IS40870 Topics in Digital Media & Comm

Academic Year 2021/2022

What is the state of the art in digital media research? How and where will we be communicating in the future?

This module introduces students to a wide range of topics in theoretical and applied communication and media, covering the many different contexts, technologies, domains of use and applications. As an interdisciplinary module, it will expose students to the state of the art in research and practice on:
- new technologies: speech interfaces, augmented reality, virtual reality, wearable technology and so on...
- alternative application contexts: health communication, museum interactives, retail communication, news and so on...
- motivations for innovation: strategic uses of modes platforms, paradigms for different purposes

The module will combine lectures and workshops with guest contributors from research, practice, commercial applications and media activism to expose students to a breadth of activity in the field.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of the course students will be able to demonstrate:
1) Familiarity with the state of the art in digital media technologies
2) Understanding of the relationship between technologies, contexts of use and motivation for communication
3) Recognition of changing paradigms of communication and challenges in research and practice
4) Critical reflection on the application of digital technologies to shape human communications

Indicative Module Content:

The module is split into 3 themes of 4 weeks - each focusing on different aspects of research and practice in digital media technologies:

Weeks 1 - 4: Technology focus
- Speech technologies
- Virtual Reality (VR)
- Augmented reality (AR)
- Artificial Intelligence - Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, Facial recognition, wearables etc.

Weeks 5 - 8: Context focus
- eHealth & mHealth
- Digital Media Art
- Alternative social media
- Culture & heritage interactives

Weeks 9 - 12: Communication focus
- Positive computing - technology for wellbeing
- News
- Entertainment - games, serious games
- Political media - Activism

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24

Specified Learning Activities

26

Autonomous Student Learning

125

Total

175

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module will use a combination of lectures, case studies, seminars and guest presentations. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Assignment: Case study/Essay on in context/in the wild technology in use Week 8 n/a Graded No

50

Project: Project pitch proposal to implement an application and describe deployment and communication impact. Week 12 n/a Graded No

50


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback
• Peer review activities
• Self-assessment activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Class feedback will be delivered during the marking period post assessment. Individual feedback will be offered online and in person/by email where requested. A combination of self-assessment and peer review will be used for group discussion continuous assessment.

Name Role
Dr Páraic Kerrigan Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Yunhan Wu Tutor