"Modern Australian Society" is a large common first year unit of the undergraduate degrees offered in the School of Social Sciences and Planning at RMIT. It aims to present some key changes and challenges facing the Australian people at the beginning of the 21st century. It also aims to introduce students to the skills of investigation, reflection, discussion and critical evaluation necessary for them to eventually become not only competent social professionals but also engaged citizens. The techniques deployed include: the use of a common weekly teaching plan used by all teaching staff of the subject; regular reflection and planning meetings of those staff, as well as with co-ordinators of all common first year subjects; a 'student reflection, evaluation and feedback' booklet; an on-line working group; and web-based supporting materials. This paper will evaluate the above practices in the light of the subject's objectives and feedback from both students and teaching staff.