Course Description

A survey of contemporary media industries including their technical, economic, social, political and cultural implications. We will also examine the economic underpinnings of media, the role of advertising and public relations, and the policies that govern contemporary media industries.

This is a three (3) class: you’re expected to spend an average of nine (9) hours working on each module.

Remote Online Asynchronous Course

This course will be conducted remotely over the Internet.

All course material is available on the course website at https://juanmonroy.com/contemporarymedia. Assignments are are available on Google Classroom. We will not be using Blackboard.

All learning activities will be asynchronous, meaning that students complete learning activities on their own time by the deadlines noted on this course website.

This course consists of twelve modules on contemporary media. For each module, there will be:

  1. assigned readings from the required textbook
  2. a reading quiz on Google Classroom covering the material you just read
  3. a set of pre-recorded video lectures that you can watch on Google Classroom
  4. comprehension questions on each video lecture
  5. discussion session about a topic covered in the module

After four modules, there will be an exam on the material you covered.

Although the course is asynchronous, you must complete each module, each quiz, and each exam by the deadline specified on this syllabus and on Google Classroom.

Learning Objectives

In this course, we will aim to accomplish the following:

  1. learning the terminology, practices, and economics of contemporary media industries, including print, electronic, and digital media
  2. understanding the relationship between contemporary media and society
  3. building a working understanding of contemporary media and a foundation for more advanced and in-depth courses in media studies

Instructor

Juan Monroy

Office Hours

Office Hours will be held remotely on Google Meet by appointment only.

Log into a Google account and sign up for an appointment at https://juanmonroy.com/qcofficehours. Appointment slots—in twenty minute increments—are available at the following times:

  • Mondays through Thursdays
    • 8:40 AM - 9:40 AM
    • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Use the Google Meet in the email and calendar entry to connect to the conference.

Google Classroom

We will be using Google Classroom for assignments (lectures, quizzes, and discussions) and for exams.

How to join our course on Google Classroom 1. Go to https://gdrive.qc.cuny.edu and login with your CAMS account (looks like jsmith100). If you have forgotten your username or password- go to https://cams.qc.cuny.edu.​ 2. Accept terms and conditions if it’s your first time logging in). 3. Go to https://classroom.google.com - Identify as a student - Click the + button on the top right. - Add the course code listed in the welcome section of this syllabus.

Troubleshooting: After logging in, it won’t let you add the class. Sometimes it switches you back to your personal Google account if you have more than one logged in at a time. Open the account switcher by clicking on your initial or profile picture in the top right and enter your QC account. If you don’t know my CAMS account/password, go to https://cams.qc.cuny.edu and click forgot Username or Password.

For more information, go to https://juanmonroy.com/courses/googleclassroom-qc/.

Counseling Services at Queens College

Counseling Services are available to any Queens College student. They assist students with personal concerns that can affect their enjoyment of and success in college. Services are free and confidential. All sessions take place on Zoom or by telephone, depending on student preference.

To make an appointment, students should call 718–997–5420 and leave a message with their phone number and CUNY ID. You can also e-mail counselingservices@qc.cuny.edu to set up an appointment.

https://www.qc.cuny.edu/studentlife/services/counseling/counseling/Pages/default.aspx

Reasonable Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation should register with the Special Services Office by emailing QC.SPSV@qc.cuny.edu​. For more information about services available to Queens College students, visit the Office of Special Services website: https://www.qc.cuny.edu/studentlife/services/specialserv/Pages/default.aspx.

CUNY Policy on Academic Dishonesty

Academic Dishonesty is prohibited in The City University of New York and is punishable by penalties, including failing grades, suspension, and expulsion as provided at https://www.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/legal-affairs/policies-procedures/academic-integrity-policy/.

Netiquette

Please maintain a professional demeanor when posting online. You can be respectful even when you have a difference of opinion. Treat others as you’d want to be treated yourself. Don’t type in all caps, as that is the online equivalent of shouting. If you need to emphasize a word or phrase, use italics.

Technical Support

The Queens College Helpdesk, (718) 997–4444, helpdesk@qc.cuny.edu) is located in the I-Building, Room 151 and provides technical support for students who need help with Queens College email, CUNY portal, Blackboard, and CUNYFirst.

Welcome Survey

Please complete the Welcome Survey for this course on Google Classroom.

The survey serves to ensure that you can access Google Classroom and that you agree to abide by the course policies.

Please complete the Welcome Survey by Friday, July 9. If you cannot complete this by the deadline, please email me. Otherwise, I will have to report you as not attending the class and you will be dropped from the course.

Modules

This course is broken up into twelve modules. Each module consists of:

  • assigned readings from the textbook, listed in the course schedule on the course website,
  • a reading quiz, available on Google Classroom, about the material you just read,
  • a set of pre-recorded video lectures, available on Google Classroom, with a short comprehension quiz on each video,
  • a discussion question, asking you to reflect on a topic we covered in the module.

