Course Description
Please be aware that this course was developed by LDSBC faculty in partnership with BYU-Idaho curriculum designers. The course follows the LDSBC Learning Pattern and aligns with the outcomes of the LDSBC campus course. This online course is being offered by BYU-Idaho with a qualified BYU-Idaho instructor. The course functionality and your student experience should be much the same as you would expect in any other course; however, you will see references to both LDSBC and BYU-Idaho throughout the course.
Good data analysis can make or break a company. Data should drive innovation, pricing, resources, and even culture. In this course, you will learn how to capture the right data and then know what to do with it. You will learn how to use both free and paid tools to capture and analyze data from various online platforms. The value of data and analytics is that you are much better positioned to make the right decisions; this class will give you a life-long standout skill.
Prerequisites
SMM 105; FIN 101
Required Materials
All week materials are contained in the course, or are obtained through free website accounts (see below). You will be provided with links to the materials and informed when to create the pertinent accounts. The information below is solely for informational purposes; please do not set up social media accounts until you are instructed to do so in the week materials.
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office is a suite of applications dedicated to word processing, data spreadsheets, presentations, and annotation/note-taking. You will be using this tool extensively (particularly Excel and Word) to complete and submit assignments. Students should download the latest version of Microsoft Word (if they do not already have this program), before they begin the course, onto their local computer for writing assignments.
If you are an LDSBC student, access the link above and log in with your LDSBC email address and password. You may then download and install Microsoft Office 2013 to your computer.
If you are a BYU-Idaho student, visit the University Store's Technology Downloads page. Follow the instructions to download the suite. Scroll down on that page to access Help & Tutorials, as needed.
Facebook is a social media platform aimed at sharing and receiving various forms of content (text, photos, videos). It allows users to communicate via shared interests, groups, events, relationships, etc. It also allows businesses to share and advertise content to attract customers to their respective brands. If you do not currently have an account, you will want to create one by going to Facebook.com. You will be expected to do this as part of the course setup activity in Week 01.
If you have questions or concerns about how to use Facebook, please contact your instructor immediately. In addition, you may also refer to the Facebook Help Center for questions related to creating/managing your account. To access this support, go to Facebook Help.
In addition to using Facebook for the purposes of this course, you also use it as a means to share information and communicate with others. Your instructor will add you to a private Facebook group created for this section of SMM 150. Use the group page to ask questions of your instructor (or other classmates). The Facebook group will replace the Questions & Conversations boards in the course. Remember to set an example of respectful communication to foster a positive learning environment.
Twitter is a social media platform commonly utilized by individuals, businesses, and social media influencers for sharing short, mostly text-based, posts/tweets with followers. You will create a Twitter account, if you do not currently have one, you will want to create one by going to Twitter.com. You will be expected to do this in the Course Setup activity of Week 01 of the course. You will utilize this tool mostly in Week 03, mostly for the purpose of analyzing data.
If you have questions or concerns about how to use Twitter, please contact your instructor immediately. In addition, you may also refer to the Twitter Help Center for questions related to creating/managing your account. To access this support, go to Twitter Support.
LinkedIn is a professional networking platform used by professionals across industries. It is recognized as the main social platform for building professional networks for job development/acquisition purposes. It is used mainly to build companyand personal profiles to promote skills, brands, and job experience to other professional networks. Interactions commonly involve endorsing skills, sharing and following company posts as well as industry influencers. You will create a LinkedIn account, if you do not currently have one, in the Course Setup activity of Week 01 of the course. You will utilize this tool mostly in Week 06 to review how the platform collects data. To create an account, go to LinkedIn.com.
If you have questions or concerns about how to use LinkedIn, please contact your instructor immediately. In addition, you may also refer to the LinkedIn Help Center for questions related to creating/managing your account. To access this support, go to LinkedIn Help.
