Welcome to COMM1081: Introduction to Creative Industries, your first core course for the new Bachelor of Creative Industries (BCI) and your introduction to this diverse field. This will be one of many courses you encounter in your degree program, but as your first experience within the BCI, COMM1081 will introduce you to not only the expanding field of creative industries but the School of Creative Industries here at UniSA, the library and its resources, as well as the University and what it has to offer more broadly.

In this course we will approach the creative industries from a number of perspectives, discussing their economic and cultural significance, and how they work in practice. You will learn about the key ideas that surround the creative industries, such as their history, the labour and networks involved, the creative industries as distinct houses of production, and the various issues that impact and influence them. You will develop an understanding of the relationship between society, patterns of consumer behaviour and the idea generation of future opportunities within the creative industries. We will also begin work on a professional portfolio you will continue to contribute to over the course of your program, along with basic writing and critical analysis skills that we will use to interrogate local arts policy documents and current issues within the creative industries.

COMM1081: Introduction to Creative Industries looks at the creative industries as part of broader economic and cultural systems, and explores the relationship between the creative industries, society, and changing political, economic and social contexts. The course also discusses how the creative industries work in practice, and how they differ from other types of industry in terms of both production and consumption. The course will be broken into three modules: Ideas, Industries, and Issues.

Success in this course will best be achieved through regular engagement with all resources - seminars, readings, online materials and learning support services such as the library and Learn Online. We will be employing active learning strategies in all seminars, and you should endeavor to benefit from discussions with not only myself but your fellow peers by asking lots of questions and actively participating in-class. Also, feel free to seek clarity on course content and assessment tasks at any time throughout the course.

I look forward to working with you as we discuss and explore the creative industries, their history, current events and issues, and where these industries are headed in the future.

Dr Sam Whiting
Course Coordinator

In 2018 the University launched its strategic plan Enterprise 25 (E25). Central to E25 is a commitment to orientating ourselves around our academic programs to ensure the quality of their delivery and the student experience. To meet this objective the institution is undergoing an academic transformation of Divisions and Schools to Academic Units. This transformation will occur on the 6th April 2020. Additional information regarding E25 is available at https://www.unisa.edu.au/About-UniSA/strategic-action-plan/

 

There are no prerequisite courses to be completed before this course can be undertaken.

There are no corequisite courses to be completed in conjunction with this course.

This course introduces students to the economic and cultural significance of the creative industries and how they work in practice. Students will develop an understanding of the relationship between society, patterns of consumer behaviour and the idea generation of future opportunities within the creative industries.

On completion of this course, students should be able to:

CO1. describe the structure and function of the Creative Industries, both nationally and internationally

CO2. understand the economic, policy and cultural impact of Creative Industries

CO3. analyse audience behaviours as they relate to the Creative Industries

CO4. develop and embody professional practice as appropriate to the Creative Industries

CO5. demonstrate an ability to understand issues of access and inequality in the Creative Industries sector

Upon completion of this course, students will have achieved the following combination of Graduate Qualities and Course Objectives:

A graduate of UniSA:

GQ1. operates effectively with and upon a body of knowledge of sufficient depth to begin professional practice

GQ2. is prepared for life-long learning in pursuit of personal development and excellence in professional practice

GQ3. is an effective problem solver, capable of applying logical, critical, and creative thinking to a range of problems

GQ4. can work both autonomously and collaboratively as a professional

GQ5. is committed to ethical action and social responsibility as a professional and citizen

GQ6. communicates effectively in professional practice and as a member of the community

GQ7. demonstrates international perspectives as a professional and as a citizen

This course provides a comprehensive overview of creative industry structures and functions, technological conditions and professional practice. It maps out the emergence of the creative industries as a policy discourse and a vehicle for urban regeneration. This course also familiarises students with the broader theoretical and practical implications of industry dynamics in political, economic and social contexts, and in the workplace, practices underpinning creative work.

In this course students will engage with key stakeholders within Australia’s Creative Industries. Students will be exposed to the dynamic contexts within which the Creative Industries operate and the significant cultural, economic and other contributions of these industries. Students will also have the opportunity to begin to map out their own path into the sector. Students will commence their progressive program portfolio in this core course.

4.5 units

Students are required to attend a minimum of 9 out of 12 seminars to pass this course (attendance will be monitored). Students are also expected to review the core readings and additional material provided on the LearnOnline site in preparation for seminars.

