Department of Communication, Popular

Culture and Film

Course Number: COMM 2F00

Term/Year/Duration: Fall/Winter 2021-2022: Online Course
Course Title: New Media Literacy

Instructor Name: Dr. Michelle Chen

Email: [email protected]
Virtual Office Hours: Wednesday, 10:00 – 11:00 AM; or by appointment:
https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/[email protected]/bookings/

Teaching Assistants:
Virtual Office Hours: By Email Appointment.

Lectures will be recorded and shared on our course site. Chats will not be included in the recording. If
you have any other concerns, please contact the instructor. Students may not make or share an audio
or video recording of a lecture, presentation, or lesson, unless permission is granted by the
instructor.

Course Description

This online course addresses new media literacy from a two-fold perspective: 1) knowledge of basic
skills and tools essential to functioning in new media environments and 2) critical analytical training
and awareness of key issues related to the contemporary digital age. Using theories, concepts and
perspectives drawn mainly from disciplines in the Social Sciences (e.g. sociology, psychology, political
science, media effects, mass communication), this course explores and examines the impact of
current digital technologies on knowledge, news, politics, activism, and identity.

Although new media technologies may have become a standard part of our everyday learning and
daily interactions, this course encourages learners to critically examine the broad function of new
media in our lives. The readings and discussions thus place special emphasis on select cases to
provide a diversity of perspectives that may help illustrate how and why new media is revolutionizing
(or not) society’s political and socio-cultural landscape.

Learning Outcomes

This class is designed so that as learners, you will explore not only a body of knowledge about new
media but be provided with the critical skills needed to assess that knowledge and use it when
engaging with timely ethical and social issues. This course helps learners reflect on the shared sense
of responsibility required to build and maintain democracy and community—both locally and
globally.
The class is structured such that you will:

• Develop critical thinking and analytical skills in relation to digital media literacy.
• Identify theoretical concepts and evaluate contemporary debates, discussions, and
perspectives about digital media’s role in society.
• Reflect on your own participation in digital environments and cultures and gain deeper
appreciation of digital media’s impact on our daily lives.
• Develop and strengthen digital media and communication skills, including familiarity to
popular digital media tools, required to be a productive member of the economy and society.
• Be able to contribute to our broader knowledge of digital media literacy by ethically creating
information based on observation, engagement, reflection, and research.

Ultimately, this course will help you develop greater awareness and critical thinking skills to shape
current debates and contribute knowledge. Platforms and applications change rapidly, but your
critical approaches and digital skills will provide the scaffolding for you to adapt and respond to the
evolution of new technologies.

Course Readings:

Course readings are available on Sakai.

Module Topic Overview:

Module One: Introduction to “new media”

Module Two: Algorithms & its Politics
Module Three: Misinformation, Disinformation & the News
Module Four: Political Participation & Digital Advocacy
Module Five: Self-Branding and Identity
Module Six: Leveraging Technological Affordances of Digital Media Platforms

How this course works

• Each week you are responsible for 1) completing the assigned readings, 2) reading/watching
the lecture PPTx slides/videos (including additional multimedia materials as assigned), and
any required assignments, forum discussion or reflection activity assigned that week.
• It is highly important that you complete the lecture PPTx slides because the lectures cover
additional materials, contemporary debates/issues/examples, including examining
perspectives put forth in the assigned readings.
• You will be assessed on your ability to apply critical thinking and course concepts to all the
required assignments. You will be expected to make timely progress on your multimedia
project as the term progresses.
• Everything you need to know about the course is in the syllabus. This syllabus provides you
with a schedule of the required readings for the term, in addition to a forum discussion
schedule and assignment schedule with firm due dates.
• Weekly readings, lectures slides, and forum discussion questions will be made available at
the start of each week on Sakai.

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Our role and what you can expect from us

• This course has one instructor and multiple teaching assistants to facilitate course delivery
and grading of your multimedia project, forum posts and paper review.
• Our goal for this course is to facilitate a positive online learning experience for you.
• We are here to guide learning about course content but also help you learn to communicate,
participate and product content in a virtual environment.
• Provide timely feedback on your progress in this course. However, you are responsible for
your own learning, contributing, and meeting due dates.
• We will be available to you if you need help with the course material – themes and issues
related to course materials, the assignments, or any technical issues. You just need to ask.

Your role and what we expect from you

• This is a reading and writing-heavy course. This means that writing style, spelling, sentence
structure, grammar, punctuation, and effective use of paragraphs are part of the grading
rubric for all assignments. Please consult Brock University’s writing resources or essay writing
clinic for help in editing and proof-reading your assignments.
• Take control of your own learning. It is your responsibility to understand the requirements,
expectations and policies of the course as well as take note of all the deadlines as outlined in
the syllabus.
• To succeed in this course, you will need to stay on top of required tasks and assignments. We
encourage you to create a schedule for yourself: map out and organize when you will work
on this course. Consider how completing the course will fit into your daily schedule.
• Please ensure that you are familiar with the layout of Sakai. Information on where/how to
find material on Sakai is provided in the syllabus.
• Be prepared. Watch the video lectures and complete the assigned readings and be ready to
contribute to forum discussions.
• Be courageous. Be willing to share your thoughts in forum discussions and ask for help.
Learning is hard work, but we are here to provide scaffolding to help you succeed.

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Course Standards & Policies

Technical Infrastructure

• This is an online course. The internet (and Sakai specifically) is the primary means through
which you will access course content, interact in forum discussions, and submit assignments.
• Technical difficulties do not warrant an extension without late penalty. Please keep this in
mind and plan accordingly. A late assignment is a late assignment.
• Double-check your uploads to ensure they have been properly uploaded. It is your
responsibility to make sure we can view your assignments. If we are unable to view your
assignments, it will be counted as late.
• We advise that you complete all that is required in advance of the due date should you run
into problems, especially technical problems. It is your responsibility to ensure that you
complete all required tasks and assignments by the due date and time.

