Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Lecturer
Dr Kerrie Tomkins
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Credit points |
Credit points
4
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
GSE803
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This interdisciplinary unit aims to develop understanding of some aspects of the impact of human activities on the environment and remedial actions which can be taken. Topics may include one or more of: urban and industrial environmental remediation; rural landscape degradation processes and pathways; remediation techniques in rural landscapes; river rehabilitation; environmental flows; catchment management strategies; and mine site rehabilitation. This unit is a combination of evening classes, weekend field days, and web, library and field-based individual research. Note: permission to complete the unit without completion of GSE803 as a prerequisite will only be granted if the student has completed a science-based degree.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
The criteria that will be used in marking all assessments in GSE808 include the following, where the level of achievement is expected to be at the standard of a post-graduate student. GradeMark Rubrics will be used to mark and grade all Assessments. Further details on the assessment marking will be provided at the start of semester.
General Assessment Criteria |
Expectation of achievement at the post-graduate level |
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Evaluation of assessments will be based on the Macquarie University scale: High Distinction (HD), Distinction (D), Credit (Cr), Pass (P) and Fail (Fail). Grades may be further refined by use of a “+” or “-“ to indicate work towards the top or the bottom of each grade’s band of marks. Feedback will also come in the form of written comments, as well as general commentaries directed to the class after all marked assessments have been returned.
If you experience difficulty in learning or in achieving a good standard in your written expression, please let the convenor know ASAP. The University offers a variety of remedial writing courses and sources of advice that may help you. See: http://www.students.mq.edu.au/support/learning_skills/ for further details. We emphasise the necessity for clear communication and its importance in your performance assessment.
All assessments must be completed and submitted, on time and in full, in order to receive a minimum pass grade. Penalties for late assessments will be a minimum of 10% per day (including weekend days) or part thereof. These deadlines and penalties will be imposed. Allowing some students to hand assessments in late is unfair to those who meet the deadlines.
The due dates for assessments are not negotiable except in the circumstances outlined below. Please take note of the date on which work is due and let the convenor know of problems in advance or as soon as possible, not after the event: they are likely to be much more sympathetic and flexible if you follow this advice.
The University has a Disruption to Studies Policy, which can be accessed here: http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html
In accordance with the Policy, students that experience a disruption to studies which is serious, unavoidable and greater than 3 days as per the Policy guidelines, and wish to request an assessment extension on these grounds, must submit a formal application for special consideration to the Science Faculty. http://science.mq.edu.au/current-students/postgraduate-students/
If a student experiences a disruption to studies that is unavoidable, but not serious and is of 3 days or less in duration, they can apply for special consideration to the convenor under the following conditions:
The number of days of disruption and the timing of disruption will be taken into considered in determining whether special consideration should be granted or not. The ultimate grounds for the decision will be whether the disruption was unavoidable and fairness with respect to other students.
In completing and submitting each Assessment, students must be aware of, and adhere to, the University policy on Academic Honesty, which can be accessed here: http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
The University implements the Academic Honesty Policy for all pieces of academic work by using a number of systems and checks, including:
The penalties, where a person has been proven to have breached the policy (or any of its related procedures), are outlined here: http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/schedule_penalties.html
Each student is responsible for their own work and for reporting suspected breaches to the convenor or Head of Department together with all relevant materials or evidence of the basis of the allegation.
All written Assessments should be submitted through Turnitin (See iLearn for the relevant Assessment link). There is no requirement to submit a hard copy as well. Further details on how to use Turnitin will be provided at the start of semester.
The Assessments will be marked via GradeMark, an online marking system within Turnitin. All attempts will be made to mark and return Assessments within two teaching weeks of the submission. However, please keep in mind that with large pieces of written work it can take a significant time to complete this. The Assessments will be returned with digital feedback and your score will be posted in GradeBook.
Name | Weighting | Due |
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Assessment 1 | 25% | 26 August 2015 |
Assessment 2 | 50% | 7 October 2015 |
Assessment 3 | 25% | 4 November 2015 |
Due: 26 August 2015
Weighting: 25%
The aim of this Assessment is to introduce students to the types of statutory requirements and regulations that govern environmental management and rehabilitation of degraded sites. The example used is the Cadia gold and copper mine near Orange, NSW. The Assessment will be started in the prac in Week 3 and should be completed in the students own time for submission in Week 5. Further information on the Assessment will be provided at the start of semester.
Due: 7 October 2015
Weighting: 50%
This Assessment aims to give students some practical experience in developing an environmental management plan. In this instance, the plan is a rehabilitation plan for the Fish River, near Bathurst NSW, following years of sand and gravel extraction from the river. The Assessment is largely group-work, but includes individual assessment. Students will be assigned to small groups of ~ 4 students in Week 5. A break-down of the Assessment is as follows:
Further information on the Assessment will be provided at the start of semester.
