Required Reading

There is no textbook recommended.  Instead CBMS235 makes extensive use of web-based teaching resources on the unit iLearn web site (see below for more information).  This includes resources especially designed for PACE units.  

iLearn Unit Web Page and Other Technology

The web page for this unit can be found at ilearn.mq.edu.au.  Just login and follow the prompts to CBMS235.  You can use any web browser such as Firefox, Internet Explorer or Safari to login.

iLearn is the name for the Macquarie University’s Learning Management System (LMS).  The iLearn online learning environment enables learning, teaching, communication and collaboration.  

It is essential that you login to the unit iLearn web site on a regular basis.  As well as web-based teaching resources, the iLearn web site will also provide other support for this unit, including an Announcement board for important notices, the Unit Outline, Discussion Forums, and access to your grades.  

You can log directly into iLearn by going to ilearn.mq.edu.au or you can log in by going to the “Students” homepage of Macquarie’s website:  http://students.mq.edu.au/home/ (select “online units” from the top right hand side of the page). If you have any problems with iLearn go to http://www.mq.edu.au/iLearn/student_info/index.htm.

If you do not have your own computer you may wish to access the iLearn web resources on campus using the PC computers in the Library or in the C5C computer laboratories.  To view pdf documents on the web site, you will require Adobe Acrobat Reader Version 9 or later to be installed on your computer.  Acrobat Reader can be downloaded from the Adobe web site http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/. If you are using the computers at Macquarie, then Acrobat has already been installed.

Please note information will also be sent frequently by email to your student email account so please look at your email account on a frequent basis.

Teaching and Learning Strategies

CBMS235 will consist of a mixture of face to face training workshops and group discussion sessions, online discussions and interactive science activities.  There will be a dedicated 1-2 hr session most weeks of both semesters for training workshops, seminars, discussion sessions and reflections and critiquing.  The community activities – the experiential science activities component of the unit – will be timetabled once the dates are known.  Enrolled students will identify which activities they can be a part of.  The range of activities provided over the year will allow sufficient choice for all students to be a part of many wonderful science outreach events.

Introduction:  Week 1 will be a meet and greet session to get to know everyone's interests in the unit, the strengths you bring to the unit and the potential areas of growth.

Meetings/group discussions:  On average, once a week there will be a 1-2 hour group session.  From weeks 2-8, the focus will be on workshops related to mentoring, working with children, working with Indigenous people and reflective practices, and an introduction to the overall science outreach activities to be undertaken and appropriate safe practices. These 1-2 hour sessions will also be used throughout the year to discuss about upcoming activities, including with other teaching staff and community partners, to prepare and plan for the actual activities and evaluate and improve on resources; and following activities to critique their effectiveness and consider changes needed, etc.  These sessions will also be used to reflect more broadly.

Online Discussion:  You are expected to participate regularly in online discussion using the iLearn Discussion forum about the unit content, science activities and methods of presentation, and issues that may arise, as well as reflect more broadly.

Experiential Activities:  The experiential component will involve engaging community (eg school students) in science activities including those of relevance to everyday life (eg examining the microscopic world, extracting DNA from fruit, making slime from wood glue and borax).  The activities will be spread throughout the year.  At least 30 hours of direct interaction with the community with the science activities will be expected from you and at least an average of 10 hours committed to the preparation and 10 hours to reflection.  

Reflection:  Reflection will be a particularly important tool for you in this unit.  The participation activities will inherently challenge your approaches, ideas, and understandings about the communities around us and the communication of science therein.  You will keep an on-going journal reflecting on your experiences and at the end of each semester, be required as a part of your assessment to present to fellow students and staff about the key achievements and the impact of the science engagement activities on you.

