Overview
The impacts of human populations on the natural environment are well studied but little progress has been made to improve the sustainability of our lifestyle due to the complex interactions among social, economic and environmental imperatives. In Sustainability Issues and Solutions you will investigate the impact of human activities on a range of living and non-living, renewable and non-renewable natural resources. By applying 'Systems Thinking' you will practise developing solutions that are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. On completion of this unit you will have a broad appreciation of the balances underpinning both temporal and spatial variation in sustainability and human efforts to control these.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Minimum of 72 credit points
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 3 - 2017
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 Moodle feedback, emails and personal communication
Some students struggled with writing assignments in the required genre
An example of the genre required for each written assignment will be provided.
Feedback from Moodle
Students really appreciated the currency of the course resources.
Course resources be updated to ensure they contain the most recent advances in the field.
- Discuss the economic, ethical and ecological issues associated with the sustainable utilisation of the earth's renewable and non-renewable natural resources.
- Explain the importance of systems thinking and an understanding of temporal and spatial scales and feedback loops in determining solutions to sustainable management of resources.
- Discuss the shortcomings in our understanding and acceptance of the processes that lead to sustainability.
- Develop a range of possible strategies that would help to ensure the sustainable utilisation of natural resources.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||
| 4 - Group Discussion - 10% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 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 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||||
| 4 - Group Discussion - 10% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
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.
j.wake@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Sustainability concepts and the application of systems thinking
Chapter
Study Guide Chapter 1
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Ecological, economic and social measures of sustainability
Chapter
Study Guide Chapter 2
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Biodiversity
Chapter
Study Guide Chapter 3
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Management of water resources
Chapter
Study Guide Chapter 4
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Study Guide Chapter 5
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Marine resource management
Chapter
Study Guide Chapter 6
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Energy generation and use
Chapter
Study Guide Chapter 7
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Study Guide Chapter 8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Building and urban design
Chapter
Study Guide Chapter 9
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Waste minimisation and reuse
Chapter
Study Guide Chapter 10
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Study Guide Chapter 11
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Cultural change and social innovation
Chapter
Study Guide Chapter 12
Events and Submissions/Topic
Report on the management of plastic waste Due: Week 12 Monday (5 Feb 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
Sustainable agriculture aims to integrate a healthy environment, economic profitability, and social and economic equity. Choose a sustainable agricultural system (not just a sustainable practice) and develop a presentation you could use to provide information to an agricutural community. You should provide a balanced assessment of the system based on scientific evidence.
Prepare and submit a PowerPoint presentation of 15 slides, maximum, including the title slide and a slide of references. You should not have more than seven dot points or 30 words per slide. Include extra information you would use to clarify the information on the slides as dot points in the notes section below the slide. The notes section should be between about 1000 and 1500 words in total over all the slides.
Week 5 Monday (11 Dec 2017) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 7 Thursday (4 Jan 2018)
Assignment will be assessed on:
- Clarity of presentation and logical presentation of issues
- Application of science and sustainability principles
- Comprehensive coverage of relevant issues
- Use of valid information sources and accuracy of reference details
- Appropriateness of language and presentation to audience
- Discuss the economic, ethical and ecological issues associated with the sustainable utilisation of the earth's renewable and non-renewable natural resources.
- Explain the importance of systems thinking and an understanding of temporal and spatial scales and feedback loops in determining solutions to sustainable management of resources.
- Discuss the shortcomings in our understanding and acceptance of the processes that lead to sustainability.
- Develop a range of possible strategies that would help to ensure the sustainable utilisation of natural resources.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Written Assessment
Prepare the arguments, both FOR and AGAINST, for a debate on the following topic:
The extent of the marine reserves in Australia threatens the sustainability of Australian fishing industries.
You should focus on a particular marine reserve (or collection of marine reserves) or a particular fishing industry. Your arguments should be based on detailed scientific information, not sweeping generalisations.
You should provide a brief introduction to the topic, then a series of arguments for each side of the debate in a TABLE with two columns headed: FOR and AGAINST. Complete your assignment with a brief concluding paragraph, setting out which side has the strongest argument. Your assignment should not exceed 2000 words with roughly equal numbers of words for each case. You should ensure you apply the principles of Systems Thinking, use only credible information sources, and cite references where applicable.
Week 8 Monday (8 Jan 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 10 Monday (22 Jan 2018)
Assignment will be assessed on:
- Comprehensive coverage of arguments both for and against
- Logical presentation of arguments
- Relevance of issues raised
- Clarity of expression
- Evidence of research and critical thinking
- Selection of credible sources and correct referencing
- Discuss the economic, ethical and ecological issues associated with the sustainable utilisation of the earth's renewable and non-renewable natural resources.
- Explain the importance of systems thinking and an understanding of temporal and spatial scales and feedback loops in determining solutions to sustainable management of resources.
- Discuss the shortcomings in our understanding and acceptance of the processes that lead to sustainability.
- Develop a range of possible strategies that would help to ensure the sustainable utilisation of natural resources.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
3 Written Assessment
Queensland has plans to introduce a ban on the supply of single-use, lightweight, plastic shopping bags and to introduce a beverage container refund scheme. Choose one of these initiatives and write a report on the environmental, economic and social impacts of the scheme. You should conclude by weighting up the evidence and concluding whether the scheme should be implemented or not.
Format your assignment as a report with headings and an executive summary. Maximum word limit: 2500 words. The word count will include words in tables and the executive summary but not words in figures, or reference citations and list.
Week 12 Monday (5 Feb 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Review/Exam Week Friday (16 Feb 2018)
Assignment will be assess on:
- Logical and comprehensive presentation of information
- Evidence of critical thinking and problem solving
- Validity of conclusion from evidence presented
- Clarity of expression
- Evidence of research and accurate referencing
- Overall presentation, including format of diagrams and tables, correct grammar, spelling and punctuation.
- Discuss the economic, ethical and ecological issues associated with the sustainable utilisation of the earth's renewable and non-renewable natural resources.
- Explain the importance of systems thinking and an understanding of temporal and spatial scales and feedback loops in determining solutions to sustainable management of resources.
- Discuss the shortcomings in our understanding and acceptance of the processes that lead to sustainability.
- Develop a range of possible strategies that would help to ensure the sustainable utilisation of natural resources.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
4 Group Discussion
You are required to post relevant comments to each of the four forums to obtain the maximum marks. Each forum will be open for approximately three weeks. Forum posts must be 200 words or less and be presented as dot points.
There is no minimum mark or grade for this assessment item. Therefore, you do not have to attempt it in order to pass the course overall. However, it also means you will not be awarded a supplementary assessment if you come close to passing and/or you do not meet the criteria for a Pass grade in one assessment item.
Forum 1 will close at the end of week 3, Forum 2 at the end of week 6, Forum 3 at the end of week 9 and Forum 4 at the end of week 12.
Exam Week Friday (16 Feb 2018)
Mark will be available through the moodle gradebook.
Your posts will be assessed on:
- Relevance to the question
- Evidence of critical thinking
- Clarity of arguments
- Conciseness of posts
- Discuss the economic, ethical and ecological issues associated with the sustainable utilisation of the earth's renewable and non-renewable natural resources.
- Discuss the shortcomings in our understanding and acceptance of the processes that lead to sustainability.
- Develop a range of possible strategies that would help to ensure the sustainable utilisation of natural resources.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Team Work
- 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.
What can you do to act with integrity?