Course Readings & Lecture slides

• We encourage you to complete all your assigned readings before the start of each week,
which will give you time to think about what you’ve read and apply it to the forum
discussions and your project.
• Weekly readings as outlined in the syllabus will be supplemented with additional material
such as videos, podcasts, and real-world examples in the lecture slides.
• It is recommended that you read/watch the lecture slide after completing your assigned
readings. The lecture slides are meant to clarify key concepts, theories and perspectives as
well as demonstrate issue/concept/problem in the real-world.
• There will be guest speakers who will be invited to share their perspective and expertise on
certain topics. It is highly recommended that you complete the lecture slides to gain a deeper
understanding of the topic.

Course Assignments

• Due dates and assignment instructors are provided in this syllabus and on Sakai.
• Be proactive: read assignment instructions carefully, understand assignment requirements
and expectations. Refer to the grading rubric and clarify any grey areas with your TA.
• We do not accept requests for resubmission, revision or do-overs.
• There is a specific forum dedicated to the multimedia project and mid-term reflection paper
where you can post questions and brainstorm with fellow learners. Please post questions in
the appropriate forums.

Using Sources & Citation Style

• All written assignments must follow APA format and style.
• You must use in-text citations and include a reference list at the end of your assignment or
forum post. We will not accept submissions that do not include a reference list or in-text
citations.
• It is your responsibility to ensure that your arguments and opinions are supported with
evidence from reputable sources. If you are searching for external sources, you should
always start your search using Brock Online Library or Google Scholar.
• Reputable sources include peer-reviewed academic papers, academic studies, mainstream
news sources (e.g. CBC, AP, BBC, Reuters, CTV News, Toronto Sun/Star, National Post, NYT,

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NPR, The Economist, The Atlantic, Time Magazine, etc.), or research-focused publications
(e.g., Pew Research, FiveThirtyEight, TheConversation, etc.).

Work Submission

• All assignments, including multimedia project and summary report, are submitted online
through Sakai.
• All assignments must be uploaded as a .doc file or as a .pdf file.
• To submit assignments, please go to the “Assignment Submission and Feedback” tab in Sakai.
Click on the specific assignment and click ‘Add Attachments’.
• Each assignment is submitted to Turnitin.com for review.
• Assignments sent via email will not be accepted unless otherwise stated.
• Double-check your submission to ensure that your file has been attached correctly and
viewable when downloaded. It is your responsibility to ensure that your assignment has
been submitted correctly and in the proper format.
• Files that cannot open and/or incorrect files will be counted as a late submission and will
be subjected to late submission penalty.

Late Work Submission Policy

• All assignments must be submitted via Sakai by the due date and time. All deadlines are in
Eastern Standard Time.
• Once a forum closes, the opportunity to participate is lost. There are no late submissions or
late penalties for forum participation posts and responses unless an extension was granted.
• If you are requesting an extension, your request must be accompanied by appropriate
documentations (e.g., Brock University medical form, SAS documentation, obituary link).
• Late assignments and multimedia project past the due date will receive a penalty of 10% per
day unless an extension has been granted.
• Assignments will not be accepted after 5 days past the deadline. Any late submission must
be sent directly to your TA.
• A technical problem does not warrant an extension without late penalty.

Please note: If you find yourself in a condition or circumstance that would affect more than one
assignment in the course, you are encouraged and advised to speak Student Services to get the
proper course accommodations you may need.

Medical Absence due to COVID-19

• If you require academic consideration because of an incapacitating medical condition, please

inform your TAs as soon as possible of your inability to complete your work. Given our
challenging times related to COVID-19, requests for extensions on assignments due to illness
or caring for others with illness will be given case by case consideration for extensions.
• If you require academic consideration because of an incapacitating medical condition, please
inform your TA as soon as possible of your inability to complete your work. This should be
done before the assignment deadline.
• An extension will be granted only if you submit a copy of the virtual Brock University
Student Medical Certificate: https://brocku.ca/registrar/wp-
content/uploads/sites/45/Medical-Certificate.pdf or documentation from SAS.

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• At the time of the appointment, the health professional will provide you with the virtual
medical certificate that you will need to forward to the instructor. Please note that Student
Health Services appointments are limited at this time, therefore please forward this medical
certificate within 7 days of the initial contact with your TA. Brock University may, at its
discretion, request more detailed documentation in certain cases.

Grading

• This course has teaching assistants to facilitate the grading of assignments. Your TAs will be
your main point of contact. Should you have any questions, please email them.
• Please allow a two-week turn around for grading and feedback.
• To view assignment feedback, go to the “Assignment Submission and Feedback” tab in Sakai
and click on the specific assignment. There you will see a box containing marker-grader
feedback. To view course grades, go to the “Gradebook” tab in Sakai.
• Remember: One does not start out with a perfect score. Marks are not lost because points
are taken off. Grading begins at zero and marks are allotted based on the demonstrated
mastery of the assignment.
• You will be notified by email when your assignment has been graded. It is your responsibility
to check your grades and review feedback. If you would like to appeal an assignment grade,
you have up to 5 working days to do from the day your grade for the assignment was
posted. After which, no grade appeals are allowed. The only exception is your multimedia
project and summary report where you have up to 3 working days after your grade has
been released to appeal your grade.
• We do not accept final grade appeal beyond April 29, 2022.

Forum Discussions

• The online discussion forums are collaborative spaces of learning. And learning takes place
when we are open-minded, tolerant, and accepting of viewpoints different from our own.
• These are spaces where ideas and experiences are shared in confidence. Do not abuse this
trust by publicly sharing someone else’s experiences outside this course, especially with their
names attached to their posts.
• When we enter into dialogue with one another and in these spaces, we do so with sensitivity
and mutual respect. Bullying, name-calling, disrespectful and disruptive behavior will not be
tolerated.

Email

• If you need to be in contact with the instructor or TA, please use e-mail (see ‘Points of
Contact’ on Sakai to find out who you should contact).
• When you send an e-mail, please identify the course number (COMM 2F00) in the subject
heading and include your full name. There are hundreds of students taking this course and
this information will enable us to respond to you promptly.
• If questions concerning course content and/or assignments are too complicated to address
via email, you will be asked to set up a video meeting at a mutually agreeable time to discuss
matters further.
• This is an online course, but we are not available 24/7 via e-mail. We will respond to emails
within 24-48 hours from Monday to Friday.

