Overview
This unit focuses on the practice and development of key critical thinking and problem solving skills required in agricultural systems management. You will develop and apply analytical reasoning, to critically analyse challenges, identify and create opportunities, and bring creative, innovative, empathetic and ethical problem solving skills to business management, learning and research opportunities. You will complete a research project that will identify a current emerging issue in agricultural production, and apply the critical thinking and problem solving knowledge and skills to analyse the issue, propose and evaluate solutions, select a solution and develop implementation and monitoring strategies. You will present your research project to an assessment panel.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite AGRI13004 Livestock Industry Placement or AGRI13005 Cropping Industry Placement or AGRI13003 Agricultural Service Industry Placement
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2020
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 12-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 25 hours of study per week, making a total of 300 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Email
On Campus Teaching
As students complete this unit while undertaking placement, the unit has previously been delivered entirely via recorded lectures and online discussions. However, this unit is still listed as having on-campus delivery. In future offerings of this unit, lectures will be delivered on-campus, with lectures recorded via ISL.
Feedback from "Have Your Say" Discussion Board Email
The format and variety of the discussion boards
While students enjoyed the online discussions some students requested more variety in their format. Current weekly discussion boards require a student facilitator to begin the thread with an initial post posing a question to the rest of the group. Other students then respond to this question. Students, via "have your say", emails and the discussion board expressed the desire for some variation in this format, as the traditional format sometimes resulted in a series of opinions rather than a true discussion between peers. In future offerings of this unit, some of the weekly discussions should take on an alternative format.
Feedback from "Have Your Say"
Final assessment submission date
Students remarked that the final assessment was due on the same week as their placement unit's final assessment. In future offerings of this unit, students should be reminded to begin working on their final assessment early in the term. Further, assessment due dates of other units typically undertaken in the same term will be considered. However, students should also be reminded that the end of term period is often populated with many assessment due dates and they should prepare in advance of this.
- Interpret problem situations and the reasoning of self and others.
- Analyse and evaluate concepts, assumptions, explanations, arguments and solutions to business problems.
- Develop problem solving options using evaluative criteria.
- Define option implementation and monitoring strategies.
- Demonstrate the application of problem solving to practice in agricultural system management.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
1 - Group Discussion - 0% | |||||
2 - Written Assessment - 60% | |||||
3 - Presentation - 40% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
1 - Communication | |||||
2 - Problem Solving | |||||
3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
4 - Information Literacy | |||||
5 - Team Work | |||||
6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
8 - Ethical practice | |||||
9 - Social Innovation | |||||
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures |
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
1 - Group Discussion - 0% | ||||||||||
2 - Written Assessment - 60% | ||||||||||
3 - Presentation - 40% |
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Wordprocessing, spreadsheeting and powerpoint software
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
s.sinai@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction
Introduction to Agricultural Change Implementation
Chapter
Reading: Implementing change with impact, McKinsey & Co. (Link to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Submission: Assessment 1: Online Discussion Forum 1
Module/Topic
Introduction
Problem Solving and Critical Thinking in Agricultural Change Implementation
Chapter
Reading: Akins, J., Lamm, A., Telg, R., Abrams, K., Meyers, C., & Raulerson, B. (2019). Seeking and engaging: Case study integration to enhance critical thinking about agricultural issues. Journal of Agricultural Education, 60(3), 97-108. (Link to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Submission: Assessment 1: Online Discussion Forum 2
Module/Topic
Introduction
Leadership and Team Work for Problem Solving
Chapter
Readings: 1. High-performing teams: A timeless leadership topic, McKinsey & Co.
2.David Miller (2001) Successful change leaders: What makes them? What do they do that is different?, Journal of Change Management, 2:4, 359-368.