YouTube
YouTube is the largest video sharing and viewing platform in the world. It is commonly utilized in social media marketing to share videos on company and personal YouTube channels. Because of the popularity of video marketing, YouTube is widely used for attracting customers to brands and engaging them fairly quickly. You will create a YouTube account, and channel, if you do not already have one by going to YouTube.com. You will be expected to complete this in the Course Setup activity in Week 01 of the course. You will use this resource intermittently for the purposes of analyzing content.
If you have questions or concerns about how to use YouTube, please contact your instructor immediately. YouTube and Google also provide training as needed. If students need help in creating/managing a YouTube account, or in more technical aspects of managing their YouTube channels, they may go to these two resources. (1) Google Support center: Google Support, and (2) YouTube Help: YouTube Help.
Instagram is an online mobile photo/video sharing, social network. It acts mainly as a tool for users to share photos and videos with other users and followers. You will create an Instagram account and download the mobile application. If you do not currently have one by going to Instagram.com. You will be expected to do this in the Course Setup activity of Week 01 of the course. You will utilize this tool at various stages of the course, mostly for the purpose of analyzing posts.
If you have questions or concerns about how to use Instagram, contact your instructor immediately. Instagram also provides training as needed. If you need additional help in creating/managing an account, you may go to Instagram Help.
Tableau
Tableau is a business intelligence and data visualization platform. To use Tableau, visit Tableau.com and download the free version of Tableau for students.You will be asked to submit your name, email address, zip code, and school (you can simply select LDS Business College in the drop-down menu for schools).In addition, you will be asked to submit a photo of documentation (such as a student ID) showing you are a student. To do this, you'll need to take a picture of your school-issued ID card. Save it to a local computer and upload it when prompted to do so.You should receive a verification email after about 24 hours letting you know you now have access to Tableau on up to two devices for one year. If you are still a student at the end of the year, you can renew your license.
Snapchat
Snapchat is a mobile messaging app that allows users to send images and videos to their contacts. These messages self-destruct within a matter of seconds. You will create a Snapchat account if you do not currently have one by going to Snapchat.com. You will be expected to do this in the Course Setup activity of Week 01 of the course. You will utilize this tool minimally in the course, mostly for the purpose of comparing data across social media platforms.
If you have questions or concerns about how to use Snapchat, please contact your instructor immediately. In addition, you may also refer to the Snapchat Support for questions related to managing/using your account. To access this support, go to Snapchat Support.
Required Technology
- It is preferred that you have your own computer, but you must have regular access to a computer with a reliable internet connection. Review the Systems Requirements page to ensure your computer is adequate for this course.
- Download the Microsoft Office Suite, if you do not already have it on your computer.
- Here is the Microsoft Office 365 download for LDSBC students. Use your school email address and password to log in. Then you will see the option to install Office on your personal computer.
- If you are a BYU-Idaho student, visit the University Store's Technology Downloads page. Follow the instructions to download the suite. Scroll down on that page to access Help & Tutorials, as needed.
Learning Outcomes
LDSBC cultivates a nurturing environment where practical skills are learned and discipleship is strengthened.
There are three types of learning outcomes, guiding curriculum, and authentic learning experiences at LDSBC. Students demonstrate the 1) College-Wide Outcomes, 2) Program Competency Outcomes, and 3) Course-Specific Outcomes through the Learning Pattern as they Prepare, Teach One Another, Ponder, and Prove their knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Through this process, all LDSBC graduates are prepared to contribute in their homes, communities, the Lord’s church, and in future employment.
LDSBC College - Wide Outcomes
- Confirm personal testimony in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
- Collaborate with others using interpersonal skills in an honest, ethical, and Christ-like manner.
- Communicate effectively using written and verbal presentation principles.
- Construct new knowledge using technology and information resource tools.
- Comprehend and think critically to solve problems.
- Cultivate a strong, professional work ethic and lifelong learning opportunities.
Social Media Marketing Program Competency Outcomes
- Demonstrate the ability to manage the social media marketing departments of small to mid-sized companies.
- Strategically develop marketing campaigns based on a company’s vision, goals, target market, research, analytics, budget, and scope.
