Students

MAS 316 – Media Futures

2014 – S2 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Dr Susie Khamis
Contact via susie.khamis@mq.edu.au
Y3A 191E
Please email for an appointment.
Tutor
Dr Jack Sargeant
Contact via jack.sargeant@mq.edu.au
Y3A 191
Please email for an appointment.
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
39cp including 12cp in MAS units
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
Media Futures links the skills, knowledge and insights students have gained from various Media programs to relevant future pathways. With a particular emphasis on potential work in industry, research or creative practice, the unit actively solicits the strengths and interests of students to create a negotiated curriculum. That is, students help contour the unit in ways that reflect and exploit their plans and/or interests post graduation. To help students appreciate these possibilities, there will be guest speakers from pertinent fields and professions. In light of generic graduate capabilities as well as skills and knowledge specific to Media, these guests will address questions and concerns from students in Media Futures, as well as impart additional information, advice and observation.

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:

  • Identify and explain dominant trends, opportunities and challenges within contemporary media industries
  • Interpret contemporary media phenomena through discipline-specific theories and concepts
  • Appraise the academic scaffolding of a Media degree, particularly in terms of possible pathways post graduation
  • Formulate discipline-specific arguments and analyses in dynamic contexts, and articulate these arguments in both oral and written form
  • Relate, compare and judge how significant media figures and/or industries respond to contemporary challenges, trends and/or opportunities

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Presentation 30% TBD
Reflection #1 25% Friday 19 September 5pm
Reflection #2 25% Friday 14 November 5pm
Participation 20% Ongoing

Presentation

Due: TBD
Weighting: 30%

Students must do a 'Pecha Kucha' tutorial presentation on the theme: “Beyond Media at Macquarie”. The presentation must draw on concepts and discussions from MAS 316. As per 'Pecha Kucha' conventions: presenters may only use 20 slides; these slides must advance automatically every 20 seconds; this creates a total presentation lasting only 6 minutes and 40 seconds. 

Marking Criteria

* Delivery: ideas are communicated in an engaging, original and accessible manner

* Content: the presenter articulates a clear and interesting narrative or series of points

* Synthesis: the presenter has synthesized the various issues and processes considered in MAS 316


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify and explain dominant trends, opportunities and challenges within contemporary media industries
  • Interpret contemporary media phenomena through discipline-specific theories and concepts
  • Appraise the academic scaffolding of a Media degree, particularly in terms of possible pathways post graduation
  • Formulate discipline-specific arguments and analyses in dynamic contexts, and articulate these arguments in both oral and written form

Reflection #1

Due: Friday 19 September 5pm
Weighting: 25%

A 1200-word paper based on the following question: "Of the various guests that have addressed MAS 316 so far, which 4 have you found the most engaging, interesting and/or helpful in terms of your aims or aspirations after graduation?"

Marking Criteria 

Pertinence: a clearly articulated link between the industry/profession of the speaker(s) and the student's career planning

Content: key insights and/or anecdotes are linked to post-graduation goals

Presentation: the writing is clear, succinct and grammatically correct

Submission

Reflections to be submitted electronically to iLearn, in the 'Assessments' folder.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Appraise the academic scaffolding of a Media degree, particularly in terms of possible pathways post graduation
  • Relate, compare and judge how significant media figures and/or industries respond to contemporary challenges, trends and/or opportunities

Reflection #2

Due: Friday 14 November 5pm
Weighting: 25%

A 1000-word paper based on the following question: "Of the various guests that have addressed MAS 316 since the start of Week 8, which 3 have you found the most engaging, interesting and/or helpful in terms of your aims or aspirations after graduation?"

Marking Criteria 

Pertinence: a clearly articulated link between the industry/profession of the speaker(s) and the student's career planning

Content: key insights and/or anecdotes are linked to post-graduation goals

Presentation: the writing is clear, succinct and grammatically correct

Submission

Reflections to be submitted electronically to iLearn, in the 'Assessments' folder.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Appraise the academic scaffolding of a Media degree, particularly in terms of possible pathways post graduation
  • Relate, compare and judge how significant media figures and/or industries respond to contemporary challenges, trends and/or opportunities

Participation

Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 20%

Students are required to attend all tutorials and make regular contributions to class discussions in ways that reflect critical engagement with: the weekly readings, the lecture and the guest talks. Please note that attendance alone is not enough - students MUST participate actively, regularly and critically.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify and explain dominant trends, opportunities and challenges within contemporary media industries
  • Interpret contemporary media phenomena through discipline-specific theories and concepts
  • Appraise the academic scaffolding of a Media degree, particularly in terms of possible pathways post graduation
  • Formulate discipline-specific arguments and analyses in dynamic contexts, and articulate these arguments in both oral and written form
  • Relate, compare and judge how significant media figures and/or industries respond to contemporary challenges, trends and/or opportunities

Delivery and Resources

MAS 316 Media Futures consists of a weekly 2-hour lecture (Tuesday 4pm-6pm, Price Theatre) and a weekly 1-hour tutorial. Please be advised that the lecture is structured thus: a 1-hour lecture delivered 4pm-5pm by the unit convenor and a 1-hour guest talk by a guest speaker, delivered 5pm-6pm; while the convenor's lecture will be recorded by the ECHO system, please note that the guest's talk (or parts thereof) may NOT be recorded, depending on the guest's discretion. However, every effort will be made to publish as many of these recordings as possible on ECHO. Given that there are assessments (worth a total of 50%)  based on students' responses to and engagement with these guest talks, including a Q&A session, physical attendance is therefore strongly recommended.

MAS 316 makes extensive use of iLearn. Essential information regarding course content, assessments etc will be posted there. Reading material will also be posted on iLearn. It is students' responsibility to stay abreast of course developments through regular engagement with iLearn.

To complete this unit satisfactorily, all students must: attend every lecture and tutorial (missed tutorials must be explained with proof of sickness or misadventure, such as a medical certificate); and, at the very least, meet the minimum standards to pass assessment tasks.

Unit Schedule

Week 1 (5 August) - Introduction: What is a capstone unit?

Week 2 (12 August) - Tipping Points: making sense of cultural epidemics

Week 3 (19 August) - Creativity: 'flow' and personality

Week 4 (26 August) - Creative contexts: cities, economies, countries

Week 5 (2 September) - Print: not quite dead

Week 6 (9 September) - Ethics: fighting the commercial 'pull'

Week 7 (16 September) - Viral Media: interactive & conversational

Week 8 (8 October) - Online Community: from 'Arab Spring' to 'Occupy'

Week 9 (14 October) - Generation Like

Week 10 (21 October) - DIY Media: mavericks & moguls

Week 11 (28 October) - Crowd Funding: making media Pozible

Week 12 (4 November) - Quality Control: authorship & integrity

Week 13 (11 November) - Course Review

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 & Late Penalties

Extensions will not be granted unless you have a medical certificate. An ability to meet deadlines is an important aspect of university courses (and professional work in most industries). Late assignments will be penalised by 5 per cent per day (including weekends & public holidays), unless an extension has been arranged beforehand, and documented evidence of illness or serious misadventure is submitted (this does not include having to work).

Additional information

MMCCS website https://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/faculties_and_departments/faculty_of_arts/department_of_media_music_communication_and_cultural_studies/

MMCCS Session Re-mark Application http://www.mq.edu.au/pubstatic/public/download/?id=167914

Information is correct at the time of publication

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

  • Appraise the academic scaffolding of a Media degree, particularly in terms of possible pathways post graduation
  • Relate, compare and judge how significant media figures and/or industries respond to contemporary challenges, trends and/or opportunities

Assessment tasks

  • Presentation
  • Reflection #1
  • Reflection #2

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

  • Appraise the academic scaffolding of a Media degree, particularly in terms of possible pathways post graduation
  • Relate, compare and judge how significant media figures and/or industries respond to contemporary challenges, trends and/or opportunities

Assessment tasks

  • Reflection #1
  • Reflection #2
  • Participation

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

  • Interpret contemporary media phenomena through discipline-specific theories and concepts
  • Formulate discipline-specific arguments and analyses in dynamic contexts, and articulate these arguments in both oral and written form

Assessment tasks

  • Presentation
  • Participation

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

  • Identify and explain dominant trends, opportunities and challenges within contemporary media industries
  • Interpret contemporary media phenomena through discipline-specific theories and concepts
  • Formulate discipline-specific arguments and analyses in dynamic contexts, and articulate these arguments in both oral and written form

Assessment task

  • Participation

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 outcome

  • Formulate discipline-specific arguments and analyses in dynamic contexts, and articulate these arguments in both oral and written form

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 outcome

  • Formulate discipline-specific arguments and analyses in dynamic contexts, and articulate these arguments in both oral and written form

Assessment task

  • Presentation

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

  • Identify and explain dominant trends, opportunities and challenges within contemporary media industries
  • Formulate discipline-specific arguments and analyses in dynamic contexts, and articulate these arguments in both oral and written form

Assessment tasks

  • Presentation
  • Participation

Changes from Previous Offering

Based on the recommendations of the 2013 student cohort, the fortnightly tutorial has been replaced with a weekly tutorial. Also, to extend students' engagement with the guest speakers, the Reflection paper requires reference to 4 speakers instead of just 3.

Changes since First Published

Date Description
14/01/2014 The Prerequisites was updated.