2024/25 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

COMM5780M Digital Practices

60 creditsClass Size: 75

Module manager: Chris Birchall
Email: C.T.Birchall@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

This is the core module for MA Digital Media, running across both semesters, and introducing students to a range of different methods and practices for digital media production and research. We will look at a broad range of practices from across the digital sphere and think about how we can apply them critically, creatively, or for research.

Objectives

On completion of this module, students should be able to:-
-Develop practical skills by exploring and experimenting with many of the various digital media techniques, tools, products, pathways, platforms and practices, for both research and production;
- Critique, evaluate and ask critical questions about these digital practices and their context of use in academia, industry and wider society;
-Demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to apply these practices to engage with critical questions through practice, developing innovative digital artefacts in response to in-depth research.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module you will be able to:
1. Utilise key debates and theories to critically analyse and interpret digital media cultures, forms, practices and methods, in order to develop an understanding of the possibilities, constraints and academic and technical choices that underpin existing practices and traditions;
2. Experiment with digital practices and techniques to investigate contemporary norms, structures and impacts related to digital media products, production and cultures;
3. Create digital media outputs that respond to and/or shaped by research and critical analysis;
4. Reflect on experience within team projects to critically evaluate individual roles and tasks involved in digital production.

Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
1. Planning and conducting research projects that use research methodologies that are appropriate to the discipline;
2. Applying technical skills in creating and formatting digital media content;
3. Clearly presenting and communicating ideas orally, through written text, and through a range of media forms.

Syllabus

Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	10	1.00	10.00
Seminar	18	2.00	36.00
Private study hours			554.00
Total Contact hours			46.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			600.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Monitoring of student progress is important in such a big module, so various checkpoints have been built into the structure. Student progress will be monitored via participation in workshops and seminars, but also through formative and summative assessments.

With most of the summative assessment in the second semester, two formative assessments are provided in semester 1 (along with one summative). One of these is an individual written piece and the other is a group assessment involving a plan for the group work in semester 2. These formatives will provide a method to address student progress issues. Another formative assessment is scheduled in semester 2, prior to the Easter break, after which students submit the largest components of summative assessment, so that progress can be checked again. In addition to these formative assessments, two “support identification” sessions are scheduled in semester one which serve as potential troubleshooting and planning exercises for teams to assess their own progress, and that of their peers, with input from staff, in order to plan for and mitigate against any potential weaknesses.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	Critical evaluation of method, 2,500-3,000 words	30.00
Group Project	Presentation and documentation of group research, ideas and plans	15.00
Group Project	Presentation and documentation of practice-based methods, tools, research and artefacts	40.00
Reflective log	Reflective critique	15.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Resit tasks for summative assessments are identical to the original assignment except where the assessment is group work, as follows: - Resit for the group project report is an individual written research/analysis report with idea specification - Resit for the group project is an individual written critical analysis of new media practices

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 16/01/2024

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