the term topic by deconstructing communication technologies presented in those future worlds, linking them to current and predecessor technologies.
The final research project will be published as a standalone website using Wordpress.com as a content management system. The final presentation will be published on Slideshare.net.
In addition, there are reading assignments (including a book review, a book of your choice); small group discussion leadership; and class participation. There are no exams.
Details on readings and the term project are on a separate page.
You may participate through your active presence in class, through discussion that arises in class, and through discussion that arises through class blog posts. There may be additional in-class assignments that will be posted to your blog; these are also considered participation.
Your final grade will be based on the total points received. For points, see the Google Spreadsheet.
| Reading: Reflections (3) & Questions (3) | 40 x 3 = 120; 10 x 3 = 30 . Total: 150 |
| Discussion Leader (essay/in-class discussion) | 100 |
| Term Project | 400 |
| Book Review | 100 |
| Participation | 150 |
| Total Points | 1000 |
Grades:
>950 points = 4.0
900-949 points = 3.9
870-899 points = 3.7
840-869 points = 3.5
800-839 points = 3.2
770-799 points = 2.8
Grading Scale
Why I Give Writing Assignments
In this class, the writing assignments are designed to help you:
Research shows that writing improves thinking (analytical) skills. It forces us to practice a skill that may have gotten rusty, because most of the time, our thinking remains isolated in our own minds. Reflection, in these hectic, “down-sized” days, is a luxury that we often postpone, sometimes indefinitely. Thus the request to blog: to reflect, then to put our thoughts on digital paper. The act of writing helps us evaluate our beliefs and assumptions and also helps cement knowledge.
In addition, there are real-world benefits to improved writing skills. A December 2007 report from the National Academy of the Arts concluded that employers rated “written communications” at the top of a list of applied skills found lacking in both high school and college graduates. Report cited at Workforce.com, http://www.workforce.com/archive/article/25/27/49.php
By becoming a member of this class, you agree to abide by these rules and any other policies not explicitly stated here that are detailed in the UW Student Conduct Handbook.
Participation
Students are expected to attend all classes and are responsible for completing all course material on deadline. You must
e-mail me if you miss class because of illness or emergency. This
communication is part of your class participation. Moreover, rather
than ask me what happened while you were away, you should also check
this blog as well as talk to your classmates to “see what you missed.”
In-class assignments cannot be made up except by arrangement.
Additionally, from the Faculty Code:
A student absent from any class activity through sickness or other cause judged by the instructor to be unavoidable shall be given an opportunity to perform work judged by the instructor to be the equivalent… Examples of unavoidable cause include death or serious illness in the immediate family, illness of the student, and, provided previous notification is given, observance of regularly scheduled religious obligations and might possibly include attendance at academic conferences or field trips, or participation in university-sponsored activities such as debating contests or athletic competition (Faculty code, Vol. 4, Part 3, Chap 12, sec 1B).
Deadlines/Quality
All work must be completed on time. Errors (facts, spelling and
grammar) will result in a reduced grade. You are expected to produce
original work and properly cite the thoughts and works of others. All
sources must be properly cited. Plagiarism and cheating are serious
offenses and are not tolerated by the University. For more information,
please refer to the University’s Academic Honesty policy.
Classroom Environment
Students and faculty are responsible for creating a good learning
environment. We will use computing technology in the classroom during
labs; specific uses of computing technology will be announced in
advance with detailed instructions.
Students may use laptops or other portable devices for taking notes. However, these portable devices should not be used to engage in non-classroom activities, such as surfing the Net, checking e-mail, playing games or listening to music. These activities would certainly divert your attention away from class and could distract other students as well, thus corrupting the learning environment. I reserve the right to end your use of a portable device, ask you to move, or revoke the privilege of using wireless devices in the classroom.
During class breaks, students may use portable computing devices or lab computers for personal use as long as they respect other class members. Material visible on the computing device should not be offensive or incendiary. Any music played during breaks should be at a level conducive to classroom civility.
Courteous Discourse
Whether in class or online, students are expected to conduct themselves
with professional courtesy and decorum. Please make constructive
comments; flames and insults are not acceptable. Disagree with the
idea, not the person!
Incompletes
The instructor will not give incompletes except under exceptional circumstances.
Accommodations
To request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact
Disability Resources for Students, 448 Schmitz, 206-543-8924/V,
206-5430-8925/TTY. If you have a letter from Disability Resources for
Students indicating that you have a disability that requires academic
accommodations, please present the letter to me so we can discuss the
accommodations that you might need for the class.
