WCC COMM 101 COURSE INTRODUCTION-LUTHER
- 1. COMM 101: UNDERSTANDING MASS MEDIA Professor Eric Luther • TX Community College transfer student • SMU: Dallas, TX – Bachelors of Humanities • NYU: New York, NY – Masters in Arts & Humanities Education • 10 years in media production (mainly TV news) • Taught communications and media courses as adjunct at other community colleges, but came full-time to WCC as of Fall 2010 • Curriculum Chair, Communications & Media Arts
- 2. COMM 101: UNDERSTANDING MASS MEDIA Students: • Who are you and what brings you to this class? • What are your communications & media interests? • What do you expect/hope to get out of this class?
- 3. COMM 101: UNDERSTANDING MASS MEDIA TODAY’S OVERVIEW: • Go over Course Outline + Book + Blackboard • Discuss Course & Mass Media Basics • Discuss Project #1 • Remember - Class Materials are posted on Blackboard prior to meeting
- 5. COURSE OUTLINE HIGHLIGHTS: WEEKLY CLASS FOLDERS
- 6. COMM 101: UNDERSTANDING MASS MEDIA • This course has four distinct graded/credit parts: • 25% = COURSE REFLECTIVE PROJECTS: 3 Written Reflective Projects • 25% = COURSE ASSIGNMENTS: • 14 LEARNSMART Chapters • 14 CONNECT Chapter Quizzes • 10 In-Class Media/Study Focus Questions • (5 lowest scores from this category will be dropped) • 25% = COURSE PAPER: Semester Research Paper/Discussion • 25% = COURSE FINAL: Final Exam (online-cumulative from chapter quizzes + in-class media work) • Total = 100%
- 7. COMM 101: UNDERSTANDING MASS MEDIA • Introduction to Mass Communications-Media Literacy and Culture; Baran, Stanley; McGraw Hill • 3 PURCHASING OPTIONS – ALL INCLUDE CONNECT COMMUNICATION (custom edition may have plain blue cover)
- 8. COMM 101: UNDERSTANDING MASS MEDIA • LATE WORK POLICY: Any late reflective projects, study focus questions, or research papers accepted are worth a maximum of 50% credit. • No late LEARNSMART chapters are accepted for extra credit • CONNECT QUIZZES - You have two chances to take quizzes with the higher of the two scores being recorded. You may submit quizzes after the due date(s) but your score will be deducted 5% each day it is late. • Material covered in class will always be posted in the appropriate area/class folder on Blackboard so physical absences are not an excuse for falling behind when completing work. You are held responsible for the material whether you are physically present or not. • Again, the five lowest scores found in the COURSE ASSIGNMENTS category will be dropped when your final semester grade is calculated.
- 9. COMM 101: UNDERSTANDING MASS MEDIA •ATTENDANCE POLICY: Students are allowed to miss a total of 2 class periods (approximately six hours of instruction) before being penalized. After that, each absence may result in a 5% reduction of your final grade. In addition, there will be in-class work that is not available beyond the day/time of assignment and, therefore, unavailable for later completion.
- 10. What is “COMM 101: Understanding Mass Media”? •How will this class foster your understanding of mass media? •Provide history/context •Provide opportunity for knowledge application and research •Provide opportunity for personal reflection
- 11. MASS MEDIA ASBOLUTES •“Mass Media” channels always use technology of some kind to deliver the SAME message to a great number of people at widely separated points who typically don’t know each other.
- 12. MASS MEDIA ASBOLUTES •“Mass Media” is basically the opposite concept of “interpersonal” communication.
- 13. Why study “MASS MEDIA”? •We need to understand it because it informs and shapes just about every aspect of our daily lives – it’s all around us, like oxygen. Mass Media can be thought of as the “nervous system” of society.
- 14. MASS MEDIA AS SOCIETY’S “NERVOUS SYSTEM” • The nervous system is a complex network of nerves and cells that carry messages to and from the brain and spinal cord to the body. • Mass Media is a complex network of technologies that carry messages to and from the brain to and from various parts of society.
- 15. MEDIA LITERACY •What does “Media Literacy” mean? • Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media. Media-literate youth and adults are better able to understand the complex messages we receive from television, radio, Internet, newspapers, magazines, books, billboards, video games, music, and all other forms of media.
- 16. MASS MEDIA CHANNELS •A Mass Media “Channel” is the delivery system by which we get mass media; it’s how we receive mass media information and messages – specifically the technology involved. • REMEMBER: “Mass Media” channels always use technology of some kind to deliver the SAME message to a great number of people at widely separated points who typically don’t know each other.
