Overview
In this unit you will examine key processes of social change and power that are needed to address the challenges facing people and the planet. By drawing on the work of a range of social change leaders and new paradigms from a range of social sectors - production, consumption, distribution, exchange and finance - you will begin developing skills in leading social change. You will explore processes of self change and social change as well as the social innovations that will be part of developing a new economy, society and sustainable environment into the 21st Century.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2025
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student Unit Evaluation
Release of the weekly topic lecture at the start of the week.
Early release of the lecture notes and recording will be implemented.
Feedback from Student Unit Evaluation
Include more information on key concepts and topics in the PowerPoint lecture notes.
The PowerPoint lecture notes will be updated and attention given to providing students with more information on key concepts and topics to scaffold student learning and support the set readings.
Feedback from Student Unit Evaluation
Found the lectures to be good and of a suitable length.
Attention will continue to be invested in providing useful lectures and in a format to support student learning.
Feedback from Student Unit Evaluation
Great feedback on the assignments provided.
Students' learning and development of academic thinking and writing skills will continue to be supported through feedback.
- Explain how social innovation can address wicked social problems
- Discuss case studies addressing social change across a range of sectors
- Apply human centred design principles and re-framing to a social change problem
- Explain your role in generating positive social and environmental change.
Nil
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Portfolio - 50% | ||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Portfolio - 50% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
s.rockloff@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
PART ONE: MICRO PERSPECTIVE
Introducing Sociology and changemaking: Private troubles to public issues
Exploring key concepts - social change, social innovation, changemaker
Chapter
Check the e-Reading list on the Moodle site for the complete set of required readings
Complete iChange Module 1&2 Historical social innovation
(see CQU website - iChange page)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
From direct service delivery to participatory process AND
Human centred (Participatory) design processes
Chapter
Complete iChange Module 2 Types of social impact
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Wicked social problems AND
Complex problems & change processes
Chapter
Complete iChange Module 3 Megatrends & wicked problems
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Leadership and social change AND
Social movements and social change
Chapter
Complete iChange Module 4 Exploring opportunities
Complete iChange Module 5 & 6 Who does social innovation? Why me?
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
PART TWO: MACRO PERSPECTIVE
Global megatrend # 1. Adapting to a changing climate
Chapter
Naughtin et al. (2022) Our future world
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Global megatrends # 2. Leaner, cleaner and greener
Chapter
Naughtin et al. (2022) Our future world
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Global megatrends # 3. The escalating health imperative
Chapter
Naughtin et al. (2022) Our future world
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Global megatrends # 4. Geopolitical shifts
Chapter
Naughtin et al. (2022) Our future world
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Global megatrends # 5 Diving into digital
Chapter
Naughtin et al. (2022) Our future world
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Global megatrends # 6. Increasingly autonomous
Chapter
Naughtin et al. (2022) Our future world
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Global megatrends #7 Unlocking the human dimension
Chapter
Naughtin et al. (2022) Our future world
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Micro-Macro synthesis & overview
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Portfolio
Aim
This assessment aims to develop your sociological understanding of key concepts of social change, social innovation, changemaking, wicked social problems, leadership human-centred design, and social movements and apply these to real world social issues.
Instructions
Please follow the steps below to complete your assessment task:
1. Select four (4) tasks from the list of six tasks provided below. Each response to a task should be 400 words (+/-10%).
2. Review the unit content and readings from weeks 1-4, and source other literature such as peer-reviewed journal articles from CQU library databases and other credible references.
3. Demonstrate engagement with relevant concepts and literature.
4. Use real-life examples to show your understanding in your written answers.
5. Present personalised and original writing that reflects your voice and understanding.
List of tasks:
1. The way social issues are framed in the media influences public perception, policy responses, and individual responsibility. Sociologist C. Wright Mills (1959) distinguished between private troubles (individual-level challenges) and public issues (systemic problems shaped by societal structures). In this task, you will critically analyse media coverage of a social issue by selecting two recent media articles (from different sources) that discuss the same social issue (e.g., unemployment, access to clean water and sanitation) and compare the media framing. Use specific content from the media articles to support your response.
2. Select a wicked social problem (e.g., digital inequality in rural Australia, renewable energy for remote communities) with an identified social innovation for it and discuss how the innovation empowers communities and overcomes traditional barriers to change.
3. Identify a changemaker (e.g., individual or organisation) and critically reflect on how they have led social change and the sustainability of the transformation.
