NEW MEDIA

The module is part of the historical and artistic cluster within the MA in Economics & Management of Arts and Cultural Activities (EGArt).

Upon successful completion of the module, students will gain a good understanding of the contemporary mediascape. They will also be able to distinguish and appropriately discuss the trends characterising it. Basic objectives of the module are therefore:

- the ability to learn and use specific terms describing new media in pertinent ways;
- the skill to frame media forms and configurations within the history of media, highlighting both the moments of rupture and innovation from the past, as well as the vectors of continuity developing across past, present and future.

Essential to pass the module is the development of critical thinking: students are expected to be able to recognise the logics and processes regulating contemporary media artefacts, be they formats, texts or platforms, and put one another in relation. Ultimately, such critical thinking is expected to be individually articulated, constructively structured and collectively discussed using case studies, concepts and module readings alike. This is truly an essential skill not only because it will contribute to favour a respectful and dialogic environment in the classroom, but also and primarily because it is a key transferable skill required by the job market for pretty much each and every professional profile in line with the overall programme.

Content-wise, no entry requirement is requested. Some knowledge around audiovisual media may nonetheless make the module a little easier.
In terms of linguistic skills, in line with the minimum entry requirement of the whole programme, some knowledge of the English language is required in order to be able to understand part of the bibliography.

The module offers an introduction around the contemporary mediascape. In particular, it will tackle how new media contribute not only to offer media contents to their public, but also how they construct a media environment inhabited by users. Terms such as mediascape and media environment will thus be problematised and studied in detail, taking into account the active role of the public. To do so, we will look at the main trends characterising the media scenario, borrowing from the debate on media specificity and highlighting what are the innovative/traditional features that make a medium a 'new medium'.

Students taking their classes are required to study the readings distributed during the module week by week. All readings will be made available on Moodle or will be retrievable at the university library.
Students not taking their classes are requested to study the volume R. Eugeni, Capitale algoritmico. Cinque dispositivi postmediali (piu' uno), Schole, Brescia 2021, plus a selection of essays to be agreed with the lecturer. Please do make contact at the beginning of the module to talk through and agree on the bibliography.

NB: an attendance record will be taken at the beginning of each session so as to ensure a transparent and fair organisation.

The students coming to classes will see their exam distributed over the course of the module. Specifically, they will have:
- a group presentation in class (40% of the overall module grade), based on the lectures and case studies discussed during the lectures.
- an individual oral test (60% of the overall module grade) to assess the understanding of the concepts and themes covered throughout the module.

The students skipping 6 or more hours will be assessed solely on the basis of an oral test (100% of the overall module grade) aimed at both checking the correct understanding of the concepts discussed in the bibliography, and the ability to inform a critical discussion of the same concepts.

The module adopts a mix of teaching strategies and tools to favour knowledge transfer, as well as to create a participatory and stimulating teaching environment.
Among the teaching strategies are frontal lectures, working sessions and discussions. Among the teaching tools are standard teaching materials such as presentations, clips and the likes which will be used during the frontal lectures; ad hoc tasks designed for the working sessions to be carried on individually and in groups; readings to be distributed and collectively studied during the discussion sessions with the help of interactive digital platforms.
Please note that all teaching strategies are designed to offer a consistent module and therefore, regardless of the type of sessions, they are alle qual for the purpose of determining the programme to study in light of the final exam.

Italian

Students are warmly suggested to take their classes. When this is not possible, please do get in touch with your lecturer at the beginning of the module and say so.
Students who will skip over 30% of the module (i.e. 4 lectures) are expected to prepare a specific programme designed as a replacement of the activities which took place in class and they missed. Further details in the section 'Bibliography/Testi di riferimento'.

Ca' Foscari applies the Italian law (17/1999; 170/2010) for the support services available to students with disabilities or specific learning disabilities. If you have either a motor, visual, hearing or another disability (Law 17/1999), or a specific learning disorder (Law 170/2010) and you require support (classroom assistance, tech aids to carry out exams or personalised exams, accessible format materials, notes retrieval, special tutoring as study support, translators or else), please contact the Disability and DSA office disabilita@unive.it.

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