Newcastle University

Aims

•       to introduce students to digital media techniques
•       to investigate contemporary and critical arguments concerning digital media theory and practice;
•       to illuminate the contexts of digital culture and practice;
•       to introduce key terms of reference for digital media theory, such as technology, immersion, the body, the cyborg, and postmodernism; and,
•       to enable students to develop confidence, self-reliance and self-teaching of digital media techniques
•       to create awareness of the complementary range of digital media techniques

This module examines the major shift in communication and representation, taking place as a result of digital technologies. The module examines points of contact between cultural studies, critical theory and digital culture and practice. It critically explores and reviews theoretical topics such as analogue/digital transforms, sensation and cognition, the digital divide, as well as the ethics and representation of new media. The module introduces digital creative and artistic practice techniques including sampling, media editing, basic programming and interactivity.

Outline Of Syllabus

Theoretical Foundations of Digital Media provides an introduction to the history of digital media and practice whilst also examining how digital culture and practice can be understood as a shift in politics and power. The module locates aspects of digital culture and practice as moments in the history of technology but also as events which should not be understood as linked to a specific historical moment. It also introduces key theoretical debates and discourses around prominent elements of digitally enabled creative practice. Each week of this course covers a toolset or technique fundamental to digital media production practice. Each of these weeks will be accompanied by a production exercise, to be reviewed and discussed the following week. Media authoring tools for digital photography, digital audio, spatial audio, digital video production and editing, creative coding and animation will be covered.

The module covers both historical and contemporary debates on the nature, use and appropriation of digital media through the discussion of the following topics:
Early digital theory & history of digital technology
Body/Machine
Digital theory and representation
Digital theory and postmodernism

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The combination of lectures and seminars allow the presentation of key theoretical concepts and their complementary exploration through relevant readings and activities. The lecturers will be used as a vehicle for presenting and contextualising theoretical ideas and debates. The seminar will introduce students to ways of thinking critically about the study of digital culture and practice. Seminars will be used for critical analysis of the primary and secondary reading, for student presentations and for research and writing workshops. The tutorial will allow for a Q&A session regarding the assessment of the module. This combination of teaching and learning methods may facilitate students from diverse disciplinary backgrounds to become familiar with complex concepts. It can also be delivered to a variety of class sizes.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The project proposal will outline the project to be realised in Semester 2 in Theory and Practice 2. The analysis will be of an established work of digital media that the student has viewed. The essay will allow students to further develop some of the ideas presented and discussed in the taught sessions into a longer piece of written work. This will require from students to critically engage with secondary reading, and will encourage them develop critical analysis and research and writing skills. The essay will also allow students to explore theoretical concepts, which will inform and ground hands-on experimentation in practical modules. The assessment requires the students to demonstrate a facility with the intended learning outcomes.

outrcomes.