School of Communication,

Language, & General Studies

Social Media and Society

2010 - 2011
Program Year Semester
General Education Course To Be Delivered Across All Programs

Course code: GNED 1411 Con. Ed. code: N/A

Course hours: 42 GPA weighting: 3

Prerequisite: NONE Corequisite: NONE

Prepared by: Jordanne Christie

Laptop course: yes no

Authorized by (Dean): Date: February 2010

Professor contact information:

NAME EMAIL PHONE OFFICE LOCATION

Jordanne Christie Jordanne.christie@dc-uoit.ca 905 721.2000 x3675 SW 101D
905 . x
905 . x
905 . x
905 . x
905 . x
Course Description:
In a few short years, social media has profoundly changed the global communication landscape. With the
advent of social media tools such Facebook, YouTube, Wikipedia, and Twitter, more and more people are
connecting and collaborating online, and creating and distributing content in ways we have never seen
before. This course will provide a summary of the major developments in social media and will examine
how social media is changing media, business, government, the economy, development, and education
in fundamental ways. Students will be introduced to a variety of social media environments and will gain
hands-on experience with many of the leading social media applications. This course requires active
participation of students and a willingness to immerse in social media practices.

Rationale:
Given the rapid emergence and continued diffusion of social media, it is critical for students to understand
the use and broad impact of social media technologies on society. This course will provide students with
theoretical and hands-on experience in the new and changing world of social media and will allow
students to gain practical facility in the use of social media tools.

Course Learning Outcomes

Course Specific Outcomes Essential Employability Outcomes

Students receiving a credit for this course will have Students receiving a credit for this course will have
demonstrated their ability to: demonstrated their ability to:
10. Communicate clearly, concisely and correctly
1. Define social media and identify key tools used
in the written, spoken, and visual form that
in social media today.
fulfills the purpose and meets the needs of the
audience.
2. Describe the evolution, relevant historical
trends, and future potential of social media.
11. Respond to written, spoken, or visual
messages in a manner that ensures effective
3. Critically analyze and discuss the impact of
communication.
social media on traditional media.
12. Locate, select, organize, and document
4. Evaluate the effectiveness of social media
information using appropriate technology and
strategies used by companies that are
information systems.
leveraging this mode of communication.
13. Analyze, evaluate, and apply relevant
5. Examine the impact on public opinion of
information from a variety of sources.
government agencies and political figures
utilizing social media.
14. Interact with others in groups or teams in ways
that contribute to effective working
6. Determine how social media allows for new
relationships and the achievement of goals.
forms of production and contributes to the
participatory economy.
15. Show respect for the diverse opinions, values,
belief systems, and contributions of others.
7. Identify the role of social media in development
at the local, national and international level.

8. Explain the educational benefits of social media

and make recommendations regarding social
media learning initiatives.

9. Assess online identity and identify strategies for

privacy and online reputation management.

