Students

MAS 110 – Introduction to Digital Media

2016 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Rowan Tulloch
Contact via rowan.tulloch@mq.edu.au
Y3A 191C
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
From the printing press to citizen journalism, from the telegraph to online gaming; how has digital media evolved to its present-day state? This unit introduces students to contemporary digital media including web and computer technologies, interactive media and games, image and video, and sound, providing a contextual look at their existence. Students will think critically about how technologies are shaped, and how they shape us, as well as considering the histories and uses of various platforms. Teaching is geared towards forming a foundational knowledge of media theory, as well as developing crucial analytical skills. Additionally, students will undertake self-directed and collaborative projects involving hands-on digital media production. The unit is interdisciplinary in scope, with an emphasis on innovative digital media forms and practices today.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of how technology interacts with media practices and cultures
  • Analyse and critique various contemporary media with regard to media theory and key precedents
  • Assess the historical and technological development of present-day media forms
  • Formulate arguments and creative works based on appropriate research and incorporating academic references
  • Develop academic communications skills through use of online learning systems

General Assessment Information

10% per day including weekends will be deducted for late submissions (unless a disruption to studies application has been approved).

Online quizzes cannot be attempted after the closing date (unless a disruption to studies application has been approved).

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
iLearn Quiz 1 15% 11:59pm Sunday, Week 5
Referencing Task 20% 11:59pm Sunday Week 9
iLearn Quiz 2 15% 11:59pm Sunday, Week 12
Major Assignment 40% 11:59pm Sunday, Week 13
In-class Engagement 10% Tutorials throughout semester

iLearn Quiz 1

Due: 11:59pm Sunday, Week 5
Weighting: 15%

Students will undertake a timed multiple-choice quiz administered via iLearn. The content of the quiz will relate to readings, lectures, and tutorial discussions undertaken thus far in the unit. The quiz will be taken individually and will require students to be up-to-date on MAS110 material, including lectures and readings.

This assignment should be completed in a timely fashion and the quiz will close automatically at the stated deadline. Late attempts will only be allowed if accompanied by a medical certificate or other evidence of disruption to studies.

Assessment criteria

• Number of multiple-choice questions answered correctly


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of how technology interacts with media practices and cultures
  • Analyse and critique various contemporary media with regard to media theory and key precedents
  • Assess the historical and technological development of present-day media forms

Referencing Task

Due: 11:59pm Sunday Week 9
Weighting: 20%

Pick a topic or subject area to research which relates explicitly to one of the areas we have covered so far in MAS110 (e.g. the alphabet, printing press, telegraph/telephone, photography, recorded sound or broadcasting). Using the template provided on iLearn, provide the following:

Part 1: Academic Sources

State your topic/subject area.   

Find THREE academic sources related to this topic/subject area.

Explain why each of them is an academic source: (2 sentences each max).           

Explain why each source is useful for your topic: (2 sentences each max).

Provide a quote from each source that demonstrates its relevance to your topic. Use correct in-text referencing. (APA style) for each quote: (1 sentence each max).

Provide an end-of-text reference (APA style) for each source.

PART 2: Creative Commons referencing

In your own words, define Creative Commons: (2 sentences max).         

Provide a hyperlink/URL to THREE pieces of Creative Commons material that relate to your topic from Part 1

Correctly attribute your Creative Commons materials.

 

Notes

Do not choose one of the set MAS110 readings as an academic source for this task.

For Creative Commons attribution practices, see: http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Best_practices_for_attribution

When we say the Creative Commons material must relate to the topic chosen in part 1, we mean it should explicitly connect to your chosen technology/focus. For example if your topic was photography, one of your Creative Commons resources could be a Creative Commons licensed image of a vintage camera.

 

Assessment Criteria

  • Evidence of understanding of what constitutes an academic source
  • Evidence of understanding of what constitutes Creative Commons
  • Ability to relate chosen sources to unit themes
  • Correct APA referencing and Creative Common attribution
  • Clarity and writing style of response

On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of how technology interacts with media practices and cultures
  • Formulate arguments and creative works based on appropriate research and incorporating academic references
  • Develop academic communications skills through use of online learning systems

iLearn Quiz 2

Due: 11:59pm Sunday, Week 12
Weighting: 15%

Students will undertake a timed multiple-choice quiz administered via iLearn. The content of this quiz will relate to readings, lectures, and tutorial discussions undertaken from Weeks 6 onward. The quiz will be taken individually and will require students to be up-to-date on MAS110 material, including both readings and lectures.

This assignment should be completed in a timely fashion and the quiz will close automatically at the stated deadline. Late attempts will only be allowed if accompanied by a medical certificate or other evidence of disruption to studies.

Assessment Criteria

• Number of multiple-choice questions answered correctly


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of how technology interacts with media practices and cultures
  • Analyse and critique various contemporary media with regard to media theory and key precedents
  • Assess the historical and technological development of present-day media forms
  • Formulate arguments and creative works based on appropriate research and incorporating academic references

Major Assignment

Due: 11:59pm Sunday, Week 13
Weighting: 40%

Students will undertake a creative research project relating an academic theory of their choice to a technology/case study of their choice.

They will critically analyse the selected technology/case study using the chosen theory. They will explore the cultural contexts and impacts of the technology. These projects should not just give a technological description, nor historical narrative of the case study. They must explore the social and political dimensions of the technology, and make a specific argument. This will be discussed further in tutorials.

Students should pick a specific technology/case study, not a broad technological category or format (e.g. Do not analyse the printing press; look at Gutenberg’s movable type printing press. Do not choose the Internet; pick a specific Internet technology/platform such as the Twitter. Do not choose video games; pick a specific genre such as the modern First-Person Shooter).

Projects must demonstrate the student's ability to apply the chosen academic theory to the chosen technological case study. Supplementary academic theories can, and should, be used, but they must be presented in context of the primary theory, i.e. they should be used to strengthen, critique, or develop the primary theory. All projects should show an understanding of key concepts discussed in MAS110, and build upon ideas from the required readings, as well as showing explicit evidence of self-directed academic research via in-text referencing and a reference list.

Students are to choose one of the following formats in which to submit, and adhere to these length requirements as a guide, +/- 20%:

  1. Video (uploaded to YouTube): 3 minutes (e.g. photo essay, self-shot footage, animation)
  2. Image/text: 750 words plus substantial images (e.g. webcomic, illustrated blogpost)
  3. Text: 1000 words (e.g. blogpost with 4 or fewer images)
  4. Hypertext/interactive: 500 words plus functionality
  5. Spoken/music/podcast (uploaded to SoundCloud/YouTube): 3 minutes
  6. Other platforms: seek permission from tutor and negotiate an appropriate length.

The creative work will additionally be accompanied by a 500-word written rationale, justifying the decisions made with the creative work. This rationale should include:

  1. A hyperlink (URL) to the creative work. The creative work must be accessible, or a penalty will be incurred, potentially resulting in a mark of zero
  2. A sentence stating your chosen case study and chosen academic theory
  3. An academic justification of the relationship between the case study, the theory, and the chosen format, Explain why the format you chose to present in (video, audio, written word etc.) was a good way to present your argument. You must use appropriate academic sources to support this justification.
  4. A justification of the structure and style of your creative work. Why did you present you information in the way you did? How did it help your argument? For example if you did a video, you might discuss what you chose to present visually and what you chose to describe through narration, and why? You must use appropriate academic sources to support this justification.
  5. Was there anything that your choice of format made difficult to explore? For example written text might make looking at visual aesthetics difficult, whilst a video might make it harder to explore theory in depth. Explain the format specific challenges you had, why, and how you sought to overcome these issues. You must use appropriate academic sources to support this justification.
  6. APA-style In-text and end-of-text references (these do not count in the word limit)

Notes

  • You submit the rationale only to iLearn (you do not directly submit the creative work), your rationale has a link to the creative work (make sure this link is correct or we can't mark your creative work).
  • The rationale is as, or more, important that the creative work as it will help you marker understand what you were trying to achieve with the creative work. Do not spend all your time on the creative work and rush the rationale.
  • You may not use any audiovisual materials in your creative project to which you do not have the appropriate rights (e.g. embedding someone else's YouTube video in your YouTube video), as this breaches the policies of media services including YouTube, Vimeo, and SoundCloud. You should use self-created material, or (appropriately cited and licensed) Creative Commons material. If the service detects that you are using copyrighted material in your creative work, it may remove your work, thus preventing your tutor from marking it. Ensuring that your work does not breach copyright and these websites' terms and conditions is your own responsibility.
  • Think carefully about the format you want to present in, and how it helps you construct your argument. Do not just choose your favourite format if it does not help you make a sophisticated argument.
  • Do not submit a standard essay to iLearn. If you want to do a written task then you still need to publish it as a blog.
  • Use appropriate theory in your rationale. If you did a written task (i.e. blog) for your creative work, draw on theorists of writing. If you did a video, draw on theorists of film, television, or other audio-visual media. The theory that you apply in your creative work (your primary academic theory) might be quite different from the theory you use in your rationale; the former underpins the argument of the creative work, the latter justifies the design decisions you made in that work.
  • This major assignment should demonstrate sustained effort. All technical (i.e. all non-iLearn) aspects of the creative project are students’ own responsibility, and you should be confident that you are competent enough to submit.

