Digital Media Literacy -- SCOM 120 01

Professor Ingrid Sturgis

Office Hours:

Email: isturgis@howard.edu
Course website: TK

Please take your time to read this syllabus carefully!

GETTING STARTED:
Welcome to Digital Media Literacy, a hybrid hands-on introductory
course comprised of video lectures, tutorials, assignments, readings,
quizzes and discussion forums that we will use to help you learn the
essential concepts, techniques, and skills to acquire the
communications and life skills necessary for full participation in our
media-saturated, information-rich society. This course will examine the
computer as a medium. Hands-on learning will provide the technical
skills to survive in our new digital culture, while critical readings and
assignments will offer the cognitive skills to understand it. You will
learn the difference

Course Description: The advent of the computer, and of digital

technologies such as the World Wide Web, has caused profound
changes in the way we communicate and create. Being a literate
person today includes digital media literacy, which Dr. Rene Hobbs
describes as the ability to compose messages using language, graphic
design, images, and sound, and know how to use these skills to engage
in the civic life of their communities.

Today most people in the United States live persistently connected

lives. Not only do they subscribe to cable TV with hundreds of channels
and broadband Internet access, according to Pew Research Center, 90
percent of Americans own cell phones and another 58 percent own
smart phones that permit interactive activities from watching videos to
playing games to listening music as well as receiving and sending
messages. Americans are always on. This extends to the classroom.
In school year 2012-13, U.S. students in traditional K-12 schools
enrolled in almost 750,000 online courses through their state (Source:
Evergreen Education Group).

But what does it mean to live in an always-on society, when news

and information can flow from anyone with a laptop and WiFi

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connection? How engaged are these students online? How do we make
sense and validate the information that we receive to make sure we
are knowledgeable about the issues that affect us? How do we patrol
our privacy to make sure our personal information is safe?

By the end of this class, you will hopefully no longer be passive

participants of the media landscape, but active inquisitors and
creators, who can not only critically reflect on what they consume and
create, but also understand its relationship to the world at large.

Prerequisites or Co-requisites: None

Course Objectives: By the end of this course, we will understand the

technical and conceptual foundations of new media. We will
understand and be able to write critically and clearly about the
fundamentals of digital tools, including networking, participatory
culture, copyright, hypertext, narrative, interactivity, and computer
games. This class will help to develop and critically examine the
cultural competencies, technological and social skills necessary for the
new media landscape of the Essential Competencies of Digital and
Media Literacy.

By the end the course students will be able to:

1. ACCESS Find and use media and technology tools skillfully and
share appropriate and relevant information with others
2. ANALYZE & EVALUATE Comprehend messages and use critical
thinking to analyze message quality, veracity, credibility, and point of
view, while considering potential effects or consequences of messages
3. CREATE Compose or generate content using creativity and
confidence in self-expression, with awareness of purpose, audience,
and composition techniques
4. REFLECT Apply social responsibility and ethical principles to ones
own identity and lived experience, communication behavior and
conduct
5. ACT Work individually and collaboratively to share knowledge and
solve problems in the family, the workplace and the community, and
participate as a member of a community at local, regional, national
and international levels.
-- Digital and Media Literacy (2011), Renee Hobbs.

Course Goals

By participating in this course, students will:

Acquire an understanding of the historical context, current trends
and future projections of digital communication methods

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 Develop an awareness of unintended consequences of new
technology
Become a critical consumer of information
Become better writers and more analytical thinkers

Learning Outcomes
After completing this course, students will be able to:
Explain basic concepts and theory in new (digital) media
Describe the historical context of computer-based
communication
Use e-portfolio, blogging and other web technologies to share
personal thoughts and interact with classmates
Identify three inventions that provided the foundation for todays
digital communication technologies
Demonstrate an understanding of the political, economic, social,
cultural and ethical issues that accompany the use of these
technologies.
Analyze the development of technology and its continuing
impact on culture, the economy, privacy, law, politics, social
movements and journalism.

Skill Development
Be able to use the World Wide Web as a research tool
Effectively communicate complex subjects in engaging oral
presentations
Develop and refine skill in identifying and citing credible
resources
Demonstrate a self-reliant approach to solving basic technology
and information challenges.
Demonstrate an understanding of how networked technologies
impact issues of diversity, including race, gender, class and
regionalism.
Demonstrate an understanding of data and statistics to gauge
their relevance, quality or reliability.
Know the relevant literature in several domains of study relating
to new media and society.
Develop a set of skills for writing short, theoretically informed
pieces that apply the research literature to real world events and
concerns
Outline some of the ethical challenges which youth face in their
roles as media producers and members of online communities.

HOW THIS CLASS IS CONDUCTED:

This class will be conducted in a way that is different from your
previous classroom experiences. In the traditional class, I would lecture
and you would take notes trying to keep up with the facts and

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information that I presented. Then you would have homework based on
what was discussed in class. In the FLIPPED CLASSROOM, I will record
many of my lectures and post them or link to online video
presentations of the concepts that will be discussed in class. You
review and take notes on these lectures and presentations before
class. When you come to class, bring your notes and plan to work with
the students sitting near you. This will mean a livelier, more engaging
class than you have experienced before.

Instructors Educational Philosophy

My goal is to provide a stimulating environment for learning. Course
material includes both theory and application, with an emphasis on
application to real world problems and situations. Written and oral
reports are required because these skills are needed in the work
environment in general, and in web development, management, and
consulting in particular. Students are required to comment and
collaborate as these are practical skills; the means used demonstrates
theories and technologies explored in class.

