2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

COMM1700 Understanding Digital Media

20 Credits Class Size: 65

Module manager: Maitrayee Basu
Email: M.Basu@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Module replaces

COMM1780

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module provides students with an overview of key issues in the study of digital media. It focuses on key concepts such as identity and convergence that have shaped digital media’s history and that have been said to differentiate digital media from older media forms. It develops students’ understanding of the cultural, political, economic and technical contexts from which digital media have emerged and forms the foundation for more detailed analyses of digital media in future years.

Objectives

This module aims to do the following:-
1. Introduce students to key theories, issues and debates in the field of digital media in lectures and seminar discussions
2. Prepare students to critically engage with contemporary discussions on digital media production, audiences, cultures and economies by drawing on academic and non-academic sources in written academic essays
3. Develop students’ abilities to evaluate evidence and present their argument in a convincing, authoritative and informed way paying attention to academic conventions, writing and referencing style.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Identify historical and contemporary issues and debates in the study of digital media
2. Analyse digital media outputs, texts, spaces and practices in their social and technological contexts.
3. Appraise evidence to construct informed scholarly arguments about digital media.

Skills learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
4. Research and critical thinking skills – search for and critically evaluate relevant scholarship in the field of digital media.
5. Academic writing – write in a clear, concise, focused and structured manner in an academic literature review and/or essay on digital media, supported by evidence.

Syllabus

Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module

Teaching Methods

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Student progress will be monitored via participation in seminars, including informal presentations, and tutorials. For the literature review, student understanding of relevant reading material will be monitored in seminars and additional help will be offered in module leader office hours. Feedback on the first assessment will be given before the second assessment is handed in.

Methods of Assessment

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading List

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 04/06/2024

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team