Introductory lecture for Contemporary Media Work Practices, a course at RMIT University. These lecture notes are not recommended for general viewing, but be my guest!

1. CMWP
lecture 1 by JennyWeight
RMIT University

2. A course like no other
In this course we will use the internet, to learn about the
internet.
Not just about content, information, skills mastery, but a
way of being in the world.
Why?
What’s important?
Skills for careers and for life:

3. CMWP are:
Digital and networked:
• how we collaborate
• how we communicate
• how we share
• how we represent ourselves in the world
• how we find things out
• how we make contacts
• how we are efficient
• how we are global and location-independent
• how we produce work
• how we publish
• how we market ourselves and our work
• How we do research
And it’s not just about
New media! Read
“How social media and viral
Marketing is saving the film
industry”:
http://mashable.com/2012/12/19/soc
ial-media-viral-marketing-film-
industry/

4. Hybridity
The impact of the internet, and particularly Web 2.0 (social media) is that:
• All media infects and influences each other
• Our private lives and our professional lives are interconnected
• The distinction between media and marketing is fading away
How are we going to manage this hybridity?
• Communication skills
• Organisational skills
• Research skills
• Production skills
They combine to create our course, Contemporary Media Work Practices (CMWP)

5. Assessment tasks
• 4 assignments
• In the first one, we lead you through it step-by-
step, starting today
• Assignments 2 and 3 are about your own group
projects.We will start planning them tomorrow.
• Assignment 4 is practice-led research

6. Practice-led research?
• Throughout this course, and throughout the Master
of Media, you will be doing this.
• You need to research about, and write academic
reflections about your production work.
• In this course, and in others, you will use a blog to do
this.

7. I haven’t got a blog!
• You will get a freeWordpress blog today
• If you already have aWordpress blog, you can
use it.
• But – you might want a different one for your
course

8. Professionalism
You are professionals.Your work in this course is going to be public.
When you are about to make something public in your blog or on social media, you need to
think carefully about whether it will enhance your reputation.
Online, reputation is all you have.
This is not just about being polite.
Can strangers understand what you are saying?
Anything you write and publish online should be written with strangers in mind. Not your tutor
or other students in the class. We will talk about professionalism again in this course.

9. So, where do I start?
All the course content is in the assignments.The
assignments are in a Google folder on Google drive.
Your feedback will also be shared with you this
way. So please make sure you can access the
Google drive folder.
Most of you should already have an email from me.
Some late enrolling students may not have it.

10. Course guide
Available online at
http://www1.rmit.edu.au/courses/COMM25321650
Note the assignment deadlines.The deadline for assignment
1 is 5pm Friday August 5
Assignment 2: 5pm Monday 5 September
Assignment 3: 5pm 17 October
Assignment 4: 5pm 21 October
Put these deadlines in your calendar!

11. Assessment rubrics
This is the marking criteria.
They are in the course guide and also in the assignment sheets in the Google
folder.
Also in the Google folder, have a look at the CMWP tute plan.
This will be updated as we go.We will follow it during tutes. It will tell you
our agenda for the intensive.

12. Tutorials and study buddies
We need to organise tutorials. It seems most people are in theTuesday evening tutorial.There is
also aWednesday morning tutorial at 10:30. I am going to pass around a paper. Please clarify
which tutorial you would like to be in.
Merran is the tutor onTuesday evening. Jenny is the tutor onWednesday morning.
If too many people want to change toWednesday, it will be first on the list that get it! So if you
really need to change, make sure you name is on the list.
Please also get yourself a study buddy.This is another student in the class who you can text,
email or phone to ask a question if you are stuck.
If you are still stuck, you’ll need to ask your tutor!
But sometimes having another student to ask a question to is very helpful.

13. Lectures
Most of the lectures are online.They are linked from the
assessment tasks. Most of them are published in my blog
(geniwate.com).
My blog is a professional blog. I will be showing you how
things work in it.
Please note the services in my blog are not available to
students in this course. It would be a conflict of interest.

14. The fine print
All course guides have important information about late assessment
penalties, special consideration if you get sick, how to submit the
assessment etc. Please read this carefully.
Please remember that if you are worried about the assessment, you
should ask your tutor, and read the course guide.
We have the English for Media professionals session onTuesdays at 11:30
for people who want more help with English. If you are finding it difficult,
please get some help. I promise it will get easier.

15. So, assignment 1
• A little project involving photography, video, social media, research and
blogging.
• Our theme is ‘Melbourne noir’
• Please find assignment 1 in the Google drive folder.
• This morning we will set up the social media accounts.
• This afternoon we will do the photography
• Tomorrow morning we will do the video, and a little more social media.
• Your assignment should be well advanced by the end of the weekend. We
will continue in tutorials next week.

16. Assignment 1: first steps
• Before we do any photography, let’s set up
our social media accounts.
• More details in CMWP tute plan s22016 in
Google drive.

17. References
Kjaer Global ‘Tomorrow’sTransmedia’
http://global-influences.com/scientific/the-future-of-
telecom/