Syllabus for Media and Communication Studies: Global Perspectives on Social Change and Digital Media

Decisions and guidelines

The course is offered in English.

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the module students will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• demonstrate a substantial in-depth knowledge of contemporary research on digital media and societal change from a global perspective, and with a special focus on developing contexts,
• critically discuss the relationship between contemporary digital technologies and social change and how this relation differs between different contexts and cultures,
• demonstrate in-depth insight into current research and development in the field ICT4D,

Skills and abilities

• critically evaluate central themes, theories and issues within the study of digital media and social change,
• critically, creatively and systematically integrate new knowledge,
• departing from the above mentioned understanding, be able to analyse and assess existing development cooperation within the field of ICT for development,
• analyse and reflect on the themes of the course both individually and within a group work,
• plan, manage and write independent reflective research reviews,

Judgment and approach

• demonstrate an ability to present completed written work in spoken form, and provide constructive critical feedback on the work of others,
• adopt a globally anchored critical approach to information and research in the field of ICT, development and development cooperation,
• demonstrate the ability to identify needs for further knowledge and to take responsibility for one's own knowledge development,
• demonstrate understanding into the possibilities and limitations of science, its role in society and people's responsibility for how it is used,

Content

The course introduces students to theories and global perspectives for analysing the role that digital media and information technology play in developing contexts. The course introduces and studies in depth concepts such as development, ICT for Development (ICT4) and development corporation. A particular focus is placed on the role of digital media in development corporations and how these can be evaluated.

Instruction

Lectures and seminars.

Assessment

The course is examined by an examination and active participation in seminars.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator or a decision by the department's working group for study matters.