Course Catalogue

Module Code and Title:        CMS101 Introduction to Communication Arts and Technology           

Programme:                          BA in Mass Communication

Credit Value:                         12

Module Tutor:                       Namkhai Norbu, New #1

General objective: This module provides students with a formal introduction to the world of digital communications, covering both conceptual and practical aspects. Students will briefly be introduced to the evolution of computers as communications platforms, the rise of mobile computing, and the emergence of social media. The module will help students understand and evaluate their own internet presence and that of others. To support their joining the digital communications community, students will also be guided through the implementation of several formal and informal internet presence tools such as blogs. Their blogs will serve as their portfolios, to which good quality examples of their own works created in the rest of the programme can be added as they progress.

Learning outcomes – On completion of this module, students will be able to:

  1. Identify the key evolutionary factors associated with computers and social media.
  2. Discuss the audience appropriateness for informal and formal social media settings.
  3. Apply relevant theory and best practices to create an effective blog.
  4. Critique peer work to make a more efficient professional internet presence.
  5. Identify the effectiveness of one’s internet presence for the correct audience.
  6. Construct a professional presence online for themselves by creating or updating a profile on a professional platform such as LinkedIn.
  7. Create simple public blog posts that are responsibly and ethically composed.
  8. Maintain and improve their online presence to use as a platform for showcasing their work.

Learning and Teaching Approach:

Approach

Hours per week

Total credit hours

Lectures & discussions

2

30

Lab practicals

3

45

Independent study

3

45

Total

120

Assessment Approach:

A. Class tests: Portion of Final Mark: 10%

Two theory tests of 30-min duration (5% each) will encompass the readings, theory and class work up to the time of the tests; generally one before the midterm and one after. They will follow Bloom’s taxonomy to prepare the students not only for recollection of terms, but focus on application of concepts to showcase a deeper learning and understanding of the concepts.

B. Individual Report on Internet presence: Portion of Final Mark: 15%

Each student will evaluate their own internet presence. A comprehensive report of 1000-1250 words should be generated highlighting the various publically available pieces of information about themselves, opportunities for improvement, and possible threats/vulnerabilities.

5%       Comprehensive review of one’s internet presence

5%       Reference to applicable theory and best practices

5%       Reflection on possible threats/vulnerabilities and opportunities for improvement

C. Practical midterm examination: Portion of Final Mark: 15%

The Practical Midterm will be a 1.5 hour lab test where the students must demonstrate their knowledge of the terms, theories and technology from week 1 to week 7. The mid-term exam will be a practical one where students need to demonstrate their knowledge of the terms, theories and technology. For the above case, each student would be given an exercise by providing texts, pictures and graphics and they would be asked to create a new blog page and incorporate those information and graphics in the blog page. Students also need to look at how to reach to a maximum readers/audience.

D. Class participation and preparedness: Portion of Final Mark: 5%

Students will be expected to participate substantially in class discussions, with contributions reflecting adequate preparation for topics under discussion.

E. Individual Blog project: Portion of Final Mark: 25%

Students will be required to construct a blog project that incorporates both theory and application to present to the class. Students will demonstrate their understanding of the topics taught in class and utilize the foundational theories and backgrounds to support their claims in their blog posts. Blog posts can include students’ personal posts but will be evaluated primarily based on posts reviewing/reflecting on recent events in the news and assigned topics (minimum of 5 such posts of 300 words each). A detailed rubric will be given to students at the start of the project along with potential topics concerning communications, technology and internet literacy that are current affairs.

