BIOSCI 108 : Biodiversity: Patterns of Life
Science
2025 Semester One (1253) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 7: | Collaboration |
Learning Outcomes
- Explain how structure relates to function in organisms. (Capability 3, 4, 5 and 6)
- Describe and explain how to interpret the morphological and physiological diversity of a group of organisms in a phylogenetic framework. (Capability 3, 4, 5 and 6)
- Demonstrate scientific quantitative skills, such as the ability to evaluate experimental design, read graphs, and understand and use information from scientific papers. (Capability 3, 4, 5 and 6)
- Execute scientific research under supervision and analyse, interpret and communicate data generated. (Capability 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Laboratories | 40% | Group & Individual Coursework |
| Test | 20% | Individual Coursework |
| Final Exam | 40% | Individual Coursework |
| 3 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||||||
| Laboratories | ||||||||||
| Test | ||||||||||
| Final Exam | ||||||||||
Special Requirements
- There are no extra costs associated with these field trips; however, you will need to make your own way to the reserves. Public transport details for getting to the reserves will be available in Canvas.
- Attending a field trip is essential to being able to write the reports for assessment.
- You can chose one of four time slots to attend the field trip (there are two slots per day): Students can attend on either a Saturday or Sunday, either in the morning or afternoon.
- Fieldwork involves approximately 3 hours of outdoor research conducting vegetation surveys in grassland and bush. At the two potential sites access paths exist, but the survey work will have to be done off-track. Fairly minimal walking is required (< 1km) but the ground is uneven and could be slippery. Please discuss any accessibility issues with the course coordinators; we are able to adjust for student needs.
- Students must bring their snacks and adequate water (at least one litre). There is a small cafe at Takaparawhau (Bastion Point), and a bakery opposite the Pourewa (Kepa Bush) site.
- You will also need to bring appropriate clothing (sunhat, raincoat, warm layers) and comfortable covered footwear (laced shoes e.g. trainers, boots, or gum boots; NO jandals or sandals) that you don't mind getting wet or dirty. Some gear can be borrowed from the department (e.g. raincoats and gumboots) and accompanying persons and service/guide dogs may be able to attend – please contact course coordinator for more information about these or to discuss other access requirements.
- Toilets are only available at Takaparawhau (Bastion Point); Pourewa (Kepa Bush) has no facilities on site (the nearest facilities are in a shopping mall several hundred meters away in the Eastridge Shopping Mall). There are no gender neutral toilets available.
Tuākana
The Tuākana learning community offers a space within the institution for Māori and Pasifika students. We try to connect talent with opportunity and maybe have a kai as well. Check the BIOSCI108 CANVAS page for details.
Workload Expectations
Following University workload guidelines, a standard 15 point course represents approximately 150 hours of study.
Over the semester the teaching time will be 3 hours of lectures per week, 3 hours of labs per fortnight and a 3 hour field trip. For the 12 teaching weeks, this totals to 51 hours. Since the course as a whole represents approximately 150 hours of study, that leaves a total of 99 hours across the entire semester for independent study, e.g. reading, reflection, preparing for assessments/exams.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
As students must pass the practical (worth 40%) and the theory (worth 60%) independently to pass the course overall, attendance is required at scheduled activities including labs and field trips to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be taught on campus and available as recordings. Other learning activities including labs and field trips will not be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
Learning 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.
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.
Staff welcome feedback on the course throughout the semester, including the SET evaluations. Please contact your course coordinator or student representative at any time with your feedback.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations 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. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
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.
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 http://disability.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.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.
The delivery mode may change depending on COVID restrictions. Any changes will be communicated through Canvas.
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.