Students

MMCC2140 – Cybercultures

2023 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Rowan Tulloch
rowan.tulloch@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email
10HA 191C
By Appointment
Stephen Collins
stephen.collins@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
40cp including ((20cp in MMCC or MAS units at 1000 level) or (COMP111 or COMP1150))
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit introduces students to debates surrounding the internet and the world wide web. It articulates some of the complex relationships between technology and society, and examines how new media technologies may shape our contemporary mediascape and our lives. Students undertaking this unit learn how to design and create simple web sites, analyse cybercultures, and engage with key debates surrounding new media technologies. The production component of this unit is introductory and does not require any special software or prior knowledge. It is complemented by a theoretical analysis of cybercultures in which key opportunities and threats posed by new media technologies are explored.

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:

  • ULO1: situate and evaluate cybercultures in a contemporary and historical context.
  • ULO3: apply academic research skills.
  • ULO2: communicate (in both oral and written forms) theoretical understandings of cybercultures.
  • ULO4: analyse and evaluate contemporary online media platforms, environments and services.
  • ULO5: apply current Web design practices to produce a functional Web site project.

General Assessment Information

Late Penalties

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. This late penalty will apply to written reports and recordings only. Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs will be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application.

These are serious penalties that will substantially alter your final grade and even determine whether you pass or fail this unit. Please make every effort to submit your assignment by the due date.

If you find you cannot submit your assignment on time, please apply for Special Consideration through AskMQ. Make sure you read Macquarie University's policy regarding Special Consideration requests before you apply: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/special-consideration

Attendance and Participation

Students are expected to attend all tutorials for MMCC2140. Tutorials and workshops are not optional: they deliver important content and are a central component of meeting the learning outcomes in this unit. Students who elect to not attend tutorials and/or workshops will miss out on unit content and learning activities, and do so at their own risk.

Tutorial participation in this unit is assessed and determines the Active Participation Assessment Task mark.

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 and activities. 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.

Feedback

Tutors will evaluate and keep records of your attendance and content engagement in weekly tutorials. Tutors will provide informal feedback on each tutorial's performance (as a group) in this assessment during weekly tutorials. Marks for this semester will be finalised at the end of semester.

Provision of Examples

Examples of relevant and related assessment tasks will be made available on iLearn and will be discussed in tutorials.

Assignment Grading

All assignments of this unit are aligned to the standards outlined in the Macquarie University Assessment Policy (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment). Marking rubrics for each of the assignments is available on the iLearn. Students are expected to read the rubric before working on the assignment.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Active Participation 10% No Ongoing weeks 2- 11, in class time
Online Quizzes 20% No 23:55 on 26/03/2023 & 23:55 on 07/05/2023
Major Essay 40% No 23:55 on 26/05/2023
Website Project 30% No 23:55 on 02/06/2023

Active Participation

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Ongoing weeks 2- 11, in class time
Weighting: 10%

 

A set of small tasks including student-led discussions and group activities that take place in the weekly tutorials. Refer to iLearn for further information.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • situate and evaluate cybercultures in a contemporary and historical context.
  • communicate (in both oral and written forms) theoretical understandings of cybercultures.
  • apply academic research skills.

Online Quizzes

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 23:55 on 26/03/2023 & 23:55 on 07/05/2023
Weighting: 20%

 

Students must undertake two multiple choice online quizzes. The content of quizzes will relate to unit readings and lectures. The quizzes are open book and must be taken individually. The due dates and access links are available via iLearn. Late attempts will only be allowed if a Special Consideration application has been approved. Refer to iLearn for further information.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • situate and evaluate cybercultures in a contemporary and historical context.
  • apply academic research skills.

Major Essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 23:55 on 26/05/2023
Weighting: 40%

 

A 2000 word essay on a topic of the student’s choosing exploring a specific new media technology/platform/practice. Students must select a specific new media technology/platform/practice and construct an academic argument around it that tells the reader about the relationship between this new media technology/platform/practice and society more generally. Refer to iLearn for further information.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • situate and evaluate cybercultures in a contemporary and historical context.
  • communicate (in both oral and written forms) theoretical understandings of cybercultures.
  • apply academic research skills.

Website Project

Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 23:55 on 02/06/2023
Weighting: 30%

 

Students are required to plan and develop a Website using skills learnt during the unit. Refer to iLearn for further information.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • apply academic research skills.
  • analyse and evaluate contemporary online media platforms, environments and services.
  • apply current Web design practices to produce a functional Web site project.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

MMCC2140 lectures are ONLINE ONLY. There is no physical lecture. Students are expected to engage with lectures, take notes, and to actively relate lecture content to tutorial discussions and assessments. Each week students must watch the lecture and attend a 1 hour tutorial and 1 hour workshop.

Tutorials and Practicals begin in WEEK 2. Participation in tutorial activities and in-class exercises form an integral part of MMCC2140. Students are expected to arrive punctually and actively participate in class work. A mark is allocated for in-class participation in this unit and a 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: The required readings for MMCC2140 are electronically available through the library website. There is a link on iLearn to the unit readings.

Assessment Submission: All assignments for MMCC2140 will be completed/submitted online via iLearn. Further details on submission will be explained in tutorials.

Examinations: There is no exam for MMCC2140.

Further resources for MMCC2140 can be accessed through iLearn: http://ilearn.mq.edu.au/.

Technologies used and required: PC and Internet access are required. Basic computer skills (e.g., internet browsing) and skills in word processing are also a requirement.

Please consult teaching staff for any further, more specific requirements.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

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

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

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.

Unit information based on version 2023.02 of the Handbook