Overview
Digital media has dramatically affected and expanded the ways in which we communicate. This unit provides a theoretical and applied understanding of digital communications, including web, social and mobile technologies. You will evaluate a range of digital communications platforms and strategies, and critically examine key social, economic, ethical and regulatory issues. Through a combination of theory and practice, you will develop essential skills for communicators in the digital age, and identify emerging trends and innovations.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite: Minimum of 36 credit points
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2018
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Feedback from students.
Some students found it difficult to understand the requirements of some assessment tasks.
Assessment tasks will be revised to ensure that the requirements are clear and unambiguous.
Feedback from Feedback from students.
Some students commented that the workload was excessive for a unit worth 6 credit points.
The curriculum will be revised to ensure that it is appropriate for a unit worth 6 credit points.
- explain and evaluate digital communications platforms and strategies that are presently used by individuals and organisations
- develop and reinforce essential skills for communicators in the digital age, including the creation and consumption of digital media via web, social and mobile technologies
- critically examine key social, economic, ethical and regulatory issues associated with digital communications.
Not applicable
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Practical and Written Assessment - 15% | |||
| 2 - Practical and Written Assessment - 45% | |||
| 3 - Practical and Written Assessment - 40% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||
| 5 - Team Work | |||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Practical and Written Assessment - 15% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Practical and Written Assessment - 45% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Practical and Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Digital and Social Media Marketing
(2017)
Authors: Aleksej Heinze, Gordon Fletcher, Tahir Rashid and Ana Cruz
Taylor & Francis Group for Routledge
London and New York, England and USA London and New York, England and USA
ISBN: ISBN ISBN 9781138917910 (pbk) 9781315688763 (ebk)
Binding: Other
Digital Innovations for Mass Communications: Engaging the user
(2014)
Authors: Paul Martin Lester
Taylor & Francis Group for Routledge
ISBN: ISBN ISBN 9780415662949 (pbk) 9780203071816 (ebk)
Binding: Other
Digital Marketing: Integrating strategy and tactics with values
(2015)
Authors: Ira Kaufman & Chris Horton
Taylor & Francis Group for Routledge
ISBN: ISBN ISBN 9780415716758 (pbk) 9781315879451 (ebk)
Binding: Other
Multimedia Storytelling: for digital communicators in a multiplatform world
(2016)
Authors: Seth Gitner
Taylor & Francis Group for Routledge
ISBN: ISBN ISBN 9780765641328 (pbk) 9781315720104 (ebk)
Binding: Other
Persuasion Ethics Today
(2016)
Authors: Margaret Duffy & Esther Thorson
Taylor & Francis Group for Routledge
ISBN: ISBN ISBN 9780765644725 (pbk) 9781315651309 (ebk)
Binding: Other
Social Media Campaigns
(2016)
Authors: Carolyn M. Kim
ISBN: ISBN ISBN 9781138948600 (pbk) 9781315652375 (ebk)
Binding: Other
Social Media Communication: Concepts, Practices, Data, Law and Ethics
(2015)
Authors: Jeremy Harris Lipschult
Taylor & Francis Group for Routledge
ISBN: ISBN ISBN 9781138776456 (pbk) 9781315773162 (ebk)
Binding: Other
Additional Textbook Information
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
a.holmes@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Welcome. Introduction to the unit
Digital communications management in context
Key concepts: Digital Self; iGeneration; Global Digitalization; Networked Influence.
Chapter
Chapter 0
‘A visual introduction to digital and social media marketing’, (Gordan Fletcher), in Digital and social media marketing: A results-driven approach, A. Heinze, G. Fletcher, T. Rashid and A. Cruz, Eds., Routledge, New York, 2017.
Sections:
0.3 The Buyer Persona Spring and action-based learning
0.4 The Buyer Persona Spring.
Refer also to additional resources via Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment exercise: Preliminary reviews of the affordances of popular social network platforms: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn.
Module/Topic
Connectivity and human interactivity
Key concepts: Digital Ecosystems; Swarm Intelligence; New Media; Internet Geographies.
Chapter
Chapter 9
‘Content marketing’ (Sophie Iredal, Aleksej Heinze and Martin J Williams).
Sections: from 9.1 up to and including 9.6.
