Students

MMCC3046 – Social Media

2026 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor
Lauren Gorfinkel
lauren.gorfinkel@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email
Zoom
Mondays 2-3pm - Please email to book an appointment
Lecturer/Tutor
Clementine Vanderkwast
clementine.vanderkwast@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email
Lecturer/Tutor
Melanie Zolenas-Kennedy
melanie.zolenas-kennedy@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
130cp at 1000 level or above
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit will offer students an understanding of the key role social media now plays in media practice and culture. The ways in which social media impact and influence public debate will be explored. The unit will involve students in integrating existing and emerging online platforms and technologies into media practice. Students will analyse the way media organisations, corporations and individuals utilise social media to produce narratives and participate in public discourse. They will also examine the way social and online media have opened up new possibilities for building audiences and communities using a wide variety of social media platform and practices.

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: synthesize a range of theories related to digital media, visual studies and social media studies.
  • ULO2: apply disciplinary theories to evaluate the various uses of visual framing and networked images in social media.
  • ULO3: evaluate the ontological, epistemological and ethical differences between how networked computers, humans, and institutions experience perception, knowledge and action.
  • ULO4: deploy the walk-through method to illustrate and unpack the visible and invisible governing structures of a social media platform, application, or practice.
  • ULO5: analyse and apply the theme, question, object, lens, method, presentation approach to assessing case studies in global social media culture.

General Assessment Information

Late Penalty

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.

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

Additional information

For unit assessment requirements and standards for this unit, please refer to the Assessment Policy (Schedule 1): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment

To achieve the full benefit of learning in this unit as well as to successfully complete assessment tasks, it is crucial to attend and actively participate in the seminars. The seminars will be focused on discussing important concepts, working through scenarios, and workshopping and developing ideas that will form the basis of your assessments.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due Groupwork/Individual Short Extension AI Approach
Platform Walkthrough 50% No 11.55pm, Friday April 10, 2026 Individual No Open
Social Media Content Creation and Analysis 50% No 11.55pm, Friday May 29, 2026 Individual No Open

Platform Walkthrough

Assessment Type 1: Problem-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 49 hours
Due: 11.55pm, Friday April 10, 2026
Weighting: 50%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open

A systematic analysis of a selected social media platform
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • synthesize a range of theories related to digital media, visual studies and social media studies.
  • apply disciplinary theories to evaluate the various uses of visual framing and networked images in social media.
  • evaluate the ontological, epistemological and ethical differences between how networked computers, humans, and institutions experience perception, knowledge and action.
  • deploy the walk-through method to illustrate and unpack the visible and invisible governing structures of a social media platform, application, or practice.
  • analyse and apply the theme, question, object, lens, method, presentation approach to assessing case studies in global social media culture.

Social Media Content Creation and Analysis

Assessment Type 1: Experiential task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 49 hours
Due: 11.55pm, Friday May 29, 2026
Weighting: 50%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open

A social media content creation project analysing social media cases and concepts
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • synthesize a range of theories related to digital media, visual studies and social media studies.
  • apply disciplinary theories to evaluate the various uses of visual framing and networked images in social media.
  • evaluate the ontological, epistemological and ethical differences between how networked computers, humans, and institutions experience perception, knowledge and action.
  • deploy the walk-through method to illustrate and unpack the visible and invisible governing structures of a social media platform, application, or practice.
  • analyse and apply the theme, question, object, lens, method, presentation approach to assessing case studies in global social media culture.

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
  • Academic Success 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.

3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.

Delivery and Resources

Classes 

Students in MMCC3046 attend one 2-hour seminar each week, which combines lecture and tutorial activities. 

Classes begin in Week 2 and run until Week 11. 

Class attendance and participation is expected and is designed to help you collaborate with fellow students to understand key concepts and develop ideas and strategies for your assessments. However, attendance is not graded.

Students who miss a class for any reason are expected to stay up to date by reviewing the seminar slide deck and any other recordings or materials for that week as well as completing the activities on their own.

Consultation

The consultation time will be via Zoom. Please email the convenor for an appointment. You are also welcome to email the convenor with your questions.

Readings 

Readings for all weeks will be available via the Leganto/Unit Readings tab on ilearn. Note that new and extra readings may be added to Leganto for those interested in going deeper.

Technology required

You are expected to access iLearn: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/ at least once a week and keep up to date with seminar slide decks, announcements and extra materials. You are also advised to check your student emails regularly for ilearn and unit updates. You should be able to access relevant scholarly and professional information from the library online as well as from other online, news and social media sources.

You will be required to create a video capturing your voice and face-to-camera for your second assignment. Suggested platforms will be recommended in seminars and the assessment guide. If you have any issues with access to technology, please consult with the unit convenor or your tutor as soon as possible. You are advised to test out technology in the first 2-3 weeks of the unit (don't wait until the week your assignment is due at the end of semester). If you have any technical difficulties please contact onehelp@mq.edu.au for assistance.

 

Unit Schedule

Weekly Schedule

Week 1: No class

Week 2: Introduction to Social Media and the Unit: What is Social Media? History of Social Media/Internet/Social Media Studies, Overview of Assignments

CONCEPTS

Week 3: Platforms: Ownership, Markets, Dominant/Lesser Known, Affordances and Constraints

Week 4: Governance: Platform Policy/Terms of Service, Laws and Regulations, Lawsuits/Controversies, Reputation 

Week 5: Creators: Identity, Performance, Capital

Week 6: Audiences: Networks, Communities, Publics

Assignment 1 Due: Platform Walkthrough

MID-SEMESTER BREAK

CONTENT AND ISSUES

Week 7: Hashtag Activism, Viral Justice, Slacktivism

Week 8: Meme Cultures and Viral Video

Week 9: Echo Chambers, Shaming and Blaming, Misinformation

Week 10: Creating Social Media Content

Week 11: Your Social Media Policy: Advocating, Creating and Protecting Ourselves on Social Media - Personal and Professional Use (Final Week)

Assignment 2 Due: Social Media Content Creation and Analysis

 

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 connect.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/

Academic Success

Academic Success 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 the Service Connect Portal, 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.

Changes from Previous Offering

The 2026 version of this unit, including assignments, has been re-structured while covering the same themes as previous offerings.

Unit information based on version 2026.02 of the Handbook