Overview
In this unit you will study Australian theatre, First Nations and non-Indigenous, from the colonial period to the present day. By studying the creative journeys of significant contemporary Australian theatre, film and television practitioners, you will gain an understanding of how the social context impacts the ongoing evolution of drama on stage and on-screen in Australia. Also through the exploration of past and current interpretations of a range of Australian scripts, you will learn about theatre, film and television’s contribution to shaping Australian identity.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite: Minimum of 18 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 1 - 2023
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 feedback
Peer assessment is great so students can see each other's presentations, but the Moodle tool is difficult to navigate
Change the peer assessment tool to an alternative user friendly tool.
Feedback from Student feedback
The unit presents a positive experience for students
Maintain current structure of the unit.
- Identify how social context has influenced the development of scripts and performance practices of Australian theatre from colonial times to theatre, film and television of the present day
- Explore the creative journey of a significant Australian theatre, film or television practitioner selected from colonial times to the present day
- Investigate Australian theatre, film and television’s contribution to the evolving Australian identity.
N/A
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 10% | |||
| 2 - Presentation - 40% | |||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 10% | |||
| 4 - Presentation - 40% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 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 | |||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Microsoft Teams
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.
l.lorenza@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Legends and icons of the Australian stage and screen
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
What is Australian theatre?
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1 due
Pitch an Australian creative - theatre, film or television practitioner Due: Week 3 Monday (20 Mar 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Aboriginal theatre
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Australian cinema
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Evolution of an Australian film style
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 2 due; in class peer viewing of Assessment 2
Pre-recorded presentation Due: Week 6 Monday (17 Apr 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Australian film with a conscience
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Behind the scenes – Script writers
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 3 due
Pitch to the lecturer - story Due: Week 8 Monday (1 May 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Behind the scenes – Designers and creatives
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
What is good storytelling?
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Viewing and peer assessing presentations
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 4 due; in class peer viewing of Assessment 4
Pre-recorded presentation of an Australian story presented as theatre, film or television Due: Week 11 Thursday (25 May 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Viewing and peer assessing presentations
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
In this task you will select a significant Australian creative - someone recognised as a theatre, film or television practitioner. The person can be selected from any time from colonial times (1788-1901) to present day Australia.
Assessment Task Detailed Instructions
This is your pitch to the lecturer for your class presentation for Assessment 2. Your intention in the pitch is to outline your presentation and to convince the lecturer that your peers need to know about the Australian creative you have selected.
Choose a significant Australian theatre, film or television practitioner selected from colonial times (1788-1901) to the present day. You must identify:
- the person’s background,
- their artistic practice, and
- why you think your peers need to know about this person’s work in the Australian arts industry.
Assessment Task Deliverables
Short essay
Length: 1000 words
Choose one significant Australian theatre, film or television practitioner selected from colonial times (1788-1901) to the present day. Each student is required to choose a different practitioner.
Identify their field within the arts industry with reference to:
- where they grew up,
- any study they undertook,
- any specifics steps or meetings that helped them into their career, and
- key examples of their body of work.
Week 3 Monday (20 Mar 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
You must submit your assessment as a Word document
Week 5 Monday (3 Apr 2023)
Assessment will be returned via Moodle with feedback to assist you in developing Assessment 2.
Clear and connected introduction and conclusion (10%)
Clear identification of their background (25%)
Clear identification of what they do (25%)
Proposed angle for the in-class presentation in Assessment 2 (20%)
Inclusion of documentation and in-text referencing (APA format) from primary sources (5%)
Correct spelling, grammar, and word usage (10%)
Well-organised presentation and clear layout (5%)
- Explore the creative journey of a significant Australian theatre, film or television practitioner selected from colonial times to the present day
2 Presentation
Using the pitch submitted for Assessment 1, plan your presentation to inform and educate your peers about your chosen Australian theatre, film or television practitioner selected from colonial times (1788-1901) to the present day.
Assessment Task Detailed Instructions:
- Describe their background and training
- Identify their field
- Explore the development of their career
- The social, political and technological events that effected their contribution to the Australian arts industry
- The significance of their work which connects to why and how they are recognised or remembered today.
Select an Australian theatre, film or television practitioner who may date from The Australian colonial period (1788-1901) right up to the present day. Your aim is to educate your peers as to this person’s work, their background, training and how their career developed within the Australian arts industry. You must:
Assessment Task Deliverables:
- The presentation must be pre-recorded with the link submitted via Moodle.
- A pre-recorded and edited audio-visual recording of up to 4 minutes.
