Module Information
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Essay 2000 Words | 50% |
| Semester Assessment | Primary source analysis 2000 Words | 50% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Essay 2000 Words | 50% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Primary source analysis 2000 Words | 50% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
Outline and evaluate the key factors which led to the development of television and a public service
Undertake an analysis of primary historical source material
Write a coherent and properly-referenced essay
Brief description
This module will explore the origin of television from technical, social, cultural, and political perspectives. Adopting an entangled media histories approach, it will trace the development of television from very early visions, consider how the notion of 'seeing by wireless' came about, and will explore early television's relationship with film, radio and theatre. The module will also study the experimental television period between 1929 and 1935 and will end by studying the 1936-39 BBC television service which set the foundations for contemporary television. Whilst the focus will be on Britain, students will also study the international 'race for television' (involving the United States and Germany amongst others).
Aims
The aim of this module is to provide students with a clear understanding of the origins and early development of television from technical, social, cultural, and political perspectives and to equip them with analytical skills in relation to basic primary source material.
Content
Television's pre-history: where did it all begin?
The international race for television
Entanglements with radio, film and theatre
The political context
The 1929-32 Baird/BBC experimental programmes
The 1932-35 BBC experimental television service
High-definition television, 1936-39
Television's early audiences: who were the 'lookers-in'?
Early television and exhibitions
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Creative Problem Solving | This will be developed during seminars |
| Critical and analytical thinking | This will be developed in the second assignment, the essay |
| Subject Specific Skills | These will be developed during seminars and through the written assignments |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 5