Main Content
Syllabus
COMM 180: Survey of Electronic Media and Telecommunications
COMM 180 (GS) Survey of Electronic Media and Telecommunications (3 credits): The development of electronic media and telecommunications, emphasizing social, economic, political and global impact.
Overview
COMM 180 satisfies the General Education—Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS) requirement for students who are not majoring in Telecommunications. For Telecommunications majors, COMM 180 is a required introductory course (you must earn a C or better for this course to count toward a Telecommunications degree).
Course Objectives
This course is designed to introduce you to the study of electronic media, including radio, broadcast and cable television, telephony, and the Internet. We will also touch on related topics such as the music, film, and video game industries. By the end of this course you should be able to explain the historical development of these industries and their evolving role in modern society.
Many observers have argued that we have transitioned from an industrial age to an information age. Throughout this course we will explore the implications of this transition. We will critically evaluate:
- how the electronic media industries operate, including their basic business models and methods of generating revenue
- how traditional mass media, newer digital media, and emerging personal media shape the way we work and engage in commerce
- the way we socialize and form communities
- the way we acquire and process information
- the way we entertain ourselves
- the way we participate in democracy and structure society
Required Course Materials
This course uses a textbook and online reading assignments. The required textbook is:
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.E-Reserves
This course requires that you access Penn State library materials specifically reserved for this course. You can access these materials by selecting Library Resources in your course navigation, or by accessing the Library E-Reserves Search and search for your instructor's last name.
Complimentary New York Times Subscription
All Penn State students now have access to a free digital subscription to the New York Times. To activate this subscription, go to the Penn State Student Affairs Student News Readership Program page, select New York Times, and follow the instructions to subscribe.
Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Requirements
For this course we recommend the minimum World Campus technical requirements listed below:
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
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| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Requirements and Grading
Assignments
The assignments at the end of the lessons are designed to reinforce the subject matter covered. Some will require more time than others, but they are intended to get you thinking and give you some experience with the subjects discussed in the lessons.
- Syllabus Quiz (10 points): You are required to take a quiz on the syllabus (10 points) before you finish the first lesson. Make sure you read the syllabus carefully so you understand all of the course requirements and procedures. You can take the syllabus quiz as many times as you want during the first week of class. Your highest score will count toward your final grade.
- Plagiarism Quiz (10 points): You must take the plagiarism quiz (10 points) before you finish the first lesson. Plagiarism is a serious violation of academic integrity. Just as important, plagiarism is not tolerated in the media industries and will quickly get you fired from your job. It is important that you understand what plagiarism is and how to avoid it. You can take the plagiarism quiz as many times as you want during the first week of class. Your highest score will count toward your final grade. However, you also must score 80% or higher to continue the course.
- Discussions (5 @ 6 points each): There are five discussions in COMM 180. The content is student generated. Each student must post an Initial Discussion Post and reply to at least one classmate post in each of the five discussion. The Initial Discussion Post is worth 3 points and the reply is worth 3 points. Discussions total 30 points.
- Lesson Quizzes (10 points each, 150 points total): Each lesson there will be a timed, multiple-choice quiz in Canvas. You will have 12 minutes to complete the quiz. Each quiz will consist of ten multiple-choice questions based on that week’s lesson. You are responsible for ALL of the material in the lesson, including the material in the Canvas lesson module and any assigned readings. Remember, this is a timed quiz, so make sure you have read and understood all of the material before you begin! You are only allowed to take each quiz once! Once you have submitted your answer to a question you will not be able to go back and change your answer to that question. Your scores on the fifteen quizzes (150 points total) will count toward your final grade.
NOTE: The quizzes are all CLOSED BOOK quizzes. This means you should not try to look up the answers in the textbook or on the course website or even Google the answers while you are taking the quiz. Instead, read all of the assigned material as many times as necessary until you have mastered it and then take the timed quiz without looking at the material. Trying to look up the answers while you are taking the quiz is a violation of academic integrity. As an adult, I expect and assume you will behave ethically and honestly. Remember, your final score is determined by a series of activities and tasks, so you should not panic or be concerned if you perform poorly on a few of the quizzes.
- Assignments (30 points each, 150 points total): You are required to complete five assignments this semester. Each assignment is worth 30 points. There will be an assignment every two to four weeks. Note that each assignment has its own due date. Once the due date has passed, you can no longer submit that assignment and will earn a zero. Please refer to the Course Schedule for a list of assignments and due dates.
More detailed information on how the assignments will be graded can be found in the Assignment Rubric table in the Grading section.
All due dates are FINAL!; ALL quizzes and assignments are due by midnight on Sunday night. I urge you to complete all of your work by Friday of each week. That way, you have the weekend to relax or to begin the next lesson. Plus, this will give you two extra days in case you run into an unforeseen problem. In a true emergency, you might not be able to submit an assignment on time. You will be allowed to submit ONE assignment late—but NO LATE QUIZZES will be accepted. You can only submit a late assignment under the following conditions:
- You must contact your instructor by NOON on Sunday to notify that you will not be able to submit the assignment that day.
- The late assignment must be submitted BEFORE the following Sunday.
- You can only submit ONE late assignment during the semester. Any additional late assignments will receive a zero.
- This rule does NOT apply to quizzes. ALL quizzes are due by Sunday night at midnight. Problems with the Internet are not an excuse for missing a quiz! Do not wait until the last minute to take a quiz. I encourage you to complete the reading assignment early in the week and take the quiz as soon as you are thoroughly familiar with the reading. This way you will have plenty of time in case you have a problem with your computer or Internet connection.
You might wonder why this class is so strict about deadlines. There are two reasons. First, a big advantage of online classes is that they are asynchronous. You don’t have to take the time to drive to campus, park, and sit in a classroom two or three days each week listening to me lecture. But with that extra free time comes the responsibility to manage your time wisely. Second, many of the media industries we are studying this semester think of time as inventory. We have all heard the saying that “time is money.” In the media industries, this is not just a saying…it is reality! If you work for a television station and don’t have the commercial ready on time, those thirty seconds are gone forever and you have to give the advertiser a refund! If your news story or TV series isn’t finished on time, the network is going to show something else instead! Even if the only thing you learn this semester is how to manage your time (and I hope you learn much more), you will have learned a valuable lesson.
Grading
Your grade will be comprised of the following:
| Activity | Points |
|---|---|
| Quizzes | 150 |
| Assignments | 150 |
| Discussions | 30 |
| Syllabus quiz | 10 |
| Plagiarism quiz |
10 (You must score |
| Introduction | 5 |
| Total | 355 |
Grading Scale
| Grade | Percentage min for this grade | Percentage max for this grade | Total points in the course | Min points for this grade | Max points for this grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 93.00% | 100.00% | 355 | 331 | 355 |
| A- | 90.00% | 92.90% | 355 | 320 | 330 |
| B+ | 87.00% | 89.90% | 355 | 310 | 320 |
| B | 83.00% | 86.90% | 355 | 296 | 309 |
| B- | 80.00% | 82.90% | 355 | 285 | 295 |
| C+ | 77.00% | 79.90% | 355 | 275 | 285 |
| C | 70.00% | 76.90% | 355 | 250 | 274 |
| D | 60.00% | 69.90% | 355 | 215 | 250 |
| F | 0.00% | 59.90% | 355 | 0 | 215 |
Assignment Grading Rubric
Assignments are worth 30 points each.
| Points | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 28–30 | Thoughtful answers to all of the required questions and very well-written (almost no spelling, punctuation or grammatical errors). The answers demonstrate correct understanding of the material and offer new insights and connections when appropriate. |
| 24–27 | Thoughtful answers to most of the questions and rote answers to the rest, and well written (few spelling, punctuation and grammatical mistakes). Most of the answers are correct but some don't offer a lot of insight. |
| 21–23 | Rote answers to the questions with quite a few spelling and grammar errors. Shows minimum effort to complete the assignment. Some of the answers are correct. |
| 18–20 | Doesn't answer all of the questions and/or contains many factual, spelling and grammatical errors. Clearly shows lack of effort. |
| 0–17 | Answers are plagiarized and/or not all required questions are answered. Contains many grammatical errors making it difficult to understand the answers. Clearly shows lack of effort and does not follow assignment instructions. |
I encourage you to talk with me if you have questions about your grade or if you are doing poorly in the course. If you think you deserve a higher grade, you must include a WRITTEN explanation of why you think the grade should be changed within 10 days of when the grade was posted.
To answer some frequent questions: There is no curve for the course. There are no extra assignments, extra work, or anything extra that you can do at the end of the semester to improve your grade. Your grade is based on the total number of points you earn in the class. If you have a missing grade, you must email me within 10 DAYS of when the grades for that assignment or exam are posted. Please do not wait until the end of the semester.
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
All quizzes and assignments are due Sunday night by midnight (ET).
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Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Additional Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Counseling and Psychological Services
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
Veterans and Military Personnel
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Privacy Notice
In order to protect your privacy, course access is limited to those individuals who have direct responsibility for the quality of your educational experience. In addition to the instructor, a teaching assistant or college administrator may be provided access in order to ensure optimal faculty availability and access. World Campus technical staff may also be given access in order to resolve technical support issues.Student Responsibilities and Conduct
- Students are responsible for online course content, taking notes, obtaining other materials provided by the instructor, taking tests (if applicable), and completing assignments as scheduled by the instructor. As a general rule, students should plan on logging into the course at least three times per week and spending at least three hours per course credit per week on the course, e.g., if the course is three credits, the student should plan on spending at least 9-12 hours per week on the course, just as they would in a residence course.
- Students are responsible for keeping track of changes in the course syllabus made by the instructor throughout the semester.
- Students are responsible for monitoring their grades.
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Students must contact their instructor (and teammates when working on any collaborative learning assignments) as soon as possible if they anticipate missing long periods of online time due to events such as chronic illnesses, death in the family, business travel, or other appropriate events. The instructor will determine the minimal log on time and participation required in order to meet course responsibilities. In the event of other unforeseen conflicts, the instructor and student will arrive at a solution together.
- Requests for taking exams or submitting assignments after the due dates require documentation of events such as illness, family emergency, or a business-sanctioned activity.
- Conflicts with dates on which examinations or assignments are scheduled must be discussed with the instructor or TA prior to the date of the examination or assignment.
- Students are responsible for following appropriate netiquette (network etiquette) when communicating with their instructor and classmates. For reference, see the Academic Success Kit.
- Behaviors that disrupt other students’ learning are not acceptable and will be addressed by the instructor.
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For severe and chronic problems with student disruptive behavior, the following will be applied for resolution:
- Senate Committee on Student Life policy on managing classroom disruptions: Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
- Penn State Principles
Report Bias
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.