Module Information
Module Identifier
MC21120
Module Title
DIGITAL CULTURE
Academic Year
2010/2011
Co-ordinator
Semester
Intended for use in future years
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Assignment 1 - 2,500 words | 50% |
| Semester Assessment | Assignment 2 - 2,500 words | 50% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Assignment 1 - 2,500 words. All failed or missing elements must be retaken or made good. Students will be required to complete different assignment questions to the ones originally submitted. | 50% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Assignment 2 - 2,500 words. | 50% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
Brief description
This module focuses on and questions the huge impact that digital technologies have had on multiple areas of culture, looking in detail at the changing cultural landscape in the digital age. Students will explore the underlying basis of the 'digital' and associated theoretical implications.
Technology will be placed within a web of interlocking influences to demonstrate that it not only shapes the cultural sphere, but is also shaped by (and cannot be extracted from) broader social forces. Issues of historical development, citizenship, gaming, networking and narrative will be scrutinized, together with questions of interactivity, creativity and convergence.
The 'newness' of new/digital media will not be overstated, however, but rather assessed and evaluated in light of technological developments and constraints, that both create and constrain cultural expression.
Technology will be placed within a web of interlocking influences to demonstrate that it not only shapes the cultural sphere, but is also shaped by (and cannot be extracted from) broader social forces. Issues of historical development, citizenship, gaming, networking and narrative will be scrutinized, together with questions of interactivity, creativity and convergence.
The 'newness' of new/digital media will not be overstated, however, but rather assessed and evaluated in light of technological developments and constraints, that both create and constrain cultural expression.
Content
Lecture-workshop sessions will explore the following topics:
- Introduction to Digital Culture: Key concepts
- Digi-context (1): Technologies in history
- Digi-context (2): Digital citizenship & democracy
- Digi-context (3): Digiplay, branding & marketing
- Cyberculture (1): Community & social networking
- Cyberculture (2) Second lives & online gaming
- Cyberculture (3): Hacking, subcultures & hacktivism
- Production & Consumption (1): Digital storytelling & art
- Production & Consumption (2): Digital cinema & music
- Production & Consumption (3): Digital television, multi-platforming & convergence
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | Students will be given the opportunity to reflect upon basic statistical data (primarily presented in percentages), through entering key resarch studies in the field. |
| Communication | Students' written communication skills will be developed (e.g. appropriate language and style, accuracy, precision and ability to be concise). Opportunities will be given, through interactive lecture-workshop sessions, for students to develop confidence in using their speaking and listening skills when communicating their ideas. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | Students will be able to develop their skills of information location and retrieval. Students will be given opportunities to develop effective note-taking skills. Students will develop their critical thinking skills. Through group and whole class discussion students will be given opportunities to develop an awareness of the opinions of others and reconsider initial ideas if necessary. |
| Information Technology | Students will be given the opportunity to develop their authorial and note-taking skills when planning and preparing for the written assignments, and will be encouraged to develop their note-taking skills in lectures. Students will be given opportunities to develop their skills using electronic search and retrieval of sources both on the web and on the AU LIS. Students will develop their skills when referencing from the web and related sources, and will focus on the selection of materials appropriate to task. E-mail and Blackboard will be the main forms of communication and information sharing in this module, so students will be encouraged to actively engage in these processes. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | Students will be given the opportunity to evaluate current knowledge and skills and set targets for self-improvement. Students will be encouraged to take increasing responsibility for managing their own learning. Students will be encouraged to build upon the knowledge gained from lectures through developing skills in self study (supported by the general and specific reading lists and other resources distributed throughout the module). |
| Problem solving | Students should be able to identify tensions and debates in the field, and will be encouraged to critically reflect. Students should gain experience in applying different approaches and materials to understand data and other patterns in research. |
| Research skills | Students will be able to develop their skills of information location and retrieval. Students will be given opportunities to develop effective note-taking skills. Students will be encouraged to evaluate, interpret and reflect upon a variety of sources, and to make links to accommodate new ideas. |
| Subject Specific Skills | |
| Team work | Most sessions will involve group work where students will be able to collaborate through discussion. |
Reading List
Recommended TextBell, David (2001) Cybercultures - An Introduction Routledge Primo search Bell, David & Barbara M. Kennedy (eds.) (2002) Cyberculture - A Reader 2nd ed Routledge Primo search Creeber, Glen & Royston Martin (eds) (2008) Digital Cultures: Understanding New Media Open University Press Primo search Darley, Andre (2000) Visual Digital Culture: Surface Play and Spectacle in New Media Genres Routledge Primo search Gauntlett, David & Ross Horsley (Eds) (2004) Web Studies 2nd ed Routledge Primo search Gere, Charlie (2006) Art, Time and Technology Berg Primo search Kerr, Aphra (2006) The Business & Culture of Digital Games: Game Work & Game Play Sage Primo search Kline, Stephen (2003) Digital Play: The Interaction of Technology McGill-Queen's University Press Primo search McKernan, Brian (2005) Digital Cinema: A Revolution in Cinematography, Post-production & Distribution McGraw-Hill Primo search Poster, Mark (2006) Information Please: Culture and Politics in the Age of Digital Machines Duke University Press Primo search Rabinovitz, Lauren & Abraham Geil (Eds) (2004) Memory Bytes: History, Technology & Digital Culture Duke University Press Primo search Sefton-Green, Julian (1998) Digital Diversions: Youth Culture in the Age of Multi-Media Routledge Primo search Trend, David (Ed) (2001) Reading Digital Culture Blackwell Primo search Wands, Bruce (2007) Art of the Digital Age Thames & Hudson Primo search Wood, Aylish (2007) Digital Encounters Digital Encounters Primo search
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 5