| Semester 1, 2021 Online | |
| Short Description: | Examining the Sacred |
| Units : | 1 |
| Faculty or Section : | Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts |
| School or Department : | School of Education |
| Student contribution band : | Band 1 |
| ASCED code : | 070199 - Teacher Education not elsewher |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
Staffing
Examiner:
Rationale
The term ‘sacred’ means different things to different people. It is important that students have an understanding of this term as it has both religious and sociocultural connotations. The concept of sacred is important to understand as a basis of study in philosophy, anthropology, sociology and religion. The construct of ‘the sacred’ will be considered from both religious and non-religious perspectives. Many students undertaking this course may be preparing to teach Religion and Ethics and this concept and its wider implications are taught at a senior secondary level in both religious and government schools.
Synopsis
Examining the Sacred provides an overview of what the concept of `sacred' means in its various contexts - both religious and secular. This course presents an overview of spirituality as well as culture, belief and traditions held sacred by different groups worldwide. It provokes thought and contemporary debate on issues such as: what is spirituality, what is worship, what is sacred, is there a difference between sacred and culture. It also provides an introduction to the importance of sacred traditions and how these are commemorated in their various celebrations. Students will draw on their personal experiences and traditions as well as looking at contemporary culture to inform new perspectives on what it means to be religious, spiritual or sacred.
Objectives
On successful completion of this course students should be able to:
- demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of spirituality and the concept of ‘sacred’;
- demonstrate a broad familiarity with key concepts and ideas across a variety of philosophies;
- understand spiritual and cultural traditions, celebrations and how people pay homage to these;
- critically engage with issues surrounding the study of the sacred;
- demonstrate appropriate cognitive, literacy and communication skills, including spelling, grammar, punctuation and bibliographic referencing.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | What is sacred? | 20.00 |
| 2. | What is spirituality? | 15.00 |
| 3. | What is worship? | 10.00 |
| 4. | Historical evolution of the sacred | 10.00 |
| 5. | The importance of sacred traditions | 10.00 |
| 6. | Sacred celebrations | 15.00 |
| 7. | Sacred vs Culture | 20.00 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from (unless otherwise stated). (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/textbooks/?year=2021&sem=01&subject1=RET1000)
Please for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/info/contact/)
Reference materials
Student workload expectations
| Activity | Hours |
|---|---|
| Directed Study | 80.00 |
| Independent Study | 85.00 |
Assessment details
| Description | Marks out of | Wtg (%) | Due Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ORAL PRESENTATION | 50 | 50 | 21 Apr 2021 | |
| SACRED EVENT REFLECTION | 50 | 50 | 02 Jun 2021 | (see note 1) |
Notes
- SACRED EVENT REFLECTION AND JUSTIFICATION
Important assessment information
-
Attendance requirements:
There are no attendance requirements for this course. However, it is the students’ responsibility to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration. -
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks for that item. -
Penalties for late submission of required work:
Students should refer to the Assessment Procedure (point 4.2.4) -
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course. -
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative items for the course. -
Examination information:
There is no examination in this course. -
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
There is no examination in this course, there will be no deferred or supplementary examinations. -
University Student Policies:
Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene University policies and practices. These policies can be found at .
Assessment notes
-
Referencing in assignments must comply with the APA referencing system. This system should be used by students to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. The APA style to be used is defined by the USQ library's referencing guide. This guide can be found at .
Evaluation and benchmarking
In meeting the University’s aims to establish quality learning and teaching for all programs, this course monitors and ensures quality assurance and improvements in at least two ways. This course:
- conforms to the USQ Policy on Evaluation of Teaching, Courses and Programs to ensure ongoing monitoring and systematic improvement.
- forms part of the Bachelor of Secondary Education and is benchmarked against the internal USQ accreditation/reaccreditation processes which include (i) stringent standards in the independent accreditation of its academic programs, (ii) close integration between business and academic planning, and (iii) regular and rigorous review.