acc-1047-2012-1-unit-guide

8/2/2019 acc-1047-2012-1-unit-guide

1/14

COMMUNICATION

AND THE ARTS

CULTURE & COMMUNICATION(ACC 1047)

UNIT GUIDE

UNIT NAME: Culture and Communication

UNIT CODE: ACC 1047

YEAR: Fall Semester 2012

Lecturer: Mark Cot

UNIT BLOG: http://acc1047blog.wordpress.com/

OFFICE: 7.306 STA

CONTACT DETAILS: [email protected]

PIGEON HOLE LOCATION: FP Building E, 2nd floor;

STA Building 8, 2nd floor

8/2/2019 acc-1047-2012-1-unit-guide

2/14

2

We acknowledge the Elders, families and forebears of the Wurundjeri and Boonwurrung tribes of the Kulin Nation who were the custodiansof University land for many centuries. We acknowledge that the land on which we meet was the place of age old ceremonies of celebration,initiation and renewal and that the Kulin Nation people's living culture had and has a unique role in the life of this region.

CONTENTS PAGE NUMBER

Unit Calendar 3

General information 4

Assessments 7

Guidelines for Grades

Unit Outline

9

11

Please note that this unit guide includes Learning in the Workplace and Communityas specified in the policy at:http://wcf.vu.edu.au/GovernancePolicy/PDF/POA081119000.PDF (pp5-6, Procedures)

Where applicable, this unit of study outline includes a statement specifying the LiWC activitiesin that unit and its associated assessment tasks.

the abbreviation LiWC (LiWC*) is used in this unit guide where applicable to denote a Learning in the Workplace and Communityactivity and/or assessment task

8/2/2019 acc-1047-2012-1-unit-guide

3/14

3

Unit Calendar

Date Topic Notes

Lecture 1February 27, 2012

What is communication and why study it?

Lecture 2

March 5, 2012

Towards an understanding of culture and its

relationship with communicationLecture 3March 12, 2012

Communication in the era of globalization

Lecture 4March 19, 2012

Consumer culture and communication Assessment 1: Hand Out

Lecture 5March 26, 2012

Non-verbal communication (NVG) andcommunication

Assessment 1: Due at the beginning of lecture

Lecture 6April 2, 2012

Language, gender, and communication

April 9: No Class School Break


The language of clothes: fashion ascommunication


Communication through story-telling: media andmyth


Dreams and nightmares, stories and symbols:Unconscious dimensions of communication Assessment 2: Due at the beginning of Class

Lecture 10,May 7, 2012

Race, ethnicity and communication

Lecture 11May 14, 2012

Groups, communication and social networks Hand out final exam (Assessment 3)

Lecture 12May 21, 2012

New media, digital culture and learning Assessment 3: Hand out (due on May 28,2012)

Assessment Due Dates

Assessment 1: March 26, 2012 at the beginning of lecture

Assessment 2: April 30, 2012 at the beginning of lecture

Assessment 3: May 28, 2012 by 4pm in my pigeon hole.

Assessment 4: To be determined in tutorial

8/2/2019 acc-1047-2012-1-unit-guide

4/14

4

GENERAL INFORMATION

Scholarly WritingAn academic course of study requires students to read and rely on the research data, reasoned arguments andinsights of others. Part of what it means to be a scholar is to engage with the work of others, either to extend or refineones own ideas or to critique the work of others. Acceptable practice involves giving credit where credit is due, that is,acknowledging the work of others in your own work.

WebsiteThe Faculty of Arts, Education and Human Development hosts a website which contains a number of documents whichyou will find useful. The address for this is:http://www.vu.edu.au/Faculties_and_TAFE/Arts_Education_and_Human_Development

On this site you will find:

How to select your units and work out your timetable this offers an overview of degree structures.

The timetable here you will find the times of classes and the rooms where they are held. It is worth checking thesedetails close to the start of semester in case anything has changed.

Useful web addresses this shows you how to access your VU email address. You will find that the faculty, yourlecturers and tutors will send you important emails during the semester and it is crucial that you are able to access thisinformation.

Assignment cover sheets you can download these sheets here.

Students rights and responsibilities this is a list of what you can expect from studying at university, and what theuniversity expects from you.

Plagiarism there is a students guide to plagiarism, how to avoid it and the penalties involved in engaging in

plagiarism or academic dishonesty available here.

Essay guide online hereyou fill find a guide to the writing and presenting of essays. It contains an overview ofstructuring essays, of providing comprehensive references (Oxford, Harvard and APA) and of compiling a referencelist.

