COMM 1302 Media Literacy
We are a communicative species, living in an information age where content is being created and consumed at unprecedented rates. From the rise of the radio to the latest viral video and everything in between, this course, as part of the UIW Core Curriculum will empower students to be active learners who are aware of the diverse past, present, and probable future of media. The ability to identify and critically analyze different types of media, as well as to understand messages being communicated, helps individuals become less vulnerable to those who control information and increases understanding of how to produce effective communication. The primary focus of this course is to examine various forms of media in popular culture, the uses, gratifications, benefits, and limitations of media tools, the impact of media on society, as well as ethical dimensions to creating and consuming media in socially positive ways. This course introduces students to empirical and rhetorical methods of analysis to help sharpen students' analytical and critical thinking skills as they explore media in their daily lives.