E-mail Communication
E-mail communications among members of this class should reflect
respect for the rights and privileges of all members of the academic
community. This includes not interfering with university functions or
endangering the health, welfare, or safety of other persons. In
addition to the University of Washington's Student Conduct Code, there
are additional policies for this class:
The Master of Communication in Digital Media is a degree program for working professionals, intended to balance fundamental theory and concepts with practical tools. It focuses on the economic, political, social and cultural impact of new communication technologies and encourages students to apply these concepts to their spheres of interest.
Many of our students are looking to advance their careers – some within their present organizations, others in new professional directions. They want a new perspective on technology. Although a few may pursue additional studies after completing the MCDM, the MCDM is not integrated into the Communication Department doctoral program.
At the end of the program, students should be able to:
The MCDM provides high quality instruction with conceptual and practical applications. As such:
Grading and workload (3 hours a week per credit hour including class time)
Our students are expected to:
(1) Reading reflections (see details on how these are evaluated) are due are due 9 am the day of class unless otherwise noted.
(2) Students will lead discussion (see details on how discussion leadership is evaluated) related to assigned readings once each quarter, beginning week four.
(3) Students will review a book that provides a historical perspective of a communication technology.
Unless otherwise noted, readings are available in eReserve or are in the required books.
Week 2 - Due 13 January at 9 am
History and Evolution of the Digital Age
Week 3 - Due 20 January at 9 am
Frameworks and Theories: Thinking About the Internet
Week 4 - Due 27 January at 9 am
We've Been Down This Road Before: From The Telegraph To The Radio
Week 5 - Due 3 February at 9 am
Frameworks and Theories: Diffusion and Adoption
Week 6 - Due 10 February at 9 am
From Mass Communication To Customized Information
Week 7 - Due 17 February at 9 am
Frameworks and Theories: Computer-Mediated Communication and Hypertext
Week 8 - Due 24 February at 9 am
Thinking About The Future
Students will prepare a written reading reflection at least three times during the quarter. These mini-essays (approximately 500-600 words) should be posted to the student blog before 9 am the day of class. They should be substantive, be spell-checked, and integrate readings with real life experience/observation. They should be distributed throughout the quarter. Three other weeks, students should post three open-ended discussion questions triggered by the required readings. These posts are due by 9 am the day of class.
Examples and assessment criteria
Criteria: Does the reflection go beyond a summary to link the article(s) to course material and/or student research or work experience? Is the material posted in a timely manner and free of grammatical errors? In the discussion question post, are there three open-ended questions? [Reminder: an open-ended question cannot be answered with a one-word, yes-or-no answer.]
To conform with the blogging genre, remember to categorize the blog post "reading reflection" or "com546 reading reflection."
Excerpt from remarks by Andor C. Klay upon receiving the Abraham Lincoln Award of the American Hungarian Federation, Nov. 24:
[Tividar Kohanyi, editor of the largest American newspaper in Hungarian language asked]President William Howard Taft to speak at a banquet:]
”Just a brief one, Mr. President, since we can imagine how busy you must be - perhaps five minutes.” The President smiled and declined: ”Do you realize my friends, that to prepare even a five-minute speech would take several hours to plan, to draft, to rewrite, to pass through channels for clearances? I’m afraid that I just haven’t got the time.”
Kohanyi pressed: ”Well, as far as that goes, we would be delighted to have you speak for an hour.” The monumental body of the heaviest statesman of his time straightened up: ”Gentlemen, I am ready, now!”
***
If I am to speak ten minutes, I need a week for preparation; if fifteen minutes, three days; if half an hour, two days; if an hour, I am ready now.
As quoted in The Wilson Era; Years of War and After, 1917–1923 (1946) by Josephus Daniels, p. 624. Referenced in Bartleby.com
The discussion leaders will provide a written analysis on the student blog prior to class, thus contributing to the public discussion of issues raised by this course. In asynchronous communication — and to practice one of the technologies we are discussing — students are encouraged to comment on these posts. For students who are not comfortable speaking up in class, providing written comment is another form of class participation.
Discussion leaders should also prepare a Powerpoint presentation that is uploaded to Slideshare.net. This slide deck should contain no more than five content slides (plus a title slide and a credit slide). After leading discussion, students will post a reflection within two days after class.
Examples and assessment criteria
Criteria: Does the pre-class analysis contain a proper citation (so that others may find the article)? Is the analysis written clearly and succinctly and meet the guidelines in this section? In the presentation, does the discussion leader go beyond a summary to link the article to course material and/or their research or work experience? Is the material posted in a timely manner and free of grammatical errors? How creatively does the student explore the topic?