Due: 4 November 2015
Weighting: 25%
This Assessment aims to give students a greater awareness of the global issues of environmental degradation, as well as some perspectives on how Australia compares in its efforts to manage and remediate degraded environments. Students can choose their own topic to investigate, including one of those already covered in the course. The Assessment will also include some class discussion in Week 12 where it is expected that students will be well prepared to contribute based on their readings. The Assessment will be submitted in Week 13. Further information will be provided at the start of semester.
This unit has a home page that can be accessed through the Macquarie University online facility (ilearn.mq.edu.au). It contains the usual discussion page, mail page and lecture notes page. As the semester progresses, it will be used to circulate data and other materials related to the course, field trips and assessments.
The weekly program consists of 3-hour classes on Wednesday nights from 6:30-9:30 pm in EMC-G230 (Science Faculty Tutorial Room). The classes include a combination of lectures, practicals, class discussion and student presentations as outlined in the unit schedule and text below. A short break during the 3-hours will be allowed where possible.
Note: Please bring writing materials and laptop computers to each class as these will be used regularly.
Note: There are no classes in Weeks 7, 8 and 11. However, it is expected that students will use the time to work on the unit Assessments. Class materials will be available in the Library Reserve. In these weeks, students are also welcome to discuss their progress with the convenor by prior arrangement.
Mining and Rural Field Trip: 10-13 September 2015
There will a four-day field trip to the Orange-Bathurst area in the central-west of NSW, commencing on Thursday 10 September. During the field trip, students will visit:
We will stay in stay in Orange and Bathurst. Accommodation will be organised by the convenor. Transport is to be organised by each student, with car-pooling recommended. See below for further details on costs. Details on logistics will be provided at the start of semester and in the weeks prior to the trip. Attendance is compulsory.
Urban Field Trip: 17 October 2014
There will be an additional ~half-day field trip in the Sydney area on Saturday 17 October. The field trip will visit previous contamination and remediation sites on the Rhodes Peninsula. Students will need to organise transport to the sites. Further details will be provided at the start of semester and in the week prior to the trip. Attendance is compulsory.
Field trip essentials on what to bring
Each student will need to ensure that they are equipped with the following essentials during each field trip:
Field trip costs
The cost of the field trips are not included in the course fees, however all attempts will be made to keep these to a minimum. Additional costs that will need to be paid by each student for the Mining and Rural Field Trip include overnight accommodation (3 nights), meals and transport. Additional costs that will need to be paid for the Urban field trip include transport.
Indicative costs for accommodation in Orange and Bathurst are $50 - $150 p.p.n. depending on the style of accommodation. Options range from pub-style with shared bathrooms, to motel-style with private facilities. While it is anticipated that most will stay with the group, students are welcome to organise their own accommodation if they prefer.
Attendance and assessment submission
You are required to attend all lectures, practicals, student presentations, class discussions and field trips, and submit all pieces of assessment to receive a Passing grade for this unit. Non-attendance may attract a penalty of up to 10 % of the final grade per day unless a valid reason with supporting documentation is provided.
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Workload requirements
The workload for units at Macquarie University is based on a minimum of 3 hours per credit point per week to receive a Pass grade (including 13 x weeks of semester and 2 x weeks of mid-semester break). For GSE808 this means that you are expected to spend at least 12 hours per week, or a total of around 150 hours on course learning activities to receive a Pass grade. Obviously this is dependent on the speed at which you learn, your ability to study effectively and how far in advance you commence the assessments. Ideally, the workload should be spread over the semester.
A guide of the hours required to receive a Passing grade is outlined below. However, keep in mind that grades are awarded based on a demonstration of understanding and ability, not on effort! Approximately 20 % of the course is class-room based, 20 % is field-based and the remaining 60 % is allocated for individual study, primarily to complete assessments and undertake further reading related to the course.
Activity |
Hours per semester |
Percentage allocation |
CLASS-ROOM BASED ALLOCATION: |
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Lectures |
19.5 |
13 % |
Assessment 1 |
3 |
7 % |
Assessment 2 |
6.5 |
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Assessment 3 |
1 |
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FIELD TRIP ALLOCATIONS: |
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Mining and Rural Field Trip |
28 |
21 % |
Urban Field Trip |
4 |
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INDIVIDUAL STUDY ALLOCATION |
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Completion of assessments and additional reading |
88 |
59 % |
TOTAL |
150 |
100 % |
In GSE808, it is expected that your assessments will be very high quality and demonstrate comprehension of course content including knowledge, skills and abilities which are at the standard of a postgraduate level. Grades for the unit as a whole will be awarded according to the following rubric.
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Developing |
Functional |
Proficient |
Advanced |
General description of the level of attainment |
Has not yet reached the desired standard. Limited understanding of required concepts and knowledge.
A fail grade (or under some circumstances, a conceded pass) would be given. |
Has reached basic academic standards. Work has limited translation of concepts and procedures to new contexts unless aided.