Refer also to additional resources via Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment exercises:
2.1 Compare four website building service that offer a free subscription option;
2.2 Set up your professional blog website.
Module/Topic
Technological innovations in digital communications
Key concepts: Big Data; Linked Data; Open Source; Cloud Computing; Web Analytics.Key concepts: Big Data; Linked Data; Open Source; Cloud Computing; Web Analytics.
Chapter
Chapter 12
‘Measuring brand awareness, campaign evaluation and web analytics’ (Alexander Christov, Verena Hausmann and Sue Williams).
Sections:
12.4 Web analytics
12.5 Key performance indicators for small and medium enterprises when using Google Analytics.
Refer also to additional resources via moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment exercise:
Transfer your completed Assessment Exercise tasks 1.1 and 2.1 across to your professional blog.
Module/Topic
The social media revolution
Key concepts: Web 2.0 Technology; The Social Web; Social Networking Dynamics; Social Capital.Key concepts: Web 2.0 Technology; The Social Web; Social Networking Dynamics; Social Capital.
Chapter
Chapter 8
‘Social media’ (Alex Fenton and Ashley Jones).
Sections: from 8.1 up to and including 8.5.
Refer also to additional resources via Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment exercise:
Professional Blog post - What are the similarities with and differences between:
1) Facebook, Reddit and VK;
2) Pinterest and Instagram;
3) Flickr and DeviantArt;
4) Vimeo and YouTube.
Module/Topic
Life on the go - mobile technology and the rise of the App
Key concepts: Mobile Cultures; Digital Mobility; Mobile Optimization; Digital Disruption; Mobile Marketing Expansion; Internet of Things; Wearable Technology.
Chapter
Chapter 11
‘Mobile marketing’, (Bartlomiej Kurzyk, Tahir Rashid and Sayed Ali Hayder).
Sections: from 11.1 up to and including 11.11.
Refer also to additional resources via Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment exercises:
5.1: Share an infographic on your professional blog.
5.2: Generate a QR code for your professional blog.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Digital communications strategies
Key focus: How can individuals, businesses and organisations best harness the potential of digital communications?
Chapter
Chapter 6
‘Developing an effective digital presence’ (Ana Cruz and Stelios Karatzas).
Sections: from 6.1 up to and including 6.15.
Refer also to additional resources via Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment exercise:
List common roles and tasks associated with position descriptions pertinent to digital communications management in your professional blog.
Create platform specific content for multiple social media sites Due: Week 6 Monday (20 Aug 2018) 9:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
Marketing social networks
Key concepts: Honeycomb Framework; Social Influence; Social Credibility; Social Media Streamlining.
Chapter
Chapter 8
‘Social media’ (Alex Fenton and Ashley Jones).
Sections: from 8.6 up to and including 8.11.
Refer also to additional resources via Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment exercises:
7.1: Complete the free Google Analytics for Beginners course at Google Academy and post your certificate to your professional blog.
7.2: Produce a 2-Minute podcast and embed it into your professional blog.
Module/Topic
Doing business with digital communications
Key Concepts: Digital relationships B2B, B2C, B2P
Chapter
Chapter 0
‘A visual introduction to digital and social media marketing’ (Gordan Fletcher).
Finish reading this chapter.
Chapter 7
‘Search engine optimisation: strategy implementation’ (Aleksej Heinze),
Sections: from 7.1 up to and including 7.7.
Refer also to additional resources via Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment exercises:
8.1: Identify the advantages of employing LinkedIn for maintaining business relationships. Post your evaluation to your professional blog.
8.2: Once you have an RSS Feed function activated for your professional blog, share your Exercise 7.2 podcast about ‘Social Credibility’ as an RSS Feed.
Module/Topic
Digital communications evaluation - measuring success
Key Concepts: Measurement Models, Impact Metrics, Audience Centricity; Return on Investment.
Chapter
Chapter 12
‘Measuring brand awareness, campaign evaluation and web analytics’ (Alexander Christof and Verena Hausmann).
Sections: from 12.6 up to and including 12.11
Refer also to additional resources via Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment exercise:
Using the digital communications evaluation template you designed in Learning activity 9.0, assess the effectiveness of the digital communications strategy of the entity you selected for analysis and evaluation.