2%       Appropriate technical setup of the blog

3%       Aesthetics of the blog

10%     Frequency and quality of news article review blog posts (minimum 5)

5%       Language: grammar, vocabulary, spelling, diction

5%       Level of reflection and analysis in posts

Areas of assignments

Quantity

Weighting

A.    Class tests

2

10%

B.    Individual Internet presence project

1

15%

C.   Practical midterm examination

1

15%

D.   Class participation and preparedness

 

5%

E.    Individual Blog project

1

25%

Total Continuous Assessment (CA)

 

70%

Semester-End Examination (SE)

 

30%

Pre-requisites: None

Subject matter:

  1. Unit I: Brief introduction to computers as communications platforms and their evolution to personal devices
    • Advent of the personal computer: Milestones and trends
    • Rise of the internet and the connected personal computer
    • Evolution of personal computing into the mobile realm, the ‘cloud’, and the ‘internet of things’
    • Milestones in smartphone evolution; from keyboards to touch
    • Analysis of the changes in the use of technology for communications since the advent of the personal computer
    • Emerging technologies creating personalized and personal experiences with technology users (from desktops to laptops to phones and smart watches which can be adapted to specific needs)
  2. Unit II: Interactions: changes in the way people interact with technology and with others
    • Overview of ‘digital communities’
    • Virtual social networks: mediated; massive; multiplayer
    • Introduction to some tools of digital interactivity: social media, GPS, written/audio/video content distribution systems
    • One-way vs. Two-way
    • Introduction to instantaneous communication & interaction tools
    • Popular platforms, their rise and prevalence
    • Arcades, joysticks, personal consoles to smartphones: the evolution of entertainment
    • Overview of mobile and broadband internet usage and behaviour in Bhutan
  3. Unit III: Internet Literacy: An overview
    • Scams, chain letters, virus, hoaxes, bots and other threats
    • Protecting oneself, avoiding oversharing and fact checking
    • Concept of one’s ‘internet presence’
    • Overview of business marketing strategies that target one’s presence
      • Opting out of data collection
    • International and local social media issues and laws
      • Lese Majeste laws
      • Election guidelines for social media (cases of Canada, India and Bhutan)
      • Banned, censored and misleading content
      • Issues of ownership of content posted on social media
      • Social media policy of Bhutan
  1. Unit IV: Basic introduction to design in the digital age
    • Comparisons/contrasts with traditional one-way communications
    • Essential design principles for digital communications: Interaction, User/Reader Experience; Interface
    • Concept of ‘multimodal’ texts as combinations of multiple semiotic systems (linguistic, visual, audio, gestural, spatial).
    • Examples and best-practices in multimodal digital communications
  2. Unit V: Blogs
    • Identifying popular web presence & analysing the composition
    • Evaluating effectiveness of one’s popular Web Presence
    • Creating a blog
    • Essential rules for responsible online publishing
    • Basic introduction to ethics in journalism: Code of Ethics for Journalists in Bhutan
  3. Unit VI: Introduction to Apps and Application Usage
    • General overview of the rise of ‘apps’ as alternatives to full-fledged software packages
    • Uses and significance of apps as important interpersonal and mass communications tools
  4. Unit VII: Professional vs. Informal Communication Presence and their audiences
    • Facebook vs LinkedIn: types of platforms
    • Incorporate a blog into one’s ‘presence’
    • Audience outreach and how to grow it
    • Differences between audiences
    • Analysing impact
    • Appropriate email correspondence
    • Using hashtags
  5. Unit VIII: Using everyday technology to target an audience
    • Identifying audience
    • Analysis of Phone/App/Blog reach

Reading List: (A course-pack of the shorter reading materials will be made available to students)

