Syllabus

Credits: 2

Schedule: 01.11.2018 - 02.05.2019

Teaching Period (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020): 

II-IV

Learning Outcomes (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020): 

1. Students will get familiar with relevant concepts while survey important literature on media and new media theory.
2. They will acquire a basic foundation about media and new media theory that enables them to further develop their own critical thinking.
3. Additionally, participants will further develop their presentation, writing and reviewing skills.

Content (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020): 

The Media Culture and Theory will give opportunity to students to get familiar with diverse theoretical frameworks that explore some of the ongoing debates regarding media, technology and society. Within the interdisciplinary characteristic of our fields and based on the research interests represented in the department, the course will explore several related topics; Interpretation, Learning, Memory, Embodied Interaction and Practices. The seminar will deal with these topics through the areas of intersection between different dimensions of human agency and new technological/social practices in art and design context. We are interested in highlighting and discussing differences between modalities (sound vs. image); representation (video vs. graphics).

The course will begin with exploring how the new media's practices have contributed to expanding the concept of Memory and will continue introducing critical theory of culture in media. The Embodied Interaction will focus on the physicality of the body, positioning the body at the center of interaction as the active component for creating meaning and aesthetics of the experience. Recent developments and the use of enhanced technologies will be starting point for the discussions in Learning module. At the same time, representation policy in media practices will be examined in detail during the Interpretation module. The module on Practices explores the multiple ways in which media and technology enter our everyday life as a way to conduct meaningful social practices. At end of the course, students will have a broader perspective of these fields, and tools to develop their own critical perspective to theory and practice that is grounded in both earlier conceptions of media as well as in new and critical notions of the new media.

Assessment Methods and Criteria (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020): 

Attendance (minimum 80%), written paper

Workload (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020): 

Contact teaching: 24h, independent studies: 138h
Attendance and presentation/discussion of the reading materials: 3 credits
Paper submission + presentation + peer-reviewing other participants essays: 3 credits

Grading Scale (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020): 

pass/fail

Registration for Courses (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020): 

WebOodi

The order of priority for admitting students to courses at Aalto ARTS 1.1.2018 onwards (approved by The Committee of Arts, Design and Architecture on 10.10.2017)

The order of priority is as follows:

1. students for whom the course is compulsory for their major/programme and who have scheduled it for the current academic year in their personal study plan (HOPS);
2. exchange students for whom the course is a part of his/her officially approved learning agreement and scheduled to be taken during the current semester;
3. students for whom the course is compulsory for their major/programme and who have not completed it yet;
4. students, for whom the course is part of his/her major’s or programme’s alternative studies and has been scheduled in the student's PSP (HOPS) for the current academic year
5. students, for whom the course is part of his/her major’s or programme’s alternative studies and who have not completed the requisite number of credits for alternative studies yet;
6. students for whom the course is compulsory for their minor;
7. students, for whom the course is part of his/her minor subject’s alternative studies and who have not completed the requisite number of credits for alternative studies yet;
8. students who have applied for the course through a student mobility scheme (internal mobility within Aalto University, flexible study right (JOO) studies etc.);
9. other students.

 

Courses that are intended to be multidisciplinary (e.g. UWAS courses) may apply an order of priority based on the learning outcomes of the course, while bearing in mind the university obligation of enabling students to complete their degrees within the normative duration of study set for the degree. The order of priority does not apply to courses organised by the Centre for General Studies or doctoral courses.

This decision on the order of priority does not influence the right of the teacher to define prerequisites for the course.

Further Information (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020): 

Minimum number of participants: 8

Description

Registration and further information