BIOSCI 100 : Antarctica: The Frozen Continent
Science
2020 Semester Two (1205) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
This is a general interest course applicable to both science and non-science students. The course is designed to excite students about Antarctica and science. It is taught by people who have lived and worked on the ice. You will learn about the Antarctic environment, history and the organisms that live there as well as many related issues that have impacts at local, regional and global scales. The course will help you develop skills in evaluating and interpreting scientific studies, and to improve your academic writing skills.
Teaching has been planned to allow you opportunities for reflection and to develop your understanding. There are three timetabled classes per week; two content lectures and one lectorial. The lectorial will provide you with opportunities to interact with your lecturers and other students while you work with that week’s information. Our course format is highly engaging and participatory.
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 2: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 3: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 4: | Communication and Engagement |
| Capability 6: | Social and Environmental Responsibilities |
Learning Outcomes
- Describe the main geographic features of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. (Capability 1)
- Explain the processes that regulate the Antarctic climate and ocean circulation and how this influences the rest of the planet. (Capability 1 and 2)
- Describe and explain the morphological and ecological diversity of organisms in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. (Capability 1)
- Apply and integrate knowledge about the environment, life in the Antarctic, and the activities of people in the region to answer questions about Antarctica. (Capability 2, 3 and 6)
- Analyse and explain current issues facing the Antarctic environment and/or the organisms living there. (Capability 2, 3 and 6)
- Select and evaluate scholarly information from various sources, including electronic and print resources in order to answer questions about Antarctica. (Capability 2, 3 and 6)
- Make predictions about future consequences of changes in the Antarctic environment on life in the region and globally, and communicate these using language and formats appropriate for a scientific audience. (Capability 2, 3 and 4)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Quizzes | 10% | Individual Coursework |
| Test | 25% | Individual Test |
| Final Exam | 40% | Individual Examination |
| Assignments | 10% | Individual Coursework |
| Essay | 15% | Individual Coursework |
| 5 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | ||||
| Quizzes | ||||||||||
| Test | ||||||||||
| Final Exam | ||||||||||
| Assignments | ||||||||||
| Essay | ||||||||||
To pass this course course students must achieve a total mark of 50% or greater.
Key Topics
2. Human survival
3. Political
4. Earth and atmosphere
5. Water
6. Human impacts
7. Birds
8. Fish
9. Mammals
10. Ecosystems
Learning Resources
Lectorials
Course notes
Online activities
Video
Quizzes
Task worksheets
Workshops
Special Requirements
Drop-in help sessions are available at key times during the semester.
Workload Expectations
Digital Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
This is designed to be an on campus course. Attendance at lectures is highly recommended.
A remote version of the course will be provided to students located overseas. Please contact the course coordinator if you are studying from overseas.
Copyright
The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.
You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Caroline Aspden, phone +64 9 923 9711, email c.aspden@auckland.ac.nz
Craig Millar, phone +64 923 5186, email cd.millar@auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Student Feedback
During the course Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the staff responsible for the course and staff-student consultative committees.
At the end of the course students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback.
Your feedback helps to improve the course and its delivery for all students.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.