EDWARDSTHEMES
FREE PUBLIC EDWARDS THEME COURSE
SOCIAL MEDIA
Plan useful messages, select the right platforms, research ethically, adapt accessible content and build responsible workflows that people can trust.
7 HD video lessons7 audio lessons4 formal units4 assessment tests4 print handoutsFree public access
Turn social activity into a purposeful, ethical communication system.
This competency-based curriculum moves from purpose and platform choice to public-source research, accessible content adaptation, campaign mapping, app workflows and responsible automation. Every unit contains definitions, illustration tasks, applied evidence, a test and a print-ready handout.
- 01
Foundations and Platform Choice
Define a useful purpose, audience and value proposition, then select a focused platform mix with realistic evidence.
Open Unit 1 → - 02
Ethical Research and Platform-Specific Content
Use public evidence responsibly and adapt original, accessible messages to the context of each platform.
Open Unit 2 → - 03
Campaign Mapping and App Workflow
Turn strategy into a feasible calendar and select tools that support accessible, privacy-aware creation and review.
Open Unit 3 → - 04
Responsible Automation and Capstone
Design bounded automation with human oversight, then integrate the full course into a 30-day campaign portfolio.
Open Unit 4 →
CURRENT-USE LEARNING NOTE · SEPTEMBER 2026
Learn enduring strategy; verify changing interfaces and features.
The supplied recordings preserve 2020 platform pages, brand examples and app interfaces. Use them as historical visual case studies. Before acting, verify current platform rules, accessibility controls, pricing, permissions and automation features in official documentation.
Unit → topic → subtopic → evidence.
Read each definition, watch the supplied lesson, complete the visual illustration and applied activity, submit the stated evidence, take the assessment and print the unit handout.
Foundations and Platform Choice
Define a useful purpose, audience and value proposition, then select a focused platform mix with realistic evidence.
LESSON 1 · 5:39 · 720p HD
Accessible audio lesson
TOPIC · Social media foundations
Introduction: Strategy Before Activity
Subtopic: Purpose, audience, value and responsible participation
Social media is a networked environment where people and organizations create, exchange and respond to content. Effective participation begins with a purpose and a defined audience, not with posting everywhere.
- Social media
- Digital services that enable people to create, share and respond to content within connected communities.
- Strategy
- A deliberate set of choices that connects actions to a desired result.
- Audience
- The people a message is intended to reach and serve.
- Value proposition
- A clear explanation of the useful benefit an audience should receive.
Learning outcomes
- Explain social media as a communication system.
- Write one measurable purpose and audience statement.
- Identify a useful and ethical value proposition.
Visual illustration
Draw a communication loop: purpose → audience → useful message → response → evidence → improvement.
Applied activity
Choose a public-interest, creative or small-business idea. Write a one-sentence purpose, a primary audience profile and three forms of value the course campaign will provide.
Assessment evidence
A one-page strategy brief with purpose, audience, value and one success measure.
- Purpose is specific
- Audience is described without stereotypes
- Value is useful and credible
- Measure connects to the purpose
LESSON 2 · 10:49 · 720p HD
Accessible audio lesson
TOPIC · Platform selection
Choose the Right Platforms
Subtopic: Audience fit, content format, resources and risk
A platform is a digital service with its own community, formats and interaction patterns. Platform selection should be based on audience fit and available capacity rather than popularity alone.
- Platform
- A digital service where users publish, discover and interact with content.
- Audience fit
- The degree to which a platform's users and behaviours match the intended audience.
- Content format
- The structure used to present a message, such as video, image, audio, text or live stream.
- Channel mix
- The selected combination of platforms used for distinct roles in one strategy.
Learning outcomes
- Compare platforms using common criteria.
- Match message formats to audience behaviour.
- Justify a focused channel mix.
Visual illustration
Create a matrix with audience fit, format fit, effort, accessibility, moderation and measurement across the top.
Applied activity
Score three candidate platforms from 1–5 on each criterion. Select one primary and one supporting platform and explain what each will do.
