Digital Media Foundations
Welcome to Digital Media Foundations
Dear student,
My name is Mary Anne Funk and I am looking forward to being your instructor this term. I am so excited to get to know each one of you.
The purpose of this soft syllabus online is to provide an overview and introduction to what this class is about and what you will need for the class. Complete information on the course will be available on our D2L course page when it opens on the first day of the term.
A short history of this course
The Digital Media Foundations class is part of a brand new degree that we are offering in our Multimedia department. The new degree is VPEM (Video Production and Emerging Media).
I started teaching this class in the Winter of 2022. At the time, it was a brand-new course. I was tasked with creating the curriculum from scratch. Since then, I have continued to shape the course structure based on student feedback.
As we come into the Fall 2022 quarter, I have kept some of the lessons and activities the same, restructured when things are taught, sent some activities to the cutting room floor, implemented new lessons, and updated our course page on Desire To Learn (D2L) for a more streamlined approach.
Required Software:
- Adobe suite: Do Not Purchase – This will be provided to you via your your pcc account. We will discuss this on day one.
Required Account Access:
- Multinomah Library Card: you will need a Multinomah Library Account to access LinkedIn Learning Lessons we will be using
- If you do not have a Multinohma Library card yet, you can apply online at: https://multcolib.org/get-library-card
Digital Media Equipment List
This is not a heavy-duty media production class. We will use relatively accessible tools to practice producing examples of a range of media.
Required Equipment List:
- Desktop or Laptop Computer for working on assignments, and remote classes.
- Our remote class time together has in-class labs that require you to attend using a computer/laptop not a cellphone.
- It needs to be able to run Adobe Creative Suite
- Do not buy Adobe, you will have access through our PCC license when you are enrolled in our Multimedia courses.
- Google Chrome Books NOT recommended
- External or on-computer webcam for remote class participation and presentations.
- Headphones with microphone for remote class participation
- iPhone/Smartphone/Cellphone for taking photographs, recording video, and recording audio.
- iPhone/Smartphone/Cellphone tripod mount
- Lightweight tripod or monopod with feet for mounting your camera or cellphone tripod mount.
- Lav (clip-on) microphone for smartphone, DSLR, or camcorder, at a cost of $15 to $30
- Make sure it is compatible with your device
Optional Equipment List:
- Smartphone video kit
- Make sure it is compatible with your device
Course Overview
Course Description:
Covers technical foundations in digital media storytelling, video production, emerging media, and contemporary equity issues in media. This course is a survey class and introduction to a pathway into video production and emerging media.
Course Structure
The structure of the class is comprised primarily of interactive in-class topic lessons, demonstrations, and discussions followed by in-class (Lab activities) and out-of-class homework in D2L exercises, and project assignments that are focused on creating three forms of media development and integrating media.
Our course outline and content are focused on developing a core foundation in project management and storytelling across media platforms. It is less about the technology and more about:
- Developing skills in folder management and file management.
- Developing project goals.
- Developing project workflow strategies.
- Producing short digital media projects that use different tools and lessons to create the story.
- Learning skills in accessibility in media
Over this quarter, we will focus on the following subjects during our interactive class discussions, weekly D2L lab assignments, and in-class lessons.
- Digital media stories for an applied purpose.
- Interactive stories through the lens of viewer agency.
- Storytelling with diverse perspectives.
- Accessibility in digital production
- Project Management
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Media
- Telling Our Own Stories
Over this quarter, we are using our time together to explore methods of digital media storytelling and examine how digital media is used across multiple job fields.
We will journey through time as we explore how our access to media has changed over time and how upward trends are continuing to change how we create and experience story content.
We will explore how media components exist outside of the digital world and how they help to tell a story. We will also explore courses that we offer in the multimedia department and how they can help you develop skills in digital storytelling and teach you how to use the tools that are needed to create content.
Remote Class Lecture
We meet remotely every week, over Zoom, during our designated time for in-class lessons, demonstrations, discussions, guest speakers, and hands-on lab learning activities. You are expected to be in class every week.
To access our remote class, when you log into our D2L class page on the first day of class, you will see an opening message that explains how to find our Zoom link.
Lectures are interactive. Please come prepared to truly be present during our face-to-face times. This means having your microphone and camera ready to turn on. We will have regular breakout rooms for open discussions in smaller groups.
During our face-to-face time together, we will focus on discussing equity issues in media, exploring digital media stories together, discussing our reading material, and sharing content in class from homework assignments and lab activities.
D2L Assignment Modules
This course has homework and assignment sections that will be online in D2L. D2L stands for Desire To Learn. It is the online system that we use at PCC for assignments, materials, and assignment submissions. You are expected to log in every week to work on that week’s assignment lesson. You have one week to complete a weekly lab assignment lesson.
During the weekly lesson modules, you will work on activities that teach you skills in project management and media development and that will prepare you for in-class lessons, activities, and discussions.
Self Assessment Reflection Journals
Midway through the course and toward the end of the course you will receive a reflection journal to complete: to think about what you learned in the class and how much you’ve grown based on the chances you took and your engagement with the material and your peers. Did you meet new people and explore new ideas? Did you do all of the digital media labs and class assignments and think about them in ways that helped you to grow? Did you engage with the extra optional learning material? Did you bring and share digital media with the class? Did you complete and enter your work into D2L? Did you show up to class and participate in collaborative discussions and activities with your peers? Did you do projects that were rigorous and meaningful to you? and more?
Time Commitment:
Remote Weekly Time Requirements
This is a 2 credit class that is considered a lecture and lecture/lab class. Throughout the quarter, will meet for a total meets once a week for 2 hours and 50 minutes.During this time, you will have in-class lab sessions that are designed to be completed during class and shared during class.
Weekly D2L Requirements
Students in this course are expected to log into D2L every week to work on assignments and to check for any new announcements.
You can expect to spend 4-6 hours a week on weekly lab lessons and assignments outside of class.