Establish and develop a professional blog site Due: Week 9 Wednesday (12 Sept 2018) 9:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
Visual storytelling – digital presentations and online video
Key Concepts: Visual Storytelling; Social Video and Audio; Video Marketing; Video for Engagement; Crowdfunding
Chapter
Note: The following chapter is not from the prescribed text. It is available as a Course Resource Online (CRO) from CQUniversity library via this link.
Chapter 9
‘Multimedia storytelling in strategic communications’, Seth Gitner, in Multimedia Storytelling for Digital Communicators in a Multiplatform World, Routledge, New York, 2016.
Refer also to additional resources via Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment exercises:
10.1 Complete the evaluation and analysis of your entity’s digital media communication practices.
10.2 Prepare a recorded presentation of your strategic recommendations.
Module/Topic
Privacy and security in the digital age
Key Concepts: Visual Storytelling; Social Video and Audio; Video Marketing; Video for Engagement; Crowdfunding.
Chapter
Note: The following chapter is not from the prescribed text.It is in the text below which is available as an e-book from the CQUniversity library.
Chapter 3 ‘Strategic design – developing a data informed social media campaign’, in Carolyn Mae Kim, Social media campaigns: strategies for public relations and marketing, Routledge, New York, 2016.
Read the section called ‘Social media ethics’ on pages 78-87.
Refer also to additional resources via Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment exercise:
Once you have recorded it, embed your MP4 formatted video into your professional blog. Also provide a URL link to your presentation in Assessment 3 submission section of your DGTL12007 Moodle site.
Module/Topic
Digital communications management – practice and profession
- summary of topics covered in the unit;
- general discussion on the opportunities and challenges for digital communications practitioners in the future.
Chapter
No required reading this week.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Practical and Written Assessment
Create platform specific content for popular social media sites, using current layout requirements and dimensions for each site. Those platforms are: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+. You will need to tailor the content to suit the site’s users, your audience and page layout requirements. You may use Canva.com or other ready-made graphic design templates, or you can design your own if you are proficient with graphic design tools (refer to the site layout dimensions contained in Module 2). Choose a previous module discussion or exercise task or create a new story that you will share across multiple platforms. Word count will be determined by the platform’s specifications.
Week 6 Monday (20 Aug 2018) 9:00 am AEST
Within approximately 14 days
1/ Overall concept makes use of modular copy principle for multi-platform use:
- short sentences and short paragraphs
- arresting image or graphic creates interest and is easy to take in at a glance
- engages with a primary emotion
- has 'voice' appropriate for message and its target audience
- uses site-specific networking affordances (e.g. hash-tags, hyperlinks, tags, comments etc)
Up to 2 marks will be applied for each of the above (up to 10 marks for these criteria).
2/ Content adapted with one example created for each of the following specific platform media requirements in a recommended format and proportional dimension (as per Module 2 lesson resource):
- Google+
Up to 1 mark will be applied for each of the above (up to 5 marks for these criteria).
Up to 15 marks altogether are available for this assessment item.
- explain and evaluate digital communications platforms and strategies that are presently used by individuals and organisations
- develop and reinforce essential skills for communicators in the digital age, including the creation and consumption of digital media via web, social and mobile technologies
- critically examine key social, economic, ethical and regulatory issues associated with digital communications.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Practical and Written Assessment
Establish a professional online presence by setting up a personalised website using a free website building service.
Complete the compulsory digital communications tasks, identified as ‘Assessment exercises’ which are contained in the weekly unit modules; these are identified as ‘summative assessment components of Assessment 2 – Professional Blog Site’ (PBS). The website and its digital content will be professionally presented and submitted for assessment. The website building service you choose to deliver your assessment requirements will primarily function as a blogging platform.
The site must have the capacity to:
- post plain text, images, infographics and hyperlinks;
- share photos, external links, chat snippets etc.;
- host RSS feeds and HTML-based widgets;
- embed audio including music tracks and podcasts;
- embed videos which can be uploaded as ‘in-feed native videos’ or imported from websites such as YouTube, TedTalks or Vimeo;
- make use of its own analytics tools or have the capability of integrating another, for example Google Analytics.
Following is a list of the exercises. Refer to the weekly modules for details.
- Exercise Task 1.1: Preliminary reviews of the various digital tools available on the most popular social networks.
- Exercise Task 2.1: Compare four website building products that offer a free subscription option.
