Overview
Communications technologies have changed culture in profound ways, and have determined the shape of many cultures. At the same time, people play a role in determining how such technology is utilised. This unit examines the development of communication and its associated technologies such as telecommunications, digital printing, global 'sharing'. It critically analyses how modern culture is influenced by these developments and incorporates an intergenerational reflection of the evolution of communication. Through this unit, you will develop a critical awareness of new communication technologies and their impact on a global scale.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite: Minimum of 36 credit points
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2020
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student evaluation, 2019
Students really enjoyed the interactive nature of the unit, combined with the variety of material and the ability to conduct a live interview.
It is recommend that the unit continues to offer a variety of learning material, interactive engagement and live interview options.
Feedback from Unit co-ordinator review, 2019.
There is an opportunity to present the content of this unit in a more engaging and contemporary manner.
It is recommended to update the unit for 2021.
Feedback from Unit co-ordinator review, 2019.
The majority of students in the group found the level of communication and UC support to be most helpful and productive.
It is recommended that student support be maintained in future iterations of the unit.
- Examine the development of communication technologies globally.
- Interpret and evaluate how global communication technologies have changed the way we live and work.
- Critically analyse how communication technologies influence changes in cultures.
n/a
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 35% | |||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 20% | |||
| 3 - Presentation and Written Assessment - 45% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||
| 5 - Team Work | |||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||
| 10 - First Nations Knowledges | |||
| 11 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 35% | |||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 20% | |||||||||||
| 3 - Presentation and Written Assessment - 45% | |||||||||||
Textbooks
Revolutions in Communication: Media History from Gutenberg to the Digital Age
- Edition: 2nd (2016)
- Authors: Bill Kovarik
- Bloomsbury Academic
- New York and London New York and London , NY , USA
- ISBN: 978-1628924787
- Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
Copies can be purchased from the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code)
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Zoom app on your smart phone or access to Zoom on your laptop
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
t.kerslake@cqu.edu.au
Week 1: From the beginnings of communication to the evolution of global gossip
Begin Date: 09 Mar 2020Module/Topic
From the beginnings of communication to the evolution of global gossip
What is the connection between technology, communication and culture? Why is this triangle of connectivity so critical for humanity from both an historic and a futuristic perspective? How does the development of a human spoken language of words affect global warming? What connects the first cave paintings with the first iPhone? We begin to examine the evolution of human communication; its beginnings, its development and, most critically, its possibilities.
Chapter
Kovarik,
'Communication and the history of technology' (pp. 7 - 15)
'Cave paintings and human psychology' (pp. 139 - 141)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Kovarik, B., (2016) Revolutions in Communication: Media History from Gutenberg to the Digital Age, Bloomsbury. New York & London.
Week 2: Human speech and the words we sent into space
Begin Date: 16 Mar 2020Module/Topic
Human speech and the words we sent into space
How did the development of human speech stop wars? How did it encourage trade, the sharing of knowledge? Why did the power of speech enable humans to become the apex predator on the planet? Through the ability to communicate in spoken form, and through the intentional and deliberate act of linguistic development, we now have the ability to contact extraterrestrials. True.
Chapter
Kovarik,
'Before the printing revolution: Oral culture' (pp.18 - 20)
'From national neighborhoods to global village' (pp.149 - 253)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 3: Manuscripts, Microsoft and 269 billion emails
Begin Date: 23 Mar 2020Module/Topic
Manuscripts, Microsoft and 269 billion emails
The great philosopher Plato did not appreciate writing at all, claiming that written words 'talk to you as if they were intelligent' (Phaedrus 275 AD). Plato believed words were the enemies of true understanding however, it was through the spread of the written word even though it was still mainly in the hands of an elite few, that enabled the first great communication technology. Things have changed a bit since then.
Chapter
Kovarik,
'Writing and manuscript cultures' (pp. 21 - 26)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 4: Printing paper news to printing 3D nudes
Begin Date: 30 Mar 2020Module/Topic
Printing paper news to printing 3D nudes
For the first thousand years or so of western civilisation, the written word was the province of the educated and wealthy elite. Even though the Chinese created a ceramic version of movable type as long ago as 1040 (Needham 1994), it was not until 1439 that Johannes Gutenberg developed the principle of movable type to the point where his work directly connects the great printing presses of 1950s mass media to the 3D printer of today.
Chapter
Kovarik,
'The divine art' (pp. 27 - 36)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 5: A visual revolution: from photography to Photoshop
Begin Date: 06 Apr 2020Module/Topic
A visual revolution: from photography to Photoshop
The uncontrolled and uncontrollable power of images made people anxious even before the visual revolution moved into high gear. As early as 1844, people worried that the press itself would not survive the onslaught of images. A new media technology had arrived and was about to change everything, everywhere. Forever.
Chapter
Kovarik,
'The Visual Revolution' (pp. 142 - 149)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Break Week
Begin Date: 13 Apr 2020Module/Topic
BREAK WEEK
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 6: From black and white films to Dolby's black screen theatre
Begin Date: 20 Apr 2020Module/Topic
From black and white films to Dolby's black screen theatre
"Whoever controls the motion picture industry, controls the most powerful medium of influence over the people." Thomas Edison, New York Times, 1923.
