Assessment 3 Weekly Discussion Forums and Reflection – guidance and rubric (30%)

This assessment addresses the following Learning Outcomes and Program Learning Goals:
Course Learning Outcomes
• LO1 – Critically reflect on the principles and practices of project management in organisational settings and relate these to your own experience.
• LO2 – Identify, research, and critically analyse issues in project management practice and use research and theory to propose appropriate and well-justified solutions.
Program Learning Goals
• GA1 Business Knowledge: Students will make informed and effective selection and application of knowledge in a discipline or profession, in the contexts of local and
global business.
• GA2 Problem solving: Students will define and address business problems, and propose effective evidence-based solutions, through the application of rigorous analysis
and critical thinking.
• GA3 Students will harness, manage, and communicate business information effectively using multiple forms of communication across different channels.

Assessment structure and submission

The objective of assessment 3 is to help you consolidate your grasp of the course material and to canvass ideas with other students. Forum participation provides you with an
opportunity to interact and engage with one another about the course material. The aim of the Forums is to encourage your learning and mutual sense making of the course
content. Assessing forum participation provides an extrinsic incentive for all of you to actively participate in these discussions.
The aim of the individual Reflection is for you to critically comment on the theories, principles, and practices of project management and to reflect on and relate these to your
own experience. In particular, the aim is for you to think deeply and critically about how your thoughts have developed and evolved, and to discuss how, or if, the material you
have learnt influenced your subsequent behaviours.
There are two parts to this assessment, namely, Weekly Discussion Forums (Part A) and an individual Reflection (Part B).
Part A: Weekly Discussion Forum
Each week, I’ll post a topic or question broadly related to a chapter from the prescribed textbook, or that week’s lecture and reading. You are expected to:
• Post a response of 500w and that may take the form of a question or a comment including a comment on postings from fellow students. Your engagement in the
discussion forums is expected to be appropriate, considered, and respectful to others.
• All posts are to include references to demonstrate your understanding of the academic literature (Tip: expand your review of the academic literature beyond the set
text). Check your posts for spelling, grammar and correct use of the APA referencing convention as these will be assessed as part of your final assignment.
• At the end of week 13, choose your best three (3) forum posts over the course of the semester. Add a short introduction (150w max, not included in the original post,
or the 500w for that post) to each of the three selected posts explaining and reflecting on why you have included it as one of your best posts.
Part B: Reflection (end of semester)
Write an individual Reflection of 750w based on your learning in the course and that critically comments on the principles and practices of project management in
organisational settings. Remember to ground your reflection in the academic literature.
Submission:
The whole assessment will need to be submitted as one document using the template provided in Moodle. To achieve this, please:
• Copy your three (3) best forum posts (500w each) into a Word document (including dialogue with other students; include the whole conversation thread if appropriate);
• Write a short introduction (150w max) for each post explaining why you have included it as one of your best posts;
• Include references to demonstrate your understanding of the academic literature;
• Include your individual Reflection after your posts;
• Use APA referencing and include a reference list (one reference list for all posts and the Reflection at the conclusion of your document, i.e., after your Reflection); and
• Include conversation thread (where relevant) after your reference list;
• Use Standard Australian English (see Oxford Dictionary), Times New Roman, 12 size font, 1.5 spacing and standard margins.
The following questions are intended as a helpful guide for your Reflection (NOTE: these should not be used as subheadings to structure your assignment):
• What are the major themes and ideas explored in this course that stand out for me and why?
• To what extent has what I have learnt challenged, or changed, my existing views and assumptions about my project management practice? If your views and assumptions have
changed, how have they changed?
• How can I use what I have learnt to improve my project management practice? If you are not currently a project manager, please speculate on how what you have learnt could help you
in the future (if you took on project management responsibilities).
• How could I share or apply what I have learnt in my organisation to improve their project management practice?
Your assessment for this task will be based ONLY on the forum posts that you include in the document for Assessment 3. Consequently, when determining which posts to
submit, you may wish to consider the posts that: (a) demonstrate reflection and critical thinking; (b) demonstrate and apply the knowledge you have gained throughout the
course; (c) demonstrate synthesis of ideas and relevant literature (with references); (d) elicit engagement and dialogue from your student peers; and (e) demonstrate your
engagement with other students’ posts.
