Contemporary Media Issues Assignment 1

Our first assignment in this lesson is to create a Wiki (through Wetpaint.com) about a book that we have been given and a specific question that goes along with the book. The idea is to answer the question and make the information accesable to everyone else on the course. This allows all of the class to learn from each other and simplifies information down so that we can see things clearer.
In my group we recieved the text 'The medium is the massage' by Marshall McLuhan and Quentin Fiore (1967). I am familiar with Marshall McLuhans work through 6th form and using him in my research for Media Studies theories.

Last week we were introduced to using Wiki's and I wasn't totally convinced that this is something that i would like to use. However, because we have been given this as the first assignement, I suppose I am going to have to get used to it! We are allowed to include a multitude of media within the Wiki so as a group we thought that it would be a good idea to make the Wiki look a bit more exciting rather than just an essay.

We have decided to include sound bites of eachother speaking about or given subject and our own personal thoughts and feeling about the book and MacLuhan. We will also research for YouTube content related to the subject and talk about the videos underneath in a discussion format. I personally really like using Prezi and so we are going to include a Prezi to illustrate how the things that we are talking about link together. This will link in with the whole theme of wanting our Wiki to resemble that of the book. Because the book is very graphic based so it is full of images and text combined to interest the reader.

We will either download the book off the internet or get a hard copy from the LJMU Learning Resource Centre. I think that having the hard copy will be much better because it is very image based. If we get one hard copy between the group we have then discuss as a whole what we all think. We could also download a copy each to refer to at home when doing individual threads for the Wiki.

The question that we were given alongside the title of the book was to find out exactly what The medium is the massage means, and also refer to other books by Marshall MacLuhan such as 'Understading Media'. We are also allowed to refer to other texts that could link in with our key text.

Anyway, I think that using all of the different media forms will allow the Wiki to become enjoyable for everyone, so hopefully we can work well as a team! :)
Speak soon!

Image Credits: www.bnet.com