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  2. Social and Online Media Strategies [PRN3160]

School: Arts and Humanities

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Social and Online Media Strategies

  • Unit Code

    PRN3160

  • Year

    2016

  • Enrolment Period

    1

  • Version

    1

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus

Description

Communication for millions of people around the world has been transformed by social media and other internet-based technologies. People in online communities engage in two-way conversations with many others in ways never previously possible. This has given them a new and powerful voice in personal and commercial environments. Public relations professionals are in the frontline of this communication revolution because they integrate the use of social media and other digital tools with more traditional communication techniques to reach target audiences more effectively. Such applications include news, stakeholder relations, marketing communication, consumer and community relations, issue management, and risk and crisis communication. PR practitioners also are using the techniques internally to help strengthen organisational culture, employee engagement and productivity. This unit equips students with the knowledge and skills to integrate social media and other internet-based techniques to achieve communication objectives.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass 2 units from PRN2110, PRN2125

Equivalent Rule

Replaces PRN3130

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Analyse and use the main modes of internet-based and social media for public relations management.
  2. Apply an understanding of cultural differences and ethical issues in communicating on the internet.
  3. Apply an understanding of search engine optimisation tools.
  4. Determine which issues discussed on social media platforms need PR intervention.
  5. Monitor and evaluate news, trends and issues on social media platforms.

Unit Content

  1. Application of social media other internet-based technologies within organisations.
  2. Facebook and Twitter as indicators of public opinion finding, evaluating and participating to shape the conversation and preserve online reputation.
  3. Integrating social media and internet-based media in effective communication programs.
  4. Public relations for the digital age theories and trends in PR management.
  5. Search engine optimisation to establish and maintain an effective online presence.
  6. The importance of visual content understanding the growing role of images and video.
  7. The relationship between traditional news media and social media - understanding the 24- hour news cycle and the increased reliance on social media to feed this cycle.
  8. The rise of the citizen journalist deciding which blogs and alternative news sources have credibility.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures, computer lab workshops and tutorials.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentPortfolio Assignment70%
ExaminationExam30%

Text References

  • Brown, R., & Waddington, S. (Eds.). for Chartered Institute of Public Relations. (2013). Share this too: More social media solutions for PR professionals. Chichester, Great Britain: John Wiley & Sons.
  • Breakenridge, D. (2012). Social media and public relations: Eight new practices for the PR professional. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, publishing as FT Press.
  • Waddington, S. (Ed.). for Chartered Institute of Public Relations. (2012). Share this: The social media handbook for PR professionals. Chichester, Great Britain: John Wiley & Sons.
  • Solis, B., & Breakenridge, D. (2009). Putting the public back in public relations: How social media is reinventing the aging business of PR. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, publishing as FT Press.
  • Phillips, D., & Young, P. (2009). Online public relations: A practical guide to developing an online strategy in the world of social media. London, Great Britain: Kogan Page.
  • Harrison, K. (2015). Strategic public relations: A practical guide to success. (2nd ed.). Melbourne, Australia: Palgrave Macmillan.

Journal References

  • Public Relations Review
  • Journal of Marketing Communications
  • Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication
  • Journal of Communication Management
  • Corporate Communications
  • Asia Pacific Public Relations Journal
  • PRISM

Website References

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

PRN3160|1|1

School: Arts and Humanities

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Social and Online Media Strategies

  • Unit Code

    PRN3160

  • Year

    2016

  • Enrolment Period

    2

  • Version

    1

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus

Description

Communication for millions of people around the world has been transformed by social media and other internet-based technologies. People in online communities engage in two-way conversations with many others in ways never previously possible. This has given them a new and powerful voice in personal and commercial environments. Public relations professionals are in the frontline of this communication revolution because they integrate the use of social media and other digital tools with more traditional communication techniques to reach target audiences more effectively. Such applications include news, stakeholder relations, marketing communication, consumer and community relations, issue management, and risk and crisis communication. PR practitioners also are using the techniques internally to help strengthen organisational culture, employee engagement and productivity. This unit equips students with the knowledge and skills to integrate social media and other internet-based techniques to achieve communication objectives.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass 2 units from PRN2110, PRN2125

Equivalent Rule

Replaces PRN3130

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Analyse and use the main modes of internet-based and social media for public relations management.
  2. Apply an understanding of cultural differences and ethical issues in communicating on the internet.
  3. Apply an understanding of search engine optimisation tools.
  4. Determine which issues discussed on social media platforms need PR intervention.
  5. Monitor and evaluate news, trends and issues on social media platforms.

Unit Content

  1. Application of social media other internet-based technologies within organisations.
  2. Facebook and Twitter as indicators of public opinion finding, evaluating and participating to shape the conversation and preserve online reputation.
  3. Integrating social media and internet-based media in effective communication programs.
  4. Public relations for the digital age theories and trends in PR management.
  5. Search engine optimisation to establish and maintain an effective online presence.
  6. The importance of visual content understanding the growing role of images and video.
  7. The relationship between traditional news media and social media - understanding the 24- hour news cycle and the increased reliance on social media to feed this cycle.
  8. The rise of the citizen journalist deciding which blogs and alternative news sources have credibility.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures, computer lab workshops and tutorials.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentPortfolio Assignment70%
ExaminationExam30%

Text References

  • Breakenridge, D. (2012). Social media and public relations: Eight new practices for the PR professional. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, publishing as FT Press.
  • Waddington, S. (Ed.). for Chartered Institute of Public Relations. (2012). Share this: The social media handbook for PR professionals. Chichester, Great Britain: John Wiley & Sons.
  • Solis, B., & Breakenridge, D. (2009). Putting the public back in public relations: How social media is reinventing the aging business of PR. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, publishing as FT Press.
  • Phillips, D., & Young, P. (2009). Online public relations: A practical guide to developing an online strategy in the world of social media. London, Great Britain: Kogan Page.
  • Harrison, K. (2015). Strategic public relations: A practical guide to success. (2nd ed.). Melbourne, Australia: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Brown, R., & Waddington, S. (Eds.). for Chartered Institute of Public Relations. (2013). Share this too: More social media solutions for PR professionals. Chichester, Great Britain: John Wiley & Sons.

Journal References

  • Asia Pacific Public Relations Journal
  • Corporate Communications
  • Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication
  • Journal of Marketing Communications
  • PRISM
  • Public Relations Review
  • Journal of Communication Management

Website References

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

PRN3160|1|2