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Point of Contact

• Each group will have an assigned TA. Your TA is your main point of contact. Please direct all
course queries to your assigned TA. You can reach them using the contact information we
have provided.
• You are encouraged to book a virtual appointment with them if you are not able to come to
their virtual office hours.

Grading Scheme

Forum Discussions 40%

Multimedia Project & Summary Report 35%
Mid-term Reflection Paper 15%
Multimedia Sources Paper Report 10%

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Forum participation (40%)

In lieu of face-to-face in-class discussions, we will be using a discussion forum on Saki, and you will
participate in discussion threads twice per module topic.

Discussion and conversation prompts related to course materials (reading & lecture slides) will be
posted on the forum. You will reflect on and apply lecture and reading materials, citing materials and
course concepts from that module in your posts and responses.

• 40% of your grade for this course will come from participation in discussion forums where
you submit a post and response to your course mate’s posts.

• There will be TWO forum discussions per module. That means there are 12 forum discussions
in total BUT only your 10 highest scoring posts will be counted towards your final grade.
• Forums will open on Monday at 7:00 AM on the week of the forum discussion.

o Post Submission: Friday by 7:00 PM that same week

o Post Response: Monday by 7:00 PM the following week.

• Forum Schedule: Please see the “Discussion Forum Schedule” in the syllabus for specific
open/close dates and times.
• Forum Groups: Please see the “Discussion Forum Groups” tab to ensure that you are in a
group. If you cannot find your group, please contact the instructor.
• Discussion Forums: Please see the “Discussion Forums” tab in Sakai to access the forums.

The parameters around the discussion forums are non-negotiable.

• We will not grade posts after the due date.

• You are allowed to miss TWO forum posts since only your top 10 posts will be counted
toward your final grade. As such, if you miss your opportunity to participate that week, there
will be no make-up participation allowed.
• All sources must be properly cited in APA format and included at the end of your post.
• If you are citing from lecture slides:
o Last name, F. M. (Year, Month Date). Title of presentation [Lecture notes, PowerPoint
slides, etc]. Publisher. URL
o EXAMPLE: Smith, C. (2022, October 13). AI and machine learning demystified
[PowerPoint slides]. Sakai. http://www.someurl.com
• It is your responsibility to ensure that you participate in forum discussions and in accordance
with the grading criteria (i.e., citing relevant course materials, responding to the discussion
prompts in the lecture and to a group member).
• Once a forum closes, the opportunity to participate is lost. No exceptions will be made
unless otherwise stated. Familiarize yourself with the discussion forum schedule.
• Be sure that you are part of a group. There are hundreds of students in the course and
therefore, multiple discussion forums. You should be able to access only one group
discussion. Please see “Discussion Forum Groups” to make sure that you are in a group. If
you are not, please contact the instructor immediately.
• Do keep copies of your forum postings in a word document, should anything go awry with
Sakai.

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To earn full points, you are required to complete two tasks:

• To earn 2.5%: Respond to weekly discussion prompts and questions, demonstrating your
ability to explain, elaborate and apply course concepts in your discussion.

You are required to provide at least one citation from course readings or lecture slides
from that week in your answers (e.g., include page number or slide number). Posts that do
not include specific page numbers or explicit reference to the lecture slides or assigned
readings will not earn more than 1 point.

Posts that are not relevant to that week’s course concepts or issues discussed in the
lecture or readings will receive 0 points.

Posts must be within 250-350 words (use Microsoft word count for your word count).
High-quality posts include elaboration, explanation, and application of course concepts.

• To earn 1.5%: Respond to ONE group member’s post. Responses must be written in full
sentences and demonstrate reflection and engagement with that week’s course materials.
Responses must be around 100-200 words (use Microsoft word count for your word
count).

One sentence or one-word responses will receive 0 points.

• Format: References included at the end of your post. APA citation style. First or third
person writing style.

Overall, you will be assessed on your:

1) knowledge of that week’s course materials

2) demonstration of critical thinking or synthesizing course concepts/perspectives/theories,
3) observation and application of course materials to your daily life (e.g., how it shows up in
society, the news, online forums, social media, or your personal media consumption).

Please see course site for samples of good posts and responses.

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Discussion Forum Schedule

(Only your top 10 highest scoring posts will be counted towards your grade. In other words, your
lowest two scoring posts will be dropped from your final grade)

Topic Start Date/Time End Date/Time

Module 1 September 13 - 17 Post by: Sept 17, 7:00 PM
Response by: Sept 20, 7:00 PM
Module 1 September 27 – October 1 Post by: Oct 1, 7:00 PM
Response by: Oct 4, 7:00 PM
Reading Week: Oct 11 – Oct 15
Module 2 October 18 - 22 Post by: Oct 22 by 7:00 PM
Response by: Oct 25 by 7:00 PM
Module 2 November 1 - 5 Post by: Nov 1 by 7:00 PM
Response by: Nov 4 by 7:00 PM
Module 3 November 15 - 19 Post by: Nov 19 by 7:00 PM
Response by: Nov 22 by 7:00 PM
Module 3 November 29 – December 3 Post by: Dec 3 by 7:00 PM
Response by: Dec 6 by 7:00 PM
Break
Module 4 January 17 - 21 Post by: Jan 21 by 7:00 PM
Response by: Jan 24 by 7:00 PM
Module 4 January 31 – February 4 Post by: Feb 4 by 7:00 PM
Response by: Feb 7 by 7:00 PM
Module 5 February 14 – February 18 Post by: Feb 18 by 7:00 PM
Response by: Feb 21 by 7:00 PM
Reading Week: Feb 21 – Feb 25
Module 5 March 7 - 11 Post by: March 11 by 7:00 PM
Response by: March 14 by 7:00 PM
Module 6 March 21 - 25 Post by: March 25 by 7:00 PM
Response by: March 28 by 7:00 PM
Module 6 April 4 - 8 Post by: April 8 by 7:00 PM
Response by: NONE NEEDED

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Multimedia Project (MMP) (35%)

This is a chance for you to be creative and interact with course concepts you are specifically
interested in. Identify a course-related topic, issue, debate, controversy, or problem and build a
multimedia project around that issue—helping your peers understand the implications of that topic,
issue, debate, controversy, or problem for how we think about digital media in our society.