Much of this general information, and related information, is directly accessible through your FAEHD USBTool Kit, and includes links to `First Class Talk where you can direct via internet connection any specificquestions and receive an answer within a day.

Student Feedback and Complaints

VU students are encouraged to provide feedback to help us develop and improve our courses, teaching, facilities and

services. If there is something you are not happy with and you have not succeeded in resolving the matter informally,you can make a formal complaint to the University, which will be investigated to find a resolution. You can seekassistance in making a complaint from a Student Advisor. For more information go to www.vu.edu.au/current-students/student-essentials/student-feedback-and-complaints or +61 3 9919 4360 (student adviser) or 9919 9562

(equity office)

8/2/2019 acc-1047-2012-1-unit-guide

5/14

5

Educating for Sustainability

To reduce our carbon footprint, and in line with the VU Environment Management Planhttp://intranet.vu.edu.au/facilities/Environment.asp , the Faculty has adopted Sustainability Guidelines for the

Submission of Student Assessment. Please refer to these when considering printing material and submittingassessment. You can find the Guidelines & make suggestions for further actionshttp://intranet.vu.edu.au/AEHD/Teaching%20and%20Learning.asp

Student Evaluation System SES - Data & Reports

SES is the Student Evaluation Survey, the name for the combined student evaluation instruments. SES consists of theStudent Evaluation of Unit (SEU) and Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET). Students are asked to complete the SEUand SET near the end of this unit of study. You can complete the SES online or on paper at the discretion of your Unitof Study Coordinator.

Other useful information:

Teaching and Learning Support (http://tls.vu.edu.au/students.htm) there are a number of academic supportservices offered to students which include: Study skills workshops Transitional issues for students new to higher education FAQs - the questions often asked by students Skills needed for your studies e.g. oral presentations General study skills - What is a lecture? What is a tutorial? Exam techniques Writing academic essays Information specific to particular units or courses Postgraduate and international students Mentoring Plagiarism

Handing in assignmentsAll assignments are to be handed directly to your Tutor at the beginning of your Tutorial on the due date. Learning inthe workplace and community is linked to these activities and assessment tasks outlined in the unit calendar andthroughout the unit guide marked (*LiWC).

Penalties for late assignmentsSee Assessment.

Special considerationIf you feel that illness or personal difficulties have impaired your performance you may ask for Special Considerationwhich can facilitate late submission, and alternative arrangements for assignments. This can cover both emotional and

physical difficulties. You need to contact a student counsellor to arrange this.

Arrangements for Students with a DisabilitySee the unit coordinator

INTRODUCTIONGeneral overview of the unit:

To explore different forms of communication and their cultural contexts

8/2/2019 acc-1047-2012-1-unit-guide

6/14

6

To investigate the ways in which communication works in everyday lifeTo demonstrate how communication is connected to global culture and cross-cultural influencesTo encourage students to apply theories of communication to real life situationsTo promote reflection about the way communication is changing in contemporary Australia

Format:Students attend a weekly 1.5 hour lecture followed by a 1.5 hour small group tutorial. The lecture will be the placewhere the topic of the week will be introduced, discussed and developed. The tutorial will provide you with a chance todiscuss the weeks reading and to go into more detail on the weeks topic

Class Materials:Instead of a set textbook, there is a Book of Readings for the course (a collection of photocopied material fromvarious sources) available for purchase in the Bookshops on the Footscray campus. All students are required to havetheir own copy of the Book of Readings.

You should have bought the Book of Readings by start of Week 2.

Staff:Lecturer Mark Cot St. Albans/Footscray ParkUnit Coordinator Mark Cote St. Albans/Footscray Park

Learning Outcomes:Knowledge of some key research areas related to the study of communicationEnhancement of analytical thinking and conceptualizationDevelopment of reading and writing skills

Ability to apply analytic ideas to real life situationsDeeper appreciation of the role of communication in personal and social life

Key Graduate Attributes:Higher Education programs at VU are intended to assist graduates both to find employment and to become lifelonglearners. After completing this unit satisfactorily, you should have developed ability, to some degree, in the followinggeneric attributes and skills, all of which are significant for graduates from VU: Solving basic and moderately complexproblems selecting from a defined range of given analytical concepts and strategies locating, evaluating, managing and

using a range of relevant information synthesizing moderately complex material and write comprehensibleapproximations in a given genre with guidance following moderately complex instructions and manage time withguidance communicating with peers on moderately complex topics in informal and more formal settings.

