Digital Media Theory and Practice (COMU7304)

This exam asks you to critically reflect on some of the main theories, concepts and current themes that inform today's continuously changing digital media environment that were discussed during the first five weeks of the semester. The exam will include 5 questions: 2 open-ended - mini essay style questions valued at 9 pts each; and 3 multiple answer and/or multiple choice questions valued at 4 pts each. The exam will be a hand-written task completed individually by students during their respective tutorial time.

To answer the exam and do well in this assignment, you will study and critically reflect upon the concepts and themes discussed in lectures and tutorials, weekly readings, reports, illustrative case studies, news media texts, professional publications, and/or other relevant material recommended by the teaching team and on Blackboard.

A set of key topics will be published on Blackboard (Assessment and Learning Resources section) in weeks 2/3.  These topics will underpin both the questions in the exam and will help you write your answers. You may reference/cite (basic APA 7th) some of these concepts and their authors in your mini-essay responses.

You will take the exam in your own allocated tutorial. If you have any issues, please talk with course coordinator and your tutor.

The exam will be completed by students individually, based on their own knowledge and original critical reflection about the theories and topics. Reading, understanding and applying the recommended weekly material and participating in discussion in lectures and tutorials will be crucial and helpful to obtain the maximum grade. This piece of assessment evaluates students' own critical thinking capabilities, engagement with course topics, and academic knowledge. More information and specific reading material on Blackboard and lectures and tutorials from weeks 2 to 5, giving you enough time to study.

This task, which has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. So please engage with concepts and themes from the beginning.

This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

Type: Project Group assignment. 

1. The Content Strategy consists of a 1500-word outline of your group's strategic plan to create and produce digital content, stories and assets (e.g. texts, photos, videos, infographics, podcasts, other relevant material) for your client and final portfolio.
2. The content strategy will draw on the client brief, on your research (must be data-driven, supported on evidence), and on some of the topics and practices discussed in lectures and workshops. Your own creativity is crucial. You are asked to follow the content strategy template (that will be found on Blackboard, Assessment folder on week 4). The template will include a final section where you will briefly justify/support your choice of content and its effectiveness. Your digital content strategy must be concise and written and presented professionally and with clarity. 
3. The 'Digital Content Strategy' must be executed in groups consisting of 4/5 students max, with whom you will continue to work until the end of the semester when you will produce and execute the Portfolio (final assignment). Teammates must belong to the same workshop and have the same tutor. The groups self-enrol to the Blackboard section dedicated to this purpose (instructions on Bb in week 6). 
4. After the client briefing sessions - delivered in person and recorded in week 5 (during Lecture time), your group will be asked to choose one of the clients in weeks 6/7.
5. Research work: You will research (a) the client organisation; (b) its digital content need or request; (c) its main audience(s) through 'social listening', building 'personas'; data, social media and/or sentiment analysis; metrics/analytics (if available); and desk research on relevant reports and other research tools and resources. The data you will collect will help you decide the best content to boost engagement, impact, and ‘authority’ (expertise) for your client.
6. You will work collaboratively in your groups during workshops, following UQ group work recommendations, team charter, and guidelines (see Bb). In-class active learning activities, experimentation with AI, and collaborative learning will be applied. Through thinking together you create shared meaning towards achieving a shared goal. Note that peer assessment must also be submitted via Blackboard (valued at 5 pts).
7. You are encouraged to use and reference recommended textbooks and relevant professional readings to support your content strategy plan (e.g., published reports on audience media habits, preferences and engagement in Australia and/or globally, some of which posted to Bb (see Learning Resources). 

Remember to cite all the material that is not originally yours (using APA 7th), and provide a reference list with the material cited at the end of your document (not included in the word count). Also include a cover page with the title of the assignment and your group's full names - Include a brief 'Introduction' section to your content strategy (with the aim of this paper). Written and visual presentation are key for digital communication Master of Communication students and professionals. This assignment will be explained and practiced in lectures and workshops. 

This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge. If you use AI or Machine Translation in any section of this strategy, even if just briefly, you will clearly acknowledge, justify and reference their use. A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

Portfolio - Group assignment

• You will develop an integrated digital multimedia portfolio for your client. To complete this task you will bring together the capabilities in content planning and production that you have acquired across the semester. Your portfolio will critically consider contextual, cultural, ethical and /or legal factors that are relevant to your client's digital content needs. It will be informed by weekly activities (during lectures and workshops), and also the feedback you obtained from your tutors for assignment 2.
• The pieces of content you will plan and produce for your portfolio strategically aim to build online engagement, impact, and 'expertise' for our client. The content should be data-driven, memorable, meaningful, and newsworthy. The task will be developed in groups (already self-enrolled on Bb for the Concept Plan) and will aim to respond to the client's brief (check client's brief and digital communication need or request). The portfolio should showcase a rich multimedia immersive, blog-type (or news style) story, copy, or text that will include a set of digital elements/assets (in writing, visual, and/or audio format) that must be well-articulated and coherent. The portfolio will be produced using Shorthand (training will be facilitated in classes and online). 
• The story should have the potential to be deconstructed in various transmedia assets to be used via used in shared, earned, owned and paid media (e.g. posts, tiles, graphs, instastories). The Shorthand link (with password if any) must be copied to your report (and also to your Bb submission).

