Course Description
COMM 486, EDUC 485, EDUC 685: Multimedia Literacy
Defines multimedia and explores who is using it for what, shows how fast it is growing, and discusses the impact it is having on society. Surveys applications across the curriculum and reflects on the effects of multimedia on current teaching practice. Considers the nature of hypermedia and the challenge of designing effective hyperlearning materials. Provides a hands-on tutorial on creating and publishing multimedia applications on the World Wide Web. Discusses multimedia frontiers, emerging technology, and societal issues including human impact, regulation, copyright, fair use, equity, cost, and universal access. Considers the impact of technology on the future of schooling.
Course Modules
This course is organized into a series of modules that are presented to you via the Web. The modules are attached to a collabsible menu that organizes the modules in roughly the same order in which they will be discussed in class. You need not complete these modules in this prescribed order, however. Rather, you can work through the course at your own pace, skipping modules that do not interest you, and spending more time on those that do.
Assignments
Your grade in this course will be based on your performance on a series of assignments that appear on this online syllabus. At any time, you can view the assignments. This list of assignments provides you with a snapshot of what you need to do in this course. All the rest is optional. It is totally up to you how much of the other material you will want to complete. Your instructor will help guide you, depending on the topics you choose to pursue.
Grading
You will receive grades on three kinds of activities. First, there are communication assignments that involve you in online discussions with your fellow classmates and your instructor. Second, you will create a multimedia project on a topic of your choosing. Third, you will write a term paper about a topic you will research in an area of interest related to the impact of multimedia on education or communication. These three parts of the course each constitute a third of your final grade.
