Students

GEOS348 – PACE in Earth and Planetary Sciences

2018 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Lecture
Elena Belousova
Contact via by email or phone: 9850 6126
Room 224, 12 Wally's Walk
Anytime by email appointment
Department Manager
Jennifer Rowland
Contact via by e-mail or phone: 9850 8426
Level 2, Room 207, 12 Wally's Walk (E7A)
Faculty PACE Officer
Angela Powell
Contact via by e-mail or phone: 9850 8434
W14, 12 Wally's Walk (E7B)
By e-mail appointment
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Permission by special approval
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit provides an opportunity for students to engage with the community through a variety of activities that draw on knowledge from teaching and research in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. Activities can be undertaken by individuals or groups and be located in international or Australian regions with public-sector agencies, companies, industry partners and not-for- profit organisations. Students will gain skills that make them more employable and provide them with a larger view of careers and where their degree can take them. All activities will be mutually beneficial to the students and partners.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Co-ordinate, integrate and interpret multiple strands of geoscience data and apply this to solve geoscience questions and problems in a ‘real world’ context.
  • Understand the societal impact of many geoscience issues through the combination of theory and practice.
  • Collect data for analysis based on partner needs: these may include field observations and measurements of both the natural and modified environment.
  • Demonstrate a capacity for self-directed learning, the ability to work in a team, and to work toward deadlines.
  • Make informed decisions on issues of local and global geoscience significance.
  • Summarise and effectively communicate scientific understanding. This may include presentation of information, articulating and evaluating arguments and justifying conclusions using a range of mechanisms (oral, written and visual) to diverse audiences for a variety of purposes.
  • Work in a safe and responsible manner in the community and environment
  • Understand how a combination of discipline-specific knowledge, ethics, negotiation skills, cross-cultural and interpersonal skills are important for future career paths.
  • Recognise how engaging with the community can facilitate mutually beneficial opportunities for the generation and sharing of knowledge

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Intro to professional practice 10% Yes Weeks 1 and 2
Risk Assessment 5% Yes Week 2
Reflective journal 20% No Weeks 4, 8 and 12
Reporting 45% No Week 12
Presentation 20% No Week 13

Intro to professional practice

Due: Weeks 1 and 2
Weighting: 10%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

Students are required to read a number of documents about professional practice, health and safety and the role of ethics and to participate in an online or face to face discussion on these issues.  It will also include a CV and Cover Letter writing workshop, as well as an 'elevator pitch' exercise, which is a clear, brief message  to introduce yourself to the employer. Grading will be based on peer and supervisor assessment of students' CV and Cover Letter as well as their participation in the workshop activity. 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand the societal impact of many geoscience issues through the combination of theory and practice.
  • Demonstrate a capacity for self-directed learning, the ability to work in a team, and to work toward deadlines.
  • Make informed decisions on issues of local and global geoscience significance.
  • Work in a safe and responsible manner in the community and environment
  • Understand how a combination of discipline-specific knowledge, ethics, negotiation skills, cross-cultural and interpersonal skills are important for future career paths.
  • Recognise how engaging with the community can facilitate mutually beneficial opportunities for the generation and sharing of knowledge

Risk Assessment

Due: Week 2
Weighting: 5%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

All students will be asked to prepare a risk assessment based on the university risk assessment procedure for their activity.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Work in a safe and responsible manner in the community and environment

