CONTENT DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Instructional goals

The digital lab aims to increase digital knowledge and skills among students. Theoretical aspects, including the development of both problem solving skills and relational and behavioral skills that allow you to effectively use digital tools that are now commonplace. These are both basic technical knowledge, such as setting an automatic index in a document or the production of charts via a spreadsheet, and general skills ranging from the data privacy to following a netiquette in using social media; or for example how to search efficentlty information online to create digital content. The students will learn how to browse, search, filter and evaluate data, information and digital content. In particular, they will be able to find data online (for example by creating online surveys), Office suite (advanced features), collaboration in the cloud, creation and editing of video-infographics, basic use of CMS such as WordPress.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites

Intended learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding: Theoretical aspects, including the development of both problem solving skills and relational and behavioral skills that allow you to effectively use digital tools that are now commonplace. These are both basic technical knowledge, such as setting an automatic index in a document or the production of charts via a spreadsheet, and general skills ranging from the data privacy to following a netiquette in using social media; or for example how to search efficentlty information online to create digital content. The students will learn how to browse, search, filter and evaluate data, information and digital content. In particular, they will be able to find data online (for example by creating online surveys), Office suite (advanced features), collaboration in the cloud, creation and editing of video-infographics, basic use of CMS such as WordPress Applying knowledge and understanding: The aim is to acquire and improve basic skills in information and communication technologies: the use of technological tools to find, evaluate, store, produce, present, and exchange information as well as to communicate and participate in collaborative projects via the Internet. In other words, it is intended to enhance the student's ability to use the computer and use it to produce a small research project that involves the preparation of a document, use a program to analyze and present data, learn how to use other collaborative tools, like for example sharing and working a document on Google Drive. The student will then have the ability to use the most recent digital tools to develop a project work collaboratively and results oriented. Making judgements: Students will develop skills in analyzing digital systems and how they can be put into practice in a research project. They are expected to be able to discuss and evaluate the essential elements of the technology tools presented and in the security and risks of using them, for example, they will be able to understand the threats in sharing information on the Web and browsing the Internet. Communication skills: The student will have developed the ability to understand and use the main terms and concepts of digital systems. Students will be able to communicate their ideas, proposals, analyzes, and critical reasoning related to issues in the digital world in a more effective and appropriate way. Learning skills: this course helps to enhance students' understanding skills by providing them with the tools to understand how the main digital systems and tools work in practice, develop problem solving skills by engaging in the resolution and dissemination of a research project through documents , graphs and digital presentations.

Course Contents

The program consists of a theoretical part with an introduction to the terminology and basic concepts, the practical part is intended to enhance the use of technological tools to find, evaluate, preserve, produce, present and exchange information as well as to communicate and participate in collaborative projects via the Internet. The following points are expected to be developed: o research question; o online search for data (or data collection from a survey with Google Forms); o setting up and using a collaborative environment on shared folders in Dropbox / OneDrive; o data analysis with Excel (frequency distributions, pivot tables); o write research results in a short report in Word, complete with tables and charts, structured and formatted in a professional manner (intended for a hypothetical client); o write a much more agile and informative presentation, intended for a blog that collects all presentations (using WordPress); o if necessary, promote the social media blog using specific tools;

Reference Books

The material is made available on the e-learning platform within which students will find updated handouts and slides and indications of the reference text.

Teaching Methods

The teaching methods used during the course are as follows: - teaching (online / on campus). - exercises (online / on campus).

Assessment Method

The assessment of student will take place through a written test and through an oral exam. The final grade will derive from the evaluation of the following items for the respective percentage share: 20% attendance 50% intermediate tests 30% final exam (written and oral) The exam for not-attending students consists of: 1) an essay (4,000-5,000 words, bibliography not included) to be delivered at least one week before the exam on a topic to be agreed with the teacher (and in any case in the study areas of the course). 2) the written test (open-ended questionnaire on the slides available in the Luiss Learn platform)

Thesis assignment criteria

Top level mark in the course /good knowledge in some computer systems topics (although out of the scope of the course) constitute a prerequisite for final paper assignment.

Week 1

- Introduction to the course, objectives and organization of the digital lab Digital Phenomena Research questions

Week 2

Part 1) Data gathering Using digital platforms as source for dataset creation - Information retrivial - How google search works

Week 3

Part 1) Data gathering Using oline form for collecting data and creating a proper dataset - online search for data - marketing research through forms and online surveys

Week 4

Part 2) Data analytics Introduction to MS Excel. Basic functionalities and the use of formulas - data analysis with Excel (frequency distributions, pivot tables);

Week 5

Part 2) Data analytics - Online collaboration environments and tools - Setting up and using Dropbox / OneDrive / Google Drive shared folders

Week 6

Part 3) Data reporting -Introduction to the fundamentals of MS Word. Ho to use table of contents, revisions and comments. - Preparation of a written report, writing the research results in a short report in Word, complete with tables and graphs commented in detail, structured and formatted in a professional way (intended for a hypothetical client)

Week 7

Part 3) Data reporting Presentation tools (PowerPoint)

Week 8

Part 3) Data reporting - Digital and Web marketing - How to promote a content (eg the research report or specific results) on blogs and social media

Week 9

Parte 4) Communications Introduction to how the Internet works. Web technologies. Information security fundamentals

Week 10

Parte 4) Communications Tools for public speaking

Week 11

Parte 4) Communications -How to set up a personal blog/website - Prepare a synthetic and informative presentation, intended for a blog that collects all the presentations (using WordPress)

Week 12

Conclusions web 3.0, DLT/blockchain, big data and artificial intelligence