Students

MMCS330 – Movement, Performance and Digital Media

2014 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Yuji Sone
Contact via yuji.sone@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
39cp
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit examines the place of digital media in both everyday and art performances in relation to questions of technology, communication, and aesthetics in contemporary society. The time spent in class consists of approximately 60 per cent production exercise, and 40 per cent production analysis and theoretical study. Students are expected to work in groups for their production experiments. These production exercises are regarded as works in progress, and are presented publicly in the second half of the semester.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Evaluate the influences of everyday digital technologies in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary performances and theories, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of the human-technology relationship.
  • Analyse the relationship between theory and practice in performance media.
  • Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • Devise plans for practical experiments and conduct them through discussion and negotiation in a collaborative environment.
  • Examine and evaluate your proposal and practical experiment as well as those of others in relation to objectives and outcomes.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Contribution to workshop 15% Week 1, 2, 3, 4
Individual report (1) 20% 07 April
Group performance project 30% Week 6-12
Individual report (2) 35% 13 June

Contribution to workshop

Due: Week 1, 2, 3, 4
Weighting: 15%

Students' contribution to workshop, tutorial, presentation, and post-performance discussion will be regarded as an important participatory activity in this unit. Contribution means appropriate comments, positive and active engagement in tasks, and a positive attitude to class activities.

More detailed information will be provided in class and available from iLearn.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate the influences of everyday digital technologies in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary performances and theories, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of the human-technology relationship.
  • Examine and evaluate your proposal and practical experiment as well as those of others in relation to objectives and outcomes.

Individual report (1)

Due: 07 April
Weighting: 20%

Each student discusses, in a short speculative report, the findings from his or her own research in relation to class discussion and the issues raised in lectures. Students may like to refer to others’ findings if these will enhance their argument.

More detailed information will be provided in class and available from iLearn.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate the influences of everyday digital technologies in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary performances and theories, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of the human-technology relationship.

Group performance project

Due: Week 6-12
Weighting: 30%

Weight: 30% (15% as group + 15% as individual)

Students will explore themes relating to contemporary ‘digital’ environment and living in a group performance, applying digital technologies to performance making. Each group will work together to produce a group performance experiment in Week 11. An external audience will be invited to attend the final showing. The audience’s and students' feedback will be taken into account in assessment of group works. Individual contribution throughout the group project period will be assessed. Students' feedback will be taken into account in assessment of individual contributions.

More detailed information will be provided in class and available from iLearn.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • Devise plans for practical experiments and conduct them through discussion and negotiation in a collaborative environment.
  • Examine and evaluate your proposal and practical experiment as well as those of others in relation to objectives and outcomes.

Individual report (2)

Due: 13 June
Weighting: 35%

On the basis of discussion in Week 12, students write up a report examining differences between proposal and actuality. Students' ability to critique and discuss another group's project and own projects, highlighting issues in a logical and scholarly manner in relation to class discussion about the projects, will be assessed. Students are also expected to discuss social and cultural implications of the performances and/or to analyse their performance works in relation to the relevant debates or terminologies within theatre and performance studies .

More detailed information will be provided in class and available from iLearn.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate the influences of everyday digital technologies in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary performances and theories, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of the human-technology relationship.
  • Analyse the relationship between theory and practice in performance media.
  • Examine and evaluate your proposal and practical experiment as well as those of others in relation to objectives and outcomes.

Delivery and Resources

Classes

For lecture times and classrooms please consult the MQ Timetable website: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au. This website will display up-to-date information on your classes and classroom locations. 

On-Campus Sessions

 

Date

Time

Location

Session 1

Tuesday class

2pm-5pm

Y3A 187

 

Required Reading

There is no Unit Reader for MMCS330. Recommended readings can be downloaded from eReserve.

Recommended Books

Turkle, Sherry. 2011. Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. New York: Basic Books. HM851 .T86 2011

Carr, Nicholas.  2011. The shallows: what the internet is doing to our brains. New York: W.W. Norton. QP360 .C3667 2011

Dixon, Steve. 2007. Digital Performance: A History of New Media in Theatre, Dance, Performance Art, and Installation. Cambridge, Mass. and London: The MIT Press. NX180.T4 D59 2007

Parker-Starbuck, Jennifer. 2011. Cyborg Theatre: Corporeal/technological intersections in multimedia performance. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, and New York: Palgrave Macmillan. PN2193.E86 P372 2011

Technology Used and Required

The unit uses the following technology: iLearn and Turnitin

 

Unit Schedule

 

Week 1

04/03/14

Overview of Unit: structure, assignment, assessment.

Lecture:

Cyberculture and Digital Living

Groups for the mid-term report task

Group work at computer lab

Suggested Readings

Westlake, E.J. 2008. “Friend Me if You Facebook: Generation Y and Performative Surveillance”, The Drama Review, Vol. 52, No. 4, pp. 21-40. (eReserve)

More references are available in iLearn.

Week 2

11/03/14

Lecture & tutorial topic

Cyberculture and Digital Living 2

Video workshop 1

Groups for video exercise: ‘Make Youtube video’

Video camera operation, shooting footage, importing video footage

Suggested Readings

Way, Geoffrey. 2011. “Social Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet, Social Media, and Performance”, Journal of Narrative Theory, Vol. 41, No. 3, pp. 401-420. (eReserve)

More references are available in iLearn.

