INSTRUCTOR: AJ Miceli
OFFICE LOCATION: Rm. 007 Scottino Hall
PHONES: 871-7492 (Office) 454-2976 (Home)
E-mail:  miceli@gannon.edu (primary gannon address)
             ajmiceli@verizon.net (personal e-mail)
AOL Instant Messenger:  ajmiceli66
ONLINE SYLLABUS -- http://www.ajmiceli.com/syllabus/comm111-2010.html
Generally Scheduled Office Hours: MWF 11:15A - 12noon    TR 8:45A -- 9:15A 11:00A-11:45A  Others by appointment
Class Meeting Times: MWF 9:05A-10:00A
Credit Hours: 3

The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to the modes of communication in the electronic age. By putting these in a historical perspective, it is hoped that the student will not just learn names, dates and jargon, but will come to an understanding of how and why the American system of electronic communication operates the way it does.

This course provides a basis for all other Communication Arts courses in the sense that an introductory understanding of these concepts is presumed by all of the topical courses offered by the program.

DEPARTMENTAL OUTCOMES ADDRESSED

Outcome #4: The student will understand and participate in the patterns of scholarly and productive discussion using both interpersonal and professional skills.

Outcome #6: The student will identify and critically describe the historical context of the media and/or the theatre arts.

Outcome #7: The student will recognize the need for adaptability/resilience in the theatre and the electronic arts, and be able to interact with faculty, peers, and media/technology to produce quality theatrical and electronic projects.

Upon completion of the course the student will:

1: Demonstrate familiarity with the inventions, persons and events that have shaped the American system of electronic communication;

2: Demonstrate an understanding of the general principles of commercial and public broadcasting, cable and satellite communication, and digital network services in the United States;

3: Demonstrate an understanding of the legal framework and some of the complex regulatory issues facing the electronic communications;

4: Demonstrate an understanding of basic broadcast economics and programming concepts, especially the impact of ratings and audience estimation in the American communication industries;

5: Develop an awareness of current issues in electronic communication and the challenges that these industries face in a global context.

REQUIRED TEXT: Head's Broadcasting in America: A Survey of Electronic Media, 10th Ed., McGregor, Driscoll & McDowell.

We will cover the chapters of the textbook in order, but we will skip a few chapters.  Here is the tentative reading schedule for this semester.

Dates	Chapter
8/25-8/30	Chapter 1 Introducing Electronic Media
9/1-9/17	Chapter 2 From Radio to Television
9/20-9/24	Chapter 3 Cable and Newer Media
9/27-10/8	Chapter 4 How Electronic Media Work
10/18-10/29	Chapter 5 Wired and Wireless Relays and Internet
11/1-11/5	Chapter 6 Commercial Operations
11/8-11/10	Chapter 7 Noncommercial Services
11/15-11/17	Chapter 9 Ratings
11/19-11/29	Chapter 10 Media Theory and Effects
12/1-12/3	Chapter 11 Communications Act
12/6-12/10	Chapter 12 Constitutional Issues and Content Regulation

There will be four major exams. Exams will be mainly objective (fill-ins, multiple choice, matching, etc.) and short-answer-essay questions. Possible test materials will be reviewed at the end of the class preceding the test. Non-compulsory study sessions with the Instructor will be scheduled outside of class times before most exams. The Instructor will also endeavor to post a study slides on the ANGEL Course Server before an exam.  Quizzes on reading materials may be used periodically.  Make-ups for missed exams will be given only in extreme cases (at the discretion and at the convenience of the Instructor) and may be oral exams. The exams will be weighted equally.

Four short written research assignments will also be given during the semester.  Unless otherwise noted, assignments must be word processed and printed out, and must be handed in on time.  Some assignments will be assigned in class and will be due in the following class period.

Students are also required to participate in the COMM 111 discussion board by making at least four relevant postings over the course of the semester (one per calendar month, starting in September).

Students will be assigned in groups to work on a COMM 111 Wiki. The parameters of the experience will be explained in class.

The average of all assignment grades will comprise 10% of the final grade.  Participation in the course discussion board will count for 10% of the final grade.  Work on the COMM 111 Wiki will comprise 5% of the final grade. The grade for the Wiki assignment will consist of a group grade, that can be adjusted based on the individual's contribution to the group work. The average of all exams will account for 75% of the course grade.

ASSESSMENT OF COURSE OBJECTIVES

            The following table indicates how each of the course objectives will be assessed.  The bold “X” indicates the primary assessment technique used for the given objective.

Here is the tentative assignment and exam schedule.

Week of:	Exam	Assignment  Due Date	Special Info
Aug. 22		# 1 Aug 27
Aug. 29
Sep. 5		#2 Sep 10	Labor Day -- No Class Monday, Sept. 6
Sep. 12	#1 Friday, Sep 17
Sep. 19			Freshman Grades  Due Sep. 21
Sep. 26
Oct. 3		#3 Oct 4
Oct. 10	#2 Monday, Oct. 11		Mid-Term Week No Class 13-15
Oct. 17
Oct. 24
Oct. 31
Nov. 7	#3 Friday, Nov. 12
Nov. 14		#4 Nov 19
Nov. 21			Thanksgiving No Class 24-26
Nov. 28
Dec. 5

Dec.  12 (Final Exam Week - the final exam is Friday, Dec. 17, 8:30A--10:30A).

Your instructor follows the guidelines of "Fair Classroom Procedure" described in the 2010-2011  Student Handbook.

GRADING SCALE:
93 - 100 = A
90 - 92 = B+
85 - 89 = B
82 - 84 = C+
77 - 81 = C
70 - 76 = D
below 70 = F

Your attendance is expected. Attendance will be taken daily. Rules regarding freshman attendance and absences found in the student handbook will be followed. Much of the test material will be drawn from class notes, including the "current events" portion of each class.

For a much fuller treatment of the attendance policy, see the 2010-2011 Student Handbook.

Your attention is called to the following portion of policy manual:

"Freshmen who absent themselves, whether it be excused or unexcused,  from a particular course in excess of twice the number of credit hours assigned to that course may be withdrawn from the course, upon recommendation by the faculty member or the Dean of the student's college. ...Missing an 80-minute period is counted as one and one-half absences."

Academic honesty is an extremely important virtue of students and scholars. Any students, therefore, found guilty of serious academic dishonesty (e.g. cheating during exams, plagiarism, etc.) may receive a failing grade for the course. See pp the 2010-2011 Student Handbook for the Gannon University Code of Academic Integrity.

RESOLUTION OF CONCERN WITH AN INSTRUCTOR

If you have a concern with an instructor or a course, the resolution begins by speaking with the instructor. If the concern continues after this conversation, speak with the chair/director of the instructor's department. Any continuing concerns should be taken to the Dean's Office in the College of Humanities, Business, and Education in PAC 1000.

CELL PHONES AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES

Cell phones and other electronic devices must be turned off in class and placed out of sight throughout each class period. Students with a confirmed emergency situation must receive approval from the professor before class for any exceptions to be granted.

Additional reading sources are available in the library. I suggest that you make use of periodicals like: Broadcasting and Cable, Columbia Journalism Review, The Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Communication, TV Guide, Ad Age, TVWeek, internet resources, etc.

An "official" ANGEL course website is available at http://my.gannon.edu.  The course server will have a list of online periodicals that you can check daily.

Also, watch a lot of TV, listen to the radio, read newspapers and magazines and play on the Net -- we call it "research."