Sociology

Sociology Level 3 is a vehicle for understanding human behaviour, social structures and cultures. It directs attention to the way in which the parts of society are related, and the causes and impact of social change.

Sociology develops a capacity for detailed observation of social patterns and behaviour in groups, and encourages learners to become aware of and to think about daily life and activities from a variety of sociological perspectives. This study allows learners to harness key sociological frameworks to analyse social institutions, especially in contemporary Australian society. It can be a basis for formal study at a tertiary level or for vocational education and training settings.

The study of Sociology can lead to employment in government and community organisations including, for example, cultural and community development, or work with minority and ethnic groups.

It can lead to work in fields that address such issues as crime and substance abuse, youth and family matters, industrial relations, social justice and social issues related to health care. Sociology develops widely applicable skills in social research: developing surveys, collecting data, and conducting interviews and fieldwork, including the analysis, interpretation and presentation of the information collected.

Through the study of Sociology Level 3 learners will develop:

• Sociological knowledge: Learners describe and use terms, concepts, ideas and theories as they describe key aspects of social structure and behaviour in contemporary Australian society (CAS)
• Sociological reasoning: Learners apply appropriate theoretical perspectives and mathematical and statistical techniques to interpret empirical evidence and information from a variety of sources
• Sociological analysis: Learners examine evidence and the forces that influence behaviour to form conclusions about social life and human behaviour and draw evidence-based conclusions
• Sociological communication: Learners select and use sociological terms and language conventions to convey meaning to interested parties
• Sociological inquiry skills: Learners develop skills in the scientific method of social inquiry as they apply the skills to the investigation of social phenomena.

On successful completion of this course, learners will be able to:

1. analyse theories about the relationship between socialisation, society and culture and how they can be used to explain the construction of identity
2. analyse how socialisation can lead to social control and conformity
3. analyse theories about deviant behaviour
4. analyse theories about the institutions of family, education, work and the media and the ways they have changed in contemporary Australian society (CAS)
5. analyse theories about the social categories and inequality (gender, ethnicity, indigenous peoples, age and rural and regional Australians) and their impact in CAS
6. apply relevant sociological terms, concepts and theories and inquiry skills to investigate inequality in CAS
7. use scientific research methods applicable to sociology to ethically collect and interpret empirical evidence (research data)
8. interpret quantitative data, information, ideas, theories and the relationships between them to draw conclusions and support points of view
9. communicate sociological ideas, information, opinions, arguments and conclusions.

Introduction to Sociology and Psychology Level 2 serves as a pathway to Sociology Level 3.

This course also acts as a pathway to further education, training and employment for careers in which an understanding of the organisational behaviour of individuals, groups and institutions is a key element. These include careers in human resources, community services, education, journalism, environmentalism, business, law, criminal justice and health. It also provides a good introduction to the academic disciplines of sociology, anthropology, psychology, criminology and law at a tertiary level.

This course has a complexity level of 3.

At Level 3, the learner is expected to acquire a combination of theoretical and/or technical and factual knowledge and skills and use judgement when varying procedures to deal with unusual or unexpected aspects that may arise. Some skills in organising self and others are expected. Level 3 is a standard suitable to prepare learners for further study at tertiary level. VET competencies at this level are often those characteristic of an AQF Certificate III.

This course has a size value of 15.

• Module 1 will be taught first. Modules 2–3 may be taught sequentially. The skills in Module 4 will be introduced during Modules 1–3. The Investigative Project aspect of Module 4 can be introduced at a time determined by the teacher.
• Recommended time (%) spent on each module is specified in brackets.
• A Glossary of terms used in the standards and throughout the below course document is provided in Appendix 1.

OVERVIEW

Sociology Level 3 comprises four (4) compulsory areas of study:

COURSE DETAILS

MODULE 1: SOCIALISATION: CONFORMITY AND DEVIANCE (25%)

MODULE OVERVIEW
This module concentrates on the social forces that form the individual and on individual responses to these forces. It introduces essential concepts and theoretical perspectives that form the basis of an introduction to the discipline of sociology. This conceptual and theoretical understanding establishes a common foundation for the subsequent modules. The modules although presented as distinct areas of study are, in fact, integrated by common themes.

This module specifically focuses on identity construction and how the socialisation process contributes to the formation of the individual. Socialisation takes place within such social institutions as the family, school, work and the mass media.

The module also focuses on the way culture is transmitted between generations, how groups and individuals learn to be part of a culture including such patterns of behaviour as conformity, subordination and social control. While studying how conformity and social control is enforced the module also examines the emergence of diversity and difference.

