Entry requirements

A Bachelor's degree and 7.5 credits in human-computer interaction. Proficiency in English equivalent to the general entry requirements for first-cycle (Bachelor's level) studies.

Learning outcomes

Regarding knowledge and understanding, on completion of the course, the student is expected to be able to:

• describe some historical information technology processes of change,
• describe some culture and communication theory models,
• give an account of basic concepts in the field of social media studies,
• give an account of methods that are used to study social media,
• describe design principles and design patterns and explain how these influence the conditions for interaction in social media,
• give an account of theories of individual and social identity and their relevance for the study of social media,
• give an account of different perspectives on the role of social media for democratic and political processes.

Regarding competence and skills, on completion of the course, the student is expected to be able to:

• apply methods to analyse data generated in social media,
• analyse how different design solutions influence the conditions for individual and social identity construction in social media,
• analyse how different design solutions in social media influence the conditions for democratic and political processes.

Regarding judgement and approach, on completion of the course, the student is expected to be able to:

• use culture and communication theory models and theories about historical information technology processes of change to critically review and problematise the role of social media for the individual and society,
• use analysed data to critically reflect on use patterns in social media,
• critically reflect on the role of social media for identity construction and for democratic and political processes,
• evaluate design solutions based on different design principles.

Content

The course aims to provide students with knowledge of social media from a human-computer interaction perspective. Proceeding from culture and communication theory models, the students will be introduced to different aspects of the role of social media for the individual and society. The students will further be introduced to methods that can be used to analyse and problematise the use of social media. The students will also continuously work with critical analysis of social media design solutions based on both established HCI concepts (e.g. design principles and design patterns) and the culture and communication theory models that are presented in the course.

Instruction

Lectures, seminars, and project.

Assessment

Exam, seminars and project presentations.

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.