TEXTBOOKS AND OTHER RESOURCES

Readings as assigned. No textbook

Supplementary Reading
Mashable.com
Wired.com or Wired magazine
The Next Web (online)
Fast Company (online or magazine)
Robert Scoble (online)

Books:
Gee, J. P. (2007). Good video games+ good learning: Collected essays
on video games, learning, and literacy (Vol. 27). Peter Lang Pub
Incorporated.
Gilster, P., & Glister, P. (2003). Digital literacy. Wiley Computer Pub.
McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality is broken: Why games make us better and
how they can change the world. Penguin Press HC.
Watkins, S. C. (2009). The young and the digital: What the migration to
social network sites, games, and anytime, anywhere media means for
our future. Beacon Press.

COURSE POLICIES

How to be a successful student online:

https://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/2012/09/28/five-
step-strategy-for-student-success-with-online-learning/

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http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/how-students-develop-
online-learning-skills

Attendance Policy: Attendance, punctuality and adherence to

deadlines are mandatory and will affect your final grade. I will take
attendance at the beginning of each class. Attendance is part of your
class participation grade. The instructors grade book is the official
record. More than two class absences results in an automatic, one-
letter-grade reduction for the course. Three unexcused tardies equal
one absence. Four absences result in failure of the course. You are
expected to be on time and ready to participate every class meeting.
Late arrivals and early departures will count as partial absence at the
instructor's discretion.

Missed Exams or Classwork

There will be no make-up quizzes or make-up classwork. However, if
you miss a quiz or other classwork because of an emergency, you
should submit a documented excuse as explained above.

A. Make-up exams are not permitted for unexcused absences. Students

who fail to attend an exam will be given a grade of zero for the exam.
Students who miss an exam without a legitimate excuse will
automatically receive 0 points for that exam.

B. Only students with legitimate excuses will be allowed to make up

missed exams.

Computation of Final Course Grade

Your grade for this class will be based on a possible total of 500 points; and your
score will be translated into the 4.0 scale. The final project will be published as a
standalone website using WordPress as a content management system.
Your final grade will be based on the total points received.

In-Class Assignments/ Class Participation . Up to 50 points

Quizzes .75 points
Reading Reponses/Reflections.75 points
Midterm Assignment... 100 points
Final Project150 points,
Experiential Component 50 points
(In addition to the meeting with your discussion group outside class,
students will be asked to attend a lecture, movie screening or other
campus event.)
Total: Up to 1,000 points

Letter Grade Point Ranges Grade Point Value

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A 999-1000
B 800-999
C 700-899
D 600-799
F under 600

*****These percentages are subject to change because of additional or

fewer assignments as needed.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

High quality writing and work (A or 90 100%)

The assignment consistently exceeds expectations. It demonstrates originality and
creativity. It also demonstrates use of critical thinking skills. It contains all of the
information prescribed for the assignment and demonstrates a command of the
subject matter. Paper is formatted as syllabus instructs and is presented in clear,
readable format. Establishes and maintains a clear understanding of the assignment.
Expresses ideas clearly. There are few grammatical, mechanical or organizational
issues that detract from presenting idea. Work is publishable with few or no
corrections.

Quality writing and work (B or 80 89%)

The assignment consistently meets expectations. It contains all of the information
required for the assignment and demonstrates a command of the assignment. May
have some organizational or grammar challenges but these do not significantly
detract from the assignment goals.

Acceptable writing and work (C or 70 79%)

The assignment fails to consistently meet expectations. The assignment is complete
but contains problems that detract from the intended goals. These issues may relate
to content detail, grammar, or a general lack of clarity. Other problems may include
not fully following assignment directions. Information, descriptions, or details are
vague, general, or repetitive. Lacks a variety of sentence types, lengths, and
beginnings. Some spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and word usage errors. Some
errors of subject/verb and noun/pronoun agreement. Some sentence fragments.
Paper is difficult to read.

Poor writing and work (D or 60 69%)

The assignment fails to meet expectations. It is incomplete or in some other way
consistently fails to demonstrate a firm grasp of the assigned material. Below C
Little or no understanding of the assignment. Many errors of subject/verb and
noun/pronoun agreement. Many sentence fragments and run-ons. Sloppy
presentation. Incorrect format. No succinct conclusion. No title/header.

Unacceptable project and work (F or 59% and below)

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No understanding of the assignment; much of the components of the assignment are
missing; the assignment is completely formatted incorrectly; accidental or intentional
plagiarism.

FAILING THE COURSE: A student may fail the course if the student
does not complete assignments or meet expectations for assignments
as outlined in the syllabus. IMPORTANT: Missing the midterm exam
(or project) or missing session(s) featuring the final student
presentations or failing to turn in the final project will result in course
failure.

Incomplete Grades and Withdrawals

University policy permits incomplete grades only in extenuating
circumstances for emergencies occurring near the end of the semester
that prevent completion of the course AND only if 70 percent or more
of the coursework has already been completed. You must meet both
conditions. Emergencies must be documented beforehand in the
deans office or Academic Advising in the School of Communications
and/or the Office of Special Student Services. If you fall behind for
other reasons, dont ask for an incomplete grade. Make plans to retake
the courseeven if it means delayed graduation.

You must submit a request for an incomplete grade in writing with the
appropriate documentation before final grades are due. You are also
required to sign a document justifying the incomplete grade, verifying
the current grade of Incomplete/F (I/F) and outlining remaining
assignments with due dates to be completed before the university
deadline. Copies of the form will be distributed to you, the deans office
and the Department of Media, Journalism and Film. Your incomplete
grade will automatically convert to an F if the terms of the agreement
are not fulfilled.