For further clarification of Vocational Learning Outcomes and Essential Employability Skills please refer to the current Program Guide.
Sequence of Instruction
Evidence of Learning
Week Intended Learning Resources and Est. Learning Intended Learning Activities Assessment Evaluation
References Class Outcomes and
Hours References Weighting
1 Orientation Welcome Video 3 10, 11, 12 - Introductions/Ice Breaker - Comparison self-test Blog Posting #1
- Overview of course outline and schedule Course Outline - Online Scavenger Hunt -Usage stats self-test (5%)
- Introduction to course materials (online modules) and tools (course Course Schedule - Course Expectations Activity -Reflection questions
blog, course wiki) Assignments answered in Blog Posting for
- Details of assignments and active participation requirements Orientation Module marking and comment from
peers
Introduction to Social Media Introduction to 3 1, 10, 11, 15 - Web 1.0 and 2.0 comparison activity
- Define social media Social Media - Social media awareness and usage survey
- Compare and contrast Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 Module - Reflection questions
- Analyze social media usage statistics in Canada, and across the
Globe
2 The Evolution of Social Media The Evolution of 3 2, 10, 12, 13 -WebQuest -Peer review of WebQuest Wiki Assignment
-Discuss how social media happened Social Media results Part 1 (15%)
-Examine historical trends that lead to social media Module -Matching self-test
-Wiki pages submitted for
Overview of Social Media Tools 3 1, 10, 12, 13, 14 - Online research marking, class review and
- Describe the following tools, determine their use, and provide Overview of Social - Group creation of wiki pages feedback.
examples: Media Tools
-Social Networks Module
-Social Bookmarking
-Photo Sharing Applications
-Video Sharing Applications
-Podcasting
-Blogs
-Microblogs
-Really Simple Syndication (RSS)/Aggregators
-Wikis
- Virtual Worlds
3 Overview of Social Media Tools (Continued) Overview of Social 3 1, 10, 12, 13, 14 - Individual review of wiki pages -Review of wiki pages and Wiki Assignment
Media Tools - Individual reflection self-reflection submitted for Parts 2&3 (10%)
Module - Social media tools self-test marking.
-Self-test to confirm Blog Posting #2
Social Media and Tradition Media 3 3, 10, 11, 15 -Citizen journalism debate activity knowledge of social media (5%)
-Examine how social media has influenced traditional media Social Media and -Reflection questions tools.
-Identify ways that traditional media is adapting to remain competitive Tradition Media -Multiple choice self-test
-Define “citizen journalism” and recognize current examples Module -Reflection questions
answered in Blog Posting for
marking and comment from
peers
Sequence of Instruction
Evidence of Learning
Week Intended Learning Resources and Est. Learning Intended Learning Activities Assessment Evaluation
References Class Outcomes and
Hours References Weighting
4 Social Media and Business Social Media and 3 4, 10, 11, 12, 13 -Case study -Case study answers shared Social Media
- Examine companies that are utilizing social media and critique the Business -Group discussion for peer review Audit (25%)
effectiveness of their social media strategies Module -Social media audit -Social media audit
-Define viral marketing and provide examples submitted for marking
-Investigate crowdsourcing, ideagoras & prosumers/prosumption
-Political campaign activity
Social Media and Government Social Media and 3 5, 10, 12, 13
- Research governments leveraging social media tools to promote Government
awareness, transparency and trust Module
- Recommend strategies for local governments to adopt social media
tools
- Examine the challenges faced by governments utilizing social media
5 Social Media and the Economy Social Media and 3 6, 10, 11, 15 -Economic model activity - Economic model activity Blog Posting #3
- Define sharing economy, peer-to-peer economy, wikinomics, and the Economy -Group discussion shared for peer discussion (5%)
networked economy Module -Online research -Matching self-test
- Investigate the financial and technical aspects of the participatory -Reflection questions
economy based on social media. answered in Blog Posting for
-Discuss the value of community action marking and comment from
peers
Social Media and Development Social Media and 3 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, -Development activity
-Examine International access to and usage of social media Development 14, 15 -Reflection questions
-Determine the challenges in using social media in emerging countries Module
-Define Micro-philanthropy and provide examples
6 Social Media and Education Social Media and 3 8, 10, 12, 13 -Case Study -Case study answers shared Social Media
-Explain the educational benefits of social media Education -Group discussion for peer review Choice
-Critique articles related to social media and pedagogy. Module -Social Media Choice Assignment
-Design plans to use social media as a learning tool Assignment submitted for (10%)
marking
Social Media and Privacy Social Media and 3 9, 10, 11, 15 -Social media policy analysis -Policy analysis shared for
-Analyze the relevant constitutional freedoms, legal and privacy issues, Privacy Module -Facebook privacy survey and activity peer discussion
and ethical principles that impact social media -Group discussion
-Describe how and when to use privacy tools to control the content of
different social media tools
-Examine issues of trust, privacy, and appropriateness
7 Social Media and Online Identity Social Media and 3 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 -Personal brand activity -Drag and drop self-test Social Media
-Define a personal brand and online reputation management Online Identity -Digital tracking exercise -Social media resume Resume (10%)
-Examine identity and sense of self Module submitted for marking
-Describe how is identity developed and what types of activities create -Reflection questions Blog Posting #4
digital traces answered in Blog Posting for (5%)
marking and comment from
The Future of Social Media The Future of 3 2, 10, 11, 15 -Reflection questions peers
-Discuss where social media is headed Social Media
-Define Web 3.0 and provide examples Module
Course outlines are planning guidelines; actual delivery of content may vary with circumstances. Students will be notified in writing of changes that
involve the addition or deletion of content, learning outcomes or evaluation, prior to changes being implemented. Professors are responsible for
following this outline and facilitating the learning as detailed in this outline.
Evaluation Criteria:
(A full description of the Academic Appeals Process can be found in your Student Handbook.)