  1. Essential Reading
    • Bhutan InfoComm and Media Authority. (2006). Code of Ethics for Journalists. Retrieved from http://www.bicma.gov.bt/paper/jcc.pdf
    • Department of Information and Media. (2017). Social Media Policy for the Royal Government of Bhutan 2017. Thimphu: Ministry of Information and Communications. Retrieved from http://www.gnhc.gov.bt/en/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Social-Media-Policy-for-the-Royal-Govt.-of-Bhutan-Approved-Version.pdf
    • Dorji, G. K. (2015, March 12). Users of mobile and broadband internet increase. Retrieved from http://www.kuenselonline.com/users-of-mobile-and-broadband-internet-increase/
    • The Economist. (2015, February 26). The truly personal computer. The Economist. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21645131-smartphone-defining-technology-age-truly-personal-computer
    • Election Commission of Bhutan. (2016). ECB Social Media Rules and Regulations of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2016. Thimphu: Election Commission of Bhutan. Retrieved from http://www.ecb.bt/Rules/SocialMedia2015.pdf
    • Hay, W. (2017, October 24). Thailand's lese-majeste law 'stifling dissent'. Retrieved February 23, 2018, from http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/10/thailands-lese-majeste-law-stiffling-dissent-171024123343139.html
    • Hussey, T. (2014). WordPress Absolute Beginner's Guide. Que Publishing.
    • Information, communications and media act of Bhutan (2018). Retrieved from http://www.nab.gov.bt/assets/uploads/docs/acts/2018/ICMActofBhutan2018.pdf
    • Messenlehner, B., & Coleman, J. (2014). Building Web Apps with WordPress. OReilly Media.
    • O’Brien. (2015). Creating Multimodal Texts. Retrieved from https://creatingmultimodaltexts.com/
    • Ontario, E. (n.d.). Social Media Rules During an Election. Retrieved February 23, 2018, from https://www.elections.on.ca/en/media-centre/social-media-rules-during-an-election.html
    • Thakur, A. (2017, January 15). Election Commission issues guidelines for social media use by candidates, parties - Times of India. Retrieved February 23, 2018, from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/elections/assembly-elections/uttarakhand/news/ec-issues-guidelines-for-social-media-use-by-candidates-parties/articleshow/56572886.cms
    • Tshering, K. (2013). To Study the Internet Access and Usage Behavior in the Kingdom of Bhutan. International Journal of Computer Science and Electronics Engineering, 12, 288-297.
    • Tshering, S. (2017, February 11). What constitutes defamation in the media and social media in Bhutan. Retrieved from http://thebhutanese.bt/what-constitutes-defamation-in-the-media-and-social-media-in-bhutan/
    • Zimmermann, K.A. (2015). History of Computers: A Brief Timeline. LiveScience. Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/20718-computer-history.html
  2. Additional Reading
    • Dorji, Y. Bhutan Land Of The Thunder Dragon. Retrieved from http://yesheydorji.blogspot.com/
    • Bocij, P. (2006). The dark side of the Internet: protecting yourself and your family from online criminals. Westport, CT: Praeger.
    • Davie, W. R., & Upshaw, J. (2006). Principles of electronic media. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
    • Wangchuk, D. Dorji Wangchuk. Retrieved from https://dorji-wangchuk.com/
    • Fuchs, C. (2017). Social media: a critical introduction. Los Angeles: Sage.
    • Internet censorship listed: how does each country compare? (2012, April 16). Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/datablog/2012/apr/16/internet-censorship-country-list
    • Kerckhove, D. D., & Dewdney, C. (1998). The skin of culture: investigating the new electronic reality. London: Kogan Page.
    • Le´vy, P. (2001). Cyberculture. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.
    • Jones, S. (2016). What is Multimodal Textual Analysis? Retrieved from https://storify.com/autnes/texts-for-analysis
    • Martin, T. (2014, July 26). The evolution of the smartphone. PocketNow. Retrieved from http://pocketnow.com/2014/07/28/the-evolution-of-the-smartphone
    • Nawang P Phuntsho. Retrieved from http://www.nawangpenstar.com/
    • Tshering, P. PaSsu Diary. Retrieved from http://www.passudiary.com/
    • Subba, A. B. Amrith Bdr Subbas Diary. Retrieved from http://www.amrithdiary.com/
    • UN-APCICT assists the Royal Government of Bhutan in the implementation of its social media policy. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.unescap.org/events/un-apcict-assists-royal-government-bhutan-implementation-its-social-media-policy
    • Sangey, W. Wangcha Sangey. Retrieved from http://wangchasangey.blogspot.com/
    • Writers Association of Bhutan (WAB). Retrieved from http://www.writersofbhutan.com/

Date:  May 14, 2018
Royal Thimphu College