GEOG 7016UAC - Engaging Communities: Techniques and Analysis

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2021

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 7016UAC
    Course Engaging Communities: Techniques and Analysis
    Coordinating Unit Geography, Environment and Population
    Term Semester 1
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Prerequisites Completed degree (72 units)
    Incompatible GEST 5005, GEOG 5005, GEOG 5094
    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
    1. To develop knowledge and understanding of content and techniques of community engagement at local to international levels


    2. To locate, analyse and synthesise information about the diversity of community engagement approaches in a planned and timely manner


    3. Develop ability to apply effective, creative and innovative solutions to governance problems that require community engagement


    4. Via use of problem solving and critical thinking exercises using community engagement case studies, develop teamwork, and interpersonal skills


    5. To critically evaluate the efficacy of virtual means of delivering or developing community engagement strategies


    6. To 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 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)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    1, 3, 8
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    1. 7. 8
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes

    No information currently available.

    Workload

    No information currently available.

    Learning Activities Summary

    No information currently available.

  • 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
    Participation and attendance: 10%

    An essay/review paper: 30%

    Evaluation of community engagement strategy verbals: 30%

    Production of a community engagement strategy based on a range of scenarios: 30%
    Assessment Detail

    No information currently available.

    Submission

    No information currently available.

    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.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
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