Overview

Grand Challenges: Making a Difference is a capstone, project-based unit in which students grapple with pressing real-world issues. The unit gives students the opportunity to apply knowledge and skills they have gained over the course of their degree to one of the major social, cultural, and technological challenges of the 21st Century. Working in interdisciplinary teams, they undertake project-based research and analysis to generate creative solutions to wicked problems. They take part in a distinctive learning experience based on collaboration and mentoring to enhance problem-solving skills demanded in the contemporary workforce.

Requisites

Teaching Periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
26-February-2024
26-May-2024
Last self-enrolment date
10-March-2024
Census date
31-March-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
12-April-2024
Results released date
02-July-2024
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
29-July-2024
27-October-2024
Last self-enrolment date
11-August-2024
Census date
31-August-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
13-September-2024
Results released date
03-December-2024

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Systematically review, critically evaluate, and apply research from a variety of sources
  • Formulate and synthesise arguments that are fit for purpose
  • Generate and evaluate creative solutions to complex real world problems
  • Work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary context
  • Interpret and communicate ideas, problems, and arguments in creative ways suitable to a range of audiences

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Seminar
2.00 6 weeks 12
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Presentation
4.00 1 week 4
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Other
2.00 12 weeks 24
Specified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Various
4.00 11 weeks 44
Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Independent Learning
18.00 12 weeks 216
TOTAL300

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Artefact AnalysisIndividual/Group 40% 2,3,4,5 
PresentationIndividual/Group 20% 3,4,5 
ProjectIndividual 15% 2,3 
Research Proposal with Annotated BibliographyIndividual 15% 1,3,5 
ReviewIndividual 10% 

Content

The content for this unit may vary from year to year as it is based on topical social, political and cultural challenges.

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.