Course coordinator
Dr Anne Beasley
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- Gatton
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- Gatton
- Coordinating unit
- Agriculture and Food Sustainability School
The course introduces students to major emerging issues affecting policy and practice in the plant and animal biosciences with a focus on agricultural and environmental systems. The world is facing growing pressures in its current and future ability to supply protein, crops, fibre and energy as its population heads towards 9 billion in the face of limiting resources, competition for land use, environmental, cultural and social change. Sustainability is a common catch-cry applied at all levels, for global systems, economic processes, nations, regions and individual farm units. Key issues may include, but are not limited to, climate change, the development of the new (de-carbonised) economy, biosecurity, animal welfare, new technologies for genetic modification such as CRISPR, the potential for microalgae as bio production systems, the desire to reduce or eliminate pesticides from production systems, mechanisms for food traceability, the growing influence of social media to connect consumers with production systems and the influence of public activism campaigns. Students will be encouraged to think of themselves as shaping the future by understanding the drivers behind a global push to develop a circular economy, rather than solely responding to trends. The course covers topics relevant to all plant and animal science students and aims to provoke deep consideration of how these issues might affect future professional careers.
The world population has reached 8.1ﾠbillion and is expected to climb to ~9 billion by the middle of this century. It is the massive increase in the number of humans that has occurred over the last century, accompanied by increased affluence that is precipitating a cascade of environmental, economic, political and cultural changes including: Global warming and climate change; Increased demand for animal protein; Competition for resources and deforestation; Scarcity of water; Loss of both plant and animal biodiversity, Food security and safety;ﾠZoonotic diseases and many, many more. These significant and intertwined issues have far-reaching implications for life on earth. The course introduces students to major emerging issues affecting policy and practice in the plant and animal biosciences with a focus on agricultural and environmental systems.
Course requirements
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
AGRC3062, ANIM3062
Course contact
Course coordinator
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Anne Beasley
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Course contact hours are scheduled each week on Wednesday from 3 pm - 5 pm. A more detailed schedule of topicsﾠwill be made available on the Blackboard siteﾠin week 1, and will be discussed during the first lecture. All updates to the timetable will be made on Blackboard and students will be notified via Blackboard announcement. Students should check Blackboard regularly.
Aims and outcomes
We aim to interrogate solutions to emerging local and global issues in the plant and animal industries, and intellectually grapple with the complexities of 'wicked problems'.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Demonstrate an understanding of the environmental, ethical and social issues relevant to animal and plant biosciences and the solutions which address these.
LO2.
Critically evaluate important issues in the animal and plant science disciplines and discuss the most important elements in an unbiased fashion
LO3.
Present, in both written and oral form, logical and coherent summaries of research outcomes reported in scientific literature relevant to the animal and plant bioscience fields.
LO4.
Display initiative in working in self-directed manner to source relevant information from high-quality publications
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation |
3MT (Three Minute Thesis)
|
20% |
23/08/2024 2:00 pm |
| Quiz |
Content Quizzes
|
40% Two quizzes, each worth 20% |
Quiz 1 - 20% 4/09/2024 5:00 pm Quiz 2 - 20% 23/10/2024 5:00 pm
The quizzes will take place within the scheduled contact time - Wednesday 3 pm - 5 pm. Students will need to bring their fully charged device to the timetabled venue. |
| Essay/ Critique |
Complexities of a Wicked Problem - Discussion Paper
|
40% |
18/10/2024 2:00 pm |
Assessment details
3MT (Three Minute Thesis)
- Online
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
23/08/2024 2:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
Task description
Students will prepare a short recorded presentation, in the traditional '3MT' (three-minute thesis) format.
The presentation will be based on a single published research paper that assesses the impact of a novel solution to a key industry issue.
The presentation will require a single PowerPoint slide that creatively illustrates the key elements of the chosen study.
Further guidelines for this assessment item are provided in the relevant course Blackboard folder.
Students will be required to submit a transcript of their presentation.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Your presentation will be uploaded in Blackboard by the submission deadline. You will also submit a transcript of your presentation via Turnitin to be checked for similarity. You should also retain an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit. Legal Declaration: By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy (http://ppl.app.uq.edu.au/content/3.60.04-student-integrity-and-misconduct) and understand its implications.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed before the due date and time of the assessment item.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Assessment deadlines are firm and must be met. Late submission without permission or non-submission of assessable work will result in penalties being applied. Late submission of assessment will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL).