CODE OF CONDUCT

We expect you to behave professionally and be respectful when

participating in
the discussion forums. Cheating cannot be controlled in a class like
this, but it
really goes against your best interest: if you turn in work that is not
yours (or if
you turn in something meaningless), you will hurt your learning
experience.

VERY IMPORTANT: The instructors reserve the right to warn, or even

remove from the course, students that do not respect ethical rules
regarding exercises, quizzes, assignments and students that engage in

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disruptive behavior. This includes practicing respectful communication
in class and in the discussion forums with your peers and colleagues.

SUGGESTIONS FOR SUCCESS

Attend class regularly.
Remember I am available to help you. Ask for help immediately if you dont
understand something. Waiting to get it later doesnt always work and could get
you into trouble.
Back up your work. Have two backups. Memory sticks/thumb drives work, but can
break.
Consider saving your work under different names literally each time you work on a
project. It just takes one click and could save you lots of time and frustration.
Expect the unexpected.
Try to do work for this class ahead of time. This will give you some cushion in case
you have problems.
Sometimes things will go smoothly, other times they wont the important thing is to
have fun and practice thinking and working with both sides of our brains.

Guide to student success:

How to be a successful student online:
https://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/2012/09/28/five-step-strategy-for-student-
success-with-online-learning/
http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/how-students-develop-online-learning-skills

Why you should take notes by hand not on a laptop:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-learning-secret-don-t-take-notes-with-a-
laptop/

o Multitaskers bad at Multitasking (BBC article)

o The Myth of Multitasking (NPR listen)
o Think youre Multitasking? (NPR listen)
o Multitasking Test (Nat Geo watch)
o Multitasking and Learning (Slate article)
o Use of Laptops in Class (Canadian Study)
o
Please read Student Email Guidelines
http://writingcommons.org/index.php/open-text/new-media/netiquette/1024-e-mail-
guidelines-for-student

Additional Requirements
Students in the School of Communications are required to create and
maintain an ePortfolio to save their work. The purpose of the ePortfolio
is to serve as a tool for learning or reflection. For the student,
the process of developing the ePortfolio is to document what they have

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learned. The other purpose of ePortfolios is for students to showcase
their work. It also serves as a record of accomplishment that the
instructor can refer to for grading purposes. If you didnt set up an
ePortfolio in Freshman Orientation or earlier, please contact Professor
Kyle Murdock for guidance.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND PLAGIARISM

I take academic integrity extremely seriously. When you turn in work

that is not your own, you communicate to me that you are not serious
about this course and I will adjust your grade to reflect that. If I suspect
that you have submitted dishonest work, you will receive a zero for the
assignment. You may also fail the course and the case may be
forwarded to department and university administrators. If you have
any doubts as to whether work you plan to submit violates the
standards of academic integrity, please ask me in advance. It is better
to have an honest question cleared up before the fact than to risk
failure and disciplinary action.

Please keep in mind that the School of Communications maintains a

zero-tolerance policy on plagiarism, cheating, fabrication (including
fake sources and quotations), forgeries and duplication, which also
includes submitting the same work to more than one class or media
outlet without prior faculty approval. All of your work must be original
and created by you. Joint projects must be pre-approved with clarity
and documentation of the division of labor. Committing any of these
infractions could result in:
A failing grade for an assignment or the course
Suspension for a semester or more
Delayed graduation
Expulsion from the university and/or
Revocation of your degree even if the infraction is discovered
years after you graduate.

Plagiarism is a reprehensible offense. It is an act of dishonesty and

undermines the credibility that is essential to all professional
communicators. The Howard University H-Book for Academic Offenses
(Section II.1.b) defines plagiarism as: to take and pass off as ones
own the ideas, and writings of another, without attribution (without
acknowledging the author).
The copying does not have to be exact to be plagiarism. Shuffling the
order of ideas, moving paragraphs around, loosely paraphrasing, or
changing a word here and there does not mean you have made the
work your own.

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Students in the Department of Media, Journalism and Film are expected
to do original analysis, reporting, writing, editing, filming or capturing
of audio. This includes social media and other forms of
communications. Students are expected to explicitly cite the sources of
any information that is not derived from their own independent work.

Here are a few donts:

Dont use excessive citations from a single source, which can
result in a copyright infringement. Put in the work to make the story
your own.
Dont include excessively long quotations without attribution.
Thats plagiarism.
Dont use images or audio without permission.
Dont assume that information widely available to the public on
the Internet or through other means is fair game. This includes
many instances of common knowledge. For example, if youre
thinking, Everyone knows that. Ask yourself, How do they
know? Go to the source of the information, and cite the source.

Heres a rule to live by: If you have any doubt about the need to cite
a source, cite the source. Err on the side of over-attribution. If you
dont know, ask. In addition, please review the plagiarism information
under Library System atwww.howard.edu. All instances of plagiarism or
other forms of academic misconduct are documented in the students
academic record, filed in the deans office and require a meeting with
the instructor and the chair and/or assistant chair of the Department of
Media, Journalism and Film at minimum. The department will seek the
immediate suspension of any student whose academic record includes
previous punishment for plagiarism or similar misconduct.

Course Structure
This course is designed to provide an online experience, including both
face-to-face and online activities.
Contact time will be divided in the following way:
10% face-to-face
90% online

Online sessions will be a blend of self-paced and group activities using

Blackboard and other websites. Activities will consist of discussion
forums, email, journaling, blogging, wikis, multimedia presentation and
web posting. Face-to-face sessions will be held in Screening Room
West.

