| Effective Term: | 2025/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Education, Arts & Community |
| Unit Title: | Children's Fiction |
| Unit ID: | BALIT3002 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | (BATCC1001 or BATCC1002 or LITCI1000 or LITCI1001) (At least 30 credit points from BALIT or BATCC or BAXDC or LITCI subject-area at 2000-2999 level) |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | (BALIT2002 and LITCI2201 and LITCI3301) |
| ASCED: | 091523 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This course examines the way children`s literature has developed over time and across a variety of genres. Focusing primarily on the Western tradition, students will engage with a range of examples which may include picture books, animal stories, fairy tales, fantasy, adventure stories and young adult fiction. The texts will be situated in their historical and cultural contexts in order to demonstrate how changing ideas of the child and childhood inform both the content and reception of texts aimed at a child or young adult audience. Relevant literary and cultural theory will inform a discussion of adults` and children`s perceptions of the purposes and value of children`s literature, and an investigation of some of the key themes of children`s literature: gender, race, class, family, education, and sexuality. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: No |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | | | | | | | Advanced | | |  | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Critique ideologies of the child and childhood which have informed the development of children’s literature |
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| K2. | Define some of the most significant sub-genres of children`s literature |
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| K3. | Evaluate advanced critical and theoretical approaches to children’s literature |
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| K4. | Explore key issues and themes related to children`s literature such as gender, race, class, family, education and sexuality. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Demonstrate critical reading practices |
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| S2. | Articulate an informed perspective |
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| S3. | Analyse children’s literature in relation to its historical, cultural, political and/or critical contexts |
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| S4. | Undertake independent research to deepen understanding of children’s literature texts, key concepts and issues |
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| S5. | Design a research question, drawing on knowledge of theoretical and critical approaches to children’s literature |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Construct and communicate a clear and coherent argument in verbal, written or visual form, making appropriate use of evidence from primary texts |
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| A2. | Recognise and reflect on the social and cultural significance of children’s literature |
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| A3. | Critically review, analyse, consolidate and synthesise knowledge of literary texts and relevant scholarship |
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| A4. | Reflect critically on knowledge and skills developed in this course |
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| Unit Content: |
•Ideologies of the child and childhood
•The purposes of children`s literature
•Adventure fiction
•Picture books
•Fairy and folk tales
•Animal and toy stories
•Children`s fantasy fiction
•Young adult fiction
•Gender, class, race and sexuality
•Identity and growing up
•Education
•Religion
•Parents, family and adult-child relationships
•Power
•Childhood spaces |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate, inter-act and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display skills in-person and/or online in: • Using effective verbal and non-verbal communication • Listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Showing empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | Level 1 - Students require directions and boundaries from mentor | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply professional skills and behaviours in leading others. Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating a collegial environment • Showing self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect • Inspiring and convincing others • Making informed decisions • Displaying initiative | Level 1 - Students require directions and boundaries from mentor | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically • Evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Considering alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work fluently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Finding, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information • Collating, managing, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Contributing actively to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and benefiting from digital learning opportunities. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to consider and assess the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in global economic environmental and societal contexts • Committing to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Evaluating ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Embracing lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | Level 1 - Students require directions and boundaries from mentor |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, A1 | Demonstrate knowledge of primary texts, key concepts and advanced theoretical readings through short written responses to discussion questions throughout the semester | Short written responses | 20-30% | | 2. | K3, K4, S1, S2, S4, S5, A1, A2, A3, A4 | Research a key issue or theme in a children’s text and present an argument as an oral/visual presentation, then write a reflective critical analysis of the activity | Presentation | 30-40% | | 3. | K3, K4, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, A1, A3 | Research and apply appropriate theory to an analysis of children’s literature in relation to a topic developed by the student in consultation with the course coordinator | Research essay | 40-50% |
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