Module Code and Title:         CMS307 Communications Project

Programme:                          BA in Mass Communication

Credit Value:                         12

Module Tutor:                       All department tutors

Module Coordinator:            Lindsay Kamakahi

General objective: This module incorporates a range of creative projects, the purposes of which are to give students the opportunity to showcase their work in the areas of their interests, individually. The projects as a whole are intended to synthesize skills and knowledge that students have acquired prior to this point in their studies, and to demonstrate their grasp thereof. Within the module, students will be using theory and applying the practical skills learned within lab, public speaking, journalism, and writing modules to develop and present their projects in a coherent way. Students will be expected to spend the majority of their time during the module creating their individual projects in accordance to benchmarks and timelines. They are expected to meet their supervising mentor and improve upon the feedback given by their tutors.

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

1. Draft a project proposal for a communications creative project.
2. Plan a communications creative project.
3. Execute a communications project.
4. Practice ethical procedures and processes in conducting the project.
5. Identify and showcase the use of multiple resources required to complete the project.
6. Document and explain the processes involved in a creative project.
7. Incorporate feedback into the project.
8. Produce and present a complete creative project.

Learning and Teaching Approach:

Skills workshop: All students will attend the skills workshop at the same time for weeks 1-2. Starting in Week 3, the skills workshops will be divided based on mediums identified for the individual projects to ensure students are on the right path for the first draft of the assessment.

Students may also request additional tutorials, and tutors may ask particular students to report more frequently on their progress, or to attend extra tutorial sessions, as necessary.

The project initiations will occur in an initial series of briefings and organizing sessions of approximately 3 hrs total at the end of the 5^th semester, prior to the winter break before the start of the 6^th semester, to allow students to use their winter months between semesters for some aspects of the projects. In the 6^th semester, after the initial review of the module’s expectations, the supervisor should take a less active role in the Communications Project module, allowing the students to take the initiative in moving their project forward, and in completing it. However, supervisors should be prepared to intervene when students’ lack of progress or errors of judgement threaten the project as a whole. The supervisor will perform the following roles:

1. Deliver whole-class lectures giving general input on progressing and completing a project.
2. Lead targeted skills workshops for small groups, tailored to students based on their weaknesses.
3. Provide feedback indicating general strengths and areas for improvement.
4. Guide students to schedule their work-plan for the completion of the project, and ensure that students adhere to this schedule.
5. Provide guidance on individual project proposals and progress through group guidance to students exploring similar themes.

Assessment Approach:

A. Individual Weekly Progress: Portion of Final Mark: 10%

Tutors will monitor and assess progress made by students during their weekly tutorials. Assessments will be made based on a detailed progress and preparedness rubric given to students at the start of the class.

5%       Progress made in accordance to deadlines

5%       Preparedness in class discussion

B. Individual Project Proposal Draft: Portion of Final Mark: 5%

The project proposal draft will be due at the end of week 2. An example project proposal will be given to students at the beginning of the term. Students will be required to follow the format of the draft and clearly express their aims, project type, sources likely to be used, technical support needed and finance & scheduling details that would be relevant to the project. A rubric will be given outlining further requirements.

1%       Aims and project type clearly defined

1%       Sources identified and technical support acknowledged

3%       Logistics plan

C. Individual Project proposal viva and final write up: Portion of Final Mark: 10%

The final version of the project proposal will be due at the end of Week 4. Students will be required to submit a reviewed version of the proposal draft by embedding the feedback given on it. The final project proposal should clearly outline the aims, objectives and outcomes of their intended work. Students will have to defend their proposal through a viva and must justify their chosen topic.

4% Incorporation of feedback from proposal draft

4% Ability to defend the proposal through viva

2% Clarity and organization of the proposal

D. Individual Project Draft: Portion of Final Mark: 10%

The project draft will be due at the end of Week 8. Students must showcase evidence of having managed to follow and build up on the aims, objectives and outline mentioned in their project proposal. It is possible that the project has shifted focus from the original proposal, but, the new project should maintain the same essence of work proposed in the draft. Significant changes will have to be tutor approved. This draft will be a detailed account of the various sub sections within their project and students should be able to provide a comprehensive work plan for completing the remaining portions of the project. Students should have between 50-75% of the project completed and be on the final stages of their individual pieces with mainly editing remaining on their work. Different rubrics will be provided depending on the nature different projects.

E. Individual Final project: Portion of Final Mark: 50%

Students will complete their final project by week 15. A detailed rubric will be provided to students based on the medium selected for the project. The grading criteria will depend on the medium and feasibility to finish a high quality project within 15 weeks. For example, a project on photography will have a separate set of requirements than a video project. However, certain common elements such as quality of the project, the ability to execute the project, the use of skills and theories from previous modules and the contribution of the project to the media field will form a part of the assessment process. Elements of grading will be discussed in the group guidance portions of the class as per the medium selected.

F. Viva and presentation: Portion of Final Mark: 15%

Students will be required to make a presentation to their classmates and distinguished guests to answer questions on their final project. This would ensure that students have the ability to showcase and justify their work as opposed to simply creating a project. This process would also allow other students and the tutor to seek clarifications on the project and serves as a platform for self-reflection on the process of their project and discussions of continuation of project in the future.

5% Detailed coverage of all aspects of the project

5% Quality of answers in terms of analysis and relevance in the viva section

3% Clarity and organization of presentation

2% Time management and ability to engage the audience

Pre-requisites: CTH203 Contemporary Media Theory and Practice, CMS203 Digital Graphics Lab, CMS305 Video Production and Non-Linear Editing Lab, JRN302 Journalism Layout and Design

Subject matter:

1. Unit I: Introduction to independent projects

• Summary of requirements of the creative project
  • Originality

• Independent research

• Overview of skills required

• Research skills 

• Time management
• Synthesis of sources

• Overview of expectations regarding independent study and amount of guidance provided by tutors

2. Unit II: Creative Projects
   • Research skills
     • Time management
     • Working towards a goal
   • Structuring projects
     • Basic considerations of structuring projects
     • Considerations on the relationship between plan and limitations
     • Efficient use of materials
   • Citing adequate evidence (journalistic projects)
     • Deciding what sources to include
     • Deciding between quoting, paraphrasing and summarising
   • Creating a coherent project
     • Deciding on theme or focus
     • Editing for consistency
   • Revising creative work
     • Revising a large project
     • Editing details
     • Working on consistency of style

3. Unit III: Format of the proposal
   • Guidance on formulating aims and / or research questions
     • Specificity of aims
     • Number of aims
     • Achievable aims
   • Guidance on producing a rationale for the project
     • The concept of the ‘knowledge gap’
     • From knowledge gap to rationale and aims

Possible projects include:

Reading List:

1. Essential Reading
   • As per the nature of individual projects.

Date:  May 14, 2018