Fundamentals of Digital Media :: Course Review

Unit 1: Introduction to Digital Media

Lesson Concept(s) Student Needs to Know/Understand

Assignment 2:

Explain the basic components and functionality of digital and traditional cameras.
Digital Camera Basics (Unit
Test Q#s 1-6)

Assignment 3: Digital Cameras

Compare the advantages and disadvantages of the use/functionality of traditional digital
vs. Mobile Cameras (Unit Test
cameras compared to mobile cameras.
Q# 7-12)

Assignment 5: The Rise of

Digital Libraries (Unit Test Explain the use of digital libraries over traditional book-based libraries.
Q#s 13, 14, 17, 19)

A8: Digital Media in Business

Explain the value of using online video and audio for business.
and Society (Unit Test Q# 22)

A9: Storing and Sharing Online Discuss the history of the Internet and how files are stored both online and in a media
Media (Unit Test Q# 28) device.

Discuss Fair Use, Copyright, & Trademark.

A 11: Best Practices for Digital
Media (Unit Test Q# 32, 35) Discuss best practices in the creation of digital media. (“standards or guidelines used to
(Unit Test Q# 33) achieve the best results in creating a product or achieving a goal”) Pay attention to details,
know your desired outcome, provide a method for feedback, follow the law

Discuss careers in digital media (A11, Section 3) : media creation, web design, digital
marketing, digital advertising --
A11: Best Practices for Digital Digital Marketing = tracking trends with data
Media (Unit Test Q#s 15, 16, Digital Advertising = creative, designing ads (Unit Test Q# 31)
18) Others in A5, Section 3: digital photographer, digital media sales, software engineer,
media specialist, product support specialist
Also, from A5: digital libtrarian (Unit Test Q# 14)
Digital/online libraries vs. traditional libraries (from Unit 1 Test, Q#13)

In general, here are some advantages and disadvantages of an online library:

Advantages Disadvantages

● Searches a wide database ● Must have access to a computer &

● Accessible from any location internet
● Has experts to assist you ● Many times a subscription (or
● Provides access to many different special computer privileges/
types of information permission) is needed
● Information available immediately ● Expert help may not be live; may
be a delay

Difference between copyright and trademark (from Unit 1 Test, Q# 35)

● a copyright is registered while a trademark is approved;
● a copyright can exist for a work even if it has not been registered, but a
trademark must be approved to be applied;
● copyrights protect works or creations while trademarks protect specific words,
symbols, or devices;
● neither can be used without permission from the author unless fair use conditions
apply.

Unit 2: Digital Media: Effectiveness and Production

Lesson Concept(s) Student Needs to Know/Understand

Assignment 1: Traditional Media vs. Digital Media Describe some important milestones in the evolution of media.
(Unit Test Q# 1)
(Unit Test Q#1,2) List some advantages of digital media.

Assignment 2: The Rise of a Digital Society (Unit Test Discuss living in a digital society and the changes that have
Q#s 8-12) occurred because of this.

Assignment 4: Digital Citizenship (Unit Test Q#s 4,7, Discuss some risks associated with Internet use. Spyware,
13-17) Cookies, cyberbullying, fraud…)
Assignment 7: Digital Media Production (Unit Test Describe the process that takes place to create digital media
Q#s 21-23, 26, 27, 29) pieces.

Assignment 8: Tools for Digital Media Production: Evaluate a web-based digital media to determine if it demonstrates
Web and Interactive Digital Media effective communication.

Assignment 10: Media Production: Audio and Video Compare different programs for audio and video production.

Describe some administrative positions related to audio and video

Assignment 10: Media Production: Audio and Video
production. (project mgr, writer, producer, web developer,
(Unit Test Q#s 19, 20, 28, 30, 31)
designer, graphic artist, audio-/video- technicians, webmaster)

ten “best practices” for digital recordings (Unit Test Q# 32, 34, 35)
When recording, there are a few guidelines that should be followed. These guidelines are called “best
practices.”
1. Pay close attention to your surroundings. Make sure there are no echoes or background
noises in the room. Make sure there are no distracting objects in sight.
2. There are two types of microphones, unidirectional and omnidirectional. Make sure to
select the one that is best for your situation. Unidirectional microphones are best for
recording one speaker or narrator. Omnidirectional microphones are best for recording a
situation or event.
3. If the recording is going to take more than one incidence, make sure you use consistent
surroundings and equipment settings. This will make it easier to combine the clips later.
4. When recording, whenever possible, use a tripod or table microphone to eliminate any
unwanted motions or sounds associated with motion.
5. Audio and video are equally important. Whenever possible, do not shoot video in a place
where you know the audio is suboptimal and vice-versa.
6. Be conscious of your lighting. Poor lighting or irregular lighting can make a video appear
unprofessional.
7. Take the time to record a demo and review it. If any adjustments need to be made, it is
best to do so when you start.
8. Filmmakers often record extra footage in case they want to cut and paste in different
shots. In the video industry, they call this B-roll. Always record some B-roll in case you
need extra footage for the editing process.
9. Record some audio of the silence in the area you are filming. If you need to cut and paste
audio, it will come in handy. You never truly have silence; there is always some kind of
 background noise. If you need this for editing, the “silence” from your recordings will match
the background noise in your recordings.
10. When listening to your recording, wear headphones. You will not be distracted by
background noise in the room that you are in or confuse it with background noise in the
recording.

nine elements to being a good digital citizen

● equal access,
● e-commerce,
● responsible and appropriate use of online communication tools,
● digital literacy,
● digital etiquette,
● compliance with the law,
● digital freedoms and digital responsibility,
● digital health and wellness, and
● security in a digital world.

Unit 3: Project Management and Social Media

Lesson Concept(s) Student Needs to Know/Understand

Assignment 1: Project Management:

Project Planning (Unit Test Q#s 1-7) Prepare a project plan.

