Advancing Social Impact with Digital Technologies
Learn how to harness digital technology to drive social impact, environmental protection, and sustainable development.
416 enrolled on this course
Duration
6 weeksWeekly study
3 hours100% online
How it works
Advancing Social Impact with Digital Technologies
This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to continuing professional development principles. Find out more.
Be guided through the Sustainable Development Goals with RMIT University
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer a blueprint to help simultaneously tackle humanitarian and environmental crises.
On this six-week course from RMIT University, you’ll take a guided tour with world experts through the UN SDGs. During this exploration, you’ll discover how digital technology can help achieve different SDGs and drive social impact.
Using carefully curated case studies, you’ll discover the real-world applications of digital technology. You’ll then develop an action plan for your organisation to adapt this approach and work toward relevant SDGs.
Learn how to promote equal opportunity and quality education
You’ll start by delving into the SDGs that promote equal opportunity.
Exploring quality education, reduced inequality, and gender equality, you’ll discover the digital technology solutions that can help achieve these goals.
Understand how digital technology can build sustainable cities
Next, you’ll explore the link between digital technologies and sustainable institutions, delving further into SDGs such as sustainable cities and communities.
Expanding from cities to the planet, you’ll learn how digital technology can positively benefit the environment – from on land to below water.
Explore case studies on clean water and sanitation and good health and wellbeing
Each week, you’ll unpack real-world case studies to help you see digital technology in practice.
During the final weeks, you’ll understand how this technology can help with SDGs for clean water and sanitation, zero hunger, and partnerships for achieving the goals.
You’ll finish the course by identifying the SDGs you want to help achieve and draw up an action plan to help harness digital technology for positive social impacts.
Syllabus
Week 1
Introduction
Welcome to the course
Course overview and objectives plus Intro video
The UN Sustainable Development Goals
Introduces what a Sustainable Development Goal is (SDG) and how it is designed and used.
Digital technology as a humanitarian tool
These steps will show how digital technologies can be used to help attain SDGs.
The use of case studies
Introduce the use of case studies in the course and how they will be used throughout the course to help hone and apply learning. It will also have tips applying the case studies to your organisation or community.
SDG 1: Ending poverty in all its forms everywhere
Introduces SDG1: the current situation, the importance of eradicating poverty, and the projected goals.
Week 2
Digital technology and equal opportunity
Introduction to week 2
will focus on SDGs that promote equal opportunity: SDG 4: Quality Education, 5: Gender Equality, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and SDG 10: Reduced Inequality.
SDG4: Inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all
Introduces SDG4: the current situation, the importance of achieving inclusive and quality education for all, and the projected goals.
SDG 5: Gender equality - Ending all discrimination against women and girls
Introduces SDG5: the current situation, the importance of ending all discrimination against women and girls, and the projected goals.
SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth
Introduces SDG8: the current situation, the importance of promoting sustained economic growth, higher levels of productivity and technological innovation, decent work and the projected goals.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
Introduces SDG10: the current situation, the importance of reducing inequalities within and among countries, and the projected goals.
Week 3
Using digital technology to build sustainable institutions
Introduction to week 3
This week will focus on the following SDGs: 7. Affordable and clean energy, 9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure, 11. Sustainable cities and communities and 16. Peace, justice and strong institutions.
SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy
The importance of expanding infrastructure and upgrading technology to provide clean and more efficient energy in all countries, and the projected goals.
SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
Introduces SDG9: the current situation, the importance of improving infrastructures and technology and developing clean energy, and the projected goals.
SD11: Sustainable cities and communities
Introduces SDG11: the current situation, the importance of making cities and communities sustainable, and the projected goals.
SDG16: Peace, justice and strong institutions
Introduces SDG16: the current situation, the importance of significantly reducing all forms of violence, and work with governments and communities to end conflict and insecurity, and the projected goals.
Week 4
Digital technology and the environment
Introduction to week 4
The learner will continue to examine digital technology case studies. This week will focus on the following SDGs:12. Responsible consumption and production, and 13. Climate action, 14. Life below water and 15. Life on land.
SDG12: Responsible consumption and production
Introduces SDG12: the current situation, the importance of changing the way we produce and consume goods and resources, how that can be achieved, and the projected goals.
SDG13: Climate action
introduces SDG13: the current situation, the importance of combating climate change, and the projected goals.
SDG14: Life below water
The importance of sustainably managing and protecting marine and coastal ecosystems from pollution, as well as addressing the impacts of ocean acidification, and the projected goals.