When cinema arrived, it was instantly seen as more powerful than any other media. The story of cinema parallels the social revolutions of the 20th and 21st centuries. Even today, it has the ability to astonish.
Chapter
Kovarik,
'Cinema: The image comes alive' (pp. 181 - 201)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 7: Radio waves to radio renaissance
Begin Date: 27 Apr 2020Module/Topic
Radio waves to radio renaissance
MARTIAN INVASION PANICS MILLIONS!
The whole thing began as a Halloween prank. A brilliant but immature young theatre director named Orson Welles hoped he could scare some of his CBS listeners. Like the sorcerer's apprentice, he got a lot more than he bargained for. Welles' show aired on October 31st, 1938 and radio never looked back.
Chapter
Kovarik,
'The new world of radio' (pp. 276 - 293)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 8: The little box in the corner goes Hi Def.
Begin Date: 04 May 2020Module/Topic
The little box in the corner goes Hi Def.
From its crude beginnings in the 1920s, television electronics rapidly improved with colour, high definition and satellite delivery systems in the late 20th century. Through this electronic cornucopia came stories of conflict and reconciliation, reports of war and peace, parades of comically low-brow stuff and, occasionally, works of genius.
Chapter
Kovarik,
'Television: A new window on the world' (pp.309 - 312; 316 - 321; 337 - 341)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 9: A digitised world
Begin Date: 11 May 2020Module/Topic
A digitised world.
The digital revolution was conceived in the early 19th century and born in the chaos of World War II. Here, we look at the emergence of digital networks from the beginnings of the Computer age, to the era of globalisation and the threshold of McLuhan's Global village.
Chapter
Kovarik,
'The digital revolution' (pp.343 - 348)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 10: Babbage, Babel and Paying with your face
Begin Date: 18 May 2020Module/Topic
Babbage, Babel and Paying with your face
The Computer Age traces back to 1821 when Charles Babbage, a mathematician working at Greenwich Observatory near London, found an error in a set of navigational tables used by navigators to fix the position of ships at sea. He began to envision an analytical machine that could handle all sorts of problems, not just astronomical calculations. Babbage called it his 'Difference engine'. It was the first computer.
Chapter
Kovarik,
'Computers' (pp.349 - 374)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 11: Digital networks and The Cell Atlas
Begin Date: 25 May 2020Module/Topic
Digital networks and The Cell Atlas
Marc Andreessen, a grad student, was trying to develop non-commercial software to aid scientific research. Releasing software was routine in 1993 but nobody had any idea just how much effect this particular piece of software would have on the world. Andreessen called it a 'browser' and it was a new way of navigating this thing called the World Wide Web.
Chapter
Kovarik,
'Digital networks' (pp. 375 - 381; 392 - 404)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 12: Global integration and Fragmentation
Begin Date: 01 Jun 2020Module/Topic
Global integration and Fragmentation
In the third decade of the 21st century, the digital media revolution is well under way. For the first time in human history, computer networks allow billions of people to communicate across national boundaries, instantly, without cost, in any media format - from text to video - with the help of instant translation technologies. What happens next?
Chapter
Kovarik,
'Global culture' (pp.405 - 415)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Review/Exam Week
Begin Date: 08 Jun 2020Module/Topic
There is no exam in this unit.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Exam Week
Begin Date: 15 Jun 2020Module/Topic
There is no exam in this unit.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
The word count (of an assignment) is considered to be from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page and appendices. It includes in-text referencing, direct quotations and words contained within tables that are in the body of the assignment.
1 Written Assessment
Interview and Essay (35 marks)
Interview: 10-15 minutes of recorded material
1. You are to conduct and record (preferably audio only to minimise file size) an interview with a person of an older generation (for example, a grandparent or elderly friend).
2. Ask your interviewee to describe their experience of changes in communication technology during their lifetime and specifically, the effects these changes have had on their personal, social and working lives. For example: radio since World War II; the arrival of television; changes in music consumption brought about by vinyl records, cassette tapes; CDs; changes in telephony (telephone mobility, smartphone technologies); virtual conferencing softwares such as Skype; use of videos and video cameras; the arrival of computers and their use in business, academia, social media; online newspapers, online banking, social media (etc).
3. The recorded interview should be approximately 10 -15 minutes long. It must be sufficiently long for you to have enough information to use in your essay (Asst#1) and final presentation (Asst#3). The interview should be conducted using a question and answer format. You will need to design these questions before the interview. Have between 10-15 questions prepared to ask your interviewee but be flexible enough to adjust your questions based on your interviewee's responses.
Essay: 2000 words (+/- 10%)
1. Write an essay after the interview, (refer to the essay structure in Week 2).
2. Create your essay title in the form of a question. For example: 'Has communication technology really improved our lives?' or 'When will communication technologies stop developing?'
3. Answer your title question in the body of your essay using your own research and material from the interview.
4. In your essay, analyse and discuss the changing use and impact of communication technology experienced by your interviewee. You may include information from the interview (both paraphrased and the occasional, brief direct quote) in your essay. Take care to reference all material from the interview in an appropriate manner.
