Abstract:

This article presents the results of the validation of a questionnaire (https://forms.gle/7zahG5AKnTU1RiTk9), in order to analyze the relevance of the Unidade Curricular Opção Estratégias de Comunicação Redes Sociais (Social Network Communication Strategies Curriculum Unit) to the structure of the Course Unit taught in Social Communication and Journalism degrees, in Portugal. The main objective is to understand the importance of this course unit and to evaluate its possible integration not as an optional unit, but as part of the degree's curricular plan.

We understand that the digital communication distributed by Social Networks is increasingly important in the media and institutions for the dissemination of information, with wide national and international distribution. The aim is that the students, future professionals in the area of Social Communication and Journalism learn in a theoretical and practical way the main techniques and strategies of communication, which impact on various social networks (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, others). The aim is for the student to create informative content designed to communicate in various social networks, with a mainly persuasive narrative and to build up reader loyalty.

Social networks have revolutionized the communication of media and institutions, in a more immediate communication, without filters and in a digital space to which we have access at any time and in any place, thus challenging the way information is disseminated.

The validation of this questionnaire will be carried out by specialists in the area of Social Communication and Journalism in Portugal and will be applied to students of this degree at the national level, in Portugal. In this research we intend to show how we structure a course unit in a higher education institution in Portugal and, on the other hand, to evaluate its real need in the Bachelor of Social Communication and Journalism, in this particular case and at national level.

References:
[1] Brown, J. S., & Duguid, P. (2002). The Social Life of Information. (Harvard Business School Press, Ed.). Boston, Massachusetts.
[2] Couldry, N. (2012). Media, Society, World: Social Theory and Digital Media Practice. (Polity Press, Ed.). Cambridge.
[3] Fuchs, C. (2017). From digital positivism and administrative big data analytics towards critical digital and social media research! European Journal of Communication, 32(1), 37–49. https://doi.org/10.1177/0267323116682804
[4] Golding, P., Raeymaeckers, K., & Sousa, H. (2017). Social media – New challenges and approaches for communications research. European Journal of Communication, 32(1), 3–5. https://doi.org/10.1177/0267323116682801
[5] Raposo, M. (2017). Torna-te um Guru das Redes Sociais. (Manuscrito Editora, Ed.). Lisboa.

Keywords:

Social Networks, Social Communication, Digital Journalism, Communication Strategies.