Your multimedia project should be built around a course theme or issue (e.g., algorithms,
misinformation, influencer marketing, etc) and go beyond course materials to bring in evidence,
examples, and perspectives from outside sources to add insight and depth to your topic of choice.

You MUST use multimedia elements in your project and your project must be presented as a video,
podcast, online magazine, social media profile, or other types of digital sources. In other words, we
must receive a LINK to your project (if it does not have a link, it is probably not a multimedia project).

You are highly encouraged to flex your creativity with this creative project. You could do a podcast
with interviews about a course issue, create a social media account to demonstrate concepts such as
filter bubble or try to become an influencer and reflect on your experiences. You could develop a
website teaching about fake news and ways to become a super factchecker, produce an online
magazine, create a Youtube video or create a Powerpoint with voiceover. Sample multimedia projects
and multimedia tutorials are available on Sakai. Some multimedia elements are (but not limited to):

• Youtube videos, Podcasts, Social Media posts, Website, E-Magazine, PPTx with voice over.

Parameters for your multimedia project depending on your choice of Digital Media:

● Videos or Powerpoint presentation with voice over: 15 mins.

● Social media videos: If you are producing a series of Tiktok video, IG stories/reels or FB videos,
think of this as 15 X 1 min videos.
● Social media posts: 20-23 posts that include bio, links, image/graphic, captions & hashtags.
● Podcast: 20-25 minutes
● Online magazine: 10-12 page spread with images (including cover letter and end page)
● Website: Design elements that contain images, links, and text. You should also embed
multimedia elements such as video, audio, images, or social media posts.

A strong project typically includes the following:

• Several multimedia elements such as videos, social media posts, images, screenshot of news
headlines, podcast, infographics, etc, regardless of choice of digital media.
• Diverse sources ranging anywhere from academic sources, mainstream news media, Tedtalk
videos, government website, policy papers, to primary and secondary evidence/findings (e.g.,
interviews, survey, poll results, etc.)
• Range of relevant course concepts (e.g., address 3-4 relevant concepts).
• Presentation that shows knowledge of the digital platform they are using. For instance, if you
choose IG as your multimedia platform, use visually focused posts, hashtags, highlights (with
highlight icons), IG reels/stories, bio description, etc.

Refer to Sakai for detailed instructions and the grading rubric.

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To earn the full 35%, you are required to complete Two tasks:

• Professional presentation of your multimedia project. Depth or breadth of coverage,

including multiple course and external sources. You should have at least SIX sources (3
internal and 3 external sources) and discuss at least ONE course concept. But a strong
presentation will use multiple relevant course concepts (e.g., 3-4 course concepts) and
have around 8-9 relevant sources (Note: you are not permitted to use lecture slides as one
of the internal sources for this project).

• All sources must be paraphrased (no direct quotes), and you must have at least THREE
academic sources. All course concepts must be properly defined with citations provided.

Overall, produce content for a public audience. As such, don’t assume too much
knowledge on the part of your audience and make clear to define ideas and concepts.

• A 5–7-page summary of your project that includes a reference list of your sources, your
rationale for choice of multimedia element, reasons for choosing topic/issue, explanation
and definition of concepts used, and summary of key points/arguments presented in your
project. Think of this as the thought-process behind your multimedia project. Include
specific, page-numbered citations, whether from our readings or others, that form a
crucial part of your analysis and discussion.

• Format: Double-spaced, 12-point, Times New Roman. APA citation style. Your reference
list does not count towards your page limit. First or third person writing style.

Overall, you will be assessed on your:

1) Ability to investigate an issue/theme/problem, engage with it and critically discuss its

implication on society (e.g., examining different perspectives or pros and cons)
2) Ability to synthesize concepts/perspectives/debates within and beyond the course
3) Coverage and application of evidence and examples to support your ideas
4) Level of professionalism in your presentation and execution of your project

Please see course site for detailed instructions and grading rubric.

Multimedia Project Schedule

Due Date/Time Content

Feb 14 – Feb 18 Forum Idea proposal posted in that week’s Forum
March 21 – March 25 Forum Brief Project Outline posted in that week’s Forum
April 11, 11:59 PM Multimedia Project & Summary Report

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Mid-Term Reflection Paper (15%)

Reflect on and analyze a module topic of your choice by drawing from lecture content, course
readings and your observation/experience from your own digital media practices, media
consumption, and news coverage. You may draw on your personal experiences and observations as
part of your mid-term reflection.

This is your chance to reflect and to critically situate your reflection within the context of lecture
content, course readings, observation of digital media trends, and public/news conversations about
digital media technologies related to that module. Each module presents multiple perspectives,
assumptions, and arguments that you may or may not agree. You may even consider some of them
to be outdated based on current news reports, legal and policy debates, media trends, or current
media consumption practices than what is being described in the module.

This is your chance to offer your perspective and reflect on the materials, issues and discussions
covered in that module using concepts and theories from that module to shape your reflection. A
strong reflection paper will address the following:

• Identify an internet-related issue/phenomenon discussed in any of the three modules

• Describe the main issue, problem, controversy, or phenomenon in question
• Answer the “so what?” question – Why does this issue matter? Why should we care? What
are its implications?
• Drawing from your personal experiences or observations, reflect on the issue/phenomenon
you have identified – does the concepts reflect your experience/observation? Do you
agree/disagree with the perspectives/arguments presented in course readings or lecture?
Why or why not?

Refer to Sakai for detailed instructions and the grading rubric.

To earn the full 15%, you are required to complete:

• Provide a 4-5 pages reflection weighing different perspectives from the lecture, readings,
and supporting findings/evidence from reputable sources. When citing findings/evidence,
include a reference list, unless you are drawing from experiences/observations that are
not publicly available.
• You should have at least THREE sources, although a strong paper will generally have FIVE
or more relevant sources from inside (e.g., course readings or lecture slides) or outside the
course. All sources must be paraphrased (no direct quotes) and you must have at least
two academic sources.
• Your reference list does not count towards your page limit.

