You will select a mass media text and write an analysis in 800 – 1000 words. You may analyze any kind of mass media text that you would like, but I suggest that you select a text small enough for thorough understanding, but substantial enough to generate insight. You must select a media text that is EITHER new (within the last calendar year) OR old (at least 40 years old).
Your paper should include a description of the text, an interpretation of its meaning and an evaluation of the significance and meaning of this text & interpretation in our culture. You must use semiotic analysis to analyze your text, but you should not feel obliged to talk about the terms of semiosis. I will be able to tell if you have used the process because of the insights that your essay will demonstrate.
The process of writing an interpretive analytical essay like this one usually starts with description (what are the key signs?), moves to analysis (what are the patterns? the codes? how do they fit together?), expresses an interpretation (what does it *mean*?) and finishes with an evaluation (is it good? bad? for who? why? how?).
Your paper structure should NOT follow that order -- that's the order of investigation. Your paper's arrangement will be unique to your topic, your voice and your insights. (Though I generally recommend that a strong paper LEADS with its strongest ideas and biggest insights.) There are a few sample papers available for you to read in the folder I shared with you in google docs. These papers are not perfect but the provide a helpful example of various approaches to this assignment that have worked in the past.
You may find the grading rubric I will use to assess your paper in the google docs folder that I have shared with you.
Please click on this paragraph to read more about your proposal.
The draft is not graded, but I will read it, give you some narrative feedback and fill out a rubric to help you think about my expectations. Draft-writing GREATLY enhances your ability to engage in good learning practice. Hopefully that's what you're here for, so if I were you, I would prioritize this learning opportunity. Please submit your proposal as a google document that you share with the class email (look at the syllabus for the address) not with the teacher's email address.
You will submit your FINAL draft as a NEW google doc and share it with the class email address. I will not re-grade your original google doc. I really want to have two separate documents that I can look at.
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Thursday, August 08, 2013
How much does reading matter in this course?
Course Readings Packet. Available only in google docs. If you have not successfully accessed the readings yet, please email the teacher and let him know.
Romanowski, W. (2007). Eyes wide open: Looking for God in popular culture. Brazos Press; Grand Rapids, MI.
Several times throughout the semester, I will assign reading in class, and you will be responsible to find that reading on the internet. I will give you the URL and post the link here, on my blog. These readings re just as important and valuable as the ones that have been committed to paper.
Being prepared for class by reading will profoundly affect your ability to understand the concepts we’re examining in class. Your reading won’t be assessed separately, but if you don’t use the concepts from the reading in your papers and to prepare for class lecture / discussion, you’ll find your test and paper grades suffering.
One big pitfall that students often fall into when studying popular culture industries, is solely depending on the personal knowledge that you bring to the class from your lives. This is important, valuable knowledge, and it’s one of the reasons why studying popular culture is so enjoyable, but this class affords you an opportunity to think in new ways about topics you’re familiar with.
Romanowski, W. (2007). Eyes wide open: Looking for God in popular culture. Brazos Press; Grand Rapids, MI.
Several times throughout the semester, I will assign reading in class, and you will be responsible to find that reading on the internet. I will give you the URL and post the link here, on my blog. These readings re just as important and valuable as the ones that have been committed to paper.
Being prepared for class by reading will profoundly affect your ability to understand the concepts we’re examining in class. Your reading won’t be assessed separately, but if you don’t use the concepts from the reading in your papers and to prepare for class lecture / discussion, you’ll find your test and paper grades suffering.
One big pitfall that students often fall into when studying popular culture industries, is solely depending on the personal knowledge that you bring to the class from your lives. This is important, valuable knowledge, and it’s one of the reasons why studying popular culture is so enjoyable, but this class affords you an opportunity to think in new ways about topics you’re familiar with.
Friday, February 08, 2013
Media Story Proposal
For your media story proposal, I would like you to turn in a two paragraph description of what you envision for your media story.
Please "tell the story" that you imagine in the first paragraph. Tell the story artfully in a way that is compelling and engaging. Try to evoke the same sensations and emotions in the reader that you desire to evoke in the viewer once the story is complete. When I read this paragraph, I should know clearly WHO your main character is, WHAT MEDIA TEXT you're describing, the WORLD in which your story takes place, what kind of CRISIS drives your story forward, and what kind of INSIGHT (or commentary) you're offering about FORMATION through this kind of MEDIA TEXT.
