Students

EDST1505 – Understanding Sustainability

2025 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-infrequent, North Ryde

General Information

Download as PDF
Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor / Lecturer
Dr Susan Caldis
susan.caldis@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email
25BWW 645
By appointment
Tutor
Dr Signe Duff
signe.duff@mq.edu.au
Contact via Dialogue tool on ilearn
N/A
N/A
Tutor
Dr Jennifer
jennifer.barr@mq.edu.au
Contact via Dialogue tool on ilearn
N/A
N/A
Tutor
Dr Renee Preval-Mann
renee.preval-mann@mq.edu.au
Contact via Dialogue tool on ilearn
N/A
N/A
Tutor
Katherine
kathy.jones@mq.edu.au
Contact via Dialogue tool on ilearn
N/A
N/A
Tutor
Sonja Maric
sonja.maric@mq.edu.au
Contact via Dialogue tool on ilearn
N/A
N/A
Penelope Roxon
penelope.roxon@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit explores multiple and contested perspectives about sustainability in the context of education. Students will examine Indigenous Knowledges and Western perspectives to generate critical understandings about sustainability which span people, time, Country/place, systems, policy and practice. Students will use these understandings to assess how transformative influences can bring about change in education for sustainability. Students will also propose a vision for a more agentic and sustainability-focused future for Australia's education system and for their classroom practice.

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:

  • ULO1: Explain the contested scope of understanding about sustainability across contexts.
  • ULO2: Explain how culturally responsive practice can bring about change to the enactment of sustainability across people, Country/place, systems, policy and practice.
  • ULO3: Discuss how outcomes from a local investigation about sustainability have potential to transform personal practice within an educational setting.
  • ULO4: Assess the transformative influence of a sustainability-focused future on Australia's education system.
  • ULO5: Communicate an evidence-informed vision for sustainability and educative practice suitable for implementation within an educational setting.

General Assessment Information

General Submission Information 

Please format assessments using 12-point font and 1.5 spacing. 

All assessments must be submitted electronically. Turnitin plagiarism detection software is used to check all written assessments. It is the responsibility of all students to ensure that their submitted work is in a format compatible with Turnitin software for plagiarism checking. Submissions must meet the required file type and formatting specifications outlined in the assessment guidelines. Failure to submit work in an acceptable format may result in delays in processing your submission and potential penalties for non-compliance with assessment requirements. If you are unsure about the file format or have technical difficulties, it is your responsibility to seek assistance before the submission deadline. Students should be careful to check that they submit the correct file for an assessment as no re-submissions will be accepted after the due date and time, including instances where students upload an incorrect file. It is not the responsibility of unit staff to contact students who have failed to submit assessments. If you have any missing items of assessment, it is your responsibility to contact the unit convenor. 

Students can use Turnitin’s Originality Report as a learning tool to improve their academic writing if this option is made available in the unit. 

Word limits are strictly applied. Work above the word limit will not be marked.  

 

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Students should be aware of and apply the University policy on academic integrity (see: https://policies.mq.edu.au/document/view.php?id=3). Any student suspected of using unauthorised AI in an assignment will be referred to the Faculty of Arts Discipline Committee. Penalties can include reduced marks for an assessment, being awarded '0' for a task, failing an entire unit, being excluded from a course of study. Please see each assessment task description/rubric for expectations about AI. 

Special Consideration / Late Penalties 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day an assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends) (see: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/special-consideration). Applications for extensions must be made via Service Connect. After the 7th day, a mark of 0 (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11:55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessments (incl. essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc).  

Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special Consideration application. A Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic.  

 

Marking 

All assessments are marked using a rubric. 

Marking of all assessments is moderated by the Unit Convenor. 

University Policy on Grading 

Assignments will be awarded grades ranging from HD to F according to guidelines set out in the University's Grading System and University Assessment Policy.  

To attain a pass or higher grade in Professional Experience a student must obtain a satisfactory in both the Professional Experience component and a pass or higher grade in the academic component. For Professional Experience units the Professional Experience Evaluation Report is marked as Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. The Macquarie Teaching Performance Assessment (MQTPA - in final WIL/PEx units) is marked as Not met, Met or Exceeds. 

 

Results 

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed because 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 Service Connect. 

 

Withdrawing from this unit 

If you are considering withdrawing from this unit, please seek academic advice via Service Connect before doing so as this unit may be a co-requisite or prerequisite for units in the following sessions and may impact your course progression. 

 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Evaluation and counter-proposal of a learning and teaching program 50% No 06/04/2025
Presentation 50% No 08/06/2025

Evaluation and counter-proposal of a learning and teaching program

Assessment Type 1: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 06/04/2025
Weighting: 50%

 

Evaluation of a learning and teaching program for a primary or secondary school setting

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain the contested scope of understanding about sustainability across contexts.
  • Explain how culturally responsive practice can bring about change to the enactment of sustainability across people, Country/place, systems, policy and practice.
  • Assess the transformative influence of a sustainability-focused future on Australia's education system.
  • Communicate an evidence-informed vision for sustainability and educative practice suitable for implementation within an educational setting.

