Students

GEOP461 – Planning Experience

2017 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Lecturer
Linda Kelly
Contact via email
Credit points Credit points
9
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to BPlan and (39cp at 100 level or above) and permission by special approval
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit provides an off-campus, work-integrated learning experience in the planning field. Placements may be undertaken across a range of sectors (such as government, industry, non-profit, industry and professional associations). Students complete a self-contained project during their placement as well as a critical appreciation of planning practice, ethics and learning. As far as possible, placements are arranged in accordance with each student's background, skills, experience, professional/academic interests and career aspirations. Students must complete approximately 25 days on work placement plus attend one-day workshops on campus.

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:

  • Experience of working in a professional planning environment
  • Ability to integrate theory and ethical reasoning and community engagement perspectives in the conceptualisation, development and execution of a project
  • Opportunity to utilise and integrate reflection and emotional intelligence in the context of the workplace and professional work practices.
  • A greater understanding of personal career preferences and divergent career paths and specific personal needs in relation to professional development and continuous learning.
  • Increased understanding and development of the skills required of the practising planner

General Assessment Information

Some points to remember when undetaking assessments:

All assessment tasks must be submitted in order to pass this unit. Written assesments should be submitted via iLearn. If you are having trouble meeting a submission deadline please contact the Unit Convenor as soon as possible. A late submission will incur a penalty of 10% per day late.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Review a planning issue 15% No 14 March Week 3
Project Presentation 15% No 11 April Week 7
Project written report 15% No 2 May Week 8
Workplace assessment 15% No 30 May Week 12
Reflective journal 30% No 6 June Week 13
Workshop participation 10% No throughout semester

Review a planning issue

Due: 14 March Week 3
Weighting: 15%

Part A. The purpose of this assessment is to critically assess a current planning issue, strategy or policy (1200 words max). You are required to:

  1. Summarise the facts
  2. Identify the reasons for the issues/strategy/policy
  3. Who will be affected and why (for example what have local interest groups been saying)
  4. How has it been reported in the media (e.g. balance of argument, socio-political aspects) and
  5. Provide your critical review (positive and negative aspects). 

Part B. You are to provide a 1 page briefing report for the director of planning at your placement organisation. This should be formatted around the following headings:

  1. Title (1 line)
  2. Purpose (1 sentence)
  3. Background
  4. Comment (particularly focusing on implications for your organisation)
  5. Financial implications
  6. Recommendations (if relevant)

On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Increased understanding and development of the skills required of the practising planner

Project Presentation

Due: 11 April Week 7
Weighting: 15%

This assessment task requires you to make a 7 minute oral presentation of your project including a summary of the objectives of your partner organisation. The presentation should be engaging and professional looking. It may be made using Power Point or another format or medium that you think would be appropriate. Issues to be covered include:

  • project description and expected outcomes
  • how the project will be managed
  • issues you have identified about your workplace that may affect your project
  • issues you have identified about yourself and your immediate supervisor/mentor (this should inform your reflective journal)
  • any relationship-building issues and networking in relation to success of Project and your ongoing career.
  • Images, graphics, anecdotes are all legitimate material if they add value (or another dimension) to your analysis.

    The time limit for presentations will be strictly enforced. Tailoring your presentation to the time limit is an assessable element.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Experience of working in a professional planning environment
  • Ability to integrate theory and ethical reasoning and community engagement perspectives in the conceptualisation, development and execution of a project
  • Increased understanding and development of the skills required of the practising planner

Project written report

Due: 2 May Week 8
Weighting: 15%

You are required to prepare a 1500 word written report on your project. The assessment is in two parts:

Part 1: A 500 word summary of the key points presented to class in week 7.

Part 2: A 1,000 word reflection on -

  • your own presentation
  • the presentations of others
  • the class discussion
  • how other work experiences that were presented may influence your career going forward.

On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Ability to integrate theory and ethical reasoning and community engagement perspectives in the conceptualisation, development and execution of a project
  • Opportunity to utilise and integrate reflection and emotional intelligence in the context of the workplace and professional work practices.
  • Increased understanding and development of the skills required of the practising planner

Workplace assessment

Due: 30 May Week 12
Weighting: 15%

This is an evaluation survey and report by your supervisor on your project and placement.

Their evaluation and report will be emailed directly to me for review and consideration. 

The evaluation will cover your performance in the workplace, standard of work, interaction with staff and colleagues and job readiness.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Experience of working in a professional planning environment
  • Ability to integrate theory and ethical reasoning and community engagement perspectives in the conceptualisation, development and execution of a project
  • A greater understanding of personal career preferences and divergent career paths and specific personal needs in relation to professional development and continuous learning.
  • Increased understanding and development of the skills required of the practising planner

Reflective journal

Due: 6 June Week 13
Weighting: 30%

You must keep a journal throughout your placement and write up weekly entries. A Reflective Journal is a record of your thoughts and experiences during your planning placement. It is essentially a learning tool, designed to help you make the most of your placement and does so by encouraging you to:

  • identify the key elements of what you have learned/experienced;
  • evaluate these experiences; and
  • plan future activities which build on these experiences.
  • make connections between what you learn at university and its application in the workplace;

The format that your journal entries take is entirely up to you. As suggestions your journal entries may be:

  • reasonably full records of (and reflections on) the sorts of activities and experiences you had in your host workplace on a particular day or set of days (e.g. if you participated in a meeting or focus group with important stakeholders, or attended a conference session on a subject related to your project)
  • other entries might focus on a particular issue or dilemma – e.g. if you experienced a particular ‘event’ or were confronted with a situation that raised tricky or otherwise interesting questions. Maybe a picture or photograph completely sums up the emotions you felt when you went through this experience and this may be included in the submitted journal.
  • yet other entries might record your experience in learning a new skill or otherwise doing something for the first time.
  • a significant idea or insight into how to improve the organisation you are in or how you feel your career should develop.

