Digital Media Theory and Practice (COMU7304)

This assignment is individual. You will write a 1700-word fully referenced research essay where you will advance a critical and well-informed argument about a digital media and/or AI topic or puzzle. To write your essay you will,

a) Select one of the topics/puzzles that will be available on Blackboard (Assessment Folder) in week 2. The topics will be accompanied by some prompting or guiding questions to help you write your essay. Answering these questions is not mandatory, they are included just to guide you (more information about topics and readings on Bb).

b) You must apply critical reasoning to build your essay on the topic you select. One of the mechanisms for developing and visualising critical reasoning is an argument map or mind-map, which can be executed manually or computationally (using Coggle maps). The 'map' will be inserted to your essay (as an image or graph). This aspect of your essay is important and has a value (5/40 pts) which will be marked on the essay rubric (more on this on Blackboard). Please, include it in your paper in the introduction, theory section, or appendix. The words in the argument map will not be included in the word count. There will be exercises in tutorials about this task.

d) Develop a well-supported argument that is critical and may engage (if relevant) with potentially problematic cultural or ethical issues. This argument will be supported on (d.1) some of the academic, peer-reviewed, recommended readings; (d.2) professional literature (from digital media professional websites and/or reports from well-known communication/media/market research companies - Some of them provided on Learning Resources); (d.3) a real life example of a brand, company, organisation, or institution using digital media or AI tools or assets in public spaces (news media, social media, owned media, event). The idea is that you link some or all these elements to build your argument.

To achieve a passing grade of 20 or above you must include a minimum of three academic references and use at least two professional resources (websites, reports, or others) which should be also referenced. Use APA 7th referencing style to cite the material. Please note that citations alone are not considered sufficient. Students must demonstrate that they have indeed read, used, and engaged with the cited material by, for example, providing some short quotations (direct or paraphrased) from some of the works cited to develop their argument on the chosen topic. The essay will be practiced in tutorials.

This assessment task evaluates students' human capabilities to (a) learn and understand theory, (b) search for themes and real-life examples relevant to a specific topic, (c) connect these items with theory, and (d) find patterns without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

Type: Project Group assignment. 

1. The Content Strategy consists of a 1000-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 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 share with 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. We will work on this task during workshops.
6. You are encouraged to use 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 or globally). You are encouraged to use the Reports 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 - 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 without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

Portfolio - Group assignment

• You will develop an integrated digital multimedia portfolio for your client. Through this task you will bring together the skills 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 your 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). 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 Bb for Calendar and registration in O week). InDesign and WordPress may also help. MaPs offerings in semester 2 will be posted to Bb, 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). The use of Canva is also recommended for infographics, fact sheets, and calendars.

SPECIAL NOTE 3: groups will informally pitch their portfolios' in workshops (5/6 mins per group) in week 12 to receive feedback one week before final submission. Note that you will present just some of the main assets, NOT the full portfolio) Presentations will be coordinated with your tutors. More information relevant to this task will be posted to Bb. Pitches will be assessed by tutors in the oral presentation and be part of the 'Multimedia Content' item in the rubric (2 pts). More information on Bb.

SPECIAL NOTE 4: This assessment task evaluates students' human creativity, capabilities and knowledge preferably without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). As we are aware that some digital tools involve AI generated assets/material, students are advised that a generalised and intentional use of AI technologies to develop this assignment may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct. If for specific reasons you feel tempted or compelled to use AI generated material for one of the items in the portfolio, you must consult with the course coordinator and tutor (in person and in writing), explain your reasons, and, if accepted, reference it in your work (via caption or footnote); also reference, explain, support, and justify any AI use use in the Report section, as otherwise student misconduct may apply. Your human creativity is crucial for this assignment.