Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Planners work with a wide range of communities and need to understand and address their diverse range of concerns. Community planning provides participatory processes to help postgraduate students already familiar with the logic, scope and application of spatial planning processes to integrate the interests of many groups in inclusive plans and policies. This unit explores the practices and theories of community planning with particular focus on community involvement, consultation and conflict resolution.

Aims

The course aims to impart a coherent theoretical and practical framework for students already well grounded in spatial planning methods to underpin a wider application of existing knowledge and skills to the broader fields of community planning.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you will be able to:

1.Apply theoretical knowledge of the human and social environments and processes to effective and integrated community planning;
2.Understand and interpret key community planning principles and problems at a wide range of scales;
3.Understand and apply a wide range of communication techniques involving responsiveness, interaction, public participation and conflict resolution;
4.Demonstrate an effective understanding of the political, legal and institutional contexts of community planning that will form the basis for life long learning and relevance.

Content

Part One: Conceptual overview
The basis, scope and aims of Community Planning: definition and relation to other forms of planning and to community development, community organization and community action; outline of the principles and practice of community planning; the different scales of community planning: local, urban, regional & national. People, places, power and policy: the importance of place to people, the issues of power and participation in community planning processes; Values & goals for Community Planning.

Part Two: Methods
Managing change & development and the linkages between community planning processes and policy. Major themes: communication, consultation, participation & negotiation. Community planning techniques: problem solving and strengths-based approaches, community engagement, cultural planning, place planning & design, social impact assessment, indigenous perspectives and involvement.

Part Three: Issues and Case Examples
Spatial & design factors in community life; housing as a community planning issue; housing needs & tenure; demand factors and organizational response to supply. Community and Urban Renewal in community planning. Community Planning indicators and Social infrastructure; Community governance at different scales and in different sectors; Communities and change: urban social movements.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Teaching Mode:
Hours per week: 3
Lecture: 1.5
Tutorial/ Prac: 1.5

Learning approaches include the following:
- Problem based learning
- Individual learning
- Team based learning
- Reflection
- Exposition & Presentation

This unit is taught through a combination of lectures, workshops, audio-visuals and participatory techniques that can be later applied within community planning practice. Guest lectures will also involve various practitioners engaged in community planning practice. Approximately five sessions will consist of two lectures, separated by a short break. Approximately eight will consist of one lecture, followed by a tutorial workshop exploring and applying the ideas introduced in the lecture.

Assessment

QUT's Assessment Policy is located at MOPP C/5.1.Weekly workshops and student presentations on draft assignment topics provide opportunities for feedback on developing knowledge and capacity.

Assessment name: Problem Solving Task
Description: Using sources from the reading list as a starting point, you will describe, review and evaluate the features of communities that are high in social capital and other community strengths and/or that confront major community problems. You will discuss planning roles in creating strong communities with high levels of social capital, or highlight deficiencies in those where they are absent, proposing the application of these ideas to a location of your choice.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 4
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 5

Assessment name: Project
Description: Working in pairs or in teams, you will identify a specific community issue for an urban or rural community of your choice and describe and apply methods of community planning that would contribute towards building community strengths/social capital across a comprehensive range of planning activities for that community.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group with Individual Component
Due date: Week 14

Assessment name: Discussion Forum
Description: You prepare and participate in discussion of issues arising in lectures and contribute to related workshops constituting the second half of a number of contact sessions.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4
Weight: 20%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group with Individual Component
Due date: Progressively

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Recommended Reading:
1. Hamdi N and Goethurt R. (1997) Action Planning for Cities: A guide for community practice Wiley New York.
2. Heywood, P., 2011, Community Planning: Integrating Physical and Social Enviornments, Oxford, Wiley-Blackwell.
3. Forester, J., 2009, Dealing with Differences: dramas of mediating public disputes, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
4. Hutchison, J and Vidal, A (2004) Symposium: using social capital to help integrate planning theory, research and practice. Journal of the American.
5. Planning Association. Vol 70, no.2, Spring, p.142 -192. This edition of JAPA contains six key articles on Social Capital
6. Ife J (2002) Community Development, Pearson Education Australia Pty Limited.
7. Jamrozik, A. and Graycar A. (1993) How Australians Live Melbourne Hutchinson.
8. Menzies C et al (1996) Social Planning Guidelines Local Government Association of Queensland, Brisbane.
9. Putnam R (1993) Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy Princeton University Press Princeton

Risk assessment statement

This unit may involve individual or instructor-led site visits. You must have attended a construction safety induction session and have a safety induction card. The school provides a safety induction course in the first week of students' first semester introducing you to the relevant workplace health and safety requirements of Queensland construction sites.


Health & Safety Inductions
Students are required to complete the following Induction/Certificates:
1. General Safety Induction (Completed on line)
2. General Safety Induction (Construction Industry) Card - WHITE CARD (this will facilitate students attending construction worksites)

Additional Costs:
Site visits to the study area will involve you in some travel expenses. You should avoid excessive expenditure on presentation materials.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 04-Jun-2012