Unit information: Digital Transformation of Public Services in 2021/22

Unit name	Digital Transformation of Public Services
Unit code	SPOLM0061
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Lariviere
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School for Policy Studies
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

Digital technology has become increasingly ubiquitous. From the late twentieth century, digital technology has been championed to address some of the challenges facing public services and systems locally, nationally and globally. This unit explores critically the role of digital technology and artificial intelligence within public services. The unit introduces students to ongoing debates, key theories and the challenges and opportunities for digital transformation of public services along with an understanding of the possibilities– both beneficial and disruptive – for digital technology within public services through policy and its implementation and evaluation within practice in national and international contexts.

Aims:

1. Introduce students to key theories, empirical research, ongoing debates and policy analysis, on digital transformation of a range of key public services.
2. Investigate current and future challenges for public services and the role of digital transformation of these systems to mitigate their effects nationally and internationally.
3. Understand the relationship between digital public policy making, implementation and uptake in public service systems and organisations.
4. Critically understand the implications of digital technology and digitising public services for people using public services, the work force, and public welfare systems.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit, a student should be able to:

1. Understand a range of theories, discourses, analyses, implications and critiques on digital technology and the digitisation of public services;
2. Identify some contemporary and predicted challenges for public services nationally and internationally;
3. Identify the roles of infrastructure, governance, and public and private actors in the ecology of digital transformation of public services;
4. Understand and critically apply evaluative models and techniques to assess individual, organisational and systemic outcomes for the design and implementation of digital transformation of public services.
   
   

Teaching Information

This unit will be delivered by a mixture of interactive lectures (10 hours) and seminars/classes (10 hours). The seminars will be structured around small group exercises, guided by readings and other materials (e.g., short videos).

Assessment Information

Part 1: Speculative fiction story/commentary and analysis about the role of technology in near or distant future visions for public services e.g. health, care, housing services (1000 words) (30%)

This assessment will cover ILOs 1-2

Part 2: Essay (3000 words) (70%)

This assessment will cover ILOs 3-4

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. SPOLM0061).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.