Virtual Worlds and the Social Media
Fall & Spring
| 3 credits
| Elective
Majors:
Communication,
Media Studies,
and
Sociology
Human interaction has seen a vast amount of changes in the past decade thanks to the endless possibilities created by the Internet. Because social media has become a rapidly increasing platform, CEOs, politicians and other leaders all over the world are recognizing the need for direct and continual dialogue with costumers, voters and other stakeholders.
This course will survey the brief yet remarkable history of the Internet, the development of virtual worlds and the creation of communication cultures. Throughout the semester, we will examine the latest explorations of digital media and the new ways of deploying digital possibilities in business, politics and education. At the conclusion of this course, you will fully understand the impact that a digital lifestyle has on social interactions and its relation to the perception of ourselves as human beings.
Field Studies
- Danish Parliament
- Visit the Danish Parliament and meet with Ida Auken, an MP for Denmark’s Socialist People’s Party. Her focus is on sustainability and ethics and is an active participant in social media outreach. Students will gain a first-hand perspective on how one woman can appeal to the masses using a variety of media.
- Berlingske Media
- Visit to Denmark’s largest media publishing group, Berlingske Media. Pernille Tranberg, head of Digital Editorial Development, will talk about new media in old media and the future of publishing from a digital perspective.
Instructors
-
Inger Marie Vennize
Journalist (Danish School of Journalism, 1987). Studies in Nordic Literature (University of Odense, 1982) and in Foreign Relations and Communication (Stanford University, 1992-1993). Foreign news editing and reporting at Danmarks Radio since 1997. News anchor and reporter, TV2 News, 1987-1997. With DIS since 2007.
