TCP2031 : Digital Civics
- Offered for Year: 2022/23
- Module Leader(s): Dr Alexander Wilson
- Visiting Professional: Dr Sebastian Weise
- Owning School: Architecture, Planning & Landscape
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
Aims
Digital Civics aims to develop and bolster students’ understanding of—and critical engagement with—technologies in contemporary society, particularly its intersection with space, society, and democratic involvement. Through engaging with the role of a spectrum of technologies, the module will explore both their intended use and broader consequences of the use of digital technologies. The role of technology will be considered through the lens of citizens, governments and organisations. The aim is for students to develop an understanding of the potential challenges we’ll face in an increasingly digitalised world.
Outline Of Syllabus
The module is delivered through a series of weekly lectures and seminars. Each week, the lectures will explore a theme, with the seminars providing the opportunity for reflection and discussion.
The indicative outline of sessions per week:
1. Introduction
2. People, Technologies, and Places
3. Digital Government
4. Digital Local Democracy
5. Ubiquitous Computing
6. Algorithms, Automation and Autocracy?
7. Social Media
8. Designing Digital Services
9. Designing Digital Services II
10. Conclusion
11. Assignment Drop-In
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | Present in Person - Formal lectures |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 12 | 9:55 | 119:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 11 | 2:00 | 22:00 | Present in Person. Design workshops |
| Guided Independent Study | Online Discussion | 8 | 6:00 | 48:00 | Blog Posts |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The teaching approach invites critical engagement with the topics through lectures and seminars. Lectures will support students understanding of technologies, and their consequences, and the seminars will provide the space for these to be reflected, debated, and questioned.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1 | M | 60 | Critical essay on the role of a technology in contemporary society. |
| Reflective log | 1 | M | 40 | A series of 8 blog posts on the digital civics canvas page. |
Formative Assessments
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Presentation | 2 | M | Interim group presentation and progress review |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The essay will allow students to argue a critical perspective on the use of technology in an area that interests them. The weekly blog posts will encourage students to keep a reflective log on their progress through the course, and help inform their essay. Students will be encouraged to read and comment on each other’s blog posts.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- TCP2031's Timetable