These discussion leadership opportunities will occur Weeks 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
In 800-1,000 words, complete a critical review of a book of your choice (from the list). These books are selected to provide students with a historical perspective of a social aspect of communication technology. What will determine your grade will not be the position you take (to endorse or criticize the book). What is more important is the rigor (evidence) with which you support your opinion.
Book reviews are submitted on the student blog, thus contributing to the public discussion of issues raised by the books. If you would like to create an alternative review, such as a video review on YouTube, talk to (pitch) me!
Due 27 January @ 5 pm; posted to your course blog.
Examples and assessment criteria
Select from one of these:
Your work in this course will be evaluated primarily on the basis of a project proposal, two preliminary papers, a final paper, an annotated bibliography and an end-of-quarter presentation about your project.
For this research, each student will choose an industry, issue, or technology related to digital communication. These are very broad topics; it will be up to each student (with help from the instructor, teaching assistant and peers) to develop a specific, appropriate, and innovative focus to the term project. Those students interested in reading one of the two science fiction books on the optional reading list may approach the term topic by deconstructing communication technologies presented in those future worlds, linking them to current and predecessor technologies.
Combined, the two papers must include at least 10 citations from scholarly books or journals. In addition, students should use citations or examples from popular media, news media, or corporate media, as well as personal interviews with media professionals or users.
Each paper should be approximately 12-15 pages in length (double-spaced, 1" margins, 12 point type) and will be evaluated on quality of analysis, original thought, focus, and clarity of presentation. All work must be original, except for material from clearly attributed sources. Endnotes/references are required for each paper. Please use APA style.
The final research project will be published as a standalone website using WordPress as a content management system. The final presentation will be published on Slideshare.net.
See this example from fall quarter (which is missing an "about me" page).
Drafts (proposal, powerpoint)
Papers - Assessment Points (scaled to total)
|
POINTS |
Essays – Evaluation |
|
50 |
Exceptional work. Student employs a creative and comprehensive exploration of the topic and its societal impacts; offers cogent arguments and well thought out explanations supported by evidence; synthesizes material; explains “why” as well as “how” and “what.” Very clear. Any citations have no significant errors. Organization: Organization enhances the paper; the introduction invites the reader to begin. The paper is well-focused and has an interesting thesis; there is a smooth transition among all elements (sentences, paragraphs, ideas). The conclusion goes beyond restating the obvious. The writing style is engaging, and the paper has no significant grammatical or spelling errors. |
|
40 |
Good work. Student exploration of the topic and societal impacts is average; arguments and explanations are average with some evidence; moderate synthesis of material; explains “how” or “what” but “why” is not convincing. Any citations have minor errors. Organization: This paper has a useful introduction and a focused thesis. Its unified and coherent paragraphs support the thesis; transitions are smooth. The conclusion is competent. The writing style is clear and the paper has no significant grammatical or spelling errors. |
|
30 |
Below average work. Student exploration of the topic and societal impacts is below average; arguments and explanations are unconvincing and unsupported by evidence; little synthesis of material; explains “how” or “what” but not “why.” Any citations have major errors, and are mostly popular in nature. Organization: Overall organization in inconsistent. This paper has a general introduction and vague thesis; has incoherent paragraphs that bear little relevance to the thesis. It is missing transitions; choppy. The conclusion is inadequate. The writing style is unclear, and the paper has significant grammatical or spelling errors. |
|
20 |
Poor work. Student exploration of the topic and societal impacts is below average; arguments and explanations are unconvincing; no synthesis of material, merely summaries. No overall coherence. Citations have major errors and are either mostly popular in nature or non-existent. Organization: The paper lacks coherence. It has no introduction or thesis, no transitions, no clear introduction-middle-conclusion. The writing style is unreadable, and the paper has significant grammatical or spelling errors. |
|
0 |
Assignment not turned in. |
An annotated bibliography is a list of citations of the books, articles and documents you have used in your research this quarter. Each citation is accompanied by a brief (150-250 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources.
How to produce an annotated bibliography?
In creating an annotated bibliography, you will apply the following
skills: concise exposition, succinct analysis, and informed research.
First, cite the book, article, or document using the appropriate style.
Then prepare the annotation. Annotations should be concise and summarize the central theme and scope of the source. Annotations may also (a) evaluate the authority of the author, (b) comment on the intended audience, (c) compare or contrast the work with others you have cited, or (d) explain how this work illuminates your research topic.
Assessment:
Sources and Examples: