Skip to main content
Unit outline_

EDGU1004: Young People, Sex and Sexual Health

Semester 1, 2023 [Normal day] - Remote

This unit will critically consider sex, sexuality and understandings of sexual health from a range of historical, sociological, psychological, educational and public health perspectives. It will examine the ways in which expressions and understandings of sex and sexuality are simultaneously a matter of personal and public conversation. By exploring the various ways in which sex and sexuality are shaped in society students will have the opportunity to explore how varied approaches and views construct and constrain young people's sexual identities as well as shape approaches to sexual health education.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Education
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Kellie Burns, kellie.burns@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s) Hannah Hayes, hannah.hayes@sydney.edu.au
Brooke Manning, brooke.manning@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Small Group Tutorial Presentation
Group presentation & collaboration plan
40% Multiple weeks 30 min & 2000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Assignment Short critical online response
Short essay
25% Week 05
Due date: 24 Mar 2023 at 23:59
1000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4
Assignment Essay
Reflective essay
35% Week 13
Due date: 19 May 2023 at 23:59
1500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4

Assessment summary

  • Short critical online response:  You will need to answer the following questions using formal writing conventions: What is a non-essentialist theoretical approach? How are sex, gender and sexuality understood through this lens?
  • Group Presentation: Working in small groups within your tutorial group you will select a sexual health or sexualities education resource from Australia or overseas. You must present a critical review (assisted by powerpoint or equiv app) of the resource that: (1) describes the resource format and content; (2) critically considers who created the resource and who the target audience/population is; and, (3) critically analyses its strengths and weaknesses. 
  • Essay: You will answer the following critically reflective essay question: What were you 'taught' about sex, gender, sexuality and sexual health through your various educational experiences? Drawing on the critical perspectives developed in this unit of study, consider how these 'lessons' about sex, gender and sexuality shaped your sense of self and your experiences of schooling. What do you think (given all you've been asked to critically analyse) the priorities for school-based and/or broader sexualities education should be?

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Distinction

75 - 84

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Credit

65 - 74

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Pass

50 - 64

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Sex, gender & schooling - where to begin? (Brooke Manning) Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO4
Week 02 (Re) thinking constructions sex, gender and sexuality (Brooke Manning) Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4
Week 03 (Re) thinking constructions of childhood, youth, ‘difficult knowledge’, teachers and students (Brooke Manning) Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 04 Young people’s sexual and relational practices in Australia (Hannah Hayes) Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO3 LO4
Week 05 Teaching sexuality education (Hannah Hayes) Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 06 Cultural traditions, sex and sexuality 1 (Remy Low) Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO2 LO4
Week 07 Cultural traditions, sex and sexuality 2 (Remy Low) Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO2 LO4
Week 08 The sexual health of young people (Hannah Hayes) Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO3
Week 09 Diverse gender and sexuality at school (Hannah Hayes) Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 10 Bodies, lives and schools beyond the binary 1 (Brooke Manning) Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 11 Bodies, lives and schools beyond the binary 2 (Brooke Manning) Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 12 Consent education (Hannah Hayes) Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: The Sydney School of Education and Social Work requires attendance of at least 90 percent of all seminars, workshops or lectures. Where a student is unable to attend at the required rate evidence of illness or misadventure may be required and the student may be required to undertake extra work. Students should discuss the circumstances of their absence(s) with the co-ordinator of the unit of study. Further details are provided in the School canvas site: https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/13426

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Please see Canvas for a list of prescribed readings arranged by week. 

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. understand human sexuality from a range of historical, sociological, educational and public health perspectives
  • LO2. consider and analyse debates about children and young people’s access to sexual health knowledge in schools and within broader social discourse
  • LO3. analyse policies, pedagogies and practices around young people’s sexual health and their application to diverse local and global educational settings
  • LO4. understand the complex intersections between sex and sexuality and other socio-cultural factors such as race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, social class, religion, sport and geographic locatedness.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

We are always interested in student feedback and adapt unit content and assessment based on student feedback, which is overwhelming positive each year.

Site visit guidelines

If you are undertaking professional experience/field education placement as part of your enrolment in this unit of study, please assess your specific needs and requirements for the safe and successful completion of an external placement within a host organisation. You will be given the opportunity to disclose any health issues that have a work health and safety significance before arranging a placement so that your safety, and the safety of others, can be properly assessed. The Professional Experience Coordinator/Field Education Manager will work to ensure that the workplace assignment to you is appropriate for your needs and requirements. If you are experiencing disability, and require reasonable adjustments to be arranged, please contact Disability Services as early as possible prior to commencing the internship. Please note, in all cases, and for the purpose of organizing reasonable adjustments, only the impact and not the nature, of your disability will be disclosed to the host organisation.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.