LEARNING COMMUNITY
This is a seminar course with a stimulating collaborative learning
atmosphere. We will establish a general foundation for common

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knowledge together, however, this class will allow you to follow your
own passion, and to learn about the areas that capture the interest of
your colleagues. Successful students in this class will (1) take
advantage of the opportunity to pursue their own interests; and (2)
actively engage in class readings, discussion, and activities.

CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE
Please arrive on time for all class meetings. Late students will not be
permitted to enter more than 10 minutes late. Students who habitually
disturb the class by talking, arriving late, etc., and have been warned
may suffer a reduction in their final class grade.

LAPTOPS, CELL PHONES: The judicious use of a laptop during class

is both useful and encouraged. However, please limit non class-related
surfing or other activities. Please set your cell phones on vibrate and
limit conversationseither by voice, text, or messaging to our breaks.
Mobile phones, watch alarms, iPod and other are permitted for use in
in-class assignments and research when the professor allows it. But
should not be used for personal communication during class time.
Please silence cell phones and other audio devices. Those not heeding
this rule will be asked to leave the classroom/lab immediately so as to
not disrupt the learning environment.

BACK UP, BACK UP BACK UP. Store your work on a portable USB
storage device (flash drive). Always backup assignments on a separate
flash drive. Always have at least two digital copies of everything that
you create. Viruses are rampant. There will be NO accepted
excuses for assignments lost to computer failure or lost flash
drives. If you lose your work before it is graded, it will result in
a failure. You can use Dropbox or Google Docs or Microsoft
OneDrive to back up assignments.

CONTACTING THE INSTRUCTORS

We will make every attempt to answer emails promptly. Please allow 48
hours for us to get back to you. If you include SCOM in the subject
line of your email that will alert us that you have a class-related issue. I
encourage you to consult this syllabus and any documents distributed
in class before posing redundant questions (particularly if you have
been absent from class).

I am happy to meet with you in order to accommodate your schedule. I also

strongly encourage you to send questions, comments, concerns to me via email. I
check my campus email less frequently on F-Su; please do not expect an answer to
email sent F-Su until Monday. Please use clear subject lines that includes the
course number SCOM120. If you have not heard from me within 48 hours, please

11
resend; it would also be a
good idea to also change the subject line. [Note: emails without subject lines will
not be read; they are automatically filtered into the spam folder.]

***You are much more likely to receive a response from faculty

and staff when your correspondence is professional and
courteous. I prefer to be addressed as Professor Sturgis.

We are here to help so always feel free to ask questions or share

ideas. You are encouraged to drop in during office hours, or we can talk
after class or we can set up an appointment at another time that is
more convenient for you. E-mail is a sure-fire way to contact me. E-
mail is an excellent communication tool, and I check mine on a very
regular basis. Ill usually answer within 48 hours. In class I will talk
about our communication via social media.

Class Participation and Group Work Policy

Everyone must take part in a collaborative project. Once formed,
groups cannot be altered or switched, except for reasons of extended
hospitalization.

Formatting and File Naming Conventions

Use a one-word slug (or label) for each article and its multimedia
components. Number multiple components, such as photos. Add your
byline to the story slug and your initials to multimedia components.
Include your last name in the slug line for audio. Add the initials of the
editor/producer, i.e., Jasmine Doe would be jd at the end. For example:

METRO-Ingrid Sturgis-jd
METRO PIX 1-is-jd
METRO PIX 2-is-jd
METRO VIDEO-is-jd
METRO AUDIO 1-SMITH-is-jd
METRO AUDIO 2-JONES-is-jd
METRO CHART-is-jd

Single space articles without paragraph indentations and leave a line

space between paragraphssimilar to the format of this syllabus. Make
sure the correct byline is at the top of the article. The writer and/or you
should create hyperlinks for all proper nouns and other reader-friendly
information. All stories MUST include hyperlinks. Double check links to
make sure that they work.

All written assignments must be TYPED AND DOUBLE-SPACED WITH AT

LEAST A ONE-INCH MARGIN ON ALL SIDES, unless otherwise noted.
INCLUDE A CITATION FOR ALL RESEARCH MATERIALS. Include your

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name, e-mail address, course name, assignment description, and date
in the upper left corner. This information can be single-spaced. Do not
include your student ID number. Please submit both a HARD COPY OF
YOUR ASSIGNMENT ON PAPER, AND UPLOAD via Blackboard, or
TESTS/SURVEYS. Do not e-mail assignments, unless instructed. E-mail
should be used primarily to communicate with Professor Sturgis. Edited
assignments must be also posted to your blog.

SUPPORT
Library Support: If you have questions about databases or search
strategies, you can contact the reference staff in Founders Library.
Tutorial Support: http://www.cetla.howard.edu/wac/students.aspx
A number of institutions have organized a staff of cybertutors so that
their students can receive one-on-one assistance online. You can
search the Web for tutorials that provide explanations and self-scoring
quizzes. See, for instance, the Darlings Grammar site at
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/ for writing tutorials. You
can also watch a number of short videos to improve your study skills
(including time management) on Dartmouths Academic Success
Center website at
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~acskills/success/index.html.

Writing Center
For additional assistance with your writing, visit HEC 1024 (M TH 9-5)
or Locke 100 (see the posted hours). Tutors from the Department of
English can provide one-on-one or computer-assisted instruction.

SUPPORT SERVICES
American Disabilities Act (ADA)
Howard University is committed to providing an educational
environment that is accessible to all students. In accordance with this
policy, students who need accommodations because of a disability
should contact Dean for Student Services (202-238-2420), as soon as
possible after admission to the University or at the beginning of each
semester. If you need a special accommodation required by the
American Disabilities Act, please document and discuss your disability
with me during the first two weeks of classes.

