Aims

By the end of the course, students will:
- know the main theories relating to the communicational aspects of multimedia products and their respective authors;
- be able to evaluate a multimedia product and design any necessary adaptations.

Main themes

The course will provide a theoretical and notional framework that will explain the communicational functioning of interactive multimedia products, and will underline their special features. It will also present the tools for analysing products of this sort, and for evaluating them in terms of content, the pragmatic relationship contained therein, the person-machine interface, and the cognitive work under examination.

Content and teaching methods

Content
The course will provide a theoretical and notional framework that will explain the communicational functioning of interactive multimedia products, and will underline their special features. At the same time, it will present tools for analysing products of this kind, and for evaluating them on different levels:
- at the level of such factors as the available "Content information", the hypertext link proposed, and the metaphors used;
- at the level of the pragmatic relationship (e.g. the place and role of the various interactors (e.g. author, mediator and user)) and the type of interaction proposed;
- at the level of the interface (e.g. ways of surfing, tutorials, and information given to users by return);
- at the level of the cognitive work under examination (e.g. observation, comparison, memorising, analysis, argumentation and inference).
Methodology
Professorial expositions, analysis and evaluation of websites and multimedia applications.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Pre-requirements: Theories and methodology for semio-pragmatic and narratological analysis.
Assessment will focus on the production of an analysis of a multimedia product.
Resources: A classroom with a computer, a data projector and an Internet link.

Other credits in programs