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Elective course: Visual Communication and Digital Culture

Title
Elective course: Visual Communication and Digital Culture
Semester
E2022
Master programme in
Communication Studies * / Communication Studies / Media and Communication
Type of activity

Course

Teaching language
English
Study regulation

Read about the Master Programme and find the Study Regulations at [ruc.dk](https://ruc.dk/kandidat/uddannelser "ruc.dk"

REGISTRATION AND STUDY ADMINISTRATIVE
Registration

Sign up for study activities at STADS Online Student Service within the announced registration period, as you can see on the Study administration homepage.

When signing up for study activities, please be aware of potential conflicts between study activities or exam dates.
The planning of activities at Roskilde University is based on the recommended study programs which do not overlap. However, if you choose optional courses and/or study plans that goes beyond the recommended study programs, an overlap of lectures or exam dates may occur depending on which courses you choose.

Number of participants
ECTS
10
Responsible for the activity
Henrik Juel (hjuel@ruc.dk)
Head of study
Chris Peters (cpeters@ruc.dk)
Teachers
Study administration
IKH Studieadministration (ikh-studieadministration@ruc.dk)
Exam code(s)
U60196
ACADEMIC CONTENT
Overall objective

The course contains presentation and critical discussion as well as testing knowledge of a defined media and communication subject area/field of activity, including presentation and discussion of current concepts, theories, and research methods, possibly in collaboration with practitioners within the field.

Detailed description of content

Technological developments within new media in recent years have made modern society increasingly visually oriented. The widespread circulation of visual content in digital media also highlighted critical social issues about identity, surveillance, privacy and authenticity. One consequence of this is that the skills to theorize about, analyze and communicate digital visual phenomena are becoming increasingly important, both in research and in professional life. The course Visual Communication and Digital Culture is therefore designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills to critically identify and analyze the impact and effects of digital visuality, including how the new media affect processes of communication between individuals, organizations and society.

Visual Communication and Digital Culture takes its starting point in all forms of digital imaging, placing them in a historical, cultural and social framework of understanding. The course focuses on the social uses of images in digital culture and invites students to observe the research potentials of these new communicative practices where the visual is used to generate social bonds between people in digitally mediated spaces, such online social networks and virtual communities.

The course aims to expand students’ knowledge of the foundations of visual communication and narratives via and in new media, with a view to identifying the ongoing development of digital culture in relation to individuals, institutions and organizations. Students are thus enabled to analyze visual narratives, rhetoric and ideology across genres and new media platforms on the basis of content-related, genre-related and contextual perspectives. In doing so, the course will enable the students to produce a visual research portfolio, identify a relevant problem formulation, develop theoretical and methodological approaches to study visual phenomena.

Course material and Reading list

Detailed program, literature for the course and a reading list for each class meeting will be available on Moodle at semester start.

Overall plan and expected work effort

The total study effort for the student (ECTS points converted into hours) = 270 hours. The hours are divided as follows:

  • Course teaching: 48 hours
  • Preparation: 120 hours
  • Exam: 80 hours
  • Other activities: 22 hours (semester start, literature search, etc.
Format
Evaluation and feedback

Oral in class/standard questionnaire.

Evaluation will be based on the evaluation practice of the study board.

Programme

Detailed program to be announced on Moodle

ASSESSMENT
Overall learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student is able to:

  • Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of a defined subject area/field of activity within media and communication, including nuanced knowledge of common production and project work methods in relation to the subject area.

  • Identify and account for current theories of relevance to the subject area/field of activity, including understanding of significant communication professional issues.

  • Develop, organize and present a specific communication production or project relevant to the subject area/field of activity.

  • Independently and reflectively translate theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches into a concrete communication professional practice.

  • Independently take responsibility for one's own professional development.

Form of examination
Individual portfolio exam

The character limit of the portfolio is 24,000-48,000 characters, including spaces. Examples of written products are exercise responses, talking points for presentations, written feedback, reflections, written assignments. The preparation of the products may be subject to time limits.
The character limits include the cover, table of contents, bibliography, figures and other illustrations, but exclude any appendices.

The portfolio is written completely or partially during the course.

The entire portfolio must be handed in at the same time (uploaded to eksamen.ruc.dk). Handing in the portfolio or parts of the portfolio to the supervisor for feedback, cannot replace the upload to eksamen.ruc.dk.

