COMS 401.16 Lecture 02
Special Topics in COMS: New Media and Society
Winter 2007
Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:30 - 13:45

SH 278

 

 

Instructor:	Maria Bakardjieva
Office Location:	SS 334
Office Phone:	220-7300
E-Mail:	bakardji@ucalgary.ca
Web Page:	www.ucalgary.ca/~bakardji
Office Hours:	TBA

 

Additional Information

Students should have reliable access to the Internet as well as valid UofC e-mail addresses. The course will involve regular use of Blackboard. Ideas will be shared and discussions carried out through online forums and where appropriate, blogs and webpages.

Course Description

This course examines the nature, origins and social implications of new media with a focus on the Internet. Evolving forms of interpersonal, group and public communication based on the Internet will be assessed in terms of  the role they play in identity formation, cultural belonging, learning, political participation, commerce and work. Students will be introduced to theoretical frameworks that encourage critical engagement with the dynamic changes in the contemporary media environment. They will conduct research focused on particular new media such as online discussion forums and communities, blogs, social networking sites, citizen journalism sites, etc. The convergence between old and new media and the resultant challenges and opportunities will receive special attention including issues of political economy, copyright, production and use practices.

Objectives of the Course

The overall objective of the course is to provide a solid basis of knowledge and critical skills that would allow students to reflexively navigate the new media as both users and creators. Such a basis is a necessary condition for the successful performance of every communication practitioner.

Textbooks and Readings:

Required readings will be made available through Blackboard, the Internet or library databases. Additional sources will be suggested by the instructor to individual students and working groups depending on their specific interests.

Assignments and Evaluation

In-class test #1: (15%), Thursday, February 14, 2008.

 

In class test #2: (15%), Thursday, March 20, 2008

 

In-class test #3: (15%), Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Research paper: (20%). Monday, April 21, 2008.

Two fact-finding missions and presentations: (20% - 10% each).

Participation (15 %.) Ongoing.

All in-class exams will be a mix of multiple-choice, short-answer and/or essay-type questions to be completed within a scheduled class period (75 minutes). Closed book.

The research paper (8-10 pages double-spaced, 12 p, Times New Roman) should focus on a new-media development or issue related to the themes, perspectives and debates covered in the course. It should be based on literary sources identified by the student and should present a critical examination and/or argument concerning the topic. Paper topics should be selected in consultation with the instructor. Deadline for submitting paper topics with 100 words motivation is Thursday, February 7, 2008 (bring a paper copy to class).

Fact-finding missions and in-class presentations include: Independent research addressing selected phenomena or issues that expand and enrich the course content and its presentation to the class - topics to be approved by instructor. Students will work in pairs to complete 2 (two) such presentations scheduled throughout the semester. Notes and visuals to be submitted to the instructor on the day of presentation and posted in the designated online space.

Participation includes:

Contributing to in-class discussion each week AND/OR posting responses and comments to the readings or to the class discussion in the designated Blackboard discussion forum. Online responses will only be counted when they address the topics and readings of the week in which they are posted. The evaluation of participation will be done in three categories: ‘inadequate', ‘good'- student contributed a substantive comment in at least 50% of the weeks, comment was informed (demonstrated familiarity with course readings) and insightful, ‘very good' - participation was regular, informed, enthusiastic, original and strongly beneficial to the learning process. Each category will add 5 marks to the participation grade.

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.
Note: Please hand in your essays directly to your tutor or instructor if possible. If it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination:  No

Please note: If your class is held in the evening, the Registrar's Office will make every attempt to schedule the final exam during the evening; however, there is NO guarantee that the exam will NOT be scheduled during the day.

Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline may be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late.

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.

If you need help with your writing, you may use the Writing Centre.  Visit the website for more details: www.efwr.ucalgary.ca

Grading System

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

A+ (96-100); A (92-95); A- (86-91); B+ (81-85); B (77-80); B- (71-76);
C+ (65-70); C (62-64); C- (59-61); D+ (55-58); D (50-54); F (0-49)

 

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people's words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS 106, efwr.ucalgary.ca) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/su

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.

Ethics

Whenever you perform research with human participants (i.e. surveys, interviews, observation) as part of your university studies, you are responsible for following university research ethics guidelines.  Your instructor must review and approve of your research plans and supervise your research.  For more information about your research ethics responsibilities, see

The Faculty of Communication and Culture Research Ethics site: http://www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/ethics

or the University of Calgary Research Ethics site: http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/compliance/ethics/info/undergrad/

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

 

Will be available in Blackboard in the first week of classes.