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MDSB61 Assignments
The assignment is worth 10 marks.
Choose one of the options below. Do not do all of them!
(1) 5 SLIDES
Find a recent non-scholarly article about a new technology or new media instance that sparks your interest (speaks to
you, relates to your own experience) and is related to the course content.
If you are not sure whether a particular article is suitable for this assignment, please either check with me during my office
hours, preferably, or send me a link of the article.
The article should be at least 600 words long and should not be older than January 1st 2018.
For instance:
Note: this example or any other example used in the course materials may not be used in your assignment.
Submit a 5-slide PPT or Canva presentation with the following structure:
-Slide 1&2: Summarize the article, using the 5Ws of Journalism: who, what, when, where, why. Use a bullet entry for
each of these questions.
Provide enough context to demonstrate that you read the article thoroughly, but be concise.
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Note: in some cases, you may have to replace the why with how.
Write maximum 150 words for both slides 1 and 2.
-Slide 3: Identify a point where you disagree with author or see things differently. Explain why, in a bullet entry or two.
Write maximum 100 words for slide 3.
-Slide 4: Explain how the article has changed your view of the new media / new technology discussed. (e.g.: has Ellis’
article made you rethink your interaction with social media, or your privacy on social media?). Use a bullet entry or two.
Write maximum 100 words for slide 4.
-Slide 5: Cite the article using APA.
More on the 5Ws, here:
The 5 Ws (and an H) of Journalism – Thought.
Here is how to distinguish between a scholarly and a non-scholarly article:
SCHOLARLY VERSUS NON - SCHOLARLY SOURCES
Created by Natasha Molet Worthington, June 2014
(2) CONCEPT TURNED TO AD (submit ad + rationale)
Choose an idea or concept that we studied in course and turn into a billboard ad (e.g.: participatory culture – produsage or
exploitation?; OR: cybertarianism vs. cognitariat; OR: children and media: OR: surveillance). Work with something that
interests you.
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Imagine that this ad would be posted at Yonge & Dundas square, so the passers-by would only have 10 seconds or less
to notice it. Reproducing the course content is not sufficient; use the material we studied in class to create a memorable
and accessible message/ story.
Create the ad using a Canva slide. For this assignment, the emphasis should be on how you tell the story - in other words,
how you condense the course material and translate it into a more accessible language. Submit the ad as a PDF.
Add a 150-200 word blurb, explaining:
-what idea/ concept from course you chose
-why you chose this idea/ concept
-what is the rationale behind your ad (explain the message you are aiming to transmit; you are trying to persuade your
audience that…?).
Some examples of billboard ads, here:
Our 25 Favourite OOH and Billboard Ads of 2021
Broadsign – December 14, 2021
(3) THE TIME TRAVEL MACHINE
(1) Ask a parent, grandparent, neighbour, relative or older friend:
“What was your favorite NEW technology when you were a child, a teenager OR in your 20s, and why?” Write down their
response. (“When I was in my 20s….”). You are not required to provide the person’s full name; use the first name, initials,
or a pseudonym & add the person’s age. (“Ada, 45, my aunt”).
(2) Your turn now: imagine yourself travelling back in time and using the technology mentioned at (1). What are your
thoughts about this experience? Compare this experience with your use of technology in 2023.
e.g.: If the person at (1) mentioned watching movies on the VCR, write about the technology you are using in 2023 to
watch movies. Compare the two experiences, identifying the pros and cons. E.g.: “I would have liked to watch movies on
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the VCR/ VHS cassettes together with my family, as my aunt used to. However, I find streaming more convenient,
because…”
(3) Attach a photo of the technology described at (2). There is no rule here: upload a photo that, in your view, would best
illustrate your assignment.
NOTE: For privacy purposes, do not upload photos including the person you are interviewing unless you have their explicit
agreement to do so.
If the person you are interviewing still has the respective device/ appliance/ piece of technology and you can take a photo
of it, great! If not, you may add a photo from the Internet but you must cite the source of the photo.