NCHNAL593 Visual Communication of Information Course Descriptor

Course Title	Visual Communication of Information	Faculty	EDGE Innovation Unit London
Course code	NCHNAL593	Teaching Period	This course will typically be delivered over a 6-week period
Credit points	15	Date approved	March 2021
FHEQ level	5
Compulsory/ Optional	Compulsory
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None

Course Summary

This course covers the history of multimedia technology, focusing on the uses of multimedia in website development. Examines the technical and design aspects of basic components of multimedia: text, audio, graphics, video, sound, animation, and virtual reality. Emphasises the use of multimedia in user interfaces. This is a ‘hands-on’ course in which students practice techniques throughout the course.

Course Aims

Train students in the use of multimedia technology.
Introduce students to website development.
Train students in the technical and design aspects of multimedia.
Expose students to responsive design techniques.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

Knowledge and Understanding

K1b	Have critical knowledge of a range of multimedia techniques and how to use them effectively in website development.
K2b	Have knowledge and a critical understanding of different business environments where digital media is used.
K3b	Understand how digital media has evolved over time and have an awareness of state-of-the-art media technologies.

Subject Specific Skills

S1b	Effectively use a range of techniques for multimedia design.
S2b	Conceptualise and produce effective digital media for website development.

Transferable and Professional Skills

T1bi	Develop conceptual thinking, reasoning and reflection.
T1bii	Demonstrate a sound technical proficiency in written English and skill in selecting vocabulary so as to communicate effectively to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
T2b	Critically evaluate different technical and conceptual approaches to problem solving within this field of study.
T3b	Effectively communicate arguments, analyses and conclusions.

Teaching and Learning

This is an e-learning course, taught throughout the year.

This course can be offered as a standalone short course.

Teaching and learning strategies for this course will include:

Online learning
Online discussion groups
Online assessment

Course information and supplementary materials will be available on the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

Students are required to attend and participate in all the formal and timetabled sessions for this course. Students are also expected to manage their self-directed learning and independent study in support of the course.

The course learning and teaching hours will be structured as follows:

Learning and teaching (6 days x 8 hours) = 48 hours
Independent study = 102 hours

Indicative total learning hours for this course: 150 hours

Assignments (see below) will be completed as part of private study.

Assessment

Formative

Students will be formatively assessed during the course by means of set assignments. These will not count towards the final degree but will provide students with developmental feedback.

Summative

AE	Assessment Type	Weighting	Online submission	Duration	Length
1	Practical skills	70%	Yes	Requiring on average 25-35 hours to complete	–
2	Written assignment	30%	Yes	–	1,500 words +/- 10%, excluding data tables

All summative assessments will be assessed in accordance with the assessment aims set out in the Programme Specification.

Feedback

Students will receive formal feedback in a variety of ways: written (via email or VLE correspondence) and indirectly through online discussion groups. Students will also attend a formal meeting with their Mentor. These reviews will monitor and evaluate the student’s progress.

Indicative Reading

Note: Comprehensive and current reading lists for courses are produced annually in the Course Syllabus or other documentation provided to students; the indicative reading list provided below is used as part of the approval/modification process only.

Books

Flusser, V., (2011), Introduction to the Universe of Technical Images, Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press

Reas, C. and Fry, B., (2016), Processing: a programming handbook for visual designers and artists. Cambridge, Mass.; London: MIT Press

Nixon R., (2009), Learning PHP, MySQL, and JavaScript: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Dynamic Websites, O’Reilly

Journals

Students are encouraged to consult relevant journals on visual communication of information.

Electronic Resources

Students are encouraged to consult relevant electronic resources on visual communication of information.

Indicative Topics

How to incorporate multimedia into website design and development
How to effectively use multimedia for communication to a specialist and non-specialist audience
What can we learn from the history of multimedia?

Title: NCHNAL593 Visual Communication of Information Approved by: Academic Board Location: Academic Handbook/Programme specifications and Handbooks/ Undergraduate Online Programmes/Applied BSc (Hons) Digital & Technology Solutions/Course Descriptors
Version number	Date approved	Date published	Owner	Proposed next review date	Modification (As per AQF4) & category number
3.0	December 2022	December 2022	Dr Yu-Chun Pan	June 2026	Category 3: Change to Teaching and Learning Strategy; Change to English Proficiency Learning Outcome Category 1: Corrections/clarifications to documents which do not change approved content or learning outcomes
2.1	August 2022	August 2022	Scott Wildman	June 2026	Category 1: Corrections/clarifications to documents which do not change approved content or learning outcomes
2.0	January 2022	April 2022	Scott Wildman	June 2026	Category 3: Changes to Learning Outcomes
1.0	March 2021	–	Scott Wildman	March 2026