Academic Catalog

ALTW 218A: CURRENT EVENTS FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES

Foothill College Course Outline of Record

Foothill College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Summer 2025
Units: 2
Hours: 2 lecture per week (24 total per quarter)
Advisory: Not open to students with credit in ALTW 218.
Degree & Credit Status: Non-Degree-Applicable Credit Course
Basic Skills
Foothill GE: Non-GE
Transferable: None
Grade Type: Letter Grade (Request for Pass/No Pass)
Repeatability: Not Repeatable
Formerly: ALTW 218

Student Learning Outcomes

  • The student will be able to access and discuss current affairs and conduct dialogue in order to gain different perspectives of national and global events.
  • The student will be able to demonstrate and report on different televised news media by using electronic media guides in order to find current events programming.
  • The student will be able to identify and access five types of news media sources.
  • The student will demonstrate and illustrate the pro's and con's of different news media.

Description

This course is designed to enhance the understanding and engagement of disabled students with current events through the lens of media literacy and effective communication. Participants will explore how news is produced, disseminated, and consumed, while developing critical thinking skills to assess media bias and reliability. The course also focuses on honing presentation skills, enabling students to confidently share information and their perspectives on contemporary issues.

Course Objectives

The student will be able to:

  1. Analyze and evaluate media sources
  2. Understand the impact of media on public opinion and democracy
  3. Develop critical thinking skills
  4. Improve communication and presentation skills
  5. Create accessible and engaging media content
  6. Participate effectively in discussions on contemporary issues

Course Content

  1. Analyze media sources
    1. Television
    2. Newspaper
    3. Magazines
    4. Internet
    5. Radio
  2. Understand the impact of media on public opinion and democracy
    1. Opinion differences between media sources
    2. Newspaper comparisons
    3. Television station comparisons
  3. Develop critical thinking skills
    1. Hard news vs. editorial
    2. The news cycle
    3. How to trust the news
  4. Improve communication and presentation skills
    1. Public speaking and sharing the news
  5. Create accessible and engaging media content
    1. Presentations
    2. News reports
  6. Participate effectively in discussions on contemporary issues
    1. Effective and respectful debate strategies
  7. Evaluate media sources
    1. National vs. local news
    2. Geopolitics
    3. Bias and propaganda

Lab Content

Not applicable.

Special Facilities and/or Equipment

1. Accessible classroom, internet access.
2. When taught online/virtual: students and faculty need internet access with Zoom-capable computer, monitor, and speakers.

Method(s) of Evaluation

Methods of Evaluation may include but are not limited to the following:

Class participation
Class presentations
Homework assignments
Written assignments
Oral presentations
Teamwork
Final exam or final project

Method(s) of Instruction

Methods of Instruction may include but are not limited to the following:

Lecture
Discussion
Oral presentations
Use of the internet
Demonstration

Representative Text(s) and Other Materials

No materials are required for this course.

Types and/or Examples of Required Reading, Writing, and Outside of Class Assignments

  1. Students read news media articles and provide report in an oral presentation to the class
  2. Writing assignments:
    1. Students write a news article which is read and evaluated by other students
    2. Students write their own story in news format that will be presented in the classroom


 

Discipline(s)

Developmental Disabilities: Disabled Students Programs and Services