Course coordinator
Professor Susanne Schmidt
Consultation with me is by appointment. To make an appointment, please email susanne.schmidt@uq.edu.au
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- External
- Attendance mode
- Online
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Agriculture and Food Sustainability School
The course introduces participants to the many challenges that affect agriculture and food systems across global regions. The course is relevant to students of agriculture and food science, agribusiness, and rural development. It equips participants to apply and extend knowledge and acquire skills for a rapidly changing world. Analysis of global megatrends, futuring and foresighting skills, globalisation, food security, climate change and followed by seeking solutions for sustainability and resilience. Participants are guided in their development as leaders who shape the future, emphasising self-directed learning that is guided by international experts.
This course addresses the big challenges in agriculture: diminishing resources, climate change, food security, human populations and social issues. Finding solutions using innovation and creating change - from food production to food supply - is the central theme. Guided by experts to advance professional skills, course participants acquire 21st-century super skills: critical thinking, communication, collaboration and knowledge creation.
A 2-hour lecture (weeks 1-6) is complemented by a 2-hour workshop (weeks 1-13) at St Lucia and Gatton campus. Experts present live lectures in the scheduled time at either campus that are screened online via zoom. Workshops require in-person attendance for participants enrolled at either campus with much of the course assessments completed time-efficiently and with feedback from expert staff. External students will join a separate evening workshop with timing decided in week 1.
Course requirements
Jointly taught details
This course is jointly-taught with:
- Another instance of the same course
This course shares content with AGRC7047 In Person Gatton and St Lucia, with activities that may vary to suit the mode and campus of study.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Nicole Robinson
Professor Peter Kopittke
Tutorial coordinator
Dr Nicole Robinson
Timetable
Additional timetable information
Lectures run weeks 1-6
Workshops run weeks 1-13
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to develop students' understandings of a set of global challenges affecting agriculture, food and the environment. Furthermore, together with the companion course AGRC7046, we aim to develop personal leadership skills and motivate students to contribute to solving these challenges in their professional and personal capacities.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Understand the major global challenges affecting current and future practices in agriculture.
LO2.
Appreciate the practice and future directions of your own specialisations and disciplines in a rapidly changing global context.
LO3.
Communicate about the relevance of global challenges and advocate for solutions.
LO4.
Apply a keen ethical and social understanding in the practice of your agriculture, food or other specialisations.
LO5.
Critically reflect on your background and experiences to effectively practice within an interdisciplinary team.
LO6.
Work in a professional team including the provision of effective, and constructive feedback, to support communication and advocacy for global challenges in agriculture.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay/ Critique, Portfolio, Reflection |
1st ePortfolio entry
|
30% |
29/08/2024 5:00 pm |
| Presentation |
Individual presentation
|
20% |
5/09/2024 5:00 pm |
| Presentation |
Team presentation
|
30% |
3/10/2024 5:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique, Portfolio, Reflection | 2nd ePortfolio entry | 20% |
24/10/2024 5:00 pm |
Assessment details
1st ePortfolio entry
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique, Portfolio, Reflection
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
29/08/2024 5:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Student specific.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L04, L05
Task description
Information and rubric available on the course Blackboard site. This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex.
Whilst students may use AI technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. A failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI tools.
Submission guidelines
The ePortfolio is completed in a personalised google site, converted to PDF and uploaded on Blackboard. Instructions are provided in Week 1 workshop and detailed in Blackboard -Learning Resources. The materials for the ePortfolio are derived from lectures and further developed in group discussions in weekly workshops.
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.
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). See 6.1 Assessment Related Policies & Guidelines for links to the University Guidelines and Applications for Extensions.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item, or one grade per day if graded on the basis of 1-7, or equivalent penalty if an alternative grading approach is used, will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point any submission will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is recorded from the time the submission is due.
Extensions refer to section 6.1 Assessment Related Policies and Guidelines > Applications for Extensions.
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard before the due date of the assessment item.
Individual presentation
- In-person
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
5/09/2024 5:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Student specific, Peer assessed.
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L03
Task description
Information and rubric available on the course Blackboard site. This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex.
Whilst students may use AI technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. A failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI tools.
Submission guidelines
You submit 1 PowerPoint slide on a chosen topic that you have researched, guided by experts, to a google sheet (all details provided in workshops). You introduce your topic in a short (2 min) presentation to the class.
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.
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). See 6.1 Assessment Related Policies & Guidelines for links to the University Guidelines and Applications for Extensions.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item, or one grade per day if graded on the basis of 1-7, or equivalent penalty if an alternative grading approach is used, will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point any submission will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is recorded from the time the submission is due.
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard before the due date of the assessment item.
Team presentation
- Team or group-based
- In-person
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
3/10/2024 5:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Peer assessed.
- Learning outcomes
- L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
Working as a team, you submit PowerPoint slides on a chosen topic that you have researched, guided by experts, to a google sheet (all details provided in workshops). Your team presents (1-2 slides per student) in a short (7 min) presentation to the class.
Submission guidelines
The online components of this assessment are completed within Blackboard under the appropriate assessment title on your course Blackboard site, and presented in class during a timetabled session.
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.
