Updated: 05/10/2005

For a while there were problems on the index page with browsers other than Internet Explorer. We trust this has now been fixed.  There was also a problem with a bad chapter that didn't show the bottom, which made moving to the next chapter difficult.  This has also been fixed.


Animation Issue

Some firewalls, such as ZoneAlarm, shut off animated images. This will affect some images on this site. (The dove on the left should be flying—although not necessarily getting anywhere.) In ZoneAlarm animation can be restored by going to Privacy, Ad blocking, Custom, and uncheck the box animation. Other firewalls and browsers have similar options.

If you have JavaScript, you will notice up and down arrows on the right, bottom of the screen.  We first introduced these in the TV production modules, and users said that they make scrolling easier.

In June, 2004 all of the pages were switched to style sheet control. For everyone using one of the more recent browsers the only apparent difference should be that the text is no longer in bold face type. The pages should also load a bit faster. We held off on this change until we thought that most users had upgraded to one of the newer browsers.

The interactive testing on one site had problems.  This has been fixed.

New interactive tests on all the modules are now in place. The new tests have several security features, plus some safeguards against a trial and error approach to getting a good score. For example -

  • A security code can be entered in the blank provided. This code can be anything that the instructor can associate with the specific student or class when the test is given.
  • Students are now penalized for guessing and skipping questions. Three points are given for each right answer. However, two points are subtracted from the final score for every wrong answer or skipped question.
  • Several things are included in the printout of the final results: the final score, the date and time the test was taken, and the chapters covered. There is a new "Print" button for this page, which should work with all browsers. (If there is a problem with this, the standard print command for the browser can be used.)
  • We initially included a maximum time function (generally set at 15 minutes), after which each test would go directly to "Evaluate" and not let the student continue. The idea was not to give students time to check back on the text for answers. However, we reconsidered this when it was brought to our attention that some special students might need more time. We'll await feedback from users on this. In the meantime, the instructor has the option of setting a time limit in a classroom or lab.

More on the information on the tests can be found here. Instructors can get specific information on the tests by using the e-mail link below.

Numerous problems were fixed in late May--mostly disconnected links--that resulted from the transfer of more than 1,500 files to three new hosting services. If you discover a problem, please let us know.

Because of traffic overloads, three of the website hosting services were changed in May to add greater capacity and speed. In the process, a few files temporarily dropped between the cybercracks and were temporarily unavailable. The four sites should now be independent, which should reduce problems caused by hyperlinks jumping from one domain to the other.

The modules were completely revised in January, 2003. Punctuation and wording changes were made, new links were added, and the material was updated.

There have been requests to expand the Mass Media modules to include Advertising, Public Relations, Music, and Communication Theory. This is under consideration. Comments are welcome.


New Color-Coding Scheme

Although a many people go through these modules on an individual basis, a great many users are in classrooms. To try to accommodate a greater range of needs, we've devised a color code for links.

A little yellow square in front of a hyperlink ( -- ). This indicates background reading. This material is not included on the interactive tests, although it may help in understanding the concepts covered.

A blue square in front of a link ( - ) indicates technical information. This type of information is designed for advanced classes and professionals; and, again, this may or may be required by an instructor. These areas will also be expanded in the future to meet the needs of advanced students.

A red square is reserved for ( - ) external links that have related information. This information is not included on the interactive tests, but an instructor has the option of asking that you read this information. CyberCollege and the InternetCampus have no control over the content or availability of these external links.

And, finally, there are the required reading links marked with a green square
( -- ). These are covered in the interactive tests and puzzles.

Links that are not marked with a colored square are considered self-explanatory.

The text materials and illustrations continue to be updated on a regular basis as new information is published in trades, newspapers, and on the Internet. The date at the top of each module indicates when the material was last updated.

This whole project is considered a collaborative effort. 

This means that we all have a responsibility to catch errors, make suggestions, and, in general, make sure that these materials become more and more useful to all of us. Just send an e-mail message to internetcollege@yahoo.com, or, even better, click on suggestion button at the bottom of any page.

Basic information on the use of these cybercourses can be found here and here.

These materials are now available on two geographically separated servers:

Mass Media Index

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