- 17. MASS MEDIA MESSAGES •A Mass Media “Message” is the content/message itself rather than the delivery system/technology; it’s what we receive via mass media delivery system/technology • e.g. “Modern Family” is the Mass Media Message and Television is the Mass Media Channel.
- 18. MEDIA LITERACY •We’ll be looking at Mass Media (channels + messages) of all kinds and examining how we interact with them as both a society and individuals so we can sharpen our “Media Literacy” skills. •Your feedback and input is crucial to getting the most out of this class – I want to learn from you, too…
- 19. •Print from the late 1400s ~ books, pamphlets, newspapers, magazines, etc. •Recordings from the late 1800s ~ records, tapes, cassettes, 8-track cartridges, CDs, DVDs, Blu-Ray •Cinema/Film from about 1900 ~ feature films, short films, documentaries – all shown in theaters MASS MEDIA CHANNELS
- 20. •Radio from about 1910 ~ news/talk shows, music programs, live concerts…(BROADCAST MEDIA) •Television from about 1950 ~ news, dramas, sitcoms, educational, reality… (BROADCAST MEDIA) MASS MEDIA CHANNELS
- 21. • By and large the previous 5 mass media channels were clearly defined. TV and Radio programming were broadcast through your TV & Radio, books and newspapers were printed, movies were shown in theaters, albums were played on your stereo, etc. In other words, you didn’t go to one Mass Media Channel expecting anything OTHER than what it specialized in and the channels were distinct and different…but something changed all that… MASS MEDIA CHANNELS
- 22. MASS MEDIA CHANNELS •Internet: from about 1990 ~ websites, email, webisodes, chat rooms, streaming audio/video, online newspapers/magazines (DIGITAL MEDIA - including video games) •Mobile: from about 2000 ~ text messaging, video, photos, music - cell phone transmissions of all kinds (DIGITAL MEDIA)
- 23. MASS MEDIA CONVERGENCE •With the advent of DIGITAL MEDIA, mass media of all kinds are converging into one type of channel – you can now watch TV, read a book, listen to music, see a movie, play a game, and check in on your favorite radio station all in the SAME MASS MEDIA CHANNEL. This is called “MEDIA CONVERGENCE”.
- 24. MASS MEDIA CONVERGENCE •The merging of previously distinct media technologies and media forms resulting from digitization and computer networking
- 25. 7 MAJOR MASS MEDIA CHANNELS •Print=from the late 1400s •Recordings=from the late 1800s •Cinema/Film=from about 1900 •Radio=from about 1910 •Television=from about 1950 •Internet/Digital=from about 1990 •Mobile/Digital=from about 2000
- 26. REFLECTIVE PROJECT #1 DETAILS •AVOIDING MASS MEDIA MESSAGES FOR 24 HOURS
- 27. REAL WORLD EXAMPLE: •BRAIN HACKING •What’s really going on when we feel compelled to check in on our phones?
- 28. FUTURE OF MASS MEDIA CHANNELS •So, what will be the 8th, 9th, 10th, etc. Mass Media Channel? •What new media/information delivery system is on our horizon?
- 29. FUTURE OF MASS MEDIA CHANNELS •Brain Implants • Brain implants or other types of neural links, such as Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs) between the brain, the internet, and the cloud, are quickly entering the realm of science rather than science fiction. • The Defense Advanced Research Agency is ready to run trials with closed-loop mood control chips linked to AI that can deliver an electrical impulse to regulate a soldier’s mood. In the private sector, Elon Musk has announced Neuralink — a neurotechnology venture that will not only focus on fighting diseases but also on augmenting humans so they can better compete with machines.
- 30. FUTURE OF MASS MEDIA CHANNELS •PROFESSOR GOOGLE? •Humans, without making a sound or typing a single thing, will hear the answer to any question we may have inside our heads. “The need to actually learn something parrot fashion is going to disappear because we will have access to that instantly.
- 31. FUTURE OF MASS MEDIA CHANNELS REAL WORLD EXAMPLE: •Microchip Implants •More than 3,000 people in Sweden have had microchips implanted under their skin. The microchips eliminate the need for car keys, credit cards and even train tickets. Is this just cool technology or could it increase surveillance? •And it’s already here in the U.S.
- 32. LOOKING AHEAD •Complete first LEARNSMART READING & CONNECT QUIZ by due date (the entire semester’s LEARNSMART + CONNECT work is already posted, too) •REFLECTIVE PROJECT #1: Avoiding Mass Media Messages for 24 hours