The portfolio submission will include:

a) Text in the form of a story in blog post style (800 words) written using Shorthand. You will be telling a memorable, newsworthy, engaging story for your client. The story will strategically and effectively communicate/promote your client's message enhanced by digital tools to engage key audiences and build reputation/authority for your client. This story will include: Photo(s) - shot with your smartphone and/or professional equipment hired from MaPS; and/or taken from the client website, or free copyright websites;

b) A 90 seconds to 2 min-video (could be broken for example into two 1' videos) - shot and edited with your smartphone or professional equipment hired from MaPS; you may also use material from your client's website or free copyright sites (music, videos, animation);

c) An infographic or fact sheet with relevant information. Other type of graph(s) or statistics may be included.

d) All these items should be articulated in the Shorthand story’s layout; however, some assets may be submitted separately to Bb for better visualisation (if distorted on Shorthand). You will also suggest the use of the content you produce on other platforms (website, microsite, and/or social media platforms).

Separately, via Blackboard (which allows uploading multiple docs) you will also submit the following pieces: 

1. Video script(s) - approx. 300 words (you may also include a podcast script if applicable; chat with the course coordinator);
2. One-week media calendar (approx. 200 words). Calendar must be relevant to the project and consistent with dates provided by the client (if any).
3. A 700-word Report that outlines and justifies the multimedia content strategy that you created to respond to the brief. This is an important part of the assignment. The Report will briefly describe the strategic process that led you to produce the multimedia content in the Portfolio and explain why this content is potentially effective to fulfil your client’s digital content needs. Finally, briefly discuss (just a few lines) any cultural, legal, or ethically relevant issues that may (or may not) be involved in the project. Cite any supporting material (use APA 7th). Include a cover page with the group names, title of the portfolio, make it visually appealing and consistent with the client’s look and feel, and a reference list at the end (these elements will not be included in the word count). The text in the report is different from the text in your Shorthand story (these are two different items).

SPECIAL NOTE 1: If you cannot, or do not want to produce a video, and after consultation with the course coordinator, you may develop instead a 1-2-min informative (flash briefing) podcast using your smartphone or MaPS' audio studio facilities. You will embed this podcast(s) in your Shorthand. You may also develop both, video and podcast but just if you are familiar with these techniques. Mixed media assets or texts are welcome.

SPECIAL NOTE 2: Class time will be spent on developing the skills required to create the portfolio. It is important that your take training or workshops provided by MaPS from week 2 onwards (e.g., Video production and editing; Photography, Audio Recording, etc. - see Blackboard for Calendar and registration). InDesign and WordPress may also help. MaPs offerings in semester 2 will be posted to Blackboard, Learning Resources in week 1. You can use resources available via LinkedIn Learning Online Courses (UQ Library); Shorthand and Adobe Suite (both available to UQ students for free). The use of Canva is also recommended for infographics, fact sheets, and calendars.

SPECIAL NOTE 3: Groups will informally Pitch their portfolio' digital strategy and main assets in workshops (5/6 mins per group + 4 min. for comments) in week 13 to receive feedback before final submission. Note that you will present just an overview of the strategy and main asset(s) (NOT the full portfolio). Presentations will be coordinated with your tutors and recorded. More information relevant to this task will be posted to Bb.

• Group pitches will be assessed by tutors (5 pts) during week 13 tutorials - Thursday 30 and Friday 31 September. More information on Blackboard.
• Peer assessment ('Buddycheck') about your respective team members' contribution will also be part of the task and submitted via Blackboard (valued at 5 pts). More information about this on Bb

SPECIAL NOTE 4: This assessment task evaluates students' human creativity, capabilities and knowledge preferably without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). As some digital tools have embedded AI generated assets/material, you must acknowledge, justify and, if accepted, reference it in your work (via caption or footnote). If using AI, justify why its use is superior to original content created by you, or by the client. Also, reference, explain, support, and justify any AI use use in the Report section, as otherwise student misconduct may apply. A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct. Your human creativity, sensitivity, and critical thinking are central to this assignment.