Forum Posts - group discussion of fortnightly assessable questions (20%)

You will need to access the specific requirements, dates, and resources published on our Moodle site, however a general description is published here.

Every other week of the term, beginning in Week 1, you are required to participate in an online discussion (specific instructions provided with each forum) that, when possible, will relate to and add extra insight to the previous two weeks' lecture content. Not only are forums designed to enhance content learning, but they also will guide you in a stepped manner towards how to think about issues in environmental science and how to be successful in the Week 12 online test. Access the forum for the current week, once it has opened, via the link published in that week's tasks on the unit Moodle site, and follow the specific instructions for that particular forum task. A 'model' answer and other feedback will be posted once the period for student posts has closed and within a week. Posts after the closure date of a forum will not receive any marks. Forum responses in Weeks 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 will attract a maximum of 4 marks each.

There is a word limit on each post of 500 words, excluding citations. Dot points are acceptable when appropriate.

Unit history indicates a strong relationship between student participation (especially forum participation) and student success in this unit.

You will be graded in this assessment on your constructive participation rather than solely on the accuracy of your answer (because there will be no single correct or complete answer possible by you).

Note that 'constructive participation' is defined here as providing a reasoned rationale based on environmental science principles and supported by evidence (not just stating agreement or disagreement with an earlier post or the topic question), and means a post must include some new (to the forum) relevant information (not simply restating or paraphrasing the views expressed in earlier posts to the forum).

Note that the Week 1 forum is not graded but please contribute just the same. You should participate constructively and within the relevant time frames in the remaining 5 forums to score full marks (i.e., at 4 marks per forum for a maximum 20% of total unit marks).

• 1 mark — typically response(s) marred by multiple simple spelling or grammatical mistakes and/or is disorganised without clear points made or obvious reasoning and/or is a brief and superficial treatment of the issue or shows little relevance;
• 2 marks — typically response(s) marred by several spelling or grammatical errors and/or by no citation of sources, and only a few relevant points or arguments made (or more made but insubstantially) often not integrated well;
• 3 marks — typically response(s) displaying only a few spelling or grammatical errors, otherwise well-organised and considered/reasoned, exploring the issue adequately but sources are limited and only textbooks and generalist websites and the like; and
• 4 marks — typically response(s) display only a couple of spelling or grammatical errors, excellent organisation of clear, salient and reasoned points and arguments of significant length exploring the issue considerably, citing numerous scientific sources and in the proper manner.

Please note there is a minimum achievement level set for this assessment task, i.e., you must equal or exceed the set minimum achievement level for this assessment in order to be considered for a passing grade for the course overall (irrespective of your achievement level in other assessment activities).

Home Sustainability Audit (HSA, 20%)

You will need to access the specific requirements, dates, and resources published on our Moodle site (click on the appropriate link in the 'Assessment' box), however a general description is published here.

This assessment requires you to conduct a home sustainability audit (HSA) of your 'home' and your activities (e.g., resource consumption, waste generation and disposal) over a weekend (from 2359 hrs AEST Fri 23 Mar to 2359 hrs AEST Sun 25 Mar 2018), and to use those data to put your personal ecological footprint into context. You will be able to perform the HSA irrespective of your location at the time - even if you are on a mine site, in college accommodation, etc. - this location will represent your 'home' at the time for the purposes of this activity. If you have questions about what constitutes 'home', please email me.

This assessment activity involves three related tasks, with each task requiring completion on a different date, as follows.

1. Undertake the home sustainability audit (HSA) by recording the required data and answers to questions in worksheets and Excel spreadsheets downloaded from the Moodle site. The audit period for all students will be from 2359 hrs (11.59 pm) AEST Friday night 23 March, 2018 through to 2359 hrs (11.59 pm) AEST Sunday night 25 March, 2018.

2. Upload the completed worksheets and spreadsheets to our Moodle site (as draft submissions) by 2345 hrs (11.45 pm) AEST Thursday night 29 March, 2018. At the same time, download from our Moodle site further data and information provided by the lecturer for the purposes of putting your audit data into context and completing your final report (Task 3 below).

3. Complete your HSA final report according to instruction provided, and upload your final report (data, graphs/charts, and answers to provided questions) by 2345 hrs (11.45 pm) AEST Tuesday night 17 April, 2018. Uploading your final report completes the Home Sustainability Audit assessment task.

Please note that it is assumed you have basic word processing and chart construction skills using Microsoft Word and Excel, respectively. Short videos on these topics are available on the Environmental Science Gateway Moodle site and assistance is available from CQU Academic Learning Centre (ALC).

Tasks 2 and 3 will be assessed and marks gained will contribute to your total. Task 2 (assessment uses criterion 1 below) and Task 3 (assessment uses criteria 2-4 below) together will provide you with a total mark (out of 20 possible marks) for the entire assessment activity.

Assessment criteria (5 marks each):

1. Evidence of your ability to collect (i.e. Task 1), collate and present data accurately and in a manner interpreted easily by others;
2. Your demonstrated knowledge of scientific content related to issues of energy, water, waste and accelerated climate change as appropriate to our coverage in the course lectures, your ability to research the relevant topic areas in our textbook and elsewhere, and your answers to questions asked;
3. Your demonstrated ability to find information and evidence from your spreadsheets, documents and lecture notes, and elsewhere, and to apply this to higher-level questions provided to you (such as those questions asking for your 'educated opinion' as a trainee environmental scientist, etc.); and
4. Evidence of your ability to communicate scientifically and clearly using appropriate terminology, the quality of your writing and technical presentation skills, and the correct use of references, formatting of references and bibliography.

Please note there is a minimum achievement level set for this assessment task, i.e., you must equal or exceed the set minimum achievement level for this assessment in order to be considered for a passing grade for the course overall (irrespective of your achievement level in other assessment activities).

