Module review for NM1101E: Communications, New Media and Society

Taken AY2014/2015 Semester 1


NM1101E: Communications, New Media and Society

This is a compulsory module for all those looking to major in New Media and Mass Communications. Although the module was super boring, some of the content was actually quite interesting, and contains much intrinsic value that would serve you well into the future. It provided me with the proper vocabulary to interpret the mass media of today, as well as assess the effectiveness of design in our world.

The content is very manageable, and there isn’t anything too difficult to understand. The lecturer tends to veer off course at times, and can be quite boring after a while. However, he once took over our tutorial as our tutor was unavailable, and I would say that he is a much better tutor than lecturer. Do not skip any lectures, as around 50% of the content comes from what the lecturer says. The e-textbook is more like a scam, and it would be better to request the official chapter summaries (that can be downloaded from the e book platform) from your seniors.

In general, this would be a good module to take if you want to balance out more intensive core modules. However, it is difficult to score well, as the module is quite easy so the bell curve may be screwed. Also, it is quite hard to ascertain the requirements and expectations of this module, so the writing assignments tend to be rather frustrating.

Assessment
Tutorial participation: 10%
Mid terms: 15%
Writing assignments (1 indiv, 2 group): 10% each
Finals: 45%

The tutorials are a breeze and require little to no preparation. You can try to prepare in advance, depending on the strictness of your tutor and if you’re just super hardworking. Attendance is taken, so you cannot skip any tutorials. 80% of the time in tutorial is spent on small group discussions, which honestly doesn’t help much in terms of aiding your knowledge on New Media and Mass Communications. Go forward with the mentality that the tutorials are just opportunities for you to chat with your classmates and nothing more.

The writing assignments are difficult to score well in, as you simply don’t know what exactly they want/are looking for. They’re only 10% each, but the amount of effort required for the assignment is disproportional to the weightage. It is easy to complain about the assignments, but generally the module requires very little effort.

In fact, the mid terms and finals are ALL MCQs, which requires little preparation. Just make sure you understand the concepts and definitions of key terms, and most of it is just common sense. If only all exams can be like this…

Workload
The workload for this module is LIGHT, as the content is not too heavy and the exams are relatively stress-free. The assignments may take up more of your time, but they are comparatively less strenuous than those of other modules.


Source