SDG 15: Life on land
Introduces SDG15: the current situation, the importance of promoting sustainable use of the land, and the projected goals.
Week 5
Using digital technology to preserve human life
Introduction to week 5
In Week 5 the learner will continue to examine digital technology case studies. This week will focus on the following SDGs: 2. Zero Hunger, 6. Clean Water and Sanitation., and 3. Good Health and Well-being,
SDG 2: Zero hunger
Introduces SDG2: the current situation, the importance of ending all forms of hunger and malnutrition, and the projected goals.
SDG3: Good health and wellbeing
Introduces SDG3: the current situation, the importance of achieving good health and wellbeing, and the projected goals.
SDG6: Clean water and sanitation
Introduces SDG9: the current situation, the importance of ensuring universal safe and affordable drinking water, and providing safely managed sanitation services for all, and the projected goals.
Week 6
Using digital technologies to establish partnerships and affect humanitarian change
Introduction to week 6
Weekly Intro video
SDG17: Partnerships for the goals
Introduces SDG17: the importance of strong global partnerships for increased financial resources and aid.
Course summary
Summary of the SDGs covered throughout the course, grouped by themes and looking at what can be achieved if businesses take action to address them.
Creating your action plan
Instructions for creating a personalised action plan for identifying and using digital technologies to address SDGs in your organisation or community.
Who is this accredited by?
The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996 and is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the CPD policies of professional and academic bodies.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Explain the importance of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Explore ways digital technology can be utilised to facilitate the achievement of the UN SDGs
- Apply digital technology solutions to humanitarian issues in an organisational context
Who is the course for?
This course is designed for anyone interested in helping to better understand and achieve the UN SDGs.
You could be working for a company who wants to achieve specific UN SDGs, a humanitarian organisation wanting to increase their social impact, or you could be a social entrepreneur who wants to better achieve humanitarian goals.
RMIT Acknowledges the people of the Woiwurrung and Boonwurrung language groups of the Eastern Kulin Nation on whose lands we conduct our business in Naarm (Melbourne, Australia). RMIT values the inclusion of voices, and participation of First Peoples across the lands where we operate
Who will you learn with?
Associate Professor Shelley Marshall is a cross-disciplinary scholar who studies the uses of digital technologies to address human rights breaches and advance social impact.
Dr Mohammad Alamgir Hossain is a senior academician in Information Systems from RMIT University. He is also the Digital Technologies theme leader in RMIT’s Business and Human Rights (BHRIGHT) Centre.
Who developed the course?
RMIT University
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) is a global university, with over 80,000 students, specialising in technology, design and enterprise.
Established
1887Location
Melbourne, AustraliaWorld ranking
Top 210Source: QS World University Rankings 2022
RMIT University Digital3
D3 provides a simple way to work with a single, multi-disciplinary group of experts in a collaborative, innovative educational environment.
Business and Human Rights Centre (BHRIGHT)
RMIT’s Business and Human Rights centre (BHRIGHT) addresses the human rights impact of business and the ways the private sector can be force for good, creating shared value and advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. We explore a range of tools to accelerate social impact, especially digital technologies.
Ways to learn | Buy this course | Subscribe & save | Limited access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choose the best way to learn for you! | $134/one-off payment | $27.99 For the first two months. Automatically renews | Free |
| Fulfill your current learning need | Develop skills to further your career | Sample the course materials | |
| Access to this course | tick | tick | Access expires 13 Jun 2024 |
| Access to 1,000+ courses | cross | tick | cross |
| Learn at your own pace | tick | tick | cross |
| Discuss your learning in comments | tick | tick | tick |
| Tests to check your learning | tick | tick | cross |
| Certificate when you're eligible | Printed and digital | Digital only | cross |
Cancel for free anytime |
Ways to learn
Choose the best way to learn for you!
Subscribe & save
$27.99
For the first two months. Automatically renews
Develop skills to further your career
- Access to this course
- Access to 1,000+ courses
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Tests to boost your learning
- Digital certificate when you're eligible
Cancel for free anytime
Buy this course
$134/one-off payment
Fulfill your current learning need
- Access to this course
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Tests to boost your learning
- Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible
Limited access
Free
Sample the course materials
- Access expires 13 Jun 2024
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades) Sale price available until 5 May 2024 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply. | |||
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)
Sale price available until 5 May 2024 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.
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