Task 1: On-Line participation (5 marks)

This task requires you to participate in the Unit iLearn private mail and discussion forum to assist in building your confidence with the on-line learning systems. By 19^th March you will need to:

1. Find out and use effectively your username and password to access the ECED 820 iLearn site.
2. Explore iLearn and understand how to access the recorded lectures (through the ECHO block).
3. Download the unit outline (from iLearn) and read it. Any questions about the unit outline should be posted in the discussion titled "Questions about the unit outline".
4. Make yourself familiar with the information about this unit in iLearn. In particular read all information in the assessment section so you understand the university policy on plagiarism.
5. Make one contribution to the iLearn Discussion tagged as “Who am I?” Each student is to post a brief note of 500 words or less about themselves and their interest in exploring families.
6. Send an email by 6th March to Fay Hadley through iLearn Dialogue: Private communications with your tutor or other students telling her that you have successfully gained access to the iLearn system, have worked out how to listen to the recorded lectures in echo, have downloaded and read the unit outline, have made yourself familiar with iLearn and have completed the discussion task “Who am I”. Do not send this to my university email.

Criteria for assessment: (5 marks)

1. Effective use of Unit webpage and discussion board
2. Email to Fay via iLearn dialogue
3. Ability to contribute to online discussion posting “Who am I” with professionalism and clarity

Task 2: On-Line discussions (15 marks) Due 21st May

The on-line discussions for each module will form an important part of students’ developing understandings and critical interpretation of key readings for each Learning Module.  Students should see the Discussions as an opportunity to express responses to readings, ideas and questions that arise during the course of the unit, as well as receiving feedback from other students enrolled in the unit.

Students are invited to contribute online postings based on their learning in each Module.  There are some key questions to guide students’ learning with each Module. Your postings can be in response to these questions but are not limited to these. Independent and creative thinking by students on any matters raised during each Module is welcomed. 

• There are 11 modules and students must post a discussion on at least 5 of these modules
• Students must respond to at least 5 other students’ posts, these responses do not have to be in the same week you have posted a discussion.
• The posting must occur by the end of the week the module is set for or the student will not receive a mark for that posting. So for example all postings for week 2 would need to be completed by Sunday 12^th March no later than 12pm.
• The posting needs to also include one other reading (peer reviewed journal article or seminal report) with a short description of the main point of the reading. The reading needs to be referenced in APA style.
• There is however no limit on how many or how often you write postings online for each module.
• General feedback from the unit coordinator will be posted in these Discussion forums.

On-line postings are individual in nature and might, for example, offer engaging points of discussion or useful insights/alternative perspectives on focus topics. The structure and content of your posting will depend on the point(s) that you wish to make and your purpose (i.e., whether you are seeking other students’ thoughts/feedback, or wanting to offer relevant personal experiences, etc.). Postings should also provide comments/thoughts on set readings - NOT a summary of content.

Students must select 5 postings and 5 responses and compile into one word assignment. Students will need to show clearly which module the post relates to and which module and discussion post the response relates to (this may require students to screen shot the iLearn page). This is to be submitted through turnitin.

Posting Guidelines

In order for on-line discussions to effectively contribute to students’ learning on the unit, the following guidelines should be considered:

1. Each posting can be between 100 - 300 words; but definitely no longer than 500 words.
2. Postings should reflect students’ understanding of topics studied, on the basis of set readings and your other appropriate source. You can respond to the questions posted in the module OR provide your own reflection.
3. If postings include the expression of personal opinions, ideas or perspectives they should, where possible, be supported by relevant literature.
4. Informed answers and/or responses to questions posed, based on course readings which are appropriately referenced.
5. A single question in itself will not be regarded as a sufficient contribution; some background to the comment/question should be provided in order to stimulate further discussion.
6. APA in text referencing should be included when citing or commenting on a reading or citing sourced evidence.

Criteria for assessment: (15 marks)

• Level of participation in discussions – demonstration of engagement with peers by stimulating and adding to ongoing discussions.
• Provided discussion in 5 modules and in the timeframe set.
• Provided 5 responses to other students’ posts and in the timeframe set.
• Clarity of written communication.
• Correct APA referencing

The purpose of this assignment is to investigate family diversity focusing on any one of the modules presented in the unit. Discussion of the family diversity will be informed and sensitive.  Analysis of the role of media in portraying family diversity will be outlined and linked to the academic literature on the chosen module. For the assignment, you are required to collect one or more media artefacts that reflect a particular aspect of “family” in contemporary society. These ‘artefacts’ may be a YouTube video or an article from a newspaper or a popular magazine or a collection of 2-3 images of families from one type of media.  It should act as a stimulus or focus point for a specific area of discussion based on one of the modules identified in this unit.

Using your readings and studies in this unit, you are required to construct a literature review that could be the basis of a research project. The critical analysis of literature will:

1. Outline the family module, using the media artefacts and other academic literature to discuss the extent to which the media can influence, or reflect, public perceptions of family life.
2. Provide an explicit statement of the significance of the family module being explored and why it should be researched further (identify the gap in the literature).

Clearly identify the topic or Module that your essay is targeting. Ensure that your analysis is constructed with reference to scholarly, evidence-based perspectives presented in your readings.

Assessment Criteria

Your overall mark on this assignment will be based on the following:

• Clear definition of your topic/Module of interest and key arguments presented in your assignment.
• Use of scholarly theories and concepts of family in constructing a critical analysis of readings used to inform your discussion.
• Explicit statement of why the family topic should be researched.

• Shows understanding of key concepts & there is evidence of original critical thinking.
• A well-constructed analysis in APA style that is linked to your learning in this unit.

Building on assignment 2 the purpose of this assignment is to outline a research project that would investigate the significant family diversity area you argued about in assignment 2.

Using your readings and studies in this unit, you are required to outline a research project that would investigate the significant issue.  You will:

1. Provide an overarching aim of your research project – the rationale of your project. This will be developed from your explicit statement of the significance of the family module being explored and why it should be researched from assignment 2.
2. A list of questions to research (2-5)
3. A research methodology outlined, which will include explanation of the method and justification of the data collection tools for the project.
4. An outline of how the data would be analysed (you are not conducting the research).

Ensure that your research project is constructed with reference to scholarly, evidence-based references. This project is not being implemented as a part of this unit or assessment.

Assessment Criteria

Your overall mark on this assignment will be based on the following:

• Use of scholarly theories and concepts of family in constructing a rationale for the project.

• Strong methodology, including and data collection tools and analysis well justified.
• Shows understanding of key concepts of research design.
• A well-constructed analysis in APA style that is linked to your learning in this unit.