1 Semester

3 Hours per Week

Hawthorn

HALM104 Media Literature Film: Texts and Contexts / HACM104 Media Literature Film: Text and Context or HAM105 The Media in Australia and two other Media units.

Note: there are no prerequisites for students who are required to undertake this unit of study in the ; and .

Nil

Credit Points: 12.5 Credit Points

Related Course/s:

Aims & Objectives:

This unit of study is designed to give students a deeper understanding of the social, political, economic and cultural effects of the shift from an economy based on commodities to one based on information. Rather than focus on one nation in particular, the unit of study explores the impact of information and communications technologies (ICTs) at a global level.

Teaching Methods:

Lectures and Tutorials

Assessment:

Attendance, media diary, essay, exam.

Generic Skills Outcomes:

• To develop the capacity to analyse and critique a broad range of subject literature and texts. Students should enhance their ability in terms of how to think, and how to argue.
• To develop the capacity in students for them to be able to conduct research for themselves.
• That students gain a greater awareness of the role of communications practices and processes in our society.
• That students become technologically literate, in broad contexts.
• That students gain greater confidence in their own ability to use many different forms of media.
• That students gain greater understanding of important factors that govern their lives.

Content:

This unit of study is an examination of media and communications in the context of a post-industrial or information society. Key questions about the contemporary technological revolution are addressed, such as who decides about new technologies, and how, whose interests are served, how national policies are fashioned, and whose information needs will be met by these technologies of abundance. Crucial here is a variety of political, social and ethical issues, including vexed territory such as ownership and control of information systems, privatisation and deregulation of broadcasting and telecommunications, corporate and community information systems and international information transfer. Considerable emphasis is placed on the methodology of investigation, analysis of reports and government inquiries, and the presentation of data and information. Students are encouraged to present their work in a form that will enable it to be available to the community.

Reading Materials:

Flew, T. (2007), Understanding Global Media, New York: Palgrave Macmillan