GEOG 5005 - Community Engagement

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2014

In recent years, community engagement has become a central dimension of governance as well as policy development and service delivery. However efforts to directly involve citizens in policy processes have been bedevilled by crude understandings of the issues involved, and by poor selection of techniques for engaging citizens. This course will provide a critical interrogation of the central conceptual issues as well as an examination of how to design a program of effective community engagement. This course begins by asking: Why involve citizens in planning and policymaking? This leads to an examination of the politics of planning, conceptualisations of "community" and, to the tension between local and professional knowledge in policy making. This course will also analyse different types of citizen engagement and examine how to design a program of public participation for policy making. Approaches to evaluating community engagement programs will also be a component of the course.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code GEOG 5005
    Course Community Engagement
    Coordinating Unit Geography, Environment and Population
    Term Semester 1
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 6
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Incompatible GEST 5005
    Course Description In recent years, community engagement has become a central dimension of governance as well as policy development and service delivery. However efforts to directly involve citizens in policy processes have been bedevilled by crude understandings of the issues involved, and by poor selection of techniques for engaging citizens. This course will provide a critical interrogation of the central conceptual issues as well as an examination of how to design a program of effective community engagement. This course begins by asking: Why involve citizens in planning and policymaking? This leads to an examination of the politics of planning, conceptualisations of "community" and, to the tension between local and professional knowledge in policy making. This course will also analyse different types of citizen engagement and examine how to design a program of public participation for policy making. Approaches to evaluating community engagement programs will also be a component of the course.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Professor Melissa Nursey-Bray

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    At the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1 Develop knowledge and understanding of content and techniques of community engagement at local to international levels
    2 Locate, analyse and synthesise information about the diversity of community engagement approaches in a planned and timelymanner
    3 Develop ability to apply effective, creative and innovative solutions to governance problems that require community engagement
    4 Via problem solving and critical thinking exercises using community engagement case studies, develop teamwork and interpersonal skills
    5 Critically evaluate the efficacy of virtual means of delivering or developing community engagement strategies
    6 Encourage via independent learning exercises, development of skills that will enhance the fulfilment of ongoing and continuous learning and intellectual curiosity
    7 By use of role model examples, demonstrate how community engagement can perform leadership functions within community
    8 Develop understanding of cross cultural contexts and nuances/implications of community engagement
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Knowledge and understanding of the content and techniques of a chosen discipline at advanced levels that are internationally recognised. 1
    The ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner. 2
    An ability to apply effective, creative and innovative solutions, both independently and cooperatively, to current and future problems. 3
    Skills of a high order in interpersonal understanding, teamwork and communication. 4
    A proficiency in the appropriate use of contemporary technologies. 5
    A commitment to continuous learning and the capacity to maintain intellectual curiosity throughout life. 6
    A commitment to the highest standards of professional endeavour and the ability to take a leadership role in the community. 7
    An awareness of ethical, social and cultural issues within a global context and their importance in the exercise of professional skills and responsibilities. 8
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    Students are not required to read any particular core text. However, it is expected that readings provided will be read prior to class, and that students will undertake their own research and reading as relevant to course themes. 
    Recommended Resources
    A number of readings will be provided in the first week and students are recommended to access and read at least one of these in each theme folder provided.
    Online Learning
    Students will be able to access readings, course materials on MYUNI. I use the MYUNI as a key medium for sending messages to students so it is a good idea to check it regularly.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    The teaching and learning mode for this course will be delivered via one block activity, Fridays 9 – 12. This period will be divided up into (i) information delivery, and (ii) group work/interaction and tasks.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

     The expected commitment for this course is 3 hours face to face and 3 – 4 hours study per week.
     
    Learning Activities Summary
    The semester schedule is as follows:
    Schedule
    Week Community Engagement Notes
    Week 1 Course overview and community engagement?
    Week 2 What is community?
    Week 3 Methods of public participation
    Week 4 NO CLASS DUE TO EASTER - ASSESSMENT WEEK
    Week 5 Methods of public participation
    Week 6 Case study 1: The Murray
    Case study 2: MPAs
    Mid-Semester Break
    Week 7 Case Study 3: Indigenous
    Week 8 Case study 4: Risk
    Week 9 Case study 5: Communicating climate change to Environmental Managers
    Week 10 Case study 6: International examples of community engagement
    Week 11 Verbal presentation preparation week – no class
    Week 12 Verbal group presentations
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Item Weight  Due
    Ongoing seminar activities and attendance  10% Ongoing
    essay  30%
    Evaluation of Community engagement strategy  30%
    Group verbal presentation: A Community Engagement strategy  30%
    Assessment Related Requirements
    Students must attend all sessions.  
    Assessment Detail
    Task 1: Seminar exercises and activities, includes participation and attendance

    Due date: Ongoing
    Weight: 10%

    Task 2: Using the literature and case studies to justify your points, write an essay that critically reflects on what community means and its implications for community engagement.

    Due date: Friday 29th March
    Weight: 30%


    Task 3: Evaluation of an existing community engagement strategy. Detail on this assessment will be provided in week 4, and part of session 4 dedicated to discussion on the assignment. The assignment requires you to work in pairs.

    Due date: Friday 10th May
    Weight: 35%

    Task 4: Verbal (group) presentation. In your group presentation, you must present how you would construct a community engagement campaign, based on scenarios given

    Due date: Presentations will be delivered in the last week (or two depending on numbers) of the semester.
    Weight: 25%
    Submission
    Students may submit their work in hard copy to the coordinator’s, via the School Office. Students may email their assignment as well but a hard copy needs to be submitted first.

    Students who do not request an extension will forfeit assessment marks at 10% for every three days it is late. 
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

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  • Policies & Guidelines
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