Detailed Description
Students learn the principles and techniques of critical and
creative thinking. Through the process of semantic image analysis,
they examine the cultural construction of visual narratives in the
arts, media and everyday life. Applying a range of critical
theories, students practice the inter-disciplinary approach to
visual culture, through the disciplinary lens of anthropology.
Through creative and critical analysis of figurative language,
students learn the art of interpretation and reconstruction of the
meaning. Students explore the power of context and discover the idea
that reading visual narratives is not only about what is shown, it
is also about how things are shown, what we do not see and why we
can not see it.
Students develop strong observation and analytical skills, stretch
their imaginations and expand their creative and critical thinking
through interactive lectures and discussions, creative activities,
open-ended tasks, readings, video clips and an image analysis.
Program Context
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Degree Breadth |
Program Coordinator: Sean McNabney |
This is an intermediate-
level, Social Science
Baccalaureate elective for
students in the Degree
programs. Electives make
students aware of the
distinctive assumptions and
analysis of at least one
discipline outside their
main field of study and of
the society and culture in
which they live and work.
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Course Critical Performance and Learning Outcomes
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Critical Performance
By the end of this course, students will have demonstrated the
ability to critically interpret visual narratives in a variety of
historical and cultural contexts.
Learning Outcomes
To achieve the critical performance, students will have demonstrated
the ability to:
1. Evaluate the critical terms and perspectives of contemporary
visual culture within a framework of critical theory and creative
approaches.
2. Apply techniques of critical and creative thinking through the
process of semantic image analysis.
3. Analyze archaeological artifacts and artistic representations in
the cultural contexts in which they are created and received.
4. Identify the visual cues (sign, symbol, visual code) in various
types of literal, symbolic and metaphoric meanings.
5. Interpret visual narratives in their historical, social and
cultural context.
6. Develop a critical reading of visual texts.
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Evaluation Plan
Students demonstrate their learning in the following ways:
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Students demonstrate their learning in the following ways:
TESTS: 2 x 25% = 50%
ASSIGNMENTS:
IMAGE ANALYSIS/INTERPRETATION ESSAY: 25%
IMAGE ANALYSIS/INTERPRETATION PRESENTATION: 15%
IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES 2 X 5% 10%
TEST AND ASSIGNMENT PROTOCOL
To encourage behaviours that will help students to be successful in
the workplace and to ensure that students receive credit for their
individual work, the following rules apply to every course offered
within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
1. Students are responsible for staying abreast of test dates and
times, as well as due dates and any special instructions for
submitting assignments and projects as supplied to the class
by the Professor.
2. Students must write all tests at the specified times. Missed
tests, in-class activities, assignments and presentations are
awarded a mark of zero. If an extension or make-up opportunity
is approved by the professor as outlined below, the mark of zero
may be revised by subsequent performance. The penalty for late
submission of written assignments is a loss of 10% per day for
up to five business days (excluding weekends and statutory
holidays), after which, a grade of zero is assigned. Business
days include any day that the college is open for business,
whether the student has scheduled classes that day or not.
3. Students, who miss a test or in-class activity or assignment or
fail to submit an assignment on time due to exceptional
circumstances, are required to notify their professor in advance
of the class whenever possible. A make-up test may be supplied
for students who provide an acceptable explanation of their
absence and/or acceptable documentation explaining their absence
(e.g., a medical certificate). All make-up tests are to be
written at a time and place specified by the professor upon the
student's return. Alternately, students may be given an
opportunity to earn the associated marks by having a subsequent
test count for the additional marks. Similarly, exceptional
circumstances may result in a modification of the due dates for
assignments.
4. Unless otherwise specified, assignments and projects must be
submitted at the beginning of class.
5. Students must complete every assignment as an individual effort
unless, the professor specifies otherwise.
6. Since there may be instances of grade appeal or questions
regarding the timely completion of assignments and/or extent of
individual effort, etc., students are strongly advised to keep,
and make available to their professor, if requested, a copy of
all assignments and working notes until the course grade has been
finalized.
7. There will be no resubmission of work unless this has been
previously agreed to or suggested by the professor.
8. Students must submit all assignments in courses with practical
lab and field components in order to pass the course.
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Provincial Context
The course meets the following Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities requirements:
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Essential Employability
Skills
Essential Employability Skills emphasized in the course:
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Communication
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Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
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Interpersonal
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Numeracy |
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Information
Management |
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Personal
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Notes: N/A
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition
PLAR Contact (if course is PLAR-eligible) : Office of the Registrar
Students may apply to receive credit by demonstrating achievement of the course learning outcomes through previous relevant work/life experience, service, self-study and training on the job. This course is eligible for challenge through the following method(s):
Challenge Exam |
Portfolio |
Interview |
Other |
Not Eligible for PLAR |
X |
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Notes: N/A
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Some details of this outline may change as a result of circumstances such as weather cancellations, College and student activities, and class timetabling.
