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Critical and Digital Literacy
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BAXDC1005 - Critical and Digital Literacy
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20250200
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Course
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1.2
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2026-09-10
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2026-09-10
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Humanities and Social Science
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Institute of Education, Arts & Community
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Humanities and Social Sciences
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Undergraduate
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15
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.125
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099999
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Society and Culture, n.e.c.
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099999 - Society and Culture, n.e.c.
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<a href="http://www.federation.edu.au/locate/unit/baxdc1005">View unit fees</a>
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Graded (e.g. HD, D, C, etc)
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Bachelor Degree
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Introductory
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<p>This Introductory unit provides skills and knowledge for critically engaging with digital information in the public and academic spheres. Drawing approaches from the humanities and social sciences, the unit is designed for students in any study area to gain essential analytical and critical thinking skills. Students learn to analyse forms of persuasion and discourse in non-fiction media content and to examine alternative stances and points of view. The role of critical thinking in the digital era is explored in various contexts, including AI-generated content. Topics include how visual and verbal language shape our understanding of the world, the public sphere in the digital era, human collaboration with technology, and the reliability of digital content. Examples studied include photos, documentaries and user-generated content.</p>
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<p>Topics may include the following:<br>
1. How language shapes our understanding of the world<br>
2. Images’ relationship to reality<br>
3. Semiotic analysis of written and/or visual non-fiction texts<br>
4. Discourse and its functions in society and institutions<br>
5. Visual, spoken and written media: why mediums matter<br>
6. Official or professionally-produced information versus unorthodox information sources<br>
7. Social media and/as the public sphere<br>
8. User-generated content<br>
9. Characteristics of critical thinking<br>
10. Why critical thinking matters in the era of artificial intelligence (AI)<br>
11. Human relationships with technology<br>
12. Human abilities vs machines’ abliities<br>
13. Technological human enhancement<br>
14. Mediated relationships<br>
15. Conspiracy theories, urban myths<br>
16. Contested truths and the concept of a post-truth society</p>
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<p>Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment.</p>
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2027
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2026
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BAXDC1005 - Critical and Digital Literacy
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Semester 1
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Year
2027
2026
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Overview
Key information
Requisites
Learning outcomes
Assessment
FedTASK
Parent Region
Overview
Unit description
<p>This Introductory unit provides skills and knowledge for critically engaging with digital information in the public and academic spheres. Drawing approaches from the humanities and social sciences, the unit is designed for students in any study area to gain essential analytical and critical thinking skills. Students learn to analyse forms of persuasion and discourse in non-fiction media content and to examine alternative stances and points of view. The role of critical thinking in the digital era is explored in various contexts, including AI-generated content. Topics include how visual and verbal language shape our understanding of the world, the public sphere in the digital era, human collaboration with technology, and the reliability of digital content. Examples studied include photos, documentaries and user-generated content.</p>
Unit content
<p>Topics may include the following:<br> 1. How language shapes our understanding of the world<br> 2. Images’ relationship to reality<br> 3. Semiotic analysis of written and/or visual non-fiction texts<br> 4. Discourse and its functions in society and institutions<br> 5. Visual, spoken and written media: why mediums matter<br> 6. Official or professionally-produced information versus unorthodox information sources<br> 7. Social media and/as the public sphere<br> 8. User-generated content<br> 9. Characteristics of critical thinking<br> 10. Why critical thinking matters in the era of artificial intelligence (AI)<br> 11. Human relationships with technology<br> 12. Human abilities vs machines’ abliities<br> 13. Technological human enhancement<br> 14. Mediated relationships<br> 15. Conspiracy theories, urban myths<br> 16. Contested truths and the concept of a post-truth society</p>
Key information
Institute / school:
Institute of Education, Arts & Community
Discipline:
Humanities and Social Sciences
Study level:
Undergraduate
Credit points:
15
EFTSL:
0.125
Field of education:
099999 - Society and Culture, n.e.c.