Assessment: Pass/Fail.
Form of Re-examination
Individual portfolio exam

The character limit of the portfolio is 24,000-48,000 characters, including spaces. Examples of written products are exercise responses, talking points for presentations, written feedback, reflections, written assignments. The preparation of the products may be subject to time limits.
The character limits include the cover, table of contents, bibliography, figures and other illustrations, but exclude any appendices.

The portfolio is written after the course has ended.

The entire portfolio must be handed in at the same time (uploaded to eksamen.ruc.dk). Handing in the portfolio or parts of the portfolio to the supervisor for feedback, cannot replace the upload to eksamen.ruc.dk.

Assessment: Pass/Fail.
Type of examination in special cases
Examination and assessment criteria

Individual portfolio consisting of written documents and other types of products.

The portfolio consists of 5-8 products, which are prepared in whole or in part during the course. The products can e.g. be analytical exercises, notes for presentations, feedback, reflections, written assignments, wiki contributions, social media and visual productions. The portfolio should demonstrate the individual’s competences to analyze different examples of visual communication and digital culture and to generate theoretical and/or methodological reflections about the course themes and relevant literature. The portfolio should also include a concluding section where the various products are related to each other in a larger perspective outlining the student’s assessment of visual communication and digital culture as an academic field.

We recommend that the portfolio's written products have a total range of 19.200 - 36.000 characters including spaces (8 - 15 normal pages). The scope requirements include any front page, table of contents, bibliography, figures and other illustrations, but excluding any attachments.

The portfolio is handed in together (uploaded on exam.ruc.dk). Possible, continuous part delivery to the course teachers for feedback does not replace the total delivery. The delivery date is published on study.ruc.dk.

An overall assessment of the portfolio is made by consideration of several criteria, including:

  1. Content (variety, aptness, completeness and relevance of the portfolio products)
  2. Structure (organization of sections, titles, introduction, main points, and conclusion)
  3. Theoretical and/or Methodological Rigor (use of relevant analytical concepts, methods, theory, and literature)
  4. Critical Reflection (self-assessment and conclusions about the learning outcomes)

The assignment must document that the student has a secure command of the English written language, including grammar and linguistic correctness.

Assessment: 7-step scale.

Exam code(s)
Exam code(s) : U60196
Last changed 01/06/2022

lecture list:

Show lessons for Subclass: 1 Find calendar (1) PDF for print (1)

Thursday 08-09-2022 12:15 - 08-09-2022 16:00 in week 36
Visual Communication and Digital Culture (KOMM)

Thursday 15-09-2022 12:15 - 15-09-2022 16:00 in week 37
Visual Communication and Digital Culture (KOMM)

Thursday 22-09-2022 12:15 - 22-09-2022 16:00 in week 38
Visual Communication and Digital Culture (KOMM)

Thursday 29-09-2022 12:15 - 29-09-2022 16:00 in week 39
Visual Communication and Digital Culture (KOMM)

Thursday 06-10-2022 12:15 - 06-10-2022 16:00 in week 40
Visual Communication and Digital Culture (KOMM)

Thursday 13-10-2022 12:15 - 13-10-2022 16:00 in week 41
Visual Communication and Digital Culture (KOMM)

Thursday 27-10-2022 12:15 - 27-10-2022 16:00 in week 43
Visual Communication and Digital Culture (KOMM)

Thursday 03-11-2022 12:15 - 03-11-2022 16:00 in week 44
Visual Communication and Digital Culture (KOMM)

Thursday 10-11-2022 12:15 - 10-11-2022 16:00 in week 45
Visual Communication and Digital Culture (KOMM)

Thursday 17-11-2022 12:15 - 17-11-2022 16:00 in week 46
Visual Communication and Digital Culture (KOMM)

Thursday 24-11-2022 12:15 - 24-11-2022 16:00 in week 47
Visual Communication and Digital Culture (KOMM)

Thursday 01-12-2022 12:15 - 01-12-2022 16:00 in week 48
Visual Communication and Digital Culture (KOMM)

Tuesday 03-01-2023 10:00 - 03-01-2023 10:00 in week 01
Visual Communication and Digital Culture - Exam (KOMM)

Monday 13-02-2023 10:00 - 13-02-2023 10:00 in week 07
Visual Communication and Digital Culture - Rexam (KOMM)