General entry requirements + English 6

This course aims to enhance skills and deepen knowledge around the use of strategic media and communication interventions used in international development cooperation. A variety of Communication for Development theories and methods are explored and students have the opportunity to independently plan, implement and evaluate a Communication for Development intervention.

The purpose of this course is to provide the student with an opportunity to strengthen and deepen his/her individual academic and professional profile in the field of Communication for Development through the intensive study of relevant readings. Other purposes are to develop the necessary skills for (a) identifying fields of expertise and (b) collecting, summarizing, analyzing, and presenting substantial materials for non-specialists

This course aims to develop and apply the theoretical and practical skills and knowledge previously acquired in Communication for Development to create an original production in this field. The intention is to provide the student with a tangible proof of his or her craftsmanship and production skills, which can be used in career advancement.

Advances in Social Action, Planning and Evaluation (15 credits) The course has two modules; Communicating and Planning Social Action (7.5 credits) and Evaluating Social Action (7.5 credits).

Specialization (15 credits) The course consists of a specialization in a particular thematic, regional, or demographic subfield of Communication for Development.

Production Project (30 credits) The entire course consists of a production project. This involves creating an original Communication for Development production, event, or intervention, which could include anything from a book chapter, a communication initiative or a radio programme, to a short film, public performance event, or website.

After having completed the course the student will

A1. Be familiar with various social and behaviour change models and their use in development interventions.

A2. Understand the subsequent stages that constitute communication interventions aimed at social action or sustainable development: design and planning a strategy as well as monitoring and evaluating an intervention.

A3. Have acquired a critical understanding of development project planning from a variety of perspectives including the role of locally and culturally-grounded insights, and data, and participatory engagement, and decision-making.

A4. The ability to independently design and carry out a communication intervention aiming at social change and development including engaging in formative research, choosing change theories and models, engaging with communities, stakeholders and target audiences, designing and implementing a plan, developing potential indicators and reporting.

A5. To be able to critically reflect upon the complexity of using communication for transformative action, social change and sustainable development, including the ability to reflect critically on their own roll in these processes.

Specialization (15 credits)

After having completed the course the student will:

B1. Have acquired specialized knowledge on, and understanding of, a thematically, geographically, or demographically defined subfield of Communication for Development.

B2. Understand the process of individual specialization.

B3. Understand the preconditions and challenges of expert knowledge.

B4. Be able to perform tasks necessary for acquiring expert knowledge.

B5. Be able to work on creating his/her individual academic and professional profile.

B6. Be able to present rich and complex data and materials to non-specialists.

B7. Appreciate the limits of specialized knowledge.

B8. Assume a critical approach towards knowledge production in general and the production of expert knowledge in particular.

After having completed the course the student will:

C1. Understand the process involved in creating an original Communication for Development production by applying previously acquired knowledge and understanding.

C2. Understand the dynamic connection between theoretical and practical aspects of the creative process.

C3. Understand the applicability of a production in the field of Communication for Development beyond the educational context.

C4. Be able to apply theoretical and practical skills and abilities to professional production in Communication for Development.

C5. Be able to independently plan, create and assess an original production in the field of Communication for Development.

C6. Possess the necessary methodological skills to both create and analyse production in the field of Communication for Development.

C7. Appreciate the limits of her/his acquired knowledge and skills, as well as her/his need and potential for further learning.

C8. Have the capacity to critically reflect on the field of Communication for Development in its entirety and on its historical and global context.

C9. Critically review the production project as a process

The course uses a 'convergence pedagogy' which combines online teaching and resources with intensive two day in situ seminars that students are expected to attend in person. All teaching is video streamed using online tools so that even students that cannot attend seminars in person can participate online. Course work will be a combination of individual assignments and group work projects. Peer review and collaboration between students is an important learning activity through out the course.

The course is student-driven. It uses a ‘convergence pedagogy', which combines live online teaching and resources with intensive in situ seminars and workshops that students are expected to attend in person. All teaching is streamed using online tools so that even students that cannot attend seminars in person can participate online.

The course uses a ‘convergence pedagogy', which combines live online teaching and resources with intensive in situ seminars and workshops that students are expected to attend in person. All teaching is streamed using online tools so that even students that cannot attend seminars in person can participate online.

Learning outcomes A1 and A3 are assessed through a group work assignment, and individual literature review. Both assignments require students to analyse, contrast and compare different types of strategic communication initiative (3 credits).

Learning outcomes A2 and A4 are assessed through the planning and implementation (either individually or in pairs) of a simpler communication intervention (4.5 credits).

Learning outcomes A3, A4 and A5 are assessed through the evaluation, individually and as a group, of the student's own and other group members work (4.5 credits).

