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MDS-10043 - Module Specification
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 04 December 2025

MDS-10043 - Understanding and Producing Digital Media
Coordinator: Rachel Wood
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 4
Credits: 30
Study Hours: 300
School Office:

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2025/26

The role of digital media in contemporary politics and society is a hotly debated topic, and one that aspiring digital content producers need to be aware of. This module will allow you to think critically about the challenges and possibilities of a digital world and your place and responsibilities within it, enabling you to think critically and creatively about the social context for digital content production. The module provides a transition to University study by developing foundational study skills.

Aims
• The module aims to introduce students to key critical approaches and debates surrounding digital media, including those related to platforms, politics and participation.
• The module aims to equip students with a critical understanding of historical and contemporary social and political challenges that shape the production contexts for social media.
• The module aims to allow students to start to develop skills in researching and analysing digital media in order to understand the key forces that underpin digital content production.
• The module will enable students to develop communication skills, showing how digital media research, analysis, and content can be communicated in a range of engaging formats.

Intended Learning Outcomes

develop an ability to critically discuss and apply key approaches and debates from the field of digital media research.: 1,2
critically discuss and evaluate how key social and political challenges and possibilities shape the production contexts for digital media.: 2
research and analyse selected digital media case studies using relevant critical frameworks and ideas.: 2
develop skills in communicating digital media research and analysis using engaging visual formats.: 1,2

Study hours

48 hours of interactive workshops.
2 hours of tutorials with module tutors.
96 hours of tasks and preparation for taught sessions.
154 hours of practical work in the production of assessed final project material.

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Poster weighted 40%
Digital Media Concept Map
Students will create an interactive web based Concept Map. The map should give definitions of a range of key terms, concepts, ideas, and examples of digital media research issues covered on the module. The design and interactive elements of the map should support the communication of key concepts and ideas and illustrate relationships between these. Equivalent word count for the concept map is 1000 words.

2: Report weighted 60%
Case Study Report
A 2000 word report on a selected digital media case study, selected from a list of suggested case studies. Students will research their selected case study and present an analysis of its social and political significance, drawing on critical frameworks and ideas covered on the module. The report should reflect on how the issues discussed shape digital media production contexts and how this might inform professional practice. The report should use engaging visual presentation to support the critical analysis presented.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 04 December 2025