Jodi Hallsten Lyczak: / 438-7741 / 417 Fell Hall
Introduction to Mass Communication
M/W 4:00-5:15 in CVA 151
Spring 2015
Why Are We Here?
The media is not a natural phenomenon, and therefore should not be just accepted; it requires a more critical response.
What We’re Learning About
We are surrounded by the media, and interact with it almost constantly from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed. It’s easy to think that it has been around forever. Not so! Historically speaking, the media is a relatively young phenomenon. To best understand it now, we learn about how it developed and what influences and shapes it today.
What’s Going to Happen
You get to examine how each of the mass mediums developed. You have the opportunity to have fun exploring these various forms of mass media, the cultural context of communication, and the impact these forms of mass media have on society.
You engage consumer media all day every day. For those wanting to dig much deeper into communication, this course is a great foundation. If you’re not pursuing a career in communication, that’s OK (although I think you’re crazy!). This course will make you a more sophisticated media consumer.
So What? What Will You Get Out of This Course
· You will become a media mogul! Just kidding. (But not really.)
· You can understand the importance of how messages spread across large groups.
· You will uncover how and why these communications are delivered.
· You will discover the benefits and consequences of these communications.
The Tools You Need to Succeed
1. Eagerness to learn
2. Critical thinking
How You Can Learn
1. Out of class Video Experience Worksheets
a. You have the opportunity to watch videos from each of following three categories, which you can check out from Milner Library course reserve desk (they cannot be removed from Milner) or you can watch online at http://illstu.kanopystreaming.com.libproxy.lib.ilstu.edu/s-homepage&final=1
If you choose to watch them at Milner, you should bring your laptop because you should be completing a ReggieNet quiz related to the one you’re watching as you’re watching it .
b. Here is a schedule of when these are due (by each due date, you should have completed one quiz covering one video from that category). All videos are available for viewing immediately.
Category 1(due 2/9) / Category 2
(due 3/18) / Category 3
(due 4/15)
Deadly Persuasion / Beauty Mark / Playing Unfair
Wrestling w/Manhood / Killing Us Softly IV / Behind the Screens
Further Off the Straight & Narrow / Toxic Sludge is Good For You / Independent Media in a Time of War
The Price of Pleasure / Captive Audience / Overspent American
War Made Easy / Reel Bad Arabs / The Bro Code
Generation “Like”
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/generation-like/ / ShopTil’ You Drop
2. Connect Plus
a. I will introduce to Connect Plus on the second day of class. You have the opportunity to complete many assignments on this platform.
Tentative Schedule
Note – this schedule is subject to change per announcements in class.
DATE / OUR TOPIC FOR THE DAY / WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE READ/COMPLETEDM 1.12 / Welcome to Connect Plus
W 1.14 / Introduction to class
W 1.21 / Setting up the course – thinking about masscom / Ch 1
M 1.26 / Understanding the money part / Ch2
W 1.28 / Books – the first medium / Ch3
M 2.2 / Newspapers – way better than writing on a stone tablet! / Ch4
W 2.4 / Around the world in 72 days (Film)
M 2.9 / Exam 1 –Ch1, 2, 3, 4 + Lecture / Category 1 VEW due today
W 2.11 / Magazines / Ch5
M 2.16 / Radio / Ch7
W 2.18 / Public Radio Experience: This American Life
M 2.23 / Empire of the Air(Film)
W 2.25 / Finishing “Empire of the Air”(Film) / Ch7 - still
M 3.2 / Recordings – The good, the bad, and the ugly!
W 3.4 / “Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes” (Film)
M 3.16 / How do the mediaeffectus? / Ch 13
W 3.18 / One perspective: is Disney poison? (Film) / Category 2 VEW due today
M 3.23 / Exam 2 –Ch5, 7, 13 + Lecture
W 3.25 / Television / Ch8
M 3.30 / Outfoxed (oneperspective)(Film)
W 4.1 / Outfoxed (cont.)
