ZUR589c Visual Communication Research

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2017
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 8 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Tae-Sik Kim, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Jiří Pavelka, CSc.
Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Ing. Bc. Pavlína Brabcová
Supplier department: Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Wed 11:30–13:00 AVC
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 15 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/15, only registered: 0/15
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
This course examines the cultural meanings of visual messages on various media. Grounded in the understanding of various theories from semiotics and cultural studies, this course looks closely at media practices delivering visual messages firmly based on certain sociocultural contexts. This course also cover wider issues related to visual messages and our everyday lives. By reading a variety of research articles assigned in the course and participating in class discussions, students learn to develop their own research projects focusing on visual communication and cultural understandings.

• Comprehend the cultural meanings of visual messages
• Understand the role of the media in distributing visual messages
• Review and analyze a variety of research articles on visual communication
• Find important themes and methods of semiotics
• Lead insightful discussions
Syllabus
  • Week 1. Introduction to the course
  • Week 2. Semiotics Theories: Saussure, Peirce, Barthes, and more
  • Week 3. Semiotics and Culture: Geertz and Bourdieu (Response Paper on Week 2, 3 Readings Due: 7. 3. 2017)
  • Wek 4. Visual Media as Public Communication
  • Week 5. Visual Representation (Response Paper on Week 4, 5 Readings Due: 21. 3. 2017)
  • Week 6. Commercialized Visual Images
  • Week 7. Visual Ethnography (Methods for Your Final Project)
  • Week 8. READING WEEK
  • Week 9. Visual Analysis Practice (Group Presentations)
  • Week 10. Digital Photography - Interpersonal Media (Response Paper on Week 6, 10 Readings Due: 25. 4. 2017)
  • Week 11. Images of Spaces: Cities as Visual Media
  • Week 12. On Ethics (Response Paper on Week 11, 12 Readings Due: 9. 5. 2017)
  • Week 13. Student Conference
Literature
  • Barthes, R. (1972). Mythologies. New York: Hill and Wang.
  • ECO, Umberto. A theory of semiotics. 1st Midland book ed. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. ix, 354. ISBN 0253359554. 1979. info
Teaching methods
The format of the course is a combination of brief lectures and controlled discussions of various assigned readings. All students are expected to read all articles assigned and to develop appropriate discussion questions.

Each student is a discussion leader for an assigned week.

Students submit a research paper (topic of student’s choice in consultation with instructor; minimum 14 pages).
Assessment methods
 Response Papers with Discussion Questions (40 x 8 = 320)
• Summarize reading articles and provide 2 discussion questions
• Find 1-2 Visual Images that are not covered by articles
• By noon the day before each class with the exception of Week 1, 8, 12 and 13.

 One Discussion Leader (140)
• Summarize articles and Find some related cases
• Warning: If you miss this assignment, you will automatically fail this course.
 A group presentation (An analysis of an advertisement) (140)
• A group with 3-4 colleagues
• Choose one or more advertisement(s) (in everywhere, such as TV, Internet, Magazine, etc), Present your findings, and Submit a 3-4 page statement.
• Submit PPT and Present in Week 8

 Final Paper + Presentation (400): Due- Monday 8. June 2015 (Late Paper – Subtract 5% for each day after the due date)

Total: 1000
A: 900-1000
B: 800-899
C: 700-799
D: 600-699
E: 500-599
F: -499
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught only once.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2018.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2017, recent)
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