MDIA 2228 - Narrative and Aesthetics

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2020

Building on foundational concepts covered in MDIA1018 - From Storytelling to Data Mining, this course will critically engage with narrative theories and consider these in relation to ideas around aesthetics. Students will gain understandings of the cultural nuances of aesthetic value through audio-visual media, by applying theories and concepts to a range of narrative structures across media texts. By considering the impact of different types of media on expectations of narrative and aesthetics, and contextualising these within philosophies of aesthetics, students will gain insight into the relationships between different elements of narrative and non-narrative text, developing useful understandings for their own creative practice.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code MDIA 2228
    Course Narrative and Aesthetics
    Coordinating Unit Media
    Term Semester 1
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Prerequisites At least 12 units of Level I undergraduate study including MDIA 1018
    Assessment Online quizzes 20%, annotated bibliography 30%, critical analysis essay 40%, active participation 10%
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Mr Darren Taljaard

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    On successful completion of this course students will be able to:
    1. Demonstrate understanding of key narrative theories and philosophies of aesthetics
    2. Apply theory to analysis of media texts
    3. Demonstrate understandings visual and aesthetic media
    4. Engage with a broad range of narrative structures
    5. Demonstrate understanding of relationships between sound, image and story
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1, 2, 3, 5
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    2, 4
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    2, 5
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    3, 5
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    3
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    5
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    All required learning resources will be made available through MyUni
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes

    No information currently available.

    Workload

    No information currently available.

    Learning Activities Summary
    Week Lecture topic
    1 Introduction
    2 Key philosophical approaches to aesthetics
    3 Aesthetics and communication
    4 Experiences and senses
    5 Genre and aesthetic values
    6 Medium affordances and constraints
    7 Cross Cultural texts
    8 Subcultural aesthetics
    9 The politics of representational strategies
    10 The cultures of aesthetic practices
    11 Applying theory to individual practice
    12 Aesthetics of algorithmic production
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    ASSESSMENT TASK TASK TYPE WEIGHTING COURSE LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
    Online Quizzes: 5 quizzes based on readings, every 2-3 weeks  Summative 20% 1, 3
    Annotated bibliography: Students will choose a specific culture and genre they are interested in exploring and create an annotated bibliography of that genre based on the weekly themes of the course.  Formative and summative 30% 1, 3
    Critical analysis essay: Students will write a critical analysis of a text mobilising the themes of the course.  Formative and summative 40% 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
    Active preparation and Participation: Students will prepare for each week through reading and through creative practice based on the themes explored in the previous week’s classes and be prepared to discuss their experiences and opinions in class.  Summative  10% 3, 4

    Due to the current COVID-19 situation, modified arrangements have been made to assessments to facilitate remote learning and teaching. Assessment details provided here reflect recent updates.
    All tutorials are now online - preparation and participation now reflect online classes and still 10%
    Assessment Detail

    No information currently available.

    Submission

    No information currently available.

    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

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