Assessment evidence
A completed platform-selection matrix and 150-word rationale.
- Criteria are applied consistently
- Selection fits the stated audience
- Workload is realistic
- Accessibility and safety are considered
Ethical Research and Platform-Specific Content
Use public evidence responsibly and adapt original, accessible messages to the context of each platform.
LESSON 3 · 10:10 · 720p HD
Accessible audio lesson
TOPIC · Public-source research
Ethical Competitor and Audience Research
Subtopic: Observation, benchmarking, attribution, consent and privacy
Ethical competitor research studies publicly available content to understand patterns and opportunities. It does not involve impersonation, intrusion, copying, harassment or collection of private data.
- Benchmark
- A reference point used to compare performance or practice.
- Content audit
- A systematic review of published content, format, purpose and response.
- Attribution
- Clearly acknowledging the creator or source of an idea, quotation or work.
- Privacy
- A person's right and reasonable expectation to control access to personal information.
Learning outcomes
- Distinguish research from copying or intrusion.
- Record public observations using a repeatable method.
- Identify an underserved content opportunity.
Visual illustration
Use four columns: public evidence, observed pattern, ethical interpretation and original opportunity.
Applied activity
Review five public posts from two relevant accounts. Record format, topic, audience response and accessibility, then propose one original improvement with attribution where needed.
Assessment evidence
An ethical research table and a short opportunity statement.
- Only public evidence is used
- Private data is excluded
- Sources are identified
- Recommendation is original rather than copied
LESSON 4 · 12:22 · 720p HD
Accessible audio lesson
TOPIC · Content adaptation
Customize Content for Each Platform
Subtopic: Message consistency, format, context, accessibility and calls to action
Content adaptation preserves one core idea while changing length, format, pacing and interaction for the context of each platform. Customization is not random duplication.
- Core message
- The central idea that should remain recognizable across versions.
- Call to action
- A clear invitation that tells the audience what useful step to take next.
- Alt text
- A concise description that communicates an image's relevant meaning to people using assistive technology.
- Repurposing
- Transforming existing material into a new format for a distinct context or audience need.
Learning outcomes
- Adapt one message into three platform-ready versions.
- Use a suitable call to action.
- Apply captions, contrast and alt-text principles.
Visual illustration
Place one core message at the centre of a wheel; branch to short video, image carousel and text post with format-specific changes.
Applied activity
Create three treatments of the same idea: a short-video storyboard, a five-panel carousel and a concise text post. Add captions or alt text and a relevant call to action.
Assessment evidence
A three-format content adaptation set with an accessibility checklist.
- Core message remains consistent
- Format suits the selected platform
- Call to action is proportionate
- Accessibility features are present
Campaign Mapping and App Workflow
Turn strategy into a feasible calendar and select tools that support accessible, privacy-aware creation and review.
LESSON 5 · 10:41 · 720p HD
Accessible audio lesson
TOPIC · Campaign planning
Map Out the Social Media Plan
Subtopic: Objectives, content pillars, editorial calendar, workflow and measurement
A social media plan organizes objectives, messages, formats, responsibilities, dates and measures into a workable campaign system.
- Content pillar
- A recurring theme that organizes related posts around audience needs and campaign purpose.
- Editorial calendar
- A schedule showing what will be published, where, when and by whom.
- Metric
- A defined quantity used to observe activity or results.
- Conversion
- A meaningful audience action connected to the campaign purpose.
Learning outcomes
- Translate a purpose into a measurable objective.
- Organize ideas into content pillars.
- Build a realistic four-week editorial calendar.
Visual illustration
Map objective → content pillar → weekly post → call to action → metric → review decision.
Applied activity
Build a four-week calendar containing three content pillars, platform, format, owner, status, accessibility check, call to action and success measure.
Assessment evidence
A complete campaign map and four-week editorial calendar.
