Requirements to Pass this Unit

To pass this unit you must:

• Achieve a total mark equal to or greater than 50 %.

To do this, you are required to attend all of the scheduled classes, including the field trip, and submit all of the assessments.

Attendance and participation

All of the workshops are delivered face to face and will NOT be recorded. We will not be revisiting material so it is important you attend class and stay up-to-date with the conent from week to week. Some of the weeks are scaffolded, meaning work done in one week will be built on in subsequent weeks and generates knowledge towards the major assessment tasks.

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.

Assessment Submission and Deadlines

The ENVS3462 iLearn page has the details for each Assessment Task, including the submission links.

All assessments must be submitted by 11:55 pm on their due date. A 1-hour grace period will be provided to students who experience a technical concern.  

Most assessments use Turnitin unless otherwise indicated. Please do not submit your assessments via email or in hard copy.

Late Submission Policy

Penalties apply for late submission of assessments:

• 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 Criteria

Assessment at Macquarie University is standards-based, as outlined in the Assessment Policy. This means that your work will be marked against clear criteria, and these criteria (e.g. in a rubric) will be made available when the assessment tasks are released to you on iLearn.

Assessment Marking and Feedback

Written assessments will be marked through Turnitin with marks and feedback provided through GradeMark. All assessment grades will be available in Gradebook on iLearn. 

We aim to return your assessment grades and feedback within three weeks of the assessment due date and before the next assessment is due. We appreciate your patience and will advise you through iLearn when your marks and feedback are available for viewing.

Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Assessments

Macquarie University has adopted a two “lane” approach to AI and assessments:

1) AI Open: Unsupervised assessments where the use of generative AI tools cannot be feasibly prevented or reliably detected. Students can use AI for these in accordance with definitions of responsible use. Information on responsible use of AI is available on the unit iLearn page. It is important to recognise that the principles of academic integrity still apply to using AI. That is, you must ensure that the work you submit for assessment is your own and all sources of information are appropriately acknowledged.

2) Observed: Assessments partly or wholly undertaken in supervised environments where conditions are controlled and AI is either not permitted or is monitored.

The categorisation for each assessment in this unit is shown in the assessment summary table.

Classes start in Week 1

The workshops for this unit will commence in Week 1 and are in-person.

Class Schedule

Students should use Class Finder to see when and where classes are being held:

• Class Finder web page link: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/enrolling/create-timetable

This year, the ENVS3462 workshops have been scheduled for 9 am to 1 pm on Thursdays in Building 01 Central Courtyard (01CC), room 105. There is also a field trip to South Creek in Week 5 during the normal workshop time which is compulsory.

A detailed Unit Schedule with the weekly topics and assessment due dates will be provided on the ENVS3462 iLearn site. Check iLearn regularly for any class schedule updates.

Learning activities

This unit is comprised of 11 weeks of ~ 4 hr workshops, including the field trip to South Creek. The format of the workshops varies and includes mini lectures, practical hands-on activities, small-group problem solving exercises and a graduate panel in Week 1. It is essential that you attend each week as the workshops are not recorded and there are no repeats.

There are two weeks when there are no classes - Week 10 and Week 13. We encourage you to use the time to work on your assessments.

The Week 5 workshop is a field trip to South Creek at St Marys. You will need to make your own way there by either driving or catching the train (the closest station is St Marys, then it's a short walk to the site). Further details on the field trip (including meting time and location) will be provided through iLearn closer to the date. 

The Week 11 workshop is when you will do your viva voce as part of your assessment of your Review of Environmental Factors (REF). We will explain what this entails in the Week 1 workshop.

In addition to the workshops, you are also required to spend time doing your own independent reading and research with most of this time going towards completing the assessments. As a guide, you should aim to spend approximately 100 hours of your own time on the unit over the semester, in addition to the workshops and field trip. This requires good planning on your part to ensure that you meet the assessment due dates.

Methods of Communication

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

Students should make use of iLearn to access learning and teaching materials, submit assessments, stay in touch with the unit, contact lecturers, and discuss issues and concepts with others in the class.

For any general questions about the unit, please post these in the Discussion Forum. For private matters, please send a Private message to the Unit Contact. The links for these are in the Communications folder on the ENVS3462 iLearn page. 

Technologies Used and Required

You will need to bring a computer to the workshops each week. We will use basic programs such as Word and Excel. You will also need to access the workshop materials from iLearn, as well as download data and other information from the web for use in the workshops and for the assessments. Electronic submission of the assessment tasks is through iLearn using the Turnitin and Assignment links. Please ensure your MFA is working before attending class.

Field Work, Health and Safety

To minimise the risk of WHS accidents in the field, you must wear appropriate clothing and footwear on the field trip. You will also need to bring adequate water and food.

Prior to the field trip, you will need to sign up to Field Friendly (via iLearn) so that you are covered by the university insurance during the trip. This sign-up is compulsory and if you haven't signed up by the closing date, you will not be permitted to attend.

Background Reading

There is no textbook for this unit. Instead, relevant reading material includes government reports, legislation, journal articles etc, which are all accessible via the library and the web. We strongly encourage you to read widely in the field of Environmental Management.

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.

A few years ago we did a substantial revamp of the unit to make it more focused on working in Environmental Management. We revised the weekly content and assessments, and changed from running separate lectures and pracs to ~4 hr, in-person, workshops each week. We also have two very experienced lecturers who have worked in, and with industry, for many years. You will also meet graduates working in industry in Week 1. This teaching team has been gathered to provide you with industry-relevant training and experiences to prepare you to enter the workforce and a career in Environmental Management.