8/2/2019 acc-1047-2012-1-unit-guide

7/14

7

ASSESSMENTS

ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT 1: Midterm ExamGrade value: 20%Handed out: Monday, March 19, 2012 in lectureDue: Monday, March 26, 2012 in lecture

Assessment Criteria: Take home midterm Short and long answer based on Sessions 1-4

ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT 2: NVC Research ReportA short research report discussing aspects of interpersonal and social communication found in everyday life (details tofollow)

Submission:Grade value: 25%Word length: 1500 words

Due date: Monday, April 30, 2012 in lecture

Assessment Criteria: Assessment specifications will be handed out Concepts from class reading explained and applied Quality of field observations using examples Appropriateness of conclusion Formatting bibliography correctly Logical development of ideas Touches of creativity/originality in discussion Clarity in writing (expression, grammar, English usage)

ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT 3: Final ExamGrade value: 35%Handed out: Monday, May 21, 2012 in lectureDue: Monday May 28, 2012 by 4pm in my pigeon hole Building 8, 2nd floor.

Assessment Criteria: Take home final exam Short and long answer based on Sessions 5-12

ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT 4: Tutorial Participation & PresentationGrade value: 20%Break down for Tutorial Assessment:

10% Tutorial Presentation5% Tutorial Attendance5% Tutorial Participation

8/2/2019 acc-1047-2012-1-unit-guide

8/14

8

Presentation Assessment Criteria:3 Marks - Organization of material, including a visual aid to assist you with your presentation (i.e.

PowerPoint, Prezi, poster etc)3 Marks - Covering the key arguments of the reading4 Marks - Comprehension of the key arguments. To do well in this section students need to

provide their own examples to explain the key concepts of the reading. Students need totry and move beyond what the author(s) have written and provide their own interpretationof the text(s).

Students also need to prepare one or two questions for the class, based on the readingsto start a deeper discussion of the material.

Total: 10 MarksPresentation Length: 10 minutes

Submission of Assessments:Hard copies only of assignments submitted. No electronic copies will be accepted.

Students must attach an assignment cover sheet to work submitted.

Always keep a back-up copy of all work submitted dont just leave it on your hard drive. If work goes missing, it isup to students to provide another copy.

Extensions and Late Submissions

Do not suffer in silence or give up hope if something goes wrong!

An extension of time to complete your work is sometimes unavoidable, if medical or personal problems intervene.However, not planning your work schedule in relation to the requirements of other subjects or other activities(eg: paid work hours) will not be regarded as grounds for an extension.

Requests for extensions should be submitted in writing before the due date on the form available from the Arts Facultyoffice at St A and Fts Pk. Normally, this will be accompanied by any appropriate documentation (e.g. medicalcertificates) and by evidence of assignment work in progress.

Requests must be made prior to the due date. If you require an extension of more than two weeks, you will need toapply for Special Consideration on the (different) form available for that purpose. As you would expect, a moresubstantial case needs to be made and appropriate evidence has to be provided.

Late submissions of work without extension may be accepted by tutors under very special circumstances.

Penalties for late submission

10 percent a day will be deducted up to 5 days (including weekends).After this, the maximum grade you can achieve is 50%, regardless of the quality of the work (even if yourassignment is worth an A, you will be given 50%). If the work is not of a pass standard you will be given a fail grade.

No work will be accepted 14 days after the due date without permission for an extension. If work is submitted after 14days with no prior consultation with appropriate staff, the work will get 0

No comments on any late work, and you will be provided with just a score mark.

The golden rule: talk to me early about any specific difficulties you are having with deadlines.

8/2/2019 acc-1047-2012-1-unit-guide

9/14

9

Guidelines for Grades:

High Distinction (80-100) A comprehensive and clearly developed response to all aspects of theassignment questions and/or tasks.

Solid understanding of key conceptsConfident and effective expression and use of appropriate writing conventions

Distinction (70-79) A reasonably comprehensive and developed response to most all aspects ofthe assignment questions and/or tasks.

Good grasp of key conceptsEffective expression and use of appropriate writing conventions

Credit (60-69) Attempts to cover the requirements of the assignmentSome significant areas in need of further workSome problems in expression and development of ideas

Pass (50-59) Addresses an acceptable number of areas required by the assignment but hassignificant problems in expression and/or development of ideas.

N1 (40-49) Significant problems in development of ideas and in clarity ofexpression. Does not address the assignment adequately or demonstrateunderstanding of the concepts being discussed.

