Syllabus

Introduction to Communication Technologies [COMM201]

Spring 2012

M/W/F 11:30–12:20 (Ely 313) 30233

 

 

Professor Nigel Dobereiner

Office: Ely, E321

Office Hours: MWF 9:30 -10:30am and by appt.

Office Phone: (413) 572-5743

Email: ndobereiner@westfield.ma.edu  

 

In this course we will conduct a broad survey of the vast array of communication technologies available today.  That survey will include both understanding how they are used and developing hands-on skills in using them.  This will better prepare Communication majors regardless of concentration for their future occupations and create more fluent, critical and knowledgeable consumers of media content and techniques. 

 

OBJECTIVES:

Among other things, when you finish this course you will be able to:

 

•      Engage in independent consideration of the effectiveness, quality, and credibility of new communication technology resources.

  • Develop hands-on experience in basic communication techniques, including planning, scripting, asset creation and project integration.
  • Develop skills in the development of good design from an aesthetic and usability standpoint.
  • Critically evaluate communication technologies and their success in reaching their audience.

 

ATTENDANCE:

Students are expected to get to class each day.  I will take attendance at every class and excessive missed classes will lower your final grade. Here’s how it works.  Everyone can have a legitimate sick day now and then.  I give you a couple.  After that, every day you miss takes one point away from your final grade.  That can easily lower your grade by a full letter.  Taking attendance also helps me learn who you are!  Anyone with borderline scores at the end of the semester will benefit from a good attendance record, and vice versa.  Missing classes will almost certainly affect your final grade also in that almost all of the material learned in this course will come from class lectures and participation. 

 

If you arrive late for class, be sure to let me know you were in attendance when class is over – otherwise you will probably be marked as absent.  I don’t like it when people come in late because you disrupt the class and miss the point of what I’m talking about.  Please get to class on time.

 

If you miss class, I will not provide copies of my lecture notes.  You will have to get material from another student.  If you miss a project due date your score for that project will be lowered by one full letter grade.  If your project is not done within a week of the due date, it will not be accepted and you will receive a grade of ‘F’ for that project.    NO EXCEPTIONS!

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

 

USB flash drive or any external hard drive (suggested drive size: 4GB and above).

 

GRADING:

The successful completion of several projects, quality and timliness of work and participation/attendance will make up your grade.

 

It is my view that students, in effect, grade themselves.  That is, I will make every effort to assist you and give you all the information you need to succeed.  However, the ultimate responsibility for success (or failure) is your own.  Each assignment will have very specific conditions provided.  The grading sheet will use those same criteria to evaluate your work.  Below you will find the Grading Structure. 

 

GRADING STRUCTURE:

A

97-100

C+

77-80

 

A-

93-96

C

73-76

F

B+

89-92

C-

69-72

60 or below

B

85-88

D+

65-68

 

B-

81-84

D

61-64

 

 

 

WHAT THESE GRADES MEAN:

A somewhat intangible factor in your grade includes a quality loosely referred to as “effort.”  I’ve done all the things you will be asked to do and I know when it’s been worked on or just dashed off at the last minute.  An “A” represents outstanding or exceptional work that is good enough to be shown to other students as an example.  A “B” indicates competent, satisfactory work. A grade of “C” I assigned to work that merely fulfills the conditions of the assignment. A “D” will be given to work that does not fulfill the conditions of the assignment or is lacking in some important way. An F is a failing grade and would be given only if assignments were extremely poorly executed, or in the case of plagiarism or other failure to adhere to norms of academic honesty.

 

The following Classes and Topics listing is subject to change as our/your interests and progress dictate. 

 

ONLINE RESOURCE:

All assignments and study guides will be available online at www.znod.com.

 

 

Classes and Topics

#

Date

Topic

Assigned Reading
1 1/23

Introduction to the Course

 
2 1/25

Issues in Communication Technologies

 
3 1/27

Aesthetics, basic principles of design: Grid, Color, Typography

 
4 1/30

Graphs and Charts

 
5 2/1

Basic Functions of PowerPoint

 Assignment # 1 assigned
Powerpoint, graphs and design

6 2/3

There, they’re their

 
7 2/6

Work on projects in class

 You’re there Quiz I
8 2/8

 

Present projects in class

Assignment #1 due, Group A

9 2/10

Present projects in class

Assignment #1 due, Group B

10 2/13

Photography

Assignment #2 assigned
Audio and Pictures

11 2/15

Intro to the Cameras

 
12 2/17

Intro to PhotoShop

 
13 2/20

Holiday: President's Day      

 
14 2/21

Monday Schedule on a Tuesday

Intro to Garageband  

 
  2/22

 More Garageband (cont.)Audio Production

  
15 2/24

Work on projects in class

  
16 2/27 No class  
17 2/29

Present projects in class

Assignment #2 due, Group B
18 3/2

Present projects in class

Assignment #2 due, Group A
19 3/5

Intro to Video
Using the Flip Camera
Readying for Post Production
Editing with iMovie

Assignment #3 assigned
Video project
20 3/7

Adding music and audio to video

in iMovie

 
21 3/9

Work on projects in class

 
3/12 -3/16

Spring Break

 
22 3/19

Work on projects in class

 
 23 3/21

 

Work on projects in class

 

Spring break

 
24 3/23

Work on projects in class

 
25 3/26

Present projects in class

 Assignment #3 due, Group A
26 3/28

Present projects in class

 Assignment #3 due, Group B

27 3/30

  Quiz II

Work on projects in class

Quiz II– Learning so far…

 

Assignment #4 assigned
Social networking tools
28 4/2

Blogging, tweeting and posting

 
29 4/4

  Blogging, tweeting and posting (cont.)

 
30 4/6

  Emerging Digital Media Technologies  

 
31 4/9

PDF’s and why you like them

How the web works

Assignment #5 assigned

Putting it all Together with Technology
32 4/11


Present projects in class

Assignment #4 due, Group B  

33 4/13

Present projects in class

Assignment #4 due, Group A
  4/16 Holiday: Patriot's Day  
34 4/18

Final Project Proposal due Group B

 

 
 35 4/20

  Final Project Proposal due Group A

36 4/23

Basic HTML

 
37 4/25

Intro to iWeb

 
38 4/27

iWeb continued

 
39 4/30

Intro to your WSU web space

 
40 5/2

Work on projects in class

 You’re there Quiz III

41 5/4

Present projects in class

 

Final Assignment #5 due, Group A

42 5/7

Present projects in class

Final Assignment #5 due, Group B