GERM 2225 - Contemporary Germany
North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2025
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General Course Information
Course Details
Course Code GERM 2225 Course Contemporary Germany Coordinating Unit European Languages, and Linguistics Term Semester 2 Level Undergraduate Location/s North Terrace Campus Units 3 Contact Up to 3 hours per week Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N Prerequisites GERM 2203 Assessment Oral presentation, Written Response, Written Seminararbeit, Essay Course Staff
Course Coordinator: Dr Stefan Hajduk
Course Timetable
The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from .
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Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course students will have:
1) an in-depth knowledge of some of the issues central to an understanding of contemporary German society, culture and language
2) the ability to locate, organise and evaluate primary and secondary sources of information pertaining to the study of those issues
3) the ability to work independently and cooperatively to further their understanding of German society, culture and language
4) the ability to communicate information, ideas and arguments about aspects of contemporary Germany cogently and coherently
5) a greater awarenness of cultural difference/s and its/their impact on German society, but also on their own
6) the capacity to understand the complex nature of contemporary German society and of the cultural productions that represent or criticise itUniversity Graduate Attributes
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:
University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s) Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth
Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.
1, 5, 6 Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving
Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.
2, 3, 6 Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills
Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.
3, 4 Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness
Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.
1-6 Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency
Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.
5 Attribute 7: Digital capabilities
Graduates are well prepared for living, learning and working in a digital society.
2, 3, 4 Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.
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Learning Resources
Required Resources
There will be materials provided in class and/or uploaded on Canvas from week to weekRecommended Resources
A list of recommended references will be provided with the detailed Course Outline made available to students at the beginning of the semester.Online Learning
For a list of online resources click on
Library Resource Guides:
https://libguides.adelaide.edu.au/c.php?g=917348&p=6614218and ‘How do I...’
Humanties:
All lecture and some seminar materials will be available online via MyUni // Echo 360
Lecture Slides as written material in German is especially useful in addition to your comprehension training via ECHO
360. The Power Point Presentation Slides containing big chunks of what is being said in the lectures include Links und will
be available via MyUni in Modules week 1 to week 12. This is to help you improving your listening and reading comprehension.
For your independent study and additional training, especially in vocab and listening comprehension see the following LINK:
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Learning & Teaching Activities
Learning & Teaching Modes
The modes of teaching and learning employed in the course are largely classroom-based and face-to-face, but do also include e-learning forms such as discussion boards, blogs, or journals:
1) a lecture “Contemporary Germany“ which is designed to contribute to students’ understanding of contemporary Germany by focusing on aspects of the culture and society that are distinctively German and to provide a context for the study of individual aspects of contemporary German culture treated in language workshops and elsewhere throughout the course.
2) a seminar based on issues discussed in the lecture which will give students the opportunity to study topics in more detail and more depth. Students are encouraged to take personal responsibility for their learning through:
- independent personal study
- independent computer-based learning
- online access to lecture materials, recordings and other resources such as discussion boards, blogs, journals or external web-links.Workload
The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.
The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.
Below are the hours per week and per semester students are expected to devote to their German studies in “Contemporary Germany”.
Hours per week Total hours 1 X 1-hour lecture 12 hours per semester 1 X 2-hour seminar 24 hours per semester 3 hours preparation for contact hours 36 hours per semester 2 hours reading (or as required) 24 hours per semester 5 hours rsearch for presentation & assignments 60 hours per semester
Total = 156 hours per semesterLearning Activities Summary
This course is designed to contribute to students’ understanding of contemporary Germany. It does not aim to be comprehensive, but will focus on various aspects of the society and culture that are distinctively German. These include constructions of identity and the concept of “Heimat”, the cultural regions and the federal states, questions of German citizenship and immigration, traditions of German “Bildung” and the dual system of education, changes of the “Zeitgeist” and their reflection in the German language, the social market economy and welfare state, environmentalism and the energy transition to sustainability, questions of historical guilt and memorial politics, and the development of the new/old capital Berlin and the changed role of Germany within Europe.
Students will work both individually and in small groups on a variety of topics related to contemporary Germany.
The learning activities will include exercises, discussions as well as oral presentations and written assignments.
In the seminar students will be given the opportunity to work independently and cooperatively to explore topics and issues that particularly interest them and to embark on their own quest to discover more about contemporary Germany.
Students will be provided with a detailed course outline at the beginning of the semester. -
Assessment
The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:
- Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
- Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
- Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
- Assessment must maintain academic standards.
Assessment Summary
Written responses/homework, seminar presentation, minor research project, major research project (including blogs or 'journals' on MyUni). Assignment will include:
- some written responses/homework
- an oral presentation,
- a minor research project,
- a major research assignmentAssessment Related Requirements
Lecture
The 1 hour prerecorded lecture on Echo 360 is recommended for a first listening before the weekly Seminar session and a repeated listening at the student's suitable pace for improving listening comprehension. By exposing students to an immersive experience students will improve their listening skills in an authentically academic situation.
Seminar
Attendance is compulsory. Students who are obliged to miss the seminar must provide a reason and it is students’ responsibility to contact their lecturer or course coordinator about their absence and to ensure that they get any material that may have been handed out in the seminar missed.
Students who require alternative arrangements for assessment or extensions for assignments must notify staff before the due date and
must provide evidence that they have legitimate medical or compassionate grounds for their request.
Assessment Detail
The oral presentation gives students the opportunity to explore a topic they are interested in and also to practise presenting material in a different format. The presentation should be approx. 10 minutes long and directly related to the themes of the seminar. Material should be provided in a way that makes it accessible and interesting to other members of the seminar.
Like the oral presentation, the minor research assignment/Seminararbeit gives the students the opportunity to explore a topic in more detail, practise presenting the material in a written format. It should be correctly referenced, have a clear structure and be presented in an appropriate register. Individual blogs or journals as well as discussion boards of discovery groups can be part of the assessment.
Written responses/homework give students the opportunity to respond to issues raised in the seminar and develop their language skills in German. Participation is based on preparation of the week’s material including online resources (discussion boards, blogs, journals or wikis) and participation i.e. active contribution and engagement with other members of the group.
The major research assignment is the major summative assessment for this course. It is designed to enable students to explore a particular topic in more depth. Students will be assessed on their knowledge of the topic, their critical engagement with secondary sources on the topic and their ability to develop and express their own point of view.Submission
Information on submission will be provided in the detailed CourseOutline that students receive at the beginning of the semester.Course Grading
Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:
M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme) Grade Mark Description FNS Fail No Submission F 1-49 Fail P 50-64 Pass C 65-74 Credit D 75-84 Distinction HD 85-100 High Distinction CN Continuing NFE No Formal Examination RP Result Pending Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.
Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.
Final results for this course will be made available through .
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Student Feedback
The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.
SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
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Student Support
- Academic Integrity for Students
- Academic Support with Maths
- Academic Support with writing and study skills
- Careers Services
- Library Services for Students
- LinkedIn Learning
- Student Life Counselling Support - Personal counselling for issues affecting study
- Students with a Disability - Alternative academic arrangements
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Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
- Academic Credit Arrangements Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progress by Coursework Students Policy
- Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy
- Copyright Compliance Policy
- Coursework Academic Programs Policy
- Intellectual Property Policy
- IT Acceptable Use and Security Policy
- Modified Arrangements for Coursework Assessment Policy
- Reasonable Adjustments to Learning, Teaching & Assessment for Students with a Disability Policy
- Student Experience of Learning and Teaching Policy
- Student Grievance Resolution Process
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Fraud Awareness
Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student鈥檚 disciplinary procedures.
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