Course Syllabus

Fall 2024 | COM-1070-VO01 - Social Media & Communication

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Gaia Neftci
View Faculty Credentials

Hiring Coordinator for this course: Ashraf Alamatouri

Course Description

This course examines how the growth of social media has transformed the landscape of contemporary communication. Students will acquire skills to effectively navigate and manipulate this virtual world and reflect upon the role it now plays in shaping public discourse and social exchange. Students will analyze how new media technology has changed the way individuals and groups interact, how messages are produced and consumed, and how language itself is utilized. In applying their learning, students will explore how the roles and strategies of media professionals and marketers have also adjusted with regard to how information is collected and shared and in reaching target audiences.

Essential Objectives

1. Define and clarify key concepts such as media, social media, mass media, new media and mediated communication.
2. Discuss the history, nature, and functions of a broad range of social and other new media, including Facebook, wikis, blogs, and instant messaging, and demonstrate the ability to access and effectively utilize these technologies.
3. Examine how social media can empower individuals and organizations through direct user-to-user interactions and decentralized editing, and how this challenges expectations of reliability and authority.
4. Explain how traditional print, audio, and web-based media outlets, businesses, and organizations participate in social networking, and discuss the implications on the future of media communication, commerce, and information exchange.
5. Discuss the role of new media in facilitating and changing interpersonal communication and connectivity and the potential impact of this on individual social values and attitudes.
6. Apply an understanding of social networking strategies and relevant media concepts to assess media needs and opportunities in various contexts and to develop a participatory media project in an area such as journalism, broadcasting, public relations or advertising.
7. Understand the personal, professional, and civic challenges posed by new media today and in the future, including issues of privacy, intellectual property, ethics, and the social creation of value, meaning, and truth.
8. Demonstrate proficiency in using conference technology for creative collaboration and problem resolution.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

This course uses one or more textbooks/books/simulations, along with free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials.

Fall 2024 textbook/book details will be available on 2024-05-20. On that date a link will be available below that will take you to eCampus, CCV's bookstore. The information provided there will be specific to this class. Please see this page for more information regarding the purchase of textbooks/books.

COM-1070-VO01 Link to Textbooks for this course in eCampus.

For Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials details, see the Canvas Site for this class.

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Artificial Intelligence(AI) Policy Statement

CCV recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI tools are widely available and becoming embedded in many online writing and creative applications.

Prohibited: The use of generative AI is not allowed in this course, with the exception of spellcheck, grammar check and similar tools. This course rests in the value of students engaging in the learning process without relying on AI-generated content. Students will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills independently, owning their learning journey from start to finish. If you use these tools, your actions would be considered academically dishonest and a violation of CCV's Academic Integrity Policy.

Methods

• interactive projects and/or activities
• workshop/peer feedback
• multimedia presentations and resources
• readings, writing, and inquiry-based research

Evaluation Criteria

• Discussions 30%
• Individual Assignments 30%
• Quizes & Exam 15%
• Individual Final Assignment 25%

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

To earn full participation points for the week, students should:

• Read the assigned material and demonstrate an understanding of those resources in your assignments and posts. Readings and resources should be cited using APA format.
• Post an original response to the weekly prompt(s) before Thursday at midnight (11:59 PM) and a minimum of two responses to peers before Monday at midnight (11:59 PM). You are welcome to post early and/or more frequently, as your schedule allows, but you will not receive full credit if you do not meet these minimum requirements and/or deadlines.
• Posts should be substantive and demonstrate college-level writing. A substantive post is well-developed and references the reading or another appropriate source. A substantive post is NOT one or two sentences of general statements or unsupported opinion.

Missing & Late Work Policy

• Late assignments can be submitted up to one week past the deadline. You will lose 10% each day that an assignment is late. After a week, it will no longer be accepted for credit.
• Late work is not accepted in the discussion forum. Interacting with classmates is an essential part of online discussions and cannot be made up after the fact.
• Extensions will be granted only in extenuating circumstances. If a lengthy medical problem or other emergent personal issue will result in missing weekly discussions and/or assignments, please contact your instructor as soon as possible.
• Students who know that they will not have course access for any given week should make arrangements with their instructor to complete assignments and participation requirements prior to the absence.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity