Students
FOHS300 – Participation and Community Engagement in Human Sciences
2015 – S1 Day
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor
Dr Kathryn McLachlan
Contact via 98508446
Level 3 AHH Rm 713
by appointment
Administration
Irma Knustingh Neven
Contact via 98507668
Level 3 AHH Rm 713
by appointment
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
3
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
39cp and permission of Executive Dean of Faculty
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit provides an opportunity for students to engage with the community through a variety of activities. Examples might include individual and group activities with an international, regional or local focus on public-sector agencies, professional bodies, companies, industry partners and not-for-profit organisations. The unit promotes learning through participation with community partners as well as the development of graduate capabilities and professional skills. Students will be encouraged to apply theory learnt through their degree to real-world situations. Student learning will be facilitated through orientation and induction activities, scaffolding for skill and knowledge development and debriefing; supported throughout by rigorous academic assessment. The unit will have a particular emphasis on working with communities, and developing collaboration and leadership capacities.
This unit is a designated PACE unit and all enquiries regarding enrolment should be made with the unit convenor no later than 6 weeks before commencement of the study period.
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Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- identify and articulate your own skills and Graduate Capabilities and collect evidence to demonstrate development of selected skills and capabilities;
- understand benefits of reflection, demonstrate reflective skills and explore effective reflection techniques, including critical incident analysis;
- apply the knowledge, skills and capabilities you have acquired in your studies to real life situations;
- demonstrate effective oral, written and visual communication skills that are appropriate to the purpose, medium and audience;
- demonstrate skills in collaboration and leadership;
- engage with a community organisation (inc. business, government, ngo, other community organisation) and reflect on, analyse and document relevant issues of social justice, inclusion, ethics or other social challenges;
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Activity/Project Plan | 15% | TBA |
| Capabilities audit | 30% | June 5 |
| Placement Assessment | 15% | June 26 |
| Choice of written task | 40% | June 26 |
Activity/Project Plan
Due: TBA
Weighting: 15%
In this task you will be asked to produce a 1500 word plan for your activity or project in which you will consider the aims and rationale for the activity or project, collect background information and develop an initial timeline for the project.
The due date will be negotiated with you in the first workshop and will depend on when your activity or project starts.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- apply the knowledge, skills and capabilities you have acquired in your studies to real life situations;
- demonstrate effective oral, written and visual communication skills that are appropriate to the purpose, medium and audience;
Capabilities audit
Due: June 5
Weighting: 30%
In the first workshop you will be asked to self-assess against a list of skills and graduate capabilities and then to select six capabilities to focus on during your placement.
Throughout yoru placement you will collect evidence for a portfolio to demonstrate how you have developed these selected skills and capabilities (and any others had not anticipated).
At the end of the unit you will self-assess again and write a short reflective piece on your skills and capabilities development, the process of gathering evidence and what might be needed in the future to address any skills shortage you identify.
This assessment task will promote learning in terms of identifying skills and capabilities, fostering more accurate self-assessment, learning what kinds of evidence might indicate skills for employers, and some understanding of planning skills and capabilities development into the future.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- identify and articulate your own skills and Graduate Capabilities and collect evidence to demonstrate development of selected skills and capabilities;
- understand benefits of reflection, demonstrate reflective skills and explore effective reflection techniques, including critical incident analysis;
- apply the knowledge, skills and capabilities you have acquired in your studies to real life situations;
- demonstrate effective oral, written and visual communication skills that are appropriate to the purpose, medium and audience;
- demonstrate skills in collaboration and leadership;
Placement Assessment
Due: June 26
Weighting: 15%
The host supervisor will provide a report on your workplace performance against a set of criteria. These criteria will be provided for you to see on iLearn.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- apply the knowledge, skills and capabilities you have acquired in your studies to real life situations;
- demonstrate effective oral, written and visual communication skills that are appropriate to the purpose, medium and audience;
- demonstrate skills in collaboration and leadership;
- engage with a community organisation (inc. business, government, ngo, other community organisation) and reflect on, analyse and document relevant issues of social justice, inclusion, ethics or other social challenges;
Choice of written task
Due: June 26
Weighting: 40%
Depending on the type of activity or project you undertake, there may be variation in the learning outcomes you achieve. Thus you may choose which of the following assessment tasks you think best fits with your placement
Choose one of the following
- Final Report - (2000 words) - it includes a description of activity/project, a consideration of how the theory you have learnt at university is integrated with practice, and reflections on how you applied your university studies to real world context; OR
- Critical Incident Analysis (2000 words) - in this task you can chose a critical incident from your placement, reflect upon it, show how your studies were applied or underpinned your understanding of this incident; OR
- Literature Review (2000 words) of theoretical material related to the activity/project you have undertaken
On successful completion you will be able to:
- understand benefits of reflection, demonstrate reflective skills and explore effective reflection techniques, including critical incident analysis;
- apply the knowledge, skills and capabilities you have acquired in your studies to real life situations;
- demonstrate effective oral, written and visual communication skills that are appropriate to the purpose, medium and audience;
- demonstrate skills in collaboration and leadership;
- engage with a community organisation (inc. business, government, ngo, other community organisation) and reflect on, analyse and document relevant issues of social justice, inclusion, ethics or other social challenges;
Delivery and Resources
Delivery and Resources
FOHS300 aims to provide you with an opportunity to:
- reflect on your undergraduate learning to date and on how you might use or apply them;
- integrate and synthesise the information from your undergraduate studies;
- think about real world problems;
- develop new capabilities and to hone or practice already developing capabilities; and
- focus on the capabilities you will take into the workplace or further study.
