Digital Communities
Overview
This unit examines the growing dominance of social media as a factor of our social, political, financial and cultural life. Students will develop a critical approach to social media by exploring a range of platforms and contexts, uses and practices. At the same time, we view social media from a number of theoretical perspectives in order to assess their role and increasing dominance in our daily lives and in the wider socio-political landscape. Students will use this knowledge and critical understanding to explore strategic, creative and productive uses of social media tools.
Requisites
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Identify the areas of social media that are central to our experience of various digital communities
- Critically analyse social media using contemporary media theories
- Critically discuss the impact of social media on our cultural, social, political and economic communities
- Evaluate the impact of contemporary issues in the area of social media
- Engage in critical social commentary around issues related to digital communities
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
---|---|---|---|
On-campus Lecture | 2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
On-campus Class | 1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
Specified Activities Various | 3.00 | 12 weeks | 36 |
Unspecified Activities Independent Learning | 6.50 | 12 weeks | 78 |
TOTAL | 150 |
Sarawak
Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
---|---|---|---|
Online Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning | 12.50 | 12 weeks | 150 |
On-campus Lecture | 2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
On-campus Class | 1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
Specified Activities Various | 3.00 | 12 weeks | 36 |
Unspecified Activities Independent Learning | 6.50 | 12 weeks | 78 |
TOTAL | 300 |
Assessment
Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
---|---|---|---|
Blog | Individual | 50% | 1,2,3,5 |
Essay | Individual | 40% | 1,2,3 |
Presentation | Group | 10% | 1,2,3,4 |
Content
- Social media platforms and analytics
- Digital citizenship
- Social media, political engagement and civic cultures
- Mobilisation, activism and protest
- Trolling, cyberbullying and other aspects of contested social media publics
- Crowd sourcing in times of crisis
- Public health campaigns and communities
- Social gaming
- Global social media – case study China
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.