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PAIS381 Active Citizen - Australian Civics and Democracy

Updated: 01 June 2012
Credit Points 6
Offering
Responsible Campus Teaching Period Mode of Study
Armidale Trimester 3 On line
Intensive School(s) None
Supervised Exam There is no UNE Supervised Examination.
Pre-requisites None
Co-requisites None
Restrictions EDST277 or SS103 or SS203 or SS217 or PDPS277
Notes None
Combined Units None
Coordinator(s) Belinda Beattie (bbeattie@une.edu.au)
Unit Description

This unit examines the concept of what it means to be an active citizen in a democracy. Students consider the mechanisms of Australian democracy and then apply this learning to approaching, researching and analysing an active citizen issue affecting their workplace or local area. Particlular attention is given to the roles of the various 'actors' in the issue, and how influence can be exerted.
Materials Textbook information will be displayed approximately 8 weeks prior to the commencement of the teaching period. Please note that textbook requirements may vary from one teaching period to the next.
Disclaimer Unit information may be subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Assessment Assessment information will be published prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Learning Outcomes (LO) Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. identify the meaning of citizenship in Australia;
  2. describe the institutions of the political and legal process in Australia; and
  3. analyse a problem as an 'active citizen' and produce possible solutions.

Graduate Attributes (GA)
Attribute Taught Assessed Practised
1 Knowledge of a Discipline
Knowledge of the political and international studies discipline will be taught through unit notes, readings and assignments. It is is assessed in all assessments. 		True True
2 Communication Skills
In this unit students learn to communicate their ideas through their assignment work and online participation. Students will communicate in well-organised and logical arguments the ideas they have developed in studying particular topics. 		True True True
3 Global Perspectives
Students will demonstrate an awareness of the global context of the subject area and they will develop an in depth knowledge of Australian citizenship, to extrapolate globally to other societies. 		True True
4 Information Literacy
Students in this unit will be directed to relevant literature and will learn how to process it. Students will be assessed on their ability to identify and include relevant material in their assessments and then to critically analyse it. 		True True
5 Life-Long Learning
The skills which students develop in this unit are ones which can be applied in a variety of contexts. The academic skills of research and learning which are taught in the unit will be relevant in many situations. 		True True
6 Problem Solving
Students will practise and be assessed on their ability to deconstruct the assessment questions and to integrate their learning and use of literature into their answer. Students will need to work out how to address the question and where to find the most appropriate material to answer the question. 		True
7 Social Responsibility
Students will recognise social issues relevant to their subject area; students will be expected to show sensitivity towards political standpoints, cultures or other groups in their written assessments and online participation. 		True True
8 Team Work
Students will practise their teamwork skills by participating in online forums. 		True
   

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