Undergraduate Module Descriptor

SOC3130: Digital Society

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Module Aims

This module aims to:

Explore the ways in which social contexts have shaped the development of information technology and networks, and vice versa
Discuss key contemporary social issues related to the informatisation and datafication of society
Enhance knowledge of the local and global processes, practices and interactions through which information technology, databases and networks are mobilised, operationalised, shaped by social contexts and shape them in turn
Encourage critical and questioning attitudes about often hyped or overlooked socio-technical innovations
Develop new skills in identifying opportunities for social change and elaborating strategies for seizing them
Develop skills of team collaboration and organisation
Improve employability with a combination of analytical and organisational skills in addition to the thematic knowledge acquired

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. Understand key terms and concepts in social study of digital technology and information and digital sociology scholarship, and use them in an articulate and comprehensive way, orally and in writing 2. Critically reflect, evaluate and comprehensively contrast and compare the social issues and questions raised by the introduction of new digital technology and networks in everyday life, the workplace, and communities 3. Identify opportunities for social change and the key milestones and strategies to achieve change, developing possible paths of action
Discipline-Specific Skills	4. Critically understand, apply and criticise theoretical arguments, frameworks and concepts from digital sociology and social studies of digital technology and information in the analysis of real-world issues and cases 5. Critically articulate how different groups, communities, organisations and individuals adopt and appropriate digital technology and networks, demonstrating a robust awareness of the contributions of different social actors to the development and diffusion of technology, and the direct and indirect social impacts
Personal and Key Skills	6. Analyse and draw conclusions from unstructured social scenarios and real-world cases 7. Demonstrate skills of critical and reflective thinking, and effective independent study and research 8. Plan, execute and write-up effective independent study and research 9. Collaborate with peers in a team and manage a team-based project

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
Group project report plan	Plan 500 words		Written

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
Group project report	30	2000 words	1-9	Written comments and marks
Essay	70	2000 words	1-9	Written comments and marks
	0
	0
	0
	0

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
Group project report	Group project report 2000 words (30%)	1-9	August/September Reassessment Period
Essay	Essay 2000 words (70%)	1-9	August/September Reassessment Period