4. Select a single social movement (e.g., Indigenous rights) and examine how the strategies used by individuals and groups have changed over time. In your response, reflect on the effectiveness and limitations of the early movement strategies (e.g., mass protests – Freedom Rides) compared with modern approaches (e.g., The Uluru Statement from the Heart) in creating change.
5. Compare the benefits and challenges of using participatory processes for a social innovation to produce sustainable social and/or environmental change. Use real-life examples to support your response.
6. Technology is often seen as a driver of social progress, but social innovations can also further entrench inequalities. Identify a technology and discuss the ethical consideration of the social innovation, particularly for some social groups in society. Use real-life examples in your response.
Assessments need to demonstrate: deep engagement with the topic, use of evidence (cited literature) and supporting real-life examples, original and well-structured arguments, use of relevant concepts and a sociological perspective, and critical reflection on the literature and real-life examples.
Literature and references
In this assessment use at least 10 contemporary references (10 years or less) to support your discussion. You are encouraged to conduct database searches in the CQU library to find peer-reviewed journal articles. You may also use seminal scholarly literature where relevant. Suitable references include peer-reviewed journal articles as well as textbooks and credible websites. When sourcing information, consider the 5 elements of a quality reference: currency, authority, relevance, objectivity, and coverage. Grey literature sourced from the internet must be from reputable websites such as from government, university, or peak national bodies: for example, the Australian Association of Social Workers, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Note, that websites such as StatPearls, Life in the Fastlane, and Wikipedia are not suitable for this assessment task. Lecture notes are not primary sources of evidence and should not be used in this assessment. All resources, other than web pages and grey literature, must be sources from the CQUniversity library.
Requirements
Use a cover page for your assignment that includes in the following order:
• Student name
• Student number
• Unit code and name
• Assessment type
• Due date
• In-text word count
• Use of Gen AI: Gen AI agent.……..has been used for editing and proofreading this assessment (insert or delete as applicable.
• Use a conventional and legible size 12 font, such as Times New Roman, with 2.0 line spacing and 2.54cm page margins (standard pre-set margin in Microsoft Word).
• Include page numbers on the top right side of each page in a header.
• Indent the first line of each paragraph 1.27cm (standard pre-set indent in Microsoft Word).
• An introduction and conclusion are not required for this assessment.
• All questions in the Instructions section of this assessment must be attempted and clearly answered to pass this assessment task.
• Write in the third-person perspective.
• Use formal academic, discipline specific, professional and inclusive language.
• Use Microsoft Word English (Australia) spelling and grammar checker.
• Paraphrase, summarise or quote information acknowledging the original source (referencing) to avoid plagiarism.
• Use essay structure.
• Headings, bullet points, tables and appendices are not to be used in this assessment.
• Follow academic writing conventions: spell out contractions in full; introduce abbreviations and acronyms; spell out numbers for zero through nine and use numerals for numbers 10 and above.
• All work submitted must be your work.
• Start your reference list on a separate page to the body of your assessment.
• Use the seventh edition American Psychological Association (APA) referencing style. The CQUniversity Academic Learning Centre has an online APA Referencing Style Guide.
• The word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. The word count excludes the reference list but includes in-text references and direct quotations.
Resources
• You can use unit provided materials and other credible sources (e.g., journal articles, books) to reference your argument. The quality and credibility of your sources are important. Please note, lecture notes are not peer-reviewed primary sources of evidence.
• We recommend that you access your discipline-specific Social Work and Human Services Guide.
• You may like to manage your citations and reference list. Information on how to use academic referencing software (EndNote) is available at the CQUniversity Library website should you wish to learn how to use it.
• For information on academic writing and referencing please go to the Academic Learning Centre Moodle site. The Academic Communication section has many helpful resources, including information for students with English as a second language.
• You may wish to submit a draft to Studiosity.
• Submit at least one draft before the due date to review your Turnitin Similarity Score before making a final submission. Instructions are available here. Please remember, the similarity score is only a matching tool, and the score alone does not necessarily indicate or eliminate the presence of plagiarism.
Academic Integrity
1. You must abide by the principles of academic integrity (see Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure). Completion of this assessment with another party or sharing of responses is not permitted at any time.
2. The use of any generative artificial intelligence is permitted for the following purposes:
a. Gen AI content is used to generate ideas and general structures.
b. Gen AI content editing.
c. Checking spelling and grammar (for example, Grammarly).