Reflective journal

Due: Weeks 4, 8 and 12
Weighting: 20%

Students must keep a reflective journal/log throughout their work in GEOS348.  This will help to develop key skills in recording thoughts and data, critical reflection and evaluation. Research papers on how to construct a journal will be given online.  The journal will be checked for progress in weeks 4 and 8 and submitted in week 12.  The reflective journal will assist the student to prepare a report outlining how they have achieved each of the learning outcomes by undertaking the PACE activity in conjunction with the curriculum of this unit. The extent to which each is met will depend on the type of activity that the student undertakes.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Co-ordinate, integrate and interpret multiple strands of geoscience data and apply this to solve geoscience questions and problems in a ‘real world’ context.
  • Understand the societal impact of many geoscience issues through the combination of theory and practice.
  • Collect data for analysis based on partner needs: these may include field observations and measurements of both the natural and modified environment.
  • Demonstrate a capacity for self-directed learning, the ability to work in a team, and to work toward deadlines.
  • Make informed decisions on issues of local and global geoscience significance.
  • Work in a safe and responsible manner in the community and environment
  • Understand how a combination of discipline-specific knowledge, ethics, negotiation skills, cross-cultural and interpersonal skills are important for future career paths.
  • Recognise how engaging with the community can facilitate mutually beneficial opportunities for the generation and sharing of knowledge

Reporting

Due: Week 12
Weighting: 45%

All students will prepare a report on their activity or complete a deliverable as requested by the partner.  More detail on this task will be determined once the PACE activity has commenced.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Co-ordinate, integrate and interpret multiple strands of geoscience data and apply this to solve geoscience questions and problems in a ‘real world’ context.
  • Understand the societal impact of many geoscience issues through the combination of theory and practice.
  • Collect data for analysis based on partner needs: these may include field observations and measurements of both the natural and modified environment.
  • Demonstrate a capacity for self-directed learning, the ability to work in a team, and to work toward deadlines.
  • Summarise and effectively communicate scientific understanding. This may include presentation of information, articulating and evaluating arguments and justifying conclusions using a range of mechanisms (oral, written and visual) to diverse audiences for a variety of purposes.

Presentation

Due: Week 13
Weighting: 20%

Students will do a poster presentation that outlines the nature of the project, how the activity was undertaken and what was delivered to the partner. That would allow PACE students to describe what it is they have learned about theory versus practice which in turn, creates one more opportunity to reflect/draw on their reflection log. Posters will be presented to HDR students, staff and the partners during the Departmental HDR day (date TBA).  Poster must be International conference level and showcase the work completed by the group.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Co-ordinate, integrate and interpret multiple strands of geoscience data and apply this to solve geoscience questions and problems in a ‘real world’ context.
  • Understand the societal impact of many geoscience issues through the combination of theory and practice.
  • Collect data for analysis based on partner needs: these may include field observations and measurements of both the natural and modified environment.
  • Demonstrate a capacity for self-directed learning, the ability to work in a team, and to work toward deadlines.
  • Summarise and effectively communicate scientific understanding. This may include presentation of information, articulating and evaluating arguments and justifying conclusions using a range of mechanisms (oral, written and visual) to diverse audiences for a variety of purposes.

Delivery and Resources

PACE units in Science and Engineering, their Unit Convenors, and their students, are supported by a PACE Team within the Faculty.  Throughout the unit offering, members of the Team may be in contact with students to provide or collect information. If you have any questions about PACE in Science and Engineering, please email:   pace.science@mq.edu.au  or visit the following webpages:  https://students.mq.edu.au/experience/practical-experience/pace-experience/how-do-i-start/pace-in-the-faculty-of-science-and-engineering

If you require more information about PACE in general or access to forms such as those for the PACE Travel Grants, please log into the PACE student wiki:

https://students.mq.edu.au/experience/practical-experience/pace-experience/how-do-i-start

What to do in the case of an emergency:

1. Remove yourself from any danger.

2. Call 000, if necessary.

3. Speak to your partner-based supervisor, if possible. The Organisation may have emergency procedures to follow.

THEN - if the emergency occurs in office hours (i.e. Monday - Friday 9am-5pm)

4. Contact your Unit Convenor by phone/email as soon as you can.

5. If you cannot reach your Unit Convenor, contact your Faculty PACE Manager by phone/email.

OR - if the emergency occurs outside of office hours (i.e. outside of Monday - Friday 9am-5pm)

6. Phone Campus Security Office on (02) 9850-9999 as soon as you can. This is a 24 hour, 7 days a week service and it does not matter where in Australia you are when you call. Please identify yourself as a PACE student when you call.

