Term Project:
The term project is assigned to enable you to take what you
learn and apply it to a situation relevant to you.
You can opt to do this project by yourself, or in groups of
two to three. If you opt to work in groups, each one of you
need to produce and submit your own paper for #5 below.
You are in charge of messaging and outreach for your
company or organization. This could be the institution with
which you’re presently affiliated, or one that interests
you. Examples include a large corporation, a not-for-profit
activist organization, a community group, a media outlet,
or a political party.
(1)
Determine your entity. Research its typical approach to
content distribution or outreach. What has been its
traditional messaging policy? What kind of budget does it
generally allocate to distribution/outreach? Who is its
target? (1-2 pages, due October 4th).
(2) Determine your messaging
needs in the current media climate. How has the
proliferation of digital media changed your entity's
approach to content distribution, advertising, marketing or
campaigning? What have been some of the challenges? Which
digital media technologies are most appropriate to your
situation? (1-2 pages due October 11th).
(3) How will you use UGC to
bolster your outreach and messaging needs (in other words,
how can the entity's audience or users be transformed into
engaged producers of content for that entity as well?).
What are your UGC options? Which ones are most appropriate
to your situation? List advantages and disadvantages for
each (1-2 pages, due October 25th).
(4) Provide a brief
presentation of #1 - #3 to the class (10 minutes), as well
as a short
practical example
of UGC to be employed by your entity (video, audio, online,
etc., that you
create yourselves specifically for this project
due December 6th).
(5) Given the constantly
evolving nature of digital media and UGC, where do you see
your organization’s needs and the state of the media
environment by 2012? Draw on at least two published sources
that have attempted to forecast the future of digital media
in the next five years. Make reference to class readings
and discussion as much as possible (6-8 pages, due December
6th
using
“Collect-It” for this
course), including our
conversation about mobile and gaming technology,
monetization as well as legal issues. Also include your
revised parts #1-3 (which incorporate my comments) as an
introduction to this paper (not included in final page
count).
OR
Alternative
Term Project:
You can opt to do this project by yourself, or in groups of
2 to 3.
This may be a time of upheaval in digital media. But these
early days also give us the opportunity to clarify and
define this new subject matter.
“User-Generated Content” or “Social media” or “Amateur
content” demand scholarly attention. So here’s your chance:
what is user-generated content? Is that even the correct
term to use when we refer to media production by
individuals, beyond the traditional realm of content
creation?
This term project will follow the same schedule and marking
scheme as the original one.
(1) Why
is it important to define this form of content? What should
we take into account when trying to define it? Is
“User-Generated Content” sufficient as a term? Why? Why
not? (1-2 pages, due October 4th).
(2)
How do you intend to research this project? What sources
will you draw upon? List a short biography, and even a list
of experts you might consult (online/telephone/in-person)
to develop your sources. (1-2 pages, due October
11th).
(3)
Provide the thesis statement/operating premise of your
project (i.e. “User-Generated Content is…” or “The best way
to define this new form of production is…”). (1-2 pages,
due October 25th).
(4)
Present your findings to class in a 10 minute (maximum)
presentation. What was your conclusion as to the best
definition? Why? How does it apply to the content that
until now, we have identified as UGC? Provide a
short
practical
example of content that clearly applies under your new
definition (video, audio, online, etc.
that you create yourselves specifically for this
project, due
December 6th). Based on your research and conclusions, how
would you classify the documentary, Independent
America?
(5)
Given the constantly evolving nature of digital media and
what we’re calling UGC for now, where do you see your
definition of this content fitting into the state of the
media environment by 2012? Draw on at least two published
sources that have attempted to forecast the future of
digital media in the next five years. Make reference to
class readings and discussion as much as possible (6-8
pages, due December 6th
using “Collect-It”),
including our
conversation about mobile and gaming technology,
monetization as well as legal issues.
Also include
your revised parts #1-3 (which incorporate my comments)
as an introduction to this paper (not included in final
page count).