EARTHSCI 202 : Earth History
Science
2021 Semester One (1213) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
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 5: | Independence and Integrity |
Learning Outcomes
- Understand and describe the various principles and methods used in determining Earth's history (Capability 1, 2 and 4)
- Understand and describe the physical and biological evolution of the earth (Capability 1, 2 and 4)
- Synthesise a wide range of geologic information into a coherent geologic map, cross-section and report (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
- Interpret and communicate paleoenvironmental and paleoecological conditions using fossils, sedimentary rocks and sedimentary structures (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
- Construct a basic taxonomic hierarchy and biostratigraphic framework from fossil data (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
- Recognise important fossil groups from the last three geoloic eras (Capability 1)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Laboratories | Group & Individual Coursework | |
| Assignments | 25% | Individual Coursework |
| Reports | 20% | Individual Coursework |
| Essay | 15% | Individual Coursework |
| Final Exam | 40% | Individual Coursework |
| 5 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |||||
| Laboratories | ||||||||||
| Assignments | ||||||||||
| Reports | ||||||||||
| Essay | ||||||||||
| Final Exam | ||||||||||
Key Topics
- Geologic dating
- Stratigraphy
- Sedimentology
- Evolution
- Taxonomy
- Biostratigraphy
- Paleoecology
- Development of continents and early life
- The Paleozoic Era
- The Mesozoic Era
- The Cenozoic Era
Special Requirements
- A final mark of 50% or greater is required to pass the course, and sitting the exam is compulsory (although an exam pass is not mandatory to pass the course). The final grade will consist of an aggregate of marks from all of the following – laboratory assignments, an integrated exercise, a field trip report, an essay and the final exam.
- A compulsory one-day field trip to Matheson Bay will be undertaken on one Saturday during the semester, details to be confirmed. Attendance is mandatory and the field trip forms the basis for a geologic map and report worth 20% of the final grade for the course.
- Laboratories are compulsory, and attendance is mandatory and will be recorded. Laboratories run weekly (Weeks 1-11) and begin at 5 minutes past the hour – be seated in the lab and be ready to begin working by this time. Late-comers and non-attendees will be noted and an explanation (believable) required. Persistent lateness and/or non-attendance may result in exclusion from further labs.
Workload Expectations
- During the course - 36 hours lectures (36 x 1 hour lectures); 33 hours laboratories (11 x 3 hour laboratories); 6 hours field trips (1 x 6 hour field trip); 45 hours self-study (readings, etc), and assignment, essay and field trip report preparation.
- Additionally - 27 hours exam preparation; 3 hours exam.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is expected at scheduled classes including lectures and laboratories/tutorials to complete components of the course. Lectures will be available as recordings but other learning activities including laboratories/tutorials will not be available as recordings.
Attendance on campus is required for the final examination.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable .
Special advice for Offshore students
This course is available online to students resident offshore. The assessment and learning delivery mechanisms may differ from that presented in this Digital Course Outline. Please contact the Course Coordinator for further details: Barry O'Connor (b.oconnor@auckland.ac.nz).
Learning Resources
- Wicander, R. and Monroe, J.S., 2013. Historical Geology – Evolution of Earth and Life through Time (8th edition). Brooks/Cole Publishers;
- Tucker, M.E., 2001. Sedimentary Petrology (3rd edition). Blackwell Publishing.
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.
Other Information
- emails should be sent from your University of Auckland email account
- include your name and student ID# in the email
- the subject line should clearly indicate the course number and what the email concerns
- emails should be written in a professional manner, spell-checked and proof-read before sending
- do not use txt or social media-type speak in emails
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.
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.
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.
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.