There was, frankly, some difficulty in doing so the first term, but as I have gotten a better sense of what the speakers will discuss and reorganized some of the elements in the course, we have provided a more cohesive framework. Student writing shows that they are able to make links across topics and to think comparatively about different media. We reference those links in discussion sections. My own role as lecturer enables me to make those connections more explicit at key points in the term. And, in practice, the fit between the various lecturers is astonishingly strong given the range of disciplinary backgrounds we are bringing together.
Students consistently cite the diversity of speakers as one of the key strengths of the course.
Course Materials from the Spring 1997 Introduction to Media Studies Course are also available on this site.