If you use Gen AI to generate ideas, you are required to reference the Gen AI agent as per APA 7th guidelines. If you are using a Gen AI agent for content editing, please complete the declaration on the title page of your assessment. If Gen AI is not used, please delete this declaration.
Submission
Submit your assessment via the unit Moodle site in Microsoft Word format only.
Late penalties of 5% per day of the available mark may be applied as per the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Contact TASAC if you experience technical issues submitting your assessment:
• Phone toll-free 1300 666 620
• Email tasac@cqu.edu.au
Marking Criteria
Refer to the marking rubric on the Moodle site for more details on how marks will be assigned. Assessment re-attempt is not available for this Assessment task.
Minimum Pass Criteria
• You must achieve a cumulative grade of at least 49.5% across all assessments to pass this unit.
• In order for a supplementary assessment to be considered, all assessment tasks must be reasonably attempted in this unit.
Week 5 Wednesday (9 Apr 2025) 4:00 pm AEST
Submission Via Moodle
Week 7 Wednesday (30 Apr 2025)
Return Via Moodle
|
Criteria |
High Distinction (84.5-100%) |
Distinction (74.5-84.49%) |
Credit (64.5-74.49%) |
Pass (49.5-64.49%) |
Fail (<49.49%) |
|
Four tasks marked out of six (80%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1. Framing of Social Issues in the Media (20%) |
Provides exceptional critical analysis of media framing, clearly distinguishing between private troubles and public issues using Mills’ sociological framework. Uses two well-selected recent media sources with detailed comparison and real-life examples. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Offers strong critical analysis of media framing with clear distinction between private troubles and public issues. Uses two media sources effectively, with good comparison. Real-life examples are relevant but could be more deeply explored. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Provides a basic distinction between private troubles and public issues, though analysis is somewhat descriptive. Media sources are used but may lack depth in comparison. Real-life examples may not be fully integrated. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Addresses the task but lacks depth, with limited comparison of media sources. Argument is descriptive rather than analytical. Real-life examples are weak or underdeveloped. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Does not critically engage with the media framing or misinterprets the distinction between private and public issues. Weak or missing media sources. References are not genuine or they do not align with the written content. |
|
2. Wicked Social Problem & Social Innovation (20%) |
Demonstrates deep understanding of a wicked social problem and deeply analyses how a specific social innovation empowers communities and overcomes systemic barriers. Uses strong evidence and real-life examples. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Engages well with a wicked problem and explains how a social innovation addresses barriers. Some deep insight but may lack depth in evaluation. Real-life examples are relevant but could be more critically explored. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Identifies a wicked problem and social innovation but lacks depth in explaining its effectiveness. Real-life examples may not be fully integrated. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Discusses a wicked problem but provides limited engagement with social innovation. Real-life examples are weak or underdeveloped. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Does not demonstrate understanding of wicked problems or social innovation. Limited or no use of evidence or real-life examples. . References are not genuine or they do not align with the written content. |
|
3. Changemaker & Social Change (20%) |
Offers a deep reflection on a changemaker's impact on social transformation and sustainability. Engages with real-world evidence to consider the sustainability of the change. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Effectively analyses a changemaker’s role in social transformation, with strong evidence of their influence and sustainability. Some reflection present. Real-life examples are relevant but could be more critically explored. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Identifies a changemaker and discusses their impact on social change but lacks depth in considering the sustainability of the change. Some reflection but needs further development. Real-life examples may not be fully integrated. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Describes a changemaker but does not critically engage with sustainability or leadership challenges. Reflection is minimal or underdeveloped. Real-life examples are weak or underdeveloped. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Fails to provide a meaningful discussion of a changemaker’s role in social change. Lacks evidence and reflection. . References are not genuine or they do not align with the written content. |
|
4. Social Movements & Strategies Over Time (20%) |
Provides a comprehensive analysis of a social movement, clearly comparing historical and modern strategies. Evaluates effectiveness and limitations of different approaches using strong evidence and real-life examples. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Engages well with a social movement and its changing strategies, offering clear comparisons with some evaluation of effectiveness. Real-life examples are relevant but could be more deeply explored. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Discusses a social movement and its strategies but lacks strong comparative analysis. Some evaluation of effectiveness but needs more depth. Real-life examples may not be fully integrated. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Mentions a social movement but lacks strong comparison between historical and modern strategies. Discussion is overly descriptive. Real-life examples are weak or underdeveloped. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Fails to demonstrate understanding of social movements and their change over time. Limited or no use of real-life examples. . References are not genuine or they do not align with the written content. |