N.B. For any minor issues with your participation activity, please speak to your partner-based Supervisor. If the problem is more serious, please contact your Unit Convenor or your Faculty PACE Manager.

If you are experiencing difficulties and need to speak to a counsellor:

Contact the MQ Counselling Service at Campus Wellbeing on 9850-7497 (Monday - Friday, 8am-6pm)

1800 MQ CARELINE (1800-227-367) - information and referral service (24 hours, 7 days a week)

If you would like to speak to a counsellor outside of office hours, you can also contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24 hours, 7 days a week).

 

Work, Health, and Safety (WHS) A PACE Activity is a practical experience allocated to, and undertaken by, a student within a PACE unit which may take place in premises other than the University (usually the Partner Organisation’s premises). When working or studying in non-University premises, the primary responsibility for the health and safety of our students becomes that of the Partner Organisation hosting the student. All host organisations must comply with the NSW Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act 2011.  During your PACE activity your host supervisor should: •    make your responsibilities clear •    provide any necessary training •    inform you about professional codes of conduct •    supervise and provide feedback. During your PACE activity you must have: •    a safe work environment •    a WHS safety orientation •    safe work systems •    protection from bullying and harassment You must also: •    take reasonable care of yourself •    ensure your actions don’t affect the safety of others •    follow the safety procedures of the host organisation

WHS and risk for fieldwork-based PACE activities Certain PACE activities are fieldwork-based.  Fieldwork includes professional experience whereby the fieldwork i) forms the majority of the activity; ii) is essential to partner benefit; and iii) requires the application of discipline specific knowledge and skills. Fieldwork-based activities are undertaken in collaboration with a partner and are conducted on a site in the natural and/or built environment in order to collect data (e.g. soil samples, asking questions of humans, documenting information about animals, etc.) for the purposes of informing a study about that environment or site. Fieldwork may be led by students as the discipline experts; however, it requires supervision by an appropriately qualified Macquarie University staff or external partner. Students who will undertake fieldwork-based PACE activities must consult with their unit convenor regarding additional WHS and risk procedures that might be necessary. All fieldwork must be officially approved by relevant staff before it commences.  

 

Learning and Teaching Activities

Face to face or Online discussion

Students will contribute to discussions on a number of topics on themes related to professional practice and conduct.

Reflective journal

Students will learn how to keep a reflective journal that can be used to improve their performance, understand the learning process and provide content for other activities.

Reporting

A number of the assessment tasks require students to report on activities in a variety of formats to a variety of audiences.

Professional placement

Students will undertake an activity with a professional or community partner for at least 50 hours.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

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.

 

PACE-related policies, procedures, and other important information

Student Undertaking Form

Before a student begins their activity they will be required to complete the Student Undertaking Form.  This form asks students for their contact details, emergency contact information and their agreement to abide by the Roles and Responsibilities as set out in the Governance and Guidelines document.  The Student Undertaking form is provided electronically through iParticipate and the Faculty PACE team will alert you when it is available for completion and instructions on how to complete it. 

https://www.mq.edu.au/connect/partnerships/why-connect-with-macquarie/partner-with-pace/a-safe-and-fair-environment/Governance-and-Guidelines-PACE-2017-web.pdf

PACE Activity – Early Commencement Procedure:  – to outline the conditions under which the unit convenor of a PACE unit will consider a request from a student to commence or complete a PACE activity prior to the official start date of the associated PACE unit.

https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/participation_activity

PACE - Managing Other Commitments Procedure:  to outline the University’s approach to an absence or other form of disruption during the session due to a student undertaking a PACE activity.

https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/pace-managing-other-commitments

