GERM 3224 - German IIIB: Culture

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2014

The aim of this course is to develop students' understanding and critical appreciation of German culture through the study of texts, written and visual, in the framework of their social and historical context. Students will not only develop their cultural understanding, but also their reading and analytical skills and their language proficiency. For details of course content, students should consult the web or the Discipline handbook.

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Course Details

Course Code	GERM 3224
Course	German IIIB: Culture
Coordinating Unit	German Studies
Term	Semester 2
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 3 hours per week
Prerequisites	GERM 2204 or equivalent
Assessment	class participation,oral presentation, homework or minor assignment, essay

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Ms Judith Wilson

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

Course Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course students:
1) will be familiar with a range of popular texts (written and visual) that have played or do play an important role in German culture
2) will have a greater understanding of German history and culture from the nineteenth century to the present
3) will be able to extract, synthesise and critically evaluate information from primary and secondary sources relating to topics treated in the course
4) will have the ability to work independently and cooperatively to explore some of the issues and questions raised in or by the texts in more depth
5) will be able to communicate information, ideas and arguments about topics treated in the course cogently and coherently in German
6) be able to identify ethical, social and cultural issues raised by the texts and interpret them within their social and cultural context
7) will have a very good basis for further study and research in German Studies, and for travel, study or work in a German-speaking environmentman-speaking environment

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Knowledge and understanding of the content and techniques of a chosen discipline at advanced levels that are internationally recognised.	1, 2
The ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner.	3
Skills of a high order in interpersonal understanding, teamwork and communication.	4, 5
A commitment to continuous learning and the capacity to maintain intellectual curiosity throughout life.	7
An awareness of ethical, social and cultural issues within a global context and their importance in the exercise of professional skills and responsibilities.	6

Learning Resources

Required Resources

There will be a reader for this course which can be purchased from Image and Copy at the beginning of the semester.

Recommended Resources

A list of recommended references is provided with the Course Reader. Additional references will be provided in the course of the semester.

Online Learning

For a list of online resources click on Library – Resource Guides – German Studies Resources. Lecture materials will be available online via MyUni.
Learning & Teaching Activities

Learning & Teaching Modes

The modes of teaching and learning employed in the course are largely classroom-based and face-to-face. They include:
1) a lecture which will provide the historical and social context for the texts on the course.
2) a seminar based on the various texts on the course and the issues they raise, which will give students the opportunity to study topics in more detail and more depth.
Students are encouraged to take personal responsibility for their learning through:
1) independent personal study
2) independent e-learning
3) online access to lecture materials and other resources

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

Below are the hours per week students are expected to devote to their German studies in addition to the 3 contact hours.
Preparation for seminar 2
Reading 3
Research for seminar presentation and assignments 4

Learning Activities Summary

Students will be provided with a detailed course outline at the beginning of the semester.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assignment will include an oral presentation, a minor research assignment, a review and a major research assignment.

Assessment Related Requirements

Lecture – students are expected to attend all classes, but if they are unable to attend the lecture, it is students’ responsibility to contact their lecturer or course coordinator about their absence and to ensure that they get any material that may have been handed out in the lecture missed. Students who require alternative arrangements for assessment or extensions for assignments must notify staff before the due date and must provide evidence that they have legitimate medical or compassionate grounds for their request.
Seminar – Participation in the seminar is important. You should provide a reason if you are going to be absent.

Assessment Detail

The major research project is designed to enable students to explore a particular topic in more depth. Students will be assessed on their knowledge of the topic, their critical engagement with secondary sources on the topic and their ability to develop and express their own point of view.
The oral presentation in the seminar gives students the opportunity to explore a topic they are interested in and also to practise presenting material in a different format. The presentation (in German) should be approx. 10-12 minutes long and directly related to the themes of the seminar. Material should be provided in a way that makes it accessible and interesting to other members of the seminar.
In the minor research project students are able to expand on an aspect of their oral presentation. It should be correctly referenced, have a clear structure and be presented in an appropriate register.
The review requires students to demonstrate their familiarity with an individual text/film and evaluate its strengths and weaknesses.

Submission

All work handed in during the year should have a German cover sheet obtainable from the School of Humanities office on the 7th floor of the Napier building. NB. The cover sheet requires the signature of the student declaring that the work handed in is their own individual work.
Return of Work
Work completed in semester time will normally be returned in class. If students miss a class, it is their responsibility to collect their work from their lecturer/tutor. The normal turn-around time for homework is one week, for essays and longer assignments possibly two weeks, depending on numbers.
Legal nature of the cover sheet
The cover sheet is a legally binding document that asks you to confirm that you have read and understood the rules relating to plagiarism and related forms of cheating, that you are handing in the final version of your work and not a draft, that it has not been submitted for any other course, that you allow it to be photocopied or scanned and submitted to a plagiarism detection programme, and that you have kept a copy of the assignment that you will be able to produce on demand.
Extensions
10% will be deducted from work handed in after the due date unless there are legitimate compassionate or medical grounds and appropriate certification is provided. The 10% penalty applies for the first week; after that the work will not be accepted. Students who have legitimate grounds and require an extension should contact staff before the due date.
Please note:
a) All marks are subject to moderation. An adequate standard must be reached in each part of the course. Final grading (High Distinction, Distinction, Credit, Pass...) will be based on performance in each part of the course.
b) Students should keep a copy of all major pieces of work passed in for assessment.
c) It will be assumed that all work submitted for assessment is the student's own work. Work that is obviously not the student's own will be given zero and cannot be redeemed.
d) Students may be given additional work if they fail the course, or if they have legitimate compassionate or medical grounds and appropriate certification (letter from counsellor, medical certificate). Where students are given supplementaries or additional work for poor performance, the maximum result they can achieve for the course is 50%.
e) Staff will provide guidance where needed but won’t read and correct drafts of your work.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator