Overview
In this unit, you will investigate a learning and teaching phenomenon of professional or personal relevance through a review of current trends in tertiary education at national and international levels. The outocmes of this investigation will be used to assist in designing and proposing needed changes to teaching practice. Using Ernst Boyer’s four-part Scholarship of Learning and Teaching model as a guide, this Unit will broaden your conception of what constitutes knowledge, evidence, practice and scholarship in learning and teaching.
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 - 2018
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 Postgraduate 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 pass/fail (non-graded) unit. To pass the unit, you must pass all of the individual assessment tasks shown in the table above.
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.
- Explore published research in response to specific information needs
- Investigate your own teaching practice in light of current research findings
- Synthesise information from a variety of sources to create robust arguments
- Document proposed changes to teaching practice in ways that are concrete and persuasive.
N/A
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Written Assessment - 0% | ||||
2 - Literature Review or Systematic Review - 0% | ||||
3 - Reflective Practice Assignment - 0% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Knowledge | ||||
2 - Communication | ||||
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
4 - Research | ||||
5 - Self-management | ||||
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
7 - Leadership | ||||
8 - 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 | |
1 - Written Assessment - 0% | ||||||||
2 - Literature Review or Systematic Review - 0% | ||||||||
3 - Reflective Practice Assignment - 0% |
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Zoom Conferencing (Webcam and Microphone)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
j.dargusch@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to research in the scholarship of learning and teaching
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom sessions (to be negotiated as necessary)
Module/Topic
The nexus between teaching and research
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom sessions (to be negotiated as necessary)
Module/Topic
Identifying a research problem or issue relating to the scholarship of learning and teaching
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom sessions (to be negotiated as necessary)
Module/Topic
Undertaking a literature review to inform the research proposal
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom sessions (to be negotiated as necessary)
Module/Topic
What is a research proposal and why is it important?
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom sessions (to be negotiated as necessary)
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Engaging with the literature
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom sessions (to be negotiated as necessary)
Research Proposal Due: Week 6 Monday (16 Apr 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Research Design
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom sessions (to be negotiated as necessary)
Module/Topic
Methodological and ethical issues
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom sessions (to be negotiated as necessary)
Literature Review Presentation Due: Week 8 Monday (30 Apr 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Formalising a research proposal
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom sessions (to be negotiated as necessary)
Module/Topic
Evaluating your research
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom sessions (to be negotiated as necessary)
Module/Topic
Disseminating the outcomes from research
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom sessions (to be negotiated as necessary)
Module/Topic
Summary and reflections
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom sessions (to be negotiated as necessary)
Module/Topic
Students will give final presentations and submit Final Reports
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
Summary
All research proposals, regardless of the audience and focus of the research share some common characteristics.
· First of all, a research proposal should demonstrate the need for the research. Typically to demonstrate the need, you must first review the relevant literature to determine what is already known and identify gaps in knowledge that need to be addressed.
· The proposal should also specify the aims and research questions. Clearly specified research questions are the basis for making appropriate and informed research planning decisions. Research questions are linked to your observations drawn from practice, review of the literature, your aims for the research, methodological approach and anticipated outcomes. Research questions in effect are the basis for all your research design decisions.
· The research design is the most important part of the research. If the research design is flawed, nothing can be done to salvage the data collected and the project as a whole. Therefore, a research proposal must provide a detailed description of the chosen approach or methods you plan to apply to yield data that can answer the research questions. The design will also need to show evidence of considering and addressing all potential ethical challenges that might be met in conducting the research.
· The research proposal should also provide a succinct outline of the anticipated outcomes (including deliverables) and milestones to ensure the project is feasible and the outcomes achievable within available timelines.
Your research proposal will vary according to your choice of final project artefact. The research proposal will, however, build on your postings to the reflective journal in presenting your plan in a more structured format. Since most students will choose a final deliverable that will be a formal research proposal for an internal or external grant, an ethics application for research you plan to undertake in the future, or a conference/journal paper based on your review of the literature and findings from research you have previously conducted, or demonstrating the gaps in the literature demonstrating the need for future research, your proposal will effectively be a draft of what you plan to develop for Assessment 3.
Structure
Your research proposal should be 1,500-2,000 words submitted online as a Word document by the start of Week 6. This is a formal proposal even though it may form the draft of your final deliverable.
The proposal should be presented as a scholarly piece of work written in third-person voice. The style of writing should be clear and the document should show coherence and logical development of the argument for the research.
References must be cited using the APA 6 or Harvard style of referencing for citations within the body of the text as well as in the reference list.
