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On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Critically reflects on own experiences and those of others;
Apply the skills of critical thinking and critical reflection to major contemporary ethical issues.
Demonstrate an ability to begin to integrate critical thinking and critical reflection in relation to some major contemporary ethical issues;
Show an ability to evaluate scholarly arguments for and against a given topic;
Evaluate a range of different perspectives on contemporary ethical issues and critical debates within and beyond their subject discipline.
Synthesise information from primary and secondary sources to convey a particular argument.
The module aims overall to introduce students to the social justice mission of Leeds Trinity University. This includes both an orientation to learning ad teaching at LTU (as embodied in the LTAS) as these embrace a complementary participatory approach. Developing an ethical approach to contemporary social issues is underpinned by a framework of criticality. Criticality combines both critical thinking abilities, as well as reflection, in order to integrate learning from personal experience with an ability to engage in an empathic, ethical and compassionate way with one’s world.
Core topics will include:
Transitions to learning and teaching in higher education (will include introduction to study skills)
Citizenship and social justice
Critical thinking
Critical reflection
Ethical issues
Diversity
The educational mode will reflect the philosophy of the module, ie. to help students engage with a broad range of diverse thinking, perspectives and experiences, in line with the social justice mission of the university. There are therefore two strands to the teaching: (1) the presentation of content on contemporary issues which will stimulate thought, reflection and debate; and (2) engagement in small group discussion/exercises which will process the content in a critical and experiential way. Students engage with debates (stimulated by first-hand debate, or other relevant material such as reading or films) on some of the topics outlined above. They also attend seminars which equip them to engage critically with various contentious issues. Furthermore, the seminars equip students with critical thinking skills, debating skills, writing skills, and presentation skills. The purposeful integration of the stimulus material, with specially designed seminar questions and exercises, is integral to the success of the module
Lectures / debates / other reading
Hours: 12
Intended group size: 198 (approx) in 2015/16
Seminars / tutorials
Hours: 24
Intended Group size: 10-30
Guided independent study
Hours: 164
Further details relating to assessment
Assessment 1 – Directed activities: these consist of weekly tasks that must be completed and submitted for inspection at timetabled sessions each week. The assessment will be assessed on a pass/fail basis with a pass requiring at least 75% of all weekly tasks to be completed successfully. A pass will lead to the full award of 10% towards the final module mark. A fail in directed activities will contribute 0% to the final mark.
In the event of reassessment or deferrals, students will be required to submit two pieces of assessment. They will be required to watch recordings of the various live debates that occurred throughout the semester on Moodle and to resubmit a record of completion of an online plagiarism test and a critical essay that shows engagement with the issues arising from the debates. The second piece of assessment will require students to negotiate an appropriate form of assessment with the departmental lead for the module, eg. a blog, presentation, poster, essay or editorial piece.
Other relevant matters
The departmental lead will agree the negotiated assessments with students and progress tutors will mark all assessments.
001 Directed Activities 10%
002 On line Plagiarism test (P/F Formative) and essay 1500 words (sem 1 wk 6) 45%
003 Negotiated Assessment 2000 words or 10 min presentation equiv (sem 1 week 12) 45%
Module Coordinator - Tapo Chimbganda
Level - 4
Credit Value - 20
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 4S1
