COMM211

STUDENT WARNING: This course syllabus is from a previous semester archive and serves only as a preparatory reference. Please use this syllabus as a reference only until the professor opens the classroom and you have access to the updated course syllabus. Please do NOT purchase any books or start any work based on this syllabus; this syllabus may NOT be the one that your individual instructor uses for a course that has not yet started. If you need to verify course textbooks, please refer to the online course description through your student portal. This syllabus is proprietary material of APUS.

Course Summary

Course : COMM211 Title : Social Media and Society Length of Course : 8

Prerequisites : N/A Credit Hours : 3

Description

Course Description: This course explores the practical and theoretical social impacts of computer-mediated communication (CMC) systems, including many different types of technologies, such as social networking sites, email, forums, chat, and online games. Students will engage in the analysis of CMC practices, the social processes and structures that emerge when people use these applications, and the problems and barriers that emerge from use.

Course Scope:

This course is a vital element of the communication curriculum, exploring mass communication from the standpoint of personal, academic, and business perspectives. Computer-mediated communication (CMC) is ever-growing, and the social aspects use a variety of social networking sites, email, forums, chat, and online games. Students will engage in the analysis of CMC practices, the social processes and structures that emerge when people use these applications, and the problems and barriers that emerge from their use, by learning to identify specific examples of how social media is used to foster informative and persuasive communication. The course will also help students understand ways that social media tools can enhance learning, collaboration, and connectedness between and among all stakeholders. Everyone interacts with business, so this course will help students discover ways that social media is used within companies to proactively address strategic communication functions. As good citizens, it is vital to have an understanding of ways that social media can impact civic engagement, considering the ways it can engender intercultural communication. Finally, there are important legal and ethical considerations relating to privacy and intellectual property that are vital to effective use of social media and social networking.

Objectives

After successfully completing this course, you will be able to

Students will understand the different definitions of social media.Students will identify specific examples of how social media is used to foster informative and persuasive communication.Understand ways social media tools can be used in education as a learning tool and as a means of communication between students, faculty and alumni.

Explore how social media is used in integrated marketing communication.Identify how social media can impact civic engagement in society.Examine social media and its impact on intercultural communication.Identify the potential dangers and risks when utilizing social media as a primary means of communication.Examine legal and ethical issues relating to privacy, intellectual property and the Fourth Amendment.C

Outline

Week 1: Introduction to Social Media and Society

Course Objectives

CO2: Students will identify specific examples of how social media is used to foster informative and persuasive communication

Readings

Week 1 Lesson

Week 1 Reading & Resources

Assignments & Forums

Week 1 Discussion

Week 1 Your Favorite Social Media Week 2: Social Media and Persuasion

Course Objectives

• Students will identify specific examples of how social media is used to foster informative and persuasive communication

Readings

Week 2 Lesson

Week 2 Reading & Resources

Assignments & Forums

Week 2 Discussion

Week 3: Social Media and Education

Course Objectives

• Understand ways social media tools can be used in education as a learning tool and as a means of communication between students, faculty and alumni

Week 3 Lesson

Week 3 Reading & Resources Assignments & Forums

Week 3 Discussion

Week 3 Journal Article Analysis

Week 4: Social Media and Education

Course Objectives

• Understand ways social media tools can be used in education as a learning tool and as a means of communication between students, faculty and alumni

Readings

Week 4 Lesson

Week 4 Reading & Resources

Assignments & Forums

Week 4 Discussion

Week 5: Strategic Communication through Social Media

Course Objectives

• Explore how social media is used in integrated marketing communication Readings

Week 5 Lesson

Week 5 Reading & Resources

Assignments & Forums

Week 5 Discussion

Week 5 Social Media and Marketing

Week 6: Social Media and Civic Participation

Course Objectives

• Identify how social media can impact civic engagement in society
• Examine social media and its impact on intercultural communication Readings

Week 6 Lesson

Week 6 Reading & Resources

Assignments & Forums Week 6 Discussion

Week 7: Social Media and Legal/Ethical Issues

Course Objectives

CO8: Examine legal and ethical issues relating to privacy, intellectual property and the Fourth Amendment Readings

Week 7 Lesson

Week 7 Reading & Resources

Assignments & Forums

Week 7 Discussion

Week 7 Social Media and the Courts

Week 8: Social Media and Legal/Ethical Issues

Course Objectives

CO8: Examine legal and ethical issues relating to privacy, intellectual property and the Fourth Amendment Readings

Week 8 Lesson

Week 8 Reading & Resources

Assignments & Forums

Week 8 Discussion

Evaluation

Grading:

Name

Grade %

Materials

Book Title: Social Media: Usage and Impact – e-book available in the APUS Online Library Author: Hana S. Noor Al-Deen

Publication Info: Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group

ISBN: 9780739180099

Book Title: To find the library e-book(s) req’d for your course, please visit http://apus.libguides.com/er.php to locate the eReserve by course #.

Author: No Author Specified Publication Info:

ISBN: N/A

Websites

In addition to the required course texts, the following public domain web sites are useful. Please abide by the university’s academic honesty policy when using Internet sources as well. Note web site addresses are subject to change.

Name                                             Web Site URL/Address

Social

networking              http://www.forbes.com/sites/nealrodriguez/2011/08/10/ten-

myths for                 myths-about-social-networking-for-business/

business

https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/03/16/kony-2012- Kony Craze viral-video-prompts-a-teachable-moment/

Mass

Communication http://communicationtheory.org/list-of-theories/ Theory

Pros & Cons of http://socialnetworking.procon.org/ Social Media

Small Business http://smallbusiness.chron.com/negative-effect-social­Chronicle media-society-individuals-27617.html

Course Guidelines

Citation and Reference Style

Students will follow APA format as the sole citation and reference style used in written assignments submitted as part of COMMUNICATION program coursework. Please note that no formal citation style is graded on forum assignments in the School of Arts & Humanities—only attribution of sources (please see details regarding forum communication below).

Tutoring