Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Jacqueline Mackaway
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Credit points |
Credit points
6
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
(45cp at 100 level or above) including ((SOC224 or SOC234) and (SSCI200 or SSC200))
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
SOC849
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit offers an opportunity to gain practical and professional experience undertaking applied social research for an organisation. The unit entails a supervised research placement, supported by on-campus workshops, which will encourage students to exercise critical thinking problem solving, and reflective practice, while developing personal confidence and professional contacts. The professional experience component of the unit is usually undertaken two or more days a week over a semester, but in some cases it can be completed as a block. Experiences are offered with a range of organisations, including community-based, commercial, state or local government, academic, and may be also completed overseas through PACE International. Opportunities are also available on campus. Please note a maximum of 50 students can enrol in Session 2 and priority will be given to Bachelor of Social Science students for whom the unit is compulsory, and to those in their final semester. Applications close two weeks prior to the start of session. Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Social Science cannot count SSCI301 as part of their Sociology Major.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
While there are no assessment hurdles for this unit students must:
a) Complete a minimum 100 hours with a partner organisation working on a research project.
b) Attend all workshops.
As soon a student finds they are unable to meet either of these requirements they must contact the Unit Convenor to discuss possible options.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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Project Management Plan | 20% | No | See description |
Engagement - forum posts | 10% | No | On going |
Engagement - presentation | 10% | No | Workshop 4 |
Workplace Supervisor's Report | 20% | No | End of project |
Final Project Report | 40% | No | 15 June, 5pm |
Due: See description
Weighting: 20%
Produce a Project Management Plan (PMP) within the first 20 internship hours.
The PMP should have: a title (i.e the name of the research project); state the background, scope and purpose of the project; provide a brief description of the study methodology; detailed schedule of of tasks to be completed; a plan for monitoring the project; identification of key stakeholders, milestones, risks and issues. The plan has to be discussed with the workplace supervisor. Specific information for this assignment, as well as a rubric that states assessment criteria, are available on iLearn.
Due: On going
Weighting: 10%
Students will contribute to 3 forum posts during the semester (max. 250 words). These posts are linked to topics covered in workshops 1, 2 and 3. Specific 'Engagement' guidelines and rubrics outlining the marking criteria are available on iLearn.
Due: Workshop 4
Weighting: 10%
Students will deliver a presentation to the class and partner organisations in workshop 4. Specific 'Engagement' guidelines and rubrics outlining marking criteria for the presentation are available on iLearn. Those students who can not attend presentation day will need to arrange an alternative date with the lecturer.
Due: End of project
Weighting: 20%
Your workplace supervisor will be requested to undertake an assessment of your work and performance at the end of your project. A sample of the form provided to workplace supervisors is available on iLearn.
Due: 15 June, 5pm
Weighting: 40%
This final assignment will consist of a report on the research project. It will include information about: the organisation and your project; examples of work completed; and, a section reflecting on your experience. Specific information for this assignment, as well as a rubric that states the marking criteria, are available on iLearn. Some students working as part of a team may prepare a joint final report however, the reflection component which accounts for 50% of the final mark is individual and assessed accordingly.
Unit Requirements
The unit has an academic component (delivered through 5 face to face workshops) and a practical component (students' research work for the organisation).
For the academic component students will be required to:
For the practical component of the unit students will be required to:
Assignment submission and return of marked work
The Project Management Plan (PMP) and Final Report are to be submitted via the Turnitin function inside the iLearn site. Likewise, marked work will be returned to students electronically via iLearn. Grademark will be used to mark student work.
Online forum posts are rated within each forum. Students get a mark out of 100 for each posting and can refer to the Engagement Rubric to understand why they received that rating.
Late Submission, Special Consideration and Extensions
Please email the unit convenor if you find yourself unable to meet the submission dates for assessments and/or the minimum placement hours required.
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 (including weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for the forum postings.
Academic Honesty Policy
Academic honesty is an integral part of the core values and principles contained in the Macquarie University Ethics Statement (http://www.mq.edu.au/ethics/ethic-statement-final.html). Its fundamental principle is that all staff and students act with integrity in the creation, development, application and use of ideas and information. This means that:
· All academic work claimed as original is the work of the author making the claim.
· All academic collaborations are acknowledged.
· Academic work is not falsified in any way.
· When the ideas of others are used, these ideas are acknowledged appropriately.
· Plagiarism will not be tolerated and penalties apply.
The link below has more details about the policy, procedure and schedule of penalties that will apply to breaches of the Academic Honesty policy.
http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
University Grading Policy
http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
The grade a student receives will signify their overall performance in meeting the learning outcomes of a unit of study. Grades will not be awarded by reference to the achievement of other students nor allocated to fit a predetermined distribution. In determining a grade, due weight will be given to the learning outcomes and level of a unit (ie 100, 200, 300, 800 etc). Graded units will use the following grades:
HD High Distinction 85-100
D Distinction 75-84
Cr Credit 65-74
P Pass 50-64
F Fail 0-49
The works listed below are required for specific workshops and online forum contributions. All readings will be available through e-Reserve.
Boud, D. (2001). Using journal writing to enhance reflective practice. New directions for adult and continuing education, 2001(90), 9-18.
CDRI (2013). "Conceptualising the Research Project" in Research Project Development and Management: A Handbook (pp 9-24). Phnom Penh, Cambodia CDRI.
Guillemin, Marilys, and Lynn Gillam. "Ethics, reflexivity, and “ethically important moments” in research." Qualitative inquiry 10, no. 2 (2004): 261-280.
Harvey, M., Walkerden, G., Semple, A-L., McLachlan, K., Lloyd, K., & Baker, M. (2016). "A Song and a Dance: Being inclusive and creative in practicing and documenting reflection for learning". Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 13(2), 1-17.
Thomas, D. R., & Hodges, I. D. (2010). "Managing a Research Project" in Designing and Managing Your Research Project: Core Skills for Social and Health Research (pp. 131-148). London SAGE Publications.
Thomas, D. R., & Hodges, I. D. (2010). "Communicating Research Findings" in Designing and Managing Your Research Project: Core Skills for Social and Health Research (175-189). London SAGE Publications.
The following readings will enhance your understanding of the topics that underpin this unit. Except for the second resource listed, which will be made available on iLearn, all readings can be obtained via e-Reserve.
Arvanitakis, J., & Hornsby, D. (2016) Are universities redundant? In J. Arvanitakis & D. Hornsby (Eds). Universities, the Citizen Scholar and the Future of Higher Education. (pp. 7-20). Palgrave Macmillan, UK.
CDRI (2013). Research Project Development and Management: A Handbook. Phnom Penh, Cambodia CDRI.
Ghaye, T. (2010). "In what ways can reflective practices enhance human flourishing?" Reflective Practice 11(1): 1-7.
Jordi, R. (2010). "Reframing the concept of reflection: Consciousness, experiential learning, and reflective learning practices". Adult Education Quarterly, 0741713610380439.
Kolb, A. and David A. Kolb (2005). “Learning Styles and Learning Spaces: Enhancing Experiential Learning in Higher Education”. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 4:2, 193-212.
Moon, J.A. (2004). A handbook of reflective and experiential learning: Theory and practice. London: Routledge. (Chapters 6, 8; and Resource 2 –p187-189-, and Resource 7 –p 210-211)
Ramos, M. J. (2004). Drawing the lines. Working Images. Visual Research and Representation in Ethnography.
Thorpe, K. (2004): “Reflective learning journals: From concept to practice”, Reflective Practice: International and Multidisciplinary Perspectives, 5:3, 327-343.
Wadsworth, Y (2010). Some Introductory Foundations for Building On in Building in Research and Evaluation: Human Inquiry for Living Systems (pp 1-18). Crows Nest, Action Research Press and Allen & Unwin.
This is a PACE (Professional and Community Engagement) unit, and you will be working between 100-150 hours for an organisation. Where and how these hours are worked is up to students to negotiate with their workplace supervisor. Some students will be based at the host organisation, others will be ‘virtual’ placements, while some will complete their projects in a mixed mode (i.e, at the workplace, from home and campus etc).
The internship is supported by 5 compulsory on-campus 2 hour workshops. Please check the online timetable for details (https:timetables.mq.edu.au). This component of the internship is as important as the professional work-based component.
There are two workshops you can choose from: Wed 4-6pm OR Thurs 3-5pm. The dates and topics are listed below.
The dates for the workshops are:
Workshop 1 |
28 Feb/ 1 March |
Managing a Research Project |
Workshop 2 |
7/8 March |
Reflective Practice |
Workshop 3 |
14/15 March |
Professional and Research Ethics |
Workshop 4 |
30/31 May |
Communicating Research |
Workshop 5 |
6/7 June |
Pursuing a Career in Social Research |
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: