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Learning Resources
Required Readings
Laureate Education (Producer). (2018). Categories of popular culture [PDF file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2018). Defining social issues in the context of modern popular culture [PDF file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2018). Exploring categories of modern popular culture and their artifacts/expressions [PDF file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Document: Final Project Summary (PDF)
Document: Final Project Worksheet (Word document)
The following websites may be helpful throughout this course by demonstrating ways of analyzing pop culture texts as artifacts.
Critical Media Project. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://criticalmediaproject.org/
Pop Matters. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.popmatters.com
USC Annenberg. (2014). Media, diversity, & social change initiative. Retrieved from http://annenberg.usc.edu/pages/DrStacyLSmithMDSCI#previousresearch
Required Media
TEDx Talks. (2013, July 15). Why Pop Culture? Alexandre O. Philippe at TEDxMileHigh [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_3UYncNwz4
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 13 minutes.
In this video, Philippe talks about the universality and importance of pop culture to society.
Optional Resources
Rowley, C., & Weldes, J. (n.d.). From soft power and popular culture to popular culture and world politics. Retrieved from http://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/sites/spais/documents/Working%20Paper%2003_16_CR_JW.pdf
Discussion: Popular Culture and Identity
Think of a piece of music that has helped you through a trying or joyful time. You probably identify with the music—it speaks to you, gives voice to your emotions, or reminds you of something in your past. You may develop a personal relationship with a piece of music or a song, but you are not the only one listening to it. Its popularity brought the piece of music to your attention in the first place. You may not think about the lyrics or the catchy tune, or the fact that it is a popular song. You may not even understand the message the song or its lyrics are conveying.
To prepare for this Discussion, read this week’s Learning Resources.
By Day 4
Post a 250-word response in which you:
- Select an example of popular culture: a song, film, or music video; fashion; episodic visual storytelling such as a TV show; a print or moving image advertisement; or a magazine or book. We will refer to this selection as your artifact.
- Explain why your chosen artifact is considered popular culture by addressing the following questions:
- How do you know it is popular?
- How did the artifact first come to your attention? How did you find it, or how did it find you?
- What is it about the artifact that interests you? What is your personal connection to the artifact? What about the artifact connects you to it?
- How was the artifact created? For example, if your artifact is a song, who is the songwriter? If a film, who was the writer or director?
Note: Be sure to include details about your artifact/expression within the body of your post. Post enough details so that your classmates can access it, including a link if one is possible.
By Day 6
Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.
Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ postings in one or more of the following ways:
- Compare your artifact with your classmates’ posted artifacts. (Note: A song and a movie or a fashion element and a music video may have much in common, so do not limit yourself to comparing your artifact to one of the same type.) Consider what the artifact is conveying. What is its message? What response does it provoke in you?
- Analyze one specific issue that is addressed in both your artifact and your classmates’ artifacts.
Be sure to support your ideas by connecting them to the week’s Learning Resources or to something you have read, heard, seen, or experienced.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.
Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues have made.
Submission and Grading Information
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Discussion Rubric
Post by Day 4 and Respond by Day 6
To participate in this Discussion:
Week 1 Discussion
Assignment: Final Project Milestone 1: Final Project Worksheet
I love pop culture. I love to be inside of it, and step outside and look back in.
—Nick Rhodes, member of the band Duran Duran
In Weeks 1–4 of this course, you will work on assignments that contribute to your Final Project, which is due in Week 5. As in the quote from Nick Rhodes above, you will be inside of pop culture, step outside of it, and then look back in as you closely analyze a single issue across multiple pop culture artifacts.
To prepare:
- Download and complete the Final Project Worksheet document from this week’s Learning Resources.
- Review the Final Project Summary document in this Week’s Learning Resources.
By Day 7
Submit your completed Final Project Worksheet. Be sure to keep a copy and refer to it throughout this course.
Submission and Grading Information
To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:
- Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK1Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
- Click the Final Project Milestone Assignment Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
- Click the Week 1 Assignment link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
- Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK1Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
- If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
