Technology and Human Communication

Catalog description

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. COURSE OVERVIEW. Nontechnical study of how communication technologies shape interpersonal, group and public communication. Surveys the development and uses of media and digital platforms, including how technological change influences interaction, access and social practices. Examines the relationship between communication technologies, culture, industry and everyday life. Engagement with real-world issues and diverse perspectives may occur when examining how communication technologies intersect with politics, culture, ethics and/or lived experience. RELEVANCE AND APPLICATION. Applies to fields involving digital communication, media industries, advertising and public relations, advocacy, public affairs, journalism, organizational communication and technology-focused professions. Informs understanding of how communication practices adapt to emerging tools and platforms in professional, civic and community contexts. Connects to work involving media production, analysis, information sharing, digital literacy, media law and public communication across changing technological environments. DEEPENING UNDERSTANDINGS. Highlights how communication is shaped not only by speakers and audiences but also by technological systems, infrastructures and access. Clarifies differences between viewing technology as a neutral tool and as a force that influences culture, power, participation and/or identity. Encourages reflection on how media shape perception, connection, persuasion and public dialogue in ways that are not always readily visible. TOPICS AND THEMES. May include study of communication technologies and their history; influence of technology on interpersonal, group and public communication; media industries and convergence; digital platforms and social change; argumentation and persuasion in technological debates; access, ethics and policy; cultural and societal effects of emerging media; considerations of how new and traditional media intersect in shaping information, identity and participation in contemporary society. Content may address contested or controversial issues related to technological innovation, communication practices and/or public discourse. Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in COMM 230/JOUR 230 .