final project

COM 562 Children & Media / Course Project

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Final Project Goals:

What would you like others to know about the impact of media messages and images on the lives of children and adolescents? How would you go about teaching them?

The goal of the final course project is to create or design materials that explore these questions. As participants in this class, you will be able to share knowledge that is relevant to and meets the needs of various stakeholders, including children and adolescents. What you share may take many forms. We are addressing developmental changes, time management issues, impact of media on health, advertising strategies, educational benefits, consequences of watching violence and sex, incivility and cyberbullying online, and parenting practices. These are all possible project topics, but others may be of interest to you as well. While you have a great deal of latitude in the organization and completion of this project, it must contain 2 parts: a brief rreevviieeww ppaappeerr and a lleessssoonn mmoodduullee.

PART 1: Project RReevviieeww PPaappeerr (50 points) Conducting a review of the research literature will provide a foundation for understanding your topic of interest. What does science tell us about the issue? Important components of your paper include the following: (1) Introduction to Your Topic – Provide some context about why the topic is important and

why you are interested in exploring it. This may include your personal connection to the topic, importance for your field of study, focus of public policy concerns, timeliness of news media coverage, needed reform to promote change, etc.

(2) Review of the Research Literature – What do the experts in the field tell us about your topic and how can such information be used to better understand the issue?

(3) Conclusions – Within your concluding statements, discuss which elements of the scientific

research literature are important for your target audience to understand. Which of these ideas will you translate into materials found in your "lesson module" materials?

(4) Reference List – At least 5 academic sources are expected; academic resources include

journal articles, books, book chapters, or reputable online reports. Your text book can serve as a resource if appropriate to your topic. Beyond these required resources, you can also use a variety of other resources (i.e., web site material, reports, news articles, magazine pieces, video clips, etc.) to supplement your project. APA style format is required.

(5) General Format Guidelines & Due Dates – Your project paper should be double-spaced,

approx. 5 - 6 pages in length (not including the reference page). APA format is required for this course. It is due in its final form on Wednesday, August 1st by 5:00 pm (or earlier).

PART 2: LLeessssoonn MMoodduullee (70 points) The term “module” refers to a unit, component, block, element or section of a larger domain of knowledge or study. Your task is to create a module surrounding your children & media topic. Think of this part of the project as your opportunity to conduct a “media literacy

COM 562 Children & Media / Course Project

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workshop” for your target audience. You are the expert and must now translate what you have learned into a message that can be applied by elementary children (2nd – 5th grade), middle-school age children (6th – 8th grade), or high school teens (9th – 12th grade). Consider the following elements.

(1) Children & Media “Lesson” – What are the message(s) or lesson(s) that you are trying to convey to your audience? As you begin working on your message/lesson, here are a few questions that need to be considered:

a. Who is the intended audience? Understanding the defining characteristics of your target audience is essential (e.g., age, gender, cognitive abilities, preferences or interests, background or history, needs – personal, educational, professional, etc.) How will you account for audience variables when crafting your message/lesson? You must choose one of the above age categories (elementary, middle, high school) and describe the defining characteristics of this age group. b. How will you translate the research literature for your intended audience? Science often needs to be translated for the public to understand its value. Convincing someone that the issue is personally relevant and valuable can go a long way in motivating change in attitudes or behaviors. Of course the reverse can occur as well (e.g., you begin to lose weight and feel better physically, which results in a change in perspective and long-term behavior modification.)

c. What is your message or lesson? In other words, what do you want to teach your audience or what do you want them to learn (i.e., learning outcomes)? Use your creative talents to “design” the lesson and teach your audience about your issue, such that they will be more likely to integrate their learning into daily life.

d. Tools for teaching your lesson. What might you think about using as you teach your lesson? Here are a few examples:

case studies role playing video clips news stories

magazine articles

personal interviews web sites

online support groups

group activities brainstorming power points

knowledge quizzes

personal contracts

e. What existing resources can your audience access to learn more? Organizing a variety of resources – print media, online web sites, video content – is useful to encourage ongoing learning (whether independently or in groups). You want your audience members to become participants, not just passive observers.

(2) General Format Guidelines & Due Dates: Your project materials (or module) need to be uploaded on Isidore (within the “Assignments” section.) The due date for all project materials in their final form is Wednesday, August 1st by 5:00 pm (or earlier).

COM 562 Children & Media / Course Project

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Specific Due Dates:

It is our natural tendency to procrastinate; therefore, the following due dates should facilitate our progress. Links to upload all components of the project are located on Isidore within the “Assignments” section.

 Friday, May 25 – Topic Summary due by 11:55 pm. (What is your final project topic and why did you choose it? Who is your intended target audience?) This should be approximately 1 - 2 paragraphs in length and typed within the Isidore text box online (within the “assignments” link.)

 Friday, June 15 – Preliminary Reference List due by 11:55 pm. (Include 5 academic references; academic resources include journal articles, books, book chapters, or reputable online reports. Your text book can serve as one of your resources.)

*** Now…retrieve or order your resources! ***

 Friday, June 29 – The “Check In” for your final project module provides an opportunity for questions and feedback. I will upload a form that needs completed for this status report. The types of materials you can share at this point include a lesson plan or presentation outline, tools for teaching, video materials you will be using, handouts, web links, etc., etc.

 Wednesday, August 1 – Final projects (in their final form) are due during finals week

on August 1 by 5:00 pm. You will need to upload your project paper and project module materials on Isidore. Projects can be submitted early as well! 