This advanced course is designed for majors in the New Media track to survey new developments and applications in converged media. Curriculum is constructive, guiding students to seek out, use, and evaluate developing technologies focused on communicating, entertaining and informing. Students will use established rubrics from COMM 2500 to evaluate new applications and their impacts on existing paradigms such as publishing and broadcasting.
Program Learning Outcomes
The Communication Baccalaureate of the Department of Communication at Dixie State University is driven by specific learning outcomes, skills and competencies that the degree is designed to reach in both human and mediated communication. These include:
Theory - Explain and apply concepts from communication theoretical traditions in small groups, business, interpersonal, mass media, and public settings.
Content Creation - Create appropriate and effective messages based on skilled analysis of the audience and situation using mediated and non-mediated presentations with a variety of purposes.
Critical Thinking - Apply good reasoning, critical thinking and problem solving skills in interpersonal, small group, organizational, public, and mass media settings.
Research - Apply effective skills in researching, organizing, and writing appropriate professional documents, personal communication, and effective communication analysis.
Global Perspective - Demonstrate effective cross-cultural communication knowledge and skills in achieving a global perspective.
Ethics - Exercise ethical principles in all aspects of the communication discipline.
This course, New Media Applications, seeks to sustain these outcomes through the student learning objectives below.
Student Learning Objectives
New media applications and technologies change the communication landscape on a daily basis and impact how audiences receive, share and archive information. The goal of this course is staying current with that landscape, or at least developing the ability to do so, an imperative competency for graduates in the New Media track.
New media applications and technologies change the communication landscape on a daily basis and impact how audiences receive, share and archive information. The goal of this course is staying current with that landscape, or at least developing the ability to do so, an imperative competency for graduates in the New Media track.
Students can reach this goal through regular attendance and participation and by these outcomes:
- Assess implications and trends of new media applications;
- Navigate the new technologies marketplace and identify heavy hitters and developing influences;
- Analyze market and user impacts from new media applications.
Item Pool
Application Development - Published Blog and Presented
This group activity focuses on the process and analysis of developing either a mobile or desktop application to the point of a proof of concept. The scope and scale of the app should consider the user's pain, the application's disruption to existing user or market paradigms, the app's competition in the market, the app's scalability, its ideal proof-of-concept and its distribution strategy.
Best Device - Published Blog
Now that you're quickly becoming a new media guru, friends, family and people you don't even know will be asking for advice on what's the best new gadget (smart phone or tablet) for them. To prepare for this end you will identify a set of consumer values based on the needs of your client (corporate, finance, medical, communication), review the range of devices available specific to those needs and make a recommendation.
Abstinence - Response Blog or Facebook Entry
Can you do it? Go 48 continuous hours device free. During your techno-fast write with an old-fashioned utensil such as a pen, pencil or charcoal how you managed two entire days without your smart phone, your iPad, your iPod, your MP3 player, your laptop, PC or Mac. Traditional media are permissible as long as you adhere to the spirit of this experiment. For example, if you want to listen to Maroon 5, you'll need to have the CD. Extra credit if you have the LP. After you've endured the 48-hour device-free break, transfer your written observations to your blog or your Facebook wall for your peers to read. Provide an analysis of how often you thought of or actually turned to use your new media device, symptoms of withdrawal, and if you fell off the wagon, justify what was a stake enough for you to compromise twenty percent of your grade.
AppReview - Daily Primer
Each class session will open with an AppReview, an evaluation and recommendation of your favorite applications for both smart phones and tablets.
This group activity focuses on the process and analysis of developing either a mobile or desktop application to the point of a proof of concept. The scope and scale of the app should consider the user's pain, the application's disruption to existing user or market paradigms, the app's competition in the market, the app's scalability, its ideal proof-of-concept and its distribution strategy.
Best Device - Published Blog
Now that you're quickly becoming a new media guru, friends, family and people you don't even know will be asking for advice on what's the best new gadget (smart phone or tablet) for them. To prepare for this end you will identify a set of consumer values based on the needs of your client (corporate, finance, medical, communication), review the range of devices available specific to those needs and make a recommendation.
Abstinence - Response Blog or Facebook Entry
Can you do it? Go 48 continuous hours device free. During your techno-fast write with an old-fashioned utensil such as a pen, pencil or charcoal how you managed two entire days without your smart phone, your iPad, your iPod, your MP3 player, your laptop, PC or Mac. Traditional media are permissible as long as you adhere to the spirit of this experiment. For example, if you want to listen to Maroon 5, you'll need to have the CD. Extra credit if you have the LP. After you've endured the 48-hour device-free break, transfer your written observations to your blog or your Facebook wall for your peers to read. Provide an analysis of how often you thought of or actually turned to use your new media device, symptoms of withdrawal, and if you fell off the wagon, justify what was a stake enough for you to compromise twenty percent of your grade.
