52687 Making Digital Impact
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particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): 32 credit points of completed study in spk(s): MAJ10050 Digital and Social Media Major OR 36 credit points of completed study in spk(s): MAJ09479 48cp Digital and Social Media Major OR 36 credit points of completed study in spk(s): MAJ09487 48cp Digital and Social Media Major
Anti-requisite(s): 54065 Digital Futures AND 58339 Digital Futures
Description
This subject consolidates students’ understanding of how new technologies interact with existing social, economic and political contexts. It aims to equip them with practical skills around designing and promoting new technology using current production practices such as Agile Methodology and Human-Centred Design within an environment that simulates the contemporary workplace. Students design and prototype solutions to a problem-based scenario. They gain experience working in teams, producing professional presentations and materials, advocating design solutions, documentation and building a business case.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| a. | Understand theories of digital innovation and disruptive technologies and processes |
|---|---|
| b. | Evaluate social problems and design innovative solutions to address them |
| c. | Present to stakeholders to a professional standard |
| d. | Articulate the contribution of digital innovation to social contexts |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:
- Act in a professional manner appropriate to communication industries (1.1)
- Employ appropriate research and inquiry skills to independently gather, organise and analyse information across diverse platforms (2.1)
- Act as reflexive critical thinkers and innovative creative practitioners who evaluate their own and others' work (2.2)
- Demonstrate a strong awareness, knowledge of, and sensitivity to, diversity, equity and global contexts (3.1)
- Exemplify effective and appropriate communication in different communication industry contexts (6.1)
Teaching and learning strategies
This subject incorporates a pedagogical strategy that integrates contextual and historical knowledge, theories, concepts, scholarly literature, design thinking, and technical skills. Teaching strategies promote interactive, collaborative learning with a ‘learning by doing’ approach to foster exploration extending beyond the classroom. The weekly program includes student engagement with online pre-class learning materials, lectures, group discussions and workshops expanding upon selected themes and readings, to convey the theories and concepts of digital communication technologies and social media. Individual and supervised self-paced activities enable students to develop the conceptual and digital skills necessary for completion of practical aspects of assignments and are supported through online drop-in sessions. Students are provided with formative feedback online in the lead up to the census date, and in class in the leadup to A1 and A2.
Content (topics)
In this subject, students situate contemporary media technologies within alternative historical trajectories with consideration of technological determinism, techno-cultures and sociotechnical systems. Students explore how digital technologies, and the agile methodologies that bring them into existence, appeal as solutions to contemporary problems. Students learn about key design processes including design thinking, rapid prototyping, design justice, and ethics.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Mapping and Critiquing the Problem
| Objective(s): | a, b, c and d | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 40% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 2000 words + infographic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: Pitching the Solution
| Objective(s): | a, c and d | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 60% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | Group: 5-minute video + pitch deck slides + pitch presentation transcript Individual: 1000-word reflection | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Minimum requirements
Minimum requirements
Attendance at classes is essential in this subject. Classes are based on a collaborative approach that involves essential work-shopping and interchange of ideas with other students and the tutor. A roll will be taken at each class. Students who have more than two absences from class will be refused final assessment (see Rule 3.8).
Required texts
There are no required texts for this subject. Recommended readings will be available via UTS Library and through the subject site.
References
Balsamo, A. (2001). Designing Culture: The Technological Imagination at Work. Duke: Durham NC. Introduction.
Benjamin, R. (2019). Race after technology?: abolitionist tools for the new Jim code. Polity.
Costanza-Chock, S. (2020). Design Justice?: Community-Led Practices to Build the Worlds We Need (1st ed.). The MIT Press.
Dekker, T. den. (2020). Design Thinking (International edition.). Noordhoff.
Klein, L.F., & D’Ignazio, C. (2020). Data Feminism. MIT Press: Boston.
Noble, S. (2018) Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism. NYU Press: New York.