Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2026 - CMNS 316 D200

Topics in Popular Cultures and Public Communication (4)

Media/Learning/Soc.Change

Class Number: 4899

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 5 – Apr 10, 2026: Thu, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    17 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 45 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Topics on public and popular cultures with a focus on social, political, and cultural dynamics. Explores audiences, publics, and institutions at a global, national, and/or local level. Topics vary and may address themes like: news, music, public media, advertising, sports, childhood, youth cultures, art, and everyday life. This course can be repeated twice for credit if the topics are different (up to a maximum of three times).

COURSE DETAILS:

Topic for Spring 2026:  Media, Learning & Social Change

A seminar examining the infrastructures of media and learning across a range of cultural practices.  At different times, film, television, digital technologies and social media have all been heralded as tools for public intervention and education.  This course will explore how well electronic and digital media have succeeded in promoting public awareness and understanding among children and young people.  It will focus on research about children’s learning across various educational media forms, and models and conceptions of media literacy, including debates about the competencies children and youth need in an age of platforms, misinformation and disinformation and algorithmic surveillance.  We will explore the role of production and youth-produced media in the development of critical media literacies, and where and how media production can support the work of social change.

Grading

  • Course Participation (reading comments, attendance, class participation) 15%
  • In-Class Mid-Term Exam, to be held on 26 February 2026 25%
  • Children’s Media Critique, DUE, 19 March 2026 15%
  • Final Design/Curation Project, DUE, 9 April 2026 45%

NOTES:

The School expects that the grades awarded in this course will bear some reasonable relationship to established university-wide practices.  In addition, the School will follow Policy S10.01 with respect to Academic Integrity, and Policies S10.02, S10.03 and S10.04 with regard to Student Discipline.  For further information visit:  www.sfu.ca/policies/Students/index.html.
 
 

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Course readings will be available on the course CANVAS page.

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.