Sport Digital Communications (5 cr)

Evaluation scale

0-5

Content scheduling

Course content is a combination of weekly lectures and workshops. Meetings takes place twice a week.
Please note that participation to 1st meeting is mandatory.

Course begins on week 7 (13 February), and is expected to end by the end of week 20 (19 May).

Objective

The object of the course:
Student understands the basics of digital communications, media and digital marketing in the context of sports business.

Course competences:
Proactive development
Internationality and multiculturalism
Learning to learn
Operating in a workplace
Business competence

Learning objectives of the course:
The student is able to critically review, analyze and understand the sports industry specific digital communications and marketing models, tools and environment and the relation of digital media and sports as a form of entertainment and business. Student is also able to apply knowledge of digital communications and marketing models, tools and environment in a sport business context to the practical design and planning of digital marketing campaigns for sports organizations and athletes. Student can communicate responsibly, diversely and professionally in English, and contribute actively to the interaction and discussions with other students during learning sessions. Student understands the issues of ethical media and communications as well as the role and purpose of ethical conduct in digital media communications and marketing.

Content

Strategic approach to digital marketing in sport business, principles of digital marketing communications and e-PR in sports, management of online customer experience and marketing automation practices, sport marketing campaigns in digital media, social media tools and marketing practices in social media environment, digital analytics and search engine optimization, content and performance marketing in sports communications, gamification as a method for digital marketing, solutions and applications of IoT and mixed realities (MR) in sports business.

Materials

Seymour, A. & Blakey, P. 2020. Digital Sport Marketing : Concepts, Cases and Conversations. Routledge.
Additional articles and reading materials are provided upon course beginning.

Teaching methods

Course follows combined face-to-face and distance learning methods where students participate in lectures, workshops and other study activities organized in classroom and virtual study environments. Furthermore, a student also completes separate individual and group assignments as supplementary independent studies utilizing virtual study platforms and materials.

Upon completion of the course student prepare two individual assignments which are pre-assignment and a more broader individual assignment about digital communications and media consumption.
In addition, students prepare a digital marketing plan as a group work and deliver a presentation and hand in a written report of the digital marketing plan. Group works are assigned by sport organizations and are connected to actual market environments and assignments.

Students' learning is assessed through individual assignment (50 %), group working (40 %) and peer evaluation (10 %).

Employer connections

Group works are assigned by sports organizations which connects students' learning activities to sport industry framework and practice-oriented marketing development.

Exam schedules

No exam.

International connections

Course is in English and internationalization actualizes through studying and working together with international exchange students.

Completion alternatives

You have the right to apply for recognition of your studies if you have prior learning (e.g. university studies completed elsewhere) that can be accredited towards the degree you are currently completing.

The recognition of prior learning is possible in three primary ways: accreditation (replacement or inclusion), recognition of informal learning and studification. More detailed information in JAMK Degree Regulations.

Student workload

One credit corresponds to an average of 27 hours of student work, which means that the total work load in the course equals to approximately 135 hours.

Student work load is distributed accordingly;

Lectures and workshops including preparations and small assignments 45 hours
Independent studies including individual assignments and group assignment 55 hours
Virtual studies 35 hours

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Sufficient (1) - The student shows limited ability to analyze and evaluate academic and market information relevant to digital communications and marketing environment in sports industry, and identifies some of the tools and methods used to efficiently communicate in digital marketplaces. Student illustrates narrow skills in analyzing the challenges and opportunities to practice strategic and tactical communications and marketing utilizing digital environments relevant to sports organization. Students is able to transmit to a limited extent his/her and the team’s ideas and findings in English and scarcely contribute to the general discussions inside the study group. Student shows low-level activity and limited skills in participating productively to intercultural learning sessions and teamwork activities. Student is able to identify and assess only basic ethical issues and discuss superficially their role and significance related to planning and implementation of digital communications and marketing.

Satisfactory (2) - Student shows basic ability to analyze and evaluate academic and market information relevant to digital communications and marketing environment in sports industry, and understands few of the tools and methods used to efficiently communicate in digital marketplaces. Student illustrates moderate skills in analyzing the challenges and opportunities to practice strategic and tactical communications and marketing utilizing digital environments relevant to sports organizations. Student is partially able to communicate the reasoning when presenting his/her and the team’s ideas and findings in English but improvement would be needed. Student exhibits moderate activity and skills in participating productively to intercultural learning sessions and teamwork activities. Student is able to identify and assess some ethical issues and somewhat meaningfully discuss their role and significance related to planning and implementation of digital communications and marketing of sports activities.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Good (3) - Student shows good ability to analyze and evaluate academic and market information relevant to digital communications and marketing environment in sports industry, and understands the use of multiple tools and methods for efficient communications in digital marketplaces. Student illustrates average skills in analyzing the challenges and opportunities to practice strategic and tactical communications and marketing utilizing digital tools and methods considering the digital environments relevant to sports organizations. Student is able to present his/her and the team’s ideas, findings and conclusions in a clear and justified manner in English. Student acts proactively and with sufficient skills when participating productively to intercultural learning sessions and teamwork activities. Student is capable to recognize and assess various ethical issues quite comprehensively and meaningfully discuss their role and significance related to planning and implementation of digital communications and marketing of sports activities.

Very Good (4) - The student shows remarkable ability to analyze and evaluate academic and market information relevant to digital communications and marketing environment in sports industry, and understand well the use of various tools and methods for efficient communications in digital marketplaces. Student illustrates skills with merit in analyzing the challenges and opportunities to practice strategic and tactical communications and marketing utilizing digital tools and methods considering the digital environments relevant to sports organizations. Student is good at presenting his/her and the team’s ideas, findings and conclusions using good level of English and can share and communicate the justified views with peers. Student is exhibits high level of activity, commitment and comprehensive set of skills in participating productively to intercultural learning sessions and teamwork activities. Student is able to recognize, describe and assess ethical issues comprehensively and meaningfully contribute to the discussion of their role and significance related to planning and implementation of digital communications and marketing of sports activities.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Excellent (5) - The student shows profound ability to analyze and evaluate academic and market information relevant to digital communications and marketing environment in sports industry, and understands very well the purpose and use of various tools and methods for efficient communications in digital marketplaces. Student possess high level of skills in analyzing the challenges and opportunities to practice strategic and tactical communications and marketing utilizing digital tools and methods, and justify comprehensively the interrelations of digital environments to successful sport communications and marketing in practice. Student is fluent and logical at presenting his/her and the team’s ideas, findings and conclusions using high level of English and share well justified views logically with peers helping them to reflect and learn. Student is able to show excellent contribution, commitment and comprehensive activity and skills in participating productively to intercultural learning sessions and teamwork activities. Student recognizes, describes and assess multiple ethical issues profoundly and justify the views in a meaningful way to contribute to the discussion of the role and significance of ethics related to planning and implementation of digital communications and marketing of sports activities.

Further information

Course is part of Sport Business studies.
Exchange students 10