Modules are released, one at a time, Tuesday through Friday, for a total of four modules per week, and are due the following Monday at 11:59 PM. See the course schedule for exact dates.

Readings

Each module requires you to read a chapter or two from the following textbook:

  • Understanding Media and Culture: An Introduction to Mass Communication.

Downloadable editions are available from the Open Textbook Library.

Note: this book is woefully out of date, but we’re using it because it’s available as an Open Educational Resource. The video lectures are vital for learning contemporary media.

Lectures

Each module requires you to watch a recorded lecture and answer the comprehension question based on that material. The recorded lecture is split into a series of videos, between three and five videos, and each video is between five and twelve minutes in length.

The videos move through the course material quicker than an in-person lecture. As you watch each video, pause and rewind the video as necessary to take notes on the material. This will help ensure you’re ingesting the course material.

Each video will be linked on the course schedule below and on Google Classroom.

Your scores on the lecture comprehension questions count for 25% of your final grade. I will drop the combined lecture comprehension quiz scores from your two lowest performing modules.

Reading Quizzes

Each module requires you to take a quiz on the readings from the textbook. Each quiz consists of a mix of true-false and multiple-choice questions. The quiz will be available on Google Classroom as a Google Form.

Note the quiz deadlines on the course schedule and on Google Classroom. No late quizzes will be accepted.

There will be a total of twelve quizzes. I will drop your two lowest quiz scores. The remaining ten quizzes are collectively worth 25% of your final grade.

Discussion Questions

At the end of each module, I pose a question to ask you to reflect on a topic covered in a module. These questions are ungraded, but they help me figure out how to improve the material for the future.

Exams

You are required to complete three exams. Each exam will consist of objective questions, a mix of true and false, and subjective questions, requiring answers in the form of explanations. Your answers to the exam questions should synthesize what you learned in the recorded lectures and the textbook readings.

Exam are available and due on Google Classroom, according to the following schedule:

  1. Exam 1, available Monday, July 12, 8:00 AM, due July 15, 11:59 PM
  2. Exam 2, available Monday, July 19, 8:00 AM, due July 22, 11:59 PM
  3. Exam 3, available Monday, July 26, 8:00 AM, due July 29, 11:59 PM

All three exams are required and constitute 50% of your final grade. Your highest score will be worth 25%, your second-highest exam score will be worth 15%, and your lowest exam score will be worth 10% of your final grade.

All exams must be submitted by the deadline, otherwise they will be penalized by reduction in a grade, according to the course policies.

Grading

Please submit your work on time. Late quizzes and take-home final exams will not be accepted. In some cases, assignments due at the end of the term will not be accepted. In-class exams must be taken at the date and time listed below unless we make other arrangements.

All other work will be penalized as follows: - Fall and Spring Courses - After a 24-hour grace period, late work will be penalized by a 10% reduction for each 24-hour period it is late. After one calendar week, the assignment will not be accepted, and you will likely fail this class. - Summer and Winter Courses - After a one-hour grace period, late work will be penalized by a 10% reduction up to 24 hours after the deadline. Late work will not be accepted after 24 hours. - All courses - No work will be accepted after the last class session.

Course Schedule

As this course is asynchronous, you may complete each module as your schedule permits. However, the due dates for each assignment—including quizzes, lectures, and exams—are firm and must be completed on-time in order to receive credit. Please plan accordingly.

Getting Started

  1. Watch the video: Welcome to Contemporary Media, July 2021
  2. Get the required textbook: Understanding Media and Culture.
  3. Activate your Google Apps at QC account
  4. Join the class on Google Classroom
  5. Complete the Welcome Survey by Friday, July 9, 12:00 PM. If you cannot complete this last step by then, please contact me. Otherwise I will have to report you as not attending the class and you will be dropped.

Module 1 • Media, Communication, and Culture, July 6

Assignments

Module 2 • Books, July 7

Assignments

Module 3 • Newspapers, July 8

Assignments

Module 4 • Magazines, July 9

Assignments

Exam 1, July 12

Exam 1 covers the material for the Modules 1–4 and is available on Google Classroom

  • Available: Monday, July 12, 8:00 AM
  • Due: Thursday, July 15, 11:59 PM

Module 5 • Music, July 13

Assignments

Module 6 • Radio, July 14

Assignments

Module 7 • Movies, July 15

Assignments

Module 8 • Television, July 16

Assignments

Exam 2, July 19

Exam 2 covers the material for the Modules 5–8 and is available on Google Classroom

  • Available: Monday, July 19, 8:00 AM
  • Due: Thursday, July 22, 11:59 PM

Module 9 • Internet, July 20

Assignments

Module 10 • Advertising and Public Relations, July 21

Assignments

Module 11 • Media Economics, July 22

Assignments

Module 12 • Media Regulation, July 23

Assignments

Exam 3, July 26

Exam 3 covers the material for the Modules 9–12 and is available on Google Classroom.

  • Available: Monday, July 26, 8:00 AM
  • Due: Thursday, July 29, 11:59 PM