Table Of Content

MAC 111 COURSE GUIDE COURSE GUIDE MAC 111 INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATION Course Developer/Writer Joseph Obe Department of Mass Communication Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria Course Editor Dr. Victor Ayedun - Aluma Department of Mass Communication University of Lagos Programme Leader Christine .I. Ofulue, Ph.D School of Arts and Social Sciences National Open University of Nigeria Course Coordinator Chidinma H. Onwubere School of Arts and Social Sciences National Open University of Nigeria ii MAC 111 COURSE GUIDE NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA National Open University of Nigeria Headquarters 14/16 Ahmadu Bello Way Victoria Island Lagos Abuja Office: No.5 Dar-es-Salaam Street Off Aminu Kano Crescent Wuse II, Abuja Nigeria. e-mail: [email protected] URL: www.nou.edu.ng Published by National Open University of Nigeria Printed 2008 ISBN: 978-058-725-X All Rights Reserved iii MAC 111 COURSE GUIDE CONTENTS PAGE Introduction ……………………………………….…………….. 1 What You will Learn in this Course………….……………….…. 1 Course Aims …………………………………………………….. 1 Course Objectives ……………………………………………..… 2 Working through this Course …………………………………… 2 Course Materials …………………………………………….….. 2 Study Units …………………………………………………….... 3 Textbooks and References ...………………………………..…… 4 The Assignment File …………………….…………………….… 4 Tutor-Marked Assignment ……………………………………... 4 Final Examination and Grading ……………………………….… 5 Course Marking Scheme………………………………………… 5 Overview of Course/Presentation Schedule …………………….. 5 How to Get the Most from this Course …………………………… 6 Facilitators/Tutors and Tutorials ……………………………..….. 8 Summary ………………………………………………………… 8 iv Introduction The code of this course is MAC 111 while the title is INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATION. This is a course that ushers you into the discipline of mass communication and gives you a concise and appreciable understanding of the concept of mass communication and its position and role in the society. The course is packaged on a global scale with a view to positioning the students on a pedestal that would make them at par with any entrant into the field of mass communication anywhere in the world. However, some examples used are typically Nigerian in orientation and setting. Every attempt is made here to balance the print and electronic dimensions of the discipline. Most of the course contents are packaged with the understanding that most of the readers are not professionals in the field of communication but rather beginners who are mostly first year undergraduates and are entirely new in the discipline. This course guide gives you the required information about this course which includes the course structure, aims and objectives of the course, how you will be assessed and examined and time schedule for each of the assignment and other course related activities. What You will Learn in this Course This course is written for students who need to learn basic concept in the discipline of mass communication. You will acquire the basic knowledge about the communication field. The course equally empowers you to join intellectual discourse on the nature, functions and effects of mass communication in the society. By this course, students will gain the basic understanding of mass communication as a form of human communication and the functions and components of its various media. Course Aims The course aims at empowering every beginner in the field of mass communication with the rudimentary knowledge of the complex nature of mass communication, its media and adjunct. Besides, the course aims at exposing the students to the process, nature and forms of mass communication as a subset of human communication. MAC 111 INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATION Course Objectives At the end of the course, you should be able to: 1. Be fully exposed to the rudiments and basics of mass communication as a subset of human communication. 2. Be acquainted with the contents and characteristics of various types of media of mass communication as well as its adjunct. 3. Have been exposed to various forms, models, elements and nature of mass communication. Working through this Course To successfully complete this course, you are strongly advised to read the study units provided as a course material and recommended texts. The recommended texts will give you broader perspective and good understanding of the course. You are also required to do the self assessment exercises which you will find under every unit of this course. You will be required to submit written assignments listed under the Tutor-Marked Assignment (TMA) section of this course material. The TMA shall constitute your Continuous Assessment for the course. You will be told which of them to be submitted at a particular time. At the end of the course, you will be required to write a final examination. The course should take about 15 weeks in total to complete. Course Materials The major materials you will need for this course are: 1. Course Guide 2. Study Units broken down into twenty (20) of four modules 3. Assignments File 4. Relevant textbooks including the recommended ones 5. You may be required to read newspapers and magazines, and monitor news and programmes on TV and radio ii MAC 111 INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATION Study Units MAC 111 is a three – unit course, packaged in four modules of twenty (20) units. The modules and units are listed below: Module 1 Fundamentals of Communication Unit 1 Understanding the Concept of Communication and Mass Communication Unit 2 Nature and Characteristics of Communication Unit 3 Elements of the Communication Process Unit 4 Models of Communication Unit 5 Theories of Mass Communication Unit 6 Functions of Mass Communication Module 2 Forms and Context of Communication Unit 1 Verbal Communication Unit 2 Non-Verbal Communication Unit 3 Intra and Interpersonal Communication Unit 4 Group and Public Communication Unit 5 Cross Culture/International Communication Module 3 Media of Communication Unit 1 Print Media: Books, Newspaper, Magazine etc Unit 2 Book Publishing Unit 3 Broadcast Media: Television and Radio Unit 4 Narrowcast media: Film and Cinema, Cable Television. Unit 5 Online Media: Online Newspapers and Magazines, Internet Radio etc Module 4 Adjunct/Impact of the Mass Media Unit 1 Concept, Development and Functions of Public Relations Unit 2 Concept, Development and Functions of Advertising Unit 3 Effects of the Mass Media on the Society Unit 4 Media Effects Theories iii MAC 111 INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATION Textbooks/References Baran, S.J. (2002). Introduction to Mass Communication. New York: McGraw Hill. Berko, W. & W. (1989). Communicating. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Bitner, R. (1989). Mass Communication: An Introduction. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Defleur, M.L. & Dennis E (1994). Understanding Mass Communication. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Hybels, S. & Weaver I. (2001). Communicating Effectively. Boston: McGraw Hill. Sambe, J.A. (2005). Introduction to Mass Communication Practice in Nigeria. Ibadan: Spectrum Books. The Assignment File Assessment file will be made available to you. In the file, you will find details of the work you must submit to your tutor for marking. There are two aspects of the assessment of this course: the tutor marked and the written examination. The marks you obtain in these two areas will make up your final marks. The assignment must be submitted to your tutor for formal assessment in accordance with deadlines. The works you submit to your tutor as assignment will count for 30% of your total score. Tutor-Marked Assignment You will have to submit a specified number of the (TMAs). Every unit in this course has a tutor0marked assignment. You will be assessed on four of them but the best three performances from the (TMAs) will be used for your 30% grading. When you have completed each assignment, send it together with a Tutor Marked Assignment form, to your tutor. Make sure each assignment reaches your tutor on or before the deadline for submissions. If for any reason, you cannot complete your work on time, contact your tutor for a discussion on the possibility of an extension. Extensions will not be granted after the due date unless under exceptional circumstances. iv MAC 111 INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATION Final Examination and Grading The final examination will be a test of three hours. All areas of the course will be examined. Find time to read the units all over before your examination. The final examination will attract 70% of the total course grade. The examination will consist of questions, which reflect the kinds of self assessment exercises and tutor-marked assignment you have previously encountered. And all aspects of the course will be assessed. You should use the time between completing the last unit, and taking the examination to revise the entire course. Course Marking Scheme The following table sets out how the actual course marking is broken down. Assessment Marks Four assignments (the best four Four assignments, each marked out of all the assignments submitted of 10%, but highest scoring three for marking). selected, thus totalling 30% Final Examination 70% of overall course score. Total 100% of course score. Course Overview and Presentation Schedule Unit Title of work Weeks Assignment Activity Module 1 1 Understanding the Concept of Week 1 Assignment 1 Mass Communication 2 Nature and Characteristics of Week 2 Assignment 2 Communication 3 Elements of the Communication Week 3 Assignment 3 Process 4 Models of Communication Week 4 Assignment 4 5 Theories of Mass Week 5 Assignment 5 Communication 6 Functions of Mass Week 6 Assignment 6 Communication Module 2 1 Verbal Communication Week 7 Assignment 7 2 Non-verbal Communication Week 8 Assignment 8 3 Intra and Interpersonal Week 9 Assignment 9 Communication 4 Group and Public Week 10 Assignment10 v MAC 111 INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATION Communication 5 Cross Culture/ International Week 11 Assignment 11 Communication Module 3 1 Print Media: Books, Newspaper, Week 12 Assignment 12 Magazine, etc. 2 Broadcast Media: Television & Week 13 Assignment 13 Radio. 3 Narrowcast Media: Film, Week 14 Assignment 14 Cinema, Cable Television. 4 Online Media: Online Week 14 Assignment 15 Newspapers, Magazines Internet Radio etc. Module 4 1 Concept. Development and Week 14 Assignment 16 Functions of PR 2 Concept. Development and Week 15 Assignment 17 Functions of Advertising 3 Book Publishing Week 15 Assignment 18 4 Media Effects Week 15 Assignment 19 Revision 1 Examination 1 Total 17 How to Get the Most from this Course In distance learning, the study units replace the university lecture. This is one of the great advantages of distance learning; you can read and work through specially designed study materials at your own pace, and at a time and place that suits you best. Think of it as reading the lecture instead of listening to the lecturer. In the same way a lecturer might give you some reading to do, the study units tell you where to read, and which are your text materials or set books. You are provided with exercises to do at appropriate points, just as a lecturer might give you an in-class exercise. Each of the study units follows a common format. The first item is an introduction to the subject matter of the unit, and how a particular unit is integrated with the other units and the course as a whole. Next to this is a set of learning objectives. These objectives let you know what you should be able to do by the time you have completed the unit. These learning objectives are meant to guide your study. The moment a unit is finished, you must go back and check whether you have achieved the objectives. If this is made a habit, then you will significantly improve your chances of passing the course. The main body of the unit guides you through the required reading from other sources. This will usually be either from your set books or from a vi