University of Technology Sydney

95009 TD: Change-making for social impact

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Transdisciplinary Innovation
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 36 credit points of completed study in any Bachelor's Degree OR 36 credit points of completed study in any Bachelor's Combined Degree OR 36 credit points of completed study in any Bachelor's Honours Embedded OR 36 credit points of completed study in any Bachelor's Combined Honours
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 95017 TD: Change-making for social impact +

Description

This subject develops students’ capacity to understand and lead change in response to emergent complex problems that call for a transdisciplinary approach. Students in multidisciplinary teams connect with live industry and community partner briefs and examine these complex problems as they unfold on the ground. Students identify those most impacted, and are challenged to deal with rapid response timeframes, dynamic conditions and resource constraints, amongst other complexities, as they become known. This subject provides a creative, safe space for collaboration, thinking differently and experimentation to generate viable proposals for collective action to create social impact. Through this process, students develop strategies for navigating change, uncertainty, and a capacity to take proactive steps when facing the unknowns for the rest of their professional lives.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. Analyse and map systems, organisations and individuals utilising language, principles and tools of complexity to identify leverage points for change and impact
2. Articulate the current and future structures, processes, and practices that influence change and innovation across organisations, networks and systems
3. Develop strategies to mobilise and connect people and the organisations, networks and systems they work and live in to create and implement innovation
4. Design communication strategies to persuade organisational and community leaders to implement innovation in professional or social contexts to achieve impact

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject is offered in a blended mode. Students will engage with online interactive modules at their own pace to gain understanding of relevant concepts and frameworks. This learning is then applied to real-world challenges in collaborative, immersive and experiential studio environments. As students experiment with creative practices by drawing on cases and approaches from across different disciplines, they have ongoing opportunities for formative feedback from peers and academic staff.

Content (topics)

Foundations in 5 topics that will then be applied to the industry challenge project:

Topic 1: Social Impact

Topic 2: Systems and Complexity

Topic 3: Transdisciplinary integration of knowledge and experience

Topic 4: Implementation science

Topic 5: Participatory spectrum

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Investigation of change-making for social impact in complex systems

Type: Case study
Groupwork: Group, individually assessed
Weight: 30%
Length:

1000 words max (problem framing canvas and complex systems map).

Assessment task 2: Application of tools and methods for change-making across disciplines

Type: Exercises
Groupwork: Group, group and individually assessed
Weight: 30%
Length:

Varied depending on module and activity for each week.

Assessment task 3: Transdisciplinary insights for change-making in response to a real-world challenge

Type: Report
Groupwork: Group, group and individually assessed
Weight: 40%
Length:

1) Presentation 10 minutes

2) Short summary report 1000 words

Minimum requirements

Students must attempt each assessment task and achieve an overall pass mark in order to pass this subject.

A minimum of 80% of attendance of classes is required (whether face-to-face or online). The timetabled tutorials will alternate between interactive workshops led by tutors and self-directed teamwork every second week.

Required texts

No required texts. Readings and other resources will be provided online.