Offering:
<p><strong>Semester 2</strong><p>Ballarat - Mt Helen (On Campus)</p><p>On-line Learning</p></p>
Grade scheme:
Graded (e.g. HD, D, C, etc)
Placement component:
No
Fee information:
<a href="http://www.federation.edu.au/locate/unit/baxdc1005">View unit fees</a>
Requisites
Prerequisite
None
Corequisite
None
Exclusion
<p>must not have completed "<a href="/ords/r/curriculum/catalogue/course?p6_code=BAXDC1001" target="_blank">BAXDC1001</a>"</p>
Learning outcomes
Learning outcomes
<p>On successful completion of this unit, students are expected to gain the following [K]nowledge, [S]kills and [A]pplication of knowledge & skills</p>
Learning Outcomes
Ref
Outcome
K1
<p>Identify forms, sources and public forums of information in the contemporary world.</p>
K2
<p>Identify visual and verbal elements and discourses in information.</p>
K3
<p>Identify and discuss persuasion, arguments and alternative perspectives in digital information.</p>
K4
<p>Identify characteristics of critical thinking and its roles in contemporary digital environments.</p>
S1
<p>Produce written and/or oral assessment tasks that apply principles of academic rigour.</p>
S2
<p>Analyse a variety of texts, images and discourses in relation to persuasion, argument, stance, source and alternative points of view.</p>
S3
<p>Develop skills in information literacy, including evaluating academic and non-academic sources.</p>
S4
<p>Develop critical thinking skills in relation to contemporary information from various sources.</p>
A1
<p>Apply analytical skills and critical thinking to assess the stance, reliability and source of information.</p>
A2
<p>Apply understanding of visual and/or verbal information and discourse to analyse a variety of texts and discourses.</p>
A3
<p>Apply critical thinking to information that has been digitally altered and/or generated by artificial intelligence.</p>
Assessment
Learning Tasks and Assessment
Ref
Learning task
Assessment type
Weighting
Learning outcomes assessed
1
<p>Analyse use of images and/or language in a media text</p>
<p>Short written exercise</p>
<p>10-30%</p>
K2, K3, S1, S2, S4, A1, A2
2
<p>Provide responses to weekly exercises. Tasks may include commentary on written texts and/or images, with examples to be provided or found by the student, and including a range of categories (such as news, social media content, academic sources, websites, videos), with details to be provided in the semester</p>
<p>Weekly exercises and class/forum</p>
<p>30-50%</p>
K1, K2, K3, K4, S1, S3, S4, A1, A3
3
<p>Answer set questions about a case study, with an example or specific instructions to be provided in the unit description for each semester</p>
<p>Case study analysis</p>
<p>40-60%</p>
K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, S4, A3
Supplementary assessment available:
Yes
Supplementary assessment information:
<p>Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment.</p>
FedTASK
FedTASK
Description of FedTASK outcome
Level
FedTASK 1: Interpersonal
The ability to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups.
<p>Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines</p>
FedTASK 2: Leadership
The ability to apply professional skills and behaviours in leading others.
<p>Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines</p>
FedTASK 3: Critical Thinking and Creativity
The ability to work in complexity and ambiguity using imagination to create new ideas.
<p>Level 3 - Student works independently with limited guidance or works within self-determined guidelines appropriate to context</p>
FedTASK 4: Digital Literacy
The ability to work fluently across a range of tools and applications to achieve a range of skills.
<p>Level 3 - Student works independently with limited guidance or works within self-determined guidelines appropriate to context</p>
FedTASK 5: Sustainable and Ethical Mindset
The ability to consider and assess the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting ethical and sustainable decisions.
<p>Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines</p>
FedTASK
<p>Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FedTASKs (<strong>T</strong>ransferable <strong>A</strong>ttributes <strong>S</strong>kills and <strong>K</strong>nowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key, transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and co-operative learning opportunities.</p>
Key information
Institute / school:
Institute of Education, Arts & Community
Discipline:
Humanities and Social Sciences
Study level:
Undergraduate
Credit points:
15
EFTSL:
0.125
Field of education:
099999 - Society and Culture, n.e.c.
Offering:
<p><strong>Semester 2</strong><p>Ballarat - Mt Helen (On Campus)</p><p>On-line Learning</p></p>
Grade scheme:
Graded (e.g. HD, D, C, etc)
Placement component:
No
Fee information:
<a href="http://www.federation.edu.au/locate/unit/baxdc1005">View unit fees</a>
Additional information
Add Info Static Text
Internal reference: BAXDC1005 - U1.2