|
5. Participatory Processes in Social Innovation (20%) |
Provides a comprehensive discussion of the benefits and challenges of participatory processes, using well-chosen real-life examples. Offers deep insight into the long-term sustainability of participation. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Explains benefits and challenges of participatory processes with strong supporting real-life examples. Some deep insight is present. Real-life examples are relevant but could be more critically explored. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Identifies some benefits and challenges but lacks depth in discussion. Real-life examples may not be fully integrated. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Mentions participatory processes but lacks clear real-life examples or analysis of their benefits and challenges. Real-life examples are weak or underdeveloped. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Fails to engage meaningfully with participatory processes. Minimal or no use of real-life examples. . References are not genuine or they do not align with the written content. |
|
6. Technology & Inequality (20%) |
Provides a comprehensive analysis of how a specific technology can drive both progress and inequality. Evaluates ethical concerns using strong real-world examples. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Effectively discusses a technology’s impact on inequality, with very good coverage of ethical concerns. Real-life examples are relevant but could be more deeply explored. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Identifies a technology and ethical concerns but lacks deep analysis of its social impact and inequalities. Real-life examples may not be fully integrated. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Discusses technology only at a surface level, failing to explore ethical concerns or inequality in depth. Real-life examples are weak or underdeveloped. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Fails to demonstrate an understanding of technology’s role in social progress and inequality. Minimal or no coverage of ethical concerns or no use of real-life examples. . References are not genuine or they do not align with the written content. |
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Originality and quality of the argument (10%)
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The assignment demonstrates excellent personalised and original writing that reflects the student’s voice and understanding. |
The assignment demonstrates very good personalised and original writing that mostly reflects the student’s voice and understanding. |
The assignment demonstrates good personalised and original writing that often reflects the student’s voice with some anomalies in writing. |
The student’s writing demonstrates some evidence of their personal writing style and voice, but shows a lack of originality in parts, generic writing or formal writing. |
The writing shows a lack of originality, is generic or overly formal, and may lack context and relevance to the content. |
|
In-text referencing (5%)
|
Consistently integrates references to support and reflect all ideas, information, and quotations. Consistently accurate with in-text referencing. |
Generally, integrates references to support and reflect ideas, information, and quotations with a few exceptions. Mostly consistent in-text referencing errors. |
Frequently integrates references to support and reflect ideas, information, and quotations, with 3 or 4 exceptions. Several consistent in-text referencing errors. |
Occasionally integrates references to support and reflect ideas, information, and quotations, with numerous exceptions. Frequent in-text referencing errors. |
Fails to or infrequent attempts (>6 errors) to integrate references to support & reflect ideas, information & quotations. In-text referencing fails to demonstrate an understanding of APA referencing style. |
|
Use of references, reference list & APA style (5%)
|
A minimum of 10 up-to-date references were used including 5 journal articles as well as relevant books & websites. The reference list appears in alphabetical order. It fully adheres to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines. |
A minimum of 10 up-to-date references were used including 4 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. The reference list appears in alphabetical order. Generally, adheres to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines with only a few consistent reference list errors. |
A minimum of 10 up-to-date references were used including 3 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. The reference list appears in alphabetical order. Frequently adheres to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines but with several consistent reference list errors. |
A minimum of 10 up-to-date references were used including 2 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. The reference list appears in alphabetical order. Occasionally adheres to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines but with numerous consistent reference list errors. |
The required number of 10 references is not used. Journal articles are not sourced. Most references are not up to date. Chosen websites are not credible. The reference list does not appear in alphabetical order and/or it does not adhere to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines due to multiple errors. |
- Explain how social innovation can address wicked social problems
- Discuss case studies addressing social change across a range of sectors
- Apply human centred design principles and re-framing to a social change problem
- Critical Thinking
- Ethical practice
- Social Innovation
2 Written Assessment
Aim
This assessment aims to provide an opportunity to critically explore how social innovation, guided by human-centred design, can bring about social change by addressing wicked problems that contribute to inequality in society. This assessment also requires you to use deep reflection skills to explain barriers to positive social and/or environmental change at different levels of organising (individual, community, government).
