SEMESTER AT SEA COURSE SYLLABUS. Colorado State University, Academic Partner

Transcription

1 SEMESTER AT SEA COURSE SYLLABUS Colorado State University, Academic Partner Voyage: Fall 2018 Discipline: Journalism and Media Communication Course Number and Title: JTC 412 International Mass Communication Division: Upper Faculty Name: Dan Berkowitz Semester Credit Hours: 3 Prerequisites: None COURSE DESCRIPTION This course encourages students to think, analyze and discuss the role of the news media, both national and international. Students will be expected to consider the cultural, political, social and economic issues that are covered, and not covered, by the press. We will read about countries we visit, as well as other countries around the world that provide a basis for comparison. In addition, the class will track the response and follow-up to coverage of on-going international issues. For a final project, students will select three countries and a single topic, such as migration, for a comparison and analysis of communication content, constituency and potential impact. We will use a hybrid flippedclassroom model as much as possible, where you prepare the readings before class meetings, which will then be synthesized into discussion and small projects. More generally, the course will cover the current state of the media business in the countries visited, will analyze global media and citizen journalism, examine press freedom, discuss the role of foreign correspondents, local journalists and public relations professionals. The course will also consider the roles of state-owned and independentlyowned media and the competition for information generated by the international press. LEARNING OBJECTIVES An understanding of the role of mass communications in national development. A working knowledge of topics including cultural, social and economic issues. A knowledge of the structure and scope of the media business. An ability to assess the value of information. A global perspective and an informed approach to information management.

2 REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS AUTHOR: William A. Hachten and James F. Scotton TITLE: The World News Prism: Digital, Social and Interactive (WNP) PUBLISHER: Wiley Blackwell ISBN #: DATE/EDITION: 2016/Ninth Edition AUTHOR: Thomas L. McPhail TITLE: Global Communication: Theories, Stakeholders, and Trends (GC) PUBLISHER: Wiley Blackwell ISBN #: DATE/EDITION: 2014/Fourth Edition TOPICAL OUTLINE OF COURSE Depart Hamburg, Germany September 9 A1 September 11: Introduction to the course, discussion of the syllabus, course goals, and assignments. Introduction of students and interests. Introduction of professor. Thoughts about reading texts and local/national media. Review GC, p. 214 Quiz on perceptions of the world press (part of participation grade) A2 September 13: Toward a model of global media analysis WNP, Intro: Fall and Rise of the Media pp. 1 8 WNP, Ch. 1: Information for a Global System pp Review background files on Spain Review CIA World Factbook on Spain Barcelona, Spain September Valencia, Spain September A3 September 19: Considering the elements of the model GC, Ch. 1: Global communication: Background pp Work on draft report, A model of global media analysis A4 September 21: A broad view of news and media forms WNP, Ch.2: Game Changers: Twitters, Videos, Blogs pp WNP, Ch. 3: Global media under stress pp Study Day September 23: No Class

3 A5 September 24: Defining the basic parameters of global media studies GC, Ch. 2: Development research traditions and global communication pp GC, Ch. 3: The message: The role of international organizations pp A6 September 26: Thinking about regions and countries WNP, Ch. 10: Africa: The mobile continent pp Review background files on Ghana Review CIA World Factbook on Ghana Tema, Ghana September Takoradi, Ghana September Community Programming October 2: No Class A7 October 3: News in the big picture WNP, Ch. 4: Impact of great events pp (14) WNP, Ch. 5: English: The language of the world pp (15) Revise report: A model of global media analysis Debrief port reports A8 October 5: Reporting in risky situations WNP, Ch. 12: Reporters abroad: Paid, free, and harassed pp WNP, Ch. 13: Reporting war pp Review background files on South Africa Review CIA World Factbook on South Africa Cape Town, South Africa October 7-12 A9 October 13: A10 October 15: Piecing the globe together GC, Ch. 4: Public diplomacy: New dimensions and implications pp GC, Ch. 5: The medium: global technologies and organizations pp Debrief port reports Looking back home from the new lens GC, Ch. 7: American multimedia conglomerates pp Study Day October 16: No Class