Diversity can take a number of forms. It can occur as a direct result of differing cultural backgrounds or it can occur when individuals resist conforming to society’s norms and values. This section of the module explains how socialisation and deviance are linked together. It examines the concept of deviance and why some people deviate or choose to behave in way that may not be considered acceptable by others. This part of the module explores the meaning and relativity of deviance, how deviance is defined and the theories of deviance that help to explain deviant behaviour.

This module has two main inter-related concepts:

A. Socialisation
B. Deviance.

A – Socialisation
In this area of study learners are introduced to the concepts of society, culture and socialisation and the relationship between them. Socialisation and the formation of identity are the starting points for this discussion. Learners analyse and evaluate theories related to the construction of identity. The process of socialisation will be examined within the agents of socialisation (family, school, peers and media). It is located within the context of culture and the transmission of norms and values. Learners explore how social inequality is reinforced and reproduced in the context of the individual’s social location.

Learners also explore the connection between socialisation, conformity and social control as well as the ways in which social order and moral consensus is constructed and maintained. The relationship between subculture, conformity, difference and deviance is examined.

Four different theoretical explanations of Socialisation are analysed and evaluated with a particular critique from the perspective of human agency and free will. They can be described as the functionalist, feminist, conflict and interactionist approaches.

KEY IDEA
A range of sociological concepts and theories can be used to explain the relationship between socialisation, society and culture. These can then be used to explain the construction of identity and how socialisation can lead to social control.

ESSENTIAL CONCEPTS

• Agents of socialisation (family, school, peer groups, mass media and work place) and how the agents of socialisation shape the individual, the effects of culture on the individual
• The socialisation process and how mechanisms are put in place to maintain social control and conformity (moral consensus): informal and formal social control, positive and negative sanctions, and internalisation of norms
• The relationship between conformity and difference and the importance of individual agency
• Four different theoretical interpretations of the socialisation process and how social control is maintained:
  • functionalist perspective (macro approach) that explains how agents of socialisation work together to reinforce social control and conformity and how this perspective puts value on conformity and the smooth mechanical interaction between parties
  • conflict perspective (macro approach) as a struggle for access to power and knowledge by different social groups and the impact of class, race and gender on the socialisation process
  • feminist perspective as a broad macro approach that includes Marxist, liberal and radical feminist views
  • interactionist perspective (micro approach) as a very individualised two-way approach and how we respond to certain signs that guide our behaviour:
    • the process of identity construction and the importance of imitation, modelling, role models and role-taking
    • the concept of ‘self’ as explained by Cooley’s interactionist theory the ‘looking glass self’
    • the three stages in the process of self-formation as identified by George Herbert Mead’s symbolic interactionist approach: play stage, game stage, formation of the generalised other.

KEY CONTENT
Learners will investigate:

• The meaning of culture and its major components: norms, values, cultural universals, ideal and real culture, non-material and material culture, subcultures, counter-cultures
• The meaning of society and its important elements: statuses, roles (ascribed and achieved), social groups and institutions
• The meaning of socialisation and its different forms: primary, secondary and tertiary socialisation, resocialisation, desocialisation, anticipatory socialisation.

B – Deviance
This area of study focuses on the concept of deviance, including the functions and dysfunctions of deviance (Durkheim’s functionalist theory of deviance). Learners study how sociologists explain deviant behaviour and the impact of moral panic/consensus on those considered deviant.

Learners develop an understanding of the meaning of deviance and how deviance is relative to a range of significant factors. These factors include time, place, gender, culture and age. The relationship between subculture, conformity, difference and deviance is explored. Who has the power to define what is deviant is central in understanding why some acts are defined as deviant and why others are not.

Learners analyse at least four perspectives that sociologists have established to explain deviance: Cultural Transmission (interactionist perspective), Control (functionalist perspective), Structural Strain (structural functionalist) and Labelling Theories (conflict perspective and symbolic interactionism).

Learners also consider the phenomenon known as moral panic. This refers to the belief that a subculture or group poses a threat to the social values and culture of broader society. The event is often presented in a stereotypical fashion by the mass media.

Learners also explore patterns of crime and consider the significance of a range of factors, such as class, gender, age, race and ethnicity. These factors relate to the shifts in and composition of the Australian prison population. They aim to ascertain the types and degree of rule breaking behaviour, examining traditional views of criminality and analysing why people commit crimes. It also involves consideration of the justice system, how the understanding of crime and deviance has changed over time, and the relationship between crime and other aspects of a society, such as age and socio-economic status.

KEY IDEA
Deviance is differing from a norm or from the accepted standards of a society. The meaning of deviance changes over time and a range of sociological concepts and theories can be used to assess deviant behaviour.

