COMM140 - Digital Communication Technologies

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Teaching organisation

Unit rationale, description and aim

The good working knowledge of digital communication technologies is an important foundational skills for the twenty-first century workplace. The advent of the digital age has seen many new forms of communication evolve and become embedded in everyday life. This unit examines a range of digital technologies such as website and app design platforms, digital imaging software, data management tools, and cloud-based file sharing protocols and their impact on professional and interpersonal communication. It provides students with the opportunity to examine a variety of modes of digital communication and also allows them to learn design techniques that can be employed in these contexts. This unit is designed to introduce multimedia skills to students who may have had limited experience with emerging communication technologies.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Demonstrate an understanding of a range of digital technologies and their implications on interpersonal and professional communication (GA4, GA5, GA8, GA9, GA10)

LO2 - Independently and collaboratively demonstrate skills in producing digital content and manipulating digital platforms including websites, 2D imagery and basic animation (GA4, GA5, GA7, GA8, GA9, GA10)

LO3 - Evaluate and implement principles of design in various digital communication technologies (GA5, GA6, GA9, GA10)

LO4 - Demonstrate an understanding of how changes in technology impact on the way humans communicate and the ethical issues that surround these changes (GA1, GA2, GA4, GA5)

Graduate attributes

GA1 - demonstrate respect for the dignity of each individual and for human diversity 

GA2 - recognise their responsibility to the common good, the environment and society 

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA6 - solve problems in a variety of settings taking local and international perspectives into account

GA7 - work both autonomously and collaboratively 

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

GA10 - utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively.

Content

This unit will study a range of digital communication platforms and technologies such as games, websites, mobile apps, peer-to-peer and social networks.

Through designing, implementing and evaluating a small digital communication project, students will learn:

• To explore emerging communication technologies
• how text, image and audio is collected and stored digitally  
• how to manipulate digital data (text, image and sound)
• design principles for the visualisation of digital data the ethical implications (e.g. security and privacy) around the collection and dissemination of digital data
• how digital systems and real people interact (i.e. the human-technology interface)
• to identify stakeholder needs and adapt technologies and interfaces as needed

While directed at the practical aspects of skills such as building a website, this unit will engage with larger discussions concerning the ethical, social and cultural impacts of emerging digital communication technologies. 

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Learning in this unit takes place lectures and tutorials, which are used to provide unit content and develop unit-related skills. Students also learn in a small-group environment in tutorials, where class discussions, skills workshops, small group activities and individual or group presentations take place.

Assessment strategy and rationale

 The assessment tasks for this unit have been chosen to engage students while developing the knowledge and skills they need to meet the learning outcomes of the unit. The Team-based Digital Content Design Project is designed to help students develop their knowledge through the creation of a project engages with two or more digital communication technologies (Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 4). The reflective journal is designed to develop students’ ability to reflect on such issues as the impact of technology on communication and the ethical issues that relate to technological change (Learning outcomes 1 and 4).

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Attrill, A. (2105). Cyberpsychology. London: Oxford University Press.

Cunningham, S. & Turner, G. (Eds.) (2006). The Media and Communications in Australia. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin.

Demopoulos, T. (2007). What No One Ever Tells You About Blogging and Podcasting Real-life Advice from 101 People Who Successfully Leverage the Power of the Blogosphere [electronic resource], Palo Alt: ebrary.

Tee, M., Fogarty, M., & Chuck Tomasi, C. (2017) Podcasting for Dummies 3rd. ed. Hoboken, New Jersey: For Dummies,

Ess, C. (2014), Digital Media Ethics, Polity Press.

Flew, T. (2014). New Media, 4th ed. South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press, Healey, Justin. Ed.)(2006). Impacts of the internet, Thirroul (NSW): Spinney Press, c2006. 

Kelby, S. (2015). The Photoshop Elements 13 Book for Digital Photographers, New Riders.

Warner, J. (2012). Teach Yourself Adobe Dreamweaver CS6, Wiley & Sons, Indianapolis.

Williams, B, Damstra, D, & Stern H. (2015). Professional Wordpress Design and Development, Wiley & Sons, Indianapolis.