media studies

Submitted by Melanie Hubbard on May 16th, 2018
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Short Description: 

This assignment leads students through an analysis of media coverage of the 1965 Watts uprising. The intention is for students to learn more about the uprising and how a database can be used as a digital humanities tool.

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
Newspaper-Database-Analysis .docxdisplayed 923 times23.97 KB
Learning Outcomes: 

Students will learn how to use databases to conduct an analysis of newspapers.

Individual or Group:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 

This assignment was given out as one of many exercises that introduced students to digital tools and digital humanities methods.

Additional Instructor Resources (e.g. in-class activities, worksheets, scaffolding applications, supplemental modules, further readings, etc.): 
Potential Pitfalls and Teaching Tips: 
Suggested Citation: 
Hubbard, Melanie. "Newspaper Database Analysis ." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2018. https://projectcora.org/assignment/newspaper-database-analysis.
Submitted by Tara Franks on September 8th, 2017
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Short Description: 

For this assignment, students will spend time as a critical media observer - namely, their own uses of media in a 72 hour period. In order to complete the assignment, students MUST record each time they use/engage with media for a complete 72 hour (3 day) period in a LOG, recording their exposure to, uses of, and interaction with mediated communication (e.g., cell phone, social media, TV, radio, etc.) During this time, students are also required to make detailed autoethnographic “field” notes of their experience and how they were personally (socially, culturally) effected by the media- what interfaces/platforms/sources they interacted with, which were intentional and which were not, the effects (if any) on their mood, time management, body, further use of media, etc. After the 72 hours, students write a 2-3 page self-reflexive paper that responds to the prompts (see handout)

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
Media Observer Paper Description.docxdisplayed 826 times138.26 KB
AttachmentSize
Media Observer Paper Rubric.docxdisplayed 588 times98.77 KB
Learning Outcomes: 

Students will be able to observe, record, and evaluate their own uses of media for a complete 72 hour period; self-reflect on which aspects of their own identities and upbringing influenced their media behavior; apply mediated communication course concepts and theories to their self-reflection processes.

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 
Additional Instructor Resources (e.g. in-class activities, worksheets, scaffolding applications, supplemental modules, further readings, etc.): 
Assessment or Criteria for Success
(e.g. rubric, guidelines, exemplary sample paper, etc.): 
AttachmentSize
Media Observer Paper Rubric.docxdisplayed 573 times98.77 KB
Potential Pitfalls and Teaching Tips: 
Suggested Citation: 
Franks, Tara. "Media Observer." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2017. https://projectcora.org/assignment/media-observer.
Submitted by Jacob Berg on November 4th, 2016
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Short Description: 

There is a large body of research on corporate ownership and control of traditional media, such as print, television, and radio. Comparatively, research about corporate control of what we see online is underdeveloped, yet search engines are often the first place students uncritically look for research as opposed to the library website, catalogs, and discovery services. Dr. Safiya Noble shows that Google image searches for black women often perpetuate and reinforce dominant narratives involving racism and misogyny. As Google is often seen as neutral, such search results are presented as “natural,” the way things are, when in fact they are the products of capitalism, hegemonic patriarchy, and white supremacy. Interrogating results such as these is one goal of this lesson plan, along with getting students to think critically about, to problematize, the everyday tools used in the research process and to explore links between capitalism and racism, misogyny, and homophobia.

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
vol2_chapter 11.pdfdisplayed 1835 times295.04 KB
Learning Outcomes: 

Articulate clearly how algorithms such as PageRank influence information-seeking behavior and search results. Explain Google’s data security and privacy issues. Create searches that show critical thinking and awareness of how Google works.

Individual or Group:

Suggested Citation: 
Berg, Jacob. "Googling Google: Search Engines as Market Actors ." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2016. https://projectcora.org/assignment/googling-google-search-engines-market-actors.