Although students will discuss their proposed project topic or work placement (as defined within Assignment 2) with the academic supervisor in the first weeks of term, Assignment 1, will provide formal confirmation and feedback on the student's intended approach in the form of a written proposal and scope of works.

To satisfy the criteria for Assignment 1, students must:

1. submit a project proposal in Microsoft Word/PowerPoint format that provides an overview of the proposed project or work placement (due end of week 3);
2. define a topic for the 2000-word academic essay which forms part of the assessment for this unit (ideally the topic will relate to your proposed project or placement), and
3. participate in the mandatory online Zoom session in week 4 to receive feedback about their proposed project from staff.

Notes about the project proposal task:

• The 'academic supervisor' will generally be the unit coordinator. However, in some instances it may be a digital media staff member, or external client depending on the nature of the individual project (or work placement)
• The proposal document should be succinct - no more than two pages if written (1000 words), and no more than five slides if presented as a PowerPoint. Refer to 'Project Proposal Requirements' (below) for specific information.
• Participation in the week 4 Zoom session is compulsory. The purpose of this sessions is to get feedback from academic staff as to the scope of your project, and to facilitate conversation about issues and opportunities. It is intended as a formative, open session. If you have a legitimate reason for non-attendance you will need to negotiate an alternative appointment with the unit coordinator. Details about how to connect using Zoom are available via the unit website.
• Although you may have started your project in consultation with the unit coordinator, you are required to participate in the week 4 Zoom session to receive early guidance and feedback about your proposal.
• Ensure that you familiarise yourself with Assignment 2 at the start of term as all activities (except academic research project) have additional tasks in the form of a reflective journal AND a 2000-word essay which must be considered as part of your planning process.

PROPOSAL DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS

Project option 1: Digital media project (120 hours work)

If your project involves the development of a digital media product to demonstrate advanced production skills, the project details such as the specific discipline, product that will be created, and the intended audience for the product (e.g. self or client) must first be approved by the unit coordinator.

A 'Digital Media Project' proposal will include:

• background information about the project or the inspiration for the product, and the intended audience;
• a description of the digital media product that will be created (e.g. video, animation, digital game, website, mobile application, 3D modelled environment or characters, PDF publication);
• details of your proposed work activities;
• the duration of the project, a schedule of activities, and associated deliverables i.e. a Gantt chart, spreadsheet or similar which explains how you will use the mandatory 120 hours and what you will produce.
• the resources that are required to complete the project;
• the desired learning outcomes i.e. what you intend to achieve by the end of the project;
• the name and contact details of your academic supervisor, or external client, who will provide a report on your performance at the end of the term, and
• the title of the proposed 2000-word academic essay topic that will support your project (and should relate to it).

Project option 2: Portfolio of digital media works (120 hours work)

A 'Portfolio of Digital Media Works' proposal will include:

• a description of the career path that you intend to pursue and the kinds of employers who will eventually view your portfolio;
• a description of the digital media works that will be showcased and how they will be presented (e.g. DVD show-reel, online video, website, animation, comic book);
• details of your proposed work activities;
• the duration of the project, a schedule of activities, and associated deliverables i.e. a Gantt chart, spreadsheet or similar which explains how you will use the mandatory 120 hours and what you will produce.
• the resources that are required to complete the project;
• the desired learning outcomes i.e. what you intend to achieve by the end of the project;
• the name and contact details of your academic supervisor, or external mentor, who will provide a report on your performance at the end of the term, and
• the title of the proposed 2000-word academic essay topic that will support your project (and should relate to it).

Project option 3: Work Integrated Learning (WIL) placement (120 hours work)

A 'Work Integrated Learning (WIL)' proposal will include:

• background information about the workplace, its location, and its operations;
• details of your proposed work activities;
• the duration of the work placement and a schedule of activities;
• the desired learning outcomes i.e. what you intend to achieve by the end of the project;
• a completed copy of the Practicum Insurance Form (available from the unit web site);
• the name and contact details of your workplace supervisor who will provide a report on your performance at the end of the term, and
• the title of the proposed 2000-word academic essay topic that will support your placement (and should relate to it).

Notes regarding WIL placements:

• Students are generally required to have a grade point average (GPA) of 5 or above to be considered for a WIL placement with an external organisation.
• Students who are interested in pursuing a WIL placement (must have a digital media focus) are encouraged to contact organisations in their region directly before, or in the initial week, of term 2.
• Although the unit coordinator may be aware of some WIL positions, these are traditionally offered in regions surrounding the core CQUniversity campuses in Central and North Queensland. The unit coordinator will make a list of any such opportunities available during week 1.
  
• If you are already employed, you may consider completing a project within your regular work environment in consultation with the unit coordinator. In this situation, the project must be outside the scope of your normal duties, and it must have the support of your workplace supervisor. For example, a student who is a normally employed as part-time marketing officer might arrange to work on web design for 10 hours per week for their project.
• Work placements are not normally paid. Any payment between an employer and student is subject to individual agreement between that employer and student.
• Work placements must be for no less than 120 hours. How you complete the hours for your work placement will depend upon the project, your circumstances, and the preferences of your workplace supervisor. Some students complete block placements by working full-time for a period of three or four weeks. Other students work for two days per week over a period of eight or nine weeks. The start and end dates of your work placement can be negotiated with the unit coordinator.
• Employers often ask students to arrange insurance cover for themselves while they are engaged in work experience or other study-related work activities. The Practicum Insurance Form and the Practicum Insurance Student Information sheet, available from the unit web site, provide details of the insurance cover that CQUniversity has arranged for students who undertake approved unpaid voluntary work experience. The completed form should be given to your workplace supervisor at the beginning of the project, and a copy should be sent to the unit coordinator. If any matter involving insurance arises during your work placement, please provide details to the unit coordinator by email and copy the message to insurance@cqu.edu.au.

