BAS5500 · The challenge of change

Overview

Creating change is hard; creating transformational change is even harder. Why? This unit explores fundamental questions around how change happens, why purposeful change can be so difficult, and how change can be understood and influenced at multiple levels. The unit draws on rich, illustrative examples from political, social and natural sciences, and interdisciplinary sustainability theories, to help you make sense of change within complex systems. You will learn how to identify hidden patterns and dynamics, how to diagnose the nature of real-world problems, and become familiar with factors which enable or prevent behavioural, organisational and systemic change in real-life contexts. In addition, you will gain an appreciation for the ethics of change, and for the need to engage in a collaborative approach to creating change, at the individual level, and up to the level of public policy.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. Develop foundational knowledge of change processes, including the dynamics and nature of transformative change for complex societal challenges;
2. Critically interrogate behavioural and systemic approaches to change and demonstrate an understanding of the complementarities, tensions, applicability and specificities between various approaches'
3. Utilise diverse stakeholder perspectives and interdisciplinary knowledge to explore the challenges and opportunities of enabling change;
4. Ethically apply knowledge of change processes to real-world problems while building self confidence and agency to take action;
5. Demonstrate capability for values thinking, coping with uncertainty, self-awareness and reflexive practice.

Workload

In total, you can expect to commit a total of ~144 hours of independent and collaborative work over the teaching period as follows: • In weeks 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6 you will be expected to complete a 2.5-hour online workshop; • 12 hours of asynchronous online learning, and • 9.5 hours of independent study towards assignments. • In week 2 you will be expected to attend a three-day experiential on-campus masterclass scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Clayton campus.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.