4 A11 October 18: The impact of big media GC, Ch. 8: Stakeholders of multimedia conglomerates outside the US Review background files on Mauritius Review CIA World Factbook on Mauritius Port Louis, Mauritius October 19 Study Day October 21: No Class A12 October 22: Sharing a sense of culture GC, Ch. 10: Global issues, music, and MTV pp Revise report: A model of global media analysis Debrief Port Reports A13 October 24: The details of a media system India WNP, Ch. 8: India: Liberalization spurs phenomenal media growth pp GC, review p. 160 Review background files on India Review CIA World Factbook on India Cochin, India October (FIELD CLASS: Thursday, October 25) Reflection and Study October 31: Global Studies Reflection A14 November 2: Considering media and state control WNP, Ch. 7: Russian Media: Struggling against new controls pp Review background files on Myanmar Review CIA World Factbook on Myanmar Field Class Report due Yangon, Myanmar November 4-8 A15 November 9: Group meetings to discuss final project Debrief Port Reports Report due: A model of global media analysis Community Programming November 11: No Class

5 A16 November 12: Same same, but different GC, Ch. 14: Toward globalization: The approaches and accomplishments of the four media giants in Asia pp Review background files on Vietnam Review CIA World Factbook on Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam November A17 November 19: Discussion: Reconciling theory, observations and practice GC, review pp , 202, 231 Debrief port reports Study Day November 21: No Class A18 November 22: A media whirlwind WNP, Ch. 9: China: A new media face but tighter control pp Review background files on China Review CIA World Factbook on China Shanghai, China November A19 November 30: The look of news in a global perspective GC, Ch. 11: CNN: International role, impact, and global competitors pp GC, review pp , 188 Review background files on Japan Review CIA World Factbook on Japan Kobe, Japan December 2-6 A20 December 7: Discussion: Contrasts in Asian Media short paper due Debrief port reports A21 December 9: Discussion: Contrasting Media in a Global Context short paper due A22 December 11: Group work time on final projects Study Day December 12: No Class (International Date Line Crossing, 2 days) A23 December 13: Final project presentations A24 December 15: Final project presentations

6 Honolulu, Hawaii December 16 Study Day December 18: No Class A25 December 19: Closing discussion, Global Media in the Future: Key issues Reflection paper due Arrive San Diego, California December 23 COMPONENTS OF THE COURSE GRADE Port Reports: This assignment provides a way to contextualize your class discussions and readings within the countries you are visiting. Students will keep a journal and prepare a paper for discussion related to the media climate in each port city. Details are provided in the section below about Independent Field Work. Country Profile: A file of articles is kept online for each of the port countries. These are assigned for the day before reaching a port city. Students will explore the relevant file and write a one-page paper about the characteristics of media in that country. Profile reports will be discussed in class on the day the assignment is due. Global Media Analysis Report: This paper builds on your readings, experiences and class discussions to develop a framework for studying global media, both in singular countries and in a comparative sense. Short Papers: This series of papers provides a chance to reflect on readings, experiences and class discussions to allow a broader sense of reflection on specific topics, including Contrasts in Asian Media, Contrasting Media in a Global Context, and Reflecting on the Global Media Experience. Final Project: Students will work in teams to build a comprehensive comparative report of international media. Students will select three countries and build a comparison based on their Global Media Analysis Report. Field Class: This assignment provides an opportunity to connect concepts from our text and classroom discussions with practice in a specific country. Details are provided in the section below. Distribution of Assignment Grades Port Reports...10% Country Profiles...15% Short Papers (3)...15% Global Media Analysis Report...10% Field Class...20% Class participation...10%

