Requirements to Pass this Unit

To pass this unit you must:

• Attempt all assessments, and
• Achieve a total mark equal to or greater than 50%

Late Assessment Submission Penalty 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark of the task) will be applied for each day a written report or presentation assessment is not submitted, up until the 7^th day (including weekends). After the 7^th day, a grade of ‘0’ will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. The submission time for all uploaded assessments is 11:55 pm. A 1-hour grace period will be provided to students who experience a technical concern. For any late submission of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, and/or scheduled practical assessments/labs, please apply for Special Consideration well in advance of the due date.

Special Consideration

The Special Consideration Policy aims to support students who have been impacted by short-term circumstances or events that are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive, and which may affect their performance in assessment.

Written Assessments: If you experience circumstances or events that affect your ability to complete the written assessments in this unit on time, please inform the convenor and submit a Special Consideration request through ask.mq.edu.au. There are 2 major written assessments in this unit.

In-class Assessments: To pass the unit you need to have completed the two in-class assessments. If you miss an assessment due to a serious, unavoidable and significant disruption, contact your convenor ASAP.

Forms of feedback you will receive on assessment tasks

Assignment 1

• Grade
• Correct answer with explanation for why incorrect answer is wrong
• Verbal feedback to cohort

Assignment 2

• Grade
• Rubric
• Written feedback to cohort
• Written individual feedback

Assignment 3

• Grade
• Verbal feedback to cohort

Assignment 4

• Grade
• Rubric
• Written individual feedback

COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN STUDENTS, CONVENOR AND TEACHING STAFF

We will communicate with you via your university email and through announcements on iLearn.

Queries to convenors and teaching staff should be placed on the iLearn discussion board so the responses can be of benefit to the entire class. Please avoid sending emails to the convenor and teaching staff about general enquires, assignments or unit content. Use the discussion board on iLearn for such enquiries. 

If the matter is personal you can email the unit convenor via the contact email on iLearn.

Please ensure all your communications are respectful and professional

INTENSIVE, BLOCK MODE STRUCTURE

This is a block mode intensive unit, meaning that it will start with a recorded Online Introduction session in November and then run for 12 days inclusive in January. Attendance is required for all aspects of this unit and the online tutorial. Be prepared to work hard and eat, breath and sleep rivers! This unit is designed to assist learning by encouraging your active participation in all activities.

TEXTBOOK AND COMPUTER RESOURCES

There is a textbook for this unit that you should purchase well in advance as you will need it for pre-course preparation and during all days of the unit (see below for further details). You will need your own personal laptop for each day of this course and wi-fi on the fieldtrip.

ONLINE INTRODUCTION MODULE AND QUESTIONNAIRE WITH INFORMAL FEEDBACK

There is a recorded Online Introduction module that will be available via iLearn in late-November. In this module students will be introduced to the unit, and the logistics and arrangements for groupwork and fieldtrip that need to be made before Christmas.

Students will also undertake a questionnaire in iLearn. This is NOT an assessment task, rather it is a reflection exercise where students will be asked about their current knowledge or fluvial geomorphology and river management. Summary feedback for the class will be provided, and students will have access to a copy of their own individual answers for future reference. This questionnaire is designed so students can consider how much pre-course work they need to do and to reflect on their current knowledge base. It will also help the unit instructors tailor their teaching during the intensive mode classes and fieldtrip to the pedagogic needs of the class.

PRE-COURSE WORK AND ASSIGNMENT 1

Before the intensive course starts, students are required to complete pre-course work ready for Assignment 1. The pre-course preparation involves listening to 6 x short webinars and undertaking reading from the textbook. These webinars provide the content necessary to get students 'up to speed' and engaged in the key areas of geomorphic analysis of rivers so they are prepared to tackle the course. If students are new to fluvial geomorphology they should supplement them by reading, especially from the textbook. If students are not new to fluvial geomorphology these will be a refresher, but should still be supplemented by reading, especially from the textbook. Assignment 1 will comprise a series of pop-quizzes and other in-class activities that will be conducted on the morning of Day 1 of the unit. It will test knowledge from the pre-course work.

DAYS 1-4 - ON-CAMPUS - GEOMORPHIC ANALYSIS OF RIVERS

Days 1-4 of the unit are based on-campus at Macquarie University. This part of the course focusses on the geomorphic analysis of rivers. A mix of interactive activities comprising short information sessions, practical exercises and other activities are undertaken. This is not your standard lecture and practical structure! All the materials are scaffolded and students will be working on building Assignment 2 during these 4 days. Further information about these Days will be available on the iLearn site.

DAYS 5-7 - FIELDTRIP

There is a compulsory fieldtrip for all students, to the Hunter Valley. We will be undertaking fieldwork activities including site assessments and mapping, surveying, sediment analysis, consideration of river manaement problems and river condition etc. Students will be using this information to complete Assignment 2 which is due in the evening of Day 2 of the fieldtrip. On the fieldtrip we will also start preparing and gathering field data for Assignments 3 and 4 which are framed around geomorphologically-informed river management. Further information about the fieldtrip will be available on the iLearn site.

