module specification

In this module you will study the history of the mass media and learn about key theoretical arguments and debates that have emerged in response  its rise. The module explores the development of press and publishing industries, photography, cinema, television, radio, the music industry and digital media by relating the technological changes to both their socio-cultural contexts and emerging theoretical perspectives.  The module also provides you with a grounding in key academic skills including research, academic reading, and delivering presentations.

The module aims to:

• Provide you with an introduction to the study of media and its various rationales and methodologies.
• Promote your critical understanding of the history, content and structures of the media industries and examine the social, political and economic factors which shape them.
• Develop your understanding of the development of debates and theoretical contexts related to the media and media technologies.
• Develop and encourage your confidence in the use of appropriate learning, analytical and discursive skills in both oral and written argument, and help you acquire key academic research skills.

This module provides an introduction to the history of the mass media, and to key theoretical arguments and debates that have emerged in response to the rise of mass media. It is divided into weekly sessions each of which will explore a different aspect of the history of the mass media. These may include:

• Oral cultures and manuscript cultures
• The advent of the printing press and the rise of literacy
• The growth of newspaper publishing and it social consequences
• Early photography and its use in portraiture
• The emergence of documentary photography and its influence on public understanding of global events and social life
• The development of moving image photography and the aesthetics of early film
• The rise of Hollywood and its relationship to the culture industry
• Radio and the rise of public service broadcasting
• The development of the music industry
• Television and commercialisation
• Changes to the ways in which audiences have been constructed
• The growth of the internet and the world wide web

Each week will provide an overview of the key technological, social and cultural developments in the emergence of the media forms, as well introduce key theoretical debates. In addition, the syllabus includes a programme of key academic skills including for example: library research; note taking; presenting; referencing; academic reading etc.

Teaching methods include formal lectures, seminar discussion, screenings, library sessions and tutorials.  Students are expected to attend lectures and seminars: in the seminars they will at times work in small groups and be given practice in listening to each other’s contributions and offering constructive criticism, and in chairing and reporting discussion to the plenary seminar group. The teaching and learning strategy aims to encourage an inclusive and supportive learning environment that respects and values the contributions of individual students and provides opportunities for individual intellectual development through a variety of learning opportunities.

The module booklet will be available online, as will lecture outlines and some readings. Weblearn or its equivalent will also be used for communication with students individually and as a cohort. In addition to guided reading, students are expected to read and to use variety of sources (primary and secondary) and use seminars and tutorials to raise issues, questions and seek feedback.

A blended learning strategy will be employed to enhance the learning experience, facilitate communication between students and tutors and develop collaboration among students. The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) will be used as a platform to support online activities including on-line discussions, evaluation of online resources, and access to electronic reading packs. The VLE will also be used to facilitate formative assessment and related feedback, as well as a tool to integrate useful online learning materials provided by research institutions, academic publications, professional organisations and other relevant sources.

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

1. Describe the historical development of contemporary media forms and the social consequences of those changes.
2. Understand different theoretical approaches to understanding mass media and mediated culture and apply those approaches to specific examples
3. Identify and apply a variety of relevant academic sources in developing this understanding
4. Conduct basic research to support your learning and assessment in the study of media history
5. Develop your capacity to engage co-operatively in a group using discursive skills to produce a group presentation

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