GENDER 306 : Gender and Change: Making Waves
Arts
2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
This is the capstone course for Gender Studies students; it is also an approved elective for English majors. As this is a capstone course, it is designed to be discussion- and project-based rather than a lecture course. Gender 306 thus provides an opportunity for you to put your gender studies theory and knowledge into practice. You will participate in an interactive, collaborative seminar and explore “real world” engagements with gender issues, identities, and inequalities through discussion of social movements, cultural productions, and similar phenomena, and complete an individual or group research project on a topic of your choice.
Gender 306 is open to all students with an interest in gender, and will facilitate the consolidation of learning about gender and sexuality gained previously. For Gender Studies students, it serves as a capstone course, building on the knowledge gained in previous courses in the major so that students can embark on creative, engaged, collaborative learning and then put that into practice through research and/or activism in and beyond the classroom. For students in the Humanities or Fine Arts, this is a chance to examine literary texts, films, dance, visual arts, music, architecture, or other cultural phenomena you’ve learned about in other papers through the specific lens of gender. As such, the course emphasises “skills-building” and “knowledge-building” in equal measure, developing students' capacities as independent learners, critical thinkers, and effective communicators.
Course Requirements
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 7: | Collaboration |
| Capability 8: | Ethics and Professionalism |
Learning Outcomes
- Understand and apply gender studies theory to cultural productions, events and artefacts. (Capability 3)
- Critically analyse research questions, life stories, public policy, media texts, activist organisations, and/or political/media campaigns in terms of gender theory and practice. (Capability 3 and 4)
- Explore creative interventions into gender- and sexuality-based problems. (Capability 3, 4, 5 and 7)
- Take initiative in shaping the research undertaken and the class discussion of course content. (Capability 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
- Be able to put the passion and values you have developed through your major(s) into the projects you undertake. (Capability 3, 4, 5 and 8)
- Communicate and explain main ideas from texts as well as critical responses to them. (Capability 3, 4 and 6)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Internal assessment | 100% | Individual Coursework |
| 100% |
This course is 100% internally assessed, including pre-seminar writing assignments, oral presentations of research projects, and written final projects. The specific requirements and marks allocations for assessments will be shared on Canvas on or before the start of Semester 1, 2024.
Workload Expectations
The University of Auckland expects students enrolled in 15 point courses to spend 150 hours on the course, or roughly ten hours per week. In Gender 306, this includes attendance in class (one three-hour seminar per week), preparation for seminar (5-6 hours), and time spent on coursework (1-2 hours most weeks). In the second half of the semester, more time will be devoted to coursework (independent research) and correspondingly less time on seminar preparation.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is required at scheduled activities including seminar to receive credit for components of the course.
Seminars will *not* be available as recordings.
The course will not normally include live online events.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Readings will be made available through the Talis reading list system on Canvas.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Consultation with students at the mid- and end- points of each semester about what has been most effective for their learning informs each new iteration of the course.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.