ESSENTIAL CONCEPTS

• Durkheim’s four functions of deviance:
  • affirming society’s cultural norms and values
  • clarification of a society’s moral boundaries
  • social solidarity between conformists
  • generating social change
• The social control theory of deviance:
  • the meaning of the concepts of norms and social control
  • Hirschi’s (1990) four factors that reinforce conformity: attachment, commitment, involvement and belief
• Labelling theory:
  • Becker’s interactionist theory of deviance as the product of labelling processes by others – transition from ‘primary deviance’ to ‘secondary deviance’
  • role of ‘degradation ceremonies’ in this process
  • the establishment of deviant identities
• Cultural transmission theory (differential association theory):
  • symbolic interactionism, which explains deviance as behaviour that is learnt
  • learning by differential association (Sutherland 1939) – three factors that affect the likelihood of deviant behaviour: intensity of contacts, age at which contacts take place, and the ratio of contacts with deviants to contacts with conformists
• Structural strain theory:
  • deviance as the outcome of social strains that put pressure on some individuals to deviate
  • sub-cultural theories of deviance (basic treatment only)
  • Durkheim’s concept of anomie
  • Merton’s contribution to anomie theory – deviant behaviour as the outcome of an imbalance between socially approved goals and the availability of socially approved means (conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism and rebellion)
• The strengths and weaknesses of deviance theories and how they provide only partial explanations for deviant behaviour.

KEY CONTENT
Learners will investigate:

• The meaning of deviance as a relative concept and the relationship between norms and crime
• Impact of socio economic status (SES), gender, age, race and ethnicity on Australian prison population.

MODULE 2: INSTITUTIONS: POWER AND POLITICS (25%)

MODULE OVERVIEW
This module examines the ways in which these concepts interlink to raise the level of analysis so as to look at the ‘big picture’. It explores the ways in which individuals interact with each other over time to form durable institutions (family, education, work and media) in contemporary Australian society (CAS). The link between Module 1 and Module 2 is clarified by Robertson (1989:421). He defines an institution as a stable cluster of values, norms, statuses, roles and groups that develops around a basic social need. Institutions are structurally significant and tend to be resistant to change, interdependent, and the site of major social problems. When they change they tend to change together.

One of the reasons that they tend to change together is that they are located in a common political context. Politics directly impacts on institutions and plays a central role in contemporary Australian society (CAS). Politically powerful people have a substantial capacity to affect the four institutions covered. This module focuses on the connection between class and status on one hand and politics and power on the other.

Weber defines power as the ability to achieve one’s own ends despite resistance from others. While power is exercised more widely than in governmental organisations this module focuses on the exercise of political power and how politics plays a fundamental role in changing and shaping the institutions of the family, education, work and the media.

Examples of legislation covered include the Family Law Act 1975; changes in the federal funding arrangements of schools with the introduction of the Enrolment Benchmark Adjustment model in 1996 and the Socio-Economic Status funding model in 2001; the Industrial Relations Reforms in 2005; and the cross media ownership laws. It is important for learners to recognise that the emergence of legislation is part of an ongoing struggle that takes place between competing interests within society.

That struggle can be best explained and understood from the theoretical perspectives which underpin the analysis of each institution:

• Functionalist perspective
• Conflict perspective (including feminism)
• Interactionist perspective.

This module explores four main institutions:

A. The family
B. Education
C. Work
D. Media.

A – The Family
This area of study explores different definitions of the family and how families have changed over time. Learners consider the various forms of family, including nuclear, extended and blended families. They consider the inter-relationship of family with education, work and media. As they consider conventional views about families, they do so within functionalist, feminist, conflict and interactionist views of the family.

This exploration of the family involves such questions as: What is the role of the family in CAS and how has the family changed overtime? What is the relationship between the family and the other institutions? What is the distribution of power in the family? What is the role of the family in stratification? In addressing these questions learners explore issues surrounding traditional and non-traditional forms of the family, gender roles within the family, and multicultural varieties of the family.

Learners explore key social issues emerging from contemporary family life. These include the increase in divorce rates since the passing of the Family Law Act 1975, changing gender roles, and the growth in single parent families and childless households. They explore why ‘the family’ is a controversial issue in public debates and why governments develop policies about families.

KEY IDEA
The family is a significant sociological institution in contemporary Australian society and it has and continues to change over time.

ESSENTIAL CONCEPTS

• Relationship of family to other institutions (education, work, media)
• Changes over time and the family
• Effects of power and politics on the family from a micro and macro level
• Role of the family in stratification
• Functionalist, feminist, conflict and interactionist perspectives on the family.

