Elon’s new graduate program in Interactive Media is preparing students to think strategically
By Alex Baker
April 8, 2009
Elon University will be offering a masters in interactive media beginning in the fall of 2009.
You can use interactive media to tell stories in different ways and reach wider audiences. This is just one of the main reasons Elon University has decided to add a Master’s program beginning in the fall of the 2009 -2010 centered around interactive media.
What an M.A. in Interactive Media entails
The one-year, full-time program will teach students across a variety of media platforms, including creating content complete with text, audio, images, videos and graphics. These tools will be used in creating entertainment, news and overall communications interactive mediums.
Elon is focusing on interactive media acknowledging the power it has to extend both individuals and companies reach, and allowing them to communicate in different ways. With new technology’s ability to offer a two-way system of communication, choice and control are provided to the viewer.
Courses offered will provide recent communication graduates and young professionals in the program with knowledge in writing, design, production, law and aesthetics. Interactive Media Strategies, a course being offered in the fall of next year, will investigate strategic issues. New design paradigms, information design, as well as exploration into an in depth range of interaction media will be observed in the course.
Applying interactive media to real life
Ken Calhoun
Ken Calhoun, assistant professor of communications at Elon and resident academic of all things interactive believes that extending the possible reach to your audience will provide lucrative opportunities. “Extending your reach creates more career options and more communication options,” said Calhoun. “You create a more immersive, media rich work and create more ways to connect with and build audiences.”
Calhoun also believes that the future of Web sites need to focus on strategic thinking. “We use strategic thinking everyday by being consumers. We need to ask what is the best way to deliver this message?”
The messages being delivered are coming in the form of three “flavors” as Calhoun describes them, for their ability to blend and mix. Storytelling, responsive visuals, and conversation are all interactive in the media landscape of today. From infographics and data digitalization to social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, current interactive media is immersing the viewer.
“Make [interactive media] so people want to touch, to play, to explore,” says Calhoun. “People like bells and whistles, make it responsive and rewarding, and make it a story.”
A look into the life of an interactive media specialist
Ken Calhoun received his M.F.A from Emerson College and has had professional experience in interactive television, corporate and entertainment industry multimedia productions as well as creative writing. In the past Calhoun has taught Digital Storytelling at Duke University and also served as the creative director for Center Line Productions.
Below, Ken Calhoun discusses how interactive media can extend your reach.
You offered some good content here. Don’t forget AP Style is Web site, not website. AP also expects you to always use a capital “I” on Internet and to hyphenate e-mail. These differ from many other styles, so they’re important to keep in mind.