Information and Communication Technologies
Code: 103841 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2501928 Audiovisual Communication | FB | 2 | 1 |
Contact
- Name:
- Josep Àngel Guimera Orts
- Email:
- josepangel.guimera@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- catalan (cat)
- Some groups entirely in English:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Catalan:
- Yes
- Some groups entirely in Spanish:
- No
Teachers
- Joan Vila Triadú
- Ludovico Longhi
Prerequisites
To take this course requires a basic ability to understand concepts of physics and reading comprehension of English.
Objectives and Contextualisation
This course is part of the subject "Communication", which also includes the subjects of History of Communication, Written and Audiovisual Communication Languages, Structure of Communication and Communication Theories.
Therefore, the subject fits into the group of basic subjects related to communication, all of them with 6 credits.
The aim of this subject is to provide the basic keys to interpreting technologies and their role in society. It is an in-depth and at the same time theoretical introduction, to give the basis for reflection on technology, once the more practical subject of Technologies in Audiovisual Communication has been taught in the first year, first semester. The subject of Information and Communication Technologies is the natural continuation.
The objective of this course, as defined in the curricula, is the study of the technologies associated with the development of the information and knowledge society, considering especially their impact on innovation and on the creation of socio-cultural environments. The aim is to reflect on the role of technologies in society, citizens and the audiovisual industry.
Specifically, the objectives of the course are:
- To know and identify the main theoretical discourses on technology.
- To know the main concepts related to audiovisual technology.
- To know, identify and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each technology related to the audiovisual transmission and reception.
- To reflect critically on the technological discourse and the application of the information and audiovisual communication technologies.
Competences
- Differentiate the discipline's main theories, fields, conceptual developments, as well as their value for professional practice.
- Manage time effectively.
- Master the technologies and languages characteristic of audiovisual communication, and those associated with discourse building.
- Research, select and arrange in hierarchical order any kind of source and useful document to develop communication products.
- Rigorously apply scientific thinking.
Learning Outcomes
- Apply the principles and techniques of discourse building.
- Identify the fundamental principles of audiovisual languages.
- Identify the fundamental principles of audiovisual technology.
- Identify the structural foundations of the audiovisual system.
- Manage time effectively.
- Research, select and arrange in hierarchical order any kind of source and useful document to develop communication products.
- Rigorously apply scientific thinking.
Content
1. Conceptual introduction to ICT
What do we understand by Information and Communication Technologies? Data / Information / Knowledge.
2. The technological discourse
Approach to the main currents that have studied technology from various points of view, with special attention to the determinist and constructivist discourse.
3. Technologies' life cycle
Analysis of the life cycle of technologies to better understand their evolution and possible disappearance. Idea of planned obsolescence.
4. Innovation difussion
Approach to innovation and its dissemination, with special attention to the proposal of Everett M. Rogers.
5. Electromagnetic and radioelectric spectrum: principles and management
The importance of the radioelectric spectrum as a platform for disseminating content in communication.
6. The technological discourse of the Information Society
The Information Society, and its discourses: which part is based on technology and its importance for society.
7. The logic of standardization of technical systems
How technological standards are an economic and political objective and shape technology.
8. Transmission systems
Main forms of audio and video distribution, not so much from a technical perspective as its advantages and disadvantages.
Methodology
The acquisition of knowledge and skills by the students will be carried out through various methodological procedures that include theory classes, readings, seminars and tutorials, in addition to the textual and audiovisual support materials available through the Virtual Campus. Subject content will be taught in the theory classes. Support material such as readings and audiovisual content will be used, and participation and debate with and among students will be encouraged. Small groups seminars will be held, focusing on specific topics based on previous readings and case analysis.
A group work will be carried out, relating theory with specific cases of the technological reality of the media. The work will be tutored. The detailed calendar with the content of the different sessions will be exposed on the day of presentation of the subject. It will also be posted on the Virtual Campus where students will be able to find the detailed description of the exercises and practices, the different teaching materials and any information necessary for the proper follow-up of the subject. In case of change of teaching modality for health reasons, the teacher will inform of the changes that will occur in the programming of the subject and in the teaching methodologies.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Seminars | 18 | 0.72 | |
| Theoretical lessons | 34.5 | 1.38 | |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Mentoring | 7.5 | 0.3 | |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Reading, analysis and synthesis of texts, preparation and implementation of work | 82.5 | 3.3 |
Assessment
The final qualification is made up of three different parts, each of which must be approved with a minimum of 5 to pass the subject:
Group dissertation (50%)
Theoretical exam (30%)
Seminars (20%)
The work is an activity carried out in a group that will be supervised in scheduled sessions. Students must demonstrate the ability to critically read contemporary technological discourse, relating the theory of the subject with specific cases. At the beginning of the course, the protocol specifying in detail how to proceed will be posted on the virtual campus.
The theoretical exam will be ask about the theoretical lecturers, the seminars and the compulsory readings.