PACE - Reasonable Adjustments, Guideline and Procedure:  Macquarie University will endeavour to match students with an appropriate host and feasible PACE activity to maximise student success.  These documents provide good practice information for students and staff to encourage early disclosure of circumstances (e.g. disability, medical condition, flexible time arrangements, or leave days for official observances, etc.), which may impact on a student’s PACE activity, and the subsequent arrangement of reasonable adjustments when enrolling or participating in a PACE Unit (Guideline).

https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/pace-reasonable-adjustments

PACE activities requiring background checks:  Some partner organisations may require students to complete certain background checks and/or clearances in cases where they will be working with children, young people, people with disabilities, the frail-aged, at-risk clients, and government/statutory agencies. It’s very important that students complete the required background clearances before beginning the PACE activity. Any necessary information on background checks will be communicated directly to students by the Unit Convenor or the Faculty PACE team. Please note there is an extra verification step required for students who need to to complete a Working with Children Check.  Students will be required to provide their WWCC number to the Faculty PACE Team electronically and the result of their check will need to be verified by MQ WWCC Administrator (Governance Services) before they start their activity.

Policy regarding PACE and the AHEGS statement:  PACE units will be flagged on student transcripts with the symbol ‘π’ after the unit code which corresponds to the following statement on the transcript:

π: Units marked with a π are designated PACE units. These units provide students with an opportunity to learn through practical experience and make a valuable contribution to the community by applying knowledge and skills acquired at the University.

 

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

PACE units in Science and Engineering, their Unit Convenors, and their students, are supported by a PACE Team within the Faculty.  Throughout the unit offering, members of the Team may be in contact with students to provide or collect information. If you have any questions about PACE in Science and Engineering, please email:   pace.science@mq.edu.au  or visit the following webpages:  https://students.mq.edu.au/experience/practical-experience/pace-experience/how-do-i-start/pace-in-the-faculty-of-science-and-engineering

If you require more information about PACE in general or access to forms such as those for the PACE Travel Grants, please log into the PACE student wiki:

https://students.mq.edu.au/experience/practical-experience/pace-experience/how-do-i-start

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Co-ordinate, integrate and interpret multiple strands of geoscience data and apply this to solve geoscience questions and problems in a ‘real world’ context.
  • Demonstrate a capacity for self-directed learning, the ability to work in a team, and to work toward deadlines.
  • Make informed decisions on issues of local and global geoscience significance.
  • Summarise and effectively communicate scientific understanding. This may include presentation of information, articulating and evaluating arguments and justifying conclusions using a range of mechanisms (oral, written and visual) to diverse audiences for a variety of purposes.
  • Work in a safe and responsible manner in the community and environment
  • Understand how a combination of discipline-specific knowledge, ethics, negotiation skills, cross-cultural and interpersonal skills are important for future career paths.
  • Recognise how engaging with the community can facilitate mutually beneficial opportunities for the generation and sharing of knowledge

Assessment tasks

  • Intro to professional practice
  • Risk Assessment
  • Reflective journal
  • Reporting

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Co-ordinate, integrate and interpret multiple strands of geoscience data and apply this to solve geoscience questions and problems in a ‘real world’ context.
  • Understand the societal impact of many geoscience issues through the combination of theory and practice.
  • Collect data for analysis based on partner needs: these may include field observations and measurements of both the natural and modified environment.
  • Make informed decisions on issues of local and global geoscience significance.
  • Summarise and effectively communicate scientific understanding. This may include presentation of information, articulating and evaluating arguments and justifying conclusions using a range of mechanisms (oral, written and visual) to diverse audiences for a variety of purposes.
  • Understand how a combination of discipline-specific knowledge, ethics, negotiation skills, cross-cultural and interpersonal skills are important for future career paths.

Assessment tasks

  • Intro to professional practice
  • Reflective journal
  • Reporting
  • Presentation

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Co-ordinate, integrate and interpret multiple strands of geoscience data and apply this to solve geoscience questions and problems in a ‘real world’ context.
  • Understand the societal impact of many geoscience issues through the combination of theory and practice.
  • Collect data for analysis based on partner needs: these may include field observations and measurements of both the natural and modified environment.
  • Make informed decisions on issues of local and global geoscience significance.
  • Summarise and effectively communicate scientific understanding. This may include presentation of information, articulating and evaluating arguments and justifying conclusions using a range of mechanisms (oral, written and visual) to diverse audiences for a variety of purposes.