Instructions
Please follow the steps below to complete your assessment task:
1. Review the unit content and readings from weeks 2 and 3, and other supplemented readings, about wicked problems and human-centred design.
2. Choose a wicked problem connected to one of CSIRO’s seven megatrends (e.g., the vulnerability of traditional infrastructure to climate change impacts and homelessness) and summarise it using the literature and real-world examples to demonstrate its complexity and how inequality is part of this issue.
3. Identify and discuss a social innovation (e.g., sustainable housing solutions for displaced populations, digital mental health technologies) to this wicked problem and one relevant to your professional interest (e.g., social work, engineering).
4. Refer to week 2 content, the set readings and additional readings. Explain why the application of the human human-centred design process is relevant to social innovation and can advance equality and change in society. You are required to refer to the literature and cite examples.
5. Critically reflect on barriers (e.g., financial) to social innovation changes in society by individuals, communities, organisations and government in contributing to positive social and/or environmental change. Support your reflection by citing literature and providing relevant examples.
Use the following structure and word count to guide your essay preparation:
1. Introduction (150 words)
Briefly mention the CSIRO mega trend and the wicked problem selected. State what will be covered in the essay and the overarching purpose.
2. Discussion (1300 words)
a) Wicked problem and inequality: Using the literature and real-world examples succinctly summarise your identified wicked problem, the complexity of the issue, its societal impacts, and the associated inequality. (250 words)
b) Social innovation solution: Discuss the social innovation selected and demonstrate its connection to the wicked problem and how it addresses the inequality. (350 words)
c) Human-centred design for change: Explain using examples drawn from the literature how human-centred design supports the identification of suitable social innovations, paying particular attention to progressing equality and social change in society. (350 words)
d) Deep reflection on barriers to change: Reflect on barriers to positive social and/or environmental change for your social innovation within society (e.g., lack of a skilled workforce, public perceptions). Consider the individual, community, organisations and government, and use the literature and real-world examples. (350 words)
3. Conclusion (150 words)
Present a summary of the key points from the discussion. Conclude with a reflection on the value of human-centred design and social innovation can advance equality and change in society.
Literature and references
In this assessment use at least ten contemporary references (10 years or less) to support your discussion. You are encouraged to conduct database searches in the CQU library to find peer-reviewed journal articles. You may also use seminal scholarly literature where relevant. Suitable references include peer-reviewed journal articles as well as textbooks and credible websites. When sourcing information, consider the 5 elements of a quality reference: currency, authority, relevance, objectivity, and coverage. Grey literature sourced from the internet must be from reputable websites such as from government, university, or peak national bodies: for example, the Australian Association of Social Workers, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Note, that websites such as StatPearls, Life in the Fastlane, and Wikipedia are not suitable for this assessment task. Lecture notes are not primary sources of evidence and should not be used in this assessment. All resources, other than web pages and grey literature, must be sources from the CQUniversity library.
Requirements
Use a cover page for your assignment that includes in the following order:
• Student name
• Student number
• Unit code and name
• Assessment type
• Due date
• In-text word count
• Use of Gen AI: Gen AI agent.……..has been used for editing and proofreading this assessment (insert or delete as applicable).
• Use a conventional and legible size 12 font, such as Times New Roman, with 2.0 line spacing and 2.54cm page margins (standard pre-set margin in Microsoft Word).
• Include page numbers on the top right side of each page in a header.
• Indent the first line of each paragraph 1.27cm (standard pre-set indent in Microsoft Word).
• An introduction and conclusion are required for this assessment.
• All questions in the Instructions of this assessment must be attempted and clearly answered to pass this assessment task.
• Write in the third-person perspective except for the deep reflection part where you need to use first-person perspective.
• Use formal academic, discipline specific, professional and inclusive language.
• Use Microsoft Word English (Australia) spelling and grammar checker.
• Paraphrase, summarise or quote information acknowledging the original source (referencing) to avoid plagiarism.
• Use essay structure. Headings are permitted.
• Bullet points, figures, tables and appendices are not to be used in this assessment.
• Follow academic writing conventions: spell out contractions in full; introduce abbreviations and acronyms; spell out numbers for zero through nine and use numerals for numbers 10 and above.
• All work submitted must be your work.
• Start your reference list on a separate page to the body of your assessment.