- Use speaking to camera or voice-overs as best suited to the content and your audience
- Organise your assignment into topic and subtopic areas, using editing tools.
- Include a final credits screen which includes your references in APA style
- Include your name and student number in the opening credits of the recording
- Include a word document Reference List in APA style, 7th edition with the hyperlink to your final submission. You should have a minimum of 5 references for this assignment
- Do NOT cite from Wikipedia or other websites that do not have an acknowledged author.
- Include in your reference list all music scores used, CD and DVD recordings, Youtube sources, as well as books, academic journal articles, and articles from Oxford Music Online.
Week 6 Monday (17 Apr 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
upload link to video and Word doc of references to Moodle
Week 8 Monday (1 May 2023)
Assessment will be returned via Moodle
Presentation:
- Clear introduction and conclusion (10%)
- Accuracy of information and depth of treatment of the topic (20%)
- Detailed discussion on the primary source examples selected (20%)
- Ability to communicate clearly and logically through audio-visual media (15%)
- Correct use of APA style for the references listed in the final credits and the separate hard copy reference list (15%)
Peer assessment criteria:
- The introduction was effective. It caught my interest.
- I learned more about the topic than I already knew.
- The organisation of information was logical and easy to follow.
- The images, video, sound and voice overs were effectively used to communicate the information.
- The presentation was the correct length for this assignment (up to 4 minutes).
- The reference list was correctly formatted in APA style, 7th edition.
- Explore the creative journey of a significant Australian theatre, film or television practitioner selected from colonial times to the present day
3 Written Assessment
In this task you will identify a significant Australian story selected from colonial times to the present day. Students are required to present different stories.
Assessment Task detailed instructions
Select a significant Australian story from colonial times (1788 to 1901) to the present day, that has been produced for theatre, film or television.
Identify the features of the story that make it distinctly ‘Australian’.
How are these components of the story produced in the theatre, film or television production you wish to analyse?
Assessment task deliverables
Short essay: A significant Australian story for theatre, film or television.
Length: 1000 words
Week 8 Monday (1 May 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Word document uploaded via Moodle
Week 9 Monday (8 May 2023)
Assessment will be returned via Moodle with feedback to assist you in developing Assessment 4
- Clear and connected introduction and conclusion (10%)
- Clear identification of the story and its background (25%)
- Clear justification for why it is significant (10%)
- Clear analysis of the devices of theatre, film or television used in the telling of the story (15%)
- Proposed angle for the in-class presentation in Assessment 4 (20%)
- Inclusion of documentation and in-text referencing (APA format) from the primary source (5%)
- Correct spelling, grammar, and word usage (10%)
- Presentation and clear layout (5%)
- Identify how social context has influenced the development of scripts and performance practices of Australian theatre from colonial times to theatre, film and television of the present day
- Investigate Australian theatre, film and television’s contribution to the evolving Australian identity.
4 Presentation
Assessment Task Overview
Using the pitch submitted for Assessment 3, plan your presentation to inform and educate your peers about your chosen Australian story and how it is communicated through theatre, film or television.
Assessment Task Detailed Instructions
Select an Australian story that has been produced as theatre, film or television. Your aim is to educate your peers as to the significance of this story to Australian identity.
You must:
- Describe the origins of the story
- Identify the components that make it Australian
- Explore the production of the story that you have selected
- Identify the social, political and technological events that contribute to the effectiveness of the storytelling
- Identify and explain why this story should continue to be remembered today.
Week 11 Thursday (25 May 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
upload link to presentation and word document of references
Review/Exam Week Monday (5 June 2023)
Assessment will be returned via Moodle
- Clear introduction and conclusion (10%)
- Accuracy of information and depth of treatment of the topic (20%)
- Detailed discussion on the primary source examples selected (20%)
- Ability to communicate clearly and logically through audio-visual media (15%)
- Correct use of APA style for the references listed in the final credits and the separate hard copy reference list (15%)
Peer assessment criteria:
- The introduction was effective. It caught my interest.
- I learned more about the topic than I already knew.
- The organisation of information was logical and easy to follow.
- The images, video, sound and voice overs were effectively used to communicate the information.
- The presentation was the correct length for this assignment (up to 4 minutes).
- The reference list was correctly formatted in APA style, 7th edition.
- Identify how social context has influenced the development of scripts and performance practices of Australian theatre from colonial times to theatre, film and television of the present day
- Investigate Australian theatre, film and television’s contribution to the evolving Australian identity.
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?
