Course Title: Investigate features of the Australian legal system

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2014

Course Code: HUSO5212

Course Title: Investigate features of the Australian legal system

School: 360T Education

Campus: City Campus

Program: C3310 - Certificate III in EAL (Further Study)

Course Contact: Baia Tsakouridis and Bloss Robertson

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 99254488

Course Contact Email: baia.tsakouridou@rmit.edu.au, bloss.robertson@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Angela Borrelli 94.3.16 email: angela.borrelli@rmit.edu.au
Jennifer Chamberlain 94.3.23 email: jennifer.chamberlain@rmit.edu.au

Jane Saunders 94.3.16 email: jane.saunders@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 50

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

In this unit you will focus on the Australian legal system and become familiar with  the knowledge and skills required to access various aspects of the Australian legal system.
 


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

VU21471 Investigate features of the Australian legal system

Element:

1 Describe the main features of the Australian legal system

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Identify the main differences between civil law and criminal law
1.2 Identify the rights and responsibilities of the police in Australia
1.3 Describe the main features of the court system and the role of each court
1.4 Discuss methods of punishment in Australia
 

Element:

2 Examine the process of accessing legal representation

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Identify key features of the system of legal representation
2.2 Access information about legal resources in the community
2.3 Identify the typical costs of accessing the legal system
2.4 Discuss the availability of legal resources in the community
 

Element:

3 Take notes of features of the Australian legal system
 

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Identify purposes and commonly recognised methods for note-taking
3.2 Select a key feature of the Australian legal system relevant to own interests for further research
3.3 Take notes of the key information
3.4 Sequence notes in a suitable format

Element:

4 Discuss issues raised

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Use a range of strategies to initiate and participate in an informal discussion
4.2 Use notes to discuss key feature of the Australian legal system
4.3 Use terminology related to legal system in Australia
4.4 Clarify misunderstandings and ambiguous points arising in discussion
 


Learning Outcomes


N/A


Details of Learning Activities

This unit is part of Certificate III in EAL (Further Study) which is an integrated program. This means that you will study this unit with several other units on the same day. Your program consists of Face to Face teaching and Directed Study. Your program will have a minimum of 8 hours Directed Study per week. You are not required to attend to complete Directed Study, however you are expected to complete all work given and will at times be required to show evidence that the work has been completed in this unit. This is a very important part of your program and we ask that you do 4-5 hours on your non attendance day and at least 1 hour each evening to cover all the units in the program. An outline of your Directed Study is published each week in the Weekly Program Delivery Plan.

Examples of how you will practice and study the units

LISTENING
You will:
• listen to a range of audio and film and documentary texts
• take part in conversations
• listen and take notes from guest speaker presentations

READING
You are encouraged to read a wide range of texts relevant to the study context. You will:
• read , analyse and review complex texts for research purposes
• read extended personal and imaginative texts
• read opinion texts
• study items in the news every week and compare television and newspaper news.
 

WRITING
In a variety of writing activities, you will improve your sentence structure and learn how to use different writing styles. This will include formal letters, course applications, essays, and short reports. You will:
• do a research project based on Australian Law
• take notes from a range of complex texts
• learn to locate and record references used
• learn about research and report writing
• learn to plan, draft and proofread your work.
• become familiar with academic discourse

write a reflective text based on guest speakers on Australian Law
The revision of important grammatical structures will be incorporated into each activity.


Teaching Schedule

Program dates

14th July - 18th July,2014 Induction Week

14th July - 14th November, 2014
Public Holiday
Melbourne Cup Day 4th November, 2014

Mid Semester break
29th September - 3rd October, 2014

This unit of competency is taught within an integrated program.This unit is clustered with VU21503 Listen and take notes for research (LANG5809) and VU21499 Give straightforward oral presentations for further study

Teaching Schedule: This course will be delivered weekly. The times will be outlined in the program delivery plans which are updated each week.
 