COURSE SCHEDULE
This syllabus is a general guide to the semester. It is subject to change.
Changes will be either announced in class, on the course website
(http://blackboard.howard.edu) or via e-mail. It is the students
responsibility to keep abreast of courses changes.
Teaching methodologies: This course will use a variety of teaching
methods including but not limited to lectures, guest speakers,
discussion groups, online teaching and group projects.

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COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Week 1. JAN. 11/13: Course Introduction and Syllabus

Overview

GETTING STARTED

FIRST STEPS
1. Take the SYLLABUS QUIZ (TK) http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LHPD7MQ
This assures me that you have read the syllabus and understand expectations.
2.
3. Take the BLACKBOARD TUTORIAL

4. Course Introduction and Syllabus Overview

Evolution of Digital Communication

An informed citizenry is the bedrock of American government, and a right guaranteed by
the First Amendment. This guarantee of press freedom in the Bill of Rights sets up the
journalist as a watchdog of government in a democracy, and lays the foundation for the
media in America. But the press is not the only contributor to American press freedom.
Citizens need to evaluate the news and information they get, and then put it to work.

This module is designed to teach you about the history and legacy of the First
Amendment and press freedom, and to help you become more discriminating media
consumers at a time when the digital revolution is spawning an unprecedented flood of
information and disinformation each day.

The module will help you recognize and understand the differences among various
information sources available through print, broadcast and online. You will learn to see
the difference between news and propaganda, and news and opinion and news and
entertainment. You will learn the difference between bias and fairness, and assertion and
verification in print and online and broadcast reports. You will also learn why the First
Amendments guarantee of a free press does not ensure responsible dissemination of
information.

You will learn how to apply critical-thinking skills to analyze how to find reliable
information. We explore the universal need to receive and share
information and the function that news has played in every recorded
society: to alert, to connect and to divert. Paying attention to disaster
and celebrity stories even dog stories is embedded deeply in our
DNA.

We then examine the specific cases in the United States and the role
technology has played in amplifying information from smoke signals
to television and how this also has enabled the sender to control the

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news. This leads to a broader discussion of how information is power
and why there is a global battle for information control.

The history of technology with focus on the introduction of personal

computers, the origination of the Internet and Web and how various
sites and platforms things like browsers, search engines, social
media and mobile apps have disrupted traditional media. This
approach offers a mindset that encourages students to think
innovatively about what could or should come next.

Readings:

Views: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlF75iGrIvA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH1fP8Ji9PI
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp7x8veWeCc
http://www.ted.com/talks/markham_nolan_how_to_separate_fact_and_fi
ction_online

https://www.americanpressinstitute.org/journalism-essentials/what-is-
journalism/makes-journalism-different-forms-communication/

* https://www.americanpressinstitute.org/publications/reports/survey-
research/african-american-and-hispanic-perceptions-coverage/
https://ir.stonybrook.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11401/9989/recitation
04knowyourneighborhood.pdf?sequence=1

http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/papers/2014/06/news
-literacy-klurfeld-schneider/klurfeld-schneidernews-literacyupdated-
7814.pdf

http://www.slideshare.net/leviphisig/elements-of-journalism

http://www.media-alliance.org/article.php?id=510

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/feb/04/comment.pre
ssandpublishing
http://www.people-press.org/files/legacy-pdf/9-22-2011%20Media
%20Attitudes%20Release.pdf

https://www.americanpressinstitute.org/publications/reports/survey-
research/african-american-hispanic-news-consumers/

Readings/View:
How the Web Was Won:

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http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2008/07/internet200807

What is Web 2.0?

http://oreilly.com/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html

Long Live the Web. By Berners-Lee, T. (2010). Scientific

American, 303(6), 80-85.

View:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8
A 1981 news report about the
Internet: http://www.wimp.com/theinternet
A view of the future of
media: http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/epic2015

Optional: Computer history timeline:

http://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/?year=1994

Reflection:
How do networks shape the way we organize information and
communicate?
What are networks?

Week 2, Sept. 3: Create Reflective e-Portfolio using Wordpress

a.The purpose of the Wordpress ePortfolio is to serve as a tool for

learning or reflection. For the student, the process of developing the
ePortfolio is to document what you have learned. The other purpose of
the ePortfolio is for students to showcase their work. The reflective e-
portfolio will document student learning, development and any
challenges encountered along the way. Students will reflect upon their
learning, identifying how their knowledge in a particular field has
developed and identify present and future challenges. It also serves as
a record of accomplishment that the instructor can refer to for grading
purposes. Do not use copyrighted material in your reflection. You will
be expected to produce an e-Portfolio using Wordpress to serve as a
resum and a showcase of your work.

b. Writing Reflection
Throughout the semester you are responsible for writing a reflection
related to the theme of the week. Your task is to go beyond descriptive
daily journalism (what happened) to become more analytical (why and
with what consequence). The strongest posts will connect with the
readings in the class and academic literature, and have some topical
angle that frames the post. Minimum requirements for all blog posts
and reflections: 250 words, one image (with permission to use it or

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take yourself), two out-bound links, one comment on discussion board.
The e-portfolio of your work will be reviewed at midterm and at the end
of the semester. Each post should include one image, two outside
links, one comment on classmates posting.

