Molloy College Rockville Centre, NY 11571 COURSE OUTLINE

SEMESTER: Fall 2011

DEPT.: Communication Arts

FACULTY: James Cohen

COURSE #: COM 243

SECTION: 01

TITLE: Introduction to New Media

CATALOG DESCRIPTION: Introduction to the rapidly changing field of new media, including video gaming, video and webpage Internet design, web and podcasting, blogs, online communities, and other aspects of a virtual world. The course examines these new technologies in terms of their social and communicative impact. 3 Credits

INTRODUCTION TO NEW MEDIA COM 243 01 Fall 2011 MW 12:15 1:40pm James Cohen Communication Arts & Sciences Dept. Office Number: Phone: 678-5000 Ext. jcohen@molloy.edu Office Hours: by appointment Catalog Description: Introduction to the rapidly changing field of new media, including video gaming, video and webpage Internet design, web and podcasting, blogs, online communities, and other aspects of a virtual world. The course examines these new technologies in terms of their social and communicative impact. Goals: Todays rapidly changing media environment is not only changing how people create a dialogue and discuss issues globally, but also changes how people connect. Identity and storytelling have become paramount in a world where everyone has a voice. The course focuses on how democracy of storytelling is changing and how individuals can gain identities as mature storytellers who can defend their points of view. A focus on integrity and truth as well as aspects of journalism will be explored and an exploration of new technologies in social media. The goal is to not only understand the way new media works, but to participate in this new and rapidly growing environment. Objectives: To demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills when discussing the process of rapidly evolving media. To display the ability to discuss issues in a rational way, to analyze critically, and to evaluate effectively. To further develop research abilities and explain findings in written and oral form. To understand the theory of dialogue in a virtual space. To understand how storytelling in a new media realm creates identity and how to effectively utilize stories in many forms. To become familiar with current issues regarding new media and global dialogue. To effectively display technical knowledge in publishing in an online realm in the form of blogs or posts.

Text: Shirky, Clay. Cognitive Surplus. May 2011. Penguin. ISBN: 978-0143119586 Film: Fincher, David. The Social Network. 2010. Evaluation Criteria: Participation and Dialogue Project 1: Reporting assignment Project 2: Creative assignment New Media Exercises Project 3: Dialogue and research assignment 30% 15% 15% 15% 25%

Grammar, punctuation and accuracy is necessary as that constitutes much of your grade in any written assignment The Communicating Across the Curriculum (CAC) requirement for writing, speaking, listening, and critical thinking is an integral part of all assignments. Students will demonstrate effective oral and written communication. They will also demonstrate the ability to discuss issues in a rational way, to analyze critically, and to evaluate effectively. Academic Integrity: The policy on academic integrity is found in the Student Handbook of Molloy College. Please review it and abide by it. All written work using other sources will be subject to verification by Turnitin.com for authenticity, attribution citation credit to original authors. Attendance Policy: Because so much of the course is dependent on class discussions and inclass exercises, attendance is mandatory. Absences of more than two class sessions will result in the lowering of the final grade by one full letter. Three late arrivals will be counted as one absence. There will be no make-up sessions or assignment for either test or presentation, unless you have official documentation such as a note from a doctor or a hospital.

Participation and Professional Classroom Behavior: Class attendance is required; students do not receive extra credit for attending, although grades are reduced for excessive absences. However, credit is given for participating in class. Participation involves your contribution in discussions around material covered in class; this can take the form of questions, comments, observations and so on. Your participation grade is based on what you contribute to the class as a whole. The second part of your participation grade concerns professional behavior. Part of you college education involves learning and practicing professional levels and standards of conduct. How you behave in the classroom should reflect how you would behave in the context of a job. This entails being respectful of other in the class (not talking while theyre talking, etc.), respecting the business conducted in the classroom (not talking on your cell phone, playing video games, etc.), and so on. Course Format: This class meets twice weekly, on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 10:40a 12:05p. The course includes lectures and discussions of new media and participatory culture. Research findings and written assignments will be discussed in class. Much of the research and writing will be done outside of class. The class will have an online outlet to post completed assignments with the goal of beginning an online discussion. Attendance is absolutely necessary because each class will advance how assignments will progress. The schedule is tentative and malleable because of the nature of the rapidly changing media and stories that develop in real time. Standards in assignments: Attention to several aspects in writing and producing online content MUST be adhered to: Accuracy, Integrity, Reporting, Deadlines, Teamwork, Consideration of Intellectual property Schedule: Sept 7 Introduction to class and theory of participatory culture. What is New Media? What is web 2.0? Why does this class entail? Cognitive Surplus by Clay Shirky Read Economist article: Among the audience. Watch KSU video: Information R/evolution Watch Socialnomics video: Social Media Revolution ASSIGNMENT: ONLINE IDENTITY. Due Monday, September 12

