Overview
Human activity and development impact the natural environment. To what extent then, can the associated issues be reviewed and mitigated? The answers to such questions are often evaluated in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA). In this unit, you will become familiar with the enabling concepts behind EIAs. You will formulate an Environmental Impact Study by assessing current practice in the field.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
18 units of credit
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 6-credit Undergraduate 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
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 Student feedback.
The 'case study' assessment could be better positioned as the last, rather than the second-last assessment, to match a learning sequence.
The assessment regime will be re-ordered to make the case-study the last assessment.
Feedback from Student feedback
Move the material on cultural heritage from week 12 to an earlier week so that it is not glossed over by students busy with end-of-term assessment.
The current weekly learning content structure assigns the prescribe textbook chapter number to each week as a harmonising of learning material. In 2021 this reordering of weekly content can be considered when the textbook is phased out under CQU-Renews policy.
Feedback from Student feedback
The online quizzes shoudl become assessible items so that (as student feedback admits) they actually get done..
The unit co-ordinator tends to use quizzes as formative rather than summative assessment. Given that the CQU-Renews policy will recommend no more than three assessment items per unit, the idea of making formative assessments count for marks is unlikely to progress.
- Explain the concepts that underpin an environmental impact assessment
- Review and apply the procedures for conducting an environmental impact assessment
- Assess the extent to which examples of environmental impact studies meet these concepts and practices.
N/A
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Portfolio - 10% | |||
| 2 - Portfolio - 20% | |||
| 3 - Case Study - 50% | |||
| 4 - Portfolio - 20% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 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 - Portfolio - 10% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Portfolio - 20% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Case Study - 50% | ||||||||||
| 4 - Portfolio - 20% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Environmental Impact Assessment in Australia; Theory and Practice
Edition: 6 (2014)
Authors: Elliott,M.
Federation Press
Sydney Sydney , NSW , Australia
ISBN: 9781862879454
Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
If you prefer to study with a paper copy, they are available at the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code). eBooks are available at the publisher's website.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
m.hewson@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Background to Social and Environmental Impact Assessment
Chapter
Each week of the unit will include a selection of required readings, videos and activities accessible from the Moodle site.
Chapter 1 of the prescribed text-book.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Context and Content
Chapter
Chapter 2.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
The Many Components of Impact Assessment
Chapter
Chapter 3.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Public Consultation – When?
Chapter
Chapter 4.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
A Global Imperative
Chapter
Chapter 5
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Australian Procedures
Chapter
Chapter 6.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Contents of an Environmental Impact Statement
Chapter
Chapter 7.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
EIS: Determining Impacts
Chapter
Chapter 8.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
EIA: Revisiting Process
Chapter
Chapter 9.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
The Future of Impact Assessment
Chapter
Chapter 10.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Walking Country – Australian Indigenous Cultural Heritage
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Assessment Progress and Recap
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Portfolio
Portfolio #1 is a submission of short answer questions from both weeks 2 and 3. You will collect and submit the results of worked exercises from both weeks into a single document for Portfolio #1. The individual exercises are detailed in the EVST19007 Moodle site in weeks 2 and 3.
Week 4 Friday (7 Aug 2020) 5:00 pm AEST
You will submit the portfolio via the EVST19007 Moodle site TurnItIn facility.
Week 6 Friday (28 Aug 2020)
The lecturer will provide feedback within ten days of portfolio submission.
The ‘assessments’ tab of the EVST19007 Moodle site specifies detailed marking criteria – a synopsis of which is as follows:
- completeness of the short answer questions concerning the learning material;
- within word limits; and
- sentence construction, argument structure and readability of the short answer or diagram.
- Explain the concepts that underpin an environmental impact assessment
- Information Literacy
2 Portfolio
Portfolio #2 is a submission of short answer questions from both weeks 4, 6 and 7. You will collect and submit the results of worked exercises from both weeks into a single document for Portfolio #2. The individual exercises are detailed in the EVST19007 Moodle site in weeks 4, 6 and 7.
Week 8 Friday (11 Sept 2020) 5:00 pm AEST
You will submit the portfolio via the EVST19007 Moodle site TurnItIn facility.
Week 10 Friday (25 Sept 2020)
The lecturer will provide feedback within ten days of portfolio submission.
The ‘assessments’ tab of the EVST19007 Moodle site specifies detailed marking criteria – a synopsis of which is as follows:
- completeness of the short answer questions concerning the learning material;
- within word limits; and
- sentence construction, argument structure and readability of the short answer or diagram.
- Explain the concepts that underpin an environmental impact assessment
- Information Literacy
3 Portfolio
Portfolio #3 is a submission of short answer questions from both weeks 8, 10 and 11. You will collect and submit the results of worked exercises from both weeks into a single document for Portfolio #3. The individual exercises are detailed in the EVST19007 Moodle site in weeks 8, 10 and 11.
Week 11 Friday (2 Oct 2020) 5:00 pm AEST
You will submit the portfolio via the EVST19007 Moodle site TurnItIn facility.
Review/Exam Week Friday (16 Oct 2020)
The lecturer will provide feedback within ten days of portfolio submission.
The ‘assessments’ tab of the EVST19007 Moodle site specifies detailed marking criteria – a synopsis of which is as follows:
- completeness of the short answer questions concerning the learning material;
- within word limits; and
- sentence construction, argument structure and readability of the short answer or diagram.
- Review and apply the procedures for conducting an environmental impact assessment
- Information Literacy
- Cross Cultural Competence
4 Case Study
You will examine-in-depth, and critically evaluate, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). You will be able to choose a "real world" EIS from several made available by the lecturer. Each EIS is associated with an in-progress project of considerable interest to the community. The learning activities of the unit will contribute material to the assessment task.Students are strongly advised to be making updates to the case study assessment most weeks of the term. Undertaking the Portfolio activities in a timely manner (i.e. during the week they are set) will assist the student in compiling learning pertinent to the case study.
Review/Exam Week Friday (16 Oct 2020) 5:00 pm AEST
You will submit the Case Study via the EVST19007 Moodle site TurnItIn facility.
Exam Week Friday (23 Oct 2020)
The lecturer will provide feedback within ten days of portfolio submission.
An assessment criteria and standards sheet will be posted on the Moodle site which will examine that the paper: - addresses the topic using the unit material focussing on the EIS; - addresses the topic using scholarly sources as evidence to underpin argument; - is engaging and clearly structured and advances discussion from introduction to conclusion in a logical manner ; and - accords with written communication conventions and cites references correctly.
- Assess the extent to which examples of environmental impact studies meet these concepts and practices.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- 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.
What can you do to act with integrity?
