Return to COM 251 Syllabus
| Date | Topics | Readings |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 25 | Introduction Class Screening: Creature Comforts Class Discussion: Creativity in the Media | No readings |
| Aug 27 | Media, Chaps 1-3 | |
| Sep 1 | Labor Day Holiday | |
| Sep 3 | Social Construction of Reality (PPT file) | Media, Chap 4 |
| Sep 8 | The Senses: Sound
Class Exercise: Boxes | R. Murray Schafer, Electronic Revolution
Powerpoint Presentation: The Soundscape |
| Sep 10 | The Senses: Sight | Paul Martin Lester,
What the Brain Sees: Color, Form, Depth, and Movement Powerpoint Presentation: Sight |
| Sep 15-17 | Mediation and Representation: The Text-in-the-audience and The Audience-in-the-text |
Media, Chaps 5-6
Tony Schwartz, The Responsive Chord
Powerpoint Presentation: Text and Audience
|
| Sep 22-24 | Semiotics
Class Screening: "Arrival" (an episode of The Prisoner) | Media, Chaps 7-8 Powerpoint Presentation: Semiotics Stuart Hall, Encoding/decoding |
| Sep 29-Oct 1 | Stories
Class Screening: "Twilight Zone: "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street" |
Media, Chaps 9-11 Powerpoint Presentation: Narratives Powerpoint Presentation: Dramatic Stucture |
| Oct 6 | Group Meeting Time: Take Advantage | |
| Oct 8-15 | Elements of Production:
Aural Class Listening: Firesign Theater, Temporarily Humboldt County |
|
| Oct 13 | Fall Break | |
| Oct 20-22-27 | Elements of Production: Visual Class Screenings: "Singing Lesson" from Citizen Kane 4 Gunfights at the OK Corral "Three Men and Adina" (an episode of Homicide) |
Essay #1 Due: October 15 |
| Oct 29-Nov 3-5 | Production Forms:
The Television Series Class Screening: Anatomy of a Homicide (Frontline documentary followed by the "Subway" episode of Homicide |
Powerpoint Presentation: The Television Series |
| Oct 31 |
Last day to withdraw
Halloween!!! | |
| Nov 10-12 | Ideologies and discourses | Media, Chaps 12-15 |
| Nov 17-20 | Team Work Days | |
| Nov 24 | Group Project Presentations | |
| Nov 26 | Thankgiving Day Holiday | |
| Dec 1-3 | Representations of Gender and Ethnicity Postmodernism |
Essay #2 Due: December 3
Media, Chaps 16-18 Chaps 19-20 |
| Dec 10-12 |
Final Examination and Class Screening:
"Once Upon A Time" and "Fall Out" (the final two episodes of The Prisoner) |
|
| Dec 17 | 4-6 pm Final Examinations Due | |