Assessment tasks

  • Reflective journal
  • Reporting
  • Presentation

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Co-ordinate, integrate and interpret multiple strands of geoscience data and apply this to solve geoscience questions and problems in a ‘real world’ context.
  • Collect data for analysis based on partner needs: these may include field observations and measurements of both the natural and modified environment.
  • Demonstrate a capacity for self-directed learning, the ability to work in a team, and to work toward deadlines.
  • Understand how a combination of discipline-specific knowledge, ethics, negotiation skills, cross-cultural and interpersonal skills are important for future career paths.

Assessment task

  • Reporting

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate a capacity for self-directed learning, the ability to work in a team, and to work toward deadlines.
  • Summarise and effectively communicate scientific understanding. This may include presentation of information, articulating and evaluating arguments and justifying conclusions using a range of mechanisms (oral, written and visual) to diverse audiences for a variety of purposes.
  • Work in a safe and responsible manner in the community and environment
  • Understand how a combination of discipline-specific knowledge, ethics, negotiation skills, cross-cultural and interpersonal skills are important for future career paths.
  • Recognise how engaging with the community can facilitate mutually beneficial opportunities for the generation and sharing of knowledge

Assessment tasks

  • Intro to professional practice
  • Risk Assessment
  • Reflective journal
  • Reporting
  • Presentation

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Understand the societal impact of many geoscience issues through the combination of theory and practice.
  • Demonstrate a capacity for self-directed learning, the ability to work in a team, and to work toward deadlines.
  • Work in a safe and responsible manner in the community and environment
  • Recognise how engaging with the community can facilitate mutually beneficial opportunities for the generation and sharing of knowledge

Assessment tasks

  • Intro to professional practice
  • Risk Assessment
  • Presentation

Ethical Practice and PACE

PACE and Ethical Practice:  Ethical considerations feature heavily in the PACE Initiative. As ambassadors of the University, students are expected to engage with the wider community in a responsible and ethically informed manner that respects the rights of individuals, communities and the environment. This expectation applies to all PACE activities regardless of their nature. Ethical practice involves negotiating the ethical complexities of the context with which you are working. This involves critically thinking about issues of power, hierarchy, culture and position, and about the potential risks of your work and interactions with others, immediate and over time. It is important to ensure that risks are mitigated and experiences are enriching and worthwhile for all those involved.

In addition to the role of students as ambassadors, partners must conform to the University’s ethical standards; PACE activities must be aligned with the wellbeing of people and planet; there are research-based PACE activities as well as collaborative research with partners; and, the way in which everybody’s PACE experiences are captured and shared must be ethical. If a student ever feels that unethical behaviour has occurred during a PACE activity, they should consult with their Unit Convenors and/or the Faculty PACE staff immediately. Further, any students whose PACE activity will involve research that is led by a Macquarie staff member must consult with their convenor prior to commencement to confirm whether or not research ethics permission is required.

PACE and IP:  Students enrolled in PACE units may be working with external industry partners. Although it is uncommon, during some activities Intellectual Property may be created and there may be some instances when the partner requires the assignment of IP. Students are encouraged to seek legal advice prior to entering into any such agreement. Students uncertain of their rights relating to IP ownership can seek advice from the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research). This should be done by contacting the relevant Faculty PACE Manager.

Grants and Prizes

PACE Grants and Prizes:  There are several ways in which PACE might support students financially to undertake PACE activities. PACE students are also eligible to apply for the prestigious Prof. Judyth Sachs PACE Prizes.

https://students.mq.edu.au/experience/practical-experience/pace-experience/apply-for-a-prize