Postgraduate - UnitFIT5090 - Social informatics

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2015 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Level	Postgraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Information Technology
Offered	Caulfield First semester 2015 (Day) Caulfield First semester 2015 (Online) South Africa First semester 2015 (Day)

Synopsis

This unit provides students with a critical understanding of the impact of information technology (IT) within contemporary social relations. Using case studies drawn from different social spheres, the unit explores the ways in which the diffusion of IT has reshaped thinking and practice concerning social collaboration, the production of knowledge and community building. Particular attention is paid to the emerging field of community informatics, and the implications that this field holds for the work of information and knowledge management professionals

Outcomes

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

analyse the nature and operation of information communities within contemporary society;
evaluate community informatics as an emerging discipline and professional practice;
assess contemporary debates concerning the social impact of information technology use;
distinguish the collaborative behaviours and interdependencies which contribute to notions of community;
analyse and critique cases from the information industry.

Assessment

Examination (3 hours): 50%; In-semester assessment: 50%;

Workload requirements

Minimum total expected workload equals 12 hours per week comprising:

(a.) Contact hours for on-campus students:

2 hours of lectures
One 2-hour tutorial

(b.) Study schedule for off-campus students:

Off-campus students generally do not attend lecture and tutorial sessions, however should plan to spend equivalent time working through the relevant resources and participating in discussion groups each week.

(c.) Additional requirements (all students):