In the second paragraph, I'd like you to discuss the formal qualities of your story. What you'd like it to look and feel like visually, audibly, emotionally and aesthetically. In this paragraph, I expect you to reference other influences (media stories, television shows, films, commercials, videogames and/or art pieces). In this paragraph you should also describe in detail the process that you will use to complete this media story. Finally in your proposal, I would like you to list TWO media stories (from previous semesters) or digital-media stories (located online), including their URLs that you watched in preparation for this assignment.
In the second paragraph, I'd like you to discuss the formal qualities of your story. What you'd like it to look and feel like visually, audibly, emotionally and aesthetically. In this paragraph, I expect you to reference other influences (media stories, television shows, films, commercials, videogames and/or art pieces). In this paragraph you should also describe in detail the process that you will use to complete this media story. Finally in your proposal, I would like you to list TWO media stories (from previous semesters) or digital-media stories (located online), including their URLs that you watched in preparation for this assignment.
Thursday, February 07, 2013
An Excellent Post.
You can find this excellent post on Media & Football (and tribes and commercialism and the profit motive) here.
Tuesday, January 08, 2013
Semiotics "Reading"
This website is where you will find the course reading introducing you to Semiotics.
Please complete this reading before coming to class on Friday, September 3.
Keep reading each time the pictures disappear and you are prompted to "Click to Keep Reading."
This (long) article and this many-sectioned article are both very helpful supplements, but not mandatory readings.
Please complete this reading before coming to class on Friday, September 3.
Keep reading each time the pictures disappear and you are prompted to "Click to Keep Reading."
This (long) article and this many-sectioned article are both very helpful supplements, but not mandatory readings.
Friday, January 04, 2013
Final Integrative Essay
From the first day of class, we've been talking about American Cultural Values. Some of the values that really stand out include:
Freedom,
Equality,
Democracy,
Individualism,
Competition,
Convenience,
Conspiracy,
Bigger is Better,
Expression,
Success,
Independence,
Revolution,
Patriotism,
Novelty,
Friendships,
Informality,
Traditional Family,
Secularization,
Efficiency,
Progressivism,
Populism,
American Exceptionalism,
Dreaming
In this paper I want you to research some shift in the production or distribution of media THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE IN THE LAST YEAR and describe how that shift illustrates ideas from class and has affected American Cultural Values.
You should review some of the exemplary papers I have placed in your google docs folder AND the rubric, also available in the folder before you decide on a topic or direction.
Your proposal should be a simple statement that suggests a connection between mass media and an American value.
Please share the proposal with the mass media gmail account in the form of a google doc.
Freedom,
Equality,
Democracy,
Individualism,
Competition,
Convenience,
Conspiracy,
Bigger is Better,
Expression,
Success,
Independence,
Revolution,
Patriotism,
Novelty,
Friendships,
Informality,
Traditional Family,
Secularization,
Efficiency,
Progressivism,
Populism,
American Exceptionalism,
Dreaming
In this paper I want you to research some shift in the production or distribution of media THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE IN THE LAST YEAR and describe how that shift illustrates ideas from class and has affected American Cultural Values.
You should review some of the exemplary papers I have placed in your google docs folder AND the rubric, also available in the folder before you decide on a topic or direction.
Your proposal should be a simple statement that suggests a connection between mass media and an American value.
Please share the proposal with the mass media gmail account in the form of a google doc.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
New Media Resources Online
This great interview with internet expert Sherry Turkle is worth a listen.
But this is the link that will take you to the youtube you should watch before class.
But this is the link that will take you to the youtube you should watch before class.
Friday, January 06, 2012
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
Mass Media & Shifts in American Culture
The second paper in this class asks you to make a connection between Mass Media and shifts in American Culture. This paper should include a clear thesis statement about the relationship between a contemporary Mass Media phenomenon and American Culture. You should try to make connections between themes and characteristics of American Culture throughout the semester in class so that this paper is a natural outgrowth and summation of your learning throughout the semester. More information about this assignment is available by clicking here. You should submit the paper as a google doc, sharing it with the class gmail account.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Transmedia Storytelling
Please go read this helpful and fascinating blog post by Henry Jenkins that explains the basics of Transmedia Storytelling. We'll discuss these concepts on Friday.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Using Images to Tell Stories
There are a few important principles that you should remember as you select the images that you need to tell your story.
1. IMAGES CREATE FEELINGS. Don't feel bound to pick images that are too precisely scientifically representative of the specific things that you're talking about. Instead look for images that create the right kinds of feelings in your audience.
