Overview
The world continues to change rapidly in ways that affect well-being, social and economic development and the natural environment. In this unit, you will explore the causes, patterns, trends and localised impacts of major global changes, including population growth, migration, urbanisation, globalisation, socio-economic inequality and environmental change. You will investigate linkages between these changes and sustainability and adapt your thinking to new contexts in a changing world.
Details
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 - 2023
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 (Q5)
Assessment --there were too many projects in the portfolio assessment.
Students were asked to produce 3 projects for the portfolio assessment. It is recommended to reduce projects from 3 to 2.
Feedback from Unit evaluation data
Learning material
It is recommended to set clear expectations for each of the weekly topics and align them with attributes of the course.
Feedback from Student feedback (Q5) and unit evaluation data
Assessment feedback
It is recommended to redesign the assessment rubrics and discuss them in class.
- Describe the causes and impacts of major global changes
- Collect, analyse, evaluate and present information on major global changes and their impacts
- Discuss the linkages between the global changes and the goals of global sustainability
- Debate issues around adopting a more sustainable approach to human practices.
N/A
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Online discussion forum - 15% | ||||
| 2 - Portfolio - 45% | ||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||
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 - Online discussion forum - 15% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Portfolio - 45% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
Additional Textbook Information
There are no required textbooks for this unit. Learning material and all other study resources will be provided in Moodle site of the unit.
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.wu@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
The World at A Crossroads
Chapter
Weekly learning materials will be provided in the unit's Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Sustainable Development: Our Common Future
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
The Global Sustainable Development Goals
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Mapping the Complexity
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Global Population: Growth and Challenge
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Migration and Social Change
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Globalisation and Global Cities
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Development and Inequality
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Global Biodiversity Is Crashing
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Climate Change: A Global Crisis
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Environmental Change and Public Health
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Become an Agent for Change
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Online discussion forum
The assessment task requires students to actively participate in the online discussion in the Moodle site of the unit. Your participation should include creation of: a) at least 3 initial posts that are substantial and add value to the discussion, and b) 2 response posts that are meaningful and continue the conversation initiated by the initial posts.
Each initial post should be around 50-70 words in length.
For more information and support, please refer to the detailed instructions provided in the Moodle site of the unit.
Posts should be created during the period from week 1 to week 12. Posts submitted after week 12 (11:30pm, Sunday) will not be assessed.
All posts will be evaluated by the end of the term.
All posts will be reviewed by the end of the term, and will be evaluated based on:
- Quantity and timeliness of participation
- Demonstration of knowledge and understanding of the learning materials and their relevance to the discussion topics
- Contribution to the overall learning experience for the class.
Detailed assessment criteria can be found on the Moodle site of the unit.
- Describe the causes and impacts of major global changes
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Cross Cultural Competence
2 Portfolio
The assessment task consists of 2 projects.
For Project 1, students are to select a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) and write a reflective essay examining its impact or relevance to the field of your study, your industry, or future profession.
The essay should be approximately 800 words in length and is due on Friday of Week 5.
For Project 2, students are to choose one of the global changes discussed in weeks between 5 and week 11 and write a reflective essay exploring its effects on your community.
This essay should also be approximately 800 words in length and is due on Friday of Week 10.
Detailed instructions and resources are available in the Moodle site of the unit.
The 2 projects are due Friday in week 5 and 10 respectively
Projects will be marked and returned in two weeks after the due date respectively.
Your projects will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- The quality of the introduction and explanation of the issue
- The quality of the analysis and critical reflection on the issue and the learning involved
- The level of critical reflection for self-improvement and future practice.
Detailed assessment criteria can be found on the Moodle site of the unit.
- Describe the causes and impacts of major global changes
- Collect, analyse, evaluate and present information on major global changes and their impacts
- Discuss the linkages between the global changes and the goals of global sustainability
- Debate issues around adopting a more sustainable approach to human practices.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Social Innovation
3 Written Assessment
The assessment task asks you to write a term research paper about a global change or aspects of the global change. The topic can be any social, economic or environmental change – Making a good choice by yourself is part of the assignment.
In the paper, you should demonstrate both understanding of the change and ability to analyse and debate it. These include
- defining the change and discussing its significance
- describing trends and patterns of the change
- analysing causes/drivers of the change
- discussing impacts of the change
- evaluating impacts of the change on sustainability
The length of the paper should be around 2,500 substantive words.
Detailed instructions and supports are provided on the unit's Moodle site.
Week 12 Friday (2 June 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Online submission
Exam Week Friday (16 June 2023)
Assessments will be marked and returned in two weeks after the due date or as soon as practicable
Your term paper will be evaluated based on:
- The depth of analysis conducted on the topic
- The quality of analysis and discussion, including the application of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values
- The presentation of evidence and data
- The quality of written communication.
Detailed assessment criteria can be found on the unit's Moodle site.
- Collect, analyse, evaluate and present information on major global changes and their impacts
- Discuss the linkages between the global changes and the goals of global sustainability
- Debate issues around adopting a more sustainable approach to human practices.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Cross Cultural Competence
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?