- Exercise Task 2.2: Set up your professional blog web site (PBS)
- Exercise Task 3.1: Transfer your completed Assessment Exercise tasks 1.1 and 2.1 across to your PBS.
- Exercise Task 4.1: Further comparative reviews of specified social media and networking sites to be posted to your PBS.
- Exercise Task 5.1: Share a specified infographic on your PBS.
- Exercise Task 5.2: Generate a QR code for your PBS.
- Exercise Task 6.1: Research and list the common roles and tasks associated with position descriptions pertinent to digital communications management on your PBS.
- Exercise Task 7.1: Post to PBS evidence of your completion of the free Digital Analytics Fundamentals course.
- Exercise Task 7.2: Write a two-minute podcast script on the topic of 'Social Credibility'; produce an MP3 podcast and embed it into your PBS.
- Exercise Task 8.1: Evaluate LinkedIn and post evaluation to your PBS.
- Exercise Task 8.2: Create an RSS feed and share your Exercise 7.2 podcast as a news feed.
Week 9 Wednesday (12 Sept 2018) 9:00 am AEST
Within approximately 14 days
| Task | Marks available |
| 1.1 | 5 |
| 2.1 | 3 |
| 4.1 | 4 |
| 5.1 | .5 |
| 5.2 | .5 |
| 6.1 | 5 |
| 7.1 | 10 |
| 7.2 | 10 |
| 8.1 | 3 |
| 8.2 | 2 |
| Total | 45 |
- explain and evaluate digital communications platforms and strategies that are presently used by individuals and organisations
- develop and reinforce essential skills for communicators in the digital age, including the creation and consumption of digital media via web, social and mobile technologies
- critically examine key social, economic, ethical and regulatory issues associated with digital communications.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
3 Practical and Written Assessment
Complete a detailed analysis of the ‘digital footprint’ of one of the entities listed below. Identify the digital communications strategy apparent by the entity’s online presence. Evaluate the effectiveness of the digital communications strategy employed. Make recommendations to improve the integration, efficiency and success of the entity’s current digital communications management strategy as evidenced by its online presence. Submit your analysis, evaluation and recommendations as a multimedia video presentation (8–10 minutes).
-
Select an entity from the list below (or you may choose an entity but it must be approved by the Unit Coordinator):
- BeefBank https://www.beefbank.org/
- Climates http://climates.org.au/
- Flow Hive https://www.honeyflow.com/
- HoMie http://www.homiestreetstore.com.au/
- Lock the Gate Alliance http://www.lockthegate.org.au/
- Orange Sky Laundry http://www.orangeskylaundry.com.au/
- Protect Arnhem Land http://www.protectarnhemland.org/
- Using online search techniques, detect the entity’s digital footprint (online presence);
- Develop a set of questions based on your understanding of what makes an effective digital communications strategy;
- Identify the digital communications strategy currently being employed, listing all digital platforms, services and tools being used;
- Design a simple digital communications strategy evaluation template and use the template to assess the effectiveness of the digital communications strategy;
- Make recommendations to improve the integration, efficiency and success of the entity’s current digital communications management strategy;
- Present your findings as a multimedia video presentation;
- Embed the video into your Professional Blog Site as an ‘in-feed native video’;
- Provide a link to the presentation site on your DGTL12007 Moodle, Assessment 3 submission portal.
Review/Exam Week Wednesday (10 Oct 2018) 9:00 am AEST
By certification date for Term 2.
The assessment will be evaluated according to how successfully students have incorporated the advice from unit texts and resources in accordance with the pre-stated learning objectives.
A marking rubric will be provided via Moodle indicating levels of achievement for:
- Detail of the analysis of an organisation's ‘digital footprint’;
- Demonstrated ability to identify the digital communications strategy apparent by that entity’s online presence;
- Sophistication of the student's evaluation of the effectiveness of the digital communications strategy employed by that entity;
- Originality and practicality of student's recommendations to improve the integration, efficiency and success of the entity’s current digital communications management strategy;
- Achievement of, and overall communication qualities of the presentation requirement (audiovisual via professional blog).
- explain and evaluate digital communications platforms and strategies that are presently used by individuals and organisations
- develop and reinforce essential skills for communicators in the digital age, including the creation and consumption of digital media via web, social and mobile technologies
- critically examine key social, economic, ethical and regulatory issues associated with digital communications.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