Week VU21471 Investigate features of the Australian legal system

VU21471

Elements

VU21499

Elements

VU21503 Elements
1  Orientation/Admin

Welcome lunch

Diagnostic Test

Discuss Australian Law Terminology
 

 1

 1

2

 1

2

2  Students participate in formal group interactions, listen to Australian Law Court system audio visual text and discuss their listening notes.

Students write a group summary
 

 1  1  2
3  Students read texts & listen to audio visual material about the difference between civil law and criminal. Then participate in informal group interactions &discuss listening notes & write a group summary
 

 1

2

 1

2

 2
4  Take part in conversations on benefits of Sport. Prepare group work on benfits of sport.

 1

2

 1

2

3

 1

2

5   Listen & take notes on reports of criminal law crimes and civil law crimes on media and discuss
 

 1

2

3

4

1

2

3

 1

2

6

  Assessment Task 2 -Australian law Guest Speaker (Wk 6)

Law Guest speaker: Listen and take notes, answer questions and prepare a short oral presentation.
 

 1

2

3

4

 3

4

5

 1

2

7

 Assessment Task -3 Oral Presentation Sport (Wk 7)

Students prepare & give a short group oral presentation on benefits of sport & review performance.

 1

2

 1

2

3

4

5

 1

2

8  Listen to audio texts on roles of police in Australian legal system, take notes, discuss and clarify roles.
 

 1

2

 1

2

3

4

 1

2
 

9  Discuss methods of punishment in Aust legal system. Interact in groups to discuss and compare punishments
 

 1

2

 1

2

 1

2
 

10  In pairs prepare an inormal discussion on a reported crime and discuss the punishment.collection of folio
 

 1

4

 2  1

2
 

11   Mid-Semester interviews      
12

Assessment Task 7- Police Talk (Wk 12)

 Police Guest speaker. Listen, take notes and summarize features of Aust Legal system. Clarify and discuss issues raised in a group interaction

Review (written and oral) issues raised in Police talk. Share written responses in groups.
 

 1

2

3

4

 2  1

2
 

13

 Assessment Task 8 - Magistrates Court (Wk 13)

Magistrates’ Court Excursion:students listen to court cases, take notes and summarize one case.

 1

2

3

4

 

 2  1

2
 

14  Working in Groups: discusss stategiies for succussful group work

 3

4

 2

3

4

 1

2
 

15  Grammar Oral Presentation. In pairs students research, prepare and participate in a formal group interaction in a study context. Class listens, takes notes and participates in group interactions.

 3

4

 1

2

3

4

5

 1

2
 

16  Grammar Talk performance review

 3

4

 1

2

3

4

5

 1

2
 

17  ReviewGroup sumamries of main fact of Aust Legal System

 3

4

 5  

**The teaching schedule maybe subject to change. Students will be advised via Blackboard and in class should changes occur.


Teaching Schedule: This course will be delivered weekly. The times will be outlined in the program delivery plans which are updated each week
Your program is made up of:
• Orientation
• Learning activities
• Mid semester review
• Guest speakers
• Excursions
• Exit review

All students will be inducted. The induction includes:
• Program Guide & Student Diary
• Student Rights and Responsibilities
• Explore RMIT ( an orientation to the university and its services)
• Orientation to RMIT Libraries (library tour & on line catalogue introduction)
• RMIT Online Systems Information Session

Library Orientation & an RMIT Online Systems Information Session will be scheduled during the first two weeks of your program. Information about student services, rights and responsibilities is contained in your student diary.


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

TEXTS AND EQUIPMENT

There are no set texts in this course, but it is recommended that you bring:

• English-English dictionary (we ask that you do not use a translation dictionary)
• Thesaurus
• Display folder with plastic sleeves
• Highlighter pens
• Notebook or loose leaf paper
• Headphones (use your own or they can be purchased from the Carlton Library very cheaply)
• USB (Memory stick)


Overview of Assessment

You must demonstrate an understanding of all elements of the competencies in order to be deemed competent. Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks. You may be assessed by

group research project
report writing
evidence of note taking and research skills
 

Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online discussions, through individual and group feedback on practical exercises and by individual consultation.

If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program manager or the Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.

