Theme Justification

Year 1 of our program focused on providing participants with an overview of North American, European and post-Soviet theoretical models used in media studies. Participants were asked to produce course syllabi, developed from material covered in our Summer 2006 program, which will be used for new or existing courses at the universities represented by our participants.

The originally listed theme for Year 2 of our proposal¡ªthe role and Impact of Media Critics in Society¡ªhas been revised to incorporate the theme of Media Literacy and research as a tool for innovation in teaching. Feedback from our participants, resource faculty and evaluators at the conclusion of our summer 2006 seminar, indicated the need for an in-depth and applications oriented review of North American, European and post-Soviet research methods. It was concluded that providing our participants with a combination of theoretical and practical skills will strengthen the research they will perform throughout their academic careers and will provide them with new material to incorporate into their classes. In comparing and contrasting preferences for qualitative and quantitative research methods in the East and in the West, participants will be able to discern which research methods or which combination of approaches will enhance their research studies and research results. They will be able to understand which research methods correspond with particular theoretical models. When teaching courses that include an overview of theory and methods, junior faculty will be able to provide their students with a global view of media studies as it relates to research and media literacy. By reviewing specific case studies, participants will also recognize the way in which social, political or economic factors impact academic research.