Regular attendance at seminars is expected in order for students to develop experience in communication and to engage in group and class discussions. In the case of illness, or other uncontrolled events that prevent attendance, please email your course coordinator with information about your absence. Unfortunately details of missed tutorials cannot be provided to students on an individual basis, other than in cases of illness or other exceptional circumstances. In these cases relevant documentary evidence should be provided.

There are no textbooks listed for this course.

All course related materials can be accessed through your learnonline course site which you will be able to access from the my Courses section in myUniSA.

All study related materials can be accessed through: https://my.unisa.edu.au

Details of assessment submission and return are listed under each assessment task. Assessment tasks will be returned to you within two to three weeks of submission.

 

Cover sheets

A cover sheet is not required for assessment tasks submitted via learnonline, as the system automatically generates one.

 

If the Course Coordinator allows submissions in hard copy format, you will be required to attach an Assignment Cover Sheet which is available on the learnonline student help (https://lo.unisa.edu.au/mod/book/view.php?id=1843&chapterid=567) and in myUniSA.

 

The feedback proforma is available on your course site.

Assessment #1 - Portfolio Set-Up and Career Development Plan
In this first piece of assessment, you will begin work on a portfolio that you will continue to contribute to, adapt, and improve over the course of your degree. This first phase of your portfolio design will focus on the initial set-up of your ePortfolio. This will feature a career development plan, which you will work on as part of Module 1 of the University's Career Development Learning Program (CDL).

You will work on Module 1 of the CDL, which focuses on Career Planning, both in-class and in your own time. Upon completion of this module you will have your own Career Development Plan! You can continue to draw upon, change and adapt this plan as your ideas and interests change and grow. You will upload this plan to your ePortfolio, which we will also develop in-class and in your own time.

This piece of assessment encourages students to:

• Define career development
• Utilise a range of self-assessment activities as a way of developing self-awareness
• Analyse and list current skills
• Describe where to find information about career pathways
• Identify skills required in an identified career pathway
• Describe career pathways available relative to study programs
• Explain the importance of participating in activities, practical experiences, short-course and workshops to developing knowledge, experience and employability
• Develop a Career Development Plan

This work will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• Completion of Module 1 of the CDL: Have you completed Module 1 and obtained your Certificate of Completion? If so, please submit your certificate as an attachment via learnonline.
• Career Development Plan: You will upload your Career Development Plan to your ePortfolio. You should have completed all aspects of the plan covered in Module 1 of the CDL. Please pay particular attention to the sections marked 'My Self-Assessments' and the 'SODA Career Plan Checklist', as these will be marked qualitatively.
• ePortfolio: The final part of this assessment will be to set-up your ePortfolio. Have you uploaded the relevant information, along with your Career Development Plan?
• CDL Module 1 Workbook (recommended): Throughout your work on Module 1 of the Career Development Learning Program, you will record your results and responses in the Module 1 Workbook. Although this is not a compulsory component of this assessment, completing the Workbook will greatly improve your Career Development Plan, as the two are designed to be completed together.

Upon completion of this piece of assessment, you should have: a) set-up your ePortfolio, b) uploaded your Career Development Plan, and c) submitted your certificate confirming completion of CDL Module 1.

Assessment #2 - Written Report on SA Arts Policy
Using the Australian Analysis & Policy Observatory (APO: https://apo.org.au/), you will be tasked with finding a piece of SA arts policy relevant to your major/interests, and will write a brief report on the document, summarising and detailing its aims and impacts. We will discuss appropriate examples in-class, and will trouble-shoot your chosen policy document during class time (it is not a requisite that you use the APO to find your policy document, although it is recommended).

Please address the following questions in your report:

• Which organisation created the policy document?
• Why did they create the policy document? What were they trying to change/fix/improve?
• What are they proposing to do to change/fix/improve the situation/problem/issue?
• What purpose does the policy serve?
• What problems/issues does the policy fail to address? Why?

This work will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• Your selection of an appropriate policy document: Is it SA specific? Is it an arts-related policy? How does it relate to your major/interest? (finding a document is part of the assessment)
• Your summary of the policy document and its context: Who authored the policy document? What were they trying to achieve with this policy? What was their rationale?
• Your ability to describe the particular issue that the policy document aims to address: How will it change/fix/improve/solve the issue?
• Your analysis of the solution proposed by the policy document: How is it going to achieve its aim?
• Your ability to connect your analysis to relevant creative industries literature, as well as literature relevant to your major/interest. This will include set course readings and your own self-selected, third-party references (for a report of this length, I would expect a minimum of 8-10 primary/scholarly sources for a HD)
• The clarity and structure of your report

Referencing
Please use Harvard-UniSA Referencing Style when citing sources. More information on Harvard referencing and citations at UniSA can be found here: https://www.library.unisa.edu.au/referencing-roadmap/

You must use the UniSA Harvard Referencing style for in-text references and your reference list for ALL material which is not your own. This includes academic references, websites, images apart from your own, policy documents, and online articles. There are examples of how to do this in the UniSA Harvard Referencing system guide. Material from freely available sources (i.e. not peer-reviewed, non-scholarly and open source) is not acceptable as an authoritative reference, but may be included in the reference list if cited in your work.