KEY CONTENT
Learners will investigate:

• Institution as a sociological concept
• Characteristics of an institution
• Definitions of family in its various forms, including the nuclear family, single parent family, cohabitation, same-sex attracted parenting, extended family and blended family.

Learners will also investigate the following topics which may be integrated into the topics above:

• The influence of key demographic, cultural, economic, technological and social developments on the way people create and experience family life and on the place and role of family as a social institution
• Issues concerning conventional thinking about families such as stereotyping
• The impact of government policy on family, e.g. paid parental leave, childcare, carers’ payments and Austudy.

B – Education
The study of education as an institution concentrates on the role of education in CAS and how education has changed over time. The impact of power and politics is central in the development of educational policy from an historical, social and economic perspective. Learners investigate the meaning, nature and purpose of education and the impact of government policy on educational inequality. The issue of funding and its impact on the public and private education sectors give learners an insight into the relationship between education and the institutions of family and work.

As they investigate issues arising from access to education by different groups, they relate this to the functionalist, feminist, conflict and interactionist views of education.

KEY IDEA
Education is a significant sociological institution in contemporary Australian society and it has changed over time.

ESSENTIAL CONCEPTS

• Relationship of education to other institutions (family, work, media)
• Changes over time and education
• Effects of power and politics on education
• Role of education in stratification
• Functionalist, feminist, conflict and interactionist perspectives on education.

KEY CONTENT
Learners will investigate:

• Institution as a sociological concept
• The characteristics of an institution
• Definitions of education, secondary socialisation, latent and manifest functions of education, social mobility, hidden curriculum, meritocracy, cultural capital and habitus.

Learners will also investigate the following topics which may be integrated into the topics above:

• The changing role of education and how this impacts on specific social categories (indigenous people, ethnic groups, men and women) as well as other institutions
• The influences of key historical, demographic, cultural, economic, technological (ICT) and social developments on the experience of education and the role of education as a social institution
• Issues concerning educational funding, social reproduction, family background and education
• The impact of government policy on education, e.g. federal and state funding of education, retention rates, Austudy and the Australian Curriculum.

C – Work
In this area of study learners investigate changes over time in work as an institution. They identify the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors and thereby analyse the shift from an industrial society to a knowledge society and what that means for the institution of work. Learners examine the underlying structural changes in the workforce. These include the decline of the primary and secondary sectors and the growth of the tertiary sector, increases in women’s participation in the workforce, increases in part time and casual work and demands for high levels of qualification. The causes of these changes can be attributed to such factors as industrialisation, automation, technology, and globalisation.

Learners also examine theoretical perspectives that underpin work as an institution – functionalist, feminist, conflict and interactionist views of work.

KEY IDEA
Work is a significant sociological institution in contemporary Australian society and it has changed over time.

ESSENTIAL CONCEPTS

• Relationship of work to other institutions (family, education, media)
• Work and changes over time
• Effects of power and politics on work
• Role of work in stratification
• Functionalist, feminist, conflict and interactionist views of work.

KEY CONTENT
Learners will investigate:

• Institution as a sociological concept
• The characteristics of an institution
• The definition of work, and its relationship to class, status, power, wealth, unemployment, underemployment and alienation.

Learners will also investigate the following topics which may be integrated into the topics above:

• The structural changes of work and how this impacts on the casualisation and the gendered nature of work
• Influences of key historical, demographic, cultural, economic, technological and social developments on the way people experience work and its inter-relationships with other institutions
• Issues concerning consequences of rapid social change on the workforce and its advantages and disadvantages for different social categories; specialisation in the labour market; casual and part-time work and impact on full-time jobs
• The impact of government policy on work, e.g. industrial relations legislation, deregulation of the workforce, paid maternity leave and childcare legislation.

D – Media
In this area of study learners examine the role of the media in CAS and the shift from the first media age to the second media age (Holmes, Hughes and Julian 2007). Implicit in the investigation is the power of the media in CAS and the concentration of ownership and how this influences public opinion. Learners focus on issues such as agenda setting, gate keeping, norm setting, stereotyping, scapegoating and the impact of social media on traditional media and lifestyles.

Learners analyse and evaluate the power of the media with reference to the functionalist, conflict, feminist and interactionist perspectives. They explore the impact of the communication technologies and the emergence of the second media age and how the second media age presents choices for consumers.

KEY IDEA
Media is a significant sociological institution in contemporary Australian society and it has changed over time.

ESSENTIAL CONCEPTS

• Relationship of media to other institutions (family, education, work)
• Changes over time and media
• Effects of power and politics on media
• Role of the media in stratification
• Functionalist, conflict, feminist and interactionist perspectives on the media.