In other words the journal is an important aid to making the most of your placement and to identifying issues that have a special relevance to you and your professional, academic and personal development.

ASSESSMENT TASK

The Reflective Journal you submit for assessment must be an edited and ‘tighter’ version of your weekly journal and should not exceed 2,000 words in length. As part of your submitted journal you are also required to identify two learning outcomes from GEOP212 and/or GEOP370 and make connections with them and your experience as part or your placement.

You should also attach copies of the workshop activity outputs that were required throughout the semester as evidence of your participation.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Experience of working in a professional planning environment
  • Ability to integrate theory and ethical reasoning and community engagement perspectives in the conceptualisation, development and execution of a project
  • Opportunity to utilise and integrate reflection and emotional intelligence in the context of the workplace and professional work practices.
  • A greater understanding of personal career preferences and divergent career paths and specific personal needs in relation to professional development and continuous learning.
  • Increased understanding and development of the skills required of the practising planner

Workshop participation

Due: throughout semester
Weighting: 10%

There are five scheduled workshops throughout the semester. Each will require you to either undertake in-class activities or undertake work to support your learning. They will include topics such as:

  • a short pitch to a potential employer
  • summarising and reviewing submissions
  • addressing selection criteria and preparing covering letters for job applications
  • mock interviews
  • WHS, ethics and code of conduct in the workplace

On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Increased understanding and development of the skills required of the practising planner

Delivery and Resources

Required and recommended reading:

There is no required text for GEOP461.  However, the following materials are useful. 

Workshops on Reflective Writing http://www.students.mq.edu.au/support/learning_skills/workshops/academic_language_and_learning_workshops/ accessed 2 February 2017

The workshop will: 

·             explain what reflective writing is

·             discuss the place of reflective writing in academic study

·             practice skills and techniques to develop your reflective writing

Upcoming workshop dates:

7 March 2017 Workshop on Reflective writing C5C 209 11am – 12noon

15 March 2017 Workshop on Reflective writing Library M4.03 2pm – 3pm

Sandercock, L. 2004. ‘Towards a Planning Imagination for the 21 st Century’ Journal of American Planning Association, 70: 2.

Sandercock, L. 2003. Cosmopolis II. Mongrel Cities in the 21 st Century, London: Continuum.

Sandercock, L. 1998. Towards Cosmopolis, Chichester: John Wiley and Sons. (‘Appendix – The Planner Tamed: Preparing Planners for the Twenty-First Century’) see ilearn.

The Learning Centre, The University of New South Wales, 2008, Reflective Writing https://student.unsw.edu.au/reflective-writing accessed 2 February 2017

 

Unit Schedule

Tuesdays (selected dates) 3 - 6pm C5C 209

Wk #

Date

Workshop topic

Assessments

1

28 February

Workshop 1

Introduction to unit and assessments

 
2 7 March No class  
3 14 March

Workshop 2

Overview of placements

Skills check - submissions

Assessment 1 - Planning issue
4 21 March No class  
28 March No class  
6 4 April No class  
7 11 April

Workshop 3

Student project presentations

Assessment 2 - Presentations
    MID-SEMESTER BREAK  
8 2 May No class Assessment 3 - Written report
9 9 May No class  
10  16 May

Workshop 4

Planning Jobs

Selection criteria

Interview tips - MQ Careers

 
11 23 May No class  
12 30 May

Workshop 5

Mock interviews

Unit overview

Assessment 4 - Supervisor evaluation
13 6 June No class Assessment 5 - Reflective journal

 

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_2016.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html

Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration

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://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources 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:

Assessment task

  • Workplace assessment

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

  • Experience of working in a professional planning environment
  • Ability to integrate theory and ethical reasoning and community engagement perspectives in the conceptualisation, development and execution of a project
  • Opportunity to utilise and integrate reflection and emotional intelligence in the context of the workplace and professional work practices.
  • A greater understanding of personal career preferences and divergent career paths and specific personal needs in relation to professional development and continuous learning.
  • Increased understanding and development of the skills required of the practising planner

Assessment tasks

  • Reflective journal
  • Workshop participation

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

  • Opportunity to utilise and integrate reflection and emotional intelligence in the context of the workplace and professional work practices.
  • A greater understanding of personal career preferences and divergent career paths and specific personal needs in relation to professional development and continuous learning.

Assessment tasks

  • Reflective journal
  • Workshop participation

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

  • Experience of working in a professional planning environment
  • Ability to integrate theory and ethical reasoning and community engagement perspectives in the conceptualisation, development and execution of a project
  • Increased understanding and development of the skills required of the practising planner

Assessment tasks

  • Review a planning issue
  • Project Presentation
  • Project written report
  • Workplace assessment

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

  • Experience of working in a professional planning environment
  • Ability to integrate theory and ethical reasoning and community engagement perspectives in the conceptualisation, development and execution of a project
  • Opportunity to utilise and integrate reflection and emotional intelligence in the context of the workplace and professional work practices.

Assessment tasks

  • Review a planning issue
  • Project Presentation
  • Project written report
  • Reflective journal

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

  • Experience of working in a professional planning environment
  • Increased understanding and development of the skills required of the practising planner

Assessment tasks

  • Project Presentation
  • Workplace assessment

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

  • Increased understanding and development of the skills required of the practising planner

Assessment tasks

  • Review a planning issue
  • Project Presentation
  • Project written report
  • Workplace assessment
  • Workshop participation

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

  • Experience of working in a professional planning environment
  • A greater understanding of personal career preferences and divergent career paths and specific personal needs in relation to professional development and continuous learning.

Assessment task

  • Workshop participation