This unit uses a very different style of learning to that normally encountered in a class-room based unit, and many students find the change initially quite challenging. At the heart of FOHS300 is the placement activity that you will undertake in a community or work setting. This will account for a minimum of 70 hours. In addition there will be learning activities and assessment tasks that will equip you with the skills and support to help you make sense of your experiences and elicit maximum learning.
As you can see in the schedule, there are only two lectures and a total of five two hour seminars. This is to allow you as much time as possible to fit in your placement hours. The lectures and seminars are compulsory.
Seminars
The seminars have been developed to help you develop reflective and analytical skills through discussion and specific learning activities. In each seminar there will be time to share your experiences from your placement and bounce ideas off other students and staff.
Online Modules
In addition to the lectures and seminars there are five online modules to work through. These are scheduled for the weeks in between seminars and each will take 2-3 hours to complete. They cover specific content relevant to your placement or particular skills such as reflection or critical incident analysis. The modules are available in iLearn and incorporate readings, YouTube clips and activities. It is vital that you do this before the next seminar as many of the activities assume knowledge from those modules.
Assessment Tasks
More detail about assessment tasks will be available in iLearn. This will include specific information, cover sheets and rubrics. For the most part submission of assessment tasks will be via iLearn.
Placement
The placement component is a minimum of 70 hours in the workplace or community setting. Each placement has a negotiated project and a host supervisor from the workplace who will be your “go to” person in the organisation. Most students will have their placement organised by the unit convenor before the semester starts – if you have not yet contacted the unit convenor please do so as soon as possible as it is very difficult to find a suitable placement quickly and this may delay the start of your placement and cause problems later in the semester. Placements may be taken part-time or as a block or a combination, but this must be negotiated and mutually agreed by the organisation and the student.
More information about placement logistics will be given on the Faculty of Human Sciences Participation webpage, in documents in iLearn and in the first lecture.
Please note that all assessment tasks are based around placements.
Some placements will involve research on humans and this needs to be thought about carefully in terms of the design and execution. The Ethics module is compulsory for all students and will provide you with information about this area.
Communication
Communication before the unit begins will be via the Faculty web-page or your student email address. After the beginning of semester communication will be via iLearn, lectures and seminars and, on the odd occasion via your student email.
