Diploma in Text, Textuality and Digital Media

This diploma course establishes the great influence of communication media on human history and examines its continued social impact. We take you through the development of different forms of communication and trace their impact on societies, from early oral and written traditions to the invention of printing and electronic communication and finally digital media. We also show you how the Digital Age is changing the way we live and think.

What You Will Learn In This Free Course

The Medium and The Message

In this module, you will see how the mode of communication affects the message we are trying to send. Features of communication cultures are highlighted in this course. You will be shown the evolution of oral to manuscript culture in this particular module. You will also learn about how technology has influenced early writing cultures.

Orality and Literacy

In this module, you will learn about the effect of the shift from the oral domain to the literary domain and its far-reaching effect on human communication, society, and the human mind. You will be shown the development of written cultures. You will further learn about the characteristics of oral and written forms and how alphabets, writing and printing developed.

Storytelling and The Manuscript

In this module, you will learn about oral forms of communication, how they are applied by using storytelling and how they influenced early manuscript forms. You will be shown the traditions of Dastangoi which will include the elements and features of the oral form. You will also learn about manuscripts, their production and then about bookmaking in medieval Europe.

First Assessment

This assessment is meant to test your understanding of the modules you have learned so far. You need to score 80% or more to pass.; Module

Writing and Printing Technology

In this module, you will be introduced to the techniques and materials that were used for writing. You will be shown the development of printing technology and the comparison between feudalism and capitalism. You will be taught how technology has affected the history of text processing and its distribution. You will also learn how development in Europe influenced text and the effect of the medium on messages.

Print and The Renaissance

In this module, you will learn about the effect the emergence of print had on Europe socially and politically from the 15th to 17th century. You will be shown the motivation for printing and the concept of John Dryden’s verse mock-heroic satire ‘MacFlecknoe’ on print. The influence of print on exploration and colonialism will be explained and how print also aided the scientific and technological advancement of Europe.

Entrance to Digital Media

In this module, you will be introduced to the changes in the perception of text with the coming of digital media. You will be taught about word processing and the digital space, the effect of prints on the oral universe and hypertext support systems. Also, the emergence of electronic literature and its characteristics will be covered in this module. Furthermore, you will be shown some examples of early electronic literature.

Second Assessment

This assessment is meant to test your understanding of the modules you have learned so far. You need to score 80% or more to pass.; Module

Course assessment