8/2/2019 acc-1047-2012-1-unit-guide

10/14

10

Importance of the class reading each week

To study culture and communication at university level means that you need to understand how researchers andwriters have investigated these areas of study over many years.

Communication Studies, which is what you are embarking on in this subject is known as a field of research, an

area of scholarship. Communication in all its forms has been studied in many ways and much information has beenwritten and published about it.

Part of any introduction to culture and communication requires that you familiarize yourself with what has beenwritten and published.

Hence, class reading each week is a very important part of this unit of study. You need to do the reading each week.This reading will form the basis for discussion in our small groups

At times you will find the reading a challenge.But be patient and persistent.

Like all fields of study, the study of communication has its own concepts, ideas and language, which you as a studentneed to learn. This takes time, effort and patience (just as you might learn the concepts and language of medicine or

accounting in order to understand these discipline areas).

At times the ideas may sound complicated, but with some translating and some illustrations, the ideas should come tomake sense and even prove useful for understanding how you experience the world. This is where lectures andtutorials will help.

Also, many times you wi ll find examples in the reading that are not familiar to you - the name of a film, a tv show or anadvertised product, etc. Dont get overly concerned with these details. Your reading should be looking for the moregeneral arguments and ideas which you can apply to your own examples of communication.

Finally, reading the work of writers in the field of communication is not the same as reading novels, magazines, comics,on-line chat.You need to read the material more than once - three and even four times - to get the full sense ofideas and argument. But dont be discourageddoing this - it is part of the learning process in this field of study.

8/2/2019 acc-1047-2012-1-unit-guide

11/14

11

UNIT OUTLINE

Lecture 1 (Feb. 27): What is communication and why study it?

Essential Reading: Wood, JT 2004, Communication in our lives, Communication Theories in Action: Anintroduction, 3rd edn, Thomson, Wadsworth, Belmont CA, pp. 1-29.

Further Reading: Wood, JT 2006, Communication Mosaics: Introduction to Communication Inquiry

Dimbleby, R & Burton, G 1998, More Than Words: An Introduction toCommunication

Jandt, FE 2004,An Introduction to Intercultural Communication:Identities in a Global Community

Lecture 2 (March 5): Towards and understanding of culture and its relationship with communication

Essential Reading: Williams, R. 1961. The Analysis of Culture. Cultural theory and popular culture,University of Sunderland, London, pp. 32-40.

Alan OConnor and John Downing, Culture and Communication in Questioning theMedia: A Critical Introduction, John Downing ,Ali Mohammadi, and Annabelle Sreberny-Mohammadi (eds.) pp. 3-22

John Hartley, Culture, Communication, Cultural and Media Studies: The Key Concepts ,pp. 51-53

Lecture 3 (March 12): Communication in the era of globalization

Essential Reading: Croteau, D & Hoynes, W 2000. Media in a changing global culture, Media/Society:Industries, Images and Audiences, 2nd edn, Pine Forge Press, Thousand Oaks CA,pp.329-354 & pp.357-362.

Further Reading: Grossberg, L, Wartella, E, Whitney, C, & MacGregor, W 2006, Chapter 13: Mediaglobalization, MediaMaking: Mass media in a popular culture, Sage Publications,Thousand Oaks CA, pp. 421-455.

Bowe, H & Mart, M, Communication across cultures: mutual understanding in a globalworld

Scholte, JA, Globalization: a critical introduction

8/2/2019 acc-1047-2012-1-unit-guide

12/14

12

Lecture 4 (March 19): Consumer culture and communication

Essential Reading: Ritzer, G & Jurgenson, N 2010, Production, consumption, prosumption: The nature inthe age of the digital prosumer, Journal of consumer culture, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 13-36.

Nilan, P, Julian, R & Germov, J 2007, Youth, leisure and globalisation,Australian Youth:Social and Cultural Issues, Pearson Education Australia ,Frenchs Forest NSW, pp.226-243.

Further Reading: Kenway, J & Bullen K, Consuming children: Education-entertainment-advertising

Harold C OurSpace: Resisting the corporate control of culture

Lecture 5 (March 26): Non-verbal communication (NVG)

Essential Reading: Alder, G & Rodman, G 2003, Chapter 5: Nonverbal communication, Understandinghuman communication, 8th edition, Oxford University Press, New York, pp.150-162.

Lewis, G & Slade C 2000, Nonverbal communication, Critical communication, PrenticeHall, New York, pp. 75-85.

Argyle, M 1988, Gestures and other bodily movements, Bodily Communication. 2ndedition, Methuen, London, Selected sections.