Format: Double-spaced, 12-point, Times New Roman. APA citation style. First or third
person writing style.

Mid-Term Reflection Schedule

Due Date/Time Content

December 6, 11:59 PM Reflect on ONE module from Module 1 – 3.

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Multimedia Sources Report (10%)
A good multimedia project (MMP) is dependent on the quality of its sources. For your MMP, you are
required to have AT LEAST six sources – 3 internal and 3 external sources. This report focuses on the
six sources that you intend to use in your multimedia project. Your report must include 3 internal and
3 external sources, with at least three of them being academic sources (note: you are not permitted
to use lecture slides as one of the internal sources for this report, but you are permitted to use our
assigned readings, additional readings, and examples from the lectures as your internal sources).

A strong report will address the following:

• Short description of your project – What is your project about? What issues/topics will you
be discussing?
• Short summary of each of your sources, describing the main arguments or key points in each
of them.
• Brief analysis of each of your sources – what makes your source appropriate for your
project?
• Explanation of how you intend to use each of the sources in your project – Will you be using
this source to elaborate, explain, or clarify a concept? Will you be using this source to
develop your thesis by either adding depth or breath to your thesis? Will you be using this
source as evidence or an example to support your thesis? Be sure to elaborate on how you
intend to use the source.

NOTE: This report is to help you make progress towards your multimedia project (MMP). But this
report is graded independently of your MMP. This means you not required to use these sources in
your final MMP, especially if you decide to switch topics or direction after the sources report has
been graded.

Refer to Sakai for detailed instructions and the grading rubric.

To earn the full 10%, you are required to complete:

• Provide a 6-8 pages paper (approx. 1 page per source) summary and analysis of the
sources you will be using in your multimedia project, along with a brief description of your
project (this shouldn’t be more than half a page).
• Your reference list does not count towards your page limit.

Format: Double-spaced, 12-point, Times New Roman. APA citation style. First or third
person writing style.

MMP Sources Report Schedule

Due Date/Time Content

March 4, 11:59 PM Analysis and summary of sources

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Module & Assignment Overview

Module Wk Week Duration Assignment & Forum Due Dates

M1 1 Sept 8 – Sept 10
2 Sept 13 – Sept 17 Forum Participation M1: Sept 17 by 7:00 PM
3 Sept 20 – Sept 24
4 Sept 27 – Oct 1 Forum Participation M1: Oct 1 by 7:00 PM
M2 5 Oct 4 – Oct 8
Oct 11 – Oct 15: Reading Week
6 Oct 18 – Oct 22 Forum Participation M2: Oct 22 by 7:00 PM
7 Oct 25 – Oct 29
8 Nov 1 – Nov 5 Forum Participation M2: Nov 5 by 7:00 PM
M3 9 Nov 8 – Nov 12
10 Nov 15 – Nov 19 Forum Participation M3: Nov 19 by 7:00 PM
11 Nov 22 – Nov 26
12 Nov 29 – Dec 3 Forum Participation M3: Dec 3 by 7:00 PM
Midterm Reflection: Dec 6 by 11:59 PM
BREAK
M4 13 Jan 10 – Jan 14
14 Jan 17 – Jan 21 Forum Participation M4: Jan 21 by 7:00 PM
15 Jan 24 – Jan 28
16 Jan 31 – Feb 4 Forum Participation M4: Feb 4 by 7:00 PM
M5 17 Feb 7 – Feb 11
18 Feb 14 – Feb 18 Forum Participation M5 & MMP Idea Proposal in
Forum: Feb 18 by 7:00 PM
Feb 21 – Feb 25: Reading Week
19 Feb 28 – March 4 MMP Sources Report: March 4 by 11:59 PM
20 March 7 – March 11 Forum Participation M5: March 11 by 7:00 PM
M6 21 March 14 – March 18
22 March 21 – March 25 Forum Participation M6 & MMP Outline in Forum:
March 25 by 7:00 PM
23 March 28 – April 1
24 April 4 – April 8 Forum Participation M6: April 8 by 7:00 PM
MMP: April 11 by 11:59 PM

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Academic Integrity and Misconduct

Academic misconduct is a serious offence. The principle of academic integrity, particularly of doing
one’s own work, documenting properly (including use of quotation marks, appropriate paraphrasing
and referencing/citation), collaborating appropriately, and avoiding misrepresentation, is a core
principle in university study. Students should consult Section VII, ‘Academic Misconduct”, in the
“Academic Regulations and University Policies” entry in the Undergraduate Calendar, available at
brocku.ca/webcal, to view a fuller description of prohibited actions, and the procedures and
penalties which may be applied.

Academic misconduct includes plagiarism (presenting the words and ideas of another person as if
they were your own), submitting the same work for two different assignments, purchasing academic
submissions from websites or hiring someone to write your assignments, and other forms of
cheating.

Instructors and teaching assistants in the Department thoroughly investigate all suspected cases of
academic misconduct. The penalties for documented cases of academic misconduct can be severe.
The Department may recommend that a grade of zero be given for the assignment, and a failing
grade may be given for the course. In addition, a note will be attached to the student’s academic
transcript. A second offense can result in suspension from the University.

The disciplinary process is administered initially at the Department level and in cases where
academic penalty is assigned will be referred to the offices of the Dean of Social Sciences.

Make yourself aware of the issues involved. Read the section of the Undergraduate Calendar that
pertains to academic misconduct. You are reminded that the Student Development Centre offers
workshops on writing skills, and issues surrounding plagiarism.

Plagiarism:

To avoid plagiarism, you must give credit whenever you use:

• another person’s idea, opinion, or theory.
• any facts, statistics, graphs, drawings—any pieces of information—that are not common
knowledge.
• quotations of another person’s actual spoken or written words; or paraphrase of another
person’s spoken or written words.

