Unit Synopsis
In this unit, you will be provided with a framework for the development and application of agricultural breeding strategies, and application of modern genetic selection tools. You will be introduced to a broad overview of genetic selection tools, whilst learning how to select, monitor and evaluate a breeding program. Finally, you will consider the ethical and social implications of genetic modification and how this might influence management decisions.
Details
| Level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Unit Level | 1 |
| Credit Points | 6 |
| Student Contribution Band | SCA Band 1 |
| Fraction of Full-Time Student Load | 0.125 |
| Pre-requisites or Co-requisites |
There are no pre-requisites for the 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). |
| Class Timetable | View Unit Timetable |
| Residential School |
Compulsory Residential School View Unit Residential School |
Unit Availabilities from Term 1 - 2026
Term 1 - 2026 Profile
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.
Assessment Tasks
| Assessment Task | Weighting |
|---|---|
| 1. Online Quiz(zes) | 20% |
| 2. Presentation and Written Assessment | 50% |
| 3. Portfolio | 30% |
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%).
Past Exams
All University policies are available on the Policy web site, however you may wish to directly view the following policies below.
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of policies are available on the Policy web site .
Term 2 - 2024 : The overall satisfaction for students in the last offering of this course was 75.00% (`Agree` and `Strongly Agree` responses), based on a 23.53% response rate.
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.
Source: SUTE
Usefulness of assessment feedback was agreed by most students.
Consider reviewing all rubrics and marking guides to ensure evaluation feedback for "useful feedback" continues to improve.
Rubrics were refreshed for the report assessment. Breakdown of marks with feedback were provided on all assessment.
Source: Student feedback during residential schools
Residential schools were an invaluable learning experience.
Continue offering hands-on opportunities.
Continue to offer relevant research and industry opportunities
Source: Student feedback in-class
The duration of lectures in short, "bite-size" chunks was a favourable format for most students.
Take into account student preferences for small amounts of learning at a time when updates are made to lecture and tutorial material.
Continue to take into account using small bite size learning.
Source: SUTE data
Usefulness of assessment feedback was agreed by most students.
Review rubrics and marking guides to ensure evaluation feedback for "useful feedback" continues to improve.
In Progress
Source: Student feedback during residential schools
Residential schools were a good learning experience.
Continue offering research and industry relevant residential schools
In Progress
Source: Email
The guest speakers provided a fabulous diversity of information to the unit
Weekly live tutorials will continue to include guests from research and industry and provide real life examples.
In Progress
Source: SUTE data
Improve organisation of learning material
Learning material will be organised to enhance the current lecture material.
In Progress
Source: SUTE data
Clarify marking criteria
Students have weekly live workshops where discussion on assessment is encouraged. In addition, weekly posts on current timetable and upcoming assessment, is provided. Additional workshops on specific assessment will be considered based on student requirements.
In Progress
Source: SUTE data
Improve video resources
Resources are reviewed each year to provide additional topical material for students.
In Progress
Source: SUTE data
Review amount of weekly content
Content is reviewed each year. Weekly live tutorials aim to support lecture material and provide students opportunity for questions of content.
In Progress
Source: SUTE data
Upgrade content to provide more real life examples
Content is reviewed each year. Weekly live tutorials provide current content that often involve guests from research and industry so that real life examples are provided.
In Progress
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Select appropriate tools for a genetic improvement plan
- Develop a breeding program based on heritability and economic returns
- Monitor and evaluate a breeding program
- Critique the social and ethical implications of genetic modification.
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) | • | • | ||
| 2 - Presentation and Written Assessment | • | • | ||
| 3 - Portfolio | • | • | ||
| 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 | • | • | • | |
| 8 - Ethical practice | • | |||
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | |
| 2 - Presentation and Written Assessment | • | • | • | • | • | ||||||
| 3 - Portfolio | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | ||||
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) | • | • | |||||||||