5. You are required to substantiate your essay by referencing approximately ten (10) sources (from the interview, the unit text, unit readings and your own research) that help you better discuss how the evolution of communication technologies alter the world around us and the way we live our lives today.
6. Attach a copy of the marking sheet to the end of your essay after the references (landscape the marking page, please).
Your uploaded assignment submission must include four items:
- 1. your 2000 word essay in a Word document format. Note: Do not upload zipped files, RTF or PDF.
- 2. your recorded interview, preferably uploaded as a sound file (max.100mb, .wav, MP3, etc.)
- 3. both the signed Information sheet and signed Consent form
Further details of this assignment are available on the Moodle website.
Week 6 Friday (24 Apr 2020) 6:00 pm AEST
You are to submit the essay, the signed information and consent sheets and a separate sound file to Moodle
Week 8 Friday (8 May 2020)
Assignments will be returned within 10 working days in most cases.
The assessment task relates to the general assessment criteria below:
- Written argument/analysis rather than description
- Research/use of sources to support argument
- Structure/presentation
- Writing standard
- Use of technology
- Timely submission
- Referencing
- Examine the development of communication technologies globally.
- Critically analyse how communication technologies influence changes in cultures.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
2 Written Assessment
4 Workbook Exercises (4 x 5 marks = 20 marks total)
1. There is a compulsory exercise in each of the weeks 2, 3, 4 and 5.
All four exercises must be attempted in order to successfully pass this assignment:
* Exercise 1: Structuring an academic essay.
* Exercise 2: Structuring an academic argument.
* Exercise 3: Creating a PowerPoint presentation.
* Exercise 4: Writing a reflective essay.
2. Please be aware that in advanced units such as COMM12022, spelling, grammar, in-text referencing and overall presentation are expected to be correct in each of the exercises.
3. Each exercise must be referenced with at least two formal sources in the APA format. These cited sources may be from your own research and/or from the sources provided within the unit or the exercises themselves.
Note: Do not use Wikipedia as a formal reference.
4. To promote group discussion please consider uploading one (1) of your completed exercises to the Asst. 2 Forum for critique and feedback from the Unit Co-ordinator and other students. This provides great practice in proofreading as well as learning how to give positive feedback. At the same time, feel comfortable in offering your own critique of exercises uploaded by other students.
Note: The Unit Co-ordinator may not be able to offer feedback after Week 7.
5. To submit the completed assignment, all four exercises should be combined into a single Word doc, or as a Word doc + a PPT doc, and submitted via Moodle with the assignment Marking Criteria sheet attached at the end.
Note: Do not upload zipped files, RTF or PDF.
Week 8 Friday (8 May 2020) 6:00 pm AEST
A Word document and a PPT containing the exercises and the Marking Criteria sheet should be uploaded to Moodle by or before the deadline.
Week 12 Friday (5 June 2020)
Assignments will be returned within 10 working days in most cases.
This assessment task relates to the general assessment criteria below:
- Writing standard
- Writing structure
- Research and referencing
- Timely submission
- Link between submission and course concepts
- Interpret and evaluate how global communication technologies have changed the way we live and work.
- Critically analyse how communication technologies influence changes in cultures.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
3 Presentation and Written Assessment
PowerPoint Presentation and Reflective Essay (45 marks)
PowerPoint Presentation.
Create a 10 - 15 slide PowerPoint presentation with a voice-over narration (with additional slides as necessary for the reference list) based on the key issues surrounding evolving communication technologies you identified in the interview you undertook for Assignment #1. The presentation should also look at the deeper issues linked to the responses from your interviewee (e.g. a fear of technology, increasing loss of privacy, planned obsolescence, etc.). Minimum of five sources to be used and APA referencing conventions will be followed.
The voice-over narration should be approximately 8-10 minutes long. Watch this video as a guide if you have not created a voiceover before: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOjduS3uxoY
Reflective Essay.
Write a 1200 word (+/- 10%) reflective essay based on your personal experience of the interview you conducted and how this experience and the things you have learned from this unit, have widened your thoughts on the effect of technological and communications change. The reflection should be written essay-style in a semi-formal tone where the use of the first person is acceptable (review the Reflection exercise in Week 5). Minimum of five sources to be used and APA referencing conventions will be followed.
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Note: Do not upload zipped files, RTF or PDF.
Week 12 Friday (5 June 2020) 6:00 pm AEST
Both parts of this assignment should be uploaded to Moodle by or before the due date.
Exam Week Friday (19 June 2020)
Assignments will be returned within 10 working days in most cases.
This assessment task relates to the general assessment criteria below:
Presentation:
- Appropriate length and formal presentation
- Use of technology
- Appropriate discussion and referencing
- Appropriate professionalism and format
Reflection:
- Written argument/analysis rather than description
- Research/use of sources to support argument
- Structure/presentation
- Writing standard
- Timely submission
- Referencing
- Interpret and evaluate how global communication technologies have changed the way we live and work.
- Critically analyse how communication technologies influence changes in cultures.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
