Mass Comm. & National Development
- Social Sciences
- 300 level
- 2 credit units
- 93 pages
- 14 units
This course, Mass Communication and National Development, is designed for undergraduate students of mass communication. It provides basic and applicatory knowledge of the role of mass communication in national development. The course explores communication skills and approaches for enhancing development processes. Students will learn development paradigms, theories, and their relevance in the study of mass communication and national development, equipping them with tools for promoting sustainable development programs.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 40 hours
- Maths
- None
- Content
- Theoretical, case study
- Practical work
- Yes
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assessments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of MAC316, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
MAC316 · UNIT 1 MEANING, NATURE AND LEVELS OF COMMUNICATION
Human communication can take place at various levels- these are intra- personal, interpersonal, group and mass communication. We shall briefly discuss each of these levels of communication below.
What you should be able to do
- Explain the concept of communication and its levels.
- Discuss various perspectives on the concept of development.
- Analyze development paradigms, models, and theories.
- Explain the relevance of communication strategies to national development.
- Highlight national development challenges of Nigeria.
- State the potentials and limitations of mass communication organs.
What it prepares you for
- Communication Specialist
- Development Communication Officer
- Public Relations Manager
- Media Analyst
- Social Media Manager
- Government
- Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
- Media
- Advertising
- Public Relations
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 2: Overview of Development Paradigms, Models and Theories
Unit 1: The Dominant Paradigm
The Dominant Paradigm requires understanding of complex Western-derived theories and their application to diverse socio-economic contexts, demanding critical analysis and comparative evaluation.
- Module 2: Overview of Development Paradigms, Models and Theories
Unit 2: The Marxist/Socialist Paradigm
The Marxist/Socialist Paradigm involves grasping intricate socio-political and economic ideologies, necessitating a nuanced understanding of historical and contemporary applications.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 26 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Getting Started: Conceptualising Mass Communication and National Development
Unit 1: Meaning, Nature and Levels of Communication · 1.5 hours
Define communication and its various levels.. Discuss verbal and non-verbal communication.. Explain the characteristics of each communication level..
- Week 2Module 1: Getting Started: Conceptualising Mass Communication and National Development
Unit 2: Perspectives on the Concept of Development · 1.5 hours
Explain the economic perspective of development.. Highlight the political perspective of development.. Discuss the philosophical perspective of development.. Analyze the socio-cultural perspective of development..
- Week 3Module 1: Getting Started: Conceptualising Mass Communication and National Development
Unit 3: Meaning and Essence of National Development · 1.5 hours
Define urban, rural, and national development.. State specific features for determining national development.. Enumerate the basic distinguishing factors between developed and developing nations..
Unit4: Understanding the Fusion between Communication and Development · 1 hour
Understand the fusion between communication and development.
- Week 4Module 2: Overview of Development Paradigms, Models and Theories
Unit 1: The Dominant Paradigm · 2 hours
State the meaning of dominant paradigm.. Enumerate various postulations that make up the dominant paradigm.. Highlight the relevance of each of the postulations to Nigeria's national development..
- Week 5Module 2: Overview of Development Paradigms, Models and Theories
Unit 2: The Marxist/Socialist Paradigm · 2 hours
State the point of convergence and point of departure between the dominant and the Marxist paradigm.. Highlight the basic features or propositions of Marxist paradigm.. Explain snag or failure of the Marxist paradigm..
- Week 6Module 2: Overview of Development Paradigms, Models and Theories
Unit 3: The Emancipatory Paradigm · 2 hours
Discuss the origin of the emancipatory paradigm.. Enumerate the circumstances leading to the evolution of the paradigm.. Explain the differences between the paradigm and other paradigms before it.. State the major premise of the emancipatory paradigm..
- Week 7Module 3: Communication Strategies for National Development
Unit 1: Patron-Client Model · 1.5 hours
Define the patron-client model.. Explain the nature of communication flow under patron-client approach.. Analyze the burden or problem associated with patron-client approach..
- Week 8Module 3: Communication Strategies for National Development
Unit 2: ACADA Model · 2 hours
Explain the full meaning of ACADA model.. Discuss what should be done at each stage of the planning matrix with vivid examples.. Highlight the snag with the model..
- Week 9Module 3: Communication Strategies for National Development
Unit 3: Social Marketing Approach · 2 hours
Discuss the evolution of 5Ps of the social marketing concept.. State the various components of the 5Ps of marketing.. Analyze how the 5Ps of marketing can be applied in the process of communication for development..
- Week 10Module 4: Communication Research and National Development
Unit 1: National Development Challenges in Nigeria · 2 hours
State the economic and political problems of Nigeria.. Highlight Nigeria's socio-cultural and health problems.. Enumerate the infrastructural /physical development problems of Nigeria..
- Week 11Module 4: Communication Research and National Development
Unit 2: Communication Research Interests in National Development Challenges · 2 hours
Explain the relevance of research in communication process for national development.. Enumerate the various stages of research interests in communicating for national development..
- Week 12Module 5: Mass Communication and National Development
Unit 1: An Overview of Media of Mass Communication in Nigeria · 2 hours
Discuss briefly the history of mass media in Nigeria.. Highlight the structure of mass media in Nigeria.. Expatiate on media localization for national development..
- Week 13Module 5: Mass Communication and National Development
Unit 2: Strengths and Weaknesses of Media of Mass Communication in Nigeria · 2 hours
State the potentials of various organs of mass communication in promoting national development.. Highlight the limitations of each of the organs of mass communication.. Enumerate the specific areas each of the medium can be used for national development..
Unit 3: Functions of Mass Media in National Development · 1 hour
Understand the functions of mass media in national development.
Preparing for the exam
- Create comparative tables outlining the key features, strengths, and weaknesses of the Dominant, Marxist, and Emancipatory paradigms from Module 2.
- Develop case studies applying the ACADA model (Unit 2, Module 3) to specific national development challenges like healthcare or education.
- Practice analyzing news articles and media content for biases related to mass media ownership (Unit 3, Module 5).
- Construct mind maps linking communication research methods (Module 4) to specific national development goals, such as poverty reduction or improved health outcomes.
- Review and summarize the strengths and weaknesses of different mass media channels (Unit 2, Module 5) for reaching diverse audiences in Nigeria.
- Prepare concise definitions and examples for all key terms and concepts from each unit, focusing on practical applications and real-world scenarios.
Questions students ask about this course
What is MAC316 about?
This course, Mass Communication and National Development, is designed for undergraduate students of mass communication. It provides basic and applicatory knowledge of the role of mass communication in national development. The course explores communication skills and approaches for enhancing development processes. Students will learn development paradigms, theories, and their relevance in the study of mass communication and national development, equipping them with tools for promoting sustainable development programs.
How many units does MAC316 have?
MAC316, Mass Comm. & National Development, has 14 units across 5 modules, over 93 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is MAC316?
MAC316 carries 2 credit units, at 300 level in Social Sciences.
Is MAC316 hard?
MAC316 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and case study work, and it has a practical component.
How long does MAC316 take to study?
About 40 hours of study, spread across its 14 units.
How is MAC316 assessed?
MAC316 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.
What can I do with MAC316?
Communication Specialist, Development Communication Officer, Public Relations Manager, Media Analyst and Social Media Manager.