2. IMAGES NEED CONTINUITY. You can create visual continuity by choosing images that look alike, by designing, capturing or shooting images that feel alike, or by manipulating your images to have a certain coherence. The continuity between your images doesn't have to be exact. You can have several different TYPES of image to tell several different parts of your story -- but these differences will signal different kinds of meaning to your audience. So choose carefully.
3. IMAGES CAN BE MANIPULATED. You can change the color, the texture, the framing and movement of your images just using I MOVIE. More manipulations can be achieved in simple photo editing programs (or -- you can even use PHOTOSHOP in the mac lab if you're feeling ambitious.)
4. IMAGES CAN BE REMARKABLE FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS. Because of their framing, their color, their balance, their unique subject, a unique perspective. Go ahead and choose remarkable images. Don't choose the first images you find in a google search, find a family images that make sense together and that are remarkable for reasons other than advertising....remarkable because of some truth that they communicate.
5. SIMPLE IMAGES ARE OFTEN THE MOST POWERFUL. This truth refers both to the simplicity of composition and to the number (fewer is better) of images that you use.
1. IMAGES CREATE FEELINGS. Don't feel bound to pick images that are too precisely scientifically representative of the specific things that you're talking about. Instead look for images that create the right kinds of feelings in your audience.
2. IMAGES NEED CONTINUITY. You can create visual continuity by choosing images that look alike, by designing, capturing or shooting images that feel alike, or by manipulating your images to have a certain coherence. The continuity between your images doesn't have to be exact. You can have several different TYPES of image to tell several different parts of your story -- but these differences will signal different kinds of meaning to your audience. So choose carefully.
3. IMAGES CAN BE MANIPULATED. You can change the color, the texture, the framing and movement of your images just using I MOVIE. More manipulations can be achieved in simple photo editing programs (or -- you can even use PHOTOSHOP in the mac lab if you're feeling ambitious.)
4. IMAGES CAN BE REMARKABLE FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS. Because of their framing, their color, their balance, their unique subject, a unique perspective. Go ahead and choose remarkable images. Don't choose the first images you find in a google search, find a family images that make sense together and that are remarkable for reasons other than advertising....remarkable because of some truth that they communicate.
5. SIMPLE IMAGES ARE OFTEN THE MOST POWERFUL. This truth refers both to the simplicity of composition and to the number (fewer is better) of images that you use.
Thursday, September 01, 2011
Upload Your Media Story
Please share a link to your media story via email with the class gmail account. Be sure to include the following information in your email:
1. The title of your media story.
2. The student(s) who made it (from our class)
3. the youtube or vimeo link.
Also be sure that your sharing preferences are correct, allowing anyone with the link to view the story. Please make sure that you watch the story all the way through before submitting it.
1. The title of your media story.
2. The student(s) who made it (from our class)
3. the youtube or vimeo link.
Also be sure that your sharing preferences are correct, allowing anyone with the link to view the story. Please make sure that you watch the story all the way through before submitting it.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
How will my performance be assessed in this class?
I encourage you to set your own goals for this class. I do not believe that any experience where you rely on an outside evaluation of your work, involvement, and performance will affect you as significantly as an experience where you attempt to match your own evaluations with those you receive from others. What do you want to learn in this class? Why are you here? What might you walk away with? How can you grow as a person through this experience? What criteria will you use to judge whether or not you have?
That said, I am obliged to evaluate your work, involvement, and performance in this class. I don’t shrink from this duty, because I assume that the feedback I give you will be useful as you journey through this learning process. On the other hand, I don’t assume that you are the sum of your grade in this class. I know that your potential far exceeds any grade that’s available in this or any class. Hopefully you can use this system of grades to begin to push your own limits. In this class your learning will be formally assessed using these components:
Media Text Analysis
Mass Media & Shifts in American Culture
Media Story
Exams
Community Involvement
That said, I am obliged to evaluate your work, involvement, and performance in this class. I don’t shrink from this duty, because I assume that the feedback I give you will be useful as you journey through this learning process. On the other hand, I don’t assume that you are the sum of your grade in this class. I know that your potential far exceeds any grade that’s available in this or any class. Hopefully you can use this system of grades to begin to push your own limits. In this class your learning will be formally assessed using these components:
Media Text Analysis
Mass Media & Shifts in American Culture
Media Story
Exams
Community Involvement
What other policies do I need to know?