Learning outcome 5 is assessed through the completion of an individual diary or field journal documenting and reflecting critically over the learning process (3 credits).

The course is examined through two individual assignments. The first assignment consists of preparing and presenting an annotated bibliography for the chosen field of specialization. The second assignment is to write, submit, and present a user-friendly overview of the chosen field of specialization that is understandable for non-specialists.

Production Project (30 credits)

The three project stages are assessed separately:

Enghel, Florencia & Karin Wilkins (eds.) (2012). Communication, Media and Development : Problems and Perspectives. Nordicom Review vol. 33/Glocal Times, issue 17/18

Hemer, Oscar and Thomas Tufte (eds.) (2005) Media and Glocal Change. Rethinking Communication for Development. Buenos Aires, Göteborg:

CLACSO/Nordicom http://biblioteca.clacso.edu.ar/ar/libros/edicion/media/media.html

Lennie, June. & Tacchi, Jo. (2013). Evaluating communication for development: a framework for social change. New York: Routledge

Mefalopulos, Paulo and Thomas Tufte (2009). Participatory Communication. A practical guide.

World Bank Working Paper 170. The World Bank

Patton, M. Q. (2012) Essentials of utilisation-focused evaluation. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage

Quarry, Wendy & Ramírez, Ricardo (2009) Communication for another development: listening before telling. London: Zed Books

Ramirez, Ricardo & Dal Brodhead (2013). Utilization Focused Evaluation : A primer for evaluators. Penang: Southbound

Available online http:evaluationinpractice.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/ufeenglishprimer.pdf

Wilkins, Karin. Tufte, Thomas and Obregon, Rafael (eds.) (2014) The Handbook of Development Communication and Social Change. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwel

Specifically

Chapter 4, Wilkins, Karin (2014) Advocacy Communication pp. 58 - 71

Chapter 10, Wasiboard, Silvo (2014) The Strategic Politics of Participatory Communication pp.147 - 167

Chapter 17, McKnee, Neil. Becker-Benton and Bockh, Emily (2014) Social and Behaviour Change Communication pp. 279 – 297

Please note: The Hand Book in Development Communication is available as an online resource through the Malmö University library

Suggested additional and thematic readings will be announced at the beginning of the course

The course literature and other teaching materials are selected by the student and approved by the supervisor.

Joint core course literature:

Fink, Arlene: Conducting Research Literature Reviews-From the Internet to Paper (4th Edition), London: Sage, 2014.

Ridley, Diana: The Literature Review-A Step-by-Step Guide for Students (2nd Edition), London: Sage, 2012.

Journal of Development Effectiveness: Special Issue on Systematic Reviews, Vol.4, No.3, 2012.

Mallet, Richard: ‘What works’? Systematic reviews in international development research and policy, London: ODI, 2012, available online at https://www.odi.org/comment/6283-systematic-reviews-international-development-slrc

Individual reading lists will be made for each production/intervention in dialogue between student(s) and supervisor.

Suggested joint references are listed below.

Hemer, Oscar & Thomas Tufte (eds.) (2016). Voice & Matter: communication, development and the cultural return. Göteborg: Nordicom

Ngomba, Teke & Norbert Wildermuth (eds.) (2016). Methodological reflections on researching communication for development and social change. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan

Thomas, Pradip N. (ed.) (2015). Beyond the impasse: exploring new thinking in communication for social change. Göteborg: Nordicom Review 36 (special issue)

Willett, Amanda (2013). Media production: a practical guide to radio & TV. Oxford: Routledge.

Rettberg, Jill Walker (2014). Blogging. Cambridge: Polity.

Morley, David (2007). The Cambridge introduction to creative writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Pope, Rob (2005). Creativity: theory, history, practice. Oxfordshire: Routledge.

Bolton, Gillie (2010) Reflective practice: writing and professional development. London: Sage.

Pink, Sarah. Horst, Heather, Postill, John, Hjort, Larissa, Lewis, Tanya & Jo Tacchi (2016). Digital ethnography: principles and practice. 1st edition. London: SAGE

Reason, Peter & Bradbury, Hilary (2013) The SAGE handbook of action research. Participative inquiry and practice. London: Sage.

Terras, Melissa, Nyan, Julianne & Vanhoutte, Edward (2013) Defining digital humanities. A reader. Farnham: Ashgate.

Wulff, Helena (ed.) (2016). The anthropologist as writer: genres and contexts in the twenty-first century. New York: Berghahn

The University provides students who participate in or who have completed a course with the opportunity to make known their experiences and viewpoints with regards to  

the course by completing a course evaluation administered by the University. The University will compile and summarize the results of course evaluations as well as informing participants of the results and any decisions relating to measures initiated in response to the course evaluations. The results will be made available to the students (HF 1:14).