Syllabus

January 24, 2008 — cynmccune

APSC 63/MCom 63: New Media in Journalism
School of Journalism & Mass Communications, San José State University

Spring 2008, Section 1
Class meets T/Th 9 – 10:15 a.m. in DBH 226

Instructor: Cynthia McCune
Office: DBH 127; Office Phone: (408) 942-3245
Office Hours: T/Th 12:15 – 1:45 p.m. and by appointment
E-mail: cynthia.mccune[at]sjsu.edu

Course Description: Hands-on instruction in multimedia and emerging new media technologies. Print and web page design, blogging, podcasting, RSS, and creation of multimedia presentations by combining still photos, graphics, and video with music and/or other audio. Prerequisites: None

Student Learning Objectives
To successfully complete this course, students must be able to:

  • Demonstrate the ability to use new technologies to present images and information.
  • Demonstrate the ability to design print media (magazine, newspaper, newsletter, advertisements) and simple web pages.
  • Demonstrate the ability to do podcasting as well as a multimedia web presentations.
  • Demonstrate the ability to think critically, creatively and independently about how new media technologies are changing traditional media.
  • Demonstrate the ability to analyze how the laws of freedom of speech and press — including the right to dissent, to monitor and criticize power and to petition for redress of grievances — apply to the emerging forms of new media.

Required Readings, Media, Audio Presentations

Overview of Class Format and Projects and Assignments
Brief lectures, guest speakers, readings and in-class discussion will be combined with “how to” demonstrations and hands-on labs. Class and individual projects and assignments include demonstrating skills in blogging, using Photoshop and InDesign, podcasting, videocasting and multimedia (combining still pictures, graphics and video with music and/or audio to create a multimedia project/presentation). We will also cover RSS (Really Simple Syndication), Web. 2.0 technolgies and social networking.

For specifics assignments, go to the Assignments & Tutorials page on this blog.

Course Requirements
Students will create page designs for both print and the web using Photoshop and InDesign. They will contribute regularly to a class blog, develop and post a simple web page to showcase their projects, record and post a podcast, develop a multimedia project and learn how to use RSS and other Web 2.0 technologies. In addition to the Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign and Dreamweaver), students will also learn to use software such as Audacity and/or Apple’s iLife Suite (iPhoto, iMovie, Garageband, etc.). Students will create a final multimedia project focusing on one or more of the areas discussed above.

Equipment and Software Requirements
Students should have laptops with the software listed above so they can work on projects outside of class. Computers with all the necessary software are also available for student use (on a first come, first served basis) at the Academic Success Center in the first floor of Clark Hall.

Grading
Grades are performance based and will be awarded based on the total number of points. They will be computed as follows:

97-100% (97-100 Points) = A+
93-96% (93-96 Points) = A
90-92% (90-92 Points) = A-
87-89% (87-89 Points) = B+
83-86% (83-86 Points) = B
80-82% (80-82 Points) = B-
77-79% (77-79 Points) = C+
73-76% (73-76 Points) = C
70-72% (70-72 Points) = C-
67-69% (67-69 Points) = D+
63-66% (63-66 Points) = D
60-62% (60-62 Points) = D-
<60% (Less Than 60 Points) = F

Rules & Policies
The following policies are designed to help you develop the skills needed for success in a mass media career as well as to ensure fair treatment for all students:

  • Complete all reading assignments as scheduled and be prepared to discuss and apply them in class.
  • All assignments are due on the due date at the start of class. Late assignments will not be accepted. The only exception will be for serious illness or emergency reported to the instructor before the start of class.
  • All assignments submitted in this class must be original work, created by you for this class. (See academic dishonesty below.)
  • Errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling and AP style will lower your grade. Please use spell-check and proofread.
  • There will be no make-ups for missed labs, in-class exercises or quizzes. The only exception to this policy will be for an excused absence (e.g., serious illness, accident, family emergency) that is reported to the instructor before the start of class.

Attendance
Regular class attendance is important to your success in this class. You are encouraged to attend all class meetings so you can contribute to in-class discussions and take advantage of lectures, guest speakers, demonstrations and lab sessions. Keep in mind that it will be extremely hard to get a good grade on the ongoing weekly blogging assignments if you miss class. Missed in-class discussions, exercises and lab sessions cannot be made up. If you must miss a class, please arrange to get notes and any assignments from a classmate. Whenever possible, please let me know before class (by email or office voicemail) if you must miss a class meeting. If you must miss two or more classes because of illness, accident or other emergency, please let me know ASAP so I can help you keep current.

University Policies

Academic Integrity Statement
“Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State University and the University’s Integrity Policy, require you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the Office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The policy on academic integrity can be found at: http://sa.sjsu.edu/student_conduct.”

To plagiarize is to “steal and use (the ideas or writings of another) as one’s own.” (American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. 1975). You are committing plagiarism if you:

  • Copy phrases, sentences, or passages from electronic or print sources (journal articles, the web, etc.) into your own papers and reports without giving credit by citing the original source
  • Quote someone else’s exact words without giving credit to the original author
  • Use someone else’s specific ideas even if you restate them in your own words. Citing your sources properly avoids plagiarism. (See http://sa.sjsu.edu/student_conduct.)

SJSU regards plagiarism as academic dishonesty. Consequences include academic and other sanctions such as “grade modification.” To avoid plagiarism, make clear which ideas are yours and which are someone else’s…don’t use words or images in a way that violates the creator’s rights to them.

Plagiarism and fabrication are violations of the ethical standards of the media professions. In addition to plagiarizing sources, outright fabrication is considered to be a violation of the academic dishonesty policy by the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. This includes making up sources and attributing information to non-existent people or printed sources.

Instructor Policy on Plagiarism
I take the issue of academic integrity seriously, and that is why I flunk students who plagiarize and/or cheat. If you fear you may be unintentionally “crossing the line” into plagiarism, please check with me before submitting your project/assignment. FYI, plagiarism includes “cutting and pasting” paragraphs, sentences, phrases and/or images from the web without full attribution. For a complete definition of what constitutes plagiarism and cheating, please review the King Library’s web page on plagiarism or take Library’s online plagiarism tutorial.

Campus policy in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act
“If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 requires that students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with the DRC (Disability Resource Center) to establish a record of their disability.” Contact the Disability Resource Center at 924-5990.

Student Responsibility for Adds, Drops, Etc.
You are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drops, academic renewal, withdrawals, incompletes, classroom behavior, and other policies found at http://sa.sjsu.edu/student_conduct. Also, please read the SJSU catalog thoroughly.

Classroom Policies for the School of Journalism & Mass Communications
To avoid disruptions in the classroom and to foster an atmosphere for learning, the School has established the following classroom policies:

  • All cell phones must be turned off (or set to “stun” or “vibrate”) in the classroom. If it rings in class, I will answer it.
  • Latecomers may be denied entrance to the classroom. Please do not disrupt the class by leaving early. Avoid scheduling work, personal appointments (doctor’s visits), etc., in conflict with class meetings.
  • When in the classroom, please use laptops for classroom-related activities only.
  • When using SJSU computers in the labs, please quit all software programs you’ve opened before leaving the classroom for the day.
  • Remove your personal belongings and trash from the classroom after each class.
  • No food allowed in classrooms or labs.
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