BIOSCI 760 : Biosystematics
Science
2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
Capabilities Developed in this Course
Capability 1: | People and Place |
Capability 2: | Sustainability |
Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
Capability 6: | Communication |
Capability 7: | Collaboration |
Capability 8: | Ethics and Professionalism |
Learning Outcomes
- Explain and apply advanced biosystematic concepts and theory. (Capability 3, 4, 6 and 8)
- Demonstrate a broad understanding of biosystematics collections and databases. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8)
- Undertake studies in a specialist area of biodiversity. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8)
- Create and participate in designing a key for botanical specimens. (Capability 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7)
- Identify key aspects that lead to sustainable ways of cataloguing biodiversity richness. (Capability 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
Assessments
Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
---|---|---|
Essay | 30% | Individual Coursework |
Presentation | 25% | Group & Individual Coursework |
Research | 25% | Individual Coursework |
Workshop Discussions | 20% | Group & Individual Coursework |
4 types | 100% |
Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||||||
Essay | ||||||||||
Presentation | ||||||||||
Research | ||||||||||
Workshop Discussions |
Tuākana
Tuākana Science is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials,
one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/study-with-us/pacific-in-our-faculty.html
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/study-with-us/maori-in-our-faculty.html
Special Requirements
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.
Average students are expected to spend 150 hours to achieve a pass. Use the following as a guide.
Contact time = 20 hours
Field trip = 6 hours
Review (including review outline) = 20 hours
Presentation: Biosystematics concepts = 15 hours
Essay = 40 hours
Collection internship = 60 hours
Reading literature = 10 hours
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
The course is scheduled as a block course in the week prior to semester 1 beginning. Attendance is required for all scheduled activities, which includes: seminars, workshops, field trip and the collection internship to complete the components of the course.
All seminars and workshops will be delivered on campus. The field trip is to the Auckland Museum and to Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research.
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.
This course is mostly based on refereed scientific literature provided.
Discovering Diversity: A decadal plan for taxonomy and biosystematics in Australia and New Zealand 2018–2028 (https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/assets/Uploads/Discovering-Biodiversity-decadal-plan.pdf)
Workshop resources will be provided.
Health & Safety
Workshops are mostly dry labs, or photographing specimens in campus grounds. Health & Safety will be discussed at the beginning of each workshop. Lab coats and safety glasses will be provided if required.
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.
Based on feedback from students:
- The internship will commence at the start of the semester to enable students to complete their 60 hours over the semester and possibly be reduced 50 hours (to discuss with students and curators).
- Inclusion of four practical-based workshops that will give students hand-on experience with taxonomy techniques (before internship).
- Beginning the course with Mātauranga Māori concepts in taxonomy.
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 for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.
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 course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, 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 students may be asked to submit 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. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.