DIGITAL LEADERSHIP (LDR215)

Prerequisite: ENG103W. (Offered in even-numbered year spring semesters). Contemporary society is built upon digital technologies and media. Consider the foundational impact of social networking platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Snapchat; digital media companies such as Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube; digital device manufacturers such as Apple, Microsoft, and Samsung; and digital retailers such as Amazon, Etsy, and eBay. These platforms, companies, manufacturers, and retailers have not only revolutionized modern life, they have also inaugurated new forms of leadership. To be a leader now requires a critical understanding of such digital platforms and media and, too, a practical dexterity utilizing these technologies towards the betterment of society. This course accordingly introduces students to core issues, theories, and practices of digital leadership, including the effective use of communication within digital platforms such as email, texting, and social networks. Students will also consider the successes and failures of prominent digital leaders and companies, including Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google. Beyond these examples, students will also respond to contemporary case studies in digital leadership. Areas of assessment will include a semester-long portfolio of students’ digital communication, a biography of and presentation on a digital leader composed and circulated via a digital medium, exams, and in-class discussion. Communication Capability course.