CMNS 202 (Media and Power in Canadian Society) – Concept Mapping
Grade weight:
30%
The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate your mastery of the course material through analysis, synthesis and concept mapping. Identify the key ideas from the first five units of the course and use a visualization tool, a concept mapping application, to demonstrate visually how these concepts relate to one another within the context of media and power in Canadian society. Submit your concept map to your tutor accompanied by a 300 – 500 word explanation of how the concepts featured relate to one another (e.g., Canadian communications environment, political implications of Canadian mass media, history of Canadian media, broadcasting regulations and freedom of information and the law).
For this assignment, you will:
- Identify key concepts and events that characterize and explain the development of media as described in Units 1 – 5 and as noted above. Note that you should identify 3 – 6 concepts and/or themes per unit.
- Using a visualization tool focused on concept mapping found in the e-lab’s Virtual Tool Cupboard (e.g., Visual Understanding Environment [VUE]), build a concept map that demonstrates the relationships that exist between and among the concepts and events that you have identified above. If you would like to work with a visualization concept-mapping tool that is not included in the Virtual Tool Cupboard, make sure to give your tutor the name of the tool and its URL
- Write a brief essay about your concept map (300 – 500 words) that clearly describes the relationships illustrated by your map.
A recommended methodology is presented below as well as a marking rubric that will be used to evaluate your work. Your finished concept map should contain 15 - 30 elements (concepts and events). Note that APA or MLA formatting should be used consistently throughout your essay to acknowledge the source of the material included; please advise your tutor if you require guidance or resources for citation. Note that the Purdue University On-Line Writing Lab (OWL) offers current information on both styles of academic formatting, which could be of great use to you: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/. Athabasca University’s WriteSite also presents useful tools and information on academic writing and formatting: http://www2.athabascau.ca/services/write-site/.
Methodology:
1 – Identifying Elements (concepts and events)
After completing the requisite readings for Units 1 – 5 of the course, identify which concepts and events stand out as significant and influential within the context of Canadian media development. Take note of related definitions, dates and other details you would like to include within your concept map.
2 – Establishing Relationships Between/Among Elements
Once significant concepts and events have been identified, decide how each element relates to the other; consider how concepts and events are connected. For example, consider how a ‘mediascape’ encompasses all of the concepts and events studied in this course; consider how population distribution and cultural diversity affect Canadian media; consider how the CBC plays into these concepts – how could you represent the relationships between these ideas visually?
3 – The Visualization Tool
Familiarize yourself with an on-line visualization tool, such as the VUE tool included in the e-lab Virtual Tool Cupboard. Review instructional material and tutorials included on the tool’s website. Build your own concept map based on the elements and relationships established above.
4 – The Short Essay
Explain your concept mapping decisions in a short essay of 300 – 500 words. Note that the short essay must be formatted in a current academic style such as MLA 2009 or APA. Submit the concept map and the short essay to your tutor via Moodle.
Evaluation:
The following rubric will be used to evaluate your submission. Please read the criteria before beginning the assignment and refer back to it as you work on your paper to make sure that assignment expectations are being met.
|
Criterion |
A Range |
B Range 70 – 79% |
C Range 60 – 69% |
D Range 50 – 59% |
|
Content |
Relevance - demonstrates thorough understanding of course concepts by presenting the most appropriate information from Units 1 through 5 for inclusion within concept map
- demonstrates thorough understanding of the relationships bewteen/among the elements chosen |
demonstrates considerable understanding of course concepts by presenting highly appropriate information from Units 1 through 5 for inclusion within concept map
- demonstrates considerable understanding of the relationships bewteen/among the elements chosen |
- demonstrates general understanding of course concepts by presenting appropriate information from Units 1 through 5 for inclusion within concept map
- demonstrates general understanding of the relationships bewteen/among the elements chosen |
- demonstrates limited understanding of course concepts by presenting some appropriate information from Units 1 through 5 for inclusion within concept map
- demonstrates limited understanding of the relationships bewteen/among the elements chosen |
|
Reasoning |
Definition and precision of terms - shows thorough understanding of the relationship between elements included within concept map and justifications offered within short essay
Use of evidence - offers pertinent arguments to justify response, draws from a variety of course materials; demonstrates a subtle understanding of relationships between ideas |
- shows considerable understanding of the relationship between elements included within concept map and justifications offered within short essay
- offers pertinent arguments to justify response, draws from course materials |
- shows some understanding of the relationship between elements included within concept map and justifications offered within short essay
- offers some arguments to justify response, draws from a limited selection of course materials |
- shows limited understanding of the relationship between elements included within concept map and justifications offered within short essay
- offers few arguments to justify response |
|
Organization |
Logical consistency - follows all recommended writing guidelines as set forth in the Student Manual, follows an appropriate academic style rigorously (APA or MLA)
- concept map demonstrates visually relationships between ideas in a highly effective manner |
- follows most recommended writing guidelines as set forth in the Student Manual, follows an appropriate academic style consistently (APA or MLA)
- concept map demonstrates visually relationships between ideas in an effective manner
|
- follows some of the recommended writing guidelines as set forth in the Student Manual, follows an appropriate academic style (APA or MLA)
- concept map demonstrates visually relationships between ideas in a generally effective manner |
- follows few of the recommended writing guidelines as set forth in the Student Manual, and fails to use an appropriate academic style (APA or MLA)
- concept map does not demonstrate visually relationships between ideas presented |
|
Research Skills |
Accuracy and variety of information - demonstrates a high degree of research ability: includes a wide variety of course concepts from Units 1 – 5
|
- demonstrates research abilities: applies a variety of course concepts; from Units 1 – 5
|
- demonstrates some degree of research ability: applies some course concepts from Units 1 – 5
|
- demonstrates little research ability: applies few course concepts from Units 1 – 5
|
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