Designed as part of an applied approach to teaching and learning, this technique integrates an authentic professional practice process (report writing) with a response to a hypothetical scenario. Students select a hypothetical scenario from a list developed by the course coordinator, designed emulate experiential or disciplinary provocations likely to be encountered in the discipline's professional contexts. For example, in SOCY7120 scenarios encourage students to consider practical strategies for addressing social inequality in working with specific stakeholder groups (e.g. Indigenous school children). Drawing upon key course themes and theory, students respond to the scenario in the form of a 3000 word report. In addition to providing theoretical and methodological commentary that addresses the scenario, this technique encourages discussion of ethical issues encountered within contemporary research and professional processes and their implications for research; as well as reflexive consideration of the implications of the scenario for policy and practice. This task is ideally delivered as a final assessment as it allows integration of relevant elements covered throughout a course. Given the high level of analysis expected (as well as the significant word length associated with this task), this technique best suits capstone/postgraduate courses and small class sizes.
Details
- CLASS SIZE
- 20-40
- CLASS LEVEL
- Post-graduate
- ASSESSMENT SECURITY
- Medium security
- TIME REQUIREMENTS
- Medium time
- FEATURES
- Authentic
- TAGS
- report
Advantages
Caters to student flexibility as an ongoing assessment piece (that is, one that draws upon course content from throughout the teaching period) that could be started early in the semester and completed progressively. Encourages the application of theory beyond the classroom through a functional (albeit hypothetical) activity. Transfers to a variety of HaSS courses focused on engaging with various elements of professional practice.
Challenges
Some students may struggle with the scope of this 3000 word task. Staff should encourage students to approach the task progressively throughout the semester.
Tips for implementation
Coordinators should provide students with a variety of hypothetical scenarios that provide adequate opportunity for application of various elements from the course and a thorough synthesisation of related literature.
How it supports academic integrity
This task requires students to actively draw upon course content and apply it to an unfamiliar scenario. The use of a hypothetic scenario helps to guard against plagiarism, as students cannot search for and reproduce an existing report (as would be possible with the use of contemporary scenarios).
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