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). See 6.1 Assessment Related Policies & Guidelines for links to the University Guidelines and Applications for Extensions.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item, or one grade per day if graded on the basis of 1-7, or equivalent penalty if an alternative grading approach is used, will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point any submission will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is recorded from the time the submission is due.
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard before the due date of the assessment item.
2nd ePortfolio entry
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique, Portfolio, Reflection
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
24/10/2024 5:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L04, L05
Task description
Information and rubric available on the course Blackboard site. This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex.
Whilst students may use AI technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. A failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI tools.
Submission guidelines
The ePortfolio is completed in a personalised google site, converted to PDF and uploaded on Blackboard. Instructions are provided in Week 1 workshop and detailed in Blackboard -Learning Resources. The materials for the ePortfolio are derived from lectures and further developed in group discussions in weekly workshops.
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.
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). See 6.1 Assessment Related Policies & Guidelines for links to the University Guidelines and Applications for Extensions.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item, or one grade per day if graded on the basis of 1-7, or equivalent penalty if an alternative grading approach is used, will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point any submission will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is recorded from the time the submission is due.
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard before the due date of the assessment item.
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% - 29% |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 30% - 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% |
Additional course grading information
- All required assessment items MUST be completed in order to obtain a passing grade for this course.
- You must address any additional assessment requirements identified in this eCP.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
TurnItIn Assignments
Assignments that are required to be submitted through TurnItIn, must only be uploaded to the assessment specific Turnitin link on the relevant course Blackboard site. If you submit any version of your assessmentﾠitem to any alternative Turnitin link, this is considered cheating and you will be held liable for this action.
Re-mark Applications - Refer to theﾠUniversity's Re-mark Policy to 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 and Supplementary assessment (including Deferred Mid-Semester Examinations)
Deferred and Supplementary information can be located on the my.UQ website
Results
Feedback for all progressive assessment will be provided within 3 weeks of the submission of the assessment, via Blackboard. Results from the Policy Critique Project and the Reflective Diary will be provided following the release of results for Semester 2. ﾠ
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
Find the required and recommended resources for this course 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 |
|---|---|---|
| AGRC7047 Course Blackboard site | ||
| AGRC7047 Course Profile |
Additional learning resources information
You are expected to read widely in this course, selecting your own materials, particularly refereed literature. You will learn to vouch resources as some appear valid but are not, with much information and misinformation available.
Please reference using the Harvard Gatton style, available on UQ library website.
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 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Lecture |
Course introduction Overview of course learning goals key concepts and semester activities. Learning outcomes: L01 |
Workshop |
Workshop 1 - Introduction to activities and assessments Introduction to course resources and activities, instruction for ePortfolio, interactive work, and getting to know the team. Learning outcomes: L02 |
|
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Lecture |
Global challenges & critical and systems thinking Conceptualising and understanding global challenges: wicked problems, critical and systems thinking, social-ecological systems, multi-disciplinary views. Learning outcomes: L01 |
Workshop |
Workshop 2 - Thinking Challenges Practising critical and systems thinking, preparing materials for the ePortfolio. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Lecture |
Climate Change and Biodiversity Challenges Introducing the challenges of climate change and biodiversity. Learning outcomes: L01 |
Workshop |
Workshop 3 - Climate Change and Biodiversity Influence diagrams, stakeholder discussion, preparing materials for the ePortfolio. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
Lecture |
Food Security Challenge Food security challenges - global case studies. Learning outcomes: L01 |
Workshop |
Workshop 4 - Food Security Dietary discussion, problem tree - solution tree, preparing materials for ePortfolio. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Lecture |
Water Challenge Water as critical resource for agriculture. Learning outcomes: L01 |
Workshop |
Workshop 5 - Water Challenge Ancient knowledge and Innovation to solve the water challenge. Evaluating practices from different regions and systems. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Lecture |
Population and Social Justice Challenges Our growing global family and inequality put pressure on food systems and resources. Learning outcomes: L01 |
Workshop |
Workshop 6 - Population growth Exploring global, health and economic trends. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Workshop |
Workshop 7 - Individual student presentations Students present research snapshot in 2 minute presentation. |
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Workshop |
Workshop 8 - Preparing for team presentations Teams of 5 students form. Teams work on a topic of choice in preparation for team presentations Weeks 11 and 12. Feedback from expert staff. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Week 9 (16 Sep - 22 Sep) |
Workshop |
Workshop 9 - Preparing for team presentations Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
Workshop |
Workshop 10 - Draft team presentation consultation Learning outcomes: L03, L06 |
Week 11 (07 Oct - 13 Oct) |
Workshop |
Workshop 11 - Team presentations Student teams make 7 min presentation with peer assessment from class and experts. Learning outcomes: L03, L06 |
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
Workshop |
Workshop 12 - Team presentations Student teams make 7 min presentation with peer assessment from class and experts. Learning outcomes: L03, L06 |
Week 13 (21 Oct - 27 Oct) |
Workshop |
Workshop 13 - Course conclusion Final discussions and 'Declaration of Change'. Bring foods from your cultures to celebrate. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Additional learning activity information
Teams draft and structure the presentation in preparation for team presentations Weeks 11 and 12. Feedback from expert staff.
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.