Page 1 of 7 RTF 301N DIGITAL MEDIA CULTURES Fall 2018 Syllabus CLASS TIME: MONDAY-WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY 9:00 a.m.--10:00 a.m. CLASSROOM: BMC 4.212 PROFESSOR: MADHAVI MALLAPRAGADA, PhD Office Hours: Thursday 10:00 am-- 1:00 p.m. Office Location: CMA 5.126 Email: [email protected] Telephone: (512) 471-9239 TEACHING ASSISTANT: Sooyeon Hong Office Hours: Wednesday & Friday 10:30 a.m.—11:30 a.m. Office Location: Caffe Medici (2222B Guadalupe St. Austin, TX 78705) Email: [email protected] Course Description: Are you on Facebook? Do you use Snapchat, Instagram or YouTube? Do you Tweet? Whether you are a social media pro or only minimally active on these networking platforms, it is hard to deny that we live in a digital world and that our media culture is increasingly shaped by digital technologies, online spaces, streaming platforms, mobile devices and social media apps. This course is designed as an introduction to digital media cultures. Students will develop an understanding of the role, history, scope and significance of digital media culture in the 21st century. The topics discussed in this course include digital identity, virtual avatars, memes and filters, online communities, social networks, streaming media, hashtag activism, interactive gaming and cybersecurity. Some of the questions we will engage include: How are we as a society changing the way we create, communicate and share as a result of digital media, streaming platforms or social media apps? How is our sense of self, identity and community transformed as we increasingly live, work, play and engage with each other online? This course is designed for lower-division non-RTF maJors who have not taken any previous coursework in film or media studies. Page 2 of 7 Course Requirements: (Plus/Minus awarded for the Course Final Grade) Attendance 10% Class Participation 5% In-Class Quizzes 20% EXam 1 20% EXam 2 20% Group Project & Presentation 15% Critical Analysis Assignment 10% --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Graded Assignments Total 100 % Required Course Readings: All the course readings will be uploaded on Canvas. To access the readings, go to the course page on Canvas, click under “Files” and access the designated Weekly Folder. Most of the readings will be scholarly readings and will be available as PDF files. On occasion, your weekly readings will be online popular pieces and/or online videos. In such instances, the document that will be available on Canvas will include the links to the online readings. All readings that REQUIRED material for this course. Please refer to the weekly schedule on this syllabus for information on assigned readings for each class day. On occasion, a reading that is listed on this syllabus might be replaced with another one that is more relevant to our class discussions. In such an event, you will be notified via email and in class. You are expected to bring a physical or digital copy of the reading to class on the assigned day. Course Procedures and Assignments Assigned readings: Class lectures, discussion topics and video screenings presume that all students have completed the assigned reading for each class meeting. Since we cannot cover all topics from the readings in detail during the lecture, it is important that you carefully go through the assigned readings before the class meeting. You should come to class prepared to discuss the key points and arguments of the readings. Lectures and In-class Screenings: Lectures and in-class screenings or short clips are designed to supplement the assigned readings and will be part of the material you will be tested on. You are expected to take notes of the materials covered in lectures and in-class screenings/short clips. EXams are very closely tied to the lecture and material covered in class, so make a habit of taking notes in this course! Attendance: (10%) Attendance will be taken at the beginning of every class meeting. Please be punctual. Each student is granted four personal leave days without penalty. This provision is meant to cover uneXpected absences (such as not being in class because you are sick) and not intended as sanctioned holidays. The fifth absence, however, will lower your attendance grade by a half point and each subsequent Page 3 of 7 absence will have a similar effect. You are responsible for being aware of all assignments, handouts and announcements made in class. Keep this in mind in the event you are late to class, leave early or are absent from class. Class Participation (5%) Beginning early in the semester, you will be asked to apply the course materials through class discussions and in-class quizzes. You are not only expected to actively participate in class, but also to demonstrate an ability to integrate the course materials into your discussions and assignments. In addition to being graded for your class participation, your responses to reading materials and class discussions are an integral and valuable part of the pedagogical practices of my class. So speak up in class! In-class quizzes (20%) Over the course of the semester, you will be given 7 quizzes based on the course reading for the day. Your top 5 quiz scores will be added up to generate your overall quiz grade (in other words, we will drop your lowest two quiz scores). These quizzes are designed to encourage you to keep up with the assigned readings. The quizzes will be unannounced and administered at the beginning of class. There will be no make-up assignments for in-class quizzes. Group Project and Presentation: (15%) You are required to do a group project and presentation for this course. Topics and detailed guidelines for the project will be handed to you in class. Group Presentation dates are listed on the weekly schedule. Critical Analysis Paper: (10%) In this assignment, you will be asked to critically analyze a media teXt as a case study of an idea, concept or argument that we have been eXploring in class. A detailed guideline sheet will be handed in class and we will use class time to discuss the assignment. The page-length of this assignment will be roughly 3 double-spaced pages. Due Date: Week 12: November 12th (Monday) 2 Exams: (20% + 20% = 40%) There will be two eXams over the course of the semester. Exam 1 is on Friday, October 19th. (Week 8) and will include materials covered from Week 1 to Week 7. Exam 2 is on Monday, December 10th (Week 16) and will cover materials from Week 8 to Week 16. You will be given an eXam review sheet prior to the eXam. Material for the eXam will include course readings, class lectures, class discussions, class screenings and in-class clips. The format will be discussed in class. General Course and Academic Guidelines Services for Students with Disabilities The University of Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471- 6259, 471-6441 TTY. Page 4 of 7 The University of Texas Honor Code The core values of The University of TeXas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the University is eXpected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community. Scholastic Dishonesty The University defines academic dishonesty as cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, falsifying academic records, and any act designed to avoid participating honestly in the learning process. Scholastic dishonesty also includes, but is not limited to, providing false or misleading information to receive a postponement or an eXtension on a test, quiz, or other assignment, and submission of essentially the same written assignment for two courses without the prior permission of the instructor. By accepting this syllabus, you have agreed to these guidelines and must adhere to them. Scholastic dishonest damages both the student’s learning eXperience and readiness for the future demands of a work-career. Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. For more information on scholastic dishonesty, please visit the Student judicial services Web site at http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs Undergraduate Writing Center The Undergraduate Writing Center, located in the FAC 211, phone 471-6222, http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/uwc/ offers individualized assistance to students who want to improve their writing skills. There is no charge, and students may come in on a drop-in or appointment basis. Religious Holidays Religious holy days sometimes conflict with class and eXamination schedules. If you miss a work assignment or other proJect due to the observance of a religious holy day you will be given an opportunity to complete the work missed within a reasonable time after the absence. It is the policy of the University of Texas at Austin that you must notify each of your instructors at least fourteen days prior to the classes scheduled on dates you will be absent to observe a religious holy day. University Electronic Mail Notification Policy All students should become familiar with the University’s official e-mail student notification policy. It is the student’s responsibility to keep the University informed as to changes in his or her e-mail address. Students are expected to check e-mail on a frequent and regular basis in order to stay current with University-related communications, recognizing that certain communications may be time- critical. It is recommended that e-mail be checked daily, but at a minimum, twice per week. The complete teXt of this policy and instructions for updating your e-mail address are available at http://www.uteXas.edu/its/policies/emailnotify.html.