APG5212 · Community management in digital contexts

Overview

This unit introduces you to the theory and practice of community management in contemporary digital and networked environments. You will focus on how online communities are designed, governed, moderated, and sustained in practice. You will analyse how belonging, participation, value, and visibility shape community experiences, and examine the risks, responsibilities, and ethical challenges involved in managing online communities. Drawing on industry frameworks and real-world case studies, you will develop practical skills in community design and governance. Through applied activities, you will design and evaluate community environments, identify and manage risk, and respond to complex scenarios using governance and moderation strategies. The unit emphasises professional, industry-relevant capabilities, equipping you with the skills and critical understanding needed to work in the rapidly growing field of online community management within strategic communication contexts.

Areas of study: Communications and media studies Cultural and creative industries Strategic communications management Journalism International sustainable tourism management Marketing and digital communications

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

Learning outcomes

1. analyse and apply key conceptual frameworks related to community formation, belonging, participation, and value in digital and networked environments;
2. identify, assess, and respond to risks and challenges in online communities, including issues of safety, visibility, and user vulnerability;
3. design and justify community management systems, including participation pathways and governance strategies, that support inclusive, sustainable and purposeful community environments;
4. develop and apply moderation frameworks to manage harm and maintain safe digital communities;
5. critically evaluate national and international regulatory frameworks, and communicate insights clearly and effectively for academic and professional audiences.

Workload

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.