SSPS4111: Semester 2, 2020

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Units SSPS4111 Semester 2 2020 [Normal day]

Unit of study_

SSPS4111: The Future of Work

Semester 2, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Technological disruption, demographic change, globalisation and economic transformation are having a profound impact on the quantity and quality of jobs, how and by whom work is undertaken as well as the distribution of income and well-being. Such changes make the future of work challenging for all societies in the 21st Century. This project unit offers students the opportunity to explore the historical, contemporary and potential future(s) of the role of 'work' in the national and international context. Students will engage in primary and secondary research, with research experts within and external to the University, and apply social science expertise to contemporary public debate.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	SSPS4111
Academic unit	Social and Political Sciences
Credit points	12
Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	ANTH3998 or ANTH3999 or CRIM3998 or CRIM3999 or ECOP3998 or ECOP3999 or GOVT3898 or GOVT3900 or SCLG3998 or SCLG3999 or SLSS3998 or SLSS3999
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	36 credits points towards a major in a relevant subject area in the social sciences or humanities
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Claire Parfitt, claire.parfitt@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Quiz Students will respond to questions, in class, from the unit coordinator.	15%	Multiple weeks	3 x 500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Research Minutes Summary of key points of discussion in research seminars	15%	Multiple weeks	4 x 500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Literature review Review of literature relevant to the Group Research Project.	20%	Week 07 Due date: 13 Oct 2020 at 10:00	2500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Group Research Report Critical analysis of primary research, embedded in scholarly literature.	50%	Week 12 Due date: 20 Nov 2020 at 23:59	6000 words
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Assessment is designed to facilitate the development and application of student research skills, deepening student understanding and engagement with social scientific concepts and analytical tools and the translation of scholarship into public debate. The assessment combines small group work and individual work in a mix of formats. The assessment is scaffolded, with quizzes, and the research minutes providing students with the opportunity to develop and test their knowledge, while the literature review and final report enable students to demonstrate their capacity for research and analysis, depth of knowledge and capacity to translate scholarship into public debate.

Assessment criteria

Result code	Result name	Mark range	Description
HD	High Distinction	85-100	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
D	Distinction	75-84	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
C	Credit	65-74	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
P	Pass	50-64	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
F	Fail	0-49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.
AF	Absent Fail	0-49	When you haven’t completed all assessment tasks or met the attendance requirements.
CN	Cancelled	No mark	When your enrolment has been cancelled.

For more information see: https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.html

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.

Learning support

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.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Ideas about the future of work	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 01	Epistemology, methodology, method	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 02	Theorising 'work'	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 02	Designing a research project	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 03	The state, unemployment & social protection	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 03	Literature review	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 04	The global organisation of work	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 04	Interviews	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 05	Automation: Will robots take all the jobs?	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 05	Ethnography	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 06	Gigs, autonomy & entrepreneurship	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 06	Surveys	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 07	Education, labour & capital	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 07	Finding & interpreting data	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 08	Ecological crisis and the new work order	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 08	NVivo	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 09	Changing demographics at work	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 09	Project management	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 10	Digital labour	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 10	Report writing	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 11	The contested future of work	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 11	Research translation & policy	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 12	(utopian) thinking about the future of work	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 12	Research workshop	Workshop (2 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 12 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 240-300 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit are available on the eReserve link via Canvas.

Learning outcomes

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.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

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

LO1. apply core concepts, approaches and analytical tools available to social scientists to an issue of public importance.
LO2. demonstrate an awareness of the cultural, political, social and economic contexts and variance in the role that ‘work’ has played across time and in national and international contexts.
LO3. demonstrate a capacity to undertake primary and secondary research through analysis of domestic and international data on labour markets and collection of new data on the experience of work and employment.
LO4. translate empirical and theoretical scholarship into public debate.

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
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

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

This is the first time this unit has been offered.

Disclaimer

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

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

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