Week 3

18/03/14

Lecture & tutorial topic

Cyberculture and Digital Living 3

*Class discussion on the report themes

Speculative report (1) instructions

Video workshop 2

Editing @ computer lab

Week 4

25/03/14

Video workshop 3

Class discussion

Week 5

01/04/14

Lecture & tutorial topic

Cyborg, Liveness, Mediatisation, and Performance Studies

Suggested Readings

Balme, Christopher. 2008. The Cambridge Introduction to Theatre Studies. Cambridge, UK and New York: Cambridge University Press. 195-208. (eReserve)

Auslander, Philip. 2008. Liveness: performance in a mediatized culture. 2nd ed. London and New York: Routledge. 43-48. (eReserve)

More references are available in iLearn.

Performance workshop

Stage design

Performance project

Groups, Brainstorming for Performance Experiment

*Draft proposal, *'Story-board' and floor plan

Week 6

08/04/14

Performance project

*Final proposal, Development plan

Mid-term Break

Week 7

29/04/14

Performance project

Filming, Editing

Week 8

06/05/14

Performance project

Technical run-through, Blocking

Week 9

13/05/14

Performance project

Rehearsal

Week 10

20/05/14

Performance project

Dress rehearsal

Week 11

27/05/14

Performance project

Performance

Week 12

03/06/14

Performance project

Discussion of each experiment

Week 13

Self-study, consultation by appointment

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy  http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Extensions

Assessments submitted after the due date and time will automatically be deducted 10% per day (weekends included) unless medical certification is provided. For extensions, please contact the course convenor well in advance if you are unable to submit an assessment on time. Extensions will only be granted on grounds of illness or misadventure, and appropriate supporting documentation must be submitted. If you are experiencing difficulties with your coursework, it is advisable to seek support from the convenor as soon as possible.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Evaluate the influences of everyday digital technologies in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary performances and theories, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of the human-technology relationship.
  • Analyse the relationship between theory and practice in performance media.
  • Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • Devise plans for practical experiments and conduct them through discussion and negotiation in a collaborative environment.
  • Examine and evaluate your proposal and practical experiment as well as those of others in relation to objectives and outcomes.

Assessment tasks

  • Contribution to workshop
  • Group performance project

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Evaluate the influences of everyday digital technologies in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary performances and theories, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of the human-technology relationship.
  • Analyse the relationship between theory and practice in performance media.
  • Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • Devise plans for practical experiments and conduct them through discussion and negotiation in a collaborative environment.
  • Examine and evaluate your proposal and practical experiment as well as those of others in relation to objectives and outcomes.

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Evaluate the influences of everyday digital technologies in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary performances and theories, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of the human-technology relationship.
  • Analyse the relationship between theory and practice in performance media.
  • Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • Devise plans for practical experiments and conduct them through discussion and negotiation in a collaborative environment.
  • Examine and evaluate your proposal and practical experiment as well as those of others in relation to objectives and outcomes.

Assessment tasks

  • Contribution to workshop
  • Individual report (1)
  • Individual report (2)

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Evaluate the influences of everyday digital technologies in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary performances and theories, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of the human-technology relationship.
  • Analyse the relationship between theory and practice in performance media.
  • Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • Devise plans for practical experiments and conduct them through discussion and negotiation in a collaborative environment.
  • Examine and evaluate your proposal and practical experiment as well as those of others in relation to objectives and outcomes.

Assessment tasks

  • Contribution to workshop
  • Individual report (1)
  • Individual report (2)

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Evaluate the influences of everyday digital technologies in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary performances and theories, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of the human-technology relationship.
  • Analyse the relationship between theory and practice in performance media.
  • Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • Devise plans for practical experiments and conduct them through discussion and negotiation in a collaborative environment.
  • Examine and evaluate your proposal and practical experiment as well as those of others in relation to objectives and outcomes.

Assessment tasks

  • Individual report (1)
  • Individual report (2)

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Analyse the relationship between theory and practice in performance media.
  • Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • Devise plans for practical experiments and conduct them through discussion and negotiation in a collaborative environment.
  • Examine and evaluate your proposal and practical experiment as well as those of others in relation to objectives and outcomes.

Assessment task

  • Group performance project

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Evaluate the influences of everyday digital technologies in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary performances and theories, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of the human-technology relationship.
  • Analyse the relationship between theory and practice in performance media.
  • Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • Devise plans for practical experiments and conduct them through discussion and negotiation in a collaborative environment.
  • Examine and evaluate your proposal and practical experiment as well as those of others in relation to objectives and outcomes.

Assessment tasks

  • Contribution to workshop
  • Group performance project

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Evaluate the influences of everyday digital technologies in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary performances and theories, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of the human-technology relationship.
  • Devise plans for practical experiments and conduct them through discussion and negotiation in a collaborative environment.

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Evaluate the influences of everyday digital technologies in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary performances and theories, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of the human-technology relationship.
  • Devise plans for practical experiments and conduct them through discussion and negotiation in a collaborative environment.

Assessment tasks

  • Contribution to workshop
  • Group performance project