How to Write a Reflective Statement:

http://metroacademies.myefolio.com/efolio/reflect

1. Create Introductory Post.

1. Write a post introducing yourself to your classmates in a paragraph
or two.
2. Shoot a Vine video or Instragram (6 seconds only) and add the
link/hashtag #SCOMHU12016 to your introductory post. Provide a link
to your Wordpress in the Blackboard.
3. SOCIAL MEDIA:

Set up accounts for Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Google, Instagram,

Vine, Socrative and YouTube.

* WHERE TO GET IMAGES THAT DO NOT VIOLATE COPYRIGHT:

http://www.bjp-online.com/2014/03/getty-images-makes-35-million-
images-free-in-fight-against-copyright-infringement/

E-Portfolio Assessment:
100 points: Above average design, usable for primary use case,
functional/SN integration, demonstrates creative thought and initiative
(beyond bare bones)
90 points: Aesthetically pleasing, usable for primary use case,
functional/SN integration
80 points: Lacking in one area: Aesthetically pleasing, usable for
primary use case, functional/SN integration
70 points: Lacking in more than one area: Aesthetically pleasing,
usable for primary use case, functional/SN integration

Wordpress Tutorial I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=qKT9E8Xf4t4&list=PLSelBeVGga2p_3ty32NY6wAJiOj61wf-6

Wordpress Tutorial II
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=m8tdsoGCzKw&index=8&list=PLSelBeVGga2p_3ty32NY6wAJiOj61wf-
6

WP Tutorial III Part 1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=kXs2Nsdb_kk&list=PLSelBeVGga2p_3ty32NY6wAJiOj61wf-6

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WP Tutorial III Part 2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=UCZ4gAPxnSg&list=PLSelBeVGga2p_3ty32NY6wAJiOj61wf-6

Creating pages and menus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=P5dFco1ctyE
Creating slideshows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-
D6WfQqY7QI
Embedding: http://en.support.wordpress.com/videos/youtube/

HOMEWORK: Copy and paste the link to your Wordpress site to

Blackboard

Note: From now on, click ASSIGNMENTS to retrieve your assignments

via Blackboard. If you print out an assignment, remember to check
ANNOUNCEMENTS regularly to see whether I have revised it.

Weekly reflection: What makes new media new?

How do you think Epic 2015 reflects the reality of media today?

Week 2: Finding and Evaluating Online Information

What does it mean to be literate and how has this changed as a

consequence of the introduction of new communication technologies?
What social skills and cultural competencies do young people need to
acquire if they are going to be able to fully participate in the digital
future? What are the ethical choices young people face as participants
in online communities and as producers of media? What can Wikipedia
and Facebook teach us about the future of democratic citizenship? How
effective is Youtube at promoting cultural diversity? What relationship
exists between participatory culture and participatory democracy?

Developing an efficient research technique is made much more

complex in this Information Age, in which has seen an explosion of
information on the Internet. The democratization of distribution, a
termed coined by Om Malik of GigaOm.com, a technology blog, has
resulted in a torrent of information. The reader is faced with so much
content that it is difficult to discern the reliability of the information
uncovered. Who vets what is found online? Excellent resources reside
alongside others of questionable reliability. The module will teach you

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to effectively evaluate the information found on the Internet to gauge
potential relevance, quality or reliability.

Read: http://guides.library.jhu.edu/content.php?
pid=198142&sid=2717962
http://www.infotoday.com/searcher/sep00/piper.htm
http://www.csuchico.edu/lins/handouts/eval_websites.pdf
http://www.journalism.co.uk/news-features/how-to-verify-content-from-
social-media/s5/a548645/
View: http://youtu.be/pEJPf5NjELI
Review: http://snopes.com/

Assignment: Treasure Hunt: http://www.dhmo.org/

Week 3: Social Networks

One of the most studied areas of the effects of digital media on society
comes in the context of the public sphere, where debates about its
nature and changing shape have been ongoing for almost 30 years.
This week focuses on the consequences of changing technologies on
public life.

View:
Godin, S. (2008). Tribes: We need you to lead us. Portfolio Trade.
https://www.ted.com/talks/seth_godin_on_the_tribes_we_lead

Readings:
Rosen, J. (2006). The people formerly known as the
audience. PressThink, June, 27.
http://archive.pressthink.org/2006/06/27/ppl_frmr.html
The people formerly known as the audience:
shttp://www.economist.com/node/18904124
Viewing: Our Digital lives:
http://www.ted.com/playlists/26/our_digital_lives.html (10)

In-Video Quiz
What role do mobile devices play in democratic, political and
economic actions.
How do you live a life online? What role does privacy play in an
online life?
What are the effects of networked technologies on our relations
with others and our identities?
How do social networks transform the way we interact?

Week 4: Creativity and Innovation, legal contexts of digital

media

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Introduction: The rise of the Internet has spurred a broad change in
creativity and innovation. The web makes it easier to cut and past and
remix previous works of creativity. It allows expertise to be distributed
across networks and across the world. Some say this has eroded the
copyright protection for innovators and creators, others say copyright
laws must change to reflect the new paradigm of mix and remix
culture.
View:
http://youtu.be/0QiO_H0-ok8

View:

1.
http://www.ted.com/talks/larry_lessig_says_the_law_is_strangling_creati
vity.html
Walking on Eggshells Parts 1-3
2. Part 1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?
feature=player_embedded&v=Jt0ASo_6Sdg

Read:
1. http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/11/22/something-
borrowed

2. http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/01/hope-image-flap/

Optional:

1. http://www.ted.com/talks/amanda_palmer_the_art_of_asking.html

Reflection:
How has the computer and digital technology changed the way we tell
stories?
How storytelling and the written word changed in the digital
age.
Read: Sturgis/Shurn: Game play

Listen: http://www.onbeing.org/program/seth-godin-on-the-art-of-
noticing-and-then-creating/5000/audio

Reflection: Select one of the following and develop for your reflection.