Know the syllabus. Starting on the second day of class, the syllabus is binding and should be referred to when you have a question. When information is required, I will post that info here, on the blog. As a result, you should think of the syllabus as an ongoing contract. It is also necessary that you familiarize yourself with the campus wide e-companion software. I will only use e-companion to store readings, but you will need to download the readings from that site. I will always let you know (in “real” class time) when I’ve provided more information on the web, and will never make changes to the syllabus without consulting you. In this course though, email is a requirement. I won’t answer any (process-oriented) questions in class unless you can first tell me what the course blog or syllabus says about it.
Attend class. Any absences beyond three will result in a third of a letter grade reduction from your grade (B to B-, etc.). Conversely, if you have a perfect attendance record, I will raise your final grade one third of a grade. No late assignments will be accepted except in cases of emergency. Emergency absences must fall into the following criteria:
1.) death,
2.) extreme sickness,
3.) college approved absences, and
4.) You must notify me in advance.
You may notify me in person, on the telephone, on voicemail, or by leaving a message with the department secretary. If you leave messages for me, be sure that you leave them prior to the class you miss, and that there is some outside authentication.
Turn in your work early. All work will be due in class on the due date marked in the calendar. Late assignments will only be accepted with permission. Assignments turned in on the due date but outside of class will have five points deducted. Ten points per calendar day will be deducted for later assignments.
Write carefully. The Communication Arts department policy for all written assignments is that students will receive one grade reduction for more than three errors in grammar, mechanics, syntax, spelling and punctuation.
Don’t cheat. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Any instances of plagiarism, cheating, or dishonesty will be dealt with as outlined in the student handbook.
Wait one night. I do not discuss the grades I assign on the day that I return them to you. I encourage students to question and be forthright about their questions, but our conversation will proceed more productively if you have at least one night to reflect on my feedback, and construct your response.
Attend class. Any absences beyond three will result in a third of a letter grade reduction from your grade (B to B-, etc.). Conversely, if you have a perfect attendance record, I will raise your final grade one third of a grade. No late assignments will be accepted except in cases of emergency. Emergency absences must fall into the following criteria:
1.) death,
2.) extreme sickness,
3.) college approved absences, and
4.) You must notify me in advance.
You may notify me in person, on the telephone, on voicemail, or by leaving a message with the department secretary. If you leave messages for me, be sure that you leave them prior to the class you miss, and that there is some outside authentication.
Turn in your work early. All work will be due in class on the due date marked in the calendar. Late assignments will only be accepted with permission. Assignments turned in on the due date but outside of class will have five points deducted. Ten points per calendar day will be deducted for later assignments.
Write carefully. The Communication Arts department policy for all written assignments is that students will receive one grade reduction for more than three errors in grammar, mechanics, syntax, spelling and punctuation.
Don’t cheat. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Any instances of plagiarism, cheating, or dishonesty will be dealt with as outlined in the student handbook.
Wait one night. I do not discuss the grades I assign on the day that I return them to you. I encourage students to question and be forthright about their questions, but our conversation will proceed more productively if you have at least one night to reflect on my feedback, and construct your response.
What can I expect to learn in this course?
The successful student, upon completion of this course should be able to:
1. identify fundamental trends in the history and development of mass media.
2. evaluate claims regarding the effects of media upon society.
3. articulate themes which frame mass media development today.
4. evaluate mass media messages and production processes using moral frameworks.
5. identify Judeo - Christian critiques of mass media
6. critically evaluate media using several different criteria.
1. identify fundamental trends in the history and development of mass media.
2. evaluate claims regarding the effects of media upon society.
3. articulate themes which frame mass media development today.
4. evaluate mass media messages and production processes using moral frameworks.
5. identify Judeo - Christian critiques of mass media
6. critically evaluate media using several different criteria.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Communication Arts Department Mission Statement
We, the Communication Arts Department, commit to develop communicators rooted in communities, acting as agents of truth, reflection, transformation and reconciliation in a way that celebrates God’s grace and faithfulness.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Merchants of Cool
I apologize for the late posting of this movie / reading. If you watched the film MERCHANTS OF COOL, you win great kudos (because how did you find it?), but since most of you couldn't -- we will watch part of it in class tomorrow and the remainder of it will be due on Wednesday.
The link to the movie is here.
The link to the movie is here.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Introduction to Media Stories
You will create a digital story telling a story about how a particular media text (or group of texts) affected someone personally.
The story should focus on the ways that a favorite or important media text or set of texts (formative media) has shaped or interacted with someone’s life.
You may tell a story about media in your life, but I encourage you to branch out and learn about media in someone else’s life. Each story will be five minutes or less. Your story should include sound & images and will eventually be posted on the internet.