Assessment #3 - Essay on Key Issues facing an Industry Sector
Assessment #3 will be a formal essay investigating and discussing a key issue facing an industry sector - e.g. the impact of digitalisation on certain sectors (i.e. Netflix, Spotify etc.); issues of diversity, equality and social justice; globalisation etc.

You will research and write a research essay building on one of the topics presented in the 'Issues' module of the course. However, you are encouraged to pursue a topic of your own choice if it is relevant to the creative industries and/or your industry major.

A formal essay of this sort will include:

• An introduction, which will describe your topic/issue, it's history and/or context, and its relevance to a particular sector within the creative industries.
• A review of the academic literature and research on your key issue. An essay of this length should feature 10-15 academic, peer-reviewed sources in order to qualify for a high distinction.
• An analysis of the issue that is informed by your knowledge of the literature (along with secondary sources), as established in your literature review. By doing a thorough literature review, you should have a comprehensive understanding of your topic.
• A discussion of the issue based on your analysis: What is the future of this sector, and how has this issue impacted it? How will the sector adapt? What could be done to ensure this sector remains sustainable? What needs to change? What needs to remain the same?
• A conclusion that summarises your argument (your conclusion should mirror your introduction).
• A reference list that includes your sources formally listed using Harvard-UniSA style.

This work will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• Content: clear understanding of the topic and concepts; adequate coverage of the topic and relevance of the material; application of material. How have you approached the essay? Have you framed your argument in relation to the key issue well? Have you drawn on sufficient scholarly sources to support your argument?
• Research: evidence of adequate depth and breadth of research, with Harvard (Author Date) style referencing and correct reference list at the end of your document. Have you understood and used a range of scholarly sources throughout your essay? A strong essay will use a variety of research from a number of perspectives to build an argument. Does the reference list move beyond the set course readings and those discussed in the seminars?
• Understanding: Have you demonstrated an understanding of the issue and its impact on a particular sector of the creative industries? Is this shown throughout the essay? Is there consistency?
• Analysis and Original Thinking: a logical argument and discussion. Does the writing move beyond description? Is there a fully developed critical argument made in response to the scholarly literature? Do you bring together the existing debates in the field to support your analysis?
• Structure and Clarity: essay format and structure. Is the essay clearly organised? Is the writing clear and easy to follow? Does the introduction set up the argument and theoretical framework? Does the argument develop throughout the essay?

Make sure you build in enough time to edit and revise your essay. Does your essay address the key issue? Is the writing clear? Check your reference list is complete and proofread for spelling, typos and grammar mistakes before submission.

 

Referencing
You must use the UniSA Harvard Referencing style for in-text references and your reference list for ALL material which is not your own. This includes academic references, websites, images apart from your own, policy documents, and online articles. There are examples of how to do this in the UniSA Harvard Referencing system guide. Material from freely available sources (i.e. not peer-reviewed, non-scholarly and open source) is not acceptable as an authoritative reference, but may be included in the reference list if cited in your work.

See above under Assessment details.

This course does not have an exam.

Variation to exam arrangements does not apply to this course.

Supplementary assessment or examination offers students an opportunity to gain a supplementary pass (SP) and is available to all students under the following conditions unless supplementary assessment or examination has not been approved for the course:

1. if the student has achieved a final grade between 45-49 per cent (F1) in a course
2. if a student who has successfully completed all of the courses within their program, with the exception of two courses in which they were enrolled in their final study period, a supplementary assessment or examination may be granted where the final grade in either or both of these courses, is less than 45 percent (F1 or F2) and all assessments in the courses were attempted by the student. Supplementary assessment will not be available for a course under investigation for academic integrity until the investigation is completed, and determined that it did not constitute academic misconduct.

More information about supplementary assessment is available in section 7.5 of the Assessment Policy and Procedures Manual.
http://i.unisa.edu.au/policies-and-procedures/codes/assessment-policies/

All students must adhere to the University of South Australia's policies about assessment:
http://i.unisa.edu.au/policies-and-procedures/codes/assessment-policies/.

