Students

GMN 363 – Germany - An Intercultural Perspective

2017 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Ulrike Garde
Contact via ulrike.garde@mq.edu.au
W6A, 213
Mo, 2-3pm or by appointment (email or via Jennifer Heward)
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
6cp at 200 level including GMN288
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit uses German language material to investigate intercultural aspects of German society. It introduces key concepts used in current discussions of cultural identity and applies them to cross-cultural encounters in German speaking contexts. Amongst the material covered are a range of literary texts and film. Assessment is by coursework.

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:

  • develop the necessary language skills to understand and discuss texts and films in German which focus on (inter)cultural topics and/or debates.
  • acquire the general techniques and language skills for an intermediate to advanced level of guided research in the German language.
  • develop first insights into culturally specific research conventions, such as the ones used in a “Referat”, a “Thesenpapier”, an essay and the corresponding bibliographies.
  • Write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on (inter)cultural topics, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.
  • develop a greater level of cultural literacy and intercultural competency by gaining an appreciation of cultural diversity and engaging with issues related to intercultural questions.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Participation 10% No Weekly
Short written assignment 10% No As outlined in semester plan
Presentation 25% No As outlined in semester plan
Essay I: choice of topic etc. 10% No 22 May 2017, 11 am
Essay II: Final draft 40% No 5 June 2017
Online discussions 5% No ongoing

Participation

Due: Weekly
Weighting: 10%

Participation (including preparation):

Students are expected to prepare the course work (including set readings and movies ) to be covered in class in advance, as set out in programs or announced in class.

As this course involves class discussion as well as supervised individual research attendance at all classes is compulsory.

Students absent due to illness or other valid reasons should notify the relevant staff member or Ms Jennifer Heward, Department Administrator, W6A 217, phone: +61 2 9850 7005. An adequate explanation for any classes missed (i.e. a Medical certificate) must be given to the convenor. Ongoing work commitments are no valid reason for missing classes. Repeated unexplained absences will result in the exclusion from the course.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • develop the necessary language skills to understand and discuss texts and films in German which focus on (inter)cultural topics and/or debates.
  • acquire the general techniques and language skills for an intermediate to advanced level of guided research in the German language.
  • develop first insights into culturally specific research conventions, such as the ones used in a “Referat”, a “Thesenpapier”, an essay and the corresponding bibliographies.
  • develop a greater level of cultural literacy and intercultural competency by gaining an appreciation of cultural diversity and engaging with issues related to intercultural questions.

Short written assignment

Due: As outlined in semester plan
Weighting: 10%

 

400- 500 words

 

Assignments are compulsory and must be submitted on time. As a general rule, extensions will not be granted without a valid and documented reason (e.g. medical certificate). Late submissions will be penalised by 5% for each day (including weekends) the assignment task is late. No assignments will be accepted after assignments have been corrected and feedback has been provided. Assignment tasks handed in early will not be marked and returned before the due date.

 

Assignments must be uploaded into iLearn.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • develop the necessary language skills to understand and discuss texts and films in German which focus on (inter)cultural topics and/or debates.
  • acquire the general techniques and language skills for an intermediate to advanced level of guided research in the German language.
  • develop first insights into culturally specific research conventions, such as the ones used in a “Referat”, a “Thesenpapier”, an essay and the corresponding bibliographies.
  • Write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on (inter)cultural topics, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.
  • develop a greater level of cultural literacy and intercultural competency by gaining an appreciation of cultural diversity and engaging with issues related to intercultural questions.

Presentation

Due: As outlined in semester plan
Weighting: 25%

 

Short oral presentation in class; length of the "Thesenpapier": 1-2 pages


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • develop the necessary language skills to understand and discuss texts and films in German which focus on (inter)cultural topics and/or debates.
  • acquire the general techniques and language skills for an intermediate to advanced level of guided research in the German language.
  • develop first insights into culturally specific research conventions, such as the ones used in a “Referat”, a “Thesenpapier”, an essay and the corresponding bibliographies.
  • develop a greater level of cultural literacy and intercultural competency by gaining an appreciation of cultural diversity and engaging with issues related to intercultural questions.

Essay I: choice of topic etc.