Our in-class discussion about stories should help you, but you may want to check out these materials I allude to in the training sessions I offer in the mac lab in the basement of the library so you can feel at least somewhat familiarized with the process.
The rubric I will use to evaluate your story is available in document sharing in e companion.
I've posted a number of media stories from other semesters at this new blog. I recommend watching them for ideas of things that work, and things that don't work as well.
I also recommend watching the stories posted at the digital storytelling center and on the stories for change site. The stories posted at Media Storm demonstrate even more technical innovations, but may enlarge your vision for how you can proceed through this assignment.
I'm eager to see what you create!
The story should focus on the ways that a favorite or important media text or set of texts (formative media) has shaped or interacted with someone’s life.
You may tell a story about media in your life, but I encourage you to branch out and learn about media in someone else’s life. Each story will be five minutes or less. Your story should include sound & images and will eventually be posted on the internet.
Our in-class discussion about stories should help you, but you may want to check out these materials I allude to in the training sessions I offer in the mac lab in the basement of the library so you can feel at least somewhat familiarized with the process.
The rubric I will use to evaluate your story is available in document sharing in e companion.
I've posted a number of media stories from other semesters at this new blog. I recommend watching them for ideas of things that work, and things that don't work as well.
I also recommend watching the stories posted at the digital storytelling center and on the stories for change site. The stories posted at Media Storm demonstrate even more technical innovations, but may enlarge your vision for how you can proceed through this assignment.
I'm eager to see what you create!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
STEPS FOR CREATING A DIGITAL MEDIA STORY
1. Develop your story. Make an outline. Try developing your outline both with pictures and then separately with words.
2. Develop a storyboard. Tell your story using pictures. Lay the narration out beneath the pictures. You can find storyboard templates here.
3. Collect your pictures. You may want to find pictures on the internet. I assume you'll find some pictures from your past (or your story-subject's past). You may want to take some picture. There are other effective options, too remember. Click here for a post where I talk more about pictures and images and how they function in your story.
4. Digitize your pictures (scan them into the computer. Save them to a flash drive, external hard drive, CD or DVD) Make sure you scan them in at the largest size possible. You may want to crop photos or add filters or effects in Photoshop.
5. Drag and drop your photos into your project box (the top box on your screen).
6. Record your voice-over. You may record your voiceover in the Mac Lab or by checking out a recording device from Media Services and recording in a quieter room.
7. Add your narration to your project. You should be able to either drag-and-drop your audio file directly into your project box (the top one) or open it through itunes (look for the itunes icon in the right hand corner.)
8. Arrange your photographs in the timeline in order. Then adjust their time in relation to the narration. You may also adjust your narration to include pauses. Remember that silence and pacing are very effective emotional tools for a storyteller. To adjust the image time or the audio clip time, you click the little mechanical wheel icon in the corner of each image or of each sound clip. You can adjust by choosing in these options.
9. Add music. You can drag and drop song files or import them through itunes (look right to see the itunes icon.) You can adjust the volume by using the wheel icon and adjusting the volume. Remember you don't music throughout the whole story and sometimes more is less.
2. Develop a storyboard. Tell your story using pictures. Lay the narration out beneath the pictures. You can find storyboard templates here.
3. Collect your pictures. You may want to find pictures on the internet. I assume you'll find some pictures from your past (or your story-subject's past). You may want to take some picture. There are other effective options, too remember. Click here for a post where I talk more about pictures and images and how they function in your story.
4. Digitize your pictures (scan them into the computer. Save them to a flash drive, external hard drive, CD or DVD) Make sure you scan them in at the largest size possible. You may want to crop photos or add filters or effects in Photoshop.
5. Drag and drop your photos into your project box (the top box on your screen).
6. Record your voice-over. You may record your voiceover in the Mac Lab or by checking out a recording device from Media Services and recording in a quieter room.
7. Add your narration to your project. You should be able to either drag-and-drop your audio file directly into your project box (the top one) or open it through itunes (look for the itunes icon in the right hand corner.)
8. Arrange your photographs in the timeline in order. Then adjust their time in relation to the narration. You may also adjust your narration to include pauses. Remember that silence and pacing are very effective emotional tools for a storyteller. To adjust the image time or the audio clip time, you click the little mechanical wheel icon in the corner of each image or of each sound clip. You can adjust by choosing in these options.
9. Add music. You can drag and drop song files or import them through itunes (look right to see the itunes icon.) You can adjust the volume by using the wheel icon and adjusting the volume. Remember you don't music throughout the whole story and sometimes more is less.
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