HOME PAGE FOR AUDIO PRODUCTION AND CONTEMPORARY CULTURE

As you probably know, this is a brand new course. Since the Course Profile was written there have been some small changes to the course, and as time progresses there are likely to be more. For this reason it is important that you ensure that you keep up-to-date by referring to the site often and, each time you do, that you force your Internet browser to refresh or reload the data to make sure that you are viewing the current, and not a cached version of the material.

I'm new to this course. What should I do first?

1. Read the information on this page

2. Read the Course Profile. In the links above this is provided as two documents, the main course profile and the assessment details.

3. Read the study schedule on the offical course site at URL: http://www.infocom.cqu.edu.au/Courses/2002/T3/MMST12016/Study_Schedule/. This contains the most up-to-date information about the schedule of lectures, workshops and tutorials and about assignment tasks and when they fall due.

4. Explore this site via the interface above, and familiarise yourself with the material. Be aware that parts may be subject to change. Changes and updates are advised on the official course site.

5. Explore the course software at your earliest opportunity. Remember that when you are dealing with technology, "Murphy's Law" often applies: if something can go wrong- it will. Part of the experience of working with software tools is understanding this. If there are bugs, its best to discover them early, when there's plenty of time to rectify the problem. Don't leave things to the last minute.

6. If you experience a software or hardware fault in a CQU multimedia lab, immediately inform the lab monitor or register a request with the appropriate help-desk operator. Flex students experiencing difficulty should contact a course coordinator. The on-campus tutor specialises in assistance with software and hardware technique, and with theoretical issues, and is not responsible for maintenance of software or equipment.

7. Visit Tutorial #1 page. This page explains how the tutorials for this course are integrated and how participation in the tutorials will be assessed.

Contacts for this course:

Co-Coordinator: Ashley Holmes - a.holmes@cqu.edu.au - 07 4940 7592

Associate Co-Coordinator: Martin Francis - m.francis@cqu.edu.au - 07 4940 7828

Course developed by Brendan Murphy - b.murphy@cqu.edu.au

About the structure of this course and the course site

This is a course that is presented primarily in on-line mode. You'll notice there are three categories of teaching and learning support: lectures, workshops and tutorials.

The lectures are reading materials that focus on the conceptual/contextual/theoretical issues. They are presented on-line in a weekly format. It is the responsibility of each student to read and, follow up the leads that arise from them, in the form of suggested readings and further activities. On campuses, lectures may also be supported in a class environment.

The online workshops are detailed work-throughs of particular scenarios using the tools the students need to learn and developing the skills they will need to complete the assignments. Workshops for this course deal with practical issues and are presented in an online format also. For all on-campus students, the weekly workshops are staffed at a scheduled time by a tutor in a computer lab, and for distance students by a tutor who monitors the on-line forum and is available for contact by email or by phone (via Ashley Holmes or Martin Francis) to support distance student learning on an ad-hoc basis.

The tutorials for this course differ from lectures and workshops in that they are conducted according to a fortnightly, not a weekly, schedule. They supplement the lecture and the workshop materials and encourage students to interact via the on-line forum to discuss issues relavent to them in a less directed, but still very much results-oriented fashion. Focus questions provided on the tutorial pages are to promote discussion. Exercises are set there too. These are expected to be undertaken, and a selection of responses to them will comprise an assessible component of the course. See the tutorials pages for more information.

NOTE that the way that all students are expected to participate in tutorials has changed since the Course Profile was written. Now ALL students, and not just Flex (distance) mode students, are expected to participate in "e-tutes", which is just another name for tutorials as discussed here and on the tutorial pages. In the Course Profile it was stated that only Flex mode students participated in the e-tutes.

Listen, read, research, create and enjoy.

In a very important way, the existence of this course is a celebration of the flexibility and inclusivity that the digital revolution has brought to contemporary culture. It is expected that each student will make the most of this opportunity in a way that fulfills each individual's learning objectives whilst also contributing the the learning outcomes of their peers. Be supportive. Share information in the forum provided. Embrace the challenge to succeed. Above all, enjoy this chance to create for yourself an interesting experience of audio production theory and technique.

Ashley Holmes and Martin Francis