Unit Schedule
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Week |
Date |
On campus Activity |
Online Learning Activity |
Assessment Task |
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9 |
Tuesday 24 Feb |
Introductory Lecture W5C 312 5pm-6pm |
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9 |
Wednesday 25 Feb |
Forum/Seminar E3B 114 3pm – 6pm |
Reflection Module |
*Activity/Project Plan |
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10 |
Wednesday 4 March |
Forum/Seminar E3B 114 3pm – 6pm |
**Ethics Module Social Inclusion |
Ethics certificate – not graded |
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11 |
Wednesday 11 March |
Forum/Seminar E3B 114 3pm – 6pm |
*** You and Your Participation Activity Module |
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12 |
Wednesday 18 March |
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13 |
Wednesday 25 March |
Forum/Seminar E3B 114 3pm – 6pm |
***Careers Module *** Criticial Incident Analysis Module |
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14 |
Wednesday 1 April |
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Break |
2 April – 20 April |
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17 |
Wednesday 22 April |
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18 |
Wednesday 29 April |
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19 |
Wednesday 6 May |
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20 |
Wednesday 13 May |
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21 |
Wednesday 20 May |
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22 |
Wednesday 27 May |
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23 |
Wednesday 3 June |
Lecture W5C 312 5pm – 6pm |
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23 |
Wednesday 3 June |
Forum/Seminar W5C 312 3pm-6pm |
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Skills and capabilities audit (Friday 5 June) |
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Exam period S1 |
9 June – 26 June |
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Placement Assessment (Supervisor report) and Written task (Friday 26 June) |
* If your activity has not started yet, discuss submission date with your unit convenor
**All seminars will be held from 3-6pm on each designated day unless number of students exceeds 25
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Results
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Graduate Capabilities
Creative and Innovative
Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- apply the knowledge, skills and capabilities you have acquired in your studies to real life situations;
- engage with a community organisation (inc. business, government, ngo, other community organisation) and reflect on, analyse and document relevant issues of social justice, inclusion, ethics or other social challenges;
Assessment tasks
- Placement Assessment
- Choice of written task
Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative
We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- identify and articulate your own skills and Graduate Capabilities and collect evidence to demonstrate development of selected skills and capabilities;
- understand benefits of reflection, demonstrate reflective skills and explore effective reflection techniques, including critical incident analysis;
- apply the knowledge, skills and capabilities you have acquired in your studies to real life situations;
- demonstrate effective oral, written and visual communication skills that are appropriate to the purpose, medium and audience;
- demonstrate skills in collaboration and leadership;
- engage with a community organisation (inc. business, government, ngo, other community organisation) and reflect on, analyse and document relevant issues of social justice, inclusion, ethics or other social challenges;
Assessment tasks
- Activity/Project Plan
- Capabilities audit
- Placement Assessment
- Choice of written task
Commitment to Continuous Learning
Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- identify and articulate your own skills and Graduate Capabilities and collect evidence to demonstrate development of selected skills and capabilities;
- understand benefits of reflection, demonstrate reflective skills and explore effective reflection techniques, including critical incident analysis;
- apply the knowledge, skills and capabilities you have acquired in your studies to real life situations;
- demonstrate effective oral, written and visual communication skills that are appropriate to the purpose, medium and audience;
- demonstrate skills in collaboration and leadership;
- engage with a community organisation (inc. business, government, ngo, other community organisation) and reflect on, analyse and document relevant issues of social justice, inclusion, ethics or other social challenges;
Assessment tasks
- Capabilities audit
- Placement Assessment
- Choice of written task
Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills
Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- apply the knowledge, skills and capabilities you have acquired in your studies to real life situations;
- demonstrate effective oral, written and visual communication skills that are appropriate to the purpose, medium and audience;
- engage with a community organisation (inc. business, government, ngo, other community organisation) and reflect on, analyse and document relevant issues of social justice, inclusion, ethics or other social challenges;
Assessment tasks
- Placement Assessment
- Choice of written task
Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking
We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- identify and articulate your own skills and Graduate Capabilities and collect evidence to demonstrate development of selected skills and capabilities;
- understand benefits of reflection, demonstrate reflective skills and explore effective reflection techniques, including critical incident analysis;
- apply the knowledge, skills and capabilities you have acquired in your studies to real life situations;
- demonstrate effective oral, written and visual communication skills that are appropriate to the purpose, medium and audience;
- demonstrate skills in collaboration and leadership;
- engage with a community organisation (inc. business, government, ngo, other community organisation) and reflect on, analyse and document relevant issues of social justice, inclusion, ethics or other social challenges;
Assessment tasks
- Activity/Project Plan
- Capabilities audit
- Placement Assessment
- Choice of written task
Problem Solving and Research Capability
Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- understand benefits of reflection, demonstrate reflective skills and explore effective reflection techniques, including critical incident analysis;
- apply the knowledge, skills and capabilities you have acquired in your studies to real life situations;