- Objective is measurable
- Pillars serve audience needs
- Calendar is feasible
- Metrics inform a stated decision
LESSON 6 · 7:34 · 720p HD
Accessible audio lesson
TOPIC · Workflow tools
Use Social Media Apps Purposefully
Subtopic: Creation, scheduling, collaboration, analytics and data stewardship
A social media app is useful when it reduces friction in a defined workflow. Tools should be evaluated for function, accessibility, privacy, cost and the ability to export or recover work.
- Workflow
- An ordered sequence that moves work from idea to review, publication and learning.
- Scheduler
- A tool that prepares content for publication at a selected time.
- Analytics
- Collected information used to understand content activity and audience response.
- Data stewardship
- Responsible collection, access, protection, retention and disposal of data.
Learning outcomes
- Map an app-supported publishing workflow.
- Evaluate tools without relying on brand popularity.
- Identify privacy and continuity risks.
Visual illustration
Create a five-stage board: ideas → draft → review → publish → learn. Name the human decision and optional tool at every stage.
Applied activity
Compare three current tools using function, accessibility, privacy, cost, portability and failure recovery. Verify features with current official documentation before adopting one.
Assessment evidence
A tool-evaluation matrix and annotated workflow diagram.
- Tool serves a defined need
- Claims are currently verified
- Privacy and access are considered
- Manual fallback is documented
Responsible Automation and Capstone
Design bounded automation with human oversight, then integrate the full course into a 30-day campaign portfolio.
LESSON 7 · 9:23 · 720p HD
Accessible audio lesson
TOPIC · Automation and governance
Build Responsible Automation with IFTTT
Subtopic: Triggers, actions, safeguards, monitoring and human review
Automation uses a defined trigger to perform an action. Responsible automation keeps people accountable, protects credentials and private data, prevents unwanted repetition and includes monitoring and a manual stop.
- Trigger
- The event or condition that starts an automated process.
- Action
- The task performed after the trigger occurs.
- Automation rule
- A statement connecting a trigger, conditions and an action.
- Human-in-the-loop
- A design in which a person reviews, approves or can stop an automated decision or publication.
Learning outcomes
- Write a clear trigger-action rule.
- Assess privacy, duplication and reputational risks.
- Design monitoring, approval and shutoff safeguards.
Visual illustration
Draw trigger → condition → human approval → action → log → review, with a visible stop control beside the action.
Applied activity
Design one low-risk automation for a campaign. Specify data used, permissions, approval point, duplicate prevention, error notice, audit log and manual stop; do not connect live accounts for the assessment.
Assessment evidence
A responsible automation map and risk-control checklist.
- Trigger and action are precise
- No private data is exposed
- Human accountability is retained
- Monitoring and shutoff are testable
Original recordings, historical interfaces and a modern planning system.
The supplied recordings use modern HTML5 video and matching MP3 alternatives. Flash-era players and old JavaScript wrappers are not executed. The original paid sales material is retained only for critical study; its prices, urgency and outcome claims are not current RE1 promises.
Campaign planning
Observe, plan, create, review and improve as one accountable cycle.
Historical bundle design
Study product hierarchy and visual consistency without treating its commercial framing as a current offer.
Trigger→Approve→Act→Log
Responsible automation
Human approval, monitoring and a manual stop remain visible.
SUPPLIED PROMOTIONAL-LITERACY STUDY
Examine the historical advertisement, then begin the free course.
The supplied video contains historical claims about reach, automation and a paid offer. Identify absolutes that require evidence, rewrite exaggerated claims, and compare the message with this current free public curriculum.
SUMMATIVE CAPSTONE
Produce a responsible 30-day social media campaign.
Submit a platform map, ethical research notes, three-format content set, four-week calendar, app workflow, bounded automation design and evidence-led reflection.
- Purpose, audience and platform fit — 20%Clear need, credible value and justified channel roles.
- Ethical research and originality — 20%Public evidence, attribution, privacy and original insight.
- Content quality and accessibility — 20%Consistent message, suitable formats, captions and alt text.
- Planning, workflow and safeguards — 20%Feasible calendar, tool rationale, human oversight and fallback.
- Measurement and reflection — 20%Useful metrics, evidence, decisions and specific improvements.
