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How Media Changed the World

  • Module code: MD4001
  • Year: 2018/9
  • Level: 4
  • Credits: 30
  • Pre-requisites: None
  • Co-requisites: None

Summary

This module sets out to explore the historical development of media technologies and forms over time spanning written, visual and electronic forms. It introduces key themes and concepts that frame the study of media, communication and culture and locates these within their social, political and cultural contexts. The module also serves to equip students with the essential skills required for successful undergraduate study. 

Aims

  • To identify key developments and debates in relation to the history of media technologies, forms and practices.
  • To develop an appreciation of  how historical developments inform contemporary debates about media and communication.
  • To introduce  some key critical concepts and theoretical arguments in relation to  debates about media, communication and power. 
  • To develop the planning, research, writing, analytical, critical and argumentative skills required for successful university level work.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate their knowledge of some of the key developments  and debates in the history of media technologies, forms and practices.
  • Demonstrate an awareness of how historical developments inform contemporary debates about media and communication.
  • Utilize some critical concepts and theoretical arguments relating to media,communication and power in oral and written coursework assignments.
  • Utilise research, planning, writing, critical, analytical and argumentative skills in written and oral  assignments appropriate to university level.

Curriculum content

The module is organised into conceptual blocks of study across the year:

These are explored through lectures and seminars that discuss the historical development of media and the changes that are thus effected in society, politics and everyday life.

1) Media and Mediation

This block is introductory and looks both at the concepts of media and mediation and how media enables the formation of the ‘public' through establishing a locus of public communication, public sphere, publicity and public opinion.

2) Signification

This block looks at how meaning has been historically made through the means of signs and visual communication.

3) Ideology

This block looks at how broadcast media in particular has been important to the understanding of the concept of ideology both through exploring ideas about mass culture and mass deception, and also through the ubiquity of broadcast media (radio, television and so on) through the construction of the experience of everyday life.

4) Economy

The development of media has historically followed the rise of capitalism and commercial culture.

5) Technology

This block looks at how technological innovation drives and shapes culture and society through enabling different forms of media and communication.

6) Access

This block will look at how types of media have become the locus for ‘interactivity' whether that be ‘bottom-up' cultural production or popular resistance and mobilization. 

Teaching and learning strategy

This comprises weekly one hour lectures and weekly 2 hour seminars. The lectures provide an overview of the content, introducing students to some of the major developments in the history of  media and the academic debates that surround these. Seminars offer students the opportunity to discuss in small groups some of the theories and concepts summarised in the lecture, and how these might be exemplified in material practice. In addition they will be used to introduce and practice skills essential to success at undergraduate study. 

Breakdown of Teaching and Learning Hours

Definitive UNISTATS Category Indicative Description Hours
Scheduled learning and teaching Lectures Seminars Tutorials 22 44 1
Guided independent study 233
Total (number of credits x 10) 300

Assessment strategy

The module is assessed by two substantial pieces of summative work and an ongoing series of formative tasks and exercises which are completed throughout the year. Assessment in the first teaching block will require students to complete a number of exercises and planning documents linked to study skills  and culminate in the submission of an essay at the end of teaching block 1.   The essay will assess students' abilities to answer specific questions through structured and researched  argument  using appropriate academic style. Questions will draw on the discussion of media technologies and concepts explored in the first teaching block.

In the second teaching block, students continue with a series of formative writing exercises and oral presentations  in class time. These preparatory assessments will help to build skills necessary for summative assessment in the module and at levels 5 and 6. The second summative piece of assessment will be a picture essay with accompanying annotated bibliography (1000 words). This will of  enable students to develop skills writing for different formats visual design and layout as well as research. While the formative assignments  (skills exercises, essay plan, etc) do not carry graded marks, they must be attempted by students in order for them to be eligible for the full range of marks in the summative assignments. Students who fail to submit formative assignments will have marks deducted from the their summative grades.

Mapping of Learning Outcomes to Assessment Strategy (Indicative)

Learning Outcome Assessment Strategy
Demonstrate their knowledge of some of the key developments and debates in the history of media technologies, forms and practices. Formative exercises in class will be used to help the students practice how to present and utilise knowledge of concepts, theories and historical developments in their answers. Both the essay and the picture essay will provide summative assessment of this learning outcome.
Demonstrate an awareness of how historical developments inform contemporary debates about media and communication Formative exercises in class will be used to help the students practice constructing arguments on causality, impact and influence. Both the essay and the picture essay will provide summative assessments of this learning outcome.
Utilise some key critical concepts and theoretical arguments relating to in media, communication and power in oral and written course work assignments. Formative exercises in class , particularly the presentation in teaching block 2, will be used to help the students practice identifying arguments and positions. Both the essay and the picture essay will provide summative assessments of this learning outcome.
Utilise research, planning, writing, critical, analytical and argumentative skills in written and oral assignments appropriate to university level. The formative skills exercises in teaching block one and two (e.g., production of an essay plan, critical summary, oral presentations ) will offer students the opportunity to enhance these skills and all the summative assessments will formally assess these outcomes.

Elements of Assessment

Description of Assessment Definitive UNISTATS Categories Percentage
Coursework 1500 word essay 50
Coursework Picture essay with annotated bibliography 50
Total (to equal 100%) 100%

Achieving a pass

It IS NOT a requirement that any major assessment category is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module

Bibliography core texts

  • Briggs, A. and Burke, P. (2005). A Social History of Media. Cambridge: Polity.
  • Chapman, J. (2006) Comparative Media History. Cambridge: Polity.
  • Kovarik, B (2011) Revolutions in Communication: Media History for Gutenberg to the digital age, London and New  York :Continuum.
  • Watson, J (2016) Media Communication: an introduction to theory and process, 4th edn. London: Palgrave. 

Bibliography recommended reading

  • Barlow, D. M. (2008) Reading Media Theory: thinkers, approaches, contexts, Harlow: Longman
  • Hesmondhalgh, D. & Toynbee, J. (2008), Media and Social Theory, London: Routledge
  • Laughey, D. (2007) Key themes in Media theory, Maidenhead: Open University
  • McQuail, D. (2010) Mass Communication Theory, 6th edition. London: Sage
  • Stephen, M. (2007). A History of News. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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