The Student Charter www.rmit.edu.au/about/our-education/supporting-learning-and-teaching/student-charter/ summarises your responsibilities as an RMIT University student as well as the responsibilities of the university.

Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies and procedures which can be found on the RMIT University website at: http://www1.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=qwxbqbg739rl1


 


Assessment Tasks

Assessment tasks:

Summative assessments:

Assessment Task 2 -Australian law Guest Speaker (Wk 6)

This is a task which focuses on listening skills, note taking and oral presentation skill.. It involves listening to the guest speaker, taking notes, and planning and preparing a short oral presentation about an Australian Law area.. It involves listening, note taking, summarising, vocabulary and grammar development oral presentation skill.. Students will take notes whilst listening to the guest speaker and participate in small group discussion and expressing opinions with evidence and examples. Students will also evaluate their participation in the discussion and identify areas for improvement.

Assessment Task -3 Oral Presentation Sport (Wk 7) Research Report: Group oral presentations Due: Weeks 16 & 17
This task utilises the research from the report and involves planning and presenting a formal group oral presentation using PowerPoint of 15-20 minutes. The task also provides opportunities for peer assessment and self evaluation.


 

Assessment Task 7- Police Talk (Wk 12) Police Talk participate in a group discussion. This is a task which focuses on report writing. It involves preparing for writing a report by listening to the guest speakers, taking notes, and planning and writing up a report. It involves listening, note taking, summarising, vocabulary and grammar development and paragraph writing. Students will take notes whilst listening, and participate in small group discussion and expressing opinions with evidence and examples. Students will also evaluate their participation in the discussion and identify areas for improvement.

Assessment Task 8 - Magistrates Court (Wk 13)
This task involves researching skills, listening skills, discussion and report writing. Students will start the task by reading and doing online research of the court system in Australia and exploring the virtual tour. They then listen and take notes in a court room through an excursion to Melbourne Magistrates’ Court. The task will culminate in report writing about the research, excursion and case study. The task involves computer skills assisting online research, reading, analysing, note taking, vocabulary development, grammar development and referencing


Formative assessments: ongoing observations, summaries and review of student work

Please note:
Assessments tasks will include other courses (Units of competency) from the program.

All Assessment tasks should be submitted by the deadline. If an extension is required you must ask your teacher for one before the due date.


Assessment Matrix

Assessment Matrix
Each assessment cover sheet clearly outlines the competencies being addressed in the task in relation to performance criteria. The sum of assessment tasks will cover all units and their elements over a range of occasions. You will be given opportunities to demonstrate competency in a variety of ways throughout the program. To sucessfully complete this unit you will need to demonstrate that you are competent in each element of the unit/subject on at least two occasions.


You are encouraged to discuss any problems or concerns with your teacher or student co-ordinator. An assessment matrix will be available on myRMIT
 

Other Information

Attendance
Your course involves participating in face to face classes. It is strongly advised that you attend all sessions in order to engage in the required learning activities, ensuring the maximum opportunity to successfully complete this course.

Student Progress

Monitoring academic progress is an important enabling and proactive strategy to assist you to achieve your learning potential.

Student program policy www.rmit.edu.au/policies/academicprogress


You will be asked to attend mid-semester and end of semester interviews with relevant teachers and Program Co-ordinator. The interviews are an important part of giving you feedback and supporting you through your program by monitoring your academic progress


Special consideration policy (Late submissions)
All assessment tasks are required to be completed to a satisfactory level. If you are unable to complete any piece of assessment by the due date, you will need to apply for an extension. Extension www.rmit.edu.au/students/assessment/extension

Special consideration is an assessment adjustment for unexpected circumstances that are outside your control, which:
• have a significant adverse impact on your performance in assessment or
• prevent you from attempting or submitting the assessment. Special Consideration www.rmit.edu.au/students/specialconsideration

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
RMIT University has strict policy on plagiarism and academic integrity. Please refer to the Academic Integrity and Plagiarism policy
www.rmit.edu.au/students/academic-integrity
 

Course Overview: Access Course Overview