This course is built around an individually negotiated, semester-long, extended design project to be taken in any of the School's studio or design discipline areas. The course invites a focus on innovative practice that includes material and/or digital domains. Students can develop deep expertise through hands-on production and/or digital skills supervised by expert teaching staff. 

Students in this course carry out practice-led research on a project of their choice. The project proposal will be negotiated between the student and a proposed supervisor. Students must gain the formal agreement of a staff member to supervise them before enrolling in this course.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Identify and articulate a viable and substantial, practice-led design project.
2. Develop an experimental, analytical and practical methodology related to the project.
3. Interpret disciplinary debates and knowledge relevant to the project.
4. Engage with and reflect critically on the project’s social, cultural and/or ethical dimensions.
5. Realise, document and present an extended investigative design project.

 

Research-Led Teaching

This course creates opportunities for students to learn how apply practice-led research through a design inquiry order to create deepen and broaden knowledge. This is demonstrated through the planning, testing and resolution of a body of work, journal documentation and reflective writing. Practice-led research is an academic conceptual framework where researchers incorporate their research and analysis through creative practice into the resolution of the final creative output. Through creative investigation the student contributes to the outcomes of a research process by addressing an independent research question in order to create new knowledge in the field of design. Practice-led research projects are undertaken across all creative disciplines and, as a result, the approach is very flexible in its implementation as the student can incorporate a variety of relevant methodologies and methods within the framework of this course.

Examination Material or equipment

Examinations are arranged in agreement between the student and the supervisor

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Draft Design Inquiry Research Proposal	assessable item 1. This is a hurdle requirement without which students will not be able to progress in the course.
3	Submit final Design Inquiry Research Proposal	assessable item 1
12	Design Inquiry Research development and resolution	assessable items 2,3

Tutorial Registration

Students are required to seek a supervisor for permission to enrol

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Project proposal, 1800-2400 words	10 %	06/06/2019	04/07/2019	Learning outcomes 1,2,3,4
Design project	70 %	06/06/2019	04/07/2019	Learning outcomes 2,3,4,5
Project documentation and critical reflection, 2400-3000 words	20 %	06/06/2019	04/07/2019	Learning outcomes 2,3,4,5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

The DESN8001 course has an expected workload of 130 hours per semester

Examination(s)

Examinations are arranged by the supervisor

Assessment Task 1

Project proposal, 1800-2400 words

The proposal proposal is an assessable item representing 10% of the final mark and is due in week 3.

This is a hurdle requirement without which students will not be able to progress in the course. A cover sheet available on the wattle site.

• The project title will appear on the student’s academic transcript.
• In 1800-2400 words  the proposal will have to address the four learning outcomes as outlined on the cover sheet. Students are to hand a draft proposal to their supervisor one week after commencing their studies. Both parties can agree to changes until the proposal is due on the last day in week three when a digital copy will need to be submitted online. It is recommended that both parties keep a copy of the final project proposal for their records.

Assessment Task 2

Design project

The Design inquiry project is an assessable item representing 70% of the final mark and is due in week 13. Students in this course carry out practice-led research on a design inquiry project of their choice. The project proposal will be negotiated between the student and a proposed supervisor. Students must gain the formal agreement of a staff member to supervise them before enrolling in this course

Rubric

CRITERIA	HIGH DISTINCTION	DISTINCTION	CREDIT	PASS	FAIL
Identify and articulate a viable, practice-led design project.	Very clearly articulated, viable and substantial and well researched project proposal	Clearly articulated, viable and substantial and well researched project proposal	Adequately researched project proposal	Project proposal researched at a basic level	Little or no evidence of research
Develop an experimental, analytical and practical methodology related to the project.	Excellent level of development through experimental, analytical and practical methodology	Competent level of development through experimental, analytical and practical methodology	Satisfactory level of development through experimental, analytical and practical methodology	Basic level of development through experimental, analytical and practical methodology	Little or no evidence of development through experimental, analytical and practical methodology
Interpret disciplinary debates and knowledge relevant to the project	Exceptionally astute interpretation of disciplinary debates and knowledge relevant to the project	Significant interpretation of disciplinary debates and knowledge relevant to the project	Adequate interpretation of disciplinary debates and knowledge relevant to the project	Basic interpretation of disciplinary debates and knowledge relevant to the project	Fails to interpret disciplinary debates and knowledge relevant to the project
Engage with and reflect critically on the project’s social, cultural and/or ethical dimensions.	Very high level of engagement and critical reflection	High level of engagement and critical reflection	Good level of engagement and critical reflection	Basic level of engagement and critical reflection	Little or no evidence of engagement and critical reflection
Realise, document and present an investigative design project.	Very clearly realised, presented and documented investigative design project.	Clearly realised, presented and documented investigative design project.	Adequately realised, presented and documented investigative design project.	Investigative design project realised, presented and documented at a basic level.	Fails to realise, present and document investigative design project.

Assessment Task 3

Project documentation and critical reflection, 2400-3000 words

The design inquiry project is documented through critical reflection of 2400-3000 words and makes up the remaining 20% of the final mark, due in week 13, or unless otherwise negotiated with your supervisor.

The written critical reflection analyses and evaluates the project and relates it to its contextual framework. The writing is descriptive, analytical, and critical and articulates how the student has developed and investigative, analytical and practical methodology. This additional process adds depth and breadth to the practice-led research and builds connections between the studio investigations, experimentations, experience, research and the resolution of the final body of work for assessment.

Please read the assessment rubric above

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students