50109 Power and Change in Australia

UTS: Communication
Credit points: 6 cp
Result Type: Grade, no marks

Handbook description

This subject explores various dimensions of power and change in Australia as a society undergoing modernisation; a continuing process. Students investigate a number of situations where power is present and where social change has occurred. These situations have been chosen to introduce students to the varying but complementary approaches of historians, political scientists, anthropologists and sociologists in their analyses of the ways power is exercised, of the importance of collective beliefs and values and of the many formal and informal processes by which Australians generate and experience change. Students are asked to investigate critically the relationships between the different arenas of decision making: from the floor of Parliament to the negotiating tables 'behind the scenes' to the public drama of street demonstrations to the 'private' sites of kitchen, bedroom and everyday life.

Subject objectives/outcomes

At the completion of this subject, students are expected to be able to:

identify and discuss different theoretical approaches to Australian social and cultural decision making processes
demonstrate an understanding of conflict and debate as they are shaped by politics and power relationships
distinguish between theory and evidence, and identify the basis and nature of arguments presented by both participants and observers of events
demonstrate skills in academic presentation, and the use of flexible learning technologies.

Contribution to graduate profile

This subject will contribute to graduates who:

are able to research and analyse wider social and public issues as well as apply critical analytical perspectives to daily and personal life
have a critical cross-disciplinary knowledge of Australian societal, political, historical, anthropological and cultural traditions and institutions
are aware of, and have the knowledge to critically analyse social, political and cultural phenomena across time and space in local, national, regional and global contexts
are sensitive to the multiple dimensions of social difference and inequality especially in terms of race and ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic class, sexuality, disability and age
are committed to ethical behaviour and practice
are prepared for lifelong learning and are open to new perspectives on social, political and cultural life.

Teaching and learning strategies

Students are active learners, who plan and develop their own learning styles. In doing so, they attend lectures where they are provided with structured arguments about topics, and they engage with each other in tutorials where they learn how to assess and present arguments of their own. They undertake various assignments where specific skills, knowledge and understanding are developed. Much of the information you need for tutorials and other work is available on the website – go there and browse.

The subject is taught through lectures, tutorials, workshops and private and group study; students undertake tutorial assignments, tutorial participation discussion, online discussion activities, essay planning, essay research and essay writing. Students are expected to attend lectures and tutorials, undertake workshops and pursue individual and group study opportunities.

Content

The subject is built around three themes (Power, Change, Citizenship), each encompassing three or four weeks of lectures and tutorials. Each theme provides theoretical perspectives in an opening lecture, and then specific application of the theoretical ideas to an examination of historical and contemporary Australian events, from the micro-level to the macro-level. Tutorials support the lectures by extending the topic, and encouraging student learning through interaction between students.

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Library information (a); Bibliography and review exercise (b)

Objective(s):	c
Weighting:	(a) 5%; (b) 10%
Length:	500 words
Task:	Students will go to UTS Online and answer the 20 questions listed under the Library Quiz.
Assessment criteria:	A pass result or higher will be awarded for work showing outstanding, superior or more than satisfactory achievement on all objectives of the subject. These criteria will reflect an assessment of: evidence of appropriate research in the area capacity to critically assess debates capacity to present material in an appropriate form capacity to present material lucidly in the genre chosen capacity to ask imaginative and pertinent questions. To pass this assignment, students will need to address all of the requirements outlined here and meet the assessment criteria listed above. Those who do not include the location and publication details or an evaluation of the argument of the book will fail this item of assessment. (This item addresses objective (c) of subject objectives in particular. It is an individual assessment task.)

Assessment item 2: Tutorial discussion

Objective(s):	a, b, c
Weighting:	25%
Task:	Tutorials will have the following structure (about 80 minutes): 10-15 minute clarification of lecture and Q and A by tutor of class on readings break into 2 small groups facilitated by leaders for about 50 minutes plenary report back to whole group – each group will select one of its members to document the discussion and report back, then open discussion for about 20 minutes. One student from each small group within the overall tutorial group will be responsible for leading or facilitating the discussion in class (for about 50 minutes). These are oral presentations. A summary in dot point form of the facilitator's key points must be filed on UTSonline in the tutorial group discussion board by 5pm of the Tuesday preceding the class in which she is to present. Other group members should have read these discussion points and referred to them in reading for the tutorial class. The facilitator's introduction of the topic for discussion and the questions she poses should generate further questions to be explored by the group rather than answered by either the leader or the tutor (except for clarification). The emphasis is on discussion by the group participants. We expect students to have read the required reading but the facilitator will need to have prepared for the leadership role by reading well beyond the other students. The facilitator needs to be able to identify the arguments presented in the works read and critically evaluate them so that the questions brought to the discussion will allow other students to engage with them. Students are not to write their research essay on the same or a similar topic as they are allocated for tutorial facilitation. Students whose group facilitation reflects preparation and who post it to their tutorial group discussion board in due time will pass this component of assessment at a graded standard. Those students who simply ask the tutorial questions and wait for others to respond or provide uninformed lists of matters discussed in reports will fail, as will those who do not post the required leader's outline. Failure to attend when you are to facilitate a group discussion will be treated as a failure to submit an assessment. (This item addresses objectives (a) and (b) in particular and (c) to some extent.)
Assessment criteria:	A pass result will be awarded for work showing outstanding, superior or more than satisfactory achievement on all objectives of the subject. These criteria will reflect an assessment of: evidence of appropriate research in the area capacity to critically assess debates capacity to present material in an appropriate form capacity to present material lucidly in the genre chosen capacity to ask imaginative and pertinent questions.

Assessment item 3: Essay Plan

Objective(s):	c
Weighting:	10%
Length:	400 words
Task:	This is an item of individual assessment. All students are to select an essay topic (not from the same area as their tutorial presentation topic) and begin library research sufficient to have developed a plan for discussion in tutorials in Teaching Week 10.
Assessment criteria:	A pass result will be awarded for work showing outstanding, superior or more than satisfactory achievement on all objectives of the subject. These criteria will reflect an assessment of: evidence of appropriate research in the area capacity to critically assess debates capacity to present material in an appropriate form capacity to present material lucidly in the genre chosen capacity to ask imaginative and pertinent questions. Those students who do not provide an essay plan according to the subject requirements set out here will fail this item of assessment.

Assessment item 4: Research Essay

Objective(s):	a, b, c
Weighting:	50%
Length:	1500-2000 words
Task:	Students should select a topic from the questions listed below and prepare a final academic essay of 1,500-2,000 words equivalent (50109 Power and Change in Australia (6cp)). (For students enrolled in elective 50230 Power and Change in Australia (8cp), the word limit is 2,500 words.)
Assessment criteria:	A pass result will be awarded for work showing outstanding, superior or more than satisfactory achievement on all objectives of the subject. These criteria will reflect an assessment of: evidence of appropriate research in the area capacity to critically assess debates capacity to present material in an appropriate form capacity to present material lucidly in the genre chosen capacity to ask imaginative and pertinent questions. Those students who do not provide an essay plan according to the subject requirements set out here will fail this item of assessment.

Minimum requirements

Students are expected to read the subject outline to ensure they are familiar with the subject requirements. Since class discussion and participation in activities form an integral part of this subject, you are expected to attend, arrive punctually and actively participate in classes. If you experience difficulties meeting this requirement, please contact your lecturer. Students who have a reason for extended absence (e.g. illness) may be required to complete additional work to ensure they achieve the subject objectives.

Indicative references

Essential and ancillary readings for this subject are available through the UTS library catalogue under the subject e-readings.

Lectures
Students are to attend the lecture in which you are enrolled starting with the first week of semester. Lectures provide students with a framework for both tutorial discussions and assignment work. Lectures have three purposes:

they provide a framework for understanding the required and additional reading, and the overall narrative of the subject — you are expected to have taken this in
they provide an example of how to develop an argument, marshal evidence, and reach a conclusion
they indicate the skills required to present information in an accessible and useful way, and show the differences between written and oral engagement.

Lectures will be recorded for students who are unable to attend through illness or other unavoidable difficulty. Downloads as MP3 files will be available from the ITS counter in the Markets library for the cost of a disc. Lecture recordings may be used to assist in developing understanding but are not for quotation in written assignments. Outlines of each lecture will be mounted after the lecture each week on UTSOnline.

Tutorials
You will be assigned to a tutorial class on enrolment. You cannot change tutorial classes at will, as the class you are enrolled in will be used to allocate you to a UTSOnline group. If you wish to change and have good reason, fill in the 'Application to Change a Class within a Subject' form in Week 1.

Students must ensure that they attend at least 10 of the 12 tutorials during the semester. Please ensure you attend any classes where you are responsible for leading group work.

Tutorials last for 80 minutes — please ensure you arrive on time, and have done the required reading. Late arrival or early departure does not count as attendance. There is time either after or before tutorials for individual consultation with tutors, or by arrangement.

Contact