Topic outline
What is media studies
On the first meeting, students will learn:
- the definition of media,
- the development of media from conventional to new mediia
- the significances of studying media
- what they can learn from various media products
- Media have been part of our everyday life. However, how much you know about media and are you aware of media features? How much have you used media for your daily activities? How much are you influenced by media? Are you aware of media influences in your life?
After you have watched the video, post your questions and comments on your understanding of media studies.
Hypertexts and New Media
Students will learn the key concepts of hypertexts and new media. In the learning process, students will recognize the fast development of the hypertexts and new media and the incorporation of new media into the human everyday life. Students will discuss the benefits of new media and the side effects especially in the humanity values reduction.
- 1. Do new technologies change how we access information?2. The type of information upon which we rely?3. How we communicate with each other?4. Does new media limit or expand our personal freedom?
- 1. Do new technologies change how we access information?2. The type of information upon which we rely?3. How we communicate with each other?4. Does new media limit or expand our personal freedom?
What is the characteristics of new media?
How does the new media differ from the conventional media? (explanation should include the producer, the text and the audiences)
Media Representations and Ideology
In this section, students will learn the key concepts of media studies, focusing especially on how representation is the key point of media analysis. Students are encouraged to recognize and identify the ideology hidden behind various representations problematize the ideology of the media products. Students are also encouraged to recognize how media continue to uphold capitalist values and play with class, gender, and racial issues.
How are representations constructed, and what do they construct for us?
How do representations naturalize ideology?
How are representations constructed, and what do they construct for us?
How do representations naturalize ideology?
Media Discourses
This topic covers discussions on how the media frame and generate public to discuss certain issues through certain parameters, such dialogism and intertextuality. The media text is not discourse but it is an evidence of discourse.
Media Rethorics
This topic covers discussion on how media texts contain some language expressions to inform, persuade, and inspire audiences.semiotics theory
Students will learn semiotics theory and its application to media products. Key concepts of semiotics developed by Saussure, Barthes, and Pierce will be broadly discussed in the class. Students are encouraged to analyze both verbal and visual signs to recognize the implicit messages the media products send to audiences.
Media Narrative
This topic provide information of narrative forms which are used for building media texts.
Creative Works: Advertisements of Social Services
- In a group of 4 -5 students, design an advertisement of social services. You may choose whether it is a poster or a a short video (around 2-3 minutes only). Submit both your design idea: your reason of choosing the visual representation and the narrative and the discourse) and your ads in this section.
Audiences and media
This topic introduces the students to understand the definition of media audiences, the type of media audiences and audiences' engagements to media texts. It is lightly to discuss categories of audience analysis such as demographic analysis, psychological analysis, interest and knowledge analysis and multicultural analysis.
Games as media texts
This topic offers to study aspects of the design of games, the players, and the functions of games in society and culture. This topic introduces interpretive methods, such as close reading, textual analysis and audience theory to study games.
Social Media
This topic offers discussions on the function of social media to the life of the people and to study how social media have been used for either identity formation and political movement.