Syllabus

Convergence Culture Fall 2014

Thursdays 2:30 – 5:20pm Bradley Hall 312

Department of Arts, Culture and Media – Rutgers University

Professor Doris Caçoilo

Office hours by appointment

doris.cacoilo@rutgers.edu

  

COURSE DESCRIPTION

In this course students will be introduced to key issues and theoretical approaches in the study of media. The course begins with an examination of the socio-cultural conditions in which media technologies have evolved as means of cultural production and moves to explore the contemporary development of “digital convergence.” Students will read across various fields to interpret and critique media examples and theories of mass media. 

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to critically examine the impact of media on past and contemporary societies. Students will develop the ability to create thoughtful and engaging projects and writing assignments. In addition to a rigorous reading schedule, students are required to write various projects for the class blog and sustain continued research and writing throughout the course.

Students are expected to use theory, criticism and philosophy to understand contemporary media. Feedback from classmates is a valuable resource for the improvement of student writing and work. Critiques and discussions allow us to share our projects and analysis of the readings with others and express our intentions and interpretations. Class participation is essential and mandatory.

Class sessions will be divided into presentations and class discussion of the readings. Presentations will address both theoretical and analytical issues related media literacy, history of mass communication and digital convergence. Students are responsible to be prepared for class, read all assignments on time and post all writing and projects to the blog, paying attention to technical and aesthetic presentation as well as thoughtful and well-developed content. 

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS: 

          Converging Media (third or 4th ed.) by John V. Pavlik and Shawn McIntosh, Oxford University Press, New York: 2013. 

          Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide, by Henry Jenkins, NYU Press, New York: 2008. 

READINGS Various weekly reading assignments will be assigned from the required texts, linked on the blog and posted on Blackboard. The reading schedule will be distributed on the blog. Readings are due each week. All readings are REQUIRED unless otherwise stated.

CLASS PARTICIPATION For each reading you must prepare two questions and two quotes or passages from the readings for class discussion. Several students will be called on in each discussion and you must have these prepared for each reading. 

BLOG You must consult the class blog daily to check for announcements, readings and to post your assignments. The blog is crucial to the course and completion of the requirements. You MUST have access to the blog to complete assignments, readings, post work and comment on students’ posts. 

TWITTER You must create a twitter account (if you do not have one already) we will share links and comments with each other using the class hashtag #convergcult

REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPLETION OF THE COURSE 

Four writing assignments published to the blog as well as a two-part semester project will be developed during the semester. Students must also complete all readings and participate in class discussions. Students must complete all assignments thoroughly and on time. 

ATTENDANCE

Attendance is required. Attendance is taken at the beginning of each class, and will be considered when determining the final course grade. Absences affect your participation grade. More than four (4) absences will result in an 'F' (failure) for the class. No exceptions. Class begins on time, so you must be punctual. Lateness, leaving early or leaving class unexcused for an extended period of time will also be recorded. Two of these instances will count as one absence. You must bring documentation to class and hand in to me for any absences to be excused. 

You are required to make up any and all work that is missed if you are absent. Notify the professor if you will be absent. As work will not be accepted late, please contact the professor to hand in work on time! 

GRADE POLICY

All assignments must be finished and handed in on time to receive a passing grade for this course.

30% 4 blog posts 

40% semester project 

10% group presentation

20% attendance/participation (Contributions to class discussion, on the class blog + attendance) 

NOTE: BACK-UP your work frequently, even as you are working on the projects. Write and edit your posts locally before uploading them to the web. No excuses!

The Rutgers Writing Center, located on the first floor of Bradley Hall, can provide very useful guidance, including writing tutors. It is highly recommended that every one visit the center as they are developing their essay. To encourage this visit, extra points will be given to those who provide documentation of their work with the center. The Center's online address http://www.andromeda.rutgers.edu/~nwc/index.html

Plagiarism Plagiarism is a very serious academic offense which will result in penalties ranging from reduction of class grade to failure in the course. Plagiarism occurs when the ideas, images, and words, published or unpublished, of others are presented as one's own without citing the original source. Plagiarism also occurs when the papers, research, or creative works of another person are presented as one's own work. “The sources from which one derives one’s ideas, statements, terms, and data must be fully and specifically acknowledged in the appropriate form; failure to do so, intentionally or unintentionally, constitutes plagiarism. Violations of academic integrity may result in failure in the course and in disciplinary actions with penalties such as suspension or dismissal from the College” (1999-2000 Undergraduate Catalog, p. 43). For the University's policy on plagiarism please read the Rutgers-Newark Student Handbook, PAGE 189, available on-line at: http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/integrity.shtml

SCHEDULE

******PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FOLLOWING SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.******

ALL READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE SPECIFIED IN CLASS AND ON THE CLASS BLOG EACH WEEK. If you ever have questions or concerns about the schedule, due dates, changes or anything else please e-mail me.

Readings from required texts are found below. Additional readings for each class will be found on the blog. It is the student’s responsibility to check the blog for additional readings.

Week 1:      9/03 Th - Introduction and discussion. Set up students on the class blog.

                     What is Convergence? – The Big Picture 

Week 2:      9/10 Th – The Big Picture – Game Changer Understanding Mass Media in a Changing World. Discussion session. 

        Readings Due: Jenkins, Introduction to Convergence Culture pgs.1-24. Pavlik/McIntosh, Chapter 1+2, Debord, The Commodity as Spectacle online and check the blog for additional readings.

         Intro Mini Post due on the blog 

        Two tweets #convergecult EVERY WEEK!!

