The ‘Riverbend Mutual Aid Network’ is a local community group in a regional Victorian town that supports residents during floods and heatwaves. Historically, coordination happened through face-to-face meetings at the neighbourhood house, a phone tree, and notices at the supermarket. In the last 18 months, the group adopted ICT: a public Facebook page for updates, a private group chat for volunteers, and an online form where residents can request help.
A small committee now moderates the online spaces. Some residents praise faster information sharing and the ability to coordinate across the town, while others report feeling less connected because they do not use social media, have unreliable internet, or feel uncomfortable with online conflict and misinformation. During a recent flood warning, the committee removed several posts they labelled ‘unverified’, and some members accused the committee of silencing community voices.
A student researcher wants to investigate how ICT is shaping the Riverbend Mutual Aid Network as a community and has collected: (i) screenshots of posts and comments from the public Facebook page, (ii) a short online survey of members, and (iii) interviews with five residents who do not use social media.
c. Evaluate the student researcher’s proposed use of screenshots from the public Facebook page as data. Identify two ethical or methodological issues and recommend one improvement, justifying your recommendation.
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Create Free Account Log inThis is a free VCE Units 3 & 4 Sociology practice question worth 6 marks, testing your understanding of ICT in selected community. It falls under Community in Unit 4: Community, social movements and social change. Submit your answer above to receive instant AI-powered marking and personalised feedback.
In this unit, students explore the ways sociologists have thought about the idea of community and how various types of community are experienced. They examine the relationship between social movements and social change, including the nature, purpose, power, and outcomes of social movements.
Students examine the changing definitions and experiences of community, including the theories of Ferdinand Tonnies and Michel Maffesoli. They analyse factors influencing belonging, the impact of technology, economic, social, political, and geographical factors, and evaluate a specific community experience, considering ethical research methodology.
information and communications technology
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