• Use the seventh edition American Psychological Association (APA) referencing style. The CQUniversity Academic Learning Centre has an online APA Referencing Style Guide.
• The word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. The word count excludes the reference list but includes in-text references and direct quotations.
Resources
• You can use unit provided materials and other credible sources (e.g., journal articles, books) to reference your argument. The quality and credibility of your sources are important. Please note, lecture notes are not peer reviewed primary sources of evidence.
• We recommend that you access your discipline specific Social Work and Human Services Guide.
• You may like to manage your citations and reference list. Information on how to use academic referencing software (EndNote) is available at the CQUniversity Library website should you wish to learn how to use it.
• For information on academic writing and referencing please go to the Academic Learning Centre Moodle site. The Academic Communication section has many helpful resources, including information for students with English as a second language.
• You may wish to submit a draft to Studiosity.
• Submit at least one draft before the due date to review your Turnitin Similarity Score before making a final submission. Instructions are available here. Please remember, the similarity score is only a matching tool, and the score alone does not necessarily indicate or eliminate the presence of plagiarism.
Academic Integrity
1. You must abide by the principles of academic integrity (see Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure). Completion of this assessment with another party or sharing of responses is not permitted at any time.
2. The use of any generative artificial intelligence is permitted for the following purposes:
a. Gen AI content is used to generate ideas and general structures.
b. Gen AI content editing.
c. Checking spelling and grammar (for example, Grammarly).
If you use Gen AI to generate ideas, you are required to reference the Gen AI agent as per APA 7th guidelines. If you are using a Gen AI agent for content editing, please complete the declaration on the title page of your assessment. If Gen AI is not used, please delete this declaration.
Submission
Submit your assessment via the unit Moodle site in Microsoft Word format only.
Late penalties of 5% per day of the available mark may be applied as per the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Contact TASAC if you experience technical issues submitting your assessment:
• Phone toll-free 1300 666 620
• Email tasac@cqu.edu.au
Marking Criteria
Refer to the marking rubric on the Moodle site for more details on how marks will be assigned. Assessment re-attempt is not available for this Assessment task.
Minimum Pass Criteria
• You must achieve a cumulative grade of at least 49.5% across all assessments to pass this unit.
• In order for a supplementary assessment to be considered, all assessment tasks must be reasonably attempted in this unit.
Week 11 Friday (30 May 2025) 4:00 pm AEST
Submission Via Moodle
Review/Exam Week Friday (13 June 2025)
Return Via Moodle 2 weeks post due date
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Criteria |
High Distinction (84.5-100%) |
Distinction (74.5-84.49%) |
Credit (64.5-74.49%) |
Pass (49.5-64.49%) |
Fail (<49.49%) |
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Introduction (5%) |
Clearly and concisely introduces the CSIRO megatrend and wicked problem, providing strong context. Clearly outlines the essay’s structure and purpose in a logical and engaging manner. |
Introduces the CSIRO megatrend and wicked problem with good clarity. Provides a solid overview of the essay’s structure and purpose, with minor gaps. |
Addresses the CSIRO megatrend and wicked problem but lacks clarity or depth. Essay structure and purpose are mentioned but not well developed. |
Some attempt to introduce the megatrend and wicked problem but lacks coherence. Essay structure and purpose are unclear. |
Does not introduce or inaccurately identifies the CSIRO megatrend and wicked problem. No clear essay structure or purpose provided. |
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Wicked Problem and Inequality (10%) |
Provides a comprehensive, well-researched analysis of the wicked problem, its complexity, and its societal impacts. Uses high-quality academic sources and real-world examples effectively. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Clearly explains the wicked problem, its complexity, and impacts on inequality with solid academic support and real-world examples. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Provides a general explanation of the wicked problem, but lacks depth in describing inequality and societal impacts. Some evidence from literature and real-world cases. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Discusses the wicked problem, but lacks depth, clarity, or supporting evidence from literature or real-world examples. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Weak or inaccurate discussion of the wicked problem. Little or no supporting evidence. References are not genuine or may not align with the written content. |
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Social Innovation Solution (20%) |
Clearly identifies a relevant social innovation and strongly connects it to the wicked problem and inequality. Provides a detailed and deep analysis supported by academic literature and real-world applications. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Identifies a relevant social innovation and explains its connection to the wicked problem and inequality with good depth. Uses supporting evidence but may lack a deep analysis. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Discusses a social innovation, but the connection to the wicked problem is not well developed or lacks supporting evidence. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Mentions a social innovation but does not clearly link it to inequality or the wicked problem. Limited evidence provided. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Fails to identify or incorrectly describes a social innovation. No clear connection to the wicked problem. References are not genuine or may not align with the written content. |
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Human-Centred Design for Change (20%) |
