CQUniversity Unit Profile
DSMG28001 Foundations of Emergency and Disaster Management
Foundations of Emergency and Disaster Management
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The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
Corrections

Unit Profile Correction added on 23-02-22

There is an error in the marking criteria percentages for Assessment Task 1 Presentation. The percentage weightings for each criterion are as follows:

Description of events and their direct impact (group) 15%

Characterisation of hazards and risks arising from the event (group) 30%

Identification of factors impacting on vulnerability (group) 40%

Discussion of PPRR applicability to the event (individual) 15%

Note: the marking rubric will be available on the unit's Moodle site, from Week 1 of the Term.

General Information

Overview

This is a foundational unit that introduces the fundamental concepts and frameworks that underpin the effective management of emergencies and disasters. You will gain a basic understanding of the nature of hazards and disasters and will Introduce the key stakeholders involved with emergency and disaster management, explore the historic and contemporary principles, policies, and legal frameworks guiding the field of practice. The unit will explore local and global concepts of emergency and disaster management and the models, systems and processes required to effectively mitigate, prepare, respond and recover from various disasters.

Details

Career Level: Postgraduate
Unit Level: Level 8
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 8
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

There are no requisites for this unit.

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 1 - 2022

Melbourne
Online
Sydney

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).

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Presentation
Weighting: 40%
2. Written Assessment
Weighting: 60%

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.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Evaluate the characteristics of natural and human-caused hazards and vulnerabilities particular to global, regional and national emergency and disaster contexts
  2. Explain the principles of Emergency and Disaster Management using the prevention, preparedness, response and recovery (PPRR) model
  3. Analyse how environmental, political and social vulnerability differs from traditional approaches to disasters and emergency management
  4. Conduct a social vulnerability analysis relevant to the emergency and disaster management context
  5. Identify limitations and opportunities that promote or restrict strategies for addressing vulnerability in the context of the United Nations' Sendai framework and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Presentation - 40%
2 - Written Assessment - 60%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Knowledge
2 - Communication
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills
4 - Research
5 - Self-management
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility
7 - Leadership
8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures
Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

There are no required textbooks.

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:
  • CQUniversity Student Email
  • Internet
  • Unit Website (Moodle)
Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts
David Fanany Unit Coordinator
d.fanany@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 Begin Date: 07 Mar 2022

Module/Topic

Module 1: Emergency and Disaster Management Background

Chapter

See study guide for discussion and reading activities.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Topic:
Introduction to Emergency and Disaster Management

Week 2 Begin Date: 14 Mar 2022

Module/Topic

Module 1: Emergency and Disaster Management Background

Chapter

See study guide for discussion and reading activities.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Topic:
Preparedness and Prevention

Week 3 Begin Date: 21 Mar 2022

Module/Topic

Module 1: Emergency and Disaster Management Background

Chapter

See study guide for discussion and reading activities.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Topic:
Response and Recovery

Week 4 Begin Date: 28 Mar 2022

Module/Topic

Module 1: Emergency and Disaster Management Background

Chapter

See study guide for discussion and reading activities.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assessing Vulnerability to Disasters

Week 5 Begin Date: 04 Apr 2022

Module/Topic

Module 1: Emergency and Disaster Management Background

Chapter

See study guide for discussion and reading activities.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Systems Approaches in Emergency and Disaster Management

Vacation Week Begin Date: 11 Apr 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 6 Begin Date: 18 Apr 2022

Module/Topic

The Emergency and Disaster Management Context

Chapter

See study guide for discussion and reading activities.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Topic:
Risk Communication

Group assignment due Friday, April 22nd

Presentation component will be in-class, or via PowerPoint recording (for distance students or other relevant circumstances)


Group Presentation Due: Week 6 Friday (22 Apr 2022) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 7 Begin Date: 25 Apr 2022

Module/Topic

The Emergency and Disaster Management Context

Chapter

See study guide for discussion and reading activities.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Topic:
Economic Dimensions of Emergency and Disaster Management

Week 8 Begin Date: 02 May 2022

Module/Topic

The Emergency and Disaster Management Context

Chapter

See study guide for discussion and reading activities.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Topic:
Political and Policy Approaches to Emergency and Disaster Management

Week 9 Begin Date: 09 May 2022

Module/Topic

The Emergency and Disaster Management Context

Chapter

See study guide for discussion and reading activities.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Topic:
Collaborative Approaches to Emergency and Disaster Management

Week 10 Begin Date: 16 May 2022

Module/Topic

Emergency Management Futures

Chapter

See study guide for discussion and reading activities.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Topic:
Technological Advancement and Disruption

Week 11 Begin Date: 23 May 2022

Module/Topic

Emergency Management Futures

Chapter

See study guide for discussion and reading activities.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Topic:
Demographic Impacts on Emergency Management

Week 12 Begin Date: 30 May 2022

Module/Topic

Emergency Management Futures

Chapter

See study guide for discussion and reading activities.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Topic:
Climate Change