DAY 8 - DAY OFF

DAYS 9-12 - ON-CAMPUS - RIVER CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT

Days 9-12 of the unit are based on-campus at Macquarie University. This part of the course focusses on the river management practice in an Australian context. The skills students learn in this part of the unit are best practice in the workplace. A mix of interactive activities comprising short information sessions, practical exercises, a role play and other activities are undertaken. This is not your standard lecture and practical structure! All the materials are scaffolded and students will be working on building Assignment 4 during these 4 days. Assignment 3 is a role play that will be peer-assessed. Further information about these Days will be available on the iLearn site.

TEXTBOOK

The textbook for this unit is: Fryirs, K.A. and Brierley, G.J. 2013. Geomorphic Analysis of River Systems: An approach to Reading the Landscape. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, 345pp. You can purchase a paperback copy of the book for ~$70 or an e-book version for ~$83 at Booktopia at:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/geomorphic-analysis-of-river-systems-kirstie-a-fryirs/book/9781405192743.html

OTHER READING

Students will never be discouraged from reading widely and including the most up-to-date science in you work. You are encouraged to use your database searching skills as well to source relevant information on geomorphology and river management.

ASSESSMENTS

There are four assessments overall with percentage weightings as described above.

COVID INFORMATION

For the latest information on the University’s response to COVID-19, please refer to the Coronavirus infection page on the Macquarie website: https://www.mq.edu.au/about/coronavirus-faqs. Remember to check this page regularly in case the information and requirements change during semester. If there are any changes to this unit in relation to COVID, these will be communicated via iLearn.

A Workbook for the unit will be distributed on Day 1. This will contain a detailed, day-by-day schedule of the on-campus days.

A Fieldbook will be distributed on Day 3. This will contain a detailed, day-by-day schedule of the fieldtrip.

We value student feedback to be able to continually improve the way we offer our units. As such we encourage students to provide constructive feedback via student surveys, to the teaching staff directly, or via the FSE Student Experience & Feedback link in the iLearn page.

Student feedback from the previous offering of this unit was very positive overall, with students pleased with the clarity around assessment requirements and the level of support from teaching staff. As such, no change to the delivery of the unit is planned, however we will continue to strive to improve the level of support and the level of student engagement

A detailed fieldtrip booklet will be distributed to you at the start of the unit.

Weather: We never cancel fieldtrips for bad weather! You must be prepared to work in the rain with the appropriate clothing. Likewise you should always protect yourself from the sun and dehydration.

Transport: You will be driving your own vehicles and carpooling.

Cost: You will pay for your own accommodation, food and other expenses (e.g. petrol).

Food: You will need to bring all food for the fieldtrip and cater for yourself.

Accommodation: You will book your own accommodation. A range of accommodation options from campsites to cabins to motel rooms are available.

Departure: We aim to meet you at the first field site in the Hunter Valley on Day 1. You will make your way and sign on to the fieldtrip.

Returning home: We will be meeting everyone at a pre-designated location to officially sign-off from the fieldtrip. After you have signed off you will be free to travel home.

Signing on and signing off from the fieldtrip and each day: Each student will be required to sign on and sign off at the start of the fieldtrip, at the end of the fieldtrip and at the start and end of each fieldtrip day.

Behaviour and conduct: When you sign the Field Friendly trip plan, you are also required to acknowledge that you will abide by Macquarie University policies associated with conducting fieldwork, travel, and behaviour as Macquarie University citizens.

Personal field equipment: Each student should bring the following aids/comforts on each field trip:

•    sturdy shoes - no sandals, thongs, or open shoes

•    wet shoes – for walking over gravel in river channels

•    swimmers and towel

•    water bottle (full, of course!)

•    wet weather gear - we go whatever the weather!!!

•    hat and sunscreen

•    field note book and pencils (see note below)

•    calculator

•    camera and download cable

•    laptop, charger and wi-fi

•    all your food

•    a mini-first aid kit

•    a day back pack to store it all in

Safety in the field: Any student who has a disability or health condition that may limit their participation in field work fieldwork commences. You will be filling in Field Friendly participant forms and sign off on your participation prior to the fieldtrip. Each student must ensure his/her own safety at all times during field excursions.

•    Do not undertake fieldwork alone. You must work with at least one other person.

•    You must be adequately equipped to undertake fieldwork, including wet weather clothing, warm clothing, hat and sun protection, protective footwear (closed toe boots or shoes).

•    You should bring a first aid kit if you have one.

•    Do not undertake any activity you feel to be unsafe. Discuss with the fieldtrip leader any concerns you have about particular tasks.

•    Be watchful of the safety of your fellow students, if they become separated from the group or are at some other risk. Tell the fieldtrip leader as soon as you notice a potentially dangerous situation.