Provides a strong, well-supported discussion of how human-centred design (HCD) informs social innovation. Clearly explains how HCD supports equality and social change with literature and real-world examples. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Explains human-centred design (HCD) in relation to social innovation and equality. Uses academic sources and real-world examples effectively, though some areas could be more developed. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Describes human-centred design, but its role in identifying social innovations and promoting equality lacks depth or strong supporting evidence. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Basic mention of human-centred design but lacks clear connection to social innovation and equality. Minimal supporting evidence. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
No or incorrect discussion of human-centred design. No clear understanding of its relevance. References are not genuine or do not align with the written content. |
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Reflection on Barriers to Change (20%) |
Provides a highly insightful and deep reflection on barriers to social/environmental change at individual, community, organisational, and government levels. Uses literature and real-world examples effectively. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Discusses key barriers to change at multiple levels with good supporting evidence. Some areas may lack depth in critical reflection. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Identifies barriers to change, but the discussion is superficial or lacks supporting evidence from literature or real-world examples. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Briefly mentions barriers to change but lacks depth, clear examples, or structured analysis. References are genuine and align with the written content. |
Fails to discuss barriers to change or does so in a highly superficial or inaccurate manner. References are not genuine or do not align with the written content. |
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Conclusion (5%) |
Provides a concise and compelling summary of the key points. Offers a thoughtful reflection on the value of social innovation and human-centred design in promoting equality and social change. |
Summarises key points well and reflects on social innovation and HCD’s role in change, though some points could be more developed. |
Summarises the essay but lacks strong reflection or depth in discussing the importance of social innovation and HCD. |
Provides a weak or unclear conclusion, with little connection to the main discussion points. |
No conclusion or highly unclear summary of the discussion. |
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Originality and quality of the argument (10%)
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The assignment demonstrates excellent personalised and original writing that reflects the student’s voice and understanding. |
The assignment demonstrates very good personalised and original writing that mostly reflects the student’s voice and understanding. |
The assignment demonstrates good personalised and original writing that often reflects the student’s voice with some anomalies in writing. |
The student’s writing demonstrates some evidence of their personal writing style and voice, but shows a lack of originality in parts, generic writing or formal writing. |
The writing shows a lack of originality, is generic or overly formal, and may lack context and relevance to the content. |
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In-text referencing (5%)
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Consistently integrates references to support and reflect all ideas, information, and quotations. Consistently accurate with in-text referencing.
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Generally, integrates references to support and reflect ideas, information, and quotations with a few exceptions. Mostly consistent in-text referencing errors. |
Frequently integrates references to support and reflect ideas, information, and quotations, with 3 or 4 exceptions. Several consistent in-text referencing errors. |
Occasionally integrates references to support and reflect ideas, information, and quotations, with numerous exceptions. Frequent in-text referencing errors. |
Fails to or infrequent attempts (>6 errors) to integrate references to support & reflect ideas, information & quotations. In-text referencing fails to demonstrate understanding of APA referencing style. |
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Use of references, reference list & APA style (5%)
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A minimum of 10 up-to-date references were used including 5 journal articles as well as relevant books & websites. The reference list appears in alphabetical order. It fully adheres to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines. |
A minimum of 10 up-to-date references were used including 4 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. The reference list appears in alphabetical order. Generally, adheres to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines with only a few consistent reference list errors. |
A minimum of 10 up-to-date references were used including 3 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. The reference list appears in alphabetical order. Frequently adheres to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines but with several consistent reference list errors. |
A minimum of 10 up-to-date references were used including 2 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. The reference list appears in alphabetical order. Occasionally adheres to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines but with numerous consistent reference list errors. |
The required number of 10 references is not used. Journal articles are not sourced. Most references are not up to date. Chosen websites are not credible. The reference list does not appear in alphabetical order and/or it does not adhere to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines due to multiple errors. |
- Explain how social innovation can address wicked social problems
- Apply human centred design principles and re-framing to a social change problem
- Explain your role in generating positive social and environmental change.
- Critical Thinking
- Ethical practice
- Social Innovation
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