Assignment 3: Project Management: Apply the steps in problem-solving/conflict-resolution. (5)

Project Monitoring (Unit Test Q#s 8-12)

Assignment 5: Project Management:

Describe the process of project shutdown. (termination by (_4_)
Project Termination (Unit Test Q#s 13-14)

Social media defined & discussed (A7, Sections 1 & 2)

Argue the advantages of cloud computing networks vs. traditional

A7: Social Media Defined
social media networks. (A7, Section 3)

Careers in Social Media (A7, Sections 4 & 5)

 Propose ways that social media could benefit a business.
A8: Uses of Social Media (Unit Test Q# 27)
Discuss the advantages of using social media.

A10: Staying Safe When Using Social Media Discuss cyber crime (pharming, baiting, click-jacking, cross-site
(Unit Test Q#s 31-35) scripting, stalking, harassment, discrimination, defamation)

A10: Staying Safe When Using Social Media Develop a plan to help keep you safe when using social media

traits of a good project manager

1) highly organized;
2) excellent communicators;
3) excellent negotiators;
4) open-minded;
5) good listeners;
6) patient;
7) honest;
8) excellent problem-solvers;
9) effective leaders;
10) are able to put themselves in another person’s shoes to see his or her point of view.

Evaluation questions for program managers (Unit Test Q# 15)

Were the goals of the project met?
Were deadlines met?
Was the project on-budget?
Did the team work well together?
What were the successes? What were the challenges?
Was communication effective in problem solving?

tips you would give to people to stay safe on the Internet so that their information stays
secure (to avoid cybercrime)
never share passwords,
create an effective password,
keep personal information to yourself,
know what “fake” online profiles might look like,
be careful about clicking on links, and
know when to be suspicious of links.
Unit 4: Gaming, Simulations, Websites, and Apps

Lesson Concept(s) Student Needs to Know/Understand

A1: Video Games and the Video Game

Describe the video game market.
Industry (Unit Test Q#1)

A3: Simulations and Modeling (Unit Test Define simulations and modeling. (simulation training programs: military,
Q#2) space exploration, crime, major disease)

A4: Creating Video Games and Simulations Discuss some important considerations when choosing a career in the
(Unit Test Q#s 8, 14) gaming industry. (Qualifications) (Areas in which one should be trained)

A7: Creating Websites (Unit Test Q#s 19, Compare the different types of computer languages. (Scripting, programming,
20, 22, 30) mark up, indexed, HTML)

A9: Web Pages: Beyond the Basics (Unit

Define and describe the benefits of CSS.
Test Q#s 27, 29)

Discuss different ways e-commerce sites collect payment. (Lesson Section 4)

A10: Web Pages and E-commerce (Set up merchant accounts, shopping cart software such as PayPal, Venmo,
etc.)

A10: Web Pages and E-commerce (Unit

Describe the importance of security to e-commerce. (Lesson Section 5)
Test Q# 33)

challenges for game development in the future

● saving games from consoles to mobile devices;
● graphics issues;
● the potential demand for a more immersive experience/larger screens;
● Piracy. (Unit test Q# 13)
Unit 5: Digital Business Looking Forward

Lesson Concept(s) Student Needs to Know/Understand

A1: Best Practices of Digital Advertisement Discuss some advantages and disadvantages of globalization. (Chart
and Promotion below)

Compare and contrast the different types of mobile marketing. (Social

A3: Digital Media in Advertising Media Marketing strategies: establish a strong web presence & encourage
interaction with potential customers with things like discounts, contests, etc.)

A4: Law and Digital Media Describe some different laws that relate to digital media.

A7: Digital Audio and Video Explain some advantages of using digital audio and video files.

A8: The Future of Digital Media Discuss some ways to deal with being over-connected.

A10: Finding a Career that Is Right for You Determine what type of schooling is necessary for their chosen career.

Select a career in digital media that they are interested in learning more
A10: Finding a Career that Is Right for You
about and possibly pursuing.

Steps a business can take to prevent security issues and to maintain the confidence of
its clientele
1) Always run virus protection and use firewalls;
2) Store customer information on a separate computer or storage device;
3) Always use a reputable web server and make sure to inquire about its security
practices;
4) Make sure credit card processing uses a digital certificate to verify the processing
site;
5) Be cautious of merchant accounts and companies that process payments. Make sure
its security is up to your standards and up to date.
The differences between the four primary legal protections that can be used to secure
one’s intellectual property: copyrights, trademarks, patents, and trade secret laws.
● patents protect inventions or discoveries;
● copyrights protect works of expression such as songs, photographs, works of art,
etc.; trademarks protect distinguishing symbols, words, logos, colors, and so on;
● Trade secret laws protect property such as recipes, designs, and blueprints.
● Copyrights are automatic, but businesses or individuals must apply for
trademarks, patents, and protection under trade secret laws. If another individual
or business violates these protections, they may be taken to civil or criminal
court.
● Review the information on this topic in Unit 1

Globalization

Advantages Disadvantages

● Increased opportunities ● Increased competition

● Increased collaboration ● Small business’ inability to stay
● Increased ease of communication competitive
● Cooperation on global issues ● Increase ease of negative
● Exposure to different cultures communication

Global ethical standards

1. Pursue an approach that provides the greatest benefit to the most people
2. Create standards that protect the rights/dignity of the people who use social
media
3. Ensure your actions are fair & promote the greater good of the
masses/communitiy (group, as opposed to individual)
4. Create standards that are based on a broad concept of what is right, good, and
fair (not on religion, law, or culture; too narrow/specific)

Core Concepts/Canons of Journalism

● Sincerity
● Truthfulness
● Accuracy
● Impartciality
● Fair play
● Decency