Students

ECHL213 – Images of Childhood

2015 – S3 External

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Shirley Wyver
shirley.wyver@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
12cp
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
There are many public images of children and young people. These images can serve as a powerful tool for guiding parenting, public policy, and the images children and young people hold of themselves, yet not all images are accurate. Academic staff from a range of disciplines will discuss images of childhood. From different disciplinary bases, they will examine whether research evidence supports the public image.

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:

  • Understand key debates relating to images of childhood
  • Understand different disciplinary approaches to research involving children
  • Know how to analyse public domain claims about childhood using research evidence as a basis
  • Evaluate claims about infants, children and adolescence

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Topic and Evidence 40% 20 December 2015
Essay or Exam 60% 20 January or S3 Exam period

Topic and Evidence

Due: 20 December 2015
Weighting: 40%

Part A: Identify a topic of contemporary importance and of relevance to this unit.  Most students will select a topic from the textbook and this is the safest option as you will have some guidance from the chapter.  It is possible to select a different topic if you have something that is of interest to you.  If you would like to select a different topic it is strongly recommended that you contact Dr Shirley Wyver through iLearn (dialogue) as soon as possible to have the topic approved. 

Part B: Provide the evidence that you will use to:

a) Justify your claim that this is a topic of contemporary importance (at least two pieces of evidence);

b) Develop a scholarly argument relating to this topic (at least 5 articles).

Use chapter 1 of your textbook to understand what is meant by evidence in this unit.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand key debates relating to images of childhood
  • Understand different disciplinary approaches to research involving children
  • Know how to analyse public domain claims about childhood using research evidence as a basis
  • Evaluate claims about infants, children and adolescence

Essay or Exam

Due: 20 January or S3 Exam period
Weighting: 60%

Select from an exam or essay

Essay

Is it useful to consider how images of childhood can influence opportunities for infants, children and/or adolesents?  Consider this question, ideally based on the topic from Assignment 1, but you can select another topic.  Make sure you follow the marking rubric to ensure you have covered all required aspects of this essay.

Marking Rubric

Gaining Marks

The essay has a clear introduction and conclusion.

5

You have written the referencing style you are using on the first page of your essay and your referencing style has been used consistently and correctly.

5

Your understanding and approach to the topic is clear.

10

You have identified the main images and opportunities and used these to form your argument.

10

You have used scholarly evidence to support your argument.  At least eight scholarly sources (additional to textbook chapters) have been used to support your argument.  Use is not tokenistic.  At least six scholarly sources have been used to structure your argument.  See Chapter 1 of your textbook for information on scholarly sources.

15

Your essay is well written and conveys an understanding of the complexity of the arguments related to images of childhood revealed through, for example, discussion of conflicting findings or engaging in critical analysis.

15

Losing Marks

Your analysis is supported by evidence, not opinion.

You may fail the essay if it is considered that your essay is mainly based on opinion.

The first page includes your name, student number, declaration and the referencing style you have used (e.g. APA, Harvard, Chicago).

2 marks deducted for each piece of missing information.

Late submission

1.5 marks will be lost per day (or part day) after the due date past the agreed submission date.  Weekend days are included in the calculation.

The essay must be written in your own words.

2 marks deducted for every quoted sentence or phrase.

2 marks deducted for each sentence/phrase of close paraphrasing (i.e. superficial changes to the published wording).

Cases of plagiarism will be referred to the IEC Academic Honesty Committee for advice on penalties.

Your references are high quality. References that are not high quality will not be included in your reference count.   

Exam

A two hour exam will be held during the session 3 exam period.  If you select the exam you must:

- Be available at your Macquarie University Exam Centre during the S3 exam period.  Please note that students find out when exams will be scheduled at the same time as staff so please don't ask unit staff for the date of the exam.

- Register for the exam through iLearn by 4 January.

The exam will be based on content from your textbook.  You will be permitted to take your textbook into the exam with you - it must be the textbook, not photocopied notes from the textbook.  The exam may include items such as multiple choice, short answer and/or essay.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand key debates relating to images of childhood
  • Understand different disciplinary approaches to research involving children
  • Know how to analyse public domain claims about childhood using research evidence as a basis
  • Evaluate claims about infants, children and adolescence

Delivery and Resources

All unit content will be delivered through iLearn.  There are no classes.

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

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 outcome

  • Understand different disciplinary approaches to research involving children

Assessment tasks

  • Topic and Evidence
  • Essay or Exam

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

  • Understand key debates relating to images of childhood
  • Evaluate claims about infants, children and adolescence

Assessment task

  • Essay or Exam

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 outcome

  • Evaluate claims about infants, children and adolescence

Assessment task

  • Essay or Exam

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 outcome

  • Know how to analyse public domain claims about childhood using research evidence as a basis

Assessment tasks

  • Topic and Evidence
  • Essay or Exam

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 outcome

  • Know how to analyse public domain claims about childhood using research evidence as a basis

Assessment tasks

  • Topic and Evidence
  • Essay or Exam

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:

Assessment task

  • Essay or Exam