KEY CONTENT
Learners will investigate:

• Institution as a sociological concept
• The characteristics of an institution
• Definitions of media, and its relationship to the first and second media age, the networked society, mediated images of class, family, education and work.

Learners will also investigate the following topics which may be integrated into the topics above:

• Structural changes of media and how this impacts on the concentration of media ownership in CAS
• Influences of key historical, demographic, cultural, economic, technological and social developments on the experience of the media and the impact of images of certain groups on our perceptions
• Capacity of media to influence attitudes by stereotyping, disseminating information and misinformation, generating moral panic, amplifying deviance and promoting bias
• The impact of government policy on media e.g. media ownership, government ownership of media (ABC), access to ICT.

MODULE 3: EQUALITY AND INEQUALITY (25%)

MODULE OVERVIEW
This module explores the social categories of gender, indigenous people, ethnicity, age (youth and the elderly), as well as rural/regional issues in contemporary Australian society (CAS) in order to understand the distribution of social advantage and disadvantage. Learners study how social differentiation and structured inequality is reproduced through socialisation and the functioning of institutions. They also investigate the causes and consequences of inequality; political, social and economic.

The module also explores the ways that social categories are constructed and how categorisation manifests itself in stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination. Learners explore how and why, for example, the experience of being young differs across time and space and how these inequalities can become institutionalised. They investigate how this occurs through the institutions of family, school, work and media. Learners examine the tension between a perceived need to define categories for the purposes of government policy responses to such issues, and the potential negative impacts of homogenous categorisation, such as stereotyping in CAS, a society that is characterised by rich diversity.

This module explores five main social categories, of which learners must study two (2):

A. Gender
B. Ethnicity
C. Indigenous People
D. Age
E. Rural/Regional Australians.

A – Gender
Learners investigate how gender is socially constructed and how gender stereotypes are reproduced over time. They explore the ways in which gender is perceived and how inequalities manifest themselves and how these are connected to the beliefs, values and attitudes of the dominant culture in CAS. Learners investigate how these inequalities are reinforced through the institutions of family, education, work and the media. The issues include inequalities faced by men and women in the workforce and the impact of the media on the way males and females are represented in sport.

KEY IDEA
Gender is a social category and gender inequality exists and has an impact in contemporary Australian society.

KEY CONTENT
Learners will investigate:

• The definition of gender as a social category
• Gender inequality in CAS
• Factors leading to gender inequality:
  • ethnicity, age, class, rural/urban location, race and other social differences
  • unemployment, education, demographic shifts, intergenerational inequality and use of new technologies
  • impact of primary, secondary and tertiary socialisation on gender construction
  • institutionalised inequality and the role of institutions
  • social, political and economic causes and consequences of inequality
• Reasons for categorisation of gender and consequences of homogenous thinking about gender including stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination
• The theory of gender inequality
• The functionalist, conflict, feminist and interactionist perspectives and gender inequality where applicable
• Gender inequality through the use of research methodology
• The social, political and economic impact on gender inequality
• How social institutions engage with and respond to gender inequality
• The experience of gender with reference to difference and inequality.

B – Ethnicity
Ethnicity plays an important part in social life. Individuals often define themselves, or others, as members of an ethnic category or group based on common heritage, language or religion that gives them a unique cultural identity. The term ‘ethnicity’ is often used in contradistinction to the concept of ‘race’, which generally refers to groups socially defined in terms of visible physical characteristics such as skin colour or facial features. Most sociologists find the concept of ethnicity to be more useful than that of race.

Learners develop an understanding of a variety of challenges that need to be considered when investigating experiences of ethnic inequality. Culture and ethnicity refer to groups connected by shared customs, culture or heritage. They learn how these classifications can generate inequality and differential opportunity, and shape cultural differences. These differences are reinforced and perpetuated within the institutions (family, education, work and media).

For example, the way that a group sees itself might not correspond to the way in which outsiders see that group. Sometimes observers place people into broad ethnic categories, which do not correspond with the views of individual group members. In addition, ethnicity is not fixed and unchanging. Rather, ethnic identities constantly evolve and are shaped through a variety of political and social forces.

KEY IDEA
Ethnicity is a social category and ethnic inequality exists and has an impact in contemporary Australian society.

KEY CONTENT
Learners will investigate:

• The nature and meaning of the sociological concept of ethnicity
• The concepts of ethnocentrism, cultural relativism and the ‘other’
• Theories that contribute to an understanding of ethnic inequality in CAS e.g. socio-economic theories or socialisation theories
• Australia’s ethnic diversity and inequality in CAS
• The social, political and economic causes and consequences of ethnic inequality
• How social institutions reinforce inequalities between different ethnic groups
• The experience of a selected ethnic group with reference to relevant sociological concepts and theory:
  • how the ethnic group identifies itself
  • an overview of the non-material and material culture of the group
  • the mix of cultural activities that is unique to the group
  • challenges experienced by the group, responses to them and the outcomes of these processes.