Support
Support for completing this assessment includes:
1. Weekly zoom sessions (where necessary)
2. Unit readings.
3. An online forum discussion for sharing resources and discussing module materials
4. Weekly forum discussion - peers and course coordinator
Week 6 Monday (16 Apr 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Submit your word document through Moodle
Week 7 Monday (23 Apr 2018)
Students will receive written feedback on this assessment via email.
The task will be assessed according to the following criteria:
1. Consideration of and reflections on the nature of the research question or problem, and any ethical issues that may arise, challenging your existing assumptions about the issue and documenting alternative points of view gained from your research.
2. A proposed set of aims and research questions that you wish to develop and include in your formal research proposal.
3. Proposed research approach (methodology) you plan to undertake to address the research questions.
4. A literature review incorporating your research findings demonstrating an understanding of the topic under investigation and your ability to synthesise the findings into a coherent piece of writing with cited references (APA 6 or Harvard format) to support your argument. Include reference section at the end listing at least 5 academic sources that you have cited in your research.
5. Timelines and deliverables
- Investigate your own teaching practice in light of current research findings
- Synthesise information from a variety of sources to create robust arguments
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
2 Literature Review or Systematic Review
Summary
As researchers, we often interact with multiple communities about what we do: sharing our methods and findings, soliciting feedback and information about impact, and creating new networks for further work. One common vehicle for such engagement is oral presentation - often given at conferences and other research settings. The focus of this presentation is on your developing research proposal and the aim is for you to receive feedback to refine the proposal and work in progress final project deliverable for the unit.
Structure.
The Oral Presentations will be conducted during our weekly zoom session in Week 8 (this will be a longer two hour session for Week 8 only). Your presentation should be 20 minutes in duration inclusive of question time and any materials (for example PowerPoint slides) should be submitted online three days prior to the session.
Support.
Students will receive support for this task as follows:
1. Guidelines for conducting online presentations.
2. Class readings.
3. Online forum discussion
Week 8 Monday (30 Apr 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
It is expected that all students will make themselves available on the day/time of the Scholarly Symposium to present their Course Project and receive support and feedback from other students and the instructor.
Week 9 Monday (7 May 2018)
Students will receive written feedback on this assessment via email.
This assessment task will be assessed using the following criteria:
1. Synthesis. The presentation contains an effective summarisation of their proposal.
2. Reflection. The presentation also offers the student's insights into their own growth as a researcher, based on their experiences while engaging in the course.
3. Communication and presentation. The presentation is free from grammatical and spelling errors. The language is accessible to those outside the discipline. The presentation contains the level of detail needed to communicate the essential points. The presentation does not exceed the maximum time limit (20 minutes) and includes time for questions.
- Explore published research in response to specific information needs
- Synthesise information from a variety of sources to create robust arguments
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
3 Presentation and Written Assessment
Summary.
This assessment task is the final written component of the course, first proposed in your research proposal. The specifics of these documents will be negotiated between the student and the instructor, including:
· scope of inquiry
· depth of analysis
· effective use of arguments
· structure of final deliverable
Structure
The final deliverable should represent a synthesis and refinement of the work completed for assessments one and two, rather than a completely new body of work. The expected word count is 3,000 words, building and refining the written work previously produced for assessments, in response to feedback already received.
Support
Students are expected to proactively seek support for completion of the task throughout the term. Key support sources include:
1. Weekly zoom sessions
2. Informal consultations with the instructor as needed
3. Course readings
4. Online forum discussions
5. Ongoing formative and summative feedback
Review/Exam Week Monday (4 June 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Final product submitted through Moodle.
Exam Week Friday (15 June 2018)
Students will receive written feedback on this assessment via email
While the nature and the scope of the final project deliverable will vary somewhat between students, all deliverables will be assessed by the final criteria
1. Communication and presentation. This document is written in clear and concise language. The structure of the document is in alignment with professional standards for the genre selected (conference paper, grant proposal, etc).
2. Scholarly use of literature. Effective use of critical elements of the Literature Review to create or support compelling arguments and demonstrating an understanding of the topic under investigation and your ability to synthesise the findings into a coherent piece of writing with cited references (APA 6 or Harvard format). Include reference section at the end listing all academic sources that you have cited in your research deliverable.
3. Effective use of arguments. In your deliverable, you will be creating propositions (arguments) about the need for the research, the quality of your work, and the potential impact of your findings.
- Investigate your own teaching practice in light of current research findings
- Document proposed changes to teaching practice in ways that are concrete and persuasive.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
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.