Effective term: Spring/Summer 2013
Professor: Anna Boshnakova
Textbook(s): Sturken, M. and L. Cartwright (2009). Practices of Looking. Oxford
University Press.
Recommended Reading:
Smith, M. (2008). Visual Culture Studies. Sage Publications Ltd.
Applicable student group(s): Degree Breadth
Course Details:Unit 1 - Narratives in visual culture: introduction to visual culture
studies
Topics:
- Visual narratives: history, theory and practice
- Modes of analysis
Reading: Chapter: Introduction
Unit 2 - Visual culture, everyday life and visual literacy
Topics:
- The relationship of text and image: how text changes
perception of images
- How to read images
- Encoding and decoding
- Reception and the audience
Reading: Chapter 2
Unit 3 - Visual codes and historical meaning
Topics:
- Archaeology and the image
- Image and context
- Image and the body: realism and perspective
Reading: Chapter 4
Unit 4 - The story behind the image: how we negotiate the meaning of
images
Topics:
- Now and then: visual narratives from past and present
- Destruction and reconstruction of the lost meaning
- Images as evidence
- Vision and truth
In-class activity (5%)
Reading: Chapter 9
Unit 5 - Image, reproduction and copy
Topics:
- The value of images
- Image reproduction
Reading: Chapter 5
Unit 6 - Limits of the visible
Topics:
- Images, ideology and subjectivity
- Blindness and visual narratives
Reading: Chapter 1
Test 1 (25%)
Unit 7 - Modernity: The gaze and the other
Topics:
- Discourse and power
- The gaze in psychoanalysis
- Gender and the gaze
Assignment due
Image analysis/interpretation essay (25%)
Reading: Chapter 3
Unit 8 - Postmodernism and its visual narratives
Topics:
- Reflexivity and postmodern identity: pastiche, parody and
remake
- Deconstruction of metaphysical identity
In-class activity (5%)
Reading: Chapter 8
Unit 9 - Visual narratives of desire, belonging and envy
Topics:
- Brands and their meaning
- Images of ¿coolness¿
Reading: Chapter 7
Test 2 (25%)
Unit 10 - Mass media image and image flows
Topics:
- Media and everyday life
- Media forms
Reading: Chapter 6
Unit 11 - Visuality and global media flow I
Topics:
- The global gaze
- Concepts of globalization
Group I: Assignment due
Image analysis/interpretation presentation (15%)
Reading: Chapter 10
Unit 12 - Visuality and global media flow II
Topics:
- Cultural imperialism and beyond
- Indigenous and global brands
Group II: Assignments due
Image analysis/interpretation presentation (15%)
Reading: Chapter 10
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Sheridan Policies
All Sheridan policies can be viewed on the Sheridan policy website.
Academic Integrity: The principle of academic integrity requires that all work submitted for evaluation and course credit be the original, unassisted work of the student. Cheating or plagiarism including borrowing, copying, purchasing or collaborating on work, except for group projects arranged and approved by the professor, or otherwise submitting work that is not the student's own, violates this principle and will not be tolerated. Students who have any questions regarding whether or not specific circumstances involve a breach of academic integrity are advised to review the Academic Integrity Policy and procedure and/or discuss them with the professor.
Copyright: A majority of the course lectures and materials provided in class and posted in SLATE are protected by copyright. Use of these materials must comply with the Acceptable Use Policy, Use of Copyright Protected Work Policy and Student Code of Conduct. Students may use, copy and share these materials for learning and/or research purposes provided that the use complies with fair dealing or an exception in the Copyright Act. Permission from the rights holder would be necessary otherwise. Please note that it is prohibited to reproduce and/or post a work that is not your own on third-party commercial websites including but not limited to Course Hero or OneNote. It is also prohibited to reproduce and/or post a work that is not your own or your own work with the intent to assist others in cheating on third-party commercial websites including but not limited to Course Hero or OneNote.
Intellectual Property: Sheridan's Intellectual Property Policy generally applies such that students own their own work. Please be advised that students working with external research and/or industry collaborators may be asked to sign agreements that waive or modify their IP rights. Please refer to Sheridan's IP Policy and Procedure.
Respectful Behaviour: Sheridan is committed to provide a learning environment that supports academic achievement by respecting the dignity, self-esteem and fair treatment of every person engaged in the learning process. Behaviour which is inconsistent with this principle will not be tolerated. Details of Sheridan's policy on Harassment and Discrimination, Academic Integrity and other academic policies are available on the Sheridan policy website.
Accessible Learning: Accessible Learning coordinates academic accommodations for students with disabilities. For more information or to register, please see the Accessible Learning website (Statement added September 2016)
Course Outline Changes: The information contained in this Course Outline including but not limited to faculty and program information and course description is subject to change without notice. Any changes to course curriculum and/or assessment shall adhere to approved Sheridan protocol. Nothing in this Course Outline should be viewed as a representation, offer and/or warranty. Students are responsible for reading the Important Notice and Disclaimer which applies to Programs and Courses.
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