Students are presented with a list of texts that relate (to greater or lesser extents) to salient themes covered throughout the course, from which they must select a text to write a creative book review. In SOCY2220 these have included a combination of applied academic and empirical works, as well as opinionative or narrative publications from scholars of popular culture. The 1000 word review could contain commentary on a variety of elements, including an overview of key themes discussed in the book (and their significance to the course content and/or discipline); the style and purpose of the book; its strengths and weaknesses; and intended audience/s or recommend readership. Overall, students should aim to reflect on the effectiveness of different forms of writing in engaging complex theories and ideas. This applied task also encourages active learning by presenting students with a somewhat unfamiliar stimulus to which they need to creatively respond. Source texts can vary (or may even include multi-modal options, similar to the Film Critique task employed in Peter Walters' delivery of SOCY1050), but should be able to be easily read in the duration of the course, so as to allow for optimal use of the teaching and learning preview. In SOCY2220 these have included a combination of applied academic and empirical works, as well as opinionative or narrative publications from scholars of popular culture. The 1000 word review could contain commentary on a variety of elements, including an overview of key themes discussed in the book (and their significance to the course content and/or discipline); the style and purpose of the book; its strengths and weaknesses; and intended audience/s or recommend readership. Overall, students should aim to reflect on the effectiveness of different forms of writing in engaging complex theories and ideas. This applied task also encourages active learning by presenting students with a somewhat unfamiliar stimulus to which they need to creatively respond. Source texts can vary (or may even include multi-modal options, similar to the Film Critique task employed in Peter Walters' delivery of SOCY1050), but should be able to be easily read in the duration of the course, so as to allow for optimal use of the teaching and learning period.
Details
- CLASS SIZE
- 60-80
- CLASS LEVEL
- First year, Second year
- ASSESSMENT SECURITY
- Low security
- TIME REQUIREMENTS
- Low time
- FEATURES
- Authentic
- TAGS
- review
Advantages
Allows for student flexibility, especially if an accessible, affordable text is selected (i.e. an e-book, audio book or reproducible extract). Encourages creativity in application of core perspectives, concepts or theory, whilst still reinforcing foundational knowledge. Highly transferable between and among disciplines, where any relevant text, media or visual stimuli may be the object of review.
Challenges
Some students might be tempted to source pre-existing book reviews from online sources. Care should be taken to select texts that are not widely reviewed (at least from within the course's disciplinary perspective), and to impress upon students the importance of submitting original, self-authored work.
Tips for implementation
Coordinators should be mindful to set a list of texts which are accessible to a whole course cohort (ideally in a variety of modalities), namely, in hard copy via the library, as e-books, or audio books easily obtained online.
How it supports academic integrity
This task requires students to creatively apply and appropriate theoretical concepts and perspectives discussed in dedicated class time, hence the viability of outsourcing work is greatly reduced.
Associate Professor Kristen Lyons
kristen.lyons@uq.edu.au
Professor Kristen Lyons is a public intellectual with over twenty years experience in research, teaching and service that delivers national and international impacts on issues that sit at the intersection of sustainability and development, as well as the future of higher education. Trained as a sociologist, Kristen is comfortable working in transdisciplinary teams to deliver socially just outcomes, including for some of the world's most vulnerable communities. Kristen works regularly in Uganda, Solomon Islands and Australia, and her work is grounded in a rights-based approach. In practice, this means centring the rights and interests of local communities, including Indigenous peoples, in her approach to research design, collaboration, and impacts and outcomes. Kristen is also a Senior Research Fellow with the Oakland Institute. Find out more