013159 Independent Study Project 2

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2021 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Education: Professional Learning
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Result type: Grade, no marks

Requisite(s): (24 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C04232 Master of Education OR 24 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C04231 Master of Arts) AND (013952 Research Perspectives OR 013228 Research Practices)
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 013710 e-Learning Research and Development Project

Description

This subject enables students to extend their skills and knowledge in an area of interest to them. Students design and carry out, in consultation with a member of academic staff, an individual course of study such as an in-depth review of the literature of a particular subject. Enrolment in the subject is contingent upon the student finding a member of academic staff willing to supervise the project and the completion of a form available from student services. The form requires an outline of the work to be carried out and the deadlines for various stages of the project and must be signed by the student, ISP supervisor and subject coordinator before enrolment.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

a.	Design and implement a self-directed learning process
b.	Develop critical and contextual analyses of chosen area of inquiry
c.	Demonstrate scholarly rigour in analysing and writing about a chosen topic
d.	Document their learning using appropriate academic genres and conventions

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

This subject addresses the following FASS Graduat Attributes:

2. critical and creative inquiry

6. effective communication

Teaching and learning strategies

Students will be supported in their learning through consultation with their ISP supervisor prior to each assessment task, and formative feedback on the Learning Proposal and Progress Review.

Students will, in consultation with their ISP supervisor, determine a learning strategy that is most appropriate for accomplishing the specific learning objectives of their ISP (as expressed in the Learning Proposal). Students will reflect on this on an ongoing basis, and the learning strategies can be revised (for example after the Progress Review).

The ISP can be used as an opportunity for students to develop independent learning strategies that will help to prepare them for higher degrees by research.

Content (topics)

The content of ISPs includes:

Learning process/project management content – learning about how to plan, monitor, accomplish and reflect on independent learning (relating to SLO a)
Substantive content – learning about the chosen area of inquiry / topic (SLO b,c)
Communication content – learning about appropriate academic genres and conventions (SLO d).

The specific content of (1), (2) and (3) above will vary depending on the ISP and its topic area. Students propose the topic and suggest a learning process as part of securing the support of an ISP supervisor prior to enrolment. These are then refined through discussion with the ISP supervisor as part of work on the Learning Proposal. The content focus can shift during the project (i.e. over the course of the teaching session) and such shifts will be discussed with the ISP supervisor and reflected in the Progress Report and final project product (Assessment Task 3).

Students can take this subject as part of several different courses, so no single set of CILOs applies. The FASS Graduate Attributes (see below) have been taken as the point of reference here. Other FASS Graduate Attributes may be applicable depending on the chosen area of inquiry. Students are encouraged to discuss the CILOs that relate to their particular course, and to map SLOs and/or their specific Final Product criteria to these where relevant.

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) has six Graduate Attributes (GA) that apply to all courses across the Faculty. These are:

professional readiness
critical and creative inquiry
international and intercultural engagement
Indigenous competencies
active citizenship
effective communication.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Learning Proposal

Objective(s):

Weight:

10%

Length:

500 words (excluding references)

Criteria:

* The FASS Graduate Attributes (see Content section) have been taken as the point of reference here, as not all students doing this subject are enrolled in the same course. Other FASS Graduate Attributes may be applicable depending on the chosen area of inquiry. Students are encouraged to discuss the CILOs that relate to their particular course, and to map SLOs and/or their specific Final Product criteria to these where relevant.

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
a. Clarity and focus of learning objectives	25	a	2.
b. Relevance of strategies and resources	25	a	2.
c. Appropriateness of evidence to be produced	25	a	2.
d. Coherence of specific project assessment criteria	25	a	2.

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Progress Report and updated Learning Proposal

Objective(s):

a and b

Weight:

10%

Length:

500 words (excluding references); plus updated Learning Proposal

Criteria:

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
a. Relevance of steps taken as per Learning Proposal	20	a	2.
b. Depth of critical reflection on progress made	40	a, b	2.
c. Alignment of changes to Learning Proposal with reflection on progress to date	40	a, b	2.

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 3: Final Project Product

Objective(s):

a, b, c and d

Weight:

80%

Length:

4,000 words (excluding references) or equivalent

Criteria:

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
a. Clarity of links between learning process and achievements on project-specific learning objectives	15	a	2.
b. Depth of critical and contextual analysis of chosen area of enquiry	30	b	2.
c. Coherence of argument	30	b	2.
d. Relevance of resources referred to	15	c	6.
e. Persuasiveness of expression within relevant genre and conventions	10	d	6.

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Required texts

As this subject is focused on self-directed learning, there is no required reading. However your ISP supervisor may suggest key texts that can form a starting point for students’ independent work.

References

Students will mostly read texts relating to their chosen area of inquiry. The ISP requires students to take initiative in searching for and selecting what to read in this regard. The list below gives examples of references that may be of use with generic aspects of the ISP (e.g. reviewing literature, reflective writing).

Anderson, G., Boud, D., & Sampson, J. (2013) Learning contracts: A practical guide. London: Routledge.

Boote, D. N., & Beile, P. (2005). Scholars before researchers: on the centrality of the dissertation literature review in research preparation. Educational Researcher, 34(6), 3-15.

Chenail, R. J. 1997. "Keeping Things Plumb in Qualitative Research." The Qualitative Report, 3(3).

Graff, G., & Birkenstein, C. (2006). "They say / I say": the moves that matter in academic writing. London: W W Norton & Company.

Morley-Warner, T. (2009), Academic writing is… A guide to writing in a university context, Association for Academic Language and Learning, Sydney.