M 4.6 / DreamworldsIII (Film)
W 4.8 / Movies: then and now / Ch6
M 4.13 / Pioneers of Television (Film)
W 4.15 / Pioneers of Television (Film) / Category 3 VEW due today
M 4.20 / Pioneers of Television (Film)
W 4.22 / Pioneers of Television (Film)
M 4.27 / Video Games & The Internet / Ch9, 10
W 4.29 / Media Law and Ethics / Ch: 14
FINAL / TBA. Note: The Final Exam Will Be In Our Normal Classroom
Necessary Materials
· Baran, S. (2013). “Introduction to Mass Communication” 8thEd. (with “ConnectPlus” code) San Francisco: McGraw Hill
· Reggie Net access
Grading
3 Exams -- (60%)
Attendance/Participation – (15%)
Out of Class Video Worksheets (VEWs)– (10%)
Connect Plus / Course Smart Assignments (Learnsmart + addt’l videos)– (15%)
(--note that pre/post tests on Connect are optional; everything else is mandatory)
Grading Scale:
90% = A (Excellent)
80% = B (Good)
70% = C (Average)
60% = D (Below Average)
59%= F (Insufficient)
A note about Connect Plus
InConnectPlus, every question links directly to the eBook. This means that when you are struggling with a question you can go directly to the explanation in the eBook for help without carrying around a heavy textbook. You can access the eBook from any computer, any time. All required online assignments and the interactive eBook for this course are available inConnectPlus.
When you completeConnectPlusonline quizzes, sometimes you won’t know your score right away. In these cases, you will learn your score after class on the day the assignment is due. That is,ConnectPlusquizzes are designed to withhold feedback until everyone has had an opportunity to submit their quizzes and we have graded them all.
If you have technical problems or need help withConnectPlus, contact their customer service:
· Email:www.mhhe/com/support
Phone: 1-800-331-5094 (M-Th: 8am-11pm; Fri: 8am-6pm; Sun: 6pm-11pm)
Contacting The Team
Jodi Hallsten Lyczak
417 Fell Hall / Box 4480
309.438.7741
email: (preferred method of contact)
Office Hours: 2-3:45 Mon & 11:30-12:45 and 2-3:45 Wed.
No office hours finals week.
Teaching Assistant:
Ricky Baptist
Email:
Phone: 438-5995 – Fell 280
Office Hours: MWF 12-12:45pm and by appointment
Classroom Rules (just bear with me – we need these to create the most productive learning environment possible)
· We all treat each other with respect.
· You have the schedule above, and I have also hand-loaded it onto ReggieNet for you, so please have your work in on time and take exams when scheduled. I am more than willing to work with you ahead of time if you’re having any situations preventing you from these deadlines.
· We (our glorious GTA and I) love to hear from you. When we do, we ask you to use appropriate professional format: a greeting, appropriate grammar/ spelling/punctuation, a closing statement, and be signed with your name. One of the main things we hear from you is probably going to be grades. Please do that within a week of the particular assignment or exam.
How Do You Succeed?
Communicate with me (it is a communication class, after all!). I want to help you, but I can’t if you don’t let me know what’s going on.
University requirements about bereavement situations:
Students who experience the death of an immediate family member or relative as defined in the University Student Bereavement Policy will be excused from class for funeral leave, subsequent bereavement, and/or travel considerations.Students are responsible for providing appropriate documentation to the Dean of Students office and for contacting the instructor as soon as possible to make arrangements for completing missed work.More information is available in the Student Bereavement Policy athttp://www.policy.illinoisstate.edu/2-1-27.shtml
SPECIAL NEEDS: Any student needing to arrange a reasonable accommodation for a documented disability should contact Disability Concerns at 350 Fell Hall, 438-5853 (voice), 438-8620 (TDD).
Note: We do not answer questions about “current grade standings” the last two weeks of the semester. Please look to the grade calculator sheet available in the “resources” area of Reggienet to keep track of your current grade in our class. Thank you for understanding.