English and the Media F25.001
| Nummer: | PLU.SP34.03-GM.F25.001 |
|---|---|
| Veranstalter: | PLU.Fach und Unterricht |
| Leitung: | Dieter Bitterli |
| ECTS-Punkte: | 1 |
| Datum: | 28.04.2025 - 02.05.2025 |
| Raum: | UP 2.B29 |
| Unterrichtssprache: | Deutsch |
| Anmeldungszeitraum: | 17.03.2025 - 06.04.2025 |
| Weitere Informationen: |
Ziele und Inhalte
This module introduces students to ways of analysing media discourse, focussing on how power is exercised—or challenged—through communication. Students will sharpen their critical awareness of the role news media plays in the development of public opinion. To this end, students will be introduced to methods that assist with the critical appraisal of mediated information.
Lehr- und Lernformen
The course opens with short inputs in a lecture format, followed by a few set readings to be analysed in groups, some video material to be viewed online and finally, two student-led projects. The inputs will establish the thematic content of the programme, allowing students to examine key concepts and apply them to their own work.
All primary texts are made available electronically on Moodle.
Form des Leistungsnachweises
Students are required to study the assigned readings, to actively participate in group work, to engage in critical discussion in class, and to complete the two projects described below. Performance is assessed on the basis of coursework and involvement in class discussion (pass/fail).
Project 1
Students are required to complete a short analysis of a journalistic text from a leading English language newspaper. The article is to be selected by the students and analysed using a set of methods described during class (critical discourse analysis). Students work individually to create a dossier containing the following: the original article as a pdf file and a 400-word report as a Microsoft Word document, in which some of the analysis methods described in class are applied to the article. The report should be written in English and structured using the template provided. The use of any form of artificial intelligence in preparing the report is proscribed.* The report should demonstrate that the student has understood the task and made a reasonable attempt at completing it.
* Note: Students who are unsure about what counts as illegitimate use of artificial intelligence, should speak to the supervisor. Misuse could result in a fail.
Project 2
Students are also required to work in groups of four or five people to prepare a presentation using techniques of visual discourse analysis. Each group will find and present a small selection of news photographs. These images will be chosen by the students for their relevance to the topics we discuss in class. Students will be given time on Thursday afternoon to analyse the images they find. They will need to coordinate a meeting at this time with their group members. This is group work, not a series of individual presentations, and as such requires collaboration. On Friday morning, each group will present their thoughts and encourage the class to enter into a discussion about their chosen images. Each group will present their research for 30-40 minutes.
Feedback
The students receive individual feedback for the written task and group feedback for the visual task. The group feedback will be verbal and of a general nature
Präsenzpflicht
80% Anwesenheitspflicht und aktive Mitarbeit (Lektüre und Diskussion).