BROOKLYN COLLEGE
Department of Television, Radio & Emerging Media
INTRODUCTION TO MASS MEDIA
TREM 1165
TEAF (21842), TEBF (22105), TR11 (21484), TREQ (22104
Fall 2020, Tuesdays & Thursdays 11:00-12:15pm
Fully Online
Professor Brian Dunphy
Office: My attic
Phone: 718-951-5000 x2797
E-mail: Profdunphy@gmail.com – Do not use my Brooklyn College email.
Office Hours BY appointment ONLY:
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 12:15-2:05pm
IN-CLASS TA: Micah – msanderta@gmail.com
Out of Class TAs: Alan – tanero1165@gmail.com, Nicole – NicoleBensonTA@gmail.com and Camila – camiladejesusta@gmail.com
Download syllabus Word file here or read below.
Expected Outcomes
In this course students will become familiar with the history, current industry practices, and controversies involved in the mainstream mass media (newspapers, magazines, books, radio, television, film, recordings, and the Internet), their information and persuasion industries (news, advertising and public relations) and media issues (including impact, legal, and ethical issues).
In doing so, students will come to understand the relationships among the history of the media, their current industry practices, and the controversies that arise from these practices. A series of reading assignments, lectures, discussions (online, groups, pods) make up the course material. You are expected to read the assigned material before class and bring any questions or items for discussion. Following that discussion, we will explore areas in class that are beyond the readings.
Required Texts
Understanding Media & Culture. University of Minnesota.
Link: https://open.lib.umn.edu/mediaandculture/
Weekly Readings via blog/blackboard
Link:
Diana Hacker. A Writer’s Reference. Newest edition. New York: Bedford/St. Martins.
This is a required text for all TV/Radio classes, so please retain it.
Required Sites
Class Blackboard page
Class Blog:
All the information will be posted on this site. Check frequently, just in case!
Outcomes Assessment
Your comprehension of reading assignments will be evaluated through several areas of online interaction and participation. Your synthesis of this material with our other class activities will be measured through the instructor’s evaluation your blog, the group discussions, pod work, and quizzes.
Assignments & Academic Integrity
See here for details on assignment.
Academic Integrity: The faculty and administration of Brooklyn College support an environment free from cheating and plagiarism. Each student is responsible for being aware of what constitutes cheating and plagiarism and for avoiding both. The complete text of the CUNY Academic Integrity Policy and the Brooklyn College procedure for implementing that policy can be found at this site. If a faculty member suspects a violation of academic integrity and, upon investigation, confirms that violation, or if the student admits the violation, the faculty member MUST report the violation.
Class Structure
Since this is a large class, we will have Tuesday lectures and Thursdays will be our “pod” days. When you’re not in a “pod” day you will be involved in group discussions or work on other assignments/readings/viewings.
Blog Work
See assignment sheet. Due every Thursday BEFORE 11:00am.
Your blog work is due even if you are not in a pod that week.
Pods
Almost every Thursday there will be 2 pods with about 15 students per pod.
Pod A: 11:00-11:30
Pod B: 11:40-12:10
Exams & Quizzes
There are no exams in this class but there is the possibility for weekly quizzes on blackboard.
Extra Credit
You can earn up to 3 extra credit points per semester.
Extra Credit – TV shows (full seasons, 3 points), going to movies or watching films are 1 point. All extra credits have to be earned with the right amount of length and effort. Other opportunities for extra credit will be announced in class throughout the semester.
All ECs are due by end of semester —no later unless given specific permission.
If you are absent more than 5 times, you will not be allowed to do extra credit.
Extra credits help you “get over the hump” of a grade. Example is if you’re at a B+ and you do three extra credits that puts you in a position for an A- or even an A.
Extra credits do not help if you haven’t done any work.
Grades
The following percentage/points will be assigned:
Blog Work: 40%/40 points
Pod Work: 25%/25 points
Group Discussions: 15%/15 points
Quizzes: 20%/20 points
Total %/points = 100%/100points
***Rubric on grading to be posted online***
***The % change depending on overall effort, work, and discretion. ***
Working Fully Online:
Power Outage:
- I live in a town that frequently loses power
- If the power goes out:
- Remain near your computer for updates on what is going on.
- I will do my best to send something out.
- It may be a 2 minute outage or something more significant.
- Once the power is restored
- Class will resume.
- Return promptly.
- Depending on the time – I may just end class.
- If there’s 5 mins left in the class, I will call it a day.
- If there is 60 mins left… you get the idea.
- Take the opportunity to do work for the class.
Attendance/Lateness, Proper Etiquette & Cell Phone Policy
Attendance/Lateness:
- B.C. attendance policy states that students are expected to attend all scheduled sessions of every class.
- Your name must be in “box” – this is how I will take attendance.
- The professor will try to consider emergencies, when they are documented, but the basic rule is that because class attendance is part of your grade, absences make the grade grow smaller.
- Lateness, eventually I will start to get angry, don’t be late. Be Kind, Be Online, Be On Time.
Proper Etiquette for Online Courses:
When Playing A Video:
- We will all watch them from a google drive or on YouTube, or a wetransfer file.
- Please have the videos/links ready to go and easily accessible
- Reason for this:
- The picture stutters on shared screens, delays etc.
- Keep your video on makes everybody feel they are still together
- I get to enjoy seeing your reactions in real time.
- Reason for this:
- After watching a video, please be prompt and return as quickly as possible to the “room.”
The etiquette of fully online classes:
- Your name must be in “box” – this is how I will take attendance
- Video must be on the entire class. Audio will be muted.
- this is to avoid distractions
- Honor those who make an effort.
- All students should be sitting up.
- Do not lay in bed under the covers.
- Please dress appropriately.
- Dress as you would to class.
- No funny hats, lightsabers, etc.
- Please find a shady spot in your apartment/house/mansion/cottage/bungalow/castle – as in a private place for you to go.
- If you’re only spot is your bed.
- It would be great if we see less of it
- Make sure it’s made.
- Hospital corners not needed.
- If you’re only spot is your bed.
- Please keep your pets (dogs, cats, King Cobras, Cheetahs), family members, etc out of the frame as much as possible.
- I know cats are annoying and crawl on your computer but then you should have gotten a dog that sleeps at your feet.
- All frames should be consistent
- Medium Shot
- Eyes should be framed along imagined upper third line (not middle that would be awkward and have too much head room).
- Students should not sit in front of the window and their face should be the brightest spot in the frame.
Cell Phone Use
- **RULE ON CELL PHONES**
- Please refrain from the using cell phones, including and especially texting during the class.
- Using a cell phone is rude and distracting.
- Class is ONLY 75 mins -. I think you can survive without checking your phone.
- Warning System on Cell Phone:
- Caught using you cell phone once= Warning
- Second Violation= Last Warning
- Third Warning= Points off class-work or points off exam/work.
- Fourth & Fifth Warning = Absence for day of class or MORE points off exam/work.
- Last Warning = Will consider failing for the class.
**This will be a running list throughout the semester**
Rights Info
Unless otherwise noted, this TVRA 1165 Open Educational Resource (OER) was curated by Professor Brian Dunphy for Brooklyn College in 2020 and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. [Detailed license and acknowledgement]
