To show that you have met the outcomes for the unit, each assessment task needs to be passed to pass the unit. 

Participation in class is also assessed: this is assessed by your being prepared to discuss readings in class, contributing to class discussion and class exercises.   

Expect that the assessment tasks will take at least 100 hours - i.e at least 3 weeks of full time application. The criteria for each assessment task are listed in the assignment guide on the ilearn site. 

Each assessment task needs to show that the student has read from journals and books. As the SD agenda is driven by the UN, government, NGO and business, reading materials from these sources on official web sites is important to be read as well. You need to make a reference list as you read. 

The APA referencing style or Harvard is accepted for the unit (you need to be consistent in whatever you choose). You can find more information o n these at MQ  http://libguides.mq.edu.au/Referencing   

You can find referencing software at that can be downloaded from the Macquarie University website http://libguides.mq.edu.au/referencing-software  to organise your citations and keep notes on the readings.

Delivery of the Unit

 The unit is delivered by face to face interaction in block mode sessions. This means all day sessions spread over the semester. The teaching process includes:

1. Background reading by the students
2. Short presentations to introduce basic concepts.
3. Practical workshop sessions to provide opportunities for experiential learning on tasks and through discussion with other class members (preparation is essential).
4. Student presentations of tasks prepared in advance.
5. Talks from guest lecturers that convey the practice of sustainability and the ways change is facilitated.
6. A field trip to appreciate the practical, technical and sociopolitical aspects of sustainability
7. Assignments that require students to practice key skills, including critical and integrative thinking, taking a systems perspective, listening to stakeholders, and communicating through diverse forms including digital stories, writing and presenting in a logical and clearly argued manner.
8. Assignments provide opportunities for presenting in different formats, working with people of different skills and cultural perspectives.

Students are expected to:

• participate in workshop activities in small groups;
• read set readings in advance for classes; and
• follow current developments with regard to sustainable development in the media/ internationally.

 Resources to start you off 

At the outset students can review the following:

United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development 2012 The Future We Want, UN  http://www.un.org/en/sustainablefuture/  This document is the consensus of aspirations from Rio + 20 intergovernmental meeting on sustainable development UNCSD

The Sustainable Development Goals 2015 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?menu=1300  

NOTE: the UN has a website on sustainable development - a rich source of information. http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/

World Economic Forum 2016 has a number of reports and blogs of interest: 

The two following relate to the rising inequality in the world, 

Oxfam An economy for the 1%

https://www.oxfam.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/an-economy-for-the-1-percent.pdf

Blog WEF: Why Equity matters more than you might think

http://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/02/why-equality-matters-more-than-you-might-think

What are the trends which are going to influence sustainable development? 

World Economic Forum 2016 Global Risks Report  http://www.weforum.org/reports/the-global-risks-report-2016

World Economic Forum 2016 Risk and Resilience http://www.weforum.org/reports/global-agenda-council-on-risk-resilience-resilience-insights

World Economic Forum 2016 Intelligent Assets Unlocking the Circular Economy http://www.weforum.org/reports/intelligent-assets-unlocking-the-circular-economy-potential

 Dennis H 2013 The world we want to see: perspectives on post-2015 A Christian Aid report September

http://www.christianaid.org.uk/images/Post-2015-Christian-Aid-report-September-2013.pdf

This document presents the vision for sustainable development from an NGO and has a strong values/ethical/ justice (Christian) viewpoint and highlights where action is needed

KPMG Future State 2030 the global megatrends shaping government

https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/pdf/2014/02/future-state-2030-v3.pdf​

https://home.kpmg.com/xx/en/home/insights/2015/03/future-state-2030.html

This document provides an easy read that encompasses the major global forces taking shape now that will significantly impact business for government and private sectors  

Or you can look at the Australian research on megatrends 

CSIRO Our Future World: Global megatrends that will change the way we live http://www.csiro.au/Portals/Partner/Futures/Our-Future-World.aspx

Raskin, P.D Electrix, C. Rosea, R.A. 2010 The century ahead searching for sustainability Sustainability 2:2626-2651

This journal article presents 4 scenarios for the future and looks at various indicators associated with those scenarios. Gives an insight into how sustainable development might be measured - more technically based article

 Steffen, W. Persson, A. Deutsch, L. Zalasiewiez, M. Richardson, K, Crumley, C. Crutzen, P. Folke, C. Gordon, L, Molona, M. Ramanathan,, V. Rockstrom, J Scheffer, M. Schellnhuber, H.J. and Svedin, U. 2011 The Anthropocene: From Global Change to Planetary Stewardship AMBIO(2011) 40:739-761

This journal article lays out the human-nature relationship, the pace of change, the scientific basis and calls for action

  Rockstrom J. et al 2009 Feature: A safe operating space for humanity Nature 461:24: 472-475 September

This article develops a concept of boundaries in the global system for certain impacts, and propose that these set limits for human development   

Guest speakers vary from year to year. Case studies are updated. References are updated.