Due: 22 May 2017, 11 am
Weighting: 10%

This is Part I of the larger essay.

Based on previous consultation with the course convenor, please submit:

- Your choice of topic.

- The reasons for this choice (what motivated you; why this topic is of interest / relevance etc.)

- Background information on the topic (e.g. information about an author / director / maker, about the topic, historical background - depending on the choice of topic).

This part needs to be submitted for feedback 2 weeks before the final assignment is due.

Write 2-3 paragraphs in full sentences in German. Assessment is based on correct language and the strength of your argument.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • develop the necessary language skills to understand and discuss texts and films in German which focus on (inter)cultural topics and/or debates.
  • acquire the general techniques and language skills for an intermediate to advanced level of guided research in the German language.
  • develop first insights into culturally specific research conventions, such as the ones used in a “Referat”, a “Thesenpapier”, an essay and the corresponding bibliographies.

Essay II: Final draft

Due: 5 June 2017
Weighting: 40%

1200-1500 words in German (plus list of works cited)

This final essay combines Part I, taking into account the feedback received, and the remainder of the essay, including the list of works cited.

Please discuss any questions you might have with the course convenor (including questions about a systematic approach to referencing, correct language etc.).

Further details will be addressed in class.

Assignments are compulsory and must be submitted on time. As a general rule, extensions will not be granted without a valid and documented reason (e.g. medical certificate). Late submissions will be penalised by 5% for each day (including weekends) the assignment task is late. No assignments will be accepted after assignments have been corrected and feedback has been provided. Assignment tasks handed in early will not be marked and returned before the due date.

 

Assignments must be submitted via iLearn.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • develop the necessary language skills to understand and discuss texts and films in German which focus on (inter)cultural topics and/or debates.
  • acquire the general techniques and language skills for an intermediate to advanced level of guided research in the German language.
  • Write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on (inter)cultural topics, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.
  • develop a greater level of cultural literacy and intercultural competency by gaining an appreciation of cultural diversity and engaging with issues related to intercultural questions.

Online discussions

Due: ongoing
Weighting: 5%

Students are expected to make at least three contributions to online discussions about the set readings and movies and are strongly encouraged to engage with the contributions by their peers.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • acquire the general techniques and language skills for an intermediate to advanced level of guided research in the German language.
  • develop a greater level of cultural literacy and intercultural competency by gaining an appreciation of cultural diversity and engaging with issues related to intercultural questions.

Delivery and Resources

CLASSES

Lecture times and locations

Seminar

Wed 11am-1pm

W6B 222

Study Time

(Access to movies)

******

W6A 206

 

The language used in this course is predominantly German; all assessment components should be submitted in German.

REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED TEXTS AND/OR MATERIALS

You will be supplied with material in iLearn and/ or photocopies for a reader on a regular basis.

Dictionaries

We suggest that you work with a monolingual dictionary for this unit. In a monolingual dictionary, an explanation of the German word is given in German. There is one such dictionary written with the intermediate and upper intermediate level learner of German in mind, which we recommend:

 Götz, D., Haensch, G. & H. Wellmann. Langenscheidts Großwörterbuch Deutsch als Fremdsprache. Berlin/München: Langenscheidt.

 We keep a copy of the dictionary in the Study Area in W6A.

Alternatively you could explore http://www.linguee.de/.

If using bilingual dictionaries please use one of high quality, such as Collins German-English, English-German or, online, http://dict.leo.org/ende/?lang=de&lp=ende

As the course encourages you to stay informed about German current affairs, we will provide you with information about a range of websites in class.

Unit webpage

Unit Schedule

Monday, 11 am - 1 pm, followed by 1 hour for watching movies, group work and self-study, using resources in W6A, 206 etc.

Room: W6A, 206

       

 

 

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:

Learning outcomes

  • acquire the general techniques and language skills for an intermediate to advanced level of guided research in the German language.
  • Write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on (inter)cultural topics, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.

Assessment tasks

  • Participation
  • Short written assignment
  • Presentation
  • Essay I: choice of topic etc.
  • Essay II: Final draft
  • Online discussions

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

  • acquire the general techniques and language skills for an intermediate to advanced level of guided research in the German language.
  • develop a greater level of cultural literacy and intercultural competency by gaining an appreciation of cultural diversity and engaging with issues related to intercultural questions.

