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Module

MCH1031 : Multimedia Communication

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Mr Chris Falzon
  • Co-Module Leader: Ms Sarah Drummond
  • Other Staff: Mr Andy Sixsmith
  • Owning School: Arts & Cultures
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 2 Credit Value: 20
ECTS Credits: 10.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

This module allows students to develop their multimedia content and communication skills. It encourages students to consider factual multimedia content production in relation to technologies, genre, convention, audience, grammar and form. The assessment procedures outlined below mean that students work to deadlines and engage in practical, content production activities. The topics in this module may include:

Gathering content for multimedia platforms
Writing online content
Audio recording and editing
Video recording and editing
Multimedia technologies and influences
The role of story-telling in communications

More specifically this module aims to:

1. Provide students with an introduction to multimedia content practice.

2. Equip students with the skills necessary to capture video audio and written media content, and to conduct elementary, editorial processes and sequencing.

3. Allow students to demonstrate abilities in collaboration and communication.

Outline Of Syllabus

Topics may include:

• Introduction to critical multimedia production practice
• The fundamental (technical elements) of multimedia content production
• Introduction to writing for online
• Introductions to recording and editing audio and video
• Principles of effective multi-platform story-telling for different audiences
• Principles of effective group-work for creative production

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion113:0033:00Research into specific topic content for individual multimedia pieces and reflective report
Guided Independent StudyDirected research and reading112:0022:00Engaging with online multimedia content and readings related to module learning
Structured Guided LearningStructured research and reading activities111:0011:00Non-synchronous online learning materials
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesSmall group teaching111:0011:00Present-in-person seminar activities to check learning and apply theory to practice
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesWorkshops112:0022:00Present-in-person workshops applying theory to current practice
Guided Independent StudyReflective learning activity121:0012:00Combination of activities and ongoing reflective record
Guided Independent StudyStudent-led group activity112:0022:00Group work on researching, collection and production of multimedia material
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesDrop-in/surgery22:004:00prior to assessment
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study163:0063:00Linked to practice activities and assessment pieces
Total200:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Students produce a factual multimedia story containing three media elements (audio, video and digital/online), with teaching of creative techniques and practice feeding in to this learning as appropriate.

The assessment points are designed to allow students to demonstrate collective creativity, sense the importance of multimedia content aspects and to reflect on their own learning.

Learning and teaching supports students through iterative and informed assessment, which guides the learning experience.

In addition to the formative assessment, the student-led practical work is structured to feedback and feed-forward personal learning through small-group teaching and sharing of content with peers.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Design/Creative proj2M75A piece of multimedia content containing text, video and/or audio and online/digital elements based on a theme from MCH1026, or an alternate theme list.
Report2A25900 to 1000-word reflective report containing evidence that the learning outcomes have been met.
Zero Weighted Pass/Fail Assessments
Description When Set Comment
Written exerciseMThe written exercise is the prof-forma ethical approval and risk assessment for the chosen multimedia story. Ethical issues are acknowledged and considered. Relevant risks and their mitigation are identified and evaluated.
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

A programme-level approach to assessment aims to make students’ assessment journey through the programme clearer, and strengthen students’ understanding and experience of the relationship between theory and practice. 75% of the marks will be taken from their MCH1031 multimedia content, which is based on a theme from MCH1026. After creating the content, students are required to write a reflective report on an aspect of the experience of multimedia production.

Students who do not study PQL0 Media, Communication and Cultural Studies (and are not completing MCH1026) are required to base their multimedia content on an alternative list of themes.

The assessment for MCH1031 is distinct from MCH1026 by its individualized aspects, MCH1031 on the practical approach and production choices, and MCH1026 on the theoretical concepts and discussions of related themes, each assessed separately, as indicated, for each of the two modules.

Assessment one (75%) (K1, K2, K3, S1, S2 )
A piece of multimedia content containing 500 words plus headline and still image; 120-180-second total video and/or audio.

Additional task-specific criteria are as follows:
- Implementation of appropriate content-gathering and interview skills as demonstrated by the perspective of the subject, story and key quotations;
- Implementation of appropriate platform choice, construction and conventions of factual story-telling including structures, effective quoting and coverage of the who, what, when, why, where and how;
- Use of appropriate of story-telling choices, including online writing and a variety of shots, sounds and voices;
- Implementation of web-based technologies and technical skills appropriate for multimedia contexts.

Assessment two (0%) (K1, K2, K3, S1)
An accurately completed ethical approval form and risk assessment of the story-gathering activities for the piece of multimedia, submitted as instructed before a given deadline.

Assessment three (25%) (K1, K2, K3, S3)
A 900 to 1000-word reflective report on the learning through the practical experience.

Additional task-specific criteria are as follows:
- Suitability of research on a personal learning style and engagement with reflective models and frameworks.
- Implementation of a specific model of reflection and referencing alongside appropriate examples of learning.
- Demonstration of the ‘reflective process’ including documentation of insight and an acceptable interpretation.

Reading Lists

Timetable