20
 Fair use. How does fair use of digital materials affect the work of
students and teachers?
How does fair use affect the work of you as content creator?
How has social networks changed the relationship between
creators and their audiences?

EXPERIENCE CREDIT:

From Github to Gifs to Memes: New art forms and shared

creativity in the digital age

The art of storytelling is expanding to creative works, promotional

activities and personal branding. Digital media are shaped not only by
organizing bodies, legal codes and government regulations, but also
social norms. This week looks at how distributed creativity is giving rise
to new art forms.

Telling story though images. Internet Art

How to make an animated GIF.
http://www.fastcodesign.com/1671737/mesmerizing-art-from-a-master-
of-the-animated-gif
http://www.thewire.com/technology/2012/06/25-year-history-animated-
gif-gif-format/53608/
http://blogs.loc.gov/digitalpreservation/2014/06/exhibiting-gifs-an-
interview-with-curator-jason-eppink/
http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/17/4844814/would-you-pay-2000-
for-a-gif
http://www.howtoflyahorse.com/why-memes-matter/

Exercise: Make a Gif

Easy options:
http://makeagif.com/
https://imgflip.com/gifgenerator
http://www.buzzfeed.com/katienotopoulos/how-to-make-a-gif-without-
photoshop#2vqvxi8
http://gifmaker.me/

Challenging options
http://lifehacker.com/the-complete-guide-to-making-animated-gifs-
1503276993
http://gizmodo.com/5941436/how-to-make-a-gif-in-five-easy-steps

21
Variety of options:
http://www.wired.com/2014/08/youtube-gif-converter/
http://webtrends.about.com/od/prof4/tp/Free-Gif-Maker-Apps-Iphone-
Android.htm

Homework: Create a meme or gif to tell the story of a creative

challenge in todays digital world. Embed the image in your Wordpress.

Week 5: Digital Economics

Introduction: A central set of questions relates to the political
economies of digital media and the attendant practices individuals
craft around them. We consider here the economic value(s) of the key
infrastructure providers of networked technologies and the impact that
new media has had on industries such as the financial sector. This
module introduces new careers created by the digital age and the need
to prepare for jobs that dont exist yet.

View:
Why Creativity is the New Economy - Richard Florida
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPX7gowr2vE

Read:
http://www.wired.com/2013/01/thriving-in-the-new-economy-
how-online-is-changing-how-work-gets-done/
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/11/25/gross-domestic-
freebie

Optional: http://ebusiness.mit.edu/ide/initiative/index.html

In-Video Quiz

Week 6: Digital Divide

Introduction: According to the New York Times: "Increasingly, we are
a country in which only the urban and suburban well-off have truly
high-speed Internet access, while the rest the poor and the working
class either cannot afford access or use restricted wireless access as
their only connection to the Internet. As our jobs, entertainment,
politics and even health care move online, millions are at risk of being
left behind." This module examines who make up the digital divide,
whether or not it is growing and possible remedies to avoid leaving the
poor, working class and senior citizens behind in the digital age.

Read:
1. Technology Trends Among People of Color

22
http://www.pewinternet.org/Commentary/2010/September/Technology-
Trends-Among-People-of-Color.aspx
2. How Big Telecom Used Smartphones to Create a New Digital
Divide
http://colorlines.com/archives/2011/12/the_new_digital_divide_two_sep
arate_but_unequal_internets.html
3. The Digital Divide, ICT and the 50x15 Initiative
http://www.internetworldstats.com/links10.htm
4. Whos not online and why
http://www.pewinternet.org/~/media/Files/Reports/2013/PIP_Offline
%20adults_092513_PDF.pdf
5. The New Digital Divide
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/opinion/sunday/internet-access-
and-the-new-divide.html?pagewanted=all

Optional:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/gap-
between-those-who-use-internet-and-those-who-dont-is-
widening/2013/11/12/d9d8d002-4726-11e3-a196-
3544a03c2351_story.html
Designing a Smart-Phone Alphabet for the Illiterate
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/427376/designing-a-
smart-phone-alphabet-for-the-illiterate/
TED Talk
videos: http://www.ted.com/playlists/26/our_digital_lives.html

Reflection: Select one group impacted by the digital divide and

devise a way to help them bridge the digital gap.

WEEK 7: Politics
Introduction: From Howard Deans groundbreaking presidential run in
2004 to Barack Obamas victory in 2008, digital media is transforming
political engagement in both expected and unexpected ways.

Read:
SOCIAL MEDIA OPTIMIZATION.REV5.pdf
TRADITIONAL MEDIA politics.REV4.pdf
http://mprcenter.org/blog/2013/01/how-obama-won-the-
social-media-battle-in-the-2012-presidential-campaign/

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/feb/17/obama-digital-
data-machine-facebook-election?newsfeed=true

Participatory_Politics_New_Media_and_Youth_Political_Action.2012
.pdf. Read pages v.-ix.

23
 Listen:
http://www.npr.org/2014/08/16/340857860/how-social-media-helped-
spread-protest-in-michael-brown-shooting
Watch: http://www.ibtimes.com/mike-brown-video-ferguson-vines-show-
how-social-media-shapes-missouri-protests-1661826

Optional:
http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/4947/3821
http://www.niemanlab.org/2014/02/how-a-crime-becomes-political-
trayvon-martin-and-the-way-different-media-co-create-the-news/

Reflection: What role do mobile devices play in democratic, political

and economic actions?
How has the Internet changed the role of the community organizer?

