CCQ105 The Power of Platforms
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | CCQ105 |
|---|---|
| Equivalent(s): | CCN105 |
| Credit points: | 6 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $1,488 |
| International unit fee | $2,022 |
Unit Outline: Session-1A 2024, QUT Online, Online
| Unit code: | CCQ105 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 6 |
| Equivalent: | CCN105 |
Overview
It is critical for communication professionals to have an understanding of how the communication and media industries are disrupted and transformed by the power and influence of digital platforms. This unit addresses how platforms have changed media industry business models, content creation and distribution, as well as a deep exploration of the specifics of platforms and their audience and user cultures. As a digital communication professional the knowledge and skills developed in this unit will be essential for you to be effective in this digital media environment.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Critically analyse the specific ways that platforms have transformed the media and communication industries.
- Evaluate the specificity of social media platforms for content creation, distribution and user engagement.
- Use information literacy skills to research the social, cultural, legal and ethical impacts of social media platforms and make recommendations to clients.
Content
This unit will explore topics such as:
- History of various social media platforms (Twitter; Facebook; YouTube; Instagram, WeChat, Weibo etc)
- Differences between western and non-western platforms (including Australian Indigenous perspectives)
- Platform specificity and affordances
- Social Media platforms user cultures
- Impacts of platforms on broadcast and print media
- The power of platforms in influencing and shaping public opinion and your actions
- Privacy and data protection regulations, social media terms and conditions.
- Platforms and socioeconomic models
- Labor performed on platforms and by workers for platform companies
Learning Approaches
This unit will be delivered fully online and may include intensive delivery. It will be facilitated by a unit coordinator using a flipped learning approach. This approach requires you to complete online pre-workshop activities independently, prior to participation in the online workshop. Indicative learning experiences in this unit may include:
- participating in online discussions
- viewing mini-lecture videos on key concepts
- reading book chapters and scholarly and industry articles
- listening to podcasts
- guest speakers (Industry and research)
- analysing and discussing platform case studies
- exploring western and non-western platforms including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders use of social media
- critically examining platform user terms and conditions
- investigation of social, ethical, legal and privacy issues
- analysis of the business models of social media platforms
- discussing how social media operates in different countries
- investigating and discussing recent scholarship about media platforms
- giving and receiving peer feedback
- reflecting on learning
- collaboration with peers.
Feedback opportunities from members of the teaching team and your peers will be integrated into the unit as outlined in the Feedback to students section of this unit outline.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will receive feedback on your learning in a variety of ways, including:
- Informal formative feedback will be provided via quizzes, self-assessment tools, peer feedback and through individual or whole of class feedback, the debriefing of learning activities or via comments in online communities.
- Formal written or recorded feedback will be received on both formative and summative assessment tasks, in addition to the grade on the Criterion Reference Assessment sheet.
Feedback on your formative assessment task will be received prior to the submission of your summative assessment task.
Assessment
Overview
You will be required to complete two related assessment tasks for this unit: an analysis of a platform for a client, and an extended analysis of that platform that will critically examine its cultural and social specificity. The assessment in the unit has been designed to provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to critically examine the features and impact of social media platforms, along with the associated social, ethical, and legal issues.
Opportunities to complete self-check exercises and other formative activities, which mirror the assessment tasks will be available to help you to gauge your progress. Additionally, opportunities for self and peer evaluation will be integrated into the unit.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Platform Analysis
You will write a report for a client about the potential for a platform to have a transformative effect on a particular industry.
Assessment: Extended Platform Analysis
This assessment task builds upon and extends assessment task 1. As a result of your last report, your client would like to know more about the platform. You will extend the report by addressing the cultural and social implications of the platform.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
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
- Cite|Write
- Unit site
- Burgess, J., Marwick, A. E., & Poell, T. (Eds.). (2017). The sage handbook of social media. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com.
Risk Assessment Statement
This unit requires you to engage in the use of social media and therefore you need to take appropriate steps to ensure that your privacy settings are up-to-date. For assistance on updating your privacy settings visit the Managing your privacy on social media page on the QUT web site. You may also like to have a look at the Creating a Better Online You online module, which explores how to promote yourself on social media, how to protect yourself online and your wellbeing online. If you have concerns about using social media, because of privacy, social, cultural or political reasons please discuss these privately with the unit coordinator.
