IAB260 Social Technologies


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Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Gardens Point, Internal

Unit code:IAB260
Credit points:12
Pre-requisite:IFB103 or ITD103 or IGB120
Coordinator:Kenan Degirmenci | kenan.degirmenci@qut.edu.au
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.

Overview

This unit will introduce you to the theoretical and practical requirements to build and understand social technology platforms, social networks, and digital communities. You will learn concepts of social technology platforms practical manner, investigate the building blocks of successful digital communities and understand the critical design features. Digital communities are becoming a key feature of the future economy with online communities and social networks are increasingly employed as part of the business model. The success of digital communities varies wildly with some communities were successful and others were struggling. This unit explores how to develop successful online communities by incorporating both a theoretical and architectural perspective.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

  1. Apply analytical and critical thinking skills to understand the way people experience social technologies, including how people construct personal and professional online identities
  2. Assess and critically reflect on social technologies and their applications
  3. Demonstrate broad knowledge of issues and topics related to social technologies and deep knowledge of one or more specific topics
  4. Apply verbal, written and visual communication skills that effectively convey information in social media contexts

Content

This unit explores how digital communities function by exploring the technical building blocks of successful online communities in addition to the critical design features that make them a success. You will engage with various methods for analysing digital communities (including social network analysis) and be exposed to real world examples as a way to help you design your own online community. You will also engage with some of the theoretical underpinnings of online community interactions and learn practical implications for community designers.

Learning Approaches

The unit's teaching and learning strategies are designed to encourage you to develop both theoretical understanding and practical skills. Lectures, tutorials, online learning resources and readings introduce concepts and stimulate your thinking concerning principles, philosophy and theory. Activities and assessment are designed to foster critical engagement with unit content and opportunities to explore the practical applications of theory.

The unit design is based on the concept of a community of learners. Emphasis is placed on group discussion so you can explore and share key ideas. You are expected to participate in the learning experience by attending all classes and engaging with your peers. The unit site is the hub for learning and the primary tool for information exchange.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Tutorials are designed to be engaging, with tutors providing ongoing feedback on tutorials and assessment pieces.

  • Consultation times can be booked with members of the teaching team throughout the teaching period.
  • Individualised written feedback will be provided on marked assessments.
  • Feedback will also be provided to the cohort based on common areas for improvements identified throughout the tutorials.

Assessment

Overview

You will design and demonstrate social media posts against the backdrop of relevant theories and contemporary challenges in social media. Further, you will analyse social networks and provide viable recommendations. Finally, you will develop an online community considering user-centric design challenges.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Social Media Activities

In this assessment, you will be completing a number of activities involving engagement in social media concepts in relation to particular contexts. This will involve the development of a reflection in the form of blog posts. In addition to performing these activities, you will be required to orally pitch your overall approach in week 6.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Weight: 25
Length: 1,500 words (blog posts) / 3 minutes (oral defense)
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 5
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4

Assessment: Social Network Analysis

You will conduct an introductory analysis of a social network and produce a social graph along with other visualisations and discussions to present your findings in the form of a poster. In addition to performing these activities, you will be required to orally pitch your overall approach in week 9.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Weight: 25
Length: 2 slides (poster) / 3 minutes (oral defense)
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 8
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4

Assessment: Online Community Development

You will identify, analyse, and critically discuss an opportunity related to the use of digital communities and social technologies. You will present your work as a demonstration accompanied by a curated set of resources (e.g., storyboard, prototype, use case scenario) related to the topic. In addition to performing these activities, you will be required to submit the slides of your presentation in week 12.

The assessment requires a student’s physical or virtual presence to complete.

Weight: 50
Length: 15-minute presentation
Individual/Group: Individual and group
Due (indicative): Week 13
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Learning materials for this unit are available in your Canvas site. There are no other extraordinary charges or costs are associated with the requirements for this unit.

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Kraut, R. E. (2011). Building successful online communities : evidence-based social design. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no unusual health or safety risks associated with this unit. You will be made aware of evacuation procedures and assembly areas in the first few lectures. In the event of a fire alarm sounding, or on a lecturer's instruction, you should leave the room and assemble in the designated area which will be indicated to you. You should be conscious of your health and safety at all times whilst on campus or in the field.

Course Learning Outcomes

This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.

IN01 Bachelor of Information Technology

  1. Demonstrate well-developed IT discipline knowledge
    Relates to: ULO3
  2. Critically apply design and problem solving skills
    Relates to: ULO1
  3. Purposefully appraise personal values, attitudes and performance in your continuing professional development
    Relates to: ULO2
  4. Communicate effectively in professional contexts
    Relates to: ULO4

IN05 Bachelor of Games and Interactive Environments

  1. Demonstrate broad knowledge of games and interactive environments principles and theory, with an in-depth knowledge of one games-related discipline.
    Relates to: ULO3, Social Media Activities, Online Community Development
  2. Apply creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills to generate solutions to design challenges.
    Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Social Media Activities, Social Network Analysis, Online Community Development
  3. Communicate complex concepts at all stages of the development cycle to specialist and non-specialist audiences in written, oral and interactive visual formats.
    Relates to: ULO4, Social Media Activities, Social Network Analysis, Online Community Development
  4. Critically reflect on social, ethical, cultural, legal and accessibility issues in the context of games and interactive environments, including as they relate to First Nations Australians.
    Relates to: ULO2, Social Media Activities, Social Network Analysis, Online Community Development
  5. Evidence the development of your learning, professional capabilities and skills through creating a curated portfolio of work.
    Relates to: ULO4, Social Media Activities, Social Network Analysis, Online Community Development