AppReview - Daily Primer
Each class session will open with an AppReview, an evaluation and recommendation of your favorite applications for both smart phones and tablets.
Policies and Resources
Qualification
As an upper division core class for the Bachelor of Communication degree, you need to achieve a C+ or higher as the grade outcome of this class for it to count towards your degree requirements.
Final Exam
The final exam for this class is May 2nd at 12:30 p.m.
Missing Class
Two absences and your evaluation drops one whole grade. Four absences results in administrative withdrawal or if after the withdraw deadline, failing the course. There is no such thing as an excused absence. You show up or you don’t. The drop date this semester is March 4.
Plagiarism and Cheating
Plagiarism is the use of another source’s words, ideas or statistics without their permission and/or proper citation. Anyone who plagiarizes material in my class will receive a grade of zero on that assignment. Anyone found cheating on term assessments will fail the test, though I also reserve the right to assign you an “F” for the course and/or refer you to our chair for further sanctions. If you submit a falsified electronic document that I cannot open, you will fail the assignment. Please keep in mind that one can be expelled from the college for academic dishonesty.
Electronic Devices
Bring your technology to class, your tablets, laptops and smart phones, and use them in our discussions and presentations. But, please don't text, call or surf online for anything not having to do with the day's topic. Please put your phone on vibrate. Should your device make any ring or notification sound, interrupting class, you owe me a completely stamped Cafe Rio meal card. Second infraction and you're buying everyone lunch at Cafe Rio. If I find you engaged in an online activity that is not related to class activity you will owe me a full Cafe Rio card for each infraction. Really.
Submission of Assignments
Any work for this class that is to be submitted by means other than online will be submitted via email as a Google doc. This ensures I can open your document and verify contents regardless of platform. No other format will be accepted. Format your submissions in the subject line with the course number, assignment, and your name. If I were submitting the first assignment for COMM4330, my subject line would read:
COMM4330, Assignment 1, Young.
Likewise, if you email me a link to your work on your blog, please format the subject line in the same manner.
Assignments are due the date indicated on the course schedule on this web site. I don't accept late work nor do I accept technical excuses like a crashed computer or an email glitch. Papers are due by the beginning of class. Work containing typographical and grammatical errors will be returned without evaluation. Proof your work. The college provides a free service for students desiring additional assistance with their writing assignments. The Writing Center is located in the Browning Building. Call Barbara Turnbow at 652-7743 for information.
Email Communication
Important class and college information will be sent to your D-mail account. All DSC students are automatically assigned a D-mail email account. Click and select D-mail for complete instructions. You will be held accountable for information sent to your D-mail, so please check it often.
Hostility
I reserve the right to remove any student from this class and/or program based on documentable breech of citizenship such as sexual harassment, hostile environment, discrimination based on race, religion, gender and/or sexuality, as well as plagiarism, misrepresentation, and/or malicious gossip.
Withdrawal and Drop Deadlines
Please consult the semester schedule for withdrawal and reimbursement deadlines. You will be charged a $10 fee for dropping this class.
Late Work and Missing Tests
Should you miss an assessment due to medical reasons, you must provide documentation that states you were otherwise occupied at the time or in the general vicinity of class time. All excused absences must be presented right after the absence, and will be verified. I will determine what is excused. Any missed exams will only be made up with appropriate excused documentation.
Students with Disabilities
If you are a student with a medical, psychological or a learning difference and requesting reasonable academic accommodations due to this disability, you must provide an official request of accommodation to your professor(s) from the Disability Resource Center within the first two weeks of the beginning of classes. Students are to contact the center on the main campus to follow through with, and receive assistance in the documentation process to determine the appropriate accommodations related to their disability.
You may call (435) 652-7516 for an appointment and further information regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 per Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The office is located in the Student Services Center, Room #201 of the Edith Whitehead Building.
Library and Literacy Contacts
Dianne Hirning is the librarian over Communication resources. She is your resource and guide for research within this discipline. You can reach her at hirning@dixie.edu and by phone at 652-7720.
Resources:
* Library - http://library.dixie.edu
* Writing Center - http://new.dixie.edu/english/dsc_writing_center.php
* Testing Center - http://new.dixie.edu/testing
* Tutoring Center - http://dsc.dixie.edu/tutoring/
