Week 1 Summary

On Monday 30th January the following was covered:

The presentation can be found on the blackboard

- Introduction to the MECS1008: Introduction to New Media module

(An introduction to the module, what will be covered, what the assignments are, what teaching approaches and materials will be used.)

- Setting up the Online Learning Journals (blogs)

(Support was given to students in setting up their Online Learning Journals (blogs) which will be updated for the first assignment of this module)

Homework

- To complete the set-up of the Online Learning Journal.

- To write your first 'post' on the topic of "Old vs. New Media', giving one example of a new, digital media that has replaced an old, traditional media, and what the positive and negatives are of this. More details below.


- To read the handout: Chapter 1: Digital Theory: theorizing New Media, authored by Glen Creeber, from the key text: Creeber, G. and Martin, R. (eds) (2009). Digital Cultures: Understanding New Media, Berkshire: Open University Press.

1st post: Old Media vs New Media

Write a blog post on the topic: ‘Old’ Media vs ‘New’ Media

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of New Media through an example of a new media that you use that has replaced an old media you used or still use. For example, an online newspaper/website vs. a newspaper.

This must post must be between 150 - 300 words long and must be submitted (‘posted’) on your Online Learning Journal before the deadline.

Deadline: 12.00pm: Monday 6^th February.

This will be one of your 5 minimum contributions to your blog.

Objectives of this post:

• To start using the Online Learning Journal.
• Identify what new media is and how this differs to old media.
• Reflect critically upon your own experience of new media.

Assignment One

Assignment One: 40%

1. Keep an Online Learning Journal (blog)

Details: Assignment One

-       The Online Learning Journal will be created using Blogspot in your first Seminar in Week One

-       A handout will be provided for guidance on setting up and keeping it.

-       Students must use their student number as the blog ID and URL

-       All Online Learning Journal’s will need to be private not public.

-       The aim of the Online Learning Journal is to have a personal creative journal to collate individual notes, reflections, web-links, research and written text over the module, which will be a valuable resource when approaching assignment two: writing an academic essay.

Requirements: Assignment One

A) Five Written ‘Posts’:

Students are required to write five ‘posts’ between weeks 1 – 9. These ‘posts’ are between 150 – 300 words in length each. The post titles are:

1. “Old Media” vs. “New Media”
2. New Media Glossary Challenge
3. How have mobile medias shaped participatory culture?
4. How has the Internet changed journalism?
5. A conversation in Second Life to critically reflect on avatar experience.

Further details for each post will be given during seminars and students are expected to have completed each post within one week, before the next seminar.

Students are expected to use both primary and secondary materials in their discussions. Students must reference the origin of all images, videos and quotes included on their blog. Spelling, grammar and referencing will be marked.

In Week 9 students are required to give a short visual presentation of their blog and provide peer feedback to each other on their blogs.

B) Twenty Website ‘Links’:

Students are required to save a minimum of 20 ‘links’ to websites, videos, books and journals that are discussed in the seminars or are research towards assignment two.

By week 9 students will have completed five written ‘posts’ (150-300 words each) and added a minimum of 20 links to their Online Learning Journals

Both A and B requirements of Assignment One detailed above will contribute to the assessment, which is 40%.

The deadline for Assignment one is: Wednesday 28^th March at 3pm.

More details about the assignment learning outcomes and deadlines are in the module handbook, available on in Blackboard.

Creating your Online Learning Journal

As part of this module you are expected to keep an Online Learning Journal and you will be given a task to update it each weekly between weeks 1 – 9. Your Online Learning Journal is essentially a ‘blog’. This is part of your assessment for this module, so will only be used for this purpose and kept private.

What is a blog?

• A blog is the term used for a ‘web log’, it is a type of personal website that is updated regularly and enables you to keep a log (by date) of your activities and in this case, what you are learning on this module.
• A blog is creative: you design how you want it to look and you can include text, images, web-links, videos and music, making it personal and visual.
• A blog can become part of an online community; you can share your blog with the world, just with friends or keep it private.
• A blog is a type of new media and will be an opportunity to experience new media first hand.

Aim of the Online Learning Journal

The aim of the Online Learning Journal is to have your own creative journal to collate your individual notes, reflections, web-links, research and written text over the module, which will be a valuable resource when approaching assignment 2: writing an academic essay.

Online Learning Journal Assignment

Each week you will be given a task to upload text or web-links to add to your Online Learning Journal. These will be checked each week and by week 9 you will have a minimum of five written blog posts (each 150-300 words long) and a minimum of twenty links. The deadline for the finished Online Learning Journal is 28/03/12 and this is 40% of your overall assessment in this module.

Your Online Learning Journal will be created using Blogspot – a popular blogging website, which is easy to use and make personal to you. Please follow the following guide to set up your Online Learning Journal: here referred to as a blog.

A guide to how to set up your Online Learning Journal is available in Blackboard.

About this blog

This blog is designed to be hub for students of the 'Introduction to New Media' module at University of Worcester. This will be updated with info, tips, links and discussions related to MECS1008. Students are encouraged to comment on blog posts and are required to add a link to this blog on their Online Learning Journal (blog) for assignmetn one of this module. All presentation slides and documents are available from Blackboard.