C – Indigenous People
This area of study involves a critical exploration of European contact, including violence and repression, within the cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. This requires some knowledge of history and its influence on subsequent generations, as well as knowledge of contemporary factors that may be supporting and/or limiting inequality experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in Australia suffer from cumulative disadvantage and institutional inequality. Learners examine the causes of this inequality. They include such issues as lower school retention rates, higher unemployment rates, poorer health and lower life expectancy and higher levels of imprisonment per head of population.

KEY IDEA
Indigenous people is a social category and indigenous inequality exists and has an impact in CAS.

KEY CONTENT
Learners will investigate:

• The nature and meaning of the sociological concept of indigenous people
• The concepts of racism, marginalisation, land rights, and the ‘other’
• The range of theories that contribute to an understanding of inequality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in CAS
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and inequality in CAS
• The social, political and economic causes and consequences of inequality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in CAS
• How social institutions reinforce inequalities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples:
  • the experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples with reference to relevant sociological concepts and theory
  • how the group identifies itself
  • the mix of cultural activities to the group
  • challenges experienced by the group, responses to them and the outcomes of these processes.

D – Age
Although age (being young, middle-aged or old) is an inevitable, biologically-determined aspect of social differentiation and inequality, it is also socially interpreted, constructed and defined, and has important social consequences.

Ageism refers to the attitudes and beliefs that suggest that one age group is inferior to another and that unequal treatment can therefore be justified. Ageism, as with sexism and racism, is entrenched in society and tends to be supported and reinforced by the media’s coverage of the young and the old. These attitudes are further perpetuated by the institutions of family, work and education.

In Australia we still view the old as frail individuals, with declining mental abilities. However, with improved medical services, and an ageing population that is becoming more outspoken and assertive, this view is slowly changing. Learners investigate the inequalities faced by the elderly. These can be work related and can be influenced by gender. For example women generally do not have the same average amount of superannuation as men which, in turn, can lead to disadvantage and poverty in later life.

It is not just the elderly who suffer unequal access to social, political and economic resources. The young are presently experiencing extremely high rates of unemployment and some policy-makers expect that many young people will never experience full time employment or a conventional career in a single occupation.

The experience of being young has varied across time as well as across space. Access to scarce resources for a young person living in a small rural community for example differs significantly from that of a young person living in a large city. Despite differences in geographical location youth and adolescence are commonly thought of as homogenous groups for the purposes of advertising and government policy.

In their exploration of youth, learners consider illustrative examples from Australia, including youth cultures and the meanings attributed to young people’s music and dress, and the way young people use physical public space as well as information-based cyberspace. These signifiers of difference contribute to the way young people are perceived within such institutions as the mass media. The media tend to reinforce negative stereotypes and prejudices which, in turn, contributes to young people remaining marginalised and powerless.

KEY IDEA
Age is a social category and age inequality exists and has an impact in contemporary Australian society.

KEY CONTENT
Learners will investigate:

• The sociological interpretation of age
• Theories that contribute to an understanding inequality of age in CAS
• The social, political and economic causes and consequences of age inequality in CAS
• How social institutions reinforce inequalities based on age
• Two social categories of age (the elderly and the young) and how their definitions have changed over time
• Factors leading to differences in the experience of age:
  • ethnicity, class, rural/urban location, gender and other social differences
  • unemployment, education, demographic shifts, intergenerational inequity and use of new technologies
  • Reasons for categorisation of age and consequences of conventional thinking about age, including stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination.

E – Rural/Regional Australians
Australians inhabit many different geographic locations, ranging from large coastal cities to isolated outback areas. Learners investigate the impact of social differentiations and inequality in rural and regional Australia across a range of dimensions. They explore, for example, the gap in educational opportunities between those who live in metropolitan areas compared to those who live in regional and rural centres.

Geographical remoteness intersects with other social categories. For example 49% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples live in outer regional, remote and very remote areas. The proportion of unemployed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples corresponds to and increases with degrees of remoteness. Gender also impacts on geographical location, with women in major urban areas more likely to have higher educational qualifications, and higher labour force participation rate compared to women in rural areas.

Learners also study the impact of a range of infrastructure issues on those who live in rural and regional Australia. These include access to information technology, lack of transport options and high cost of transport as well as limited access to public housing for those who live in rural and regional Australia.

