FSS:ZUR589c Visual Messages and the Media - Course Information

ZUR589c Visual Messages and the Media

Extent and Intensity

1/1. 8 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).

Teacher(s)

Tae-Sik Kim, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Jana Ježková (assistant)

Guaranteed by

prof. PhDr. Jiří Pavelka, CSc.
Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Ing. Bc. Pavlína Brabcová
Supplier department: Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies

Timetable

Wed 12:00–13:30 AVC

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 15 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/15, only registered: 0/15

fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with

• Media Studies and Journalism (programme FSS, N-KS)

Course objectives

This course examines the cultural meanings of visual messages on various media. Grounded in the understanding of various theories from semiotics and cultural studies, this course looks closely at media practices delivering visual messages firmly based on certain sociocultural contexts. This course also cover wider issues related to visual messages and our everyday lives. By reading a variety of research articles assigned in the course and participating in class discussions, students learn to develop their own research projects focusing on visual communication and cultural understandings.

• Comprehend the cultural meanings of visual messages
• Understand the role of the media in distributing visual messages
• Review and analyze a variety of research articles on visual communication
• Find important themes and methods of semiotics
• Lead insightful discussions

Syllabus

• Week 1. Introduction to the course
• Week 2. Semiotics Theories: Saussure, Peirce, Barthes, and more
• Week 3. Semiotics and Culture: Geertz and Bourdieu
• Week 4. Visual Messages and Traditional Media
• Week 5. Visual Messages and TV
• Week 6. Visual Messages and Advertisement: Promotion and Deception
• Week 7. Reading Week
• Week 8. Visual Analysis Practice (Group Presentations)
• Week 9. Visual Messages and the Internet (Research Paper Consultation Due)
• Week 10. Images of Spaces: Cities as Visual Media
• Week 11. Images of People: Cross-cultural Images
• Week 12. Visual Message Student Conference 1
• Week 13. Visual Message Student Conference 2

Literature

• Barthes, R. (1972). Mythologies. New York: Hill and Wang.
• ECO, Umberto. A theory of semiotics. 1st Midland book ed. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1979, ix, 354. ISBN 0253359554. info

Teaching methods

The format of the course is a combination of brief lectures and controlled discussions of various assigned readings. All students are expected to read all articles assigned and to develop appropriate discussion questions.

Each student is a discussion leader for an assigned week.

Students submit a research paper (topic of student’s choice in consultation with instructor; minimum 14 pages).

Assessment methods

 Response Papers with Discussion Questions (30 x 8 = 240)
• Summarize reading articles and provide 2 discussion questions
• Find 1-2 Visual Images that are not covered by articles
• By noon the day before each class with the exception of Week 1, 8, 12 and 13.

 One Discussion Leader (150)
• Summarize articles and Find some related cases

 A group presentation (An analysis of an advertisement) (160)
• A group with 3-4 colleagues
• Choose one or more advertisement(s) (from everywhere, such as TV, Internet, Magazine, etc)
• Submit PPT and Present in Week 8

 Final Paper + Presentation (450): Due- Monday 3. June 2013

Total: 1000
A: 900-1000
B: 800-899
C: 700-799
D: 600-699
E: 500-599
F: -499

Language of instruction

English

Further comments (probably available only in Czech)

The course is taught only once.

• Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2013, recent)
  
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