| Effective Term: | 2025/02 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Education, Arts & Community |
| Unit Title: | Community Practice Approaches |
| Unit ID: | BSWUG2003 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | (At least 30 credit points from ANY subject-area at 1000-1999 level) |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | (CHSUG2003) |
| ASCED: | 090501 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This unit introduces students to key theoretical frameworks in community practice approaches to development, social change and community activism. It explores theories, including critical approaches to community development. In particular it will emphasise the impact of neo-liberalism on development. It provides students with an in-depth understanding of the context in which community activism takes place. It explores community based approaches to social change using examples that include young people, indigenous peoples and women. The unit allows students to develop their professional identity at the intersection of communities and macro community practice, including community activism. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | |
| 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. | Explore key theoretical frameworks, including critiques of colonisation, neo-liberal frameworks of community development |
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| K2. | Appraise the contexts in which community practice and activism operates, including individual, social, economic, environmental and spiritual. |
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| K3. | Examine processes of social change by analysing the roles and skills that practitioners require to advocate for change. |
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| K4. | Explore how social location and power relations inform community practice approaches. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Critically engage with literature around community practice, activism and social change |
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| S2. | Articulate a well-researched understanding of a significant case study |
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| S3. | Recognise the social significance of community activism. |
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| S4. | Reflect on a developing professional identity |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Construct and communicate clear analysis of the work and methods of community case study |
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| A2. | Apply research findings to connect the work of significant community activists to local contexts |
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| Unit Content: |
1. Foundations of Community Development 2. A critical vision of Community Development 3. The process of Community Development 4. The global, local and colonialism 5. Community development: social, economic and political -- Social development -- Economic development -- Political development -- 6.Community development: cultural, environmental, spiritual, personal and survival – Cultural development - - Environmental development -- Spiritual development -- Personal development 7. Principles of Community Development 8. Roles and skills of community development 9. Roles and skills 2: representational and technical -- Representational roles and skills -- Technical roles and skills -- Two special cases: needs assessment and evaluation -- Demystifying skills 10. The organisational context: Managerialism 11. Practice issues and practice frameworks |
| 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 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | 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 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | 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 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K2, K3, S2, S3 | Explore and write a case study about an issue (e.g. disability rights, womens rights, land rights, ecological rights) and link it broadly to community activism | Case Study | 35-45% | | 2. | K1, S1, S3, A1, A2 | Compare and contrast the key community development/critical social theories to understand the case study from Assessment 1 | Essay | 25-40% | | 3. | K3, K4, S3, S4, A2 | Develop a critically reflective argument that identifies your personal and professional values as a practitioner, activist and advocate for social change | Reflective Written Piece | 20-30% |
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