It is considered academic misconduct if a student gives or sells their work to another student.
Please note that grades in classes from previous years can be changed; penalties can still be applied

Turnitin.com:

This course uses Turnitin.com. By taking this course, you understand that all required assignments
may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin for the detection of plagiarism.
All submissions will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely
for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to
the terms of use agreement posted on the Turnitin.com site. Turnitin (and skilled TAs) will flag the
misconduct immediately, and your work will be forwarded to the Academic Integrity Officer for
review.

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Intellectual Property Notice:

All slides, presentations, handouts, tests, exams, and other course materials created by the instructor
in this course are the intellectual property of the instructor. A student who publicly posts or sells an
instructor’s work, without the instructor’s express consent, may be charged with misconduct under
Brock’s Academic Integrity Policy and/or Code of Conduct, and may also face adverse legal
consequences for infringement of intellectual property rights.

Please note you are:

• NOT to purchase your assignment submission from websites

• NOT to hire someone to write any of your assignments (forum posts, multimedia project,
mid-term reflection)
• NOT to sell or share your assignments with other students in this course or future students
• NOT to submit assignments (or sections of any assignment) that have already been
submitted to this (or any other) course.

By enrolling in this course, you agree to follow and adhere to the course protocols and assignment
requirements that have been posted.

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Special Accommodation

The University is committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for all students and
will adhere to the Human Rights principles that ensure respect for dignity, individualized
accommodation, inclusion, and full participation. The University provides a wide range of resources
to assist students, as follows:

a) If you require academic accommodation because of a disability or an ongoing health or mental

health condition, please contact Student Accessibility Services at [email protected] or 905 688 5550
ext. 3240.

b) If you require academic accommodation because of an incapacitating medical condition, you must,
as soon as practicable, inform your instructor(s) of your inability to complete your academic work.
You must include any relevant medical documentation to support your request for academic
accommodation based on medical grounds. You must also submit a Brock University Student Medical
Certificate (found at https://brocku.ca/registrar/toolkit/forms). The University may, at its discretion,
request more detailed documentation in certain cases. If you are unable to write a scheduled
examination due to an incapacitating medical condition, you must follow the process set out in the
Faculty Handbook III:9.4.1.

c) If you are experiencing mental health concerns, contact the Student Wellness and Accessibility
Centre. Good2Talk is a service specifically for post-secondary students, available 24/7, 365 days a
year, and provides anonymous assistance: http://www.good2talk.ca/ or call 1-866-925-5454. For
information on wellness, coping and resiliency, visit: https://brocku.ca/mental-health/

d) If you require academic accommodation on religious grounds, you should make a formal, written
request to your instructor(s) for alternative dates and/or means of satisfying requirements. Such
requests should be made during the first two weeks of any given academic term, or as soon as
possible after a need for accommodation is known to exist.

e) If you have been affected by sexual violence, the Human Rights & Equity Office offers support,
information, reasonable accommodations, and resources through the Sexual Violence Support &
Education Coordinator. For information on sexual violence, visit Brock's Sexual Assault and
Harassment Policy or contact the Sexual Violence Support & Response Coordinator at
[email protected] or 905 688 5550 ext. 4387.

f) If you feel you have experienced discrimination or harassment on any of the above grounds,
including racial, gender or other forms of discrimination, contact the Human Rights and Equity Office
at [email protected].

*************
For further information on all aspects of your academic program, including course planning, you may
consult with the Department’s Academic Adviser: Penni Lafleur, SBH 309, ext.5308
<[email protected]>

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Module 1: Introduction to New Media

Welcome to the course! Please read the syllabus, understand the course structure and your
responsibilities as a learner of this course. Also familiarize yourself with the layout of Sakai.

Be sure to watch the video lecture for an overview of this course, including lecture delivery,
expectations, assessments and participate in in-lecture Polls.

Week 1: Sept 8 – Sept 10: Course intro week

Tasks for this week:

• Familiarize yourself with the course syllabus

• Watch the Course Introduction video to learn about grade distribution and expectations

Week 2: Sept 13 – Sept 17: The need for New Media literacy

Readings for this week:

• Hargittai, E., & Micheli, M. (2019). Internet skills and why they matter. In M. Graham & W. H.
Dutton (Eds.), Society and the Internet: How networks of information and communication are
changing our lives. Oxford Scholarship Online, https://oxford-universitypressscholarship-
com.proxy.library.brocku.ca/view/10.1093/oso/9780198843498.001.0001/oso-
9780198843498-chapter-7
• Mihailidis, R. & Thevenin, B. (2013). Media literacy as core competency for engaged
citizenship in participatory democracy. American Behavioral Scientist, XX(X), 1-12.

Due: Forum Participation; Poll participation

Week 3: Sept 20 – Sept 24: Social Shaping of New Media

KEY Concepts: Technological determinism, Social determinism, Social shaping of technology,

Networked individualism

Readings for this week:

• Rainie, L., & Wellman, B. (2012). Networked: The new social operating system. EBSCOhost
ebooks, https://web-b-ebscohost-
com.proxy.library.brocku.ca/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=1c234a88-076b-4c2a-b42a-
f34f77e904aa%40pdc-v-
sessmgr02&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=452133&db=nlebk
(read pp 65 – 71 only)
• Graham, M., & Dutton, W. H. (2014). Introduction. In M. Graham & W. H. Dutton (Eds.),
Society and the internet: How networks of information and communication are changing our
lives. Oxford: Oxford University Press (read pp 1 – 15 only)

Week 4: Sept 27 – Oct 1: Implications of new media technology

KEY Concepts: Spreadable media, participatory culture, persistence, visibility, spreadability,

searchability

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Readings for this week:

• Miltner (2018). Internet memes. In J. BurgessA. Marwick, & T. Poell (Eds.), The sage
handbook of social media. Ebscohost ebooks, https://sk-sagepub-
com.proxy.library.brocku.ca/reference/the-sage-handbook-of-social-media/i3302.xml

Due: Forum Participation

Module 2: Algorithms & its Politics

Week 5: Oct 3 – Oct 8: Trapped by our digital footprints?