EXPERIENCE CREDIT: HOW TO CREATE A MEME.

https://imgflip.com/memegenerator
http://www.quickmeme.com/caption
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Meme
http://makeameme.org/
http://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/how-to-make-your-own-
meme/#!bNrZKJ

Week 8: Personal Learning Networks

a Introduction: As philosopher John Dewey made clear, true education
arises from thoughtful exploration of the genuine problems we
encounter in daily life. Information needs are both personal and civic
(Knight Commission, 2009). We look to digital and media literacy to
help us more deeply engage with ideas and information to make
decisions and participate in cultural life.

Read:
http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2013/03/jimmy-wales-
wikipedia.
In the Digital Era, Our Dictionaries Read Us See readings in
Blackboard
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140804/news/140809582/
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/112731/moocs-will-online-
education-ruin-university-experience
GED to go
digital http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/ged-will-go-
digital-next-year-in-va-elsewhere/2013/04/12/76fbfa84-a39a-11e2-
82bc-511538ae90a4_story.html

24
Listen:
http://www.marketplace.org/topics/economy/education/challenging-
new-ged-exams-go-all-digital

View: How to Change Education - Ken Robinson:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEsZOnyQzxQ

Optional:
Read: How to add an item to Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contributing_to_Wikipedia#Getti
ng_started

Week 7: Online News: The digital dynamics of the news media

Introduction: While campaign organizations and political offices have
undergone significant changes over the past 20 years, theyve
persisted institutionally. Journalism, however, has undergone rapid and
profound shifts. This week looks at some of the shifts in new media and
journalism from a host of different cultural, organizational, social and
economic perspectives.
Read:
The New Journalism: Goosing the Gray Lady:
http://nymag.com/news/features/all-new/53344/
http://www.wired.com/2013/05/how-the-global-open-data-movement-
is-transforming-journalism/

Are Traditional Media Dead?: Read Intro

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/21670811.2012.740273

Reflection: Review the study Mobile News: A Review and Model of

Journalism in an Age of Mobile Media,posted at Journalists Resource.
In a blog post, evaluate the digital business strategy of a particular
news organization. Touch on some of the broader theoretical questions
about digital commerce.

Week 11: Big Data and the future of computation

Introduction: The emergence widespread computing has led to large
volumes of data being released by government agencies as well as
compiled by companies and as part of social media networks have
created challenges include capture, curation, storage, search, sharing,
transfer, analysis and visualization. This module discusses big data and
its possibilities, and limits, as well as inherent privacy and political
aspects.

Keywords: Data, Big Data, Data Visualization

25
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-ways-to-make-a-google-map-using-
google-spreadsheet-data/

View:
http://www.ted.com/talks/david_mccandless_the_beauty_of_data_visual
ization.html

Read:

Nate Silver -- See Readings in Blackboard

Big Data from Cheap Phones. See Readings in Blackboard

http://www.propublica.org/nerds/item/doc-dollars-guides-collecting-the-
data

http://www.wired.com/insights/2013/05/how-the-global-open-data-
movement-is-transforming-journalism/

http://www.google.com/transparencyreport/

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-ways-to-make-a-google-map-using-
google-spreadsheet-data/

Week 12: Personal Branding

Introduction: Personal branding is no longer an option; its a powerful
leadership enabler. Your personal brand should represent the value you
consistently deliver to those you serve. The module discusses the tools
to developing a strong personal brand.

Read:
http://gary.tumblr.com/post/78887853/legacy-is-greater-than-
currency

View:
http://www.fastcompany.com/1823437/mastering-uncomfortable-art-
personal-branding

Final project
Student groups will post a five-minute presentation in the Discussion
Forum on a topic related to digital media and society.

WEEK 13: PRESENTATIONS

26
WEEK 14: PRESENTATIONS

WEEK 15: PRESENTATIONS

Syllabus adapted from the work of Kathy Gill and Journalists Resource

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Unless otherwise noted this site and its contents are licensed
under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. - See
more at: http://journalistsresource.org/syllabi/digital-media-and-
society-syllabus-covering-social-media-technology-and-a-networked-
world#sthash.3TlFvoCa.dpuf

In todays media-saturated world, much of what we see, hear and read is FAKE News
all sorts of information that pretends to be or is easily mistaken for REAL news. This
course teaches Fact Checkingn how to tell the Real News from the Fake News. It
teaches critical-thinking skills to help students make essential distinctions among news,
opinion, entertainment, publicity and propaganda. It teaches you to how to write articles
that debunk stories with errors of fact and omission to be published on Truthbetold.news.

The course aims to empower students against misinformation and manipulation. It gives
you the intellectual foundation and the analytical tools to deconstruct news stories and to
judge the reliability of news accounts, sources and other information. It will empower
you to participate as credible, trustworthy publishers in the world of blogs, Twitter,
Facebook and YouTube.
This fact-checking course is part of a national initiative for News Literacy.

News Literacy is defined as: The ability to use critical-thinking skills to distinguish
news from other forms of information and to judge the reliability, accuracy and
impartiality of news accounts and sources.

SPECIAL NOTE: This syllabus is adapted from the News Literacy and the News
Literacy Project, based in Washington, D.C. We gratefully acknowledge those
contributions and thank those authors for permission to use their material.

Final Caveat: I reserve the right to change any part of this syllabus for any reason. This
includes changing or deleting assignments. Sufficient notice will be given to you if
changes to the syllabus are necessary.

By accepting this syllabus and staying enrolled in this course, you are indicating that you
understand and accept the terms of this syllabus.

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