Workload expectation:  CBMS235 is a 3 credit point unit and as such it is generally expected that you will commit at least 5 hours per week throughout the combined semesters (1 and 2). However, as a PACE unit, there is recognition that workload may vary in comparison to traditional unit offerings. This is due to teaching delivery, which is in-class, online and in the community, differences in timing for PACE activities, and individual styles of learning. Further, experience to date in other PACE units has indicated that students often choose to commit more time than required to their PACE activities in response to the associated personal and professional reward and learning opportunities, which could not otherwise be achieved in the classroom.  With this in mind, you should understand that workload associated with a 3 credit point unit must ultimately constitute 150 hours in total. The following workload hours have therefore been allocated and approved for CBMS235 with the recognition that some variation may occur:

Orientation/introduction - 15 hours (includes introdictory training/workshops and private study)

Scaffolding for skills and knowledge development - 35 hours (includes private study and assessment, science activities preparation workshops, preparation of essay on role of science outreach; participation in weekly meetings).  

Experience (community engagement activities) - 50 hours (includes at least 30 hours for the actual participation, 10 hours for the planning outside of meetings and 10 hours reflective practice through online journal).

Self study/assessment preparation - 40 hours total for preparation and conduct of actual assessment tasks beyond the ‘in class’ or ‘in workshop’ activities and participation with community.

Wrap-up/debrief - 10 hours towards presentation sessions.

Who to Contact

A/Prof Joanne Jamie is the coordinator of this unit and should be your main point of contact.  You will get to meet the other staff during scheduled sessions and/or during the various activities.  They will all be happy to help in answering questions relevant to their expertise throughout this unit.  You are encouraged to direct any questions or queries first to A/Prof Jamie, who will pass them on to the other teaching staff as needed.  A/Prof Jamie has an open door policy, but you are encouraged to phone or email to organise a meeting.  You may also wish to ask questions using the discussion board on the ilearn website.

Feedback

We are always open to suggestions for improving the content and delivery of this course.  We are very happy to receive any constructive criticism that you may wish to provide. We hope you find this course both educational and fun! 

 The orientation/introduction will involve directed reading of online resources and workshops related to mentoring, working with children, working with Indigenous people and ethical aspects, reflective practice and an introduction to various science outreach activities (and appropriate safety practices) that CBMS235 will encompass (weeks 1-8).  Scaffolding for skills and knowledge development will include hands-on workshops early on to familiarise you with the main types of science experiments used in the science outreach activities and role playing with your peers (week 2-8).  This orientation/introduction and knowledge development will contribute 10% of the mark. 

Developing knowledge will also come from completion of a written report of ~1500 words (10%) on why such outreach/community engagement is important, especially to those in groups previously under-represented in higher education, and an example from the literature showing how such outreach can improve educational outcomes.  This will be submitted in week 6.  You will also attend weekly 1-2 hour meetings throughout S1 and S2 (excluding mid-session and mid-year breaks) to discuss as a group about upcoming activities, including with community partners, to prepare and plan for the actual activities and evaluate and improve on resources; and following activities to critique their effectiveness and consider changes needed, etc. The active participation in these meetings will contribute 10% towards the assessment total. Feedback on this participation will be provided to allow opportunity for improvement. 

The experiential component will incorporate the science activities with the community and on-going reflection.  A range of science activities will be available.  Activities and interaction with partner organisations will occur throughout the year subsequent to the initial orientation and familiarisation exercises.  The activities will be spread throughout the year.  At least 30 hours of direct interaction with the community with the science activities will be expected and an average of 10 hours committed to the preparation.  This experiential component will be worth 50%.  Feedback from peers and the community participants will be sought to determine your level of engagement and commitment.  You will be expected to spend at least 10 hours reflecting on these specific activities and their impact.

You will undertake reflective practice as part of an on-going journal reflecting on your activities – to be filled in throughout the semester both before and following each science activity. As part of this reflection process, an open web forum will be available for you to discuss your experiences online, as well as a private reflection site.  These written reflections will contribute 10% towards the assessment.

In week 13/14 of S1 and S2, you will provide a 5 minute presentation describing the impact of the engagement activities on yourself and others as part of a debrief wrap up session to the class.  This will contribute 10% towards the assessment. 

There will be no exam.

To summarise on assessment tasks:

Orientation/introduction and skills/knowledge development – attendance and active participation in weekly meetings/workshops and reading online resources 10% (weeks 1-8, S1 on introductory components, plus throughout via 1-2 hr weekly meetings (10%) PLUS ~1500 word report 10% (week 6, S1). (Total of 30% of assessment)

Experience/project – a minimum of 30 hours of direct community engagement and 20 hours planning and reflecting will be expected of each student.  Community engagement will be worth 50% (through academic, self-, peer- and community-assessment). 

Reflection - Reflective practice (through journal entries will be worth 10%). Class presentations will be worth 10%. (Total of 20% of assessment)

Wrap up/debrief – presentations as above and general discussions occurring.

An aggregate mark from all the assessment tasks of 50% or greater will provide an overall satisfactory mark (Pass) for the unit.

No significant changes have been made since the previous offering.

CBMS235 is an accredited Professional and Community Engagement (PACE) unit and will be running according to the PACE criteria and with support from the PACE team in the Faculty of Science and Engineering (see pace.science@mq.edu.au). 

As the third pillar of the Macquarie undergraduate curriculum, PACE is a key component of the University's strategic direction, emphasising its commitment to excellence in research, learning and teaching and community engagement.

As a PACE unit, CBMS235 will be flagged on academic transcripts with the symbol ‘π’ after the unit code and before the unit title. Students can highlight this designation to future employers and academic institutions as the following definition:

π: Units marked with a π are designated PACE units. These units provide students with an opportunity to learn through practical experience and make a valuable contribution to the community by applying knowledge and skills acquired at the University.

 CBMS235 will also help develop your graduate capabilities through the unit outcomes.  These are the building blocks for developing the attributes valued in a university graduate.  Some of the attributes and skills that CBMS235 can help you develop are:

•           Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills: The science activities employed in this unit overlap with discipline knowledge and skills from various sciences, including chemistry, biomolecular sciences, biology and physics (with the possibility of extension in other sciences). By learning the scientific processes involved in the activities, you will gain a greater understanding of scientific processes in general and specific knowledge and skills required to safely perform experiments in these disciplines.

•               Problem Solving and Research Capability: You will begin the unit by undertaking a search of the literature relating the benefits of outreach especially to those in groups under-represented in higher education. The presentation of this research into a brief 1-2 page document forms a beneficial and appropriate research task to introduce you to the value and importance of science outreach/engagement. Planning and running of the science activities, and working with fellow students and the outside community will pose many challenges that you will need to overcome.  The unit is designed to give you many opportunities for reflection, discussion and assistance where necessary. As a result, you will develop confidence in facing such challenges in the future.

•               Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking: Your engagement in presenting the science activities to the community requires you to be capable of planning, reasoning, questioning and analysing. You will need to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations, be able to think independently and yet work as a team. As you present science to others from a variety of different backgrounds, you will need to incorporate your scientific and academic knowledge with social and ethical concerns. You will be required to relate your knowledge in a form understandable by the community (eg secondary education students). This will challenge you to synthesise and distill your university-level knowledge and skills into a useable form for this context.

•              Creativity and Innovation: There are many opportunities in this unit for you to express your own creativity and innovative ideas. You will be encouraged to create new activities for the science program if you wish and your ideas about how the activities could be run will be actively encouraged, discussed and implemented where appropriate. You will also encounter situations during the science outreach activities that will require you to act creatively to accommodate changing circumstances and unexpected events.

•           Effective Communication:  This unit will develop your ability to communicate on a variety of different levels. The communication of science to the community is the focus of the science activities and you will be involved in all stages of this process from planning, to implementation, and final assessment of the outcome. Furthermore, you will be required to communicate in a more formal academic manner, through an initial written assessment task introducing the value of outreach/community engagement, online discussions, written reflections and oral presentations.

•           Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens: In working with culturally diverse communities this unit fosters the development of ethical awareness, responsibility, co-operation, group management and teamwork.

•           Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible:  You will be working in small teams for much of CBMS235, especially in the demonstration component of the course, giving you the opportunity to develop your ability to work with others as you make informed decisions and play an active role within society.

•               Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative:  Especially during your demonstration of science activities, you will be expected to develop discernment and common sense in your professional and personal judgement as to the level of content appropriate for presentation.  Further. the experience of working with groups from outside the university will broaden your outlook, equipping you with the knowledge to make appropriate professional and personal judgements about a range of issues affecting the community. Periods of reflection through the unit will enable you to learn from your experiences and to develop confidence in your own personal judgement skills and abilities to take initiative in challenging situations in the future.

•               Commitment to Continuous Learning: Throughout the unit you are expected to strive to understand and learn about each event that you participate in, in addition to you continuously revising and discussing with peers the best method for the presentation of the science activities.

 Non-Attendance:  Students unable to attend any of the meetings/workshops or make up the 50 hours towards the experiential component of this unit due to illness or other extenuating circumstances must fill in a special consideration request on-line at ask.mq.edu.au and provide formal documentary evidence as soon as possible AND contact A/Prof Joanne Jamie. 

If an absence is anticipated (perhaps for a mandatory religious or University associated sporting event) you must inform the unit convenor in advance that this will be the case and discuss alternative arrangements.  It is your responsibility to undertake this.  Notification after the event of an anticipated absence will not be looked upon favourably.  For any unjustified absences students will receive a zero mark for any assessment task that was missed. 

Extensions:  Students unable to complete a form of assessment on time due to illness or other extenuating circumstances must request special consideration at ask.mq.edu.au and provide formal documentary evidence as soon as possible and contact A/Prof Joanne Jamie to discuss possible extensions.  Extensions will be granted based on merit and will be more favourably considered if consultation with the unit coordinator on the need for an extension occurred BEFORE the due date.  If there is no acceptable reason for a late submission, marks will be deducted up to 5% per weekday for every day late.

PACE-related policies, procedures, and other important information

PACE units in Science and Engineering, their Unit Convenors, and their students, are supported by a PACE Team within the Faculty.  Throughout the unit offering, members of the Team may be in contact with students to provide or collect information. If you have any questions about PACE in Science and Engineering, please email:  pace.science@mq.edu.au  or visit the following webpages:  https://students.mq.edu.au/experience/practical-experience/pace-experience/how-do-i-start/pace-in-the-faculty-of-science-and-engineering

If you require more information about PACE in general or access to forms such as those for the PACE Travel Grants, please go to:

https://students.mq.edu.au/experience/practical-experience/pace-experience

Student Undertaking Form

Before a student begins their activities, they will be required to complete the Student Undertaking Form.  This form asks students for their contact details, emergency contact information and their agreement to abide by the Roles and Responsibilities as set out in the Governance and Guidelines document.  The Student Undertaking form is provided electronically through iParticipate and the Faculty PACE team will alert you when it is available for completion and instructions on how to complete it. 

https://www.mq.edu.au/connect/partnerships/why-connect-with-macquarie/partner-with-pace/a-safe-and-fair-environment/Governance-and-Guidelines-PACE-2017-web.pdf

For managing other university commitments please see http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/participation_activity/procedure.html to outline the University’s approach to an absence or other form of disruption during the session due to a student undertaking a PACE activity.

PACE - Reasonable Adjustments, Guideline and Procedure:  Macquarie University will endeavour to match students with appropriate and feasible PACE activities to maximise student success.  The documents below provide good practice information for students and staff to encourage early disclosure of circumstances (e.g. disability, medical condition, flexible time arrangements, or leave days for official observances, etc.), which may impact on a student’s PACE activity, and the subsequent arrangement of reasonable adjustments when enrolling or participating in a PACE Unit (Guideline).

http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/reasonable_adjust_pace/guideline.html

http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/reasonable_adjust_pace/procedure.html

CBMS235 requires working with children clearances. It’s very important that students complete the required background clearances before beginning the PACE activity. Any necessary information on background checks will be communicated directly to students by the Unit Convenor or the Faculty PACE team.

Policy regarding PACE and the AHEGS statement:  PACE units will be flagged on student transcripts with the symbol ‘π’ after the unit code and before the unit title. Students can highlight this designation to future employers and academic institutions as the following definition, which details the value of such units, will also be included after the list of units and before Special Achievements, Recognition and Prizes (if included) or the Key to Grading:

π: Units marked with a π are designated PACE units. These units provide students with an opportunity to learn through practical experience and make a valuable contribution to the community by applying knowledge and skills acquired at the University.

PACE and Ethical Practice:  Ethical considerations feature heavily in the PACE Initiative. As ambassadors of the University, students are expected to engage with the wider community in a responsible and ethically informed manner that respects the rights of individuals, communities and the environment. This expectation applies to all PACE activities regardless of their nature. Ethical practice involves negotiating the ethical complexities of the context with which you are working. This involves critically thinking about issues of power, hierarchy, culture and position, and about the potential risks of your work and interactions with others, immediate and over time. It is important to ensure that risks are mitigated and experiences are enriching and worthwhile for all those involved.

In addition to the role of students as ambassadors, partners must conform to the University’s ethical standards; PACE activities must be aligned with the wellbeing of people and planet; there are research-based PACE activities as well as collaborative research with partners; and, the way in which everybody’s PACE experiences are captured and shared must be ethical. If a student ever feels that unethical behaviour has occurred during a PACE activity, they should consult with their Unit Convenors and/or the Faculty PACE staff immediately.

PACE and IP:  Students enrolled in PACE units may be working with external industry partners. Although it is uncommon, during some activities Intellectual Property may be created and there may be some instances when the partner requires the assignment of IP. Students are encouraged to seek legal advice prior to entering into any such agreement. Students uncertain of their rights relating to IP ownership can seek advice from the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research). This should be done by contacting the relevant Faculty PACE Manager.  There are no expected IP issues for CBMS235.

PACE Grants and Prizes:  There are several ways in which PACE might support students financially to undertake PACE activities. PACE students are also eligible to apply for the prestigious Prof. Judyth Sachs PACE Prizes.

http://students.mq.edu.au/courses/professional_and_community_engagement/pace_grants/

http://students.mq.edu.au/courses/professional_and_community_engagement/pace_prizes/

Work, Health, and Safety (WHS)

A PACE Activity is a practical experience allocated to, and undertaken by, a student within a PACE unit which may take place in premises other than the University (usually the Partner Organisation’s premises). When working or studying in non-University premises, the primary responsibility for the health and safety of our students becomes that of the Partner Organisation hosting the student. All host organisations must comply with the NSW Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act 2011. 

During your PACE activity your host supervisor should:

• make your responsibilities clear
• provide any necessary training
• inform you about professional codes of conduct
• supervise and provide feedback.

During your PACE activity you must have:

• a safe work environment
• a WHS safety orientation
• safe work systems
• protection from bullying and harassment

You must also:

• take reasonable care of yourself
• ensure your actions don’t affect the safety of others
• follow the safety procedures of the host organisation

What to do in the case of an emergency:

1. Remove yourself from any danger.

2. Call 000, if necessary.

3. Speak to your partner-based supervisor, if possible. The Organisation may have emergency procedures to follow.

THEN - if the emergency occurs in office hours (i.e. Monday - Friday 9am-5pm)

4. Contact your Unit Convenor by phone/email as soon as you can.

5. If you cannot reach your Unit Convenor, contact your Faculty PACE Manager by phone/email.

OR - if the emergency occurs outside of office hours (i.e. outside of Monday - Friday 9am-5pm)

6. Phone Campus Security Office on (02) 9850-9999 as soon as you can. This is a 24 hour, 7 days a week service and it does not matter where in Australia you are when you call. Please identify yourself as a PACE student when you call.

N.B. For any minor issues with your participation activity, please speak to your partner-based Supervisor. If the problem is more serious, please contact your Unit Convenor or your Faculty PACE Manager.

If you are experiencing difficulties and need to speak to a counsellor:

Contact the MQ Counselling Service at Campus Wellbeing on 9850-7497 (Monday - Friday, 8am-6pm)

1800 MQ CARELINE (1800-227-367) - information and referral service (24 hours, 7 days a week)

If you would like to speak to a counsellor outside of office hours, you can also contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24 hours, 7 days a week).