Assessment Criteria:

  • (Creative Work) Clarity of topic and research question
  • (Creative Work) Use of chosen creative technology to convey argument
  • (Academic Rationale) Evidence and application of research
  • (Academic Rationale) Justification of creative form
  • (Academic Rationale) Writing style and referencing

On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of how technology interacts with media practices and cultures
  • Analyse and critique various contemporary media with regard to media theory and key precedents
  • Assess the historical and technological development of present-day media forms
  • Formulate arguments and creative works based on appropriate research and incorporating academic references
  • Develop academic communications skills through use of online learning systems

In-class Engagement

Due: Tutorials throughout semester
Weighting: 10%

The purpose of tutorials is for students to discuss the weekly topics and readings to enrich their understanding. All students are required to engage in tutorial discussion. This means arriving at tutorials having completed set readings and being prepared to discuss issues arising. The format of tutorials is based around student-led discussions. Your responses to your peers will form the basis of your engagement mark.

Attendance is not the same as engagement. Students receive no marks for simply attending tutorials.

Assessment Criteria:

  • Evidence of engagement with the readings
  • Evidence of engagement with lecture material
  • Ability to relate key theoretical ideas to previous readings and/or independent research
  • Willingness to contribute to class discussion by asking relevant questions, answering other students questions, treating other students with respect and behaving appropriately (e.g. not talking whilst tutor or other students talking)

On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of how technology interacts with media practices and cultures
  • Analyse and critique various contemporary media with regard to media theory and key precedents
  • Assess the historical and technological development of present-day media forms
  • Formulate arguments and creative works based on appropriate research and incorporating academic references

Delivery and Resources

Lectures: MAS110 lectures are ONLINE ONLY. There is no physical lecture. A number of lecturers contribute to MAS110, focusing on their respective areas of expertise. Students are expected to engage with lectures, take notes, and to actively relate lecture content to tutorial discussions, online participation, and assessments.

Tutorials: Tutorials begin in WEEK 1. Participation in tutorial activities and in-class exercises form an integral part of MAS110. Students are expected to arrive punctually and actively participate in class work. A mark is allocated for in-class participation in this unit and an roll will be taken at the beginning of each class. If students arrive over 15 minutes late for a tutorial or leave early, they will be deemed absent for that class.

Required and recommended texts and/or materials: All required readings for MAS110 are provided via iLearn.  Any further recommended readings or material for each week will be listed on iLearn.

Applying for Disruption to Studies: Information on the Disruption to Studies Policy, and how to apply, is available here: http://www.students.mq.edu.au/student_admin/manage_your_study_program/disruption_to_studies/

Re-Marks: The Re-mark Application form is available at http://www.mq.edu.au/pubstatic/public/download/?id=167914

Technologies used: The iLearn site for MAS110 is accessible at: http://ilearn.mq.edu.au/. A computer and Internet access are required to complete assessments in MAS110. Basic computer skills (e.g., internet browsing) and skills in word processing are also a requirement.

Assessment Submission: All assignments for MAS110 will be completed/submitted online, via iLearn. Further details on submission will be explained in tutorials.

Return of marked work: During semester, marked work will be returned to students either online or in tutorials.

Examinations: There is no exam for MAS110.

Changes made to previous offerings: The structure and content of this unit has been updated to complement further Media offerings within the Department of Media, Music, Communication, and Cultural Studies. The unit examines disruptive technologies across different media forms and disciplines and aims to provide a critical perspective and foundation for diverse Media students.

Unit Schedule

Weekly topic schedule

Week 1 - Introduction

Week 2 - The Alphabet

Week 3 - The Printing Press

Week 4 - Telephony/Telegraph  

Week 5 - Photography/Semiotics

Week 6 - Recorded Sound

Week 7 - Broadcasting

Week 8 - Moving Image

Week 9 – Computers

Week 10 - The Internet

Week 11 -Participation and Play  

Week 12 - Mobility  

 

 

Required readings (available via iLearn)

Alphabet

Ong, Walter J. (2002) Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the Word, Routledge, London, chapter 4,  pp 77- 113

Hackforth, R. (Ed.). (1972). Plato: Phaedrus. Cambridge University Press. Available on MAS110 iLearn site.

 

Printing Press

Conboy, Martin & Steel, John (2008), The Future of Newspapers, Journalism Studies 9:5, pp. 650–661

Hirst, Martin and Harrison, John (2007), Communication and New Media: from broadcast to narrowcast, Oxford University Press, Oxford, chapter 5: pp. 79–102

 

Telegraph/Telephony

Carey, James (1992) Communication as culture : essays on media and society, Boston : Unwin Hyman , chapter 8: pp. 201–230

Levinson, Paul (1999) Digital McLuhan: A Guide to the Infomation Millennium, New York : Routledge chapter 11: pp. 132–140

 

Photography

Sontag, Susan (2006) ‘In Plato’s Cave’, in On Photography, New York : Farrar, Straus and Giroux pp. 3–24

Villi, Mikko (2010) Visual mobile communication: Camera phone photo messages as ritual communication and mediated presence, Chapter 5, pp. 83–99

 

Recorded sound

Taylor, Timothy (2001) Strange Sounds: Music, Technology and Culture, New York: Routledge, Chapter 2: pp. 15–40

Chanan, Michael (1995) Repeated Takes: A Short History of Recording and its Effects on Music, London ; New York : Verso , chapter 9: pp. 151–178

 

Broadcasting

Thompson, John (1999) “The Media and Modernity” in Hugh Mackay and Tim O'Sullivan (eds) The Media Reader: Continuity and Transformation, Sage, London, pp. 12-27.