KEY IDEA
Rural/regional Australians is a social category and rural and regional inequality exists and has an impact in contemporary Australian society.

KEY CONTENT
Learners will investigate:

• The nature and meaning of the concept of rural and regional inequality
• Theories that contribute to an understanding of rural and regional inequality in CAS
• The social, political and economic causes and consequences of rural and regional inequality
• How social institutions reinforce rural and regional inequality
• How the social categories of age, gender and indigeneity are affected by rural and regional inequalities
• Factors leading to differences in the experience of rural and regional inequality in CAS – unemployment, education, demographic shifts, intergenerational inequity and use of new technologies
• Impact of infrastructure and health issues on rural and regional inequality in CAS.

MODULE 4: SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH METHODS (25%)

This module draws on scientific methods of social inquiry to explore social relationships and the outcomes of social activities. Social science employs a systematic research process to questions and problems in an attempt to achieve objective observation, collection and analysis of data. Sociologists work to develop a reliable and valid body of knowledge based on research. In so doing, they adhere to certain ethical codes of conduct. The primary goal of research ethics is to protect the wellbeing of the groups and individuals with whom sociologists work. There are several different research methods that learners can use to gather information for analysis, such as case studies, surveys, interviews and non-participant observation.

KEY CONTENT

Learners will investigate:

• The meaning of inequality as a research question: structured inequality, life chances, marginalisation, social differentiation, social reproduction, signifiers of difference, cumulative advantage and disadvantage, cultural capital, status quo, meritocracy, elites, gatekeepers, glass ceiling
• Appropriate research approach to investigate the experience of a selected social category with reference to relevant sociological concepts and theory
• The social, political and economic impact of inequality as a research problem
• Investigating social institutions as vehicles of inequality
• Major theoretical perspectives (functionalist, conflict, feminist and interactionist perspectives) that govern how sociologists approach their research into human behaviour
• Research applications of sociological perspectives to explain inequality in CAS
• Dimensions of inequality (gender, indigenous people, ethnicity, age, rural/regional issues)
• Socialisation process and institutions
• Social, political and economic dimensions.

ETHICAL STUDY AND RESEARCH PRACTICE
Ethical considerations underpin the beliefs and values of a caring, compassionate society and are reflected in the social inquiry model. Learners develop the capacity to form and make ethical judgements in two ways. They learn about key sociological theories and the way in which the rights, integrity and propriety of people, who are subject to research, are held in high regard. They also explore and apply ethical guidelines when planning, conducting, processing and interpreting the outcomes of the research methodology.

As part of this course learners will be involved in activities that include research using human subjects. Teachers and schools have a legal and moral responsibility to ensure that learners follow ethical principles at all times when undertaking such inquiries.

This course focuses on four (4) key ethical considerations:

• Voluntary participation
• Informed consent
• Privacy
• Confidentiality of data.

Further advice on sources of information about the principles for ethical study and research practice can be found in Appendix 2. A sample ethics consent form is available in the Supporting Documents below.

THE SOCIAL INQUIRY APPROACH
The social inquiry approach can be represented by the following diagram:

Investigative Project
Research methods form the basis of the Investigative Project. This research project gives learners the opportunity to choose a specific category of inequality (gender, indigenous people, ethnicity, age or rural/regional Australians) and a manageable topic on inequality that is connected to a focus question. The process involves conducting a literature review, identifying an appropriate research method and collecting data to inform their conclusions. Learners use this information to produce a research report. This experience gives them insight into the validity of their research, the reliability of their data and the whole process of sociological research, including ethical considerations.

It is important for learners to draw on quantitative and qualitative sources to complete the Investigative Project (IP). The IP draws on primary research carried out by the learner. The primary research is undertaken after a thorough literature review of the inequality experienced by the social category being investigated. The investigation and the research undertaken give learners the opportunity to draw on information from the three theory modules of the course.

Criterion-based assessment is a form of outcomes assessment that identifies the extent of learner achievement at an appropriate end-point of study. Although assessment – as part of the learning program – is continuous, much of it is formative, and is done to help learners identify what they need to do to attain the maximum benefit from their study of the course. Therefore, assessment for summative reporting to TASC will focus on what both teacher and learner understand to reflect end-point achievement.

The standard of achievement each learner attains on each criterion is recorded as a rating ‘A’, ‘B’, or ‘C’, according to the outcomes specified in the standards section of the course.

A ‘t’ notation must be used where a learner demonstrates any achievement against a criterion less than the standard specified for the ‘C’ rating.

A ‘z’ notation is to be used where a learner provides no evidence of achievement at all.

