MOOC - An Anthropology of Smartphones

Free online MOOC to develop students undersatnding of how smartphones have transformed our lives and how they can be used productively.

Available on FutureLearn here: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/an-anthropology-of-smartphones

Discover digital anthropology and the relationship between technology and ageing
This course will develop your understanding of the concept of digital anthropology as you explore how smartphones have transformed our daily lives and how they can be used productively.

Learn how smartphones have changed our lives
Through ethnographic research findings, you’ll explore the potential consequences of using a smartphone every day.

You’ll examine the effect of smartphones on human relationships and participation in cultural life, as well as touch upon the current use and future potential of smartphones in the health and medical sector.

Understand the concept of smart ageing and the relationship between older people and technology
Smartphones are no longer a youth technology. They play a significant role in intergenerational relations and define ageing in the digital era. You’ll learn about the issues older people encounter when using smartphones and how technology has shaped models of ageing.

Using the latest research, you’ll find out more about ageing in different global contexts and learn how technology is shaping and changing the experience of ageing.

Discover the effect of smartphone use through the lens of digital anthropology
The course demonstrates the potential of anthropology as a discipline and will introduce you to the technicalities of using comparative anthropology as a method of research.

It also includes several new anthropological perspectives on the use of the smartphone and its impact on people’s lives.

Explore digital anthropology with UCL’s expert team
UCL is a leading research hub in the area of digital anthropology. You’ll access the latest research and insights from UCL’s expert academics on fascinating anthropological concepts and issues, including digital health and ageing.

Available on FutureLearn here: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/an-anthropology-of-smartphones