KEY Concepts: Filter bubble, Echo-chamber, Algorithmic filtering

Readings for this week:

• Haim, Graefe, & Brosius (2018). Burst of the filter bubble? Digital Journalism, 6(3), 330-343.
• Fletcher, R. (n.d.). The truth behind filter bubbles: Bursting some myths. Reuters Institute.
Retrieved from https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/risj-review/truth-behind-filter-
bubbles-bursting-some-myths (also watch the 35 minutes video for further explanation)

Reading Week: Oct 11 - 15

Week 6: Oct 18 – Oct 22: Code is just code, or is it?

KEY Concepts: Calculated publics, Algorithmic objectivity, Cycles of anticipation

Readings for this week:

• Gillespie, T. (2014). The relevance of algorithms. In T. Gillespie, P. J. Boczkowski, & K. A. Foot

(Eds.), Media technologies: Essays on communication, materiality, and society (pp. 167-193).
Cambridge: MIT Press.

Due: Forum Participation

Week 7: Oct 15 – Oct 29: Implications of algorithms

KEY Concepts: Algorithmic bias, Data capitalism, Data commoditization

Readings for this week:

• Garcia, M. (2016). Racist in the Machine: The disturbing implications of algorithmic bias.
World Policy Journal, 33(4), 111-117.
• West, G. M. (2019). Data Capitalism: Redefining the logics of surveillance and privacy.
Business & Society, 58(1), 20-41.

Week 8: Nov 1 – Nov 5: Accountability and responsibility

KEY Concepts: Algorithms, Value-laden, Stakeholder rights, Ethics of Algorithmic Design

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Readings for this week:

• Heilweil, R. (2021, March 26). If Mark Zuckerberg won’t fix Facebook’s algorithms problem,
who will? Vox. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/recode/22335801/algorithms-artificial-
intelligence-facebook-instagram-recommendations
• Martin (2019). Ethical implications and accountability. Journal of Business Ethics, 160, 835-
850).

Due: Forum Participation

Module 3: Misinformation, Disinformation & the News

Week 9: Nov 8 – Nov 12: Living in a post-truth society Part 1

KEY Concepts: Misinformation, Disinformation, Post-truth

Readings for this week:

• Mason, L., Krutka, D., & Stoddard, J. (2018). Media literacy, democracy, and the challenge of
fake news. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 10(2), 1-10.
• Elswah, M., & Howard, P. (2020). Anything that causes chaos: The Organizational behavior of
Russia Today (RT). Journal of Communication, 70, 623-645.

Week 10: Nov 15 – Nov 19: Living in a post-truth society Part 2

Key Concepts: Conspiracy theory, confirmation bias, single-study fallacy

Readings for the week:

• Weigmann, K. (2018). The genesis of a conspiracy theory. Science & Society. Retrieved from
https://www-embopress-org.proxy.library.brocku.ca/doi/full/10.15252/embr.201845935
• Wawrzuta, D., Jaworski, M., Gotlib, J., & Panczyk, M. (2021). Characteristics of antivaccine
messages on social media: Systemic review. J Med Internet Res, 23(6), e24564. Retrieved
from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8214178/ (You only need to read the
Introduction & Discussion sections)

Week 11: Nov 22 – Nov 26: What makes dis & mis-information spread part 1

KEY Concepts: Cognitive bias, Motivated reasoning, Cognitive dissonance, Third-person effect

Readings for this week:

• Corbu, N, Oprea, D-A, Negrea-Busuioc, E., & Radu, L. (2020). ‘They can’t fool me, but they can
fool the others!’ Third person effect and fake news detection. European Journal of
Communication, 35(2), 165-180.
• Taddicken, M. & Wolff, L. (2020). ‘Fake news’ in Science communication: Emotions and
strategies of coping with dissonance online. Media and Communication, 8(1), 206-217.

Guest Speaker: Michaele Meyers, research expert in Science Communication

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Due: Forum Participation

Week 12: Nov 29 – Dec 3: What makes dis & mis-information spread part 2

KEY Concepts: Computational propaganda, Selective exposure, Deep fake

Readings for this week:

• Westerlund, M. (2019). The emergence of deepfake technology: A review. Technology

Innovation Management Review. Retrieved from https://timreview.ca/article/1282
• Bradshaw, S & Howard, P. N. (2019). Social Media and Democracy in Crisis. In M. Graham &
W. H. Dutton (Eds.), Society and the internet: How networks of information communication
are changing our lives. Oxford Scholarship Online, https://oxford-universitypressscholarship-
com.proxy.library.brocku.ca/view/10.1093/oso/9780198843498.001.0001/oso-
9780198843498-chapter-13

Due: Forum Participation

Midterm Reflection: Dec 6 by 11:59 PM

BREAK

Module 4: Political participation & Digital Advocacy

Week 13: Jan 10 – Jan 14: Digital advocacy & activism

Key Concepts: Affective publics, Clicktivism, Slacktivism, Counter publics

Readings for this week:

• Fisher, R. (2020, Sept 15). The subtle ways that ‘clicktivism’ shapes the world. BBC. Retrieved
from https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200915-the-subtle-ways-that-clicktivism-
shapes-the-world
• Malchik, A. (2019, May 6). The problem with social media protests. The Atlantic. Retrieved
from https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/05/in-person-protests-
stronger-online-activism-a-walking-life/578905/

Week 14: Jan 17 – Jan 21: Digitally-Enabled Movements

Key Concepts: Connective action, Collective action

Readings for this week:

• Greijdanus, H., de Matos Fernandes, C., Turner-Zwinkels, F., Honari, A., Roos, C., Rosenbusch,
H., & Postmes, T. (2020). The psychology of online activism and social movements: relations
between online and offline collective action. Current Opinion in Psychology, 35, 49-54.
• Raynauld, V., Richez, E., & Morris, K. B. (2017). Canada is #Idlenomore: Exploring dynamics of
Indigenous political and civic protest in the Twitterverse. Information, Communication &
Society, 21, 626-642.

