Written by Joanna Ellison, School of Geography & Environmental Studies

Introduction

This third year unit enables students to study the physical landscape and the processes which cause change. It focuses on selected landforms and landscape processes that interact with human activities and provides a 'hands on' learning experience for students studying the unit.

The unit aims to examine the methods by which geomorphologists and other environmental scientists may measure, monitor and manage processes in the physical environment that affect human society.

The lecturer, Joanna Ellison, says

I like to use examples of environmental problems in Tasmania , and assist students to make assessments as though they were employed as geomorphologists or consultants.

Students are provided with a comprehensive unit outline containing information on assessment, lecture/tutorial topics, practical sessions and field trips. The unit outline also provides useful hints on how to write an effective literature review and present a seminar.

This case study demonstrates how all generic attributes, to varying degrees, can be integrated into a unit of study.

Linking attributes and objectives

The generic attributes of Knowledge, Communication Skills, Problem-solving Skills, Global Perspective and Social Responsibility embedded are apparent when you examine the specified learning objectives and take into account the nature of the content of this unit. Upon completion of this unit students are able to understand, recognise and report on the management implications of:

• factors causing slope stability and instability, management of soil erosion
  
• active river processes and river management planning, also flood hazard management
  
• coastal processes, causes of coastal erosion and estuarine sedimentation, and coastal zone management
  
• cave formation processes and possible human impacts on karst environments.

Linking attributes and assessment

The assessment for this unit is varied and provides feedback to students on a regular basis. The continuous assessment comprises practical assignments, literature reviews and an examination.

Practical assignments - 35%

The practical assignments include field work reports, laboratory practicals and three field trips. There are five topic areas covered in the weekly practical laboratory sessions. In addition to these laboratory sessions students participate in field trips to collect samples and/or data for analysis and involve analysis of local environmental problems.

During these practical sessions Joanna introduces students to local issues and provides the students with the opportunity to interact with local government or community groups. Students gain a deeper knowledge of the topics through the practical application of their community projects.

All students contribute to the selected project through data collection, analysis and reporting back to the community groups. In 2002 Joanna's students participated in a report prepared for the Tamar Natural Resource Management Strategy titled Baseline Survey of Fluvial Geomorphology and Hydrology of Pipers .

Literature reviews and seminar presentations - 25%

Each student completes two literature reviews and an oral presentation as a part of this assessment component. The first literature review is small (1,000 word essay) and completed early in the semester to enable Joanna to provide feedback on their approach, methodology and style. The major literature review includes a 300 word abstract and a report of no more than 3,000 words. Both reviews require students to select a topic from those listed in the unit outline.

The oral presentation of 30 minutes is on a topic selected by the student. The students are also assessed on their participation in seminars presented by other students.

Examination - 40%

Students are examined on all lecture and tutorial material delivered during the semester. The three hour examination comprises questions of a more general nature to enable students to relate to their specific areas of interest. Eight essay questions make up the examination and students are required to answer three of the eight.

Through the continuous assessment for this unit students exhibit the following:

Knowledge

• Apply technical and information skills appropriate to their discipline area
  
• Use a wide range of academic skills (research, analysis etc)
  
• Learn both independently and cooperatively
  
• Learn new skills and apply learning to new and unexpected situations

Communication Skills

• Demonstrate oral, written, numerical and graphic communication
  
• Use the medium and form of communication appropriate for a given situation
  
• Listen to and evaluate the views of others

Problem-solving Skills

• Identify critical issues in the discipline
  
• Work effectively with others
  
• Find, acquire, evaluate, manage and use relevant information in a range of media

Global Perspective

• Demonstrate an awareness of the local and global context of their disciple

Social Responsibility

• Acknowledge the social and ethical implications of their actions
  
• Demonstrate responsibility to the local community, and society generally.
  

The teaching pattern

The unit is taught though 4 1-hour lectures/tutorials and 3 hours of practical sessions each week. The unit also includes 4 days of field work during the semester to provide the opportunity for students to apply the knowledge gained in a practical way.

The unit outline provides information to students in advance of the topic for each lecture, tutorial and practical session and the relevant required reading. The seminar presentations replace the lecture/tutorial in weeks 11, 12 and 13 with week 14 replaced by a review session.

Joanna attempts to make the unit as practical as possible to try and provide a context as close as possible to the work environment. Joanna explains:

I just treat it like a normal practical, I get a bus, get all the field gear and get all the students on the bus. The only difference is that we are looking at something real which is a real problem which is opposed to a teaching exercise. ..It's quiet tricky for me doing these types of field trips because I never know what we're going to find. I don't know what the answers are, it's not some prac I'd pull out of a hat year after year. Usually I don't have a clue and let the students know that I don't know the answers. It is up to them to find them and for us to discuss them. It is a real life situation and this is how it works when you are at work.

Conclusion

This unit demonstrates how generic attributes can be incorporated to provide students with a learning environment that values both theory and practice. The unit has drawn on some of the exemplars for each of the attributes to make this a rich and practical experience for students. Students are able to utilise experiences such as the report written for the Tamar Natural Resource Management Strategy in their portfolios as evidence they have acquired certain attributes from their study at the University of Tasmania .

Students have found this unit very rewarding and the following comments were received in SETL evaluations in 2002.

Comment 1:

. puts lots of emphasis on letting us gain experience that we could use better in our careers, very helpful in workplace entry ideas, Joanna knows the subject area very well, is very approachable and provides lots of information in the form of feedback. The field lecture and practical components were well integrated, she details how we can apply all our course field work in relation to the workforce.

Comment 2:

Joanna adapted the course to include practical components which were situations we are likely to encounter in the workplace. Theory sessions backed up with practical components. Our reports were expected to be of an extra professional standard and Joanna was always willing and extremely able to direct our reporting.

Joanna indicated that around 70% of her students are placed in positions which utilise the skills and knowledge covered in this unit.

Postscript:

This unit will change from a 25% unit to 12.5% in 2003 and become a 2/3 year unit for the Bachelor of Natural Environment and Wilderness Studies. Joanna will retain the practical focus of the course but will cut back on the more marginal subject areas covered in the current unit.

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