HR 300
Interdisciplinary Inquiry: Media Literacy
Spring 2001 Wednesdays
Xavier 4A (Ground Floor)
Instructors: James Simon, Jim Mayzik S.J
|
Simon Office Hours
(Donnarumma 106), Tues 130-4p x2792; e-mail: jsimon@fair1 |
Mayzik Office Hours (Xavier 2, grnd. floor): Mon, Thurs |
COURSE
DESCRIPTION
Every day, you are bombarded with information from
television, radio, newspapers, magazines, movies, the Internet and other mass
communication sources. This course will
deepen your understanding of how these mediums of communication are constructed
and manipulated, how you as an audience
member negotiate the meaning of the information, the role of commercial
interests in this process, and the cumulative impact of media — and media
distortions -- on society. In class you
will see examples of media in action, discuss the theoretical underpinning,
then dissect and examine in detail the way the mediated information was
designed as a carefully manufactured cultural or economic product.
REQUIRED
TEXTS
W. James Potter, Media Literacy,
Second Edition
Marita Sturken and Lisa Cartwright, Practices of Looking
There will be handouts
distributed as well
Course
overview. Each class will include examination and analysis of
media examples pertinent to the reading content of that day. The first half of the course will focus more
on the underlying theory of media effects and media literacy, while the second
half will offer an in-depth analysis of one major media format per week.
There will be readings for every class, and you will
bring typed reaction papers to class that will form the basis for class
discussion. See the example at the end of the syllabus. For
each chapter of the two main textbooks, you are expected to a) briefly
summarize three major points covered by the authors, then b) use your skills in
critical analysis to offer three fresh perspectives on the reading. Here you can tie in materials from other courses, your personal
experience in reacting to the media, and criticism you may have of the
readings.
The goals are twofold: to show the professors you
have done the readings and, more importantly, that you have absorbed the
material, engaged in a dialog with the authors, integrated it with other
knowledge and experience, and produced fresh, critical observations (rather
than just restating the author’s point of view).
In addition, you will complete three media essays, examining media examples and the underlying
messages they contain. You will complete three
media practicum projects, designed
to give each student a hands-on experience of using various media to created
manipulated messages. And at the end of
the semester, you will tie together all you have learned in the semester in an oral examination with one of the
professors.
Grading
breakdown
Reading
reaction papers 20 points
Three
Media Essays @ 10 pts 30
Three Practicum
Projects @ 10 pts 30
Oral
exam 10
Class
participation 10
TOTAL 100
points
Students often ask what qualifies as an “A” paper.
Here are some guidelines:
“A” – Outstanding
achievement. Excellent response to assignments. Shows superior command of facts, and organization, and
writing. Assumes leadership role in class. Teaches us something we did not know. On
some level, extra-ordinary.
“B” – Superior level of achievement. Handles most assignments very well. Often
excellent in one area, but needs some work in other areas. Often good class
participation, but short of a leadership role.
“C” – Acceptable level of
achievement. Often ignores some of the guidelines for
the writing assignment. Several style errors. Some basic organizational or
writing problems. Still needs significant rewriting. Often average level of class participation.
“D”— Minimal level of achievement, but
passing.. Student has not applied learning from text
or models examined in class. Frequent errors of logic; frequent writing
problems. Minimal class participation
“F” _ Failure to complete the assignment at a
university level. Frequent style errors
Writing
Format for work submitted
ü
Use a word
processor. Double-space and staple the pages. Use MS Word, not MS Works.
ü
In the upper
right hand corner, list your name, date and assignment.
ü
Use a
conventional 12-point font, 60-space lines, and one-inch margins on all sides
of the page.
ü
The grade on any
paper, if handed in late without teacher permission, will drop by one letter
(e.g., an A becomes a B) for each day the assignment is late. Maximum grade
loss is 20 points. The work is still due even if you are
sick; e-mail it or send it with a friend or classmate.
Class
participation. Participating
in class is a given; you are expected to come to class well prepared to take an
active part in discussions. If you repeatedly are unprepared for class, we
reserve the right to adjust your final grade.
