Unit rationale, description and aim
Computer Science professionals need to apply and communicate discipline specific knowledge and skills to a demographically broad audience. Crucial to the development of these skills is the opportunity to collaborate with individuals and groups whose worldviews may be different from their own.
A computer science community engagement (CE) experience is a transformational learning opportunity. It exposes students to new perspectives, challenging them to gain an expanded and enhanced understanding of their community and the people within it. This drives the development of key qualities, such as empathy. In this unit, students will engage with communities experiencing disadvantage or martinalisation, through working with social enterprises, not for profit organisations, individuals within the University, and incorporated community groups. These qualities and skills will be developed by engagement with a partner community to identify knowledge requirements, prepare and plan a community engagement experience, and critically reflect on the learning from the experience.
The aim of this unit is to foster knowledge and understanding of community engagement while applying ethical, personal communication and professional skills.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Explain the principles and focus of community enga...
Learning Outcome 01
Apply knowledge of communication practices, digita...
Learning Outcome 02
Evaluate the impact of community engagement practi...
Learning Outcome 03
Reflect upon the impact of the community engagemen...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
· What is community engagement and why is it important
· Principles of community engagement, including ethical and social responsibilities and contributions to achieving sustainable outcomes, and how it relates to the ACU Mission
· Principles of marginality and privilege
· Models of community engagement
· Empathy - what is it and why is it important
· Digital literacy – what it is, what it is not and what is needed
· Digital literacy in marginalised and disadvantaged communities
· Professional behaviours, work readiness strategies, personal and professional business skill development focusing on integrating knowledge to assist the transition to employment
· Negotiating and persuasion
· Preparation for community engagement and reflective practice
Organising and participating in a community engagement project
Assessment strategy and rationale
Assessments are designed to elicit and support the learnings, which occur before, during and after community engagement experiences. Assessment 1 has been designed to ensure that students engage with the unit content and understand the ethical and legal frameworks surrounding community engagement experiences. Assessment 2 requires students to consult and identify the needs of their planned audience and capitalise on this engagement to design and implement a workshop to suit the needs of the group with which they are collaborating. The planning and delivery of the workshop will involve at least 5 hours interaction with the community. Assessment 3 requires students to critically reflect on their community engagement experience with a view to integrating self-reflection into their professional practice as life-long learners. Students will reflect upon 1) the impact of the community engagement experience on their own values, assumptions and development as a professional, and 2) the values and perspectives of community partners and how these influenced the community engagement experience and outcomes. Students will be provided with formative feedback on progress and reflections throughout the project, and must pass this assessment to pass the unit.
To pass the unit, students must demonstrate achievement of every unit learning outcome and obtain a minimum mark of 50%.
Overview of assessments
Type – Quiz Purpose – Assess knowledge and abil...
Type – Quiz
Purpose – Assess knowledge and ability to explain understanding of community engagement
Individual assessment
20%
Type – Community Engagement Project Purpose – T...
Type – Community Engagement Project
Purpose – This assessment consists of planning and delivering a community engagement project that addresses the immediate digital literacy needs of the identified audience. Students will work in groups to identify the needs of the audience, and design and deliver a workshop to address those needs
Group assessment
50%
Type – Critical reflection of learning and exper...
Type – Critical reflection of learning and experience of the community engagement project
Purpose – Students are to keep and maintain a Community Journal based on their project. This task requires students to complete a report at the conclusion of their project including reflections related to their learnings from the experience. The report should include the impact of the community engagement experience on student’s values, assumptions and attitudes and how these can contribute to their professional readiness and career evidence portfolio.
Individual assessment
30%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This is a community engaged learning unit which includes a number of components. It is designed to provide students with a transformative educational opportunity through access to the knowledge, resources and preparatory requirements necessary for understanding, planning, completing and critically reflecting on a new community engagement experience. This unit adopts an experiential approach to support students in developing work appropriate behaviours, work readiness strategies, and the reflective and communications skills required to maximise the outcomes of their community experience by sharing stories and insights and reflecting on experiences.
Direct active learning through structured classroom activities facilitates these outcomes alongside the design and facilitation of the new community engagement experience. This strategy allows students to meet the aims, learning outcomes and graduate capabilities associated with the unit. Learning and teaching strategies will reflect respect for the individual as an independent learner. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate accordingly. Students will systematically develop their understanding of the critical aspects of community engagement and how to prepare for and participate in bespoke group project within a social enterprise, community group or not for profit organisation.