This course provides students with a number of theoretical approaches to critically assess how digital media function and their expanding role in contemporary culture. The course investigates digital media convergence in order to develop a critical understanding of how transformations occurring in more traditional cultural forms such as television, film, popular music, print and radio are impacted by emerging new media practices. Emphasis will be placed on the specific cultural, political, economic and social issues raised by digital media forms.

This is an interactive course that combines lectures, in-class viewing of different types of new media. Students will be expected to test ideas from the class by using new media tools, such as blogs and social networks. Readings will be a combination of traditional texts and new media texts available online.

Students will have working understandings of emerging media practices and their impact on traditional media models. Students will develop a working knowledge of:

the meaning of Web 2.0 (social media),

media convergence,

remediation,

ethical issues in cyberspace,

changing concepts of time and space,

how digital media change the way we think about our personal and collective identities,

the democratic and cultural possibilities (both positive and negative) of new media practices.

Assessment Guidelines for assigning main letter grades: A, B, C,D, and F.

A:  Work of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.

B:  This is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.

There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluate theory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture and reference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.

C:  This is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.

D:  This level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.

Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.

F: This work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

Grading Standards:             A   95-100 %                       C+   77-79 %
                                            A-  90-94 %                         C   74-76 %
                                            B+  87-89 %                        C-  70-73 %
                                            B     84-86 %                        D   60-69 %
                                            B-    80 83 %                        F    below

Classes often cover material not in the textbooks. More importantly, the class is build around discussion. Students who miss class do poorly on exams and it impacts the final grade, so not only is your attendance grade impacted by absences, but your test grades will be too. Students are allowed up to three unexcused absences. Three or more unexcused absences will result in an F for participation and attendance.  Additionally you are required to look at the videos posted for the week on the class Website (they will be part of the final exam).

Please find the articles listed below in the shared files folder in MY JCU, https://myjcu.johncabot.edu/

Week 1, Jan. 17 and 19 / Introduction

Lev Manovich, What is New Media

Lev Manovich, Principles of New Media

Week 2, Jan. 24 and 26 / The Philosophy of Cyberspace Technology and Virtual Reality

Slavoj Zizek, Hysteria and Cyberspace

Donna Haraway, A Manifesto for Cyborgs: Science, Technology, and Socialist Feminism in the 1980s

Week 3, Jan. 31 Feb. 2/ Communities, Virtual and Real

Berry Wellman and Gulia, Net Surfers Don't Ride Alone

Baym, N.K., The new shape of online community: The example of Swedish independent music fandom.

Week 4, Feb. 7 and 9/ Digital Nation

Kaveri Subrahmayam and Patricia Greenfield, Online Communication and Adolescent Relationships

Kimberly Young, Internet Addiction

Sherry Turkle, Can you Hear Me Now?

Week 5, Feb 14 and 16/ Convergence Culture

Henry Jenkins, Introduction: "Worship at the Altar of Convergence"

Henry Jenkins, Convergence Culture Spoiling Survivor

Week 6, Feb 21 and 23/ Economics of an Immaterial World (DEADLINE FOR FORMING RESEARCH TEAMS)

Douglas Kellner, Globalization and the Postmodern

Janet Wasko and Mary Erickson, The Political Economy of You Tube

Week 7, Feb. 28, Mar. 1/ Review/Midterm

Week 8, Mar. 6 and 8/  Copyright and Commons (RESEARCH PROJECTS PROPOSAL DUE)

Hess and Ostrom, An Overview of the Knowledge Commons.

Lawrence Lessing, The Fate of Commons in a Connected World

Week 9, Mar. 13 and 15/ Remix Cultures

Henry Jenkins, Interactive Audiences?

Henry Jenkins, Pirates Dilemma, We invented the Remix

SPRING BREAK

Week 10, Mar. 27 and 29/ You Tube

Patricia G. Lange, Videos of Affinity on YouTube

Jean Burgess and Joshua Green, The Entrepreneurial Vlogger: Participatory Culture Beyond the Professional-Amateur Divide

Week 11, Apr. 3 and 5/ Mobile Images: The Camera Phone

Leslie Haddon and Shin Dong Kim, Mobile Phones and Web-based Social Networking. Emerging Practices in Korea with Cyworlds

Nicola Doring and Axel Gundolf, Your Life in A Snapshot, Mobile Weblogs

Week 12, Apr. 10 and 12/ Digital Diasporas

Andersson, Gillespie and Mackay, Mapping Digital Diasporas at the BBC World Service: Users and Uses of the Persian and Arabic Websites

Roshini Kempadoo, Interpolating Screen Bytes: Critical Commentary in Multimedia Artworks

Week 13, Apr. 17 and 19/ Research Projects Presentations 

Week 14, Apr. 24 and 26/ Research Projects Presentations

Note: This schedule is subject to change