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Due: Forum Participation

Week 15: Jan 24 – Jan 28: Networked politics and governance Part 1

Key concepts: Social networks, Fifth estate, Social influence, networked individuals, two-step flow

Readings for this week:

• González-Bailón, S. (2014). Online social networks and bottom-up politics. In M. Graham &
W. H. Dutton (Eds.), Society and the internet: How networks of information and
communication are changing our lives. Oxford: Oxford University Press (read pp. 209-216
and Conclusion section)
• Dutton, W. H., & Dubois, E. (2015). The fifth estate: A rising force of pluralistic accountability.
In S. Coleman & D. Freelon (Eds.), Handbook of Digital Politics (pp. 51-66). Edward Elgar
Publishing.

Week 16: Jan 31 – Feb 4: Networked politics and governance Part 2

Key concepts: Crowdsourcing, digital era open governance

Readings for this week:

• Clarke, A., & Dubois (2020). Digital era open government and democratic governance: The
case of government of Canada Wikipedia editing. Canadian Public Administration, 63(2), 177-
205.

Due: Forum Participation

Module 5: Self-Branding & Identity

Week 17: Feb 7 – Feb 11: Microcelebrity & Authenticity

Key Concepts: Parasocial interaction, Authenticity, Source credibility, Micro-influencers

Readings for this week:

• Närvänen, E., Kirvesmies, T., & Kahri, E. (2021). Parasocial relationships of Generation Z
consumers with social media influencers. In S. Yesiloglu & J. Costello (Eds.), Influencer
Marketing: Building brand communities and engagement (pp. 118-135). New York:
Routledge.
• Djafarova, E & Trofimenko, O. (2017). ‘Instafamous’ – credibility and self-presentation of
microcelebrities on social media. Information, Communication & Society, 22(10), 1432-1446.

Week 18: Feb 14 – Feb 18: Commodification of the Self & Microcelebrity

Key Concepts: Self-optimization, Affective labor, Self-commodification, Representation

Readings for this week:

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• Bishop (2018). Anxiety, panic and self-optimization: Inequalities and the Youtube Algorithm.
Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 24(1),
69084.
• Duffy, Brooke Erin. (Not) Getting Paid to Do What You Love: Gender, Social Media, and
Aspirational Work, Yale University Press, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central,
https://ebookcentral-proquest-
com.proxy.library.brocku.ca/lib/brocku/detail.action?docID=4867576 (Read Chapter 7 pp.
216-229 pages)

Feb 21 – Feb 25: Reading Week

Week 19: Feb 28 – March 4: Negotiating context collapse

Key Concepts: Self-presentation, Context collapse, Imagined surveillance, Imagined audience

Readings for this week:

• Duff, B. & Chan, N.K. (219). “Your never really know who’s looking”: Imagined surveillance
across social media platforms. New Media & Society, 2(1), 119-138.
• Marwick, A. E. & boyd, D. (2010). I tweet honestly, I tweet passionately: Twitter users,
context collapse, and the imagined audience. New Media & Society, 13(1), 114-133.

Due: Forum Participation

MMP Sources Report: March 4 by 11:59 PM

Week 20: March 7 – March 11: Psychological impact of social media use

KEY Concepts: Social comparison, Fear of missing out

Readings for this week:

• Orlando, J. (2019, March 6). How teens use fake Instagram accounts to relieve the pressure
of perfection. The Conversation. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/how-teens-
use-fake-instagram-accounts-to-relieve-the-pressure-of-perfection-92105
• Sheldon, P., Rauschnabel, P. A., & Honeycutt, J. M. (2019). Negative social comparisons on
social network sites. In P. Sheldon, P. A. Rauschnabel & J. M. Honeycutt (Eds.), The dark side
of social media (pp. 59-73). Academic Press
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128159170000046

Due: Forum Participation

Module 6: Leveraging technological affordances of digital platforms

Week 21: March 14 – March 18: Uses of different social media platforms

Key Concepts: Social Listening, Social Monitoring, Crisis Management, Corporate Rumors

Readings for this week:

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• Argenti, P. (2020, Oct 16). When should your company speak up about a social issue?
Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2020/10/when-should-your-
company-speak-up-about-a-social-issue
• Moorman, C. (2020). Commentary: Brand activism in a political world. Journal of Public Policy
& Marketing, 39(4), 388-392.

Guest Speaker: Dr. Hyejim Kim, Assistant Professor in PR and Advertising. Research expert in social
media advertising & electronic word-of-mouth.
Guest Speaker: Clarise Tushie-Lessard, Vice President of Communications at Bremer Bank.

Week 22: March 21 – March 25: Differences in social media platforms

Key Concepts: Uses & Gratifications, Use motivations

Readings for this week:

• Allhabash, S., & Ma, M. (2017). A tale of four platforms: Motivations and uses of Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat among college students? Social Media + Society, 3(1), 1-13.
(Read Introduction, Literature Review & Discussion sections only)
• Bump, P. (n.d.). The 5 types of social media and pros and cons of each. Hubspot.
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/which-social-networks-should-you-focus-on

Due: Forum participation: MMP Outline in Forum

Week 23: March 28 – April 1: Video & Powerpoint Presentation

Key Terms: Video script writing, Video making, Powerpoint video presentation

Readings for this week:

• Warren, J. (2021, July 21). Why video is (the) hottest growth hack right now. Later.
https://later.com/blog/video-on-social-media/
• Simon, J. (n.d.) How to make a Youtube Video (Beginner’s Guide). TechSmith.
https://www.techsmith.com/blog/make-youtube-video/

Week 24: April 4 – April 8: Social Media Posts & Profiles

Key Terms: Posts creation, IG Reels, Profiles

Readings for this week:

• Decker, A. (n.d.). Instagram Marketing: How to create captivating visuals, grow your
following, and drive engagement on Instagram. Hubspot.
https://www.hubspot.com/instagram-marketing
• Worb, J. (2021, Aug 13). The ultimate guide to Instagram reels. Later.
https://later.com/blog/instagram-reels/
• Warren, J. (2019, July 25). The ultimate guide to writing good Instagram captions. Later.
https://later.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-writing-good-instagram-captions/
• Newberry, C., & McLachlan, S. (2020, March 8). Facebook Marketing in 2021: How to use

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Facebook for Business. Hootsuite. https://blog.hootsuite.com/facebook-marketing-tips/

Due: Forum participation

MMP: April 11 by 11:59 PM

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