Overview
Volunteering provides an opportunity to develop civic awareness and participation as well as developing personal skills of self-understanding, discretion and learning to work with others.This unit allows students to engage with communities in a way that encourages them to use their volunteering experiences to promote a deeper understanding of community as well as their role within their communities as professionals upon graduation. It encourages students to understand the theory that underpins volunteering activities and to apply this thinking to their own experiences. Students are expected to volunteer for a minimum of 25 hours with a community agency.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Successful completion of 48 credit points.
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 2 - 2024
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 evaluation
One of the assessment marking rubrics (unidentified) could be further clarified.
All assessment and evaluation rubrics are routinely reviewed and explained during relevant tutorials. Further explanation will continue to be provided as required.
- Evaluate the role volunteering plays in building communities.
- Apply the theory associated with volunteering in a community setting.
- Realistically reflect on learning resulting from volunteering experiences.
- Demonstrate communication and culturally competent skills and knowledge appropriate to the volunteer experience.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 0% | ||||
| 2 - Portfolio - 10% | ||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 25% | ||||
| 4 - Portfolio - 65% | ||||
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 - Written Assessment - 0% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Portfolio - 10% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 25% | ||||||||||
| 4 - Portfolio - 65% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Learning through serving
Edition: Second (2013)
Authors: Cress, Collier, Reitenauer & Associates
Stylus
Sterling Sterling , Virginia , United States of America
Binding: Paperback
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Zoom
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
d.trott@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Module 1: Preparation for your community experience (Weeks 1-2)
Chapter
Cress et al. (2013) Chapters 1-3 (pp. 9-47)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial (Zoom)
Module/Topic
Module 1: Preparation for your community experience (Weeks 1-2)
Chapter
Cress et al. (2013) Chapters 1-3 (pp. 9-47)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 2: Establishing your community experience (Weeks 3-4)
Chapter
Cress et al. (2013) Chapters 4-5 (pp. 51-91).
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial (Zoom)
Volunteer Placement Negotiation Due: Week 3 Friday (26 July 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Module 2: Establishing your community experience (Weeks 3-4)
Chapter
Cress et al. (2013) Chapters 4-5 (pp. 51-91)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Formative Portfolio Due: Week 4 Friday (2 Aug 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Module 3: Learning from your community experience (Weeks 5-6)
Chapter
Cress et al. (2013) Chapter 6-10 (pp. 95-159)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial (Zoom)
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 3: Learning from your community experience (Weeks 5-6)
Chapter
Cress et al. (2013) Chapter 6-10 (pp. 95-159)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 4: Reflecting on and evaluating your community experience (Weeks 7-12)
Chapter
Cress et al. (2013) Chapters 11-14 (pp. 163-205).
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial (Zoom)
Module/Topic
Module 4: Reflecting on and evaluating your community experience (Weeks 7-12)
Chapter
Cress et al. (2013) Chapters 11-14 (pp. 163-205).
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 4: Reflecting on and evaluating your community experience (Weeks 7-12)
Chapter
Cress et al. (2013) Chapters 11-14 (pp. 163-205).
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial (Zoom)
Essay Due: Week 9 Friday (13 Sept 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Module 4: Reflecting on and evaluating your community experience (Weeks 7-12)
Chapter
Cress et al. (2013) Chapters 11-14 (pp. 163-205).
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 4: Reflecting on and evaluating your community experience (Weeks 7-12)
Chapter
Cress et al. (2013) Chapters 11-14 (pp. 163-205).
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial (Zoom)
Module/Topic
Module 4: Reflecting on and evaluating your community experience (Weeks 7-12)
Chapter
Cress et al. (2013) Chapters 11-14 (pp. 163-205).
Events and Submissions/Topic
Portfolio Due: Week 12 Friday (4 Oct 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
For this assessment, you will need to negotiate at least 25 hours of volunteer experience with a community-based organisation. The 25 hours can be undertaken in any format, for example, you could complete your 25 hours by committing to an hour a week, or an hour a day, the choice is yours.
The definition of a Community-Based Organisation (CBO) can be broadly defined as:
'A not-for-profit organisation with management and volunteers drawn from the local community and organisational functions designed to address the needs of local groups of people in the community. CBOs may take multiple forms, such as industry associations, community housing organisations, faith based organisations, youth groups, community-support groups, arts and cultural groups, environmental groups, nursing homes, school or education groups, and sporting groups.'
Previously students have volunteered their time with the Salvation Army, Meals on Wheels, Sporting organisations, Life Ed Australia, Surf Lifesaving Australia, etc. To be clear this is NOT a work placement, you are volunteering your time to learn about the process of volunteering for the benefit of your community.
Your negotiation with your community-based organisation will require you to complete a Volunteer Experience Negotiation and a CQUniversity Risk Assessment, copies of both forms are available on the Moodle site. Both are to be completed with the assistance of the community-based organisation. Please note, University Insurance will not cover you unless your negotiation and risk assessment forms have been completed and approved by your Unit Coordinator prior to starting your volunteer experience. It is most important that you confirm with the Unit Coordinator any high risk activities likely to be encountered during your volunteering, and have relevant controls approved, before undertaking your future volunteering role.