We also
will use a “Class MVP” approach. At the end of the semester, you will decide
which classmates you learned the most from. You will vote for them in a secret
ballot, and the winners will be announced and get a boost in their final grade.
Attendance. We are very old-fashioned about
attendance; we take it every period based on the theory that you learn more
when you are in class. We expect you to attend every class; no cuts are
allowed. If you are ill or have unavoidable circumstances, you must call or
e-mail us ahead of class and tell us not to expect you there. We then
can make arrangements for you to make up the work missed. We reserve the right
to adjust your grade due to absences.
Individual
meetings. We
will meet you early in the semester to discuss your expectations and
background, then again at the end of the semester to discuss your
accomplishments.
E-mail. We check our
e-mail repeatedly; it is often the best way to communicate with us. We use it
extensively to communicate with students, and I expect you to check it at least
every other day. Don't hesitate to call us in our offices, though, if you have
a more immediate need.
Learning
disabilities. If
you have a diagnosed learning disability, please bring us an information sheet
from university administrators so we can accommodate your needs. If you have
informal learning problems, please meet with us privately.
Academic
honesty. Academic
honesty is essential to the educational experience at
Some students mistakenly feel it is a violation of
academic honesty to have other students (roommates, classmates, friends,
boy/girl friends, etc.) read drafts of their papers. Not only is it NOT a
violation, we encourage you to do so. We want you to take other views of your
writing into account, sort out comments good and bad, and rewrite as much as
possible.
Fairfield’s Writing Center (second floor, Donnarumma)
is a free service in which student tutors are given training, then made
available to help students like you with their writing. Check ‘em out. (If you
enjoy writing or want some practice in informal teaching, it’s also a good
place to work. See Dr. Boquet, English Department)
A final
thought. One research study showed a
strong correlation between how quickly a professor learns a student's name and
what grade the professor gives the student in a course. While we will endeavor
to get to know all of you as quickly as possible, we invite you to meet with us
during office hours to speed up the process.
You are spending a small fortune to attend
COURSE SCHEDULE
(Subject to change)
Week
One
January 15 Introduction to Media Literacy
The
importance of being media literate
Week
Two
January
22 Information
Overload, Fatigue, Knowledge Structures Reaction
papers to every chapter in Potter, pp 2-81
Reflective
essay on your use of the media
Week
Three Content:
News, Entertainment, Advertising
January 29 Reaction
papers to every chapter in Potter, pp 84-153
Week
Four
Industries:
Economics, Ownership, Control
February 5 Reaction papers to
every chapter in Potter, pp 156-255
Week
Five Effects:
Individuals, Institutions
February 12 Reaction
papers to every chapter in Potter, pp 258-339
Week
Six Practices
of Looking: Visual Culture
February 19 Reaction papers to every chapter in Potter, pp 342-393
Reaction
papers to every chapter in Sturken & Cartwright, pp 1-43
Week
Seven Culture
and the Media
February 26 Reaction
papers to every chapter in Sturken & Cartwright, pp 45-149
March 5 Reaction
papers to every chapter in Sturken & Cartwright, pp 151-235
SPRING
VACATION March 8-16 getting a tan,
Week
Nine In
Depth Examination: Newspapers and magazines
March 19 Reaction
papers to every chapter in Sturken & Cartwright, pp 237-348
Media
Essay
Week
Ten
March 26 Editorial board meeting of The
Connecticut Post
Practicum
Project
Week
Eleven In
Depth Examination: Television/TV
April 2 Media
Essay
Reaction
papers to any handouts
Week
Twelve In Depth Examination: Film
April 9 Practicum
project
Reaction
papers to any handouts
Week
Thirteen In Depth Examination: Internet
April 16 Media Essay
Reaction
papers to any handouts
Week
Fourteen
April 23 Practicum project
Course
wrap-up. Student evaluations.
Oral exams
to follow
When you
have an assignment to read a chapter, an article, a book for class, you have an
opportunity to be informed, enlightened,
What you get
out of your reading has a lot to do with you, and with the attitude you bring to it.