- demonstrate effective oral, written and visual communication skills that are appropriate to the purpose, medium and audience;
- demonstrate skills in collaboration and leadership;
- engage with a community organisation (inc. business, government, ngo, other community organisation) and reflect on, analyse and document relevant issues of social justice, inclusion, ethics or other social challenges;
Assessment tasks
- Activity/Project Plan
- Placement Assessment
- Choice of written task
Effective Communication
We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- identify and articulate your own skills and Graduate Capabilities and collect evidence to demonstrate development of selected skills and capabilities;
- understand benefits of reflection, demonstrate reflective skills and explore effective reflection techniques, including critical incident analysis;
- apply the knowledge, skills and capabilities you have acquired in your studies to real life situations;
- demonstrate effective oral, written and visual communication skills that are appropriate to the purpose, medium and audience;
- demonstrate skills in collaboration and leadership;
- engage with a community organisation (inc. business, government, ngo, other community organisation) and reflect on, analyse and document relevant issues of social justice, inclusion, ethics or other social challenges;
Assessment tasks
- Activity/Project Plan
- Capabilities audit
- Placement Assessment
- Choice of written task
Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens
As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- identify and articulate your own skills and Graduate Capabilities and collect evidence to demonstrate development of selected skills and capabilities;
- understand benefits of reflection, demonstrate reflective skills and explore effective reflection techniques, including critical incident analysis;
- apply the knowledge, skills and capabilities you have acquired in your studies to real life situations;
- demonstrate skills in collaboration and leadership;
- engage with a community organisation (inc. business, government, ngo, other community organisation) and reflect on, analyse and document relevant issues of social justice, inclusion, ethics or other social challenges;
Assessment tasks
- Placement Assessment
- Choice of written task
Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible
We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- understand benefits of reflection, demonstrate reflective skills and explore effective reflection techniques, including critical incident analysis;
- apply the knowledge, skills and capabilities you have acquired in your studies to real life situations;
- demonstrate skills in collaboration and leadership;
- engage with a community organisation (inc. business, government, ngo, other community organisation) and reflect on, analyse and document relevant issues of social justice, inclusion, ethics or other social challenges;
Assessment tasks
- Placement Assessment
- Choice of written task
Placement Information
Placements and projects are the core of this unit. They may be taken in the public or private sector, with large or small organisations, with business or not-for-profit community organisations. However, each placement needs a project and a host supervisor.
The projects are negotiated between the unit convenor and the organisation (and host supervisor) and involve 70 hours to be spent with a community partner. These 70 hours must be done during the semester (which includes the mid-semester break). You cannot start before the semester starts (for insurance coverage) and the hours must be completed by the last day of semester. How you distribute the hours is negotiated between you and the host supervisor, it can be one or more days per week, or as a block, or some combination. You need to let the unit convenor know how this will be accomplished and that it has been discussed with the host supervisor before you start the placement.
Each placement involves a legal agreement with the organisation and you will be expected to sign a “Student Undertaking” before the placement can begin.
To ensure that you have the whole semester to complete your required hours, we need to organise the placement before the semester starts. Thus you need to make contact with unit convenor as early as possible to discuss options. It takes at least 6 weeks to get proper paperwork finalised and delays that may cause difficulties for you as the semester draws to an end.
Some examples of projects/activities:
Hands on work with people
- elderly
- children/youth
- socially isolated
- people with disabilities; and others
Examples:
Work with dementia patients – determine their interests and modify to suit individuals
Children in foster care – help individual children with homework and outings
Gardening for the frail, aged and persons with disability; gain insight into social isolation
Moderate a website to provide young people with information on mental health
Program and Resource development
- developing new programs or tailoring programs for individuals
- development of educational programs
- resource development (print-based, online, social media)
- development and/or implementation of communication strategies
Examples:
Develop an education program for victims of domestic violence
Research and write a brochure on elder abuse for the community
Design and facilitate a program dealing with grief and loss for people with cerebral palsy
Develop an information resource for academics about students with disabilities
Service Provision
- recruitment, management and training of volunteers
- finding and applying for funding
- investigating the impact of legislative and funding changes on organization
- evaluation of programs, resources, service provision (quality improvement, review)
Examples:
Match house residents with suitable volunteers
Analyse service provision for an organisation in terms of client usage, needs and cost
Design an evaluation strategy to provide feedback to a network of community organisations
Investigate implications of Productivity Commission report on Aged Care on community based services
Research (may need Human Ethics clearance) including combinations of:
- background research (literature review)
- developing research strategies
- conducting research (e.g. surveys, interviews, focus groups)
- data management and/or analysis
- writing reports and developing recommendations
Examples :
Undertake a literature review and design a survey to study rest breaks in call-centres
Find ways to investigate social disadvantage in the student population
Conduct a literature review of leadership programs across the globe in order to make recommendations about the best options
Design and conduct research with local young people about service provision and make recommendations