NB: The negotiation and risk assessment must be confirmed as passed by the Unit Coordinator before you can commence volunteering with your Community Based Organisation. No exceptions.
Week 3 Friday (26 July 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 5 Friday (9 Aug 2024)
This assessment has no weighting, it is a Pass/Fail.
- Apply the theory associated with volunteering in a community setting.
- Communication
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Portfolio
You are required to undertake a number of prescribed activities allocated from your textbook for Modules 1 and 2. You must complete these and submit them in short answer format.
Prescribed activities include:
- Module 1: Exercises 1.2, 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 3.3.
- Module 2: Exercises 4.1, 4.5, 5.1, 5.3, 5.5.
Feedback provided in the marking of this formative portfolio will guide you in the completion of Modules 3 & 4, as part of the final portfolio. There is no prescribed format for this task. However, the portfolio will take the form of a Q&A, with consecutively listed exercise questions followed by your response. Use appropriate evidence to support your responses to the exercise questions. A Table of Contents and Executive Summary are not necessary. (Length: N/A)
Week 4 Friday (2 Aug 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 7 Friday (30 Aug 2024)
You will be assessed according to the following:
High Distinction: Evidence of deep reflection and/or comprehensive application of topic to own experiences.
Distinction: Evidence of considered and consistent reflection and/or application of topic to own experiences.
Credit: Evidence of broad reflection and/or application of topic to own experiences.
Pass: Evidence of some, but inconsistent, reflection and/or application of topic to own experiences.
Fail: Little or no evidence or reflection or application of topic to own experiences.
- Evaluate the role volunteering plays in building communities.
- Apply the theory associated with volunteering in a community setting.
- Realistically reflect on learning resulting from volunteering experiences.
- Demonstrate communication and culturally competent skills and knowledge appropriate to the volunteer experience.
- Communication
- Information Literacy
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
3 Written Assessment
Write an essay, evaluating the role of volunteering in building communities. Contrast the benefits and risks associated with service learning units for undergraduate students. For every identified service learning risk provide a possible solution to reduce or eliminate the risk all together.
Use appropriate evidence to support your statements.
Length: 1500 words (10% under- 20% over is acceptable).
Week 9 Friday (13 Sept 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 11 Friday (27 Sept 2024)
This assessment task will be assessed according to the following criteria:
Relevance (5%)
- summarises relevant service learning information from credible and reputable sources
- essay is relevant to the scenario
- makes appropriate connections between evidence, opinion and recommendations
- uses appropriate methodology to assess risks
Validity (10%)
- depth and extent of discussion of the evidence presented
- accuracy of the application of evidence to opinion and recommendations
- draws appropriate conclusions from assessment of risks
- opinion and recommendations have been based on critical thought, analysis of the evidence and synthesis of new ideas
- depth and range of evidence
Organisation (5%)
- quality of consideration of the required components- evaluation of role of volunteering in building communities, benefits and risks of service learning for undergraduate students, recommendations to reduce or eliminate risks are reasonable
- structure and flow of information
- coherence and clarity of expression (spelling, grammar, syntax)
Presentation (5%)
- style and formatting of report
- typographical matters (types, font, etc.)
- referencing is consistent and in accordance with CQU Harvard or APA styles
- length
Please see the detailed marking rubric found on the Moodle site for a breakdown of the criteria according to grades.
- Evaluate the role volunteering plays in building communities.
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
4 Portfolio
The final portfolio provides an overview of your key learning achieved during your volunteering experience. The portfolio will consist of two parts:
1) Prescribed activities - allocated from your textbook for Modules 3 and 4. You must complete these in short answer format.
Prescribed activities include:
- Module 3: Exercises 6.1, 7.1, 8.2, 8.5, 9.3, 10.5.
- Module 4: Exercises 11.3, 13.2, 14.3.
The prescribed format for this task takes the form of a Q&A, with consecutively listed exercise questions followed by your response. Use appropriate evidence to support your responses to the exercise questions. There is no need to provide an Executive Summary, Introduction, Discussion or Conclusion. (Length: N/A)
2) Critical reflection - a first person reflection on your volunteer experience overall. Your reflection should refer to your civic engagement in the context of all the prescribed exercises allocated previously from the textbook, connecting these exercises with your volunteer experience. Your reflection can be as a written essay (Length: 2000 words; 10% under- 20% over is acceptable), a video or an audio production (15-20 minutes), or any other format negotiated with the Unit Coordinator.
Week 12 Friday (4 Oct 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Results for final assessment are released following Certification of grades.
Your portfolio will be marked according to the following criteria: 1) Application of learning to community setting (25%); 2) Reflection on experiences (20%); 3) Communication and cultural competence (20%).
Please see the detailed marking rubric found on the Moodle site for a breakdown of the criteria according to grades.
- Evaluate the role volunteering plays in building communities.
- Apply the theory associated with volunteering in a community setting.
- Realistically reflect on learning resulting from volunteering experiences.
- Demonstrate communication and culturally competent skills and knowledge appropriate to the volunteer experience.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Team Work
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
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?