Hargittai, Eszter (2000). “Radio’s Lessons for the internet.” Communications of the ACM 43.1: 51-57

 

The Moving Image

Manovich, Lev (2001) The Language of New Media, Cambridge, Mass. ; London: MIT Press pp. 27–48

Enticknap, Leo (2009) 'Electronic Enlightenment or the Digital Dark Age? Anticipating Film in an Age Without Film', Quarterly Review of Film and Video, Vol. 26, Iss. 5, pp. 415–424

 

Computers

Levy, Steven (1984). Hackers: Heroes of the computer revolution, Doubleday, New York, pp 39- 49

Flew, Terry. "Participatory media cultures" in New Media: An Introduction , Flew, Terry , 2008 , 107-125

 

The Internet

Wu, Tim (2006) Who controls the Internet? : Illusions of a borderless world / Jack L. Goldsmith, New York : Oxford University Press, Chapter 4, pp 49- 63

Coleman, Beth (2011) Hello Avatar, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, Chapter 1, pp. 11–52

 

Participation and Play

Lister, M., Dovey, J., Giddings, S., Grant, I. Kelly, K.  (2009) New Media: A Critical Introduction: Second Edition, pp 260-279

Donovan, T. (2010) Replay: The History of Video Games, East Sussex, England : Yellow Ant , pp 3-14

 

Mobility

Turkle, Sherry (2008) ‘Always-on/Always-on-you: The Tethered Self’ In Handbook of Mobile Communication Studies, James E. Katz (ed.). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 121–137

Goggin, G (2006) Cell phone culture : mobile technology in everyday life, London : Routledge , 2006, ‘Introduction: What do You mean Cell Phone Cultures’ pp1-16

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

New Assessment Policy in effect from Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html. For more information visit http://students.mq.edu.au/events/2016/07/19/new_assessment_policy_in_place_from_session_2/

Assessment Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Additional information

MMCCS website https://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/faculties_and_departments/faculty_of_arts/department_of_media_music_communication_and_cultural_studies/

MMCCS Session Re-mark Application http://www.mq.edu.au/pubstatic/public/download/?id=167914

Information is correct at the time of publication

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Analyse and critique various contemporary media with regard to media theory and key precedents
  • Formulate arguments and creative works based on appropriate research and incorporating academic references

Assessment tasks

  • Referencing Task
  • Major Assignment
  • In-class Engagement

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Develop academic communications skills through use of online learning systems

Assessment tasks

  • Major Assignment
  • In-class Engagement

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate an understanding of how technology interacts with media practices and cultures
  • Analyse and critique various contemporary media with regard to media theory and key precedents
  • Assess the historical and technological development of present-day media forms
  • Formulate arguments and creative works based on appropriate research and incorporating academic references
  • Develop academic communications skills through use of online learning systems

Assessment tasks

  • Major Assignment
  • In-class Engagement

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate an understanding of how technology interacts with media practices and cultures
  • Analyse and critique various contemporary media with regard to media theory and key precedents
  • Assess the historical and technological development of present-day media forms

Assessment tasks

  • iLearn Quiz 1
  • Referencing Task
  • iLearn Quiz 2
  • Major Assignment
  • In-class Engagement

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate an understanding of how technology interacts with media practices and cultures
  • Analyse and critique various contemporary media with regard to media theory and key precedents

Assessment tasks

  • iLearn Quiz 1
  • Referencing Task
  • iLearn Quiz 2
  • Major Assignment
  • In-class Engagement

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Formulate arguments and creative works based on appropriate research and incorporating academic references

Assessment tasks

  • iLearn Quiz 1
  • Referencing Task
  • iLearn Quiz 2
  • Major Assignment
  • In-class Engagement

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Formulate arguments and creative works based on appropriate research and incorporating academic references
  • Develop academic communications skills through use of online learning systems

Assessment tasks

  • Referencing Task
  • Major Assignment
  • In-class Engagement

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Assess the historical and technological development of present-day media forms
  • Develop academic communications skills through use of online learning systems

Assessment task

  • Referencing Task

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Develop academic communications skills through use of online learning systems