Students with disabilities or medical conditions or students who are carers of a person with a disability may be entitled to a variation or modification to standard assessment arrangements.  See Section 7 of the Assessment Policy and Procedures Manual (APPM) at:  http://i.unisa.edu.au/policies-and-procedures/codes/assessment-policies/

 

Students who require variations or modifications to standard assessment arrangements should make contact with their Course Coordinator as early as possible in order to ensure that appropriate supports can be implemented or arranged in a timely manner.

 

Students can register for an Access Plan with UniSA Access & Inclusion Service. It is important to make contact early to ensure that appropriate support can be implemented or arranged in a timely manner. See the Access and Inclusion for more information: https://i.unisa.edu.au/students/student-support-services/access-inclusion/

Students are advised there is a deadline to finalise Access Plan arrangements for examinations. Further information is available at:  http://i.unisa.edu.au/campus-central/Exams_R/Before-the-Exam/Alternative-exam-arrangements/

Deferred assessment or examination is available for this course.

Special consideration is not available for this course. APPM 7.7.4

Variation to assessment methods, tasks and timelines may be provided in:

Unexpected or exceptional circumstances, for example bereavement, unexpected illness (details of unexpected or exceptional circumstances for which variation may be considered are discussed in clauses 7.8 - 7.10 of the Assessment Policy and Procedures Manual). Variation to assessment in unexpected or exceptional circumstances should be discussed with your course coordinator as soon as possible.

Special circumstances, for example religious observance grounds, or community services (details of special circumstances for which variation can be considered are discussed in clause 7.11 of the Assessment Policy and Procedures Manual). Variations to assessment in expected circumstances must be requested within the first two weeks of the course (or equivalent for accelerated or intensive teaching).

 

Students with disabilities or medical conditions please refer to Students with disabilities or medical conditions.

Academic integrity is the foundation of university life and is fundamental to the reputation of UniSA and its staff and students. Academic integrity means a commitment by all staff and students to act with honesty, trustworthiness, fairness, respect and responsibility in all academic work.

An important part of practising integrity in academic work is showing respect for other people's ideas, and being honest about how they have contributed to your work. This means taking care not to represent the work of others as your own. Using another person's work without proper acknowledgement is considered Academic Misconduct, and the University takes this very seriously.

The University of South Australia expects students to demonstrate the highest standards of academic integrity so that its degrees are earned honestly and are trusted and valued by its students and their employers. To ensure this happens, the University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. For example, work submitted electronically by students for assessment will be examined for copied and un-referenced text using the text comparison software Turnitin http://www.turnitin.com.

More information about academic integrity and what constitutes academic misconduct can be found in Section 9 of the Assessment Policies and Procedures Manual (APPM): http://i.unisa.edu.au/policies-and-procedures/codes/assessment-policies/. The Academic Integrity Module explains in more detail how students can work with integrity at the University: https://lo.unisa.edu.au/mod/book/view.php?id=252142

Assessment administration: Extensions, late submission and re-submission
Managing your workload, particularly during your first year of university, can seem challenging. You are strongly advised to develop a study/assessment plan early in the study period for each of your courses (please use a calendar or semester planner to do so and to keep abreast of key dates). Please contact your Course Coordinator or the First Year Coordinator should you need some assistance with managing your workload. However, please remember that it is your responsibility to manage your time effectively, communicate with your tutors and lecturers and to submit your work on time.

In order to pass this course, you must have attempted all assessment tasks and have achieved a combined mark of 50% or more.

Extensions
Extensions are granted only on the grounds of illness or personal emergency and such requests must be submitted to your tutor (or course coordinator), via the online system, prior to the due date and accompanied by medical or other appropriate certification. Extension applications submitted after the due date will not be accepted.

Late Submissions
Unless an extension has been approved by your tutor via the online system and prior to the due date, late submissions will result in a penalty. You will be penalised 5 per cent of the assessment’s worth for each calendar day the task is late, up to a maximum of 7 days – including weekends. After 7 days a zero result will be recorded. Work will not be accepted after grading has been completed and assignments have been returned to other students.

Re-submission
Should you fail your assignment, your course coordinator can accept a re-submission, but you will only receive a maximum grade of 50 percent unless: a) the course coordinator allows the full range of marks on the basis of exceptional circumstances, or b) the re-submission results from an academic misconduct inquiry in which case the academic integrity officer will then determine the range of marks available, in consultation with the course coordinator.

This course is a new addition to the Bachelor of Creative Industries (2020).