Blog Assignment
Students will create a personal blog and will be required to answer reflection
questions, which will give them an opportunity to synthesize the readings, express
their own opinions, and pose questions about the course topics. During these weeks 20%
students are also required to post a comment on at least two other class members’
blogs that extend the other bloggers’ arguments, contradict them, or provide some
new insight into the topic
Wiki Assignment
Part 1 - Content (15%) - Students will sign-up for a social media tool and will work in
a group to research the tool and create a collaborative wiki page that describes the
tool, its uses, and relevant examples.
Part 2 - Community (5%) – Students will individually review each wiki page and will
be required to make at least two additional edits to the wiki which can include adding 25%
additional information or resources to a page, adding media to enhance a page, or
modifying formatting, spelling or grammar.
Part 3 – Analysis and Reflection (5%) – Each student will write a one-page reflection
that will outline their contributions to the wiki and share their insights about using wikis
as a social media tool. .
Social Media Audit
Students will monitor the social media of a chosen company and will be required to
search blogs and microblogs, social networks, social bookmarking sites, media
sharing applications and wikis to locate information about the company. They will
25%
generate a report that describes how they conducted their research and summarizes
what they have learned about the company after auditing their social media
interactions as well as provide suggestion for improvements or expansions to the
companies social media efforts.
Social Media Choice Assignment
Students will have the option to choose from one of the following assignment
alternatives:

Twitter Following
Student will create a Twitter account and will choose three political figures to follow for
one week. At the end of the week, students will generate a report that provides an
analysis how effective they believe the individuals were in using Twitter as a social
media tool.

Social Bookmarking
Students will locate at least ten relevant resources that relate to social media and will 10%
add them to the course resource list using the social bookmarking tool. Additions to
the list need to include proper tagging as well as a detailed annotation that describes
the resource and how it relates to the course material. Student will generate a report
that describes the resources and explains how they relate to the course material and
add value to the course resource list.

Social Media Educational Plan

Students will choose a social media application and develop a plan which outlines how
the tool could be used for an educational purpose. Students will generate a report that
includes an analysis of the benefits and challenges, the potential learning
opportunities and recommendations for implementation.
Social Media Resume Assignment
For this assignment students will create a web-based social media resume, which will
serve to build their online identity and demonstrate their social media skills to 10%
prospective employers in a creative manner. Student are required to utilize at least
four of the social media applications explored in the course in order to develop their
resume.

Participation
There will be several activities during the semester which will make up the 10%
participation mark.
Total 100%

Required Text(s) and Supplies:

There is no required textbook for this course, all required reading will be provided in the Weekly Learning
Modules.

Recommended Resources:
(purchase optional)

N/A

Policies and Expectations for the Learning Environment:

General Policies and Expectations:

General College policies related to General Program policies related to

Acceptable Computer Use attendance
Academic Policies absence related to tests or assignment due
dates
Academic Honesty
excused absences
Student Code of Conduct
writing tests and assignments
Students’ Rights and Responsibilities
can be found on-line at classroom management
http://www.durhamcollege.ca/academicpolicies
can be found in the Program Guide. These
are distributed to each student during the first
week of class.

Course Specific Policies and Expectations:

Participation:
This course requires active participation of students and a willingness to immerse in social media practices.
Class attendance and participation are essential to success in the course and are strongly encouraged.

Assignments:
The penalty for late assignments is 10% of the assignment mark per calendar day, up to five days after the due
date. After five (5) days, a mark of zero (0) is assigned.
Subject Eligibility for Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition
(PLAR)
Yes No

(Candidate eligibility is outlined in the

http://www.durhamcollege.ca/assets/Section~specific/Continuing~Education/documents/plar.pdf)

Highlight the text and enter specific PLAR challenge criteria or click on the delete key to remove this text
General Course Outline Notes:

1. Students should use the course outline as a learning tool to guide their achievement of the learning
outcomes for this course. Specific questions should be directed to their individual professor.
2. The college considers the electronic format (i.e. MyCampus or WebCT) as the primary channel of
communication. Students should check the sources regularly for current course information.
3. Professors are responsible for following this outline and facilitating the learning as detailed in this outline.
4. Course outlines should be retained for future needs (i.e. university credits, transfer of credits etc.)
5. A full description of the Academic Appeals Process can be found at http://durhamcollege.ca/gradeappeal.
6. Students who may require academic supports due to any type of disability, should contact the Centre for
Students with Disabilities in B297 (Gordon Willey Building) or call 905-721-3123.

Outline Template v809