Even though we live in an increasingly mediated world, in which media literacy is becoming as important as print literacy, most people in our society have received little, if any, media literacy education.  In this regard, students in Comm 240 are in a position to use the knowledge they gain in this course to serve the larger community.  Therefore, your final assignment for this class is to create and present a media literacy training module. You will present the module to two audiences of your choice in the larger community.  The first presentation will be a pilot test of your module.  Based on your experience with the first delivery, and feedback you get from the audience, you will revise and refine your module accordingly and deliver it again to a second audience.

Acceptable audiences include a school class; a gathering of family members, relatives, and friends; a group of peers; a church or religious group; a non-profit community organization; an on-campus student group; or any other audience of six or more people outside of this class (a minimum of 6 people must attend).  The instructor will be available to consult with you about possible audiences if you need assistance.  In addition, you are also welcome to consult with the Center for Service Learning on campus.

Regardless of what audience you choose, the module must integrate theories of influence on media content, from the first part of the course, with theories of influence of media content, from the second part of the class.  In your presentations, you should be creative and engaging.  In addition, you should use actual media content to illustrate your main themes or points when possible.  (Of course, you will have to consider what kinds of audio-visual equipment will be available to you, depending on where you present.)  Also, you must not repeat the presentation you gave for the in-class presentation.  You must find a new theme.  Finally, you must not show an existing media literacy video to your audience to fulfill this assignment.  Rather, your presentation must be original.

The entire module should be a minimum of 45 minutes and a maximum of 90 minutes long. You are encouraged to work in pairs or small groups.  If you choose this option, everyone in the group will receive the same evaluation.

However you approach the assignment, you should make arrangements with your audiences as soon as possible, early in the quarter, in order to set up presentation dates.  You might also want to consult with representatives of your audience about what specific themes they would find most interesting and relevant (e.g., if you are presenting to a high school class, you might be able to relate your topic to a topic they are already studying, or you might examine the relation between the media and teenage eating disorders or some other topic they might find meaningful and relevant).  The sooner you find an audience, set a date, and select a topic, the better, because you will then want to begin collecting media samples that relate to your topic, extracting key points from our readings and discussions, and approaching your other assignments in a manner that build toward this assignment.  If you are going to work in a group, you should organize your group before proceeding with any of the above.

• To relate your understanding of influences on media content to your understanding of influences of media content.
• To develop your media literacy education skills.
• To create a media literacy "multiplier effect" that brings insights gained in Comm 240 to the wider community.

For evaluation purposes, you will assemble and submit a complete and self-contained media literacy module that will include everything that another person would need in order to deliver your presentation.  At a minimum, this must include the following:
 
• A written outline of the oral component of your presentation.
• which demonstrates a grasp of the material as well as appropriateness to the age and educational level of your audience
• which assumes that your audience has no prior media literacy training
• which proceeds clearly and systematically
• which clearly shows the overall structure and sequence of the presentation, including when and how any media content was used to illustrate points
• which is typed
• Copies of any audio-visual material (e.g., video clips, handouts, PowerPoint slides, etc.) that you use in your presentation.
• all material must be relevant to, and illustrative of, main points made in your presentation
• no materials should be too large to fit in an 8.5' by 11' envelope.
• A three page reflection essay, double spaced (per person if presented by a team) stating:
• the initial goals of your presentation (i.e., your specific educational objectives relative to your audience)
• a self assessment regarding how effectively you met those goals with your pilot test of the presentation
• a discussion of how you revised or refined your presentation following your initial experience and feedback
• a discussion of how you would further revise or refine your presentation if you could work through a third revision
• (note: you may wish to have your audiences evaluate you after you are finished each time, and incorporate that feedback into your reflection essay; you could draft a simple evaluation sheet for this purpose)
• Verification form (see link above) signed by a representative of each audience verifying that you actually delivered your presentation.
• All of the above in an 8.5" by 11" envelope with your name on it.
• All written components must use correct spelling and grammar.

• ALTERNATIVE: If you have video editing skills, you may create a 15 - 30 minute media literacy video instead of the oral presentation described above.  This does not mean a video tape of an oral presentation.  It means an educational video containing some combination of interviews, commentary, and media content that illustrates your points.  If you choose this option, you must still examine influences on content and influence of content.  You must still conduct a pilot test of the video on one audience, refine it, and show it to another audience.  And you must also still complete the reflection essay.  But a written transcript will not be required.

Note: This service-learning presentation is the culmination of this course.  You should begin thinking about it at the beginning of the course and approach all of your earlier assignments with the goal of building toward this presentation.  For instance, if you approach your journal with this presentation in mind, then you will be able to draw extensively on it in preparing this presentation.  In addition, you will also be able to draw on your mid-term essay. The onus is on you, however, to think strategically, in advance, about how to approach all of these preliminary assignments in a manner that builds toward this culminating assignment.