FACULTY OF BUSINESS AND LAW

Semester 2 2010-2011MODULE GUIDE

PUBLIC RELATIONS & NEW MEDIA

Level MCredit points: 20Module Leader and tutor: Richard Bailey (email: r.s.bailey@leedsmet.ac.uk; blog: http://prandnm.com)

A core module for MA Public RelationsAn elective module for FBL Masters candidates

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Module Public Relations and New MediaCode (CRN) BSH424776Staff contacts Academic:

Postgraduate Admin – Rose Bowl 322Group email – postgraduateadmin@leedsmet.ac.uk

Administrator: Tina Wainwright

Website This module is supported online at http://prandnm.com

Aims This module aims to develop and enhance understanding of the digital media environment and the effect on PR and marketing.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1) understand, critically analyse, evaluate and explain the implications of new media for corporate communications practice

and be able to:2) - develop and deploy appropriate new media tools for corporate communications purposes

Skills development

The key skills developed in this module are those appropriate to professional public relations work that engages both critically and vocationally with new media. This involves an understanding and appreciation not just of the practical applications, but also the professional routines and practices appropriate to their use.

In addition you will develop the a wider understanding of the context of new media and the abilty to act as reflective practitioners to develop solutions and solve problems.

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Learning methods

This module will comprise tutorials, individual independent learning, and peer critique.

Regular formative feedback and regular, structured engagement with the subject material are the cornerstone of this course. It will be delivered in group learning sessions, in short lectures, via individual learning, and through developing the ability to critically analyse the work of your peers.

The workshops offer a structured opportunity to discuss and develop the learning of the previous week. Outside the tutored workshops you will be expected to engage in a structured way with new media with the benefit of feedback from your tutors.

Feedback on your learning

Feedback on this modue will be given in a variety of ways:

Verbal feedback will be given on a weekly basis during class activities.

Written feedback will be generated during formal feedforward sessions, supplemented by individual and group discussion

Discussions will take place on the class blog and wiki pagesPreparing to learn

You are expected to prepare for tutorials in order to gain maximum benefit and understanding of the topic. You are expected to participate fully in tutorials and can expect to be asked to defend the depth and range of your preparation work at any session and by any group member

Preparation for seminars is by reading selected texts and carrying out various online tasks.

You will also be expected to share and critique each other’s work in order to develop particular pieces and to prepare more effectively for assignments.

Module evaluation Module Evaluation provides you with the opportunity to feedback

about the modules you have studied. The survey includes 12 standard questions that aim to measure your satisfaction in relation to your learning and overall university experience. For some courses the questionnaire is supplemented with additional questions.

The questions are presented in a tick-box survey. You respond to the questions using a scale of 1-5, where 1 means you strongly agree with the statement and 5 means you strongly disagree with the statement. There is also a general comments section.

Module evaluations are delivered towards the end of each semester.  Module tutors will advise you when module evaluation surveys are available to complete and where to access these.

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Assessment There are two elements of assessment, to meet the learning outcomes (ie concepts and techniques).

1) 2,500 word report applying critical thinking to contemporary corporate communications challenges faced by an international organisation of the student’s choice in the context of new media developments (weighted 60%).

2) 1,500 word proposal written for the same organisation covering possible strategies and tactics to address their challenges in the digital environment.

Your proposals could include a prototype new media project developed in response to the challenges identified in the report (weighted 40%).

Assessment deadlines

The deadline for assignment 1 (report) is Friday 25 March 2011, before 2359

The deadline for assignment 2 (proposal) is Tuesday 3 May, before 2359.

There are penalties for handing in work late, so please don’t do it. The penalties are outlined in your Course Handbook.

Submission Please submit your assignment - on X-Stream

Documents must be in Microsoft Word (doc or docx format), or pdf format.

Web and online material should be submitted in the form of a hypertext link, web address or similar. If any passwords are required to access material these must be supplied on Xstream at the time of submission. Do not supply login passwords that would give access to change your work..

In order to verify that the assessed online material reflects your work at the time of submission, you should also submit a ‘print’ or saved file (click ‘save as web page complete’, print/save a pdf of screenshots, or any similar method is acceptable)

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How do I get my my marks?

We aim to assess the work that you submit within three working weeks. Within that period we will give you feedback on your performance and assign either a mark or grade. All grades are issued subject to the decisions of module boards and award boards, and in line with the University’s quality processes. Your work and its assessment may be reviewed as part of these processes.

Your marks will be delivered - online via XStream- backup plan: university e-mail

Your assessed work will be returned:- online via XStream- backup plan: university e-mail

Re-assessment

If you do not pass this module (i.e. your mark is below 40%, your grade is fail). If you have concerns about attempting the reassessment, please make arrangements to speak to Richard Bailey.

The re-assessment brief is a 4,000 report and proposal written about an international organisation of your choice. See first assignment above for details.

Admin can advise on resubmission deadlines.

Plagiarism Plagiarism is a serious academic offence. If you plagiarise or engage in other dishonest scholarship you will be penalised, this will affect your overall performance on the programme and may result in you being denied the qualification for which you enrolled.

If you feel that you do not know what plagiarism is, more information is available at:http://skillsforlearning.leedsmet.ac.uk/local/academic_communication/plagiarism/index.shtml

Extensions and extenuating circumstances

If, due to circumstances beyond your control, you need more time to compete work, you may apply for an extension of up to one week from the course admin team. Their contact details are on page 2 of this document, and they will outline the requirements. Extensions are not granted routinely and evidence may be required.

If you experience serious or long term personal difficulties that affect your studies adversely it may be more appropriate to apply to have such extenuating circumstances taken into account. The course admin team can also help you with this if necessary.

Further details are provided in your course handbook.

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Assignment 1 Assignment briefA 2,500 word report applying critical thinking to contemporary corporate communications challenges faced by an international organisation of the student’s choice in the context of digital media developments (weighted 60%).

Further guidance

The report is quite short at 2,500 words, so you will need to concentrate very clearly on the marking critera. Do not stray off into an extended situational analysis, which could easily use up your word count here. Instead, aim to summarise the general situation very briefly and concentrate on the issues that relate to the use of new media.

The formal assignment criteria is for an international organisation. However, if you may prefer to use a national organisation that has international reach – there is no marking penalty for this

There are no limits on the type of organisation. You could choose a franchise such as Starbucks, an organisation with global reach such as UNICEF, a cultural organisation such as the Tate galleries in the UK, the Louvre in Paris or the Guggenheim in Bilbao. How about an event such as Montreal Jazz Festival, the Mojo awards or Glastonbury? Disney Corporation? Google? Visit Britain?

Marking criteria

The assessment critieria for this asssignment are::1) understand, critically analyse, evaluate and explain the implications of new media for corporate communications practice

Understand: Accurate, succinct summary and problem statement. Why is this the problem?

Analyse Clarity, completeness, depth, logic, precision. Make inferences, bring in different points of view, question and develop ideas

Evaluate Fairness, range of sources, clarity of argument, intellectual courage, reason

Explain Points of view, information, accuracy, breadth and depth

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Assignment 2 Assignment brief1,500 word proposal written for the same organisation covering possible strategies and tactics to address their challenges in thedigital environment.

Your proposals could include a prototype new media project developed in response to the challenges identified in the report (weighted 40%).

Marking criteria

The assessment critieria for this asssignment are

2) Develop and deploy appropriate new media tools for corporate communications purposes:

Your rationale should also understand and explain your project in terms of some of the key concepts that emerge from course material. These might include (but will certainly not be restricted to) identity, spread/availability of bandwidth, control, the digital divide, emerging technologies, problems of contemporaneity, cultural influences.Develop Demonstrate that you have become familiar

with using a range of new media tools (creating content, post video, Vlog, regular blog, Ning, social media, Facebook, MySpace, twitter, Linked –in). You may use or combine these in a new way, or for a new purpose.

Deploy Show how this new purpose would be fulfilled, either by running a beta site or by populating tools with indicative content.

Academic standards

You should complete all your assignments with the marking criteria firmly in mind.In addition there are more general academic standards that also apply across disciplines, and which are reflected in marks and marking standards.

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FAIL

mark Indication of achievement

Below 15% Unsatisfactory. Overall lack of relevant information. Descriptive, not analytical, may be repetive, lacks organisation, demonstrates inadequate use of language. May reveal an inability to construct sentences.

15-29% Unsatisfactory. Limited level of knowledge and understanding Significant errors and/or omissions in factual knowledge and understanding, tendence to describe rather than analyse. May include an inability to express ideas clearly, lack of coherence in terms of structure, inclusion of irrelevant material.

30-39% Unsatisfactory. Limited level of knowledge and understanding. May contain errors in factual knowledge and understanding, expression of ideas not always clear, argument/discussion reveals weak structure.

PASS40-49% Satisfactory. No major omissions or inaccuracies in eth

deployment of skills and information. Some grasp of theoretical/conceptual/practical elements. Integration fo theory and practuce present intermittently in pursuit of the work’s objectives.

PASS 50-59% Average. Much of the relevant information/skill is accurately deployed. Adequate grasp of theoretical/conceptual/practical elements. Fair integration of practice/theory/information in pursuit of the work’s objectives

MERIT 60-69% Good. Most of he relevant information/skills accurately deployed. Good grasp of theoretical/practical/conceptual elements. Good integration of practice/theory/information in pursuit of the work’s objectives

DIST 70%+ Excellent. Most of he relevant information/skills accurately deployed. Excellent grasp of theoretical/practical/conceptual elements. Good integration of practice/theory/information in pursuit of the work’s objectives.

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Timetable:

Teaching and learning scheduleWednesdays, 14.30-17.00 (CHC G06) or 17.00-19.30 (CHC G04)

Date Topic/area of study2 Feb Introductory Lecture: About PR, marketing

and new mediaTutorial: Explanation of module and assessments

9 Feb Lecture: Beyond CluetrainWorkshop: Class blog and wiki: adding resourcesStudent task: Suggest resources

16 Feb Workshop: Social media toolsStudent task: Introduce new tools

23 Feb Workshop: Understanding reputation: concepts and tools

2 March Workshop: Content, conversation, community

9 March Workshop: Understanding mass collaboration

16 March Lecture: How the media is changing

23 March Lecture: Corp comms and social mediaReview and feedforward session assignment 1

25 March Deadline assignment 1(submission by 2359 on XStream)

30 March Lecture: Ethics, transparency and the law

6 April Workshop: Measurement and evaluation

13 April Review and feedforward session assignment 2

3 May Deadline assignment 2(submission by 2359 on Xstream)

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Further reading

Brown, R (2009) Public Relations and the Social Web, Kogan Page

Gillmor, D (2010) Mediactive, Lulu.com (http://mediactive.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/mediactive_gillmor.pdf)

Gladwell, M (2000) The Tipping Point London: Little, Brown and Company

Jennings, D (2007) Net, Blogs and Rock’n’Roll London: Nicholas Brealey

Kelleher T (2007) Public Relations Online: lasting concepts for Changing Media, Thousand Oaks, Sage.

Levine, R, Locke, C and Searls, D (2009) The Cluetrain Manifesto:Tenth Anniversary Edition, Perseus Books Group

Macnamara, J (2010) The 21st Century Media (R)evolution, Peter Lang

Meerman Scott D (2010) The new rules of marketing and PR, 2nd ed, John Wiley

Phillips, D and Young, P (2009) Online Public Relations, 2nd Ed, Kogan Page

Scoble, R & Israel, S (2006) Naked Conversations, Wiley

Shirky, C (2008) Here Comes Everybody, Penguin

Solis, B & Breakenridge, D (2009) Putting the Public Back into Public Relations Pearson Education

Zittrain, J (2008) The Future of the Internet, Allan Lane

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