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Course Description"Writing for New Media" evolved out of a recognition of the rapidly growing role that technology is playing in the workplace and in society in general. Desktop publishing, the internet, multimedia, etc. have not only created new channels of communication, they have influenced the nature of that communication. In many cases the "channel" chosen, and the design and distribution of a message has as much to do with its success as does the content itself. McLuhan's notion that "the medium is the message" is demonstrated today in ways that he could not have imagined. This course will explore the some of these new media; we will delve into document design, page layout, website development, all areas that have not traditionally been part of the professional writing curriculum. We will also consider some of the effects of these media on our culture for good or ill: the commodifying of knowledge, the exclusion of those without access to technology, and, the exciting and sometimes frightening consequences of the democratization of mass communication. Students will participate in discussion of these matters, and develop media plans, newsletters, and websites. |