Project option 4: Academic research (120 hours work)

The research project is a 6000-word dissertation (formal academic document) with a digital media focus that has been devised in consultation with your research supervisor. For example, the dissertation might include essential background information, the purpose of the study, the research questions, the significance of the study, a review of relevant literature, the research method, results, discussion and a conclusion. The exact structure of the dissertation will depend on the nature of the research project and the research method that was employed.

An 'Academic Research' proposal will include:

• background information about the research problem or question that will be investigated;
• the aims of the project and a statement of the research problem or question;
• a broad overview of scholarly literature that is relevant to your project;
• an outline of your research design i.e. how you plan to investigate the research problem or question;
• the duration of the project and a schedule of activities;
• the resources that are required to complete the project, and
• the name and contact details of your research supervisor who will provide a report on your performance at the end of the term.

• This is a pass/fail assessment.
• A pass is based on the unit coordinator's opinion that the project can be successfully achieved, taking into consideration known constraints e.g. time-frame, proposed scope of works etc.
• Re-submissions are permitted.
• Students MUST attend a compulsory Zoom video conference in week 4 to gain feedback about their project proposal (refer to unit profile / website).

Assignment 2 requires you to PRESENT the outcomes of the approved project that you proposed in Assignment 1.

Your project will be one of the following activities, and MUST equate to 120 hours (minimum) work:

• the development of a digital media product that demonstrates advanced production skills;
• the development of a portfolio of digital media works to show prospective employers;
• a digital media-related Work Integrated Learning (WIL) placement with an approved organisation (minimum of 120 hours); or
• a formal academic research project with a digital media focus.

The outcomes that need to be presented will depend on the nature of your project, as described in the sections that follow. Each project will be unique, but the ultimate requirement will be the same in each case: you MUST provide evidence of the work you have done.

Outcomes: Digital media product

If your project involves the development of a digital media product that demonstrates advanced production skills, you must submit the following outcomes for assessment:

1. the digital media product that was created (e.g. video, animation, web site, mobile application, PDF publication);
2. a reflective journal containing regular entries that document your 120 project hours, and provide critically reflective thoughts about your experience during the project and associated tasks, and
3. a 2000-word essay based on a research question that (ideally) relates to your project and was proposed and approved in Assignment 1.

Outcomes: Portfolio of digital media works

If your project involves the development of a portfolio of digital media works to show prospective employers, you must submit the following outcomes for assessment:

1. the portfolio of digital media works that was created;
2. a reflective journal containing regular entries that document your 120 project hours, and provide critically reflective thoughts about your experience during the project and associated tasks, and
3. a 2000-word essay based on a research question that (ideally) relates to your project and was proposed and approved in Assignment 1.

Outcomes: Work Integrated Learning (WIL) placement

If your project involves a digital media-related work placement with an external organisation, you must submit the following outcomes for assessment:

1. the portfolio of work that was produced during the placement;
2. a reflective journal containing regular entries that document your 120 placement hours, and provide critically reflective thoughts about your experience during the project and associated tasks, and
3. a 2000-word essay based on a research question that (ideally) relates to your project and was proposed and approved in Assignment 1.

Outcomes: Academic research

If your project involves academic research with a digital media focus, you must submit a 6000-word dissertation that presents the outcome of your project in a format that has been devised in consultation with your research supervisor.

For example, the dissertation might include:

• essential background information;
• the purpose of the study;
• the research questions;
• the significance of the study;
• a review of relevant literature;
• the research method;
• results;
• discussion, and
• a conclusion.

However, the exact structure of the dissertation will depend on the nature of the research project and the research method that was employed.

Reflective journals

Most projects require students to submit a reflective journal containing regular entries that document your thoughts and experiences during the project. If that requirement applies to you, ensure you critically reflect on your experiences. Comment on your progress, problems you have encountered, and the skills and knowledge you have gained. You should be aiming to improve the quality of your work and your project experience every day. For example, imagine that you encountered a difficulty on the first day of a work placement whereby your supervisor's directions lacked clarity and you felt uncomfortable asking questions. In that case, you should make a note of the incident, how you felt about it, and what you are going to do to improve the situation.

The assessment criteria will vary depending on whether students select the media product, work placement, or research topic. Marking matrices are available on the DGTL13005 website.

Generally, assessment criteria relates to:

• adherence to the requirements of the task;
• evidence of work undertaken, and a clear explanation of how the 120 hours allocated to the project have been spent;
• quality of digital media assets produced;
• quality of writing and referencing;
  
• evidence of improvement/learning, and 
  
• overall presentation & professionalism.
  

This component of the assessment will generally be completed by the unit coordinator who will appraise your work using industry, professional or academic standards.

If your project involved the participation of an external client, workplace, research or academic supervisor, the unit coordinator will liaise with that individual to obtain the necessary information to complete the appraisal.  Students doing an external work placement must submit the contact details of their immediate workplace supervisor with their proposal (keeping these details up to date is the student's responsibility). The unit coordinator/academic supervisor will contact the workplace or project supervisor after reviewing the student's portfolio submission.

The supervisor appraisal form is available on the DGTL13005 website.

• Assessment criteria will vary depending on whether the student has chosen a work placement, media product or research project.
• Criteria will include ability, reliability, response to feedback, and presentation.