- Create a highly-engaged social community of empowered brand advocates.
- Maneuver current tools, platforms, and data centers to optimize research, reach, revenues, referrals, and retention.
- Prove the return on investment (ROI) of campaigns and marketing initiatives.
- Create relevant and engaging content in the form of copy, pictures, videos, infographics, etc.
- Assess their own understanding of marketing principles, strategies, and tactics—and how to apply them to real life situations.
- Establish and analyze the various learning resources that will help their knowledge remain current with the changing technologies, best practices, and trends.
Course Specific Outcomes
- Adopt an attitude of data appreciation.
- Use various free and paid digital marketing tools.
- Discover the risks of how data can actually take you in the wrong direction.
- Apply the entire process of data analysis, from planning, gathering data, cleaning data, analyzing data, reporting your insights, and developing recommendations.
- Build case studies, proposals, and presentations, based on data.
- Comprehend and synthesize data trends and the global effects of big-data.
Learning Patterns
This course functions upon the LDSBC Learning Pattern, including the principles of Prepare, Teach One Another, Ponder, and Prove.
Prepare
You are expected to complete your prepare activities early in the week by study and by faith.
- To succeed in this course, you should complete preparation activities (Overview, Readings and Quiz) by the midweek deadline.
- The SMM program has a ‘no late work’ policy. Your instructor may reserve the right to accept late work in justified situations, but any work turned in late cannot receive more than half of the earned grade.
- For face to face classes, if a student is unable to come to class, the instructor must be notified by e-mail message (using the College email account or by contacting the instructor or the College by phone before class is scheduled to start. In the workplace, if an employee is unable to be at work, he/she has an obligation to notify his/her employer. If the instructor is notified in advance, the instructor may allow assigned work to be turned in on the day they return to class.
- In the case of illness or another reason that is beyond a student’s control , a student should contact the instructor by phone or e-mail before class is missed if possible. In this case, the instructor may allow a preparation assignment or project to be turned in when the student returns to class. In the case of emergency , the instructor should be notified within 24 hours in order to qualify for special accommodation.
Teach One Another
You are expected to use charity and respect as you increase your capacity to learn by teaching one another.
- Teach One Another activities (Case Study Analysis) are designed to build upon assigned concepts from the Prepare activities as well as apply the skills you learning in various applied case studies. Please studiously complete the Prepare activities so that you can actively participate in teaching and learning from others.
- Your comments and responses to the Case Study Analysis activities will be due end-of-week.
- Your comments in the Respond to Others activities, which generally are designated times to respond to your peers' comments in the weekly discussions, will be due by end-of-week.
- Teach One Another activities are designed to build upon assigned concepts studied before coming to class (for face to face classes). Please be in class on time, prepared to actively participate in order to teach others and also to learn from others through in-class activities.
- Team Teach One Another Activities are normally completed in class and are due by the end of class (for face to face classes). If a team is allowed to finish an incomplete activity outside of class, each member of the team must schedule a time outside of class when all team members are available to work together. To earn full points for an activity, each team member must be in class for the full class period (not late) and must participate whenever a scheduled meeting is set by the team to complete a team activity outside of class.
Ponder
You are expected to ponder ways to apply course concepts.
You will be asked to ponder at various times throughout the course. The main emphasis on Ponder occurs in the Ponder and Discuss activities. Before participating in the discussion, you will review what you have learned and consider how to apply that learning.
Prove
You are expected to prove your level of mastery of the course outcomes by completing course assignments.
- The Weekly Project assignment is where you will demonstrate your mastery of the course outcomes. These assignments focus on creating various content and are usually due by the end-of-week deadline. Most of these assignments will build on earlier assignments.
- The Reflection: Final Thoughts assignment occurs at the end of each week. In these activities, you will submit a brief (150-250 word) write-up.
- The opportunity to prove mastery of module concepts will be accomplished by completing quizzes, assignments, and a project.
