Newcastle University

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

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

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

Students successfully completing the module will have:

K1. A critical awareness of the technical practice of multimedia content production
K2. A critical awareness of the technical process of basic multimedia editing
K3. A critical knowledge of effective collaboration and communication.

Intended Skill Outcomes

Students successfully completing the module will have:

S1. Elementary skills necessary to capture video, audio and written media content.
S2. Elementary skills necessary for editing and basic sequencing of multimedia content.
S3. Further skills in collaboration and group communication.

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 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.

General Notes

Resit to consist of a re-editing of their multimedia piece and a 2000-word written assignment. Title to be decided and announced 8 weeks prior to the resit date.