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Unit title: Communication in Action Project Credit points: 20 Unit code: CCA408 FHEQ level: 4 School: Unit designation: Traditional Programme group: Business, Law and Communications Advertising, Marketing and Communications Unit delivery model: CD Max & Min Student no.: 25/12 TOTAL STUDENT WORKLOAD Students are required to attend and participate in all the formal scheduled sessions for the unit. Students are also expected to manage their directed learning and independent study in support of the unit. PRE-REQUISITES AND CO-REQUISITES: None UNIT DESCRIPTION: This unit develops students’ skills in writing for a variety of visual and digital genres in response to a live client brief. The fundamental importance of writing as a communications tool is stressed, but the student is exposed to the wide variety of genre and purposes that writing serves for the PR and communications professional. Understanding audiences’ communication needs, and responding to them in specific contexts lies at the heart of this project-based option, which integrates writing with visual design and digital publication. This unit will help students to develop a wider understanding of how writing, corporate identity and design can work together to enhance the perception of an organisation, product, brand or service. During lectures students will be introduced to the various genres and be expected to apply what they have learnt in seminar workshops into a reflective portfolio that integrates writing to visual and electronic publishing outputs. Practical workshops will support students’ work in the principal tools of electronic publishing and use of Apple Mac systems. Short writing projects will be set that will help strengthen a student’s understanding and their skills in integrating written, visual and digital concepts through a variety of media. Students will be expected to demonstrate concepts and working practices relevant to successful written, visual and digital communication as a means of persuasion. Project management, from initial briefing to post production analysis will allow students to experience and explore the different stages associated with producing creative outputs. They will be expected to apply these in response to the creative project set (usually to a live client brief). LEARNING OUTCOMES On successful completion of the unit, students should be able to: Knowledge and Understanding K1 Recognise the key theoretical concepts of PR and communication writing, corporate identity, visual communication and digital publishing K2 Identify various writing genres and analyse them according to audience needs, integrating visual and design elements appropriately. Cognitive Skills C1 Recognise the specialised skills of PR and communication writing, applying appropriate concepts, theories and models for written, visual and digital publishing outputs. Practical and Professional Skills P1 Undertake specific research tasks using appropriate methods, applying writing, design skills and software knowledge to creative challenges. P2 Produce written visual and digital communication materials for specified audiences and contexts, displaying a creative approach and using appropriate styles, software solutions and media. P3 Perform a range of roles within research or creative teams to facilitate a viable creative solution. Transferable and Key Skills T1 Communicate information and ideas in an accurate manner, using the appropriate written, visual and digital forms. T3 Plan and manage time spent on activities AREAS OF STUDY: Defining news and media writing Various forms of media relations: features, reviews, press releases Defining corporate communication genres Audiences and readerships Writing style and grammar in different genres Writing for web, advertising, broadcast Corporate identity, brand and imagery “House style”: packaging, stationery, advertising and signage Integration of written text, visual design elements and photography Client briefs and needs assessment Group project management LEARNING AND TEACHING STRATEGY A mix of lectures, seminars, tutorials and technical workshops will allow students to obtain an understanding of writing genres in the field of PR and communications, whilst developing technical design and production skills. ASSESSMENT STRATEGY The Group Portfolio allows students to interpret the requirements of a client brief, providing valuable experience that reflects all the different stages of producing a written creative output for a client. The portfolio assessment gives the students the opportunity to work together to research, design and the produce written materials that meet the needs of a client. There will be an individual element to the group project, with different team members contributing different written materials, which are assessed individually, as well as the group based work. This introduces collective responsibility and yet also allows individual contributions to be recognised. The Group presentation requires students to deliver an oral defence of their written materials in a “live client” situation, learning methods of persuasive communication and visual presentation through power-point. ASSESSMENT AE1 weighting: assessment type: length/duration: anonymous marking: AE2 weighting: assessment type: length/duration: anonymous marking: 60% Group Client Project Portfolio 2,000 words No 40% Group Presentation 10 minutes No AGGREGATION OF MARKS The marks for each element of assessment will be aggregated to give an overall mark for the unit. RE-ASSESSMENT ARRANGEMENTS All elements of assessment are to be aggregated to produce an overall mark. In the case of re/deferral in the Group portfolio, students will be required to re-work and re-submit the Group Reflective Portfolio (AE1). Students must submit the original, along with the reworked portfolio, to enable comparison. Where individual students are re/deferred, the assignment will be adjusted to an individual portfolio, if no group is viable at re-sit. For AE2, students who miss their presentation slot will be offered the opportunity to present on another occasion. Failing this, students will be required to attend the university on a specified date to give a presentation during the referral period; where possible, the course team will allocate new groups; however, this cannot be guaranteed and therefore referral of the group presentation may need to be undertaken as an individual piece. Unit Authors: Debbie Moores and Paul Ansell Unit history: Unit modified/Year Implemented/Code Jan 2011 2011/12 CCA408