Online Oral Presentation at the 'Annual ENVR11011 Conference' (20%)

You will need to access the specific requirements, dates, advice and resources published on our Moodle site (click on the appropriate link in the 'Assessment' box), however a general description is published here.

This assessment requires you to prepare a PowerPoint presentation on a topic of your choice (but within the requirements laid out on our Moodle site). This will be delivered online and orally to a live audience of other ENVR11011 students and a member of the teaching team. You also must attend your presentation session (see below) and view all other presentations in your session.

This assessment activity involves three related tasks, with each task requiring completion on a different date, as follows.

1. Nominate your preferred presentation session (nominations open at end of Week 2 and close in Week 4);
2. Complete and submit your completed PowerPoint slide presentation (that you will speak to in your oral presentation session) via Moodle before 2345 hrs (11.45 pm) AEST Thursday night 3 May 2018; and
3. Attend the entirety of your nominated 'conference' session (which includes your presentation) in Week 9.

The setting for this assessment activity is the 'Annual ENVR11011 online conference', a mock online environmental conference that will run over a series of days in Week 9. Like a 'real' conference, this conference will be divided into sessions, within which you and your fellow students will present. You will be able to nominate (via our Moodle site) which of the conference sessions you would like to present in (whichever suits your other commitments). There will be week day, evening, and weekend slots from which to choose. However, numbers permitted in each session will be limited so choose early for most convenience. (You can change your nominated session should your circumstances change.) Session nominations will be open from the end of Week 2 until Thursday, Week 4 and your session choice will be confirmed in Week 5.

You will be required to attend your online 'conference' session 10 minutes before the published start time (allows for system checks), and to remain in attendance for the allocated time (typically 2+ hours, maximum 3 hours). In order to present your work and participate in the conference, you will employ an online conferencing system known as Zoom (free). Details of how to access and use Zoom will be provided on our Moodle site.

You only will transmit your PowerPoint slides and audio during your presentation. This will minimise bandwidth to ensure students with poor internet connection are not disadvantaged, and will ease presentation anxiety.

Your online oral presentation will be assessed using the following criteria:

1. Have you accurately identified and explained adequately the environmental problem/need for a modified approach (i.e., what is the problem?) (10 marks);
2. Have you identified and explained adequately the scientific background of this environmental problem/need for a modified approach (i.e., the science of why it is a problem) (10 marks);
3. Have you described adequately the new 'approach' (10 marks);
4. Have you described adequately, with scientific evidence, how the implemented new 'approach' reduced or fixed the problem (10 marks);
5. Have you developed a high quality presentation including staying within prescribed constraints (10 marks); and
6. Have you handled questions ably and demonstrated extended knowledge and research of your topic area and the related scientific principles (10 marks).

Please note 'pretty' slides do not attract more marks, but clear presentations with simple text, good quality pictures or diagrams, and simple design, etc., are much more desirable!! Information to help you with this will be available on Moodle.

The criterion sheet/marking sheet to be used for this assessment will be available on our Moodle site.

Please note there is a minimum achievement level set for this assessment task, i.e., you must equal or exceed the set minimum achievement level for this assessment in order to be considered for a passing grade for the course overall (irrespective of your achievement level in other assessment activities).

Week 12 End-of-term Online test (final summary assessment of content from ENVR11011) (40%)

This test may take up to 6 hours to complete successfully. Please plan accordingly.

You will need to access the specific requirements, dates, advice and resources published on Moodle (click on the appropriate link in the 'Assessment' box), however a general description is published here.

In Week 12, you will complete and submit an online test presented to you electronically via our Moodle site. The test consists of three (3) scenario-style questions, each worth a maximum of fifty (50) marks drawn randomly from a question bank. The test will total a maximum 150 marks. Each question will comprise a number of parts that attempt to elicit critically reasoned and evidence-based answers from you based on information presented in the unit. Each of your answers should be no more than 800 words (excluding the questions and sub-questions). The maximum number of marks achievable will be indicated for all questions and their parts. This test is 'open book', however, your answers must be your own and references or external sources must be cited appropriately to avoid loss of marks for plagiarism or weak paraphrasing.

The test will open to all students at 2345 hrs (11.45 pm) AEST Thursday night, 31 May, 2018 and you will have a maximum period of 48 hours from that time in which to complete and submit this assessment activity. You will be required to complete and submit your answers online (via Moodle) before 2345 hrs (11.45 pm) AEST Saturday night, 2 June, 2018. Whilst you will have essentially all day Friday and Saturday to peruse and complete the test, please allocate at least 6 hours in order to complete this assessment successfully plus additional time to accommodate any unforeseen circumstances.

The maximum number of marks achievable will be indicated for all questions and their parts. Each major point/scientifically accurate 'fact'/scientifically valid point in your reasoning or rationale (as directly relevant to the question and topic studied in the unit) will accrue one mark. In this way, you will be marked on your demonstration of knowledge of unit content, and your ability to apply your knowledge to authentic but unfamiliar situations or problems, and you can accrue marks up to the maximum indicated for that part of a question. A guide to features of different quality answers (from 'Fail' to 'High Distinction') will be published on our Moodle site.

Please note failure to submit responses or the entire test (for whatever reason) will be equivalent to not attempting that portion of the test. Also, any submissions (including updated versions) received (by any form of communication/transmission) after the 48-hour period for submissions has closed cannot be accepted and will be deemed 'failure to submit'.

Please note there is a minimum achievement level set for this assessment task, i.e., you must equal or exceed the set minimum achievement level for this assessment in order to be considered for a passing grade for the course overall (irrespective of your achievement level in other assessment activities).