Providers offering this course must participate in quality assurance processes specified by TASC to ensure provider validity and comparability of standards across all awards. To learn more, see TASC's quality assurance processes and assessment information.

Internal assessment of all criteria will be made by the provider. Providers will report the learner’s rating for each criterion to TASC.

TASC will supervise the external assessment of designated criteria which will be indicated by an asterisk (*). The ratings obtained from the external assessments will be used in addition to internal ratings from the provider to determine the final award.

The following processes will be facilitated by TASC to ensure there is:

• a match between the standards of achievement specified in the course and the skills and knowledge demonstrated by learners
• community confidence in the integrity and meaning of the qualification.

Process – TASC gives course providers feedback about any systematic differences in the relationship of their internal and external assessments and, where appropriate, seeks further evidence through audit and requires corrective action in the future.

Additionally, the Office of TASC may select to undertake scheduled audits of this course and its work requirements (Provider standards 1, 2, 3 and 4).

The external assessment for this course will comprise:

• a two (2) hour written examination which assesses criteria 1, 2 and 7
• an Investigative Project which assesses criteria 5, 6 and 7.

For further information, see the current external assessment specifications and guidelines for this course which can be found in the Supporting Documents below.

The assessment for Sociology Level 3 will be based on the degree to which the learner can:

• 1. analyse theories about socialisation, identity construction and deviance*
• 2. analyse theories about institutions *
• 3. analyse theories about inequality and social categories
• 4. apply inquiry skills to plan and undertake a sociological investigation
• 5. use ethical sociological research methods*
• 6. use evidence to support a sociological point of view *
• 7. communicate sociological ideas, information, opinions, arguments and conclusions*

* = denotes criteria that are both internally and externally assessed.

Sociology Level 3 (with the award of):

EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT

HIGH ACHIEVEMENT

COMMENDABLE ACHIEVEMENT

SATISFACTORY ACHIEVEMENT

PRELIMINARY ACHIEVEMENT

The final award will be determined by the Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification from 12 ratings (7 from the internal assessment, 5 from external assessment).

The minimum requirements for an award in Sociology Level 3 are as follows:

EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT (EA)
10 ‘A’ ratings, 2 ‘B’ ratings (4 ‘A’ ratings, 1 ‘B’ rating from external assessment)

HIGH ACHIEVEMENT (HA)
4 ‘A’ ratings, 5 ‘B’ ratings, 3 ‘C’ ratings (2 ‘A’ ratings, 2 ‘B’ ratings and 1 ‘C’ rating from external assessment)

COMMENDABLE ACHIEVEMENT (CA)
6 ‘B’ ratings, 5 ‘C’ ratings (2 ‘B’ ratings, 2 ‘C’ ratings from external assessment)

SATISFACTORY ACHIEVEMENT (SA)
10 ‘C’ ratings (3 ‘C’ ratings from external assessment)

PRELIMINARY ACHIEVEMENT (PA)
6 ‘C’ ratings

A learner who otherwise achieves the ratings for a CA (Commendable Achievement) or SA (Satisfactory Achievement) award but who fails to show any evidence of achievement in one or more criteria (‘z’ notation) will be issued with a PA (Preliminary Achievement) award.

The Department of Education’s Curriculum Services will develop and regularly revise the curriculum. This evaluation will be informed by the experience of the course’s implementation, delivery and assessment.

In addition, stakeholders may request Curriculum Services to review a particular aspect of an accredited course.

Requests for amendments to an accredited course will be forwarded by Curriculum Services to the Office of TASC for formal consideration.

Such requests for amendment will be considered in terms of the likely improvements to the outcomes for learners, possible consequences for delivery and assessment of the course, and alignment with Australian Curriculum materials.

A course is formally analysed prior to the expiry of its accreditation as part of the process to develop specifications to guide the development of any replacement course.

Version 1 – Accredited on 14 July 2015 for use from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2020. This course replaces Sociology (BHS315111) that expired on 31 December 2015.

Version 1.a – 11 January 2016. Minor clarifications to course content and external assessment.

Version 1.b - Accreditation renewed on 13 July 2020 for the period 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021 (no amendments made).

Version 1.c - Renewal of Accreditation on 14 July 2021 for the period 31 December 2021 until 31 December 2024, without amendments.

GLOSSARY

Ethical Study and Research Practice

The principles for the ethical conduct in research for learners and teachers are available from:

• About Human Research Ethics at the University of Tasmania
• the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007 – Updated 2014) issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in accordance with the NHMRC Act 1992 (Cwlth)
• the Australian Privacy Principles (March 2014) available from the website of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
• the Code of Ethics of the Australian Psychological Society (APS).