If it is merely an assignment, you will rush through it, more intent on
getting through it than letting it get
to you. If you see it as an
opportunity to learn something, and you dive into even the most convoluted,
dense prose with a patient, open-minded attitude, you may be delighted and
surprised by what it has to offer to you (and to your life!).
For that to
happen (for someone’s written ideas and thoughts to
touch your life) you need to do two things:
1. You
must read the material thoroughly and patiently, asking yourself at various points along the way:
‘Do I understand what this author is
saying?’. Can you explain the thoughts
and ideas, the major concepts and terms, in your own words? The author probably spent a great deal of
time working on that
chapter—so there must be something of
substance in the contents.
2. Once
you know what the author is saying, you need to take a second (and more important)
step: you need to ask yourself what you think
about the author’s thoughts and ideas.
This is the time to wrestle with the truth of those ideas. It is a time of reflection, meditation, and
ultimately some
judgment: you take those ideas
within and touch them to what you
know, and make at least a temporary judgment.
Your reaction might be “Wow! That’s amazing, I never saw the connections before.” Or, “Gosh and begolly, that’s phat,
man!” Or, you may conclude that the
author’s ideas are
false, or
stupid, or wrong, or silly: “That’s crap, totally, what an idiot!” Whatever
your judgment, it’s the whole point of the reading.
The READING
EVALUATIONS are meant to help you take both steps in your approach to the
assigned readings.
I) The FIRST part of the evaluation asks you
to identify the MAIN THEMES, CONCEPTS,
IDEAS and TERMS of the reading, and to explain them. (Although it is not the primary purpose of
the evaluation, this helps me to know if, at least, you have read the
material.)
II) The SECOND part of the evaluation asks
you to write about your reaction to those themes, concepts and
terms: “WHAT DO YOU THINK?” These are your reflections, and I encourage
you to try to make connections within them.
DON’T simply write how amazed or impressed you are, or how
stupid or boring you thought it was: “Gosh, I can’t believe how much goes into
the process of making a movie. It has
really opened my eyes, wow.”
INSTEAD, try
to make some comparisons to other knowledge, other experiences: “
DON’T give
me a critique of the author’s writing style: “This chapter was repetitious and
boring…”.
I will
respond to your reflections, which you can read when I return them to you. Naturally, I will be most interested
in this part of the reading evaluation (“WHAT DO YOU THINK?”), and it will have
a large part in evaluating your understanding of the material.
You need not re-write the entire assignment, trying to squeeze millions of lines onto the reading evaluation page.. Just a little warning: I take these reading evaluations SERIOUSLY when it comes to considering your grade. You can be sure that your grade will be significantly downgraded if you do not hand in the evaluations (on time!) or appear to be treating them lightly with cursory comments and little thought or depth. (A “good” on your work will be good for your final grade.) Your work should reflect a thorough reading of the text, and a thoughtful reaction to its contents. Feel free to use back side of the summary sheets if you run out of space
Media Literacy Reaction Paper
Your name ___________________ Chapter __ in _________________ (author)
Part One. List and discuss some of the key concepts, terms and thematic points in the chapter.
Part two. What do you think? Provide a critical analysis of 2-3 aspects of the material. Integrate your own experiences and past readings. Teach us something about the material we didn't know.
All papers must be typewritten You may
use the back side or attach a second sheet if you so desire, but the goal is
just to provide enough material to 1)
show us you have read and reacted to the material, and 2) provide some talking
points for you to use during the class discussion.
STUDENT INFO SHEET
NAME:_______________________________
ID #___________________________
LOCAL (street) ADDRESS (NOT the box #
and NOT beachhouse name)_____________________________
Now, CAMPUS BOX #___________________
LOCAL PHONE_________________
If your phone is on campus, please supply
personal voice mailbox # 5
___ ___ ___
___ ____
(last # is personal digit)
HOME ADDRESS(parents)___________________________________________________
HOME PHONE______________________
PREFERRED E-MAIL
ADDRESS__________________
Anything else we should know?
Some
questions: