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

Prerequisites
MDA10013 Digital Self/Digital Community
Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start and end dates
04-November-2024
09-February-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-November-2024
Census date
29-November-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
27-December-2024
Results released date
04-March-2025
Teaching Period 2
Location
Online
Start and end dates
07-July-2025
05-October-2025
Last self-enrolment date
20-July-2025
Census date
01-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
22-August-2025
Results released date

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
TOTAL150

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
TOTAL300

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
BlogIndividual 50% 1,2,3,5 
EssayIndividual 40% 1,2,3 
PresentationGroup 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.