You are advised to back-up your digital files on a regular basis to ensure work is not lost if there is a hardware failure. Information about the free file storage provided by QUT for students is available on the Storing your files page.
Unit Outline: Session-3A 2024, QUT Online, Online
| Unit code: | CCQ105 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 6 |
| Equivalent: | CCN105 |
Overview
It is critical for communication professionals to have an understanding of how the communication and media industries are disrupted and transformed by the power and influence of digital platforms. This unit addresses how platforms have changed media industry business models, content creation and distribution, as well as a deep exploration of the specifics of platforms and their audience and user cultures. As a digital communication professional the knowledge and skills developed in this unit will be essential for you to be effective in this digital media environment.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Critically analyse the specific ways that platforms have transformed the media and communication industries.
- Evaluate the specificity of social media platforms for content creation, distribution and user engagement.
- Use information literacy skills to research the social, cultural, legal and ethical impacts of social media platforms and make recommendations to clients.
Content
This unit will explore topics such as:
- History of various social media platforms (Twitter; Facebook; YouTube; Instagram, WeChat, Weibo etc)
- Differences between western and non-western platforms (including Australian Indigenous perspectives)
- Platform specificity and affordances
- Social Media platforms user cultures
- Impacts of platforms on broadcast and print media
- The power of platforms in influencing and shaping public opinion and your actions
- Privacy and data protection regulations, social media terms and conditions.
- Platforms and socioeconomic models
- Labor performed on platforms and by workers for platform companies
Learning Approaches
This unit will be delivered fully online and may include intensive delivery. It will be facilitated by a unit coordinator using a flipped learning approach. This approach requires you to complete online pre-workshop activities independently, prior to participation in the online workshop. Indicative learning experiences in this unit may include:
- participating in online discussions
- viewing mini-lecture videos on key concepts
- reading book chapters and scholarly and industry articles
- listening to podcasts
- guest speakers (Industry and research)
- analysing and discussing platform case studies
- exploring western and non-western platforms including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders use of social media
- critically examining platform user terms and conditions
- investigation of social, ethical, legal and privacy issues
- analysis of the business models of social media platforms
- discussing how social media operates in different countries
- investigating and discussing recent scholarship about media platforms
- giving and receiving peer feedback
- reflecting on learning
- collaboration with peers.
Feedback opportunities from members of the teaching team and your peers will be integrated into the unit as outlined in the Feedback to students section of this unit outline.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will receive feedback on your learning in a variety of ways, including:
- Informal formative feedback will be provided via quizzes, self-assessment tools, peer feedback and through individual or whole of class feedback, the debriefing of learning activities or via comments in online communities.
- Formal written or recorded feedback will be received on both formative and summative assessment tasks, in addition to the grade on the Criterion Reference Assessment sheet.
Feedback on your formative assessment task will be received prior to the submission of your summative assessment task.
Assessment
Overview
You will be required to complete two related assessment tasks for this unit: an analysis of a platform for a client, and an extended analysis of that platform that will critically examine its cultural and social specificity. The assessment in the unit has been designed to provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to critically examine the features and impact of social media platforms, along with the associated social, ethical, and legal issues.
Opportunities to complete self-check exercises and other formative activities, which mirror the assessment tasks will be available to help you to gauge your progress. Additionally, opportunities for self and peer evaluation will be integrated into the unit.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Platform Analysis
You will write a report for a client about the potential for a platform to have a transformative effect on a particular industry.
Assessment: Extended Platform Analysis
This assessment task builds upon and extends assessment task 1. As a result of your last report, your client would like to know more about the platform. You will extend the report by addressing the cultural and social implications of the platform.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
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
- Cite|Write
- Unit site
- Burgess, J., Marwick, A. E., & Poell, T. (Eds.). (2017). The sage handbook of social media. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com.
Risk Assessment Statement
This unit requires you to engage in the use of social media and therefore you need to take appropriate steps to ensure that your privacy settings are up-to-date. For assistance on updating your privacy settings visit the Managing your privacy on social media page on the QUT web site. You may also like to have a look at the Creating a Better Online You online module, which explores how to promote yourself on social media, how to protect yourself online and your wellbeing online. If you have concerns about using social media, because of privacy, social, cultural or political reasons please discuss these privately with the unit coordinator.
You are advised to back-up your digital files on a regular basis to ensure work is not lost if there is a hardware failure. Information about the free file storage provided by QUT for students is available on the Storing your files page.