Sept 12

Discussion of Online Identity. How are you currently a part of the online envronment? How is New Media used by the media? ASSIGNMENT: Article: New York Times Policy on Social Networking sites. Due Monday, September 19 Web 2.0 tools. Social media tools (Facebook, Google Plus, Myspace, twitter). media tools (YouTube, Flickr, blip.tv), research tools (wikipedia, wikis, delicious, diigo, reddit, digg), writing/expression tools (blogger, wordpress, livejournal). ASSIGNMENT: Cognitive Surplus chapter 1. Due Monday, September 26

Sept 14

Sept 19

Online journalism What is citizen journalism? How much of the journalism eco-system has been affected by new media? What does the First Amendment Mean today? ASSIGNMENT: Read The Trolls Among Us by Mattathias Schwartz. NYTimes. 8 August 2003. Due Wednesday, Sept 28. Further look into online journalism. What does it mean to be a professional journalist in the new media environment? Discussion.

Sept 21 Sept 26

Cognitive Surplus and examples of common internet users changing the world through online tools. Chapter 1 discussion. ASSIGNMENT: Cognitive Surplus. Find an example of cognitive surplus online and create short presentation about how the new media user participated in online culture. Due Wednesday, October 12. Trolling and the power of anonymity online. The influence of the Internet community on media. Memes and cultural media. Failblog, ICanHasCheeseBurger, etc Memes and the viral video:The Viral Video Chart Memetics transfers: Noah, Ahree Lee, Ben, Homer Boom Goes the Dynamite and Boom Goes the Dynamite and Boom Goes the Dynamite Theory of the audience. How are memes transferred? South Parks theoretical dollars. Dan Meths Internet People and Weezers Pork and Beans. The character of the web. No Class. Columbus Day. Cognitive Surplus presentations. Television online. What is the difference between web television and television on the web? What are webisodes? Watch in class We Need Girlfriends and part of Dr. Horribles Sing-a-long Blog.

Sept 28 October 3 October 5

October 10 October 12 October 17

October 19 October 24

Discussion of how Internet television is changing traditional television.

The tech of the web. Web 2.0 and how social media is more than a device to connect people to people. How do search engines work? How is money made on the web? How does video work on the web? Discussion on how the user maintains web content through tagging and organizing. METADATA. Extra info: Social Networking Sites: Definition, History, Scholarship Visual culture and how the users of new media find new meaning in visual devices. Politics and new media theory Part 2 How politics are affected by the internet. Iran Elections; Political history; satire. 60 minutes Digital Wasteland; WSJ End of Wall Street; Food Fight: This American Life ASSIGNMENT: Prepare for political debate about rights and privacy.

October 26 October 31

Nov 2 Politics debate. Groups. Nov 7 Nov 9 Nov 14 Nov 16 Media Literacy and Open Theory. Millenials, Digital Immigrants. ASSIGNMENT: Watch The Social Network. Due November 14. Online tools. Storify, Scribd, Prezi, etc In class discussion about The Social Network. Textual analysis of film. Media literacy.

Convergence and new media. The theory of open source content. Video game theory and open source editing. How have gamers created a cultural social conscious that effects many? Games crossing borders into webisodes, conventions, politics, psychology television channels. Nov 21 Education and New Media. Introduction to ways in which education is using new media. ASSIGNMENT: Read Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction by Matt Richtel. NYTimes. 21 November 2010. Share the video in the article on the social media tool of your choice and stir a conversation about the video. Assemble a presentation of the conversation using a social media tool. Due Wednesday, December 7. No school. Thanksgiving break.

Nov 23

Nov 28

Marketing in the new media environment. Another look at Unruly Media ASSIGNMENT: Targeted advertising Marketing. How much is your identity worth? Separating cynicism from skepticism. Media Literacy. How to keep media literate in a new media world. Simulacra, hyperreality, verisimilitude, truthiness: the words of new media ASSIGNMENT: Write a response paper about your role and responsibility to others in the future. Due the day of the final.

Nov 30 Dec 5 literacy.

Dec 7 Dec 13 Final Day

Growing Up Digital response presentation due. Last day of class. Open Source and Augmented reality.