Content Quizzes
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Quiz
- Weight
- 40% Two quizzes, each worth 20%
- Due date
Quiz 1 - 20% 4/09/2024 5:00 pm
Quiz 2 - 20% 23/10/2024 5:00 pm
The quizzes will take place within the scheduled contact time - Wednesday 3 pm - 5 pm. Students will need to bring their fully charged device to the timetabled venue.
Task description
Two Blackboard quizzes will be completed during the semester to assess understanding of the content covered. Each quiz will be worth 20% of the final grade (for a total of 40%). Further details of the quizzes will be provided on the course Blackboard site.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
The Blackboard quiz will be completed during class time.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
A short extension may be sought only in the case where a student cannot attend the in-class session.
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed before the due date and time of the assessment item.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Assessment deadlines are firm and must be met. Late submission without permission or non-submission of assessable work will result in penalties being applied. Late submission of assessment will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL).
Complexities of a Wicked Problem - Discussion Paper
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
18/10/2024 2:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
Task description
This assessment requires students to take a detailed look at a 'wicked problem' confronting either a plant or animal industry. The paper will explore solutions to the chosen problem and identify the complexities of these solutions. Students will select one of the identified complexities and propose a strategy to address the complexity. This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
The written discussion paper will be uploaded to Turnitin. Students should also retain an electronic copy of every piece of assessment submitted. Legal Declaration: By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy (http://ppl.app.uq.edu.au/content/3.60.04-student-integrity-and-misconduct) and understand its implications.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed before the due date and time of the assessment item.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Assessment deadlines are firm and must be met. Late submission without permission or non-submission of assessable work will result in penalties being applied. Late submission of assessment will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL).
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 0% - 34% |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 35% - 46% |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: 47% - 49% |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 50% - 64% |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 65% - 74% |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 75% - 84% |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 85% - 100% |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Please note the following when writing your assignments
You must not re-use past work from previous assessments in your assignments.
TurnItIn Assignments
Assignments that are required to be submitted through TurnItIn, mustﾠonlyﾠbe uploaded to the assessment specific Turnitin link on the relevant course Blackboard site.ﾠIf you submit any version of your assessment item to any alternative Turnitin link, this is considered cheating and you will be held liable for this action.ﾠ
Results
Unless specifically indicated by the course coordinator, every attempt will be made to have the results for progressive assessment available within 3 weeks of submission. For items of assessment submitted in the last 2 weeks of the semester, the results will not be available until grades release day. Results and feedback availability will be advised to you by email or announced via the course Blackboard site.
Re-mark Applicationsﾠ- refer to theﾠUniversity's Re-mark Policyﾠto check your eligibility
Before applying for a remark, students should consider the following:
- You have consulted the course coordinator for feedback
- Your academic grounds for remark have been discussed and are valid
- Wanting a higher grade is not grounds for a remark. A remark can decrease your grade.
Remark applications will not be considered without first having contacted your course Co-ordinator.
Deferred Examinations (including Deferred In-Semester Examinations)
Deferred and Supplementary information can be located on the my.UQ website
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Other course materials
If we've listed something under further requirement, you'll need to provide your own.
Required
| Item | Description | Further Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Course Blackboard site | All communication and assessment details will be available on the course Blackboard site and students should check this regularly or updates. |
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 |
Lecture |
Course Introduction During week 1, the course structure will be presented along with an overview of the assessment items and content topics. This will be an in-person session in the timetabled venue. |
Week 2 |
Tutorial |
Workshop - skimming scientific literature This in-person session will be dedicated to developing skills in skimming scientific literature. These skills will be required for all assessment items. |
Multiple weeks From Week 3 To Week 12 |
Case-based learning |
Content delivery During weeks 3 - 6 and 9 - 12, content will be delivered to students in mixed formats including lecture, and podcast/interviews with guest contributors. Details will be provided on the course Blackboard site. |
Week 8 |
Workshop |
Workshop - Final Presentation Class time in week 8 will be dedicated as a drop-in session for students to workshop ideas or seek assistance on their final presentation assessment item. |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.