Overview

This unit examines the communication practices within groups and communities that exist predominantly on social media platforms. They will critically analyse network and community formation on social media and how these work on an individual, collective level and within broader media ecologies. Students will present research and analysis about the cultural, political and technological aspects of online social lives and their connection with mediated and lived experiences.

Requisites

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Describe and reflect on key theoretical approaches to social media networks and communities
  • Identify political, cultural, social and technological aspects and impacts of social media networks and communities
  • Apply research and critical analysis to the communication practices of online groups and their potential social impacts
  • Present critical reflection of ethical responsibilities for communication, production and sharing practices within networked and participatory communication

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
On-campus
Class		 2.00  12 weeks  24
Online
Lecture (asynchronous)		 1.00  12 weeks  12
Specified Activities
Various		 5.00  12 weeks  60
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning		 4.50  12 weeks  54
TOTAL     150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
AnalysisIndividual 30% 2,3,4 
Case StudiesIndividual 40% 1,3,4 
PresentationGroup 30% 1,2,3,4 

Content

  • Communication and cultural practices within social media groups and communities
  • Experimenting with social media affordances to engage ethically with communities
  • Cultural, political and technological aspects of online social lives and their connection with mediated and lived experiences.
  • Social media influence, branding and engagement and interaction with social media groups
  • Social media and political engagement through networked communication practices
  • Professional and ethical responsibilities of communicating and sharing within social media groups
  • Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Verbal communication
  • Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Communicating using different media
  • Graduate Attribute – Teamwork Skills: Collaboration and negotiation
  • Graduate Attribute – Teamwork Skills: Teamwork roles and processes
  • Graduate Attribute – Digital Literacies: Information literacy
  • Graduate Attribute – Digital Literacies: Technical literacy

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.