TIP: Although each forum will remain open until the end of the semester, and only three posts are formally assessed, it’s a good idea to try and post weekly. This not only
encourages interaction with other students but also helps you refine your skills in writing and analysis, which will also help you to select high quality posts for assessment. A
good idea might be to create a Word document where you keep all your posts, so that you can easily select your best contributions to submit at the end of the semester.
Your document must be submitted via Turnitin, so please make sure that your forum posts are written in your own words and are not extracted from other sources.
Please make sure that you read the marking criteria below. The rubrics outline the broad assessment criteria for each grading category. However, where your paper ultimately
sits within these categories is a decision made by the assessor using their subject matter knowledge and academic expertise. The High Distinction criteria describe a paper that
would be acceptable as a paper at an academic conference (i.e., a paper that has come up with an original contribution to project management thinking and has supported it
convincingly).
Words exceeding the word limit will not be read or considered part of the assessable content.
You are expected to conform to high standards of literacy and academic practice, including literature research and full documentation of sources. This means you must use
references, cite those references in the body of your posts and include a reference list at the end of the document. You must use the APA referencing convention. Failure to do
so is likely to result in a failed paper.
Be sure to express the ideas you read about in your own words but acknowledge their source by citing the reference. Avoid the use of rhetorical questions and / or direct
quotes as they do not demonstrate to the marker your understanding of the concepts and reading material.
Marking Criteria – Assessment 3 Weekly Discussion Forum and Reflection 30%
Program Goal
Problem solving (20%)
GA1 - Students will make
informed and effective
selection and application of
knowledge in a discipline or
profession, in the contexts of
local and global business.
Critical reflection (30%)
LO1 – Critically reflect on the
principles and practices of
project management in
organisational settings and
relate these to your own
experience.
Critical analysis (25%)
LO2 – Identify, research, and
critically analyse issues in
project management practice
and use research and theory to
propose appropriate and well-
justified solutions.
GA2 - Students will define and
address business problems,
and propose effective
evidence-based solutions,
through the application of
rigorous analysis and critical
thinking.
Business Communication
(10%)
GA3 – Student’s harness,
manage and communicate
business information
effectively using multiple forms
of communication across
different channels.
Literature Review (15%)
Students will conduct a
literature review into the
academic literature. Students
will correctly apply approved
referencing style (APA).
*Use and selection of quality references refers to effective evaluation of appropriate sources, applied to present a critical analysis of source material to develop a persuasive argument and is NOT assessed on the number of references
included. **Quality references refers to peer-reviewed journal articles from reputable journals.
Overall
The Forum Posts should
demonstrate high level problem-
solving skills and the ability to
apply this knowledge to answer
Forum Questions, or to a case
study or organisational context.
The Reflection should
demonstrate a high degree of
self-reflection regarding what the
student has learnt throughout
the semester and why it is
important / valuable.
The Forum Posts and Reflection
should be underpinned by
research into the academic
literature.
The Forum Posts and Reflection
should demonstrate the ability to
link different theoretical
concepts to form an argument,
rather than just describing the
material or focusing on one
concept at a time.
The Forum Posts and Reflection
should be examples of excellent
written expression, with clear,
concise, and persuasive
communication.
Evidence of research into the
academic literature needs to be
apparent in extensive in-text
referencing using APA
referencing style. A minimum of
6 quality references** are
expected, but there is no upper
limit.
<50% (Fail)
Narrow and limited knowledge.
No application of knowledge of
relevant topic AND/OR Forum
Posts are not relevant to the
questions asked.
Overall, lack of reflection or
demonstration of learning. The
Reflection does not move
beyond a description of the
learning experience.
The Forum Posts and Reflection
do not appear to be underpinned
by research into academic
literature.
Irrelevant forum post content OR
does not address forum question
OR covers a different topic
AND/OR presents assertions or
opinions, inappropriate,
discriminatory, prejudiced,
polemic, anecdotal.
Poor written expression.
Sentence and paragraph
structure is poor. Language is
rambling; jargon laden; difficult
to follow. Many errors in
spelling, punctuation, or
grammar.
Over reliance on prescribed
textbook, or websites, limited
use* of additional quality
references**, lots of assertions.
