MDIA 1006 - Story/Technology: Writing Techniques

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2016

This course looks at the development and uses of digital stories. Digital story has become an avenue of expression leading to new forms of social networking and a means through which story is re-made for different media. The course examines techniques of writing for a range of media which will lead to the development and production of materials by students. The capacity for digital storytelling has developed through the availability of convergent communication technologies. The availabilities of these technologies has meant that new skills and techniques of writing are necessary which fit with computer screen technologies and other parameters of these new media forms. The subject will cover the relatively short history of this new field of media production linking it to older forms of story-telling in terms of connection to comparative and indigenous precursors and uses. The course will cover an analysis of the 'new prosumer' as an autonomous media producer and the development of a computer mediated aesthetics. Theories of narrative form, subjectivity and identity will form part of the course with an examination of forms of collective and political engagement that develop out of digital story. New mainstream genres which grow out of older forms such as the diary or the journal will be discussed. The course has a practical component which will encourage the production of new forms of narrative through exercises and the use of these techniques.

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Course Details

Course Code	MDIA 1006
Course	Story/Technology: Writing Techniques
Coordinating Unit	Media
Term	Semester 2
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 3 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	Y
Restrictions	Available to B Media students only
Assessment	tutorial presentation 25%, script development exercise 25%, digital story draft 20%, final submission of digital story 30%

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Kim Barbour

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from .

Course Learning Outcomes

At the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1	Demonstrate knowledge of the basic principles and concepts of framing, composition, visual storytelling, digital storytelling, and culture
2	Demonstrate a sense of aesthetics and skills in communicating through both static and moving images
3	Demonstrate creativity and originality in effectively developing and managing a visual story production
4	Communicate and critique project ideas with classmates in workshop activities, consultations and screenings
5	Enhance passion in visual production as a profession and as an interest

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Deep discipline knowledge informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1 accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)	1, 2, 4
Critical thinking and problem solving steeped in research methods and rigor based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment	1, 2, 3
Career and leadership readiness technology savvy professional and, where relevant, fully accredited forward thinking and well informed tested and validated by work based experiences	1, 2, 3, 4
Self-awareness and emotional intelligence a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate	2, 4, 5

Learning Resources

Required Resources

There are no textbooks or books of readings that are required to be purchased for this course. All materials will be available for download from .

Considerable use is made of mobile technologies, particularly the cameras on smart phones, during class time. Where a student does not have access to technologies of this type, loan equipment is available.

Recommended Resources

A list of multimedia references will be provided by the course coordinator during the semester.

Online Learning

All course documents will be uploaded to MyUni.

Learning & Teaching Modes

Theory is supported by problem-solving workshops which develop theoretical material. The workshops will have a focus on task-based hands-on learning and experimentation with technology, with critical discussion around key ideas.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

1 x 1-hour lecture (or equivalent) per week	12 hours per semester
1 x 2-hour workshop (or equivalent) per week	24 hours per semester
6 hours reading per week	72 hours per semester
2 hours research per week	24 hours per semester
2 hours assignment preparation per week	24 hours per semester
TOTAL WORKLOAD	156 hours per semester

Learning Activities Summary

Schedule
Topic 1	Introduction
Topic 2	How stories work
Topic 3	Stories and identity
Topic 4	Software and hardware
Topic 5	Online storytelling
Topic 6	Stories as marketing & promotion
Topic 7	Stories as education
Topic 8	Stories as journalism
Topic 9	Global media markets
Topic 10	Giving voice
Topic 11	Selling ourselves
Topic 12	Future developments & project work

Small Group Discovery Experience

Small Group Discovery Experience is embedded throughout this course. Seminar/workshops will be run with periods of time spent in small groups, where students will work on problems and exercises together under the supervision and in discussion with the Course Coordinator.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task	Task Type	Due	Weighting	Learning Outcome
Online tests	Summative	Ongoing throughout semester	20%	LO 1, 5
Multimedia Research Essay	Summative	Friday Week 8	30%; 1500 words	LO 1, 2, 5
Production of a digital story	Summative	Friday Week 12	40%	LO 1, 2, 3, 5
Active participation in workshops	Formative	Weekly	10%	LO 2, 4

Assessment Related Requirements

Compulsory attendance in workshops

Assessment Detail

The aim of Assignment 1 is for each student to demonstrate their understanding and mastery of course theory.

The aim of Assignment 2 is for each student to critically engage with an issue relating to storytelling in a digital environment that is raised in the lecture content. Utilising both scholarly research and digital stories, students will consider how and why their topic is interesting and/or important in the contemporary media environment.

The aim of Assignment 3 is for each student to plan and produce a short digital story on a topic of their choice (in consultation with the teaching staff). Students will demonstrate the narrative, aesthetic, and technical skills they have developed throughout the semester, as well as engage in the production process.

Assignment 4 ensures students actively participate in the skill development tasks that occur during workshops.

Submission

Assignment tasks will be submitted electronically to MyUni, following the instructions given online and in class. For late submission, 5 percent will be deducted from the maximum grade for that task for each 24-hour late submission. In case an extension to a due date is needed for an assignment task, the student should email the course coordinator in advance to seek prior approval and provide the necessary evidence to justify the request. Feedback on how to improve assignment tasks will be given during in-class consultation with students.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through .

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student鈥檚 disciplinary procedures.

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Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator

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