Presentation

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 08/06/2025
Weighting: 50%

 

Presentation - Reflection on how approaches towards sustainability and educative practice are addressed and can be further developed in a real-world setting.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain the contested scope of understanding about sustainability across contexts.
  • Discuss how outcomes from a local investigation about sustainability have potential to transform personal practice within an educational setting.
  • Communicate an evidence-informed vision for sustainability and educative practice suitable for implementation within an educational setting.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Delivery

EDST1505 is divided into modules and delivered through the following items:

  • a weekly, one-hour 'live' lecture every Wednesday at 11am. Please note: these lectures will be recorded at the time of delivery and in-person attendance at the lecture is encouraged.
  • a weekly two-hour workshop, OR, two whole-day on-campus days. Please note: in-person attendance and active participation is an expectation of learning for the workshop or the on-campus days in which a student is enrolled.
  • a series of weekly ilearn activities

Further information about the nature and content of unit delivery is available on ilearn.

Resources

Sustainability Education Podcast (selected podcasts, as indicated on ilearn)

Further information about resources are available on ilearn.

 

Required and recommended texts 

  • Bishop, M., & Tynan, L. (2022). Finding perspective through our more-than-human kin. In K., Sims, N., Banks, S., Engel, P., Hodge, J., Makuwira, N., Nakamura, J., Rigg, A., Salamanca, P., Yeophantong (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Global Development. Routledge DOI: 10.4324/9781003017653-57 (Chapter 51, pp 593 –604)
  • Rawlings-Smith, E., & Pike, S. (2023). Encountering ideas in Place-based Education. Routledge
  • Rist, S., Bottazzi, P., Jacobi, J. (2024). Critical Sustainability Sciences: Intercultural and Emancipatory Perspectives. Routledge
  • Rivera Maulucci, M.S., Pfirman, S., & Callahan, H.S. (2023). Transforming Education for Sustainability: Discourses in Justice, Inclusion and Authenticity. Springer

Further information about required and recommended readings are available on ilearn and through Leganto

Information about the unit iLearn site   

This unit has a full web presence through iLearn. Information for students about access to the online component of this unit is available at https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/index.php. You will need to enter your student username and password.  

Please do NOT contact the Unit Convenor regarding iLearn technical help. Assistance is available from IT Helpdesk: via email onehelp@mq.edu.au or Ph: 9850 4357 or 1800 67 4357. On Campus: Ground floor at 18 Wally’s Walk. 

Unit Schedule

EDST1505 Understanding Sustainability encompasses five modules as identified below:

  • Understanding Sustainability - a conceptual view
  • Understanding Sustainability - a policy view
  • Understanding Sustainability - a curriculum view
  • Understanding Sustainability - a relational view
  • Understanding Sustainability - a possibilities view

Further information about the unit schedule is available on ilearn.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

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

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

School of Education Procedures 

In addition, the following policies and procedures for the Macquarie School of Education apply to this unit. 

Academic Progression Policy 

This unit is a part of a professional course listed on Schedules 2 and 3 of the Academic Progression Policy. This course has additional requirements that are applicable for the full duration of the course, including course-specific Inherent Requirements, Fitness to Practice requirements and other compulsory course requirements. It also has rigorous academic progression standards. Inability to meet these requirements may result in a withdrawal of offer of admission and/or permanent exclusion from the course in accordance with the General Coursework Rules. 

Communication 

It is the student’s responsibility to check all electronic communication on a weekly basis.  Communication may occur via: 

  • Official MQ Student Email Address 

  • The Dialogue function on iLearn 

  • Other iLearn communication functions 

 

Attendance and Participation 

See the University timetable for information about when classes begin in this unit. Creating your timetable - Enrolling | Macquarie University, Sydney (mq.edu.au) 

 

Attendance at all synchronous activities, completion of non-synchronous formative/diagnostic class tasks and involvement in professional forums is  expected as the [[insert ITE degree title here]] is a professional qualification. Activities completed during weekly tutorials (DAY or ONLINE DAY mode) or on campus days (INFQ mode) are essential for building the core knowledge and/or skills required to demonstrate the learning outcomes of this unit and to meet the AITSL Graduate Teacher Standards and/or ACECQA requirements. Attendance at all tutorials and/or on campus days is expected and will be recorded. Make up tasks may be given if attendance is missed to ensure all content is covered to meet accreditation requirements.  

 

Students are required to attend the tutorial in which they are enrolled. Any changes to tutorial enrolments must be completed officially through e-Student. Please do not contact the unit convenor to request a change. 

 

Infrequent Attendance Students 

Information about the dates of the on-campus sessions can be found in the university timetable. Creating your timetable - Enrolling | Macquarie University, Sydney (mq.edu.au) 

  • The on campus sessions are essential to student engagement and learning and attendance is expected. Failure to attend or not to have an approved Special Consideration may result in a Fail grade.  

  • Prior to the on campus sessions, students should have read the prescribed readings and listened to the lectures, summarise the main points, and make notes of the key terms and definitions. Prepare any discussion questions of your own that you wish to share. 

  • Please make effective use of the online component of the unit and access iLearn regularly. Keep up to date with listening to the lectures on a weekly basis. 

  • Further details and any updates about times and locations will be posted on iLearn as an Announcement during first half of the semester. 

Student Support

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

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

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.

Unit information based on version 2025.01 of the Handbook