Does not reference sources
appropriately or accurately in-
text, or in reference list.
50% - 64% (Pass)
Basic understanding of relevant
topic demonstrated in Forum
Posts.
Basic application of knowledge to
a particular context to answer
questions asked in Forum Posts
OR summarises material.
Overall, some evidence of
reflection and demonstration of
learning; however, narrow in
focus AND/OR unclear.
The Forum Posts and Reflection
appear to be underpinned by
some research into academic
literature.
Evidence lacks logical
organisation AND/OR lacks
justification with evidence.
Theoretical concepts are
presented, but further
refinement is needed AND/OR
summarises material, relies on
assertions or opinions, or lacks
balance.
Clear and comprehensible
written expression. Sentences
and paragraphs are adequately
structured. Language is clear.
Some Many errors in spelling,
punctuation, or grammar.
Limited selection and use* of
quality references**, lots of
assertions, or overuse of
websites or mainly limited to
prescribed textbooks. References
sources in-text and reference list
mainly accurately in APA style,
with some errors.
65% - 74% (Credit)
Evidence of a deeper
understanding of relevant topic,
demonstrated through detailed
and accurate explanations in
Forum Posts.
Knowledge is applied to a
particular context to answer
questions asked in Forums.
Overall, evidence of reflection
regarding how knowledge has
increased and deepened
throughout the course and why
this is important (i.e., how
valuable it is for self, others, and
their organisation).
The Forum Posts and Reflection
are underpinned by sufficient
research into academic
literature.
Evidence arranged logically but
lacks a strong integrative
argument linking theoretical
concepts AND/OR lacks
justification with evidence OR
with some gaps AND/OR
summarises material, lacks
overall synthesis and analysis.
Good written expression.
Sentences well-formed and
paragraphs well-structured but
there is a need to improve
overall synthesis between
sections. Clear and persuasive
language. Minor errors in
spelling, punctuation, or
grammar.
Appropriate selection and use*
of quality references** AND
mostly covers crucial points.
Consistently references sources
in-text and reference list in APA
style, with minor errors.
75% - 84% (Distinction)
Evidence of in-depth knowledge
of relevant topic demonstrated
in Forum Posts.
Knowledge is cogently applied to
a particular context to answer
questions in Forums.
Overall, evidence of a high
degree of reflection and self-
awareness regarding how
knowledge has increased and
deepened throughout the course
and why this is important (i.e.,
how valuable it is for self, others,
and their organisation).
The Forum Posts and Reflection
are underpinned by
comprehensive research into
academic literature.
Highly logical presentation of
evidence supported by critical
analysis of theory and evidence.
Links different concepts to form
an integrated argument.
Very good written expression.
Sentences and paragraphs are
very well-formed. Language is
clear, concise, and very
persuasive. Virtually no errors in
spelling, punctuation, or
grammar.
Good selection of quality
references** some in addition to
those from course AND used* to
substantiate most crucial points.
Sources integrated effectively
into text throughout.
Consistently references sources
in-text and reference list in APA
style, with few errors.
≥ 85% (High Distinction)
Evidence of extensive knowledge
AND/OR originality in ideas in
Forum Posts.
Knowledge is critically applied to
a particular context, with extant
organisational policies and
practices scrutinised through
extensive use of academic
literature.
Overall, evidence of high degree
of reflection and self-awareness
regarding how knowledge has
increased and deepened
throughout course and why it is
important (i.e., how valuable it is
for self, others, and their
organisation). Reflection also
involves questioning extant
beliefs and assumptions.
The Forum Posts and Reflection
are underpinned by extensive
research into academic
literature.
All evidence presented logically,
well supported by critical
analysis of theory. Links different
concepts to form a sophisticated
argument AND is strongly
justified by evidence.
Excellent written expression,
polished and imaginative. All
sentences and paragraphs are
very well-formed. Language is
clear, succinct, unambiguous,
and highly persuasive. No errors
in spelling, punctuation, or
grammar.
Excellent selection* of
references including quality
references** AND used* to
substantiate nearly all crucial
points. Sources are integrated
extremely effectively into text
throughout. Consistently
references multiple sources in-
text and reference list in APA
style, with no errors.