Communications and Media Competencies

2022/2023

Academic Year

ENG

Instruction in English

4

ECTS credits

Delivered at:

Department of Foreign Languages

Course type:

Compulsory course

When:

1 year, 3, 4 module

Instructors

Granovskiy, Daniil

Molodychenko, Evgeni N.

Tuliakova, Natalia A.

Course Syllabus

Abstract

Students in higher education engage with the world of media while doing various projects in a variety of disciplines. Yet, modern media has been heavily criticized for misinforming, manipulating the truth, escalating social issues and serving the agenda of the powerful. One rarely knows how/why/with what consequences communication happens in the contemporary digital space. How can we read the news — and discern fake information from trustworthy? How can we powerfully engage in a meaningful and fair conversation in digital media? The course develops students’ ability to critically consume information and to powerfully engage in a conversation by using rhetoric, argumentation, and theories behind communication behavior in the society. Students will learn how to ‘read’ news and information as well as how to produce news and information which has a strong impact. The language of instruction is English.

Learning Objectives

• This course is designed to develop students’ knowledge of how media information is produced and consumed. The course will give an overview of various media phenomena that may influence our view of the world (e.g. agenda setting, misinformation, manipulative techniques, etc.) — and provide a better understanding of factors driving our trust in information. The ultimate goal of the course is to help students critically assess information in the digital environment and spot their own biases in media consumption. During this course students will learn not only to apply analytical and critical skills while consuming online media, but also to proactively use rhetoric and argumentation in a public discussion.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Students will learn to assess and adjust personal media consumption habits;
• Students will learn to build strong arguments in public discussions;
• Students will learn to discriminate between the quality journalism and adverse media practices;
• Students will learn to distinguish what counts as argument and analyze the argumentation techniques used in the media;
• Students will learn to spot manipulative and misinforming content online;
• Students will learn to understand personal biases in media consumption;
• Students will learn to understand the process of media production and its influence on society.

Course Contents

• 1. Introduction to media literacy and the history of the discipline
• 2. Media production and media consumption
• 3. Quality news vs manipulative content
• 4. Biases in media production.
• 5. Biases in media consumption
• 6. Sources on information
• 7. Applying news literacy deconstruction basics
• 8. Digital citizenship
• 9. Media diet
• 10. Misleading headlines
• 11. Manipulative Language
• 12. Logic, facts and argumentation in media discourse
• 13. Fallacies in media discourse
• 14. Blogs and social networks
• 15. Communication principles in digital media environment

Assessment Elements

• Continual Assessment
  Students are expected to demonstrate their command of the main concepts of the course by completing a number graded assignments (pass/fail grade) weighing at 60% of the final grade. The assessment comprises: ● 6 quizzes (weighing at 5% each, 30% of the final grade total) taken during lectures ● 12 classroom assignments (weighing at 2.5% each, 30% of the final grade total)
• Examination (Final Project)
  For the final assignment students need to search for and analyze their own case related to one of the course topics. The projects are completed in teams of 3-5 students (exceptions can be made at special requests). Format: pre-recorded video followed by its presentation in class (8-10 min).

Interim Assessment

• 2022/2023 4th module
  0.6 * Continual Assessment + 0.4 * Examination (Final Project)

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Bruns, A. (2018). Gatewatching and news curation: Journalism, social media, and the public sphere. Australia, Australia/Oceania: Peter Lang. https://doi.org/10.3726/b13293
• Чиронова, И. И.  Английский язык для журналистов (B1-B2). Mastering English for Journalism : учебник для вузов / И. И. Чиронова, Е. В. Кузьмина. — Москва : Издательство Юрайт, 2020. — 471 с. — (Высшее образование). — ISBN 978-5-534-10056-3. — Текст : электронный // Образовательная платформа Юрайт [сайт]. — URL: https://urait.ru/bcode/450219 (дата обращения: 28.08.2023).

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Lewandowsky, S., Ecker, U. K. H., & Cook, J. (2017). Beyond Misinformation:Understanding and Coping with the “Post-Truth” Era. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jarmac.2017.07.008