7 Final project...20% FIELD WORK Semester at Sea field experiences allow for an unparalleled opportunity to compare, contrast, and synthesize the different cultures and countries encountered over the course of the voyage. In addition to the one field class, students will complete independent field assignments that span multiple countries. Field Class: News in a Sea of Cultures The field class for this course is on Thursday, October 25 in Cochin, India. Field Class attendance is mandatory for all students enrolled in this course. Do not book individual travel plans or a Semester at Sea sponsored trip on the day of your field class. This Field Class constitutes at least 20% of the contact hours for the course, and is developed and led by the instructor. We begin the day with a visit to a Kerala Media Academy in Cochin, India. We will join a class of journalism students from the class Journalism and Communications where we will interact to discuss contrasts and similarities between the media in the US and India. After lunch, we will visit Manorama News TV, meeting with the news staff there and touring the television station. Each student will take notes during the day on what they are learning about India s media as well as media more broadly. Notes will be typed into a two-page report, using a bullet-point format. Students will be evaluated based on a paper that contrasts the role of culture, language and class in shaping what becomes the news. More information will be provided separately. The paper and notes are due November 2. Independent Field Assignments As you experience and explore each port, carry a reporter s notebook or something similar and take notes about what you observe in that city s media, using a broad sense of the term: 1. What kinds of media content do you see? What forms? 2. How do you see people using media? 3. What forms of news seem most common? Are you able to find English language media? 4. Buy at least one newspaper in each port city. a. Offer a brief analysis of the content of that newspaper. b. What visual elements stand out, including size, use of color, photography, length of news stories, and other characteristics? GRADING SCALE The following Grading Scale is utilized for student evaluation. Pass/Fail is not an option for Semester at Sea coursework. Note that C-, D+ and D- grades are also not assigned on

8 Semester at Sea in accordance with the grading system at Colorado State University (the SAS partner institution). Pluses and minuses are awarded as follows on a 100% scale: Excellent Good Satisfactory/Poor Failing %: A %: A 90-92%: A %: B %: B 80-82%: B %: C %: C 60-69%: D Less than 60%: F ATTENDANCE/ENGAGEMENT IN THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM Attendance in all Semester at Sea classes, including the Field Class, is mandatory. Students must inform their instructors prior to any unanticipated absence and take the initiative to make up missed work in a timely fashion. Instructors must make reasonable efforts to enable students to make up work which must be accomplished under the instructor s supervision (e.g., examinations, laboratories). In the event of a conflict in regard to this policy, individuals may appeal using established CSU procedures. LEARNING ACCOMMODATIONS Semester at Sea provides academic accommodations for students with diagnosed learning disabilities, in accordance with ADA guidelines. Students who will need accommodations in a class, should contact ISE to discuss their individual needs. Any accommodation must be discussed in a timely manner prior to implementation. A letter from the student s home institution verifying the accommodations received on their home campus (dated within the last three years) is required before any accommodation is provided on the ship. Students must submit this verification of accommodations to academic@isevoyages.org as soon as possible, but no later than two months prior to the voyage. STUDENT CONDUCT CODE The foundation of a university is truth and knowledge, each of which relies in a fundamental manner upon academic integrity and is diminished significantly by academic misconduct. Academic integrity is conceptualized as doing and taking credit for one s own work. A pervasive attitude promoting academic integrity enhances the sense of community and adds value to the educational process. All within the University are affected by the cooperative commitment to academic integrity. All Semester at Sea courses adhere to this Academic Integrity Policy and Student Conduct Code.

9 Depending on the nature of the assignment or exam, the faculty member may require a written declaration of the following honor pledge: I have not given, received, or used any unauthorized assistance on this exam/assignment. RESERVE BOOKS FOR THE LIBRARY None FILM REQUEST None ELECTRONIC COURSE MATERIALS Instructor will provide electronic files captured from the Internet to facilitate development of Country Profile papers. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES None