Engaging Communities in Change PG (9089.3)

Please note these are the 2027 details for this unit
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Engaging Communities in Change PG
Available teaching periods Delivery mode Location
View teaching periods On-campus
Intensive
 Bruce, Canberra
EFTSL Credit points Faculty
0.125 3 Faculty Of Education
Discipline Study level HECS Bands
School Of Teacher Education Post Graduate Level Band 1 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 1 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
The aim of this unit is to enable students to critically analyse the different philosophies and practices of community engagement development in national and international contexts. The unit will explore existing and emergent paradigms, with particular focus on the knowledge, attitudes and skills needed to engage their own and other communities. Students will be challenged to define and defend their orientation to community engagement in light of current literature and best practice community development

In the delivery of this unit opportunities will include on-campus and off-campus options.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Compare and contrasted different conceptions of community engagement and development, philosophies and practices;
2. Analyse relevant local, national and international case studies;
3. Critically analyse the relationship between social justice, economic and political issues that impact on communities; and
4. Critically examine notions of empowerment; develop skills that foster community engagement.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development


Prerequisites

None.

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

Restrictions: This unit is not open to students who have passed 7683 Foundations of Community Development PG.

Equivalent units

None.

Assumed knowledge

None.
Availability for enrolment in 2027 is subject to change and may not be confirmed until closer to the teaching start date.
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
2026 Bruce, Canberra Semester 2 10 August 2026 On-campus Dr Ann Hill
2026 Bruce, Canberra Semester 2 10 August 2026 Intensive Dr Ann Hill
2027 Bruce, Canberra Semester 2 09 August 2027 Intensive Dr Ann Hill
2027 Bruce, Canberra Semester 2 09 August 2027 On-campus Dr Ann Hill
The information provided should be used as a guide only. Timetables may not be finalised until week 2 of the teaching period and are subject to change. Search for the unit timetable.

Required texts

There is no set text for this unit. Various essential readings and up-to-date resources will be provided on the Canvas site for each learning module. In each module students will be required to read specified essential readings and come to face-to-face seminars and/or the online learning community prepared to discuss and critically reflect on these readings. These readings will assist in the completion of assignment tasks. Supplementary (optional) reading will also be provided through Canvas. Some readings will be provided through E-Reserve in the library in addition to resources on the Canvas site. A list of readings will be provided when classes commence.

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

Approval of extenuating circumstances will be dependent upon the production of supporting documentation and at the discretion of the unit convener.

All assessment items required to be submitted online must be submitted via the appropriate Canvas drop box. It is the student's responsibility to upload the correct and corresponding draft or assessment item to the right submission section. Assignments must be submitted in a format accessible to the assessor(s), as stated on the relevant canvas site. If the unit convener and/or tutor are unable to access a submission, or if no submission has been made by the due date and time, a standard late penalty of 10% of the total marks possible for the task may be applied per day, for three days, after which the submission will receive a score of ‘0' in keeping with UC's Assessment Policy.

Special assessment requirements

An aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the unit. The unit convener reserves the right to question students orally on any of their submitted work.

Provision of valid documentation

Please note that the University takes student conduct very seriously. All documentation provided to University staff must be valid and the provision of fraudulent documentation carries with it potentially serious consequences, including suspension and/or exclusion from the University. Note that all allegations of student misconduct will be referred to the Associate Dean for Education (ADE) as a prescribed authority for investigation.

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Learner engagement

The unit is designed in 2-3 week Modules around key concepts. Content for each module will be delivered through a combination of lectures, workshops and online activities accessible via Canvas. Students are expected to interact with each other in class time and to undertake tasks collaboratively to extend the content of each module.  Total unit instruction equates to 36 hours over the semester. Each week, the total time for study in the unit is expected to be on average 12 hours. This includes, attending workshops, (re)listening to lectures, reading, engaging with learning materials, interacting with other class members and preparation of assignments. Over the 12 weeks a breakdown of expected student workload in this unit is as follows

Reading and private study              50 hours
Workshop and online participation: 50 hours
Assessment tasks:                          50 hours

Inclusion and engagement

Students who need assistance in undertaking the unit because of disability or other circumstances should inform their Unit Convener or Inclusion and Welfare as soon as possible so the necessary arrangements can be made.

Participation requirements

Active engagement in all online modules enhances your learning and is strongly advised. Unless specifically stated in the unit outline, there is no mandatory attendance requirement. However, you may elect to attend timetabled activities, as they allow you to ask 'real time' questions to develop your understanding for the relevant assessment tasks.

There is a strong correlation between participation and success in higher education. Your participation in on-campus sessions and your engagement with online activities will enhance your understanding of this unit's content and therefore the quality of your assessment responses. Lack of participation may result in your inability to satisfactorily pass assessment items. 

Required IT skills

Basic computing skills are required in this unit. This unit requires regular use of Canvas as a learning platform.  

In-unit costs

Nil

Work placement, internships or practicums

Although this unit has no work integrated placements, learning in this unit will be integrally linked to experiences in professional contexts.

Additional information

Research-led focus
This unit has been designed to meet the needs of educators in a range of contexts and disciplinary backgrounds. The unit draws on multiple theoretical perspectives from education, environmental humanities, sociology, history, human geography and psychology to inform and explain key concepts in the unit.  This unit involves research-led education where active researchers and practitioners are involved in the delivery of this unit, and they share with students their passion for the research practice they are carrying out.  

Provision of information to the group
Notifications through the Canvas Announcements Forum or the Canvas Discussion Forums are deemed to be made to the whole class.  It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they check for announcements on the Unit's Canvas website (forum messages are also emailed to student email addresses only).  Students should ensure they check their student email regularly. The Canvas discussion forums will be checked by staff regularly.

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