Innovative pedagogies for 21st century multimedia education: an introduction to the USC Annenberg Center for Communication Multimedia Literacy Program

Abstract

In the 21/sup st/ century, literacy meant the ability to read, write and present cogent arguments on paper. In the 21/sup st/ century, literacy is going to extend well beyond that and into what could be termed as a language of screens. This paper provides an overview of University of Southern California's (USC's) pedagogical strategies and theoretical precepts of an innovative educational initiative. Currently, in its fourth year, USC's multimedia literacy program is dedicated to clarifying and expanding definitions of 21/sup st/ Century by introducing multimedia technology - coupled with a critical awareness of visual culture - into higher education curricula. The program is fundamentally interdisciplinary, adapting the theories and methodology of cinema, television and new media studies to address the specific needs and culturally relevant issues of academic departments in the humanities, fine arts, social sciences and physical sciences alike. At the heart of the program is a unique emphasis on multimedia authorship which compels both students and faculty to undertake their own multimedia projects.