- No late work is accepted in this course, unless otherwise determined by the instructor.
Grading Policies
The minimum grade you can earn in this course without needing to repeat the course is a "C." Your grade will be determined by dividing the number of points you earn by the total points possible.
Grading Scale
Letter Grade | Percentage Range |
---|---|
A | 100% –94% |
A- | 93%–90% |
B+ | 89%–87% |
B | 86%–84% |
B- | 83%–80% |
C+ | 79%–77% |
C | 76%–74% |
C- | 73%–70% |
D+ | 69%–67% |
D | 66%–64% |
D- | 63%–60% |
F | <60% |
The BYU-Idaho grading system describes each letter grade as follows:
- “A” represents outstanding understanding, application, and integration of subject material and extensive evidence of original thinking, skillful use of concepts, and ability to analyze and solve complex problems. It demonstrates diligent application of Learning Model principles, including initiative in serving other students.
- “B” represents considerable/significant understanding, application, and incorporation of the material that would prepare a student to be successful in next level courses, graduate school, or employment. The student participates in the Learning Model as applied in the course.
- "C” represents sufficient understanding of subject matter. The student demonstrates minimal initiative to be prepared for class. Sequenced courses could be attempted, but mastering new materials might prove challenging. The student participates only marginally in the Learning Model.
- “D” represents poor performance and initiative to learn, understand, and apply course materials. Retaking a course or remediation may be necessary to prepare for additional instruction in this subject matter.
- “F” represents; failure in the course.
Grading Components
Learning Activities | Points |
Prepare: A few small assignments in Week 01 (W01), recurring Readings and Quiz in each week. These are usually auto-graded by the computer. Typically worth 30 points each. | 335 |
Teach One Another: Recurring Case Study Analysis and Ponder and Discuss discussions in each week. Grade evaluated by instructor. Case Study Analysis discussions are typically worth 10 points each. Ponder and Discuss discussions are typically worth 10 points each. | 230 |
Prove: Recurring Weekly Project assignments and Reflection: Final Thoughts activities. Grade evaluated by instructor. Weekly Projects are typically worth 30 points each. Reflection: Final Thoughts are typically worth 15 points each. | 620 |
Course Policies
Late Work
- You are expected to submit your work on time as a student just as your employer will expect your duties to be completed on time.
- Due to the number of assignments due in this course, many of which are contingent upon completion of prior assignments, this class has a no late work policy.
- In the rare occurrence that you are unable to submit work by the deadline due to a natural disaster, birth or death of a family member, hospitalization, or serious accident you should contact your instructor before the next deadline, if possible, but at least within 24 hours of the next deadline.
- There are no extra credit or make-up assignments.
Credit Hours and Study Time
LDSBC and BYU-Idaho measure academic credit in credit hours. In accordance with federal regulation, a credit hour at the college is the amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that reasonably approximates not less than three hours of student work for each credit. Therefore, you can expect to spend at least nine hours per week to study and complete your coursework. This time estimate represents the average student who is appropriately prepared; more time may be required to achieve excellence.
Copyright
The course materials used in this class may be protected by copyright laws. You are expected to make a good-faith effort to respect the rights of copyright holders. If you disregard the policy, you may be in violation of the Church Education System Honor Code, you may place yourself at risk for possible legal action, and you may incur personal liability.
University Policies
Refer to the University Policies page in the Resource module of the course for full details regarding the BYU-Idaho Honor Code, BYU-Idaho Disability Services, sexual harassment, complaints, and grievances policies.
Official college messages to all students will be sent through University/School email accounts. Students are responsible for all information received through their LDSBC or BYUI email account. Students are expected to regularly check their LDSBC or BYUI email accounts for official information from the college and their course instructors. This policy is to ensure that important communication is received in a timely and consistent manner.
Disclaimers
The instructor reserves the right to change any part of this syllabus at any time during the semester in order to adapt to changing course needs. If there is a discrepancy between this syllabus and I-Learn, consider the I-Learn information to be correct.