Unit rationale, description and aim
Professionals in any field of literary endeavour need a firm knowledge of the most popular genres that currently exist. Through this unit students will expand their knowledge of these popular genres by exploring a range of fantastic and science fiction narratives from the nineteenth century onwards. This unit encourages students to critically engage with fantasy and science fiction texts by bringing tools of analysis acquired in first year level units to research, discuss and reflect on key debates related to science fiction writing. The unit examines the ways in which science fiction and fantasy dreamscapes reflect and engage with cultural and social concerns such as gender, religion, war through a range of sub-genres such as dark fantasy, cyberpunk and dystopian fiction. The aim of this unit is to provide students with the knowledge and skills to identify and interpret the preoccupations of fantasy and science fiction texts so that they may discuss the ways in which fictional texts reflect or predict the state of society.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Discuss theoretical approaches towards and textual...
Learning Outcome 01
Communicate clearly in written and/or oral form, i...
Learning Outcome 02
Locate, evaluate and appropriately reference a var...
Learning Outcome 03
Apply the methods that literary theorists have use...
Learning Outcome 04
Reflect on key debates relating to literary studie...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- Fantasy, science fiction and dystopian texts
- The origins and development of the genres
- The elastic properties of genre
- Socio-cultural and socio-political implications of specific texts
- Transhumanism
- Critical literary theory
- Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and world Indigenous science fiction and fantasy
Assessment strategy and rationale
Assessments have been structured to ensure that students engage with the course material.
- In The Literature of Other Worlds, students will be required to participate in activities designed to enhance online student learning and scaffold the content of the unit. These can include collaborative online discussions, personal reflective critiques, reading responses and short quizzes.
- The online discussion board project gives students the chance to engage in continual learning through frequent small discussion exercises. These discussions will be aimed at specific topics requiring familiarity with primary and secondary texts and an ability to apply concepts to generate insights.
- The science fiction or fantasy research essay will allow students to undertake detailed research of a science fiction text, engaging in a close reading that explores its historical and cultural context, as well as an analysis of its significance in relation to contemporary anxieties.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Quizzes Purpose: To provide s...
Assessment Task 1: Quizzes
Purpose: To provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of the history of, and theoretical approaches to, fantasy and science fiction.
30%
Assessment Task 2: Compilation of Discussion Boar...
Assessment Task 2: Compilation of Discussion Board Exercises
To give students the chance to engage in continual learning through frequent small discussion exercises. These discussions will be aimed at specific topics requiring familiarity with primary and secondary texts, the key debates associated with them, methods literary theorists have used to research and interpret science fiction and fantasy literature and an ability to apply concepts to generate insights.
30%
Assessment Task 3: Research Essay: Science Fictio...
Assessment Task 3: Research Essay: Science Fiction or Fantasy
Purpose: To give students the chance to demonstrate their rigorous research skills and their application of critical literary theory to highlight the socio-cultural and political significance of a given science fiction or fantasy text.
40%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Science Fiction and Fantasy are popular genres. This unit will foster a learner-centred online environment, to find out what students read and elicit their views. This unit seeks to provide students with the skills to apply critical literary and theoretical approaches to their current reading, but also to expand this range. This unit engages students in active learning activities, such as reading, writing, discussion and problem-solving to promote analysis, synthesis and evaluation of class content.
As a fully online unit, The Literature of Other Worlds will make use of a selection of technological support systems such as online quizzes and discussion tools. Student participation in weekly digital activities will enhance the student learning experience and build the online learning community.
This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the teaching period. To achieve a passing standard in this unit, students will find it helpful to engage in the full range of learning activities and assessments utilised in this unit, as described in the learning and teaching strategy and the assessment strategy.
The unit is hosted on a Learning Management System (LMS) site with resources and online links, announcements, and a discussion board to post questions and reflections that promote connection between content and educational experiences.