A pass grade would be awarded.
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Has completely reached the standards expected. Can work independently in new contexts, adapting procedures to meet the context. Demonstrates awareness of own limitations.
A credit grade would be awarded.
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Has gone beyond the expected standards. Exhibits high levels of independence and can use concepts to generate new ways of completing procedures. Can engage in productive critical reflection.
A grade of distinction or high distinction would be awarded. |
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Week |
Location / time |
Component |
Assessments |
Hours |
1 |
Wed 29 July 6.30 – 9.30 pm |
Introduction
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3 |
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2 |
Wed 5 Aug 6.30 – 9.30 pm |
Mining
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3 |
3 |
Wed 12 Aug 6.30 – 9.30 pm |
Mining cont.
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3 |
4 |
Wed 19 Aug 6:30 – 9: 30 pm |
Rural
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3 |
5 |
Wed 26 Aug 6.30 – 9.30 pm |
Rural cont.
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Assessment 1 due (25 %) |
3 |
6 |
Wed 2 Sept 6.30 – 9.30 pm |
Rural cont.
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3 |
7 |
Wed 9 Sept |
No Class |
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Mid-semester break |
Thurs 10 – Sun 13 Sept |
Mining and Rural field trip
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28 |
8 |
Wed 30 Sept |
No Class |
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- |
9 |
Wed 7 Oct 6:30 – 9:30 pm |
Student presentations of Assessment 2 |
Assessment 2 due (50 %) |
3 |
10 |
Wed 14 Oct 6:30 – 9:30 pm |
Urban
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3 |
Weekend |
Sat 17 Oct |
Urban field trip
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4 |
11 |
Wed 21 Oct |
No Class |
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12 |
Wed 28 Oct 6.30 - 9.30 pm |
International perspectives
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3 |
13 |
Wed 4 Nov 6.30 – 9.30 pm |
Course conclusion and feedback |
Assessment 3 due (25 %) |
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Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues
This graduate capability is supported by:
The safety of you and those around you is our highest priority. Consequently, ALL participants in fieldwork activities are obliged to work and behave appropriately in the field, and to take care to protect their own health, safety and welfare and that of fellow fieldwork participants. You are required to follow instructions from the Fieldwork Leader at all times.
Prior to the fieldwork, you must let the Fieldwork Leader know of any allergies, special dietary requirements or medical considerations that may affect your ability to participate in fieldwork. You will need to complete a declaration of a known medical condition form, outlining a treatment plan for your condition. Details of your responsible next of kin must also be provided incase of emergencies.
You are required to wear and carry clothing and footwear as appropriate to the fieldwork situation. Your Fieldwork Leader will advise you as to what these are prior to the fieldtrip. Irrespective of the activity, footwear must be worn. For terrestrial fieldwork, ankle to knee protection must be worn either in the form of either long trousers or gaiters. For marine fieldwork, appropriate clothing to protect against sunburn and exposure should be worn. For all fieldwork activities, a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent and items to protect against unexpected weather changes, such as rain & cold, are strongly recommended. The Fieldwork Leader reserves the right to exclude anyone that is ill-equipped from the activity.
If you are taking any medication, please ensure that you take sufficient supplies with you on the field trip. The University’s staff are unable, by law, to provide this to you. This includes pain relief, such as panadol or nurofen, cold and flu medication and anti-histamines for allergies.
If you need to leave the field location for any reason prior to completion of the scheduled activities, you must first inform the Fieldwork Leader. In the event of illness or injury, please let the Fieldwork Leader know immediately. All injury’s or incidents must be reported via the on-line reporting system: http://www.ohs.mq.edu.au/form5a.php
Alcohol is a significant contributing factor in many incidents and acts of prejudicial conduct. Alcohol must not be consumed when undertaking fieldwork activities or when using a motor vehicle/machinery. After-hours consumption of alcohol is at the discretion of the Fieldwork Leader. Anyone acting irresponsibly or in any way deemed to be a danger to themselves or others by the Fieldwork Leader will be required to leave the field trip, return to Sydney at their own expense and report to the Head of Department. The consequences of this may include exclusion from the Unit of study or your Degree program.
For more information, contact:
Russell Field
Fieldwork Manager (Environment & Geography)
Macquarie University NSW 2109.
(W) 98508341
The following textbooks and material related to the field trips are recommended for background reading. Note: it is essential that each student does their own literature searches and finds materials, particularly scientific papers that are relevant to the unit. This requirement is to: aid learning and understanding of the subject matter, develop good research skills, and successfully complete the unit assessments. The library has a number of search engines that will enable you to directly access publications using ArticleLinker e.g. Web of Knowledge. Google Scholar can also be useful to find reports and other grey literature.
Environmental Management Standards
Mining environments
Former Browns Creek Mine
Cadia Mine
Rural environments
Gumble field site
Fish River
Urban environments
Rhodes Peninsula
International issues