Unit Synopsis
The aim of this unit is to allow students to develop a comprehensive understanding of the theories and concepts behind different approaches to community. These concepts and ideas will be used to inform a consideration of the role of qualitative methodologies in working with and researching communities, including the place of action research and participatory research. Processes that will be examined include community profiling and needs assessment, and specific methods that will be considered include focus groups and interviews. The unit includes a discussion of how identified research outcomes may lead to the development of community interventions, such as project or resource development. The unit concludes with a discussion of some of the key trends, issues and concerns in contemporary community discourse. This unit will assist those that intend to work in community settings by fostering an understanding of the interplay between theoretical approaches, conceptual perspectives, and the methodological considerations needed to work appropriately and effectively with diverse communities
Details
| Level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Unit Level | 2 |
| Credit Points | 6 |
| Student Contribution Band | SCA Band 4 |
| Fraction of Full-Time Student Load | 0.125 |
| Pre-requisites or Co-requisites |
Prerequisite: SOCL 11055
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). |
| Class Timetable | View Unit Timetable |
| Residential School | No Residential School |
Unit Availabilities from Term 1 - 2026
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.
Assessment Tasks
| Assessment Task | Weighting |
|---|---|
| 1. Written Assessment | 40% |
| 2. Written Assessment | 40% |
| 3. Online Quiz(zes) | 20% |
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%).
Past Exams
All University policies are available on the Policy web site, however you may wish to directly view the following policies below.
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of policies are available on the Policy web site .
Term 1 - 2014 : The overall satisfaction for students in the last offering of this course was 92.86% (`Agree` and `Strongly Agree` responses), based on a 87.5% response rate.
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.
Source: Have Your Say student survey
that I was able to contact the lecturer and have things explained if I didn't understand them. Assessments were returned on time with good feedback
This style of learning and teaching pedagogy will continue to be provided.
In Progress
Source: Have Your Say student survey
I think the freedom of applying the assessments to fields or areas in which I am interested in was amazing and definitely helped me grasp the concepts easier.
This course comes from the Sociology discipline, where we encourage critical and independent thinking. The course is designed with that in mind, while still engaging the students.
In Progress
Source: Have Your Say student survey
I think everything was fine!
Happy students, happy lectrurer, happy supervisor, happy university.
In Progress
Source: Have Your Say student survey
I think Wendy's feedback has really helped me learn and if I need to speak or clarify things with Wendy she is willing to hear my concerns.
This style of learning and teaching pedagogy will continue to be provided.
In Progress
Source: Have Your Say student survey
Maybe have the powerpoint presentations available for printing.
This is a good point and will be done beginning in 2015.
In Progress
Source: Have Your Say student survey
The readings are very focussed. As I study for the quiz I realised how much I missed in weeks 4 and 5. Don't know how I didn't take it all in the first time. The point is that the readings are really good and I've learnt that sometimes they are worth going over a second time, reading and taking in a bit more.
Readings have been chosen with care to reflect and enhance the topic for each week.
In Progress
Source: Have Your Say student survey
The course resources have been highly relevant to the assessments and quiz. Wendy is a great lecturer, her positive and encouraging attitude has encouraged me throughout the term, the feed back she gives is exellent as it is very informative and done in such a positive manner that she realy encourages, and supports students, good on you Wendy.
As above. Happy students, happy lectrurer, happy supervisor, happy university.
In Progress
Source: Have Your Say student survey
An online session about three weeks before each assignment is due would be a help. I wouldn't think that any more is needed,
A Blackboard Collaborate session will be considered in the future to fill this gap.
In Progress
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Understand the way community is a complex and debated concept as well as a real entity
- Critically examine the trends and issues in contemporary community issues
- Conceptualise a range of theories and perspectives that offer important insights into what community is and help us to formulate frameworks for community studies
- Begin to develop practical skills necessary for undertaking community analysis
- Develop an ability to identify the issues that are central to any particular community
- Develop a sensitivity to ethical issues, and a commitment to appropriate professional standards, in relation to community analysis
- Develop an awareness of the knowledge and skills relevant for understanding community, and undertaking community analysis, in ways that (if appropriate to your work) will enhance policy formulation, decision making and professional practice more generally
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment | • | • | • | • | • | • | |
| 2 - Written Assessment | • | • | • | • | • | • | |
| 3 - Online Quiz(zes) | • | • | |||||
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |
| 1 - Communication | • | • | • | • | • | • | • |
| 2 - Problem Solving | • | • | • | • | • | • | • |
| 3 - Critical Thinking | • | • | • | • | • | • | • |
| 4 - Information Literacy | • | • | • | • | • | • | • |
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | • | • | • | • | • | • | • |
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | • | • | • | • | • | • | • |
| 8 - Ethical practice | • | • | • | • | • | • | • |
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment | • | • | • | • | • | ||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment | • | • | • | • | • | • | |||||
| 3 - Online Quiz(zes) | • | • | • | • | • | • | |||||