PRL 2002 Community Consultation and Development

STAFFING:

RATIONALE:

Community consultation and development has rapidly become the principal approach by which organisations are strategically and responsively managing and coordinating their business affairs. The demand for expertise in this area is high at present and this is predicted to continue into the future with the ongoing expansion of democratisation in modern communities.

SYNOPSIS:

This course introduces students preparing to enter professional contexts to contemporary communication management strategies and techniques used in community development and consultation. Students will develop practical and conceptual skills in relation to the trends, issues and processes involved in project planning and implementation, and the building of social capital through community consultation and collaborative action.

OBJECTIVES:

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

1. demonstrate an informed awareness of the broad context in which social processes, particularly community consultation, development and planning occur;
2. demonstrate an understanding of the modern developments in democracy (including organisational) in relation to their influence on community participation and consultation in government and corporate sector planning;
3. demonstrate an understanding of the core communicative skills and organisational planning competences required for executing community consultation activities;
4. demonstrate an understanding of the key procedures used in conducting community consultation and development projects;
5. evaluate a range of prominent methodoligical issues and complexities involved in conducting community consultation;
6. apply procedural writing methods used for documenting, reporting and evaluating community consultation and participation projects.

TOPICS:

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed:

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

REFERENCE MATERIALS:

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

1. Attendance requirements:
   There are no attendance requirements for this external course. However, it is the student's responsibility to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.
2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
   To be assured of completing each assessment item satisfactorily a student must submit all of the items of summative assessment by the due date and achieve on each the minimum specified standards outlined in 4 (Requirements for a pass in the course).
3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
   If students submit assignments after the due date without prior approval, then a penalty of 10% of the total marks available for the assignment will apply for each of the first FIVE working days late, after which a zero mark will be given.
4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
   To be assured of receiving a passing grade, a student must: (i) submit all of the summative assessment items; and (ii) achieve at least 50% of the available weighted marks for the summative assessment items.
5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
   The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the weighted aggregate of the marks (or grades) obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
6. Examination information:
   There is no exam for this course.
7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
   Given the details under (6) above, there are no deferred exams for this course. However, if any deferred/makeup work is granted, it would have to be submitted by a date set by the examiner.
8. University Regulations:
   Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6. Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm or in the current USQ Handbook.

ASSESSMENT NOTES

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

1. Submission of ALL pieces of assessment is compulsory.
2. Assignments submitted after the due date will be penalised by 10% per working day for the first five working days late, after which a grade of zero will be awarded.
3. Requests for assignment extensions must be made to the course examiner in writing BEFORE the due date. Extensions will not be granted on or after the due date.
4. Assignment extensions will not be granted except on medical or compassionate grounds and only with the provision of appropriate medical or other documentation (such as a letter of referral from a qualified counsellor). Workload, or failure of computer equipment will not be considered grounds for extension.
5. The final grade is based on the aggregate of all assessment items and is assigned as follows: HD = 90-100, A = 80-89, B = 65-79, C = 50-64, F = 0-49