Students

ENVS8527 – Engaging Society with Sustainable Development

2026 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Caragh Threlfall
caragh.threlfall@mq.edu.au
Lecturer
Thelma Raman
thelma.raman@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MEnv or MSusDev or MPH
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit explores the role and scope of engagement and education processes in the attainment of sustainable development goals. Students will examine case studies to explore principles of good practice. A framework for planning and evaluating educational programs will be developed. Students will also examine how education processes can be integrated within environment and conservation programs and demonstrate some practical skills in planning and managing an educational experience.

Learning in this unit enhances student understanding of global challenges identified by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) Quality Education; Sustainable Cities and Communities; Climate Action

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: Articulate the role of and principles for effective engagement and education for sustainable development
  • ULO2: Create an authentic sustainability education program, event or experience
  • ULO3: Develop, apply and analyse data to inform the development and evaluation of sustainability education programs
  • ULO4: Critically assess the design of different forms of education and engagement strategies to influence change towards sustainable development
  • ULO5: Plan and present written and oral arguments in coherent, well-structured and documented form including through presentations

General Assessment Information

Requirements to Pass this Unit

To pass this unit you must achieve a total mark equal to or greater than 50%.

We strongly encourage all students to actively participate in all learning activities. Regular engagement is crucial for your success in this unit, as these activities provide opportunities to deepen your understanding of the material, collaborate with peers, and receive valuable feedback from instructors, to assist in completing the unit assessments. Your active participation not only enhances your own learning experience but also contributes to a vibrant and dynamic learning environment for everyone.

Late Submission Policy

  • 5% penalty per day: If you submit your assessment late, 5% of the total possible marks will be deducted for each day (including weekends), up to 7 days.
    • Example 1 (out of 100): If you score 85/100 but submit 20 hours late, you will lose 5 marks and receive 80/100.
    • Example 2 (out of 30): If you score 27/30 but submit 1 day late, you will lose 1.5 marks and receive 25.5/30.
  • After 7 days: Submissions more than 7 days late will receive a mark of 0.
  • Extensions:
    • Automatic short extension: Some assessments are eligible for automatic short extension. You can only apply for an automatic short extension before the due date.
    • Special Consideration: If you need more time due to serious issues and for any assessments that are not eligible for Short Extension, you must apply for Special Consideration.

Need help? Review the Special Consideration page HERE

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due Groupwork/Individual Short Extension AI Approach
Evaluation of an education program 30% No 29/03/2026 Individual Yes Open
Sustainability video 30% No 03/05/2026 Individual Yes Open
Development of sustainability education program and report 40% No 14/06/2026 Individual and Group No Observed

Evaluation of an education program

Assessment Type 1: Written Submission
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 29/03/2026
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: Yes
AI Approach: Open

You will critically evaluate a sustainability education program. The report is to examine its relationship to the principles of education for sustainable development and relevant UNSDGs.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Articulate the role of and principles for effective engagement and education for sustainable development
  • Develop, apply and analyse data to inform the development and evaluation of sustainability education programs
  • Critically assess the design of different forms of education and engagement strategies to influence change towards sustainable development
  • Plan and present written and oral arguments in coherent, well-structured and documented form including through presentations

Sustainability video

Assessment Type 1: Professional task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 37 hours
Due: 03/05/2026
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: Yes
AI Approach: Open

You will prepare a short video comprising a sustainable development topic and a reflection on the production and effectiveness of your video in engaging your target audience.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Create an authentic sustainability education program, event or experience
  • Develop, apply and analyse data to inform the development and evaluation of sustainability education programs
  • Plan and present written and oral arguments in coherent, well-structured and documented form including through presentations

Development of sustainability education program and report

Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 41 hours
Due: 14/06/2026
Weighting: 40%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual and Group
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Observed

You will develop an education for sustainability program (e.g. activity, website or game) and pilot the program in class. The program logic, rationale, design, implementation, and evaluation will form the basis of a written report. 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Create an authentic sustainability education program, event or experience
  • Develop, apply and analyse data to inform the development and evaluation of sustainability education programs
  • Plan and present written and oral arguments in coherent, well-structured and documented form including through presentations

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
  • Academic Success 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.

3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.

Delivery and Resources

Week 1 Classes:

Class starts in Week 1 on Mon 23rd Feb!

Methods of Communication

We will communicate with you via your university email and through announcements on iLearn. Queries to the convenor can either be placed on the iLearn discussion board or sent to the unit convenor via the contact email 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.

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.

Changes from Previous Offering

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.

Unit information based on version 2026.02 of the Handbook