Assessment tasks

  • Participation
  • Short written assignment
  • Presentation
  • Essay I: choice of topic etc.
  • Essay II: Final draft
  • Online discussions

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

  • develop the necessary language skills to understand and discuss texts and films in German which focus on (inter)cultural topics and/or debates.
  • acquire the general techniques and language skills for an intermediate to advanced level of guided research in the German language.
  • develop first insights into culturally specific research conventions, such as the ones used in a “Referat”, a “Thesenpapier”, an essay and the corresponding bibliographies.
  • Write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on (inter)cultural topics, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.
  • develop a greater level of cultural literacy and intercultural competency by gaining an appreciation of cultural diversity and engaging with issues related to intercultural questions.

Assessment tasks

  • Participation
  • Short written assignment
  • Presentation
  • Essay I: choice of topic etc.
  • Essay II: Final draft
  • Online discussions

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

  • develop the necessary language skills to understand and discuss texts and films in German which focus on (inter)cultural topics and/or debates.
  • acquire the general techniques and language skills for an intermediate to advanced level of guided research in the German language.
  • develop first insights into culturally specific research conventions, such as the ones used in a “Referat”, a “Thesenpapier”, an essay and the corresponding bibliographies.
  • Write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on (inter)cultural topics, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.
  • develop a greater level of cultural literacy and intercultural competency by gaining an appreciation of cultural diversity and engaging with issues related to intercultural questions.

Assessment tasks

  • Participation
  • Short written assignment
  • Presentation
  • Essay I: choice of topic etc.
  • Essay II: Final draft
  • Online discussions

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

  • develop the necessary language skills to understand and discuss texts and films in German which focus on (inter)cultural topics and/or debates.
  • acquire the general techniques and language skills for an intermediate to advanced level of guided research in the German language.
  • develop first insights into culturally specific research conventions, such as the ones used in a “Referat”, a “Thesenpapier”, an essay and the corresponding bibliographies.
  • Write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on (inter)cultural topics, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.

Assessment tasks

  • Participation
  • Short written assignment
  • Presentation
  • Essay I: choice of topic etc.
  • Essay II: Final draft
  • Online discussions

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

  • acquire the general techniques and language skills for an intermediate to advanced level of guided research in the German language.
  • develop first insights into culturally specific research conventions, such as the ones used in a “Referat”, a “Thesenpapier”, an essay and the corresponding bibliographies.
  • Write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on (inter)cultural topics, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.

Assessment tasks

  • Participation
  • Short written assignment
  • Presentation
  • Essay I: choice of topic etc.
  • Essay II: Final draft
  • Online discussions

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

  • develop first insights into culturally specific research conventions, such as the ones used in a “Referat”, a “Thesenpapier”, an essay and the corresponding bibliographies.
  • Write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on (inter)cultural topics, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.
  • develop a greater level of cultural literacy and intercultural competency by gaining an appreciation of cultural diversity and engaging with issues related to intercultural questions.

Assessment tasks

  • Participation
  • Short written assignment
  • Presentation
  • Essay I: choice of topic etc.
  • Essay II: Final draft
  • Online discussions

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

  • develop the necessary language skills to understand and discuss texts and films in German which focus on (inter)cultural topics and/or debates.
  • acquire the general techniques and language skills for an intermediate to advanced level of guided research in the German language.
  • develop a greater level of cultural literacy and intercultural competency by gaining an appreciation of cultural diversity and engaging with issues related to intercultural questions.

Assessment tasks

  • Participation
  • Short written assignment
  • Presentation
  • Essay I: choice of topic etc.
  • Essay II: Final draft
  • Online discussions

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

  • develop the necessary language skills to understand and discuss texts and films in German which focus on (inter)cultural topics and/or debates.
  • acquire the general techniques and language skills for an intermediate to advanced level of guided research in the German language.
  • develop a greater level of cultural literacy and intercultural competency by gaining an appreciation of cultural diversity and engaging with issues related to intercultural questions.

Assessment tasks

  • Participation
  • Short written assignment
  • Presentation
  • Essay I: choice of topic etc.
  • Essay II: Final draft
  • Online discussions