Further Reading: Wainwright, G. R. Body Language

Beattie, G. Visible Thought: The New Psychology of Body Language

[electronic resource]

Lecture 6 (April 2): Language, gender, and communication

Essential Reading: Wood, J 2005, Chapter 5: Gendered verbal communication, Gendered Lives:Communication, Gender and Culture. 6th edition, Thomson Wadsworth, Belmont CA, pp.104-127.

Wood, J 2005, Chapter 6: Gendered Non-Verbal Communication, Gendered Lives:Communication, Gender and Culture. 6th edition, Thomson Wadsworth, Belmont CA, pp.129-147.

Storey J 2006, Chapter 7: Gender and Sexuality. Cultural Theory and Popular Culture.Pearson Education Limited, Edinburgh, pp. 140-145.

8/2/2019 acc-1047-2012-1-unit-guide

13/14

13

Further Reading: Stewart, LP, Cooper, P, Stewart, AD & Friendley, SA, Communication and Gender. 4thedn.

Romaine, S, Communicating Gender

Tannen, D, Talking 9 to 5: Women and Men in the Workplace

Lecture 7 (April 16): The language of clothes: fashion as communication

Essential Reading: Barnard, M 2002, Chapter 2: Fashion, clothing, communication and culture, Routledge,New York, pp. 27-48.

Lurie, A 1992, Clothing as a sign system, The Language of Clothes, Bloombury,London, pp. 3-12, 120-129 & 250-251.

Further Reading: Hebdige, D. The Meaning of Style. Cultural Studies Reader. pp.41-53.

Bruzzi, S & Church Gibson, P, eds. Fashion Cultures: Theories, Explorations andAnalysis.

Kawamura , Y. Fashion-ology: an introduction to fashion studies

Lecture 8 (April 23): Communication through story-telling: media and myth

Essential Reading: Silverblatt, A, Ferry, J. & Finan, B. 1999. Chapter 4. Mythic analysis,Approaches toMedia Literacy: A Handbook. M. E. Sharpe, New York, pp. 143-175.

Further Reading: Sunderland. M. Using Storytelling as a Therapeutic Tool with Children

Coates, J. Men Talk: Stories in the Making of Masculinities

Mattingly, C. and Garro, L.C. eds. Narrative and the Cultural Construction of Illness andHealing

Lecture 9 (April 30): Dreams and nightmares, stories and symbols: unconscious dimensions ofcommunication

Essential Reading: Storey, J. 2006: Chapter 5: Psychoanalysis, Cultural Theory and Popular Culture AnIntroduction, Pearson Education Limited, Essex, pp. 71-85.

Further Reading: Pick, D & Roper, L, eds. Dreams and History

O'Connor, P, Dreams and the search for meaning

8/2/2019 acc-1047-2012-1-unit-guide

14/14

14

Lohmann RI, Ed. Dream Travellers: Sleep Experiences and Culture in the WesternPacific

Lecture 10 (May 7): Race, Ethnicity and Communication

Essential Reading: Hall S 1996, Minimal selves, Black British Cultural Studies: A reader, Chicago UniversityPress, Chicago, pp. 114-119.

Hall S 2004, The Spectacle of the Other, Representations: Cultural Representation andSignifying Practices. pp. 223-248.

Further Reading: Storey J. 2008. Chapter 8: Race, Racism, and Representation. Cultural Theory andPopular Culture. Person Education Limited, Edingburgh.

Lecture 11 (May 14): Groups, communication and social networks

Essential Reading: Rheingold, H, 2003, Chapter 2: Technologies of cooperation, Smart Mobs: The nextsocial revolution, Perseus Books Groups, Cambridge, pp. 29-62.

boyd, d. 2008. Why youth [love] social network sites: the role of networked publics inteenage social life. In D. Buckingham. Ed. Youth, Identity and Digital Media. CambridgeMA. MIT Press

Further Reading: Galvin K. M., Bylund, C. L. and Brommel, B. J. Family communication: cohesion andchange.

Cotterell, J. Social networks in youth and adolescence.

Gauntlett, D and Horsley, R. Eds. Web.Studies. 2nd edn.

Jenkins, H. Fans, bloggers, and gamers: exploring participatory culture

Tapscott. D. Growing Up Digital: The Rise of the Net Generation

Lecture 12 (May 21): New media, digital culture and learning

Essential Reading: Buckingham, D 2007, Digital Childhoods? New media and childrens culture, Beyond

technology: Childrens learning in the age of digital culture, pp.75-98.

Documents

acc-1047-2012-1-unit-guide