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Unit of study_

ENGL2669: Australian Stage and Screen

Semester 1, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Australian theatre and cinema have lively, at times intersecting, histories, and have played significant roles at both national and international levels, from the depiction of various local 'types' on stage and screen, to the work of Australian actors, directors and cinematographers overseas. This unit examines selected plays and films over the last century or so through a number of thematic focuses, including: race, gender and national identity; comic traditions; Australia and the world; modernity and innovation.

Unit details and rules

Unit code ENGL2669
Academic unit
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
ASLT2616 Australian Stage & Screen
Prerequisites
? 
12 credit points at 1000 level in Australian Literature or 12 credit points at 1000 level in English Studies
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Peter Kirkpatrick, peter.kirkpatrick@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s) Blythe Worthy, blythe.worthy@sydney.edu.au
Caitlin Still, caitlin.still@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Essay
Long Answer / Essay Online Submission
40% -
Due date: 14 Apr 2020 at 23:59
2000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Assignment Take-home exercise
Long Answer / Essay Online Submission
40% -
Due date: 07 Jun 2020 at 23:59
2000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Online task Posts on discussion board
Draft posts on discussion board
10% Multiple weeks 500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO5 LO3
Assignment Written summary of oral presentation
Short Answer Online Submission
10% Multiple weeks 500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO3 LO5

Assessment summary

  • Discussion board posts: This is a tutorial discussion dealing with analysis of the set text/s for that week (individual topics will be allocated to each student during the first tutorial). It is not to be a simple summary of the text but a critical engagement with it, principally designed to generate class dialogue.
  • Written summary of oral presentation: While the discussion board posts can be open-ended, your written summary should reflect the reading that you’ve undertaken to prepare it, as well as reflections prompted by feedback from your peers.
  • Essay: The essay will test your knowledge of two more or less ‘classic’ texts of Australian stage of screen in an extended intellectual engagement with one particular question. It must demonstrate not only an ability to write to an acceptable standard but, just as importantly, an ability to think to an acceptable standard, and with appropriate depth. This involves reading not only the set texts but also a range of critical and/or theoretical references.
  • Take-home exercise: This assessment task allows you to demonstrate a degree of coverage of four texts – that you have read and understood them – and to display evidence of lateral thinking across them. It also allows you to reflect on larger issues discussed in the unit which relate to the broader cultural fields of Australian stage and screen.

Assessment criteria

High Distinction (HD) 85-100 Exceptional proficiency in critical thinking and written expression. Insightful understanding of key contextual theoretical issues. Noteworthy originality and initiative in analysis.
Distinction (DI) 75-84 High proficiency in critical thinking and written expression. Solid understanding of key contextual theoretical issues. Demonstrated originality in analysis.
Credit (CR) 65-74 Competence in critical thinking and good written expression. Awareness of key contextual and theoretical issues. Evidence of some originality in analysis.
Pass (PS) 50-64 Basic competence in reading and understanding, and acceptable written expression. Some awareness of key contextual and theoretical issues.
Fail 0-49 Inability to demonstrate competence in reading and expression. Poor or weak analytical skills. Little engagement with unit content.

 

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introductory: Performing Identities Lecture (2 hr)  
Tutorials start in Week 02: no tutorial this week Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 02 Norm and Ahmed (Buzo) Lecture (2 hr)  
Introductory tutorials Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 03 Don's Party play (Williamson) and film (Beresford) Lecture (2 hr)  
Norm and Ahmed Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 04 My Brilliant Career (Armstrong), The Man from Snowy River (Miller) Lecture (2 hr)  
Don's Party play and film Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 05 The Ham Funeral (White) Lecture (2 hr)  
My Brilliant Career, The Man from Snowy River Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 06 The Chapel Perilous (Hewett) Lecture (2 hr)  
The Ham Funeral Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 07 Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (Lawler) Lecture (2 hr)  
The Ham Funeral Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 08 Speaking in Tongues (Bovell), Lantana (Lawrence) Lecture (2 hr)  
Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 09 The Boys play (Graham) and film (Woods) Lecture (2 hr)  
Speaking in Tongues, Lantana Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 10 Jump for Jordan (Abela), The Castle (Sich) Lecture (2 hr)  
Speaking in Tongues, Lantana Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 11 The Gift (Murray-Smith), Samson and Delilah (Thornton) Lecture (2 hr)  
Jump for Jordon, The Castle Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 12 Redfern Now: Promise Me (Perkins) Lecture (2 hr)  
The Gift, Samson and Delilah Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 13 Moulin Rouge (Luhrmann), Review Lecture (2 hr)  
Redfern Now, Moulin Rouge Tutorial (1 hr)  

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

In order of study. Note that some plays and films are freely available through the Library, either as ebooks or through the Kanopy streaming service.

  • Alex Buzo, Norm and Ahmed (Currency)
  • David Williamson, Don’s Party (Currency)
  • Bruce Beresford (dir.), Don’s Party
  • Gillian Armstrong (dir.), My Brilliant Career
  • George T. Miller (dir.), The Man from Snowy River
  • Patrick White, The Ham Funeral (Currency)
  • Dorothy Hewett, The Chapel Perilous (Currency)
  • Ray Lawler, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (Currency)
  • Andrew Bovell, Speaking in Tongues (Currency)
  • Ray Lawrence (dir.), Lantana
  • Gordon Graham, The Boys (Currency)
  • Rowan Woods (dir.), The Boys
  • Donna Abela, Jump for Jordan (Currency)
  • Rob Sitch (dir.), The Castle
  • Joanna Murray-Smith, The Gift (Currency)
  • Warwick Thornton (dir.), Samson and Delilah
  • Rachel Perkins (dir.), Redfern Now: Promise Me
  • Baz Luhrmann (dir.), Moulin Rouge!

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. demonstrate a knowledge of theatre and cinema in Australia, their respective histories, and some of the relationships between them.
  • LO2. analyse performance texts, their genres and technologies through practical application of appropriate critical methodologies.
  • LO3. discuss, in an enhanced way, the visual and performative aspects of stage and screen texts in relation to their verbal elements.
  • LO4. better understand the changing roles of nationality, race and gender as these have been represented in Australian plays and films, and received by audiences, both here and overseas
  • LO5. evince autonomous learning skills through both oral and written assessment tasks that involve independent reading and research.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

There is a better balance between stage and screen texts, and a stronger historical "narrative" at work in their discussion and analysis, including greater cultural and generic diversity.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

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