The intervention in the seminars will be articulated based on the guidelines that will be provided and posted on the Virtual Campus. Each seminar has a protocol and some specific readings that are known in advance. They must be prepared in advance and they will work on exercises and / or group and / or individual presentations. The absences of attendance to the seminars will be graded with a 0. At the beginning of the course the dates of the semesters will be published.
About the period and conditions of revaluation
The student will be entitled to the revaluation of the exam and of the work or of both parties as long as it has been evaluated in 2/3 parts of the total grade of the subject.
To have access to reavalutaion of the group dissertation and / or the exam, the previous grades should be an average of 3.5.
The activities that are excluded from the reavaluation process are the seminars.
About plagiarism
In the event that the student performs any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation of an evaluation act, this evaluation act will be graded with 0, regardless of the disciplinary process that could be instructed. In the event, that several irregularities occur in the evaluation acts of the same subject, the final grade for this subject will be 0
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evaluation test | 30% | 4 | 0.16 | 7, 1, 6, 5, 3, 4 |
| Seminars | 20% | 1.5 | 0.06 | 7, 1, 6, 5, 3, 4, 2 |
| Theorical work | 50% | 2 | 0.08 | 7, 1, 6, 5, 3, 4, 2 |
Bibliography
Compulsory reading:
- Fernández-Quijada, David. 2011. Medi@TIC. Anàlisi de casos de tecnologia i mitjans. Barcelona: Editorial UOC.
Reading list:
- Anderson, Philip i Tushman, Michael (1990) “Technological Discontinuities and Dominant Designs: A Cyclical Model of Technological Change”, Administrative Science Quarterly, 35(4): 604-633.
- Balbi, Gabriele i Paolo Maggauda (2018). A history of digital media. Londres: Routledge.
- Bijker, Wiebe E., Hughes, Thomas P. i Pinch, Trevor J. (eds.) (1989) The Social construction of technological systems: new directions in the sociology and history of technology. Cambridge (EUA): MIT Press.
- Bonet, Montse (2016). El imperio del aire: espectro radioeléctrico y radiodifusión. Barcelona: Editoirial UOC.
- Buckland, Michael Keeble (2017). Information and Society.Cambridge: MIT Press.
- Carey, John i Martin C.J. Elton (2010) When Media are New: Understanding the Dynamics of New Media Adoption and Use. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
- Christensen, Clayton M. (2016). The innovator’s dilemma: when new technologies cause great firms to fail, Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business Review Press.
- Diamond, Jared (2006). Armas, gérmenes y acero: breve historia de la humanidad en los últimos trece mil años, [Barcelona]: Debate.
- Henderson, Rebecca M. i Clark, Kim B. (1990) “Architectural Innovation: The Reconfiguration of Existing Product Technologies and the Failure of Established Firms”, Administrative Science Quarterly, 35(1): 9-30.
- Lee, Kai Fu (2018) AI Superpowers : China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order. Boston: Houghton MifflinHarcourt.
- Lax,Stephen (2009) Media and Communication Technologies. A Critical Introduction, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Lehman-Wilzig, Sam i Cohen-Avigdor, Nava. (2004) “The natural life cycle of new media evolution: Inter-media struggle for survival in the internet age”, New Media & Society, 6(6): 707-730.
- Lievrouw, Leah A. i Livingstone, Sonia. (eds.) (2002) Handbook of new media: social shaping and consequences of ICTs.London: Sage.
- McLuhan, Marshall (1996) Comprender los medios de comunicación. Las extensiones del ser humano. Barcelona: Paidós (original de 1964).
- Morozov, Evgeny, (2014). To save everything, click her : the folly of technological solutionism, New York : PublicAffairs
- Mueller, Milton (2017). Will the Internet fragment? : sovereignty, globalization and cyberspace. Cambridge, Polity Press.
- Niqui, Cinto. (2014) Los primeros 20 años de contenidos audiovisuales en internet. (E-PUB, llibre electrònic). Barcelona: Editorial UOC.
- Niqui,Cinto. (2011) Fonaments i usos de tecnologia audiovisual digital (E-PUB, llibre electrònic). Barcelona: Editorial UOC.
- Quintanilla, Miguel Ángel et al (2020). Tecnologias entrañables. Madrid: Catarata.
- Raynaud, Dominique (2018). ¿Qué es la tecnologia? Pamplona: Laeoti.
- Rogers, Everett M. (2003) Diffusion of Innovations, 5a ed. New York: Free Press.
- Schmidt, Eric & Cohen, Jared (2014). El Futuro digital, Madrid: Anaya Multimedia.
- Scolari, Carlos (2008). Hipermediaciones. Elementos para una Teoría de la Comunicación Digital Interactiva, Barcelona: Gedisa.
- Wu, Tim (2011). The Master switch: the rise and fall of information empires, New York, N.Y. : Vintage Books.
Software
None.