Week 3:     9/17 Th – The Big Picture – Game Changer Understanding Mass Media in a Changing World. Discussion session. 

        REVIEW Readings Due: Jenkins, Introduction to Convergence Culture pgs.1-24. Pavlik/McIntosh, Chapter 1+2, Debord, The Commodity as Spectacle online and check the blog for additional readings.

         Intro Mini Post due on the blog 

        Two tweets #convergecult EVERY WEEK!!

Week 4:     9/24 Th – Publishing and Mass Amateurization and User Generated Content 

         Readings Due: Pavlik/McIntosh, Chapter 3 and Clay Shirky, Everyone is a Media Outlet on Blackboard Jenkins, Why Heather Can Write pg.175-216 and check the blog for additional readings. 

         POST 1 Due

          Group 1 presents

Week 5:     10/1 Th –The Internet – Here Comes Everybody Discussion session. 

          Readings Due: Pavlik/McIntosh, Chapter on Interactive Media, on Blackboard Clay Shirky, Publish, Then Filter. and check the blog for additional readings.

         Group 2 presents

          

Week 6:     10/8 Th – Journalism – New News is Old News. Publish, Then Filter Discussion session. 

        Readings Due: Pavlik/McIntosh, Chapter on Journalism and check the blog for additional readings 

        Group 3 presents
       Draft Proposal Due for Semester Project         

Week 7:     10/15 Th – Media Support Industry– Advertising Discussion session. 

        Readings Due: Pavlik/McIntosh, Chapters on Advertising and Media Ethics and check the blog for additional readings.

        Post 2 Due

        Group 4 presents 

Week 8:     10/22 Th – MIDTERM PRESENTATIONS

            –Proposal, Draft Bibliography and Resource List due for Semester Project on the blog and print copy handed in + (2 minute) presentation to the class

Week 9:     10/29 Th – Social Media and Identity Discussion session. 

        Readings Due: Pavlik/McIntosh, Chapter on Social Media and check the blog for readings due.         

         Group 5 presents

Week 10:     11/5 Th– Movies/Transmedia Storytelling Discussion session. 

        Readings Due: Pavlik/McIntosh, Chapter on Visual Media/Photography, Movies and TV and Jenkins, Searching for the Origami Unicorn pg.95-134 and check the blog for additional readings.

         Group 6 presents

        Draft Bibliography/Resource List due for Semester Project

Week 11:     11/12 Th – Radio/Music and Games Discussion session. 

        Readings Due. Pavlik/McIntosh, Chapter on Audio Media/Radio (and review Chapter on Interactive Media). Case Study - The Sleeper Curve on Blackboard and check the blog for additional readings.

        Group 7 presents

        Post 3 Due

Week 12: 11/19 Th – Television The Politics of Participation. Discussion session. 

        Readings Due: No Readings Due -- Review the readings that were due 11/12. Visitor to class: Igor Alves of DreamPlay Media, http://dreamplaymedia.com/

               

Week 13: 11/26 Th –  NO CLASS  Thanksgiving break 

                               

Week 13: 12/3 Th –  Future of Convergence  Discussion session.

        Readings Due: Jenkins, Conclusion pg. 251- 270. Afterword pg. 271-294 Pavlik/McIntosh, Chapter on Global Media in the Digital Age check blog for readings on Blackboard – work on your semester projects.

        Post 4 Due (extra credit)

Week 14: 12/10 Th – SEMESTER PROJECT PRESENTATIONS                                 

****All FINAL projects posted to the blog by midnight on 12/9*****

                                 

ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTIONS

*Posts 1-5

Students must develop researched responses to readings and discussions in class. Each post will be specific to the topics covered in class at that time and will be explained during class. Students are responsible to write and edit these posts as well as illustrate them and successfully post them to the blog.

*Group presentation 

Create a presentation that illustrates the readings for that day. You can choose to focus on one particular theme, reading or theory or give a general overview of themes covered. Presentations should be organized, clear and engaging and should include a visual component in addition to an exciting interactive presentation. All students in the group must participate. These should be 7-10 minutes. The presentations should spur discussion within the classroom. Presentations should end with a question or questions posed to the class. MAKE IT AWESOME! Presentation summaries must be posted to the blog. Every student will present once throughout the semester. 

*Semester Project – Creating Your Own Media: A Cultural Intervention

 2-parts: Midterm and Final

Based on the discussions and projects presented in class and on the blog, please create a short piece of media which focuses on a social (or political) issue to specifically address the role of media, technology, audience, owners and media makers. Use the class readings as inspiration and as material. You can choose this opportunity to create a portfolio piece that intersects with your own professional interests and aspirations as well as your personal activism. The content of this piece is up to you, but you must address how this project is a critical media piece and how it uses or comments on Convergence. Your project must be published and somehow distributed to a larger audience beyond the classroom. 

Ultimately your project should: 

Be publicly visible and accessible by an audience.

Provide clear criticism of a specific media narrative or aspect of popular culture. 

Address or use media convergence.

Encourage its audience to shift their perspective and take social action. 

Projects must be published to the class blog but exist in another published form as well.

The assignment can take many forms: 

-Essay with embedded images. 

-Video/short film- music, documentary, performance. 

-Researched article or paper.

-Extensive slideshow with captions or narration (think NYTimes)

-Magazine/Zine

-Interactive Web Project/Site

*You must create a post on the blog for your final project. This will include a link to your project, a summary and explanation, images and or videos. You must also create an accompanying video "pitch" for the project explaining and presenting the project to the class and to a web audience. The presentation videos should be between 5-7 mins and embedded in the post for your project.