Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Jillian Kramer
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
From the printed page to the internet, from figurative painting to digital photography, from radio to the iPod, from film to the webcam, the last hundred years have seen a radical transformation in the way ideas and values are communicated, and how we're entertained. These changes aren't just a revolution in technology, however. They have been accompanied by an even more radical transformation in how people understand their place in the world. From modem authority to post-modern multiplicity, from national identity to global fluidity, from passive consumption to interactivity, our understandings of who we are, how we relate to one another and how we identify ourselves have also been transformed. The aim of this unit, and cultural studies in general, is to introduce you to how these changes are related to one another, and how they affect the way we live, play and work.
All enrolment queries should be directed to Open Universities Australia (OUA): see www.open.edu.au
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.open.edu.au/student-admin-and-support/key-dates/
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
In this unit, students must submit original work. If you have previously been enrolled in this unit, please note that you cannot submit the same piece of work. Please contact your convenor for an alternative task.
If students require assistance with their assessments, they should contact their tutor and consult the resources on referencing and essay writing in the 'Assessments' section on ilearn. Students can also contact the Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) team for advice on academic writing, study strategies and planning. Additional support services are listed here: http://students.mq.edu.au/support/.
Late Assessment Penalty:
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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Engagement and Collaboration | 15% | No | Week 2 to Week 12 |
Annotated Bibliography | 20% | No | Monday 26 March 11:59pm (AEST) |
Activities Reflection Task | 25% | No | Monday 30 April 11:59pm (AEST) |
Final Essay | 40% | No | Friday 8 June 11:59pm (AEST) |
Due: Week 2 to Week 12
Weighting: 15%
In this unit, students are required to actively engage with their peers in order to develop a shared understanding of the key ideas, concepts and debates that we discuss throughout this unit.
Requirements: From week two to week twelve, students are required to participate in the learning activities within the designated time frame. They must participate in two ways:
The forum will be opened when the activity is posted each week on Tuesday and then closed the following Monday.
Weekly posts and comments: As you complete your weekly posts and comments, please remember that these posts should generate discussion. We do not expect you to present a 'correct' or 'perfectly formed' answer; often you will find there isn't a singular 'right' answer. Instead, we're looking for you to draw on what you've learnt in the lecture, book and readings to respond to the activity or question. We'd like you to add your thoughts on the key concepts, ask questions about the readings and share ideas about the topic to the discussion so that we can collaborate and help one another to understand the concepts. If you have any questions about what we're looking for, please consult the marking criteria below and then contact Jillian.
Assessment Criteria:
Special Consideration: If you cannot complete a weekly activity or discussion due to unavoidable and serious disruption, please email your unit convenor and request Special Consideration via ask.mq.edu.au. For more information about the Special Consideration process please click here.
Due: Monday 26 March 11:59pm (AEST)
Weighting: 20%
For this assessment task, students are required to use the Harvard (author-date) referencing style to compile an annotated bibliography of five scholarly works about cultural studies and popular culture.
Which scholarly works must be included in the annotated bibliography? Students must include five works in their annotated bibliography, two that have been selected by the unit convenor and three of their own choosing. The two compulsory texts are:
Students must also select three academic texts relevant to discussions about cultural studies and popular culture in order to perform their annotated bibliography. Advice on identifying relevant and scholarly texts is available in the Assessment Guide on ilearn.
What should be included in an annotated bibliography? For each text, students must provide an annotation that (1) uses the Harvard style to set out the citation details for each publication and then (2) includes a short (approximately 200 word) single paragraph annotation. This paragraph should outline:
The completed annotated bibliography should be 1000 - 1200 words in length.
Which style of referencing should be used? Students must use the Harvard (Author-Date) style to complete this assessment. For more information on this style and how to use it, please click here.
This assessment task will be marked according to the following assessment criteria:
Submission: Students will submit this task via the Turnitin link on the unit iLearn Site.
Special Consideration: If you're unable to complete this task by the due date due to an unavoidable and serious disruption, please email your unit convenor and request Special Consideration via ask.mq.edu.au. For more information about the Special Consideration process please click here.
Late Penalty: Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.
Due: Monday 30 April 11:59pm (AEST)
Weighting: 25%
For this assessment, students are required to select two of their own responses to the weekly activities undertaken in the discussion forms between weeks one to eight. They are required to complete a 400-500 word scholarly reflection task for each post.
In these scholarly reflections, students are required to (a) outline the context of their post on the discussion forum, (b) demonstrate how it enhances their understanding of the key concepts or methods explored in the unit, and (c) discuss how their thoughts have developed since writing their post. Students must use appropriate academic communication methods. Both reflections must be referenced, structured and written in accordance with academic standards.
Students can find a template for this assessment task in the Assessments and Guides Section on the ilearn page. Each post they include should be 150-300 words in length (about a paragraph). This means you may either use a full post, or an extract. The posts are not included in the word count.
This assessment task will be marked according to the following assessment criteria:
Submission: Students will submit this task via the Turnitin link on the unit iLearn Site.
Special Consideration: If you're unable to complete this task by the due date due to an unavoidable and serious disruption, please email your unit convenor and request Special Consideration via ask.mq.edu.au. For more information about the Special Consideration process please click here.
Late Penalty: Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.
Due: Friday 8 June 11:59pm (AEST)
Weighting: 40%
For this assessment, students are required to answer one of the following questions in a 1,500 word final essay.
Option One: In Subjectivity: Theories of the Self from Freud to Haraway, Nick Mansfield writes: ’Subjectivity is ... the way we are led to think about ourselves, so we police and present ourselves in the correct way’ (2000, p. 10). In the context of contemporary debates about either habitus, gender, sexuality, or race and an example of your choosing, discuss Mansifled’s definition of subjectivity. Do we 'police and present ourselves in the correct way?'
Option Two: Drawing on a specific example that relates to the topics of gender, sexuality or race, discuss Foucault's assertion that 'A whole history remains to be written of spaces - which would at the same time be a history of powers' (1980, p. 149). Why would a 'history of spaces' also function as a 'history of powers?'
As you answer one of these questions, please ensure that you engage with the relevant required readings and the concepts discussed throughout the course such as the habitus, performativity, place/space and ethics. We will discuss this assessment in further detail in the week seven workshop.
This assessment task will be marked according to the following assessment criteria:
Submission: Students will submit this task via the Turnitin link on the unit iLearn Site.
Special Consideration: If you're unable to complete this task by the due date due to an unavoidable and serious disruption, please email your unit convenor and request Special Consideration via ask.mq.edu.au. For more information about the Special Consideration process please click here.
Late Penalty: Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.
Students will complete this unit online. At the beginning of the study period, they will find the weekly schedule listed sequentially down the ilearn page from week 1 to week 13. Listed underneath each week, they will find details about the weekly content (including lectures and readings) and a link to the weekly activity and discussion forum.
Unit Lectures: The lectures in this unit are available via the Echo Centre. They have been made by the cultural studies staff in the Media, Music, Communications and Cultural Studies Department at Macquarie University.
Unit Readings: The readings for each week are available via online 'Unit Readings,' a service provided by the Macquarie University Library. A link to the readings is provided in the listing for each week. If you have trouble finding and/or accessing the readings, please search the library's online database and consult your tutor.
Weekly Activities and Discussion: At the beginning of each week, your tutor will send an announcement that introduces the weekly topic and highlights any upcoming tasks. Following the announcement, they will also post an activity for you to complete in the weekly listing. These activities are designed to help you develop your understanding of the unit content. They also aim to provide a space to ask questions and interact with your peers.
The General Discussion Forum: If you have any general questions about the unit or an assessment, and would like to share them with your peers, please start a conversation in the general discussion forum. This forum is open for everyone to start discussions, share resources and ask questions.
The Dialogue Module: This module is available for students who would like to have private conversations with their tutor.
Planning the study period: The OUA Weekly Calendar can be used to plan both your assessment tasks and weekly activities. It can be found here: http://www.open.edu.au/student-admin-and-support/key-dates/weekly-calendars
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.
The University recognises that students may experience events or conditions that adversely affect their academic performance. If you experience serious and unavoidable difficulties at exam time or when assessment tasks are due, you can consider applying for Special Consideration.
You need to show that the circumstances:
If you feel that your studies have been impacted submit an application as follows:
Outcome
Once your submission is assessed, an appropriate outcome will be organised.
You can withdraw from your subjects prior to the census date (last day to withdraw). If you successfully withdraw before the census date, you won’t need to apply for Special Circumstances. If you find yourself unable to withdraw from your subjects before the census date - you might be able to apply for Special Circumstances. If you’re eligible, we can refund your fees and overturn your fail grade.
If you’re studying Single Subjects using FEE-HELP or paying up front, you can apply online.
If you’re studying a degree using HECS-HELP, you’ll need to apply directly to Macquarie University.
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
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.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
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.
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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: