Module SOCM033 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Postgraduate Module Descriptor
SOCM033: Data Governance and Ethics
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Aims
This module aims to equip you with the knowledge and skills to reason around the complex issues of data governance and ethics, and make good decisions in your own professional and personal practice of data management. The module introduces the key ethical questions around the use of big data and associated technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, and places them in the broader framework of contemporary digital society (including its reliance on automation, social media and related platforms for communication and service provision). The legal and social contexts for decision-making will be explored through a number of real-world case studies. Each case study will be examined from end to end, beginning with a real-world example of data collection, storage and analysis, following the possible (intended and unintended) ways in data is subsequently used to support decision-making, and considering the ethical and legal issues that arise at each stage. Key issues such as data protection, open data, citizen science and use (and mis-use) of social data will be explored through lectures and seminars.
Guest lectures by practitioners responsible for data governance in different contexts will enrich the course content.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. Evaluate the choices made at each stage of a data science process and the associated legal, ethical and governance issues. 2. Identify key social concerns in relation to digital tools within contemporary society. 3. Understand the core regulatory and legislative frameworks that govern collection, storage, processing and communication of data. 4. Assess and critically evaluate the differing costs and benefits associated with use of data when considered from perspectives of data user, data provider, decision-maker and regulator. |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 5. Evaluate the social contexts of data science and related technologies, including current issues such as open data, data protection, automated data analysis, and misuse of data and related analytics. 6. Critically reflect on the ethical considerations associated with use of data within organisations and governments. 7. Display a comprehensive and critical understanding of key contributions to scholarship on data studies and the digital society. |
| Personal and Key Skills | 8. Effectively communicate complex ideas using written and verbal methods appropriate to the intended audience. 9. Demonstrate cognitive skills of critical and reflective thinking. 10. Demonstrate effective independent study and research skills. |
How this Module is Assessed
In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.
Formative Assessment
A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation on essay topic | 10 minutes | 1-10 | Oral and written comments. |
Summative Assessment
A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written essay | 100 | 3000 words | 1-10 | Written comments |
Re-assessment
Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written essay | Written essay (3000 words) | 1-10 | August/September reassessment period |