(Links to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Submission: Assessment 1: Online Discussion Forum 3
Module/Topic
Emerging Issues in Agricultural Production Part 1: Food and Water Security
Climate Change & Water Scarcity
Chapter
Reading: Coping with water scarcity in agriculture: a global framework for action in a changing climate, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Link to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Submission: Assessment 1: Online Discussion Forum 4
Submission: Assessment 2 is due at the allotted time in week 4
Module/Topic
Emerging Issues in Agricultural Production Part 1: Food and Water Security
Food Security
Chapter
Readings: 1. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2019
2. Analysis of Australia’s food security and the COVID-19 pandemic, ABARES
(Links to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Submission: Assessment 1: Online Discussion Forum 5
Agricultural Issue Presentation Due: Week 5 Monday (10 Aug 2020) 8:45 am AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Emerging Issues in Agricultural Production Part 1: Food and Water Security
Chapter
Reading: Hogan (2018). Food demand in Australia: trends and issues 2018. ABARES (Link to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Submission: Assessment 1: Online Discussion Forum 6
Module/Topic
Emerging Issues in Agricultural Production Part 2: Biosecurity and Invasive Species
Resistance to Chemical Controls in Agriculture
Chapter
Reading: Ervin et al. 2019. "Farmer Attitudes Toward Cooperative Approaches to Herbicide Resistance Management: A Common Pool Ecosystem Service Challenge." Ecological Economics 157: 237-45.
(Link to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Submission: Assessment 1: Online Discussion Forum 7
Module/Topic
Emerging Issues in Agricultural Production Part 2: Biosecurity and Invasive Species
Economic Impacts of Invasive Species
Chapter
Reading: Engeman et al. (2010) The economic impacts to commercial farms from invasive monkeys in Puerto Rico. (Link to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Submission: Assessment 1: Online Discussion Forum 8
Module/Topic
Emerging Issues in Agricultural Production Part 3: Economics and Society
Automation and Labour Market Forces in Agriculture
Chapter
Readings: 1. Segal (2018): How automation is changing work
2. Rotz et al. (2019). Automated pastures and the digital divide: How agricultural technologies are shaping labour and rural communities, Journal of Rural Studies, 68.
(Links to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Submission: Assessment 1: Online Discussion Forum 9
Module/Topic
Emerging Issues in Agricultural Production Part 3: Economics and Society
Challenges in International Agricultural Trade and Supply Chains
Chapter
Readings: 1. Supply Chain Coordination in Queensland, KPMG (2017).
2. Cai (2017). Understanding China's Belt and Road Initiative. Lowy Institute.
(Links to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Submission: Assessment 1: Online Discussion Forum 10
Module/Topic
Emerging Issues in Agricultural Production Part 3: Economics and Society
Natural Hazard Resilience in Agricultural Production Systems
Chapter
Reading: Disaster Resilience Planning for Agriculture in Queensland, QFF, (Link to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Submission: Assessment 1: Online Discussion Forum 11
Module/Topic
Recap
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Submission: Assessment 1: Online Discussion Forum 12
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Group Discussion
Weighting: Pass/Fail
Students will be arranged in groups of five (5) members and participate in a weekly online discussion. In weeks 2-11 one student will be selected to facilitate the discussion, in weeks 1 and 12 your lecturer will facilitate the discussion. Students facilitating the discussion must outline a 300-500 word problem relevant to the previous week’s theme and run the discussion with the rest of the group, drawing on personal experience/knowledge as well as available literature to explore solutions to the relevant problem. Each participant student must post at least one 200-400 word response each week as part of the discussion. Discussion boards will be monitored by a member of the teaching staff however facilitation is primarily the responsibility of the facilitating student.
Discussions must be posted by 11:45PM the last day (Sunday) of the relevant week. Students must participate in at least 9 of the 12 discussions in order to pass
Weekly, ongoing
Feedback will be ongoing as the relevant staff member will participate in the discussion. Specific progress feedback will be provided in weeks 2, 7 and 12
Students will be assessed on:
- Participation (10/12 weeks minimum)
- Their ability to engage effectively with the discussion, including building on the thoughts of their peers
- Their ability to draw on academic literature and other sources
- Interpret problem situations and the reasoning of self and others.
- Analyse and evaluate concepts, assumptions, explanations, arguments and solutions to business problems.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Presentation
Assessment 2 “Agricultural Issue Presentation” (40%) consists of a 15 minute presentation and a response to questions arising from the presentation.
In this assessment students will deliver a 15-minute presentation on one of the following issues in agricultural production:
- Plant Biosecurity at Australian Land and Sea Ports
- Climate Change Adaptation in the Australian Livestock Industry
- Food Security in Pacific Island Nations
- Building High Skill Capacity in Australia's Agricultural Workforce
- Australia's Agricultural Trade with Southeast Asian Nations
- Water Scarcity in Australian Horticulture
Students will deliver their presentation, accompanied by PowerPoint slides, via a zoom conference call with the lecturer at an assigned time in Week 5. All PowerPoint files must be submitted via Moodle at 8:45AM on Monday 10/08/2020 (Week 5), regardless of the allocated presentation time.
The presentation should follow the following format:
- Introduction to the presenter and outline of the presentation
- Introduction to the selected issue
- History of the selected issue
- Current trends regarding the issue - social/cultural, economic, environmental (including specific examples)
- Attempts to solve the issue
- Future direction of the issue
- Conclusion
- References (at least 20)
Presentations must be between 14 minutes and 16 minutes. After their presentation, students will be asked to respond to two questions from the marker.
Week 5 Monday (10 Aug 2020) 8:45 am AEST
Students will receive their assessment marks no later than 10 working days after their presentation
For Assessment 2, Students will be assessed on:
- Quality of background research and ability to draw on references to support claims
- Clear, professional and appropriate oral communication
- Ability to engage the audience
- Ability to develop a presentation that is appropriate for the relevant audience
- Formatting and professionalism of presentation
- Adequate, professional and clear response to the questions
- Interpret problem situations and the reasoning of self and others.
- Analyse and evaluate concepts, assumptions, explanations, arguments and solutions to business problems.
- Develop problem solving options using evaluative criteria.
- Define option implementation and monitoring strategies.
- Demonstrate the application of problem solving to practice in agricultural system management.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
3 Written Assessment
In Assessment 3, “Emerging Issues in Agriculture Report” (60%) students are to write a 4000-4500 word report on a scenario based on a current emerging challenge in agricultural production (word count does not include headings, in-text references, reference lists, tables or image captions.). In the report, students will use relevant literature to identify and analyse the scenario, propose and evaluate solutions, select a solution, develop an implementation plan for the selected solution and design monitoring strategies for post-implementation. Students will be provided with scenarios based on the broad themes outlined in Assessment 2. Students are encouraged to select a scenario based on the theme they selected for Assessment 2.
Assessment 3 should be written with the following structure (with suggested word counts in parentheses):
- Title
- Introduction (~250 words)
- Key Findings Related to the Scenario (outlining important information on the selected issue and based on a literature review) (~1000 words)
- Suggested Solutions (including a discussion of why these solutions are viable for the selected scenario, as informed by key findings) (~800 words)
- Solution Selection (including a justification of why you have chosen this particular solution) (~500 words)
- Implementation Plan for the Selected Solution (~1100 words)
- Evaluation Plan (~400 words)
- Conclusion (~150 words)
- References
Assessment 3 is due on Monday the 12th of October at 11:45PM AEST and must be submitted via Moodle.
For Assessment 3 students must include at least 25 references.
Review/Exam Week Monday (12 Oct 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
The assessment marks will be returned to students no later than 10 working days after the due date
For Assessment 3 students will be assessed on:
- Quality of writing
- Ability to draw on references to support claims
- Ability to draw accurate conclusions from research findings
- Rationale of solution selection
- Strength of implementation and evaluation plan
A marking rubrics will be provided for Assessment 3 via Moodle
- Interpret problem situations and the reasoning of self and others.
- Analyse and evaluate concepts, assumptions, explanations, arguments and solutions to business problems.
- Develop problem solving options using evaluative criteria.
- Define option implementation and monitoring strategies.
- Demonstrate the application of problem solving to practice in agricultural system management.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.