CCB306 Media and Communication Capstone

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

The ability to engage audiences is a persistent challenge in today's media and communications industries, and is therefore a highly sought-after skill. Working alongside project stakeholders, in this capstone unit you will demonstrate your proficiency in the methods, tools, and analytic approaches used to engage audiences through a ‘real world’ media and communications project. This unit builds upon core knowledge and skills gained throughout your degree, particularly your theoretical and applied understanding of audiences. In doing so, it develops your professional capacity for independence, leadership, confidence, and collaboration. This unit equips you with in-demand knowledge and capabilities to prepare you for your career in the dynamic media and communications industries.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Synthesise and apply media and communication theories and methods to understand and address real-world problems.
2. Demonstrate ability to work independently and collaboratively as necessary to effectively manage and deliver a real world media and communication project .
3. Demonstrate professional-standard written, oral, and/or interpersonal communication skills in collaboration with your peers and/or industry partners.
4. Evaluate and critically reflect on media and communications skills acquired and applied in the project, unit, and/or course.

Content

Learning Approaches

In this unit, you may learn by engaging in a combination of lectures, tutorials, workshops and self-study. Here you will connect your prior knowledge of media and communication research, industries, and practices to your project-based work. You will be given the opportunity to work independently and in teams to develop a communication project that engages multiple audience channels.You will be expected to complete any prescribed self-study, including readings out of class, and in preparation for subsequent classes.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You will receive feedback on your progress in the unit through your participation in weekly classes. You will receive feedback on all assessment tasks via a Criterion-Referenced Assessment sheet. Your feedback on the A2 task will be used to develop your A3 assessment.

Assessment

Overview

There are three assessment tasks in this unit. The first task develops your professional capacity for your career. The second and third assessment tasks challenge you to develop and conduct an evidence-based strategy to engage audiences in the media and communications industries.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Critical engagement and professional dialogue

This task requires you to demonstrate your developing critical communication skills and capacity for professional dialogue through a series of formal peer group exercises within your tutorial sessions.

You will demonstrate your professional capacity for a career in the media and communications industries by completing various tasks associated with the weekly classes. Please see canvas for further instructions.

Assessment: Media and Communication Plan

You will produce a communications plan for a real world media project, drawing on academic and industry research. You will focus on multiple audience channels in your plan, adjusting your message and approach for each audience channel. This plan will then be used in your development of a creative campaign in the project phase.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Media and Communication Project

In teams, you will design a creative campaign by drawing on the research conducted in your communications plan. You will design a project that addresses the audience channels identified in your communications plan.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

All students are requested to visit and review the Health and Safety information on the HiQ web pages.

You will be advised if a unit requires additional mandatory health and safety inductions.  

Resources

Resource Materials

Other

To enable your full participation in units that utilise virtual learning environments, for example participating in online activities and engaging with online learning materials, you will need access to a reliable computer with an internet connection, webcam, headset and microphone, as well as a learning environment where you are able to fully participate undisturbed when required. 

Risk Assessment Statement

For risks associated with using campus buildings or QUT facilities, refer to the HiQ Health and Safety information.

You are advised to take regular rest breaks when engaging in prolonged computer-based work and ensure that your workstation is set up for optimal comfort to prevent strain or injury.

Please be advised that this unit may include the presentation and scholarly analysis of material and subject matters that may be considered confronting, such as certain representations of race, class, gender and violence. QUT counselling support is available should you feel the need to avail yourself of these services.

Course Learning Outcomes

KC40 Bachelor of Communication

1. Demonstrate capacity to understand and critique the historical, cultural, technological, and regulatory implications of digital media, entertainment, communication, and news industries.
   Relates to: ULO1, Critical engagement and professional dialogue, Media and Communication Plan, Media and Communication Project
2. Demonstrate capacity to engage with and apply specialised knowledge of one or more areas of digital media, entertainment, communication, and news industries, including the relationship between disciplinary theory, research methodologies, and professional practice.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO4, Critical engagement and professional dialogue, Media and Communication Plan, Media and Communication Project
3. Demonstrate capacity to engage with and apply diverse ways of knowing the world in local and global contexts, including Indigenous Knowledge and Perspectives.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO4, Critical engagement and professional dialogue, Media and Communication Plan, Media and Communication Project
4. Demonstrate effective communication skills with the ability to adapt strategies across different media and professional settings and for diverse audiences.
   Relates to: ULO3, Critical engagement and professional dialogue, Media and Communication Plan, Media and Communication Project
5. Critically analyse, evaluate and synthesise complex forms of information and evidence to inform decision-making, problem solving and argumentation.
   Relates to: ULO1, Critical engagement and professional dialogue, Media and Communication Plan, Media and Communication Project
6. Critically interrogate the economic and cultural power of digital media, communication, entertainment, and news to make ethical, sustainable, and inclusive contributions to diverse workplaces, communities, and audiences.
   Relates to: ULO2, Media and Communication Project
7. Demonstrate critical digital literacy skills across diverse platforms and technologies, including familiarity with analytic tools to effectively and responsibly interpret data in the media, communication, and news industries.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Critical engagement and professional dialogue, Media and Communication Plan, Media and Communication Project
8. Create authentic and professional-quality communication outputs that reflect an application of academic content, critical thinking skills, and social awareness.
   Relates to: ULO3, Critical engagement and professional dialogue, Media and Communication Plan, Media and Communication Project
9. Identify, develop, and sustain effective and responsible leadership strategies and teamwork skills that generate value for yourself and others.
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Critical engagement and professional dialogue, Media and Communication Plan, Media and Communication Project
10. Identify, develop, and sustain effective professional networks in the media and communication industries.
    Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, ULO4, Critical engagement and professional dialogue, Media and Communication Plan, Media and Communication Project