Individual assignment due Friday, June 3rd

Submission via file upload on Moodle


Report on Risk and Mitigation Due: Week 12 Friday (3 June 2022) 11:45 pm AEST
Review/Exam Week Begin Date: 06 Jun 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Exam Week Begin Date: 13 Jun 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assessment Tasks

1 Presentation

Assessment Title
Group Presentation

Task Description

Early in the term you will be placed into groups. Each group will be assigned a topic from the list of historical emergency management events on the Moodle site. Your group will produce a presentation with PowerPoint slides and speaker’s notes which includes:

- A description of the events that occurred and what impact they had on people living nearby (or farther away, if applicable)

- An identification of the characteristics of the incident which posed danger (the hazards), and the ways in which they threatened people living nearby or farther away (the risks)

- An identification of specific factors in nearby or farther-away communities which made them vulnerable to risks related to the event

Your presentation should be no more than 10 minutes in length, and the number of slides and contents of any speaker’s notes should reflect this. For on-campus students, presentations will take place in class in week 6. For distance students, or other circumstances where in-class presentation is not possible, students should record a presentation on their PowerPoint slides and upload them on the unit's Moodle site, in the relevant section for this assessment.

This assessment also has an individual component. Each member of the group will submit a brief (approximately 500 words) discussion on how the principles of prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery (PPRR) apply to your topic, including suggestions of actions that could have enhanced one or more of these areas. The individual component will also be uploaded to the same section of Moodle, in Microsoft Word format.

This assessment is worth 40% of the overall grade for this unit. You must receive a score of 50% on this assessment (ie. 20 out of 40) to pass the unit.


Assessment Due Date

Week 6 Friday (22 Apr 2022) 11:45 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Week 8 Friday (6 May 2022)


Weighting
40%

Minimum mark or grade
50%

Assessment Criteria

Description of events and their direct impact (group) 10%

Characterisation of hazards and risks arising from the event (group) 30%

Identification of factors impacting on vulnerability (group) 35%

Discussion of PPRR applicability to the event (individual) 15%

Note: the complete marking rubric will be available on the unit's Moodle site, from week 1 of the term.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online Group

Submission Instructions
Presentation in class where applicable; recorded on slides for distance or online students. Slides and individual submission to be uploaded to Moodle.

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Evaluate the characteristics of natural and human-caused hazards and vulnerabilities particular to global, regional and national emergency and disaster contexts
  • Explain the principles of Emergency and Disaster Management using the prevention, preparedness, response and recovery (PPRR) model
  • Conduct a social vulnerability analysis relevant to the emergency and disaster management context

2 Written Assessment

Assessment Title
Report on Risk and Mitigation

Task Description

Note: This is an individual assessment. It concerns the same topic that you considered in the Group Presentation. It builds on your past work, and should incorporate any new knowledge and ideas you gained during the course of the subject.

You are an emergency management expert who has been approached by the government of the state of Queensland. A specific historical emergency or disaster situation (the one your group considered in Assessment 1) has recently come up in public discussion. Although it started outside the political sphere, some ministers in the state government have become interested in this discussion, because they believe that there are parts of the state that are vulnerable to a similar event.

You will prepare a short report (maximum 1,500 words) describing the relevance of the event to Queensland, the risks it would pose to the state, and how the perspective of the Sendai Framework can assist the state government in reducing the risks. Your report should discuss:

- The characteristics of a similar event which would pose a risk to the state’s population

- Which parts of the state or sub-populations would be most at risk from a similar event (eg. urban vs rural populations; specific demographics; geographical regions, etc)

- Social factors and characteristics which put either the state as a whole or specific sub-populations at particular risk from a similar event

- Suggested strategies for the government and other stakeholders to reduce risk and vulnerability to a similar event, with attention to the perspective of the Sendai Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals and the factors they identify as relevant to social vulnerability

You may draw on your previous research on the event, such as you did for the first assessment, for the purposes of this report. Many of the issues and topics relevant to this report will be covered in the second half of the unit, and your study of those weeks' content may be a good place to start. To support your arguments and suggestions, you should also search for additional literature and sources.

This assessment is worth 60% of the overall grade. You must achieve a minimum score of 50% on this assessment to pass the subject (ie. 30 out of 60).


Assessment Due Date

Week 12 Friday (3 June 2022) 11:45 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Exam Week Friday (17 June 2022)


Weighting
60%

Minimum mark or grade
50%

Assessment Criteria

Identification and discussion of risks that a similar event would pose to Queensland 20%

Identification of vulnerable populations or sub-groups 20%

Identification of characteristics causing increased vulnerability 20%

Discussion of risk reduction and mitigation strategies 40%


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Report to be uploaded to Moodle in Microsoft Word format

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Evaluate the characteristics of natural and human-caused hazards and vulnerabilities particular to global, regional and national emergency and disaster contexts
  • Analyse how environmental, political and social vulnerability differs from traditional approaches to disasters and emergency management
  • Conduct a social vulnerability analysis relevant to the emergency and disaster management context
  • Identify limitations and opportunities that promote or restrict strategies for addressing vulnerability in the context of the United Nations' Sendai framework and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Academic Integrity Statement

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.

What can you do to act with integrity?