Media and Games – History and Culture
The media history part provides an overview of and introduction to topics like:
- Mass communication prior to the digital age, focusing on films and broadcasting used in documentation, entertainment and propaganda.
- The digital shift: the emergence of Internet, its spreading, media consumption and time consumption over the last 20-30 years
- Media/mass communication and power. How to communicate accurately and well.
- Media literacy for both communicator and audience.
Ludology looks at topics like:
- What are games, and what does it mean to play?
- Why do we play games?
- History of games - from ancient games to modern video games.
- Games and storytelling.
- Games and learning.
- Games and user interfaces- physical, digital and virtual.
Knowledge. The student ...
- has knowledge of the development of media culture over time, and the importance of genre conventions, rhetoric, context and platform when it comes to creating meaning.
- can use the knowledge to understand the opportunities/resources digital communication technology provides, in the present and future.
- has knowledge of how games have evolved over time, and the role of gaming culture and has had in society.
Skills. The student…
- can analyze mediated communication and opinion formation.
- has analytical and media literacy competence.
- can apply knowledge of past trends and experiences to their own work, with an understanding of their own role, context, platform, genre and audience.
- can communicate about professional issues related to different types of media messages.
- can evaluate and analyze a game's design and playability.
- can express and justify a game concept's basic design and playability.
General competence. The student...
- has background knowledge required to become an effective communicator.
- can participate in evaluating the work of fellow students, giving and taking feedback in a constructive way.
Lectures, group work, practical assignments and problem solving.
The learning activities will consist of lectures on theoretical material. Relevant reading material and videos may be assigned throughout the course, to equip students with additional insight.
Classes will be conducted on-campus or online, or a combination of both. Instruction may be organized as weekly class sessions, and/or as intensive block workshops.
Teaching activity
- Work Requirements - 5 assignments, approved / not approved
- Mandatory attendance - attendance (80%) approved / not approved
Exam
- Home Exam (HJ) (100%)
- Part 1: Media History
- Part 2: Ludology
Teaching activity must be approved in order to be graded in the course.
Overlap refers to a similarity between courses with the same content. Therefore, you will receive the following reduction in credits if you have taken the courses listed below:
VFX1091 - Art and Animation History - 5 credits