Episode 1 of the Continuing Feducation Video Series, Understanding How a FICO Credit Score is Determined, provides a short overview of credit scores—how they are determined and why they are important.
This course focuses on a number of qualitative social science methods that can be productively used in media studies research including interviewing, participant observation, focus groups, cultural probes, visual sociology, and ethnography. The emphasis will primarily be on understanding and learning concrete techniques that can be evaluated for their usefulness in any given project and utilized as needed. Data organization and analysis will be addressed. Several advanced critical thematics will also be covered, including ethics, reciprocity, “studying up,” and risk. The course will be taught via a combination of lectures, class discussions, group exercises, and assignments. This course requires a willingness to work hands-on with learning various social science methods and a commitment to the preparation for such (including reading, discussion, and reflection).
Students participate in a banking role play in which they portray roles based on characters in the book Worth! by A. LaFaye. The students learn about banking, profit, risk, and reward. Students discuss some of the factors that affect loan interest rates and the availability of credit. Students apply their knowledge of the content by writing a fictional applicant a letter of acceptance or rejection.