Thursday, May 31, 2007

SYLLABUS

COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY 201 TW – Fall 2007
York College of The City University of New York
T, R 6 – 7:15p.m. AC – 4M05

Professor Jen Heuson
Email: jheuson@york.cuny.edu or jenheuson@yahoo.com
Office hours: R 3 – 3:50 – Room 4G03
Course Website: http://ct201york.blogspot.com/

Course Description: Introduce the fundamental principles of communication technology by closely examining multiple technologies and the past and present ways they are used to communicate.

Course Objectives: This is a designated Writing Intensive (WI) course. Throughout the term, students will: 1) acquire an understanding of communication technology and its connection to society and culture; 2) view and discuss works crucial to the history of communication technology; 3) analyze the formal and stylistic elements of communication technology through writing; and 4) engage in discussions of aesthetic value and ethics.

Required Texts:
  • Straubhaar, Joseph and Robert LaRose. (2006). Media now: Understanding media, culture, and technology (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
  • Hacker, Diana. (2007). A Writer’s Reference. (6th ed.). New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
  • A companion website is available here.

Course Requirements and Grading:

Writing Assignments (40%) – This is a writing intensive course. Students are required to write two informal essays of 3 pages (10% each) and one formal essay of 6 – 8 pages (20%). To receive a passing grade, students must: 1) complete a draft; 2) participate in a class workshop; and 3) submit a final, revised essay. All essays must use APA style to document sources. Topics and detailed writing requirements will be given in class. See Course Schedule for due dates.

Online Reading Journal (10%) – Students will post 10 entries to the class website (URL above). Each entry must answer the posed question and be 7 – 10 sentences long. Entries are due the following class day (see Course Schedule).

Pecha Kucha (10%) – Students will design, record and present a Pecha Kucha show of 6 minutes. The project will be completed in groups of 2 or 3. Students will be graded on the CONTENT, DESIGN and PRESENTATION of their project. (see Course Schedule for dates).

Exams (20%) – A midterm and a final exam will be given. Exams cannot be rescheduled. Missing an exam will result in a zero grade.

Participation/Attendance (20%) – Students are expected to complete assigned readings and participate in class discussions, trips and film screenings. A student who is more than 15 minutes late to class will not be permitted to enter. More than two absences OR three tardy days will result in failure of the course.

Students must have an email account and be able to regularly access the class blog and text companion website. Students will be required to view media outside of class AND to attend field trips. Missing a field trip will count as an absence.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

SCHEDULE

1. T, Aug 28 - Course Introduction.
2. R, Aug 30 - The Changing Media. Chapter 1.
3. T, Sept 04 - Media and Society. Chapter 2. (Journal 1.)
4. R, Sept 06 - Print Media I: Books and Magazines. Chapter 3.
5. T, Sept 11 - Print Media II: Newspapers. Chapter 4. (Journal 2.)
6. R, Sept 13 - NO CLASS – COLLEGE CLOSED.
7. T, Sept 18 - NO CLASS – FOLLOW FRIDAY SCHEDULE.
8. R, Sept 20 - Writing Workshop I. ➢Essay one due.
9. T, Sept 25 - Sound Media I: Recorded Music. Chapter 5. (Journal 3.)
10. R, Sept 27 - Sound Media II: Radio. Chapter 6. (Journal 4.)
11. T, Oct 02 - No Class – Meet for Pecha Kucha assignments.
12. R, Oct 04 - Introduction to Pecha Kucha.
13. T, Oct 09 - Visual Media I: Film and Video. Chapter 7. (Journal 5.)
14. R, Oct 11 - Visual Media II: Television Chapter 8. (Journal 6.)
15. T, Oct 16 - No Class – MTR field trip (Thursday).
16. R, Oct 18 - Field Trip: Museum of Television and Radio.
17. T, Oct 23 - Writing Workshop II. ➢Essay two due.
18. R, Oct 25 - MIDTERM EXAM
19. T, Oct 30 - Screening: Videodrome (1983) by David Cronenberg.
20. R, Nov 01 - No ClassVideodrome screening (Tuesday).
21. T, Nov 06 - Writing Workshop III. ➢Essay three proposal due. (Journal 7.)
22. R, Nov 08 - New Media: Internet. Chapter 9. (Journal 8.)
23. T, Nov 13 - Multimedia: Public Relations and Advertising. Chapters 10 and 11. (Journal 9.)
Essay three outline and sample bibliography due.
24. R, Nov 15 - Media Uses and Effects. Chapter 13. (Journal 10.)
25. T, Nov 20 - No Class – Work on Pecha Kucha assignments.
26. R, Nov 22 - NO CLASS. Thanksgiving Break.
27. T, Nov 27 - Media Ethics. Chapter 15. ➢Essay three drafts due.
28. R, Nov 29 - No Class – Complete Pecha Kucha assignments.
29. T, Dec 04 - Final Review. Final drafts of essay one and two due.
30. R, Dec 06 - PECHA KUCHA presentations.
31. T, Dec 11 - Party!!! Screening: tba.Essay three due.
32. T, Dec 18 - FINAL EXAM