GEOG 205 : Environment and Society

Science

2024 Semester Two (1245) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

A critical exploration of the interconnectedness of environment and society. The course highlights the importance of understanding how different views and attitudes influence people's interactions with the environment. Key themes include governance, management and development, which are addressed through issues such as conservation, climate change adaptation, disasters and resource use. Classes draw on a variety of case studies from New Zealand and overseas.

Course Overview

In this course students will have gained an understanding of the interconnections between environment and society. Case studies from around the world highlight the ways in which people's knowledge, attitudes, social norms, and worldview influence how the perceive and interact with the environment, which includes how they respond to environmental issues (including pollution, biodiversity loss, climate change, and water scarcity) and how they engage with animals. Through lectures that cover everything from different understandings of nature, the management of freshwater and fisheries, food production and environmental justice, and responses to climate change, the lectures highlight how different forms of knowledge (scientific, local, Indigenous) mediate individuals, communities and institutions interactions with the environment and the management of resources.

The course will be interesting to anyone interested in understanding the drivers and responses to the environmental problems confronting humanity, including climate change, water pollution, global fisheries crises, soil contamination, and loss of biodiversity. It also of interest to anyone interested in sustainability, sustainable development, and Indigenous knowledge and environmental management policies and practices. The course is designed for human geography students, but is also suitable for any student who is interested in the social dimensions of environmental issues and is designed as an introductory course into environmental geography. No past study experience in either human geography or social science is necessary in order to enrol in this course. The course could lead onto third year human geography courses, most notably GEOG 352, GEOG 320, and GEOG 324.

 The course adopts an innovative mixed delivery method, with a mixture of online and face-to-face deliveries methods adopted. Each week lectures will be delivered online, with tutorials delivered face-to-face (online tutorial sessions can be made available). The tutorials are designed as interactive activities to give students practical exercises that allow them to translate abstract concepts and theories discussed in the lectures into real-world applications. In addition, specific tutorials are designed to help students prepare for their assessment.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 60 points

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
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Science

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Evaluate key theoretical ideas about human-environment relations using place-based case studies from Aotearoa/New Zealand and beyond (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
  2. Demonstrate an introductory understanding of the diversity and depth of human geography scholarship on environment and society interactions (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  3. Be able to investigate and critique complex environmental problems in Aotearoa/New Zealand, Oceania, and beyond (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  4. Be able to critically discuss, organise and synthesise environmental geographical knowledge about how different views, attitudes, and values influence people’s interactions with the environment (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  5. Develop and demonstrate an engagement with a diverse social groups’ positions by distinguishing multiple ways of seeing and valuing different knowledges (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Coursework 100% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5
Coursework

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

As part of the University-wide Tuākana community, The School of Environment Tuākana Programme aims to provide a welcoming learning environment for, and enhance the success of, all of our Māori and Pacific students. We are led by the principles of tautoko (support) and whanaungatanga (connection), and hope you find a home here at the School. Students who have identified as Māori and/or Pacific will receive an invitation to our online portal introducing the Programme, the resources we have available, and how you can get involved.

Māori and Pacific students are encouraged to contact Sonia Fonua (s.fonua@auckland.ac.nz).

Special Requirements

To pass this course there is a requirement to achieve 50% or more.

Attendance to tutorials is expected and  highly encouraged to enhance your learning and preparation for the assessment.

Workload Expectations

This course is designed with a budget of 150 hours of a student's time. This conforms with the University's and Ministry of Education's guidelines for a 15 pt course.

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.

For this course, you can expect 24 hours of lectures, a 2 hour tutorial per week, and 1 key reading per lecture. This leaves the remainder to complete the coursework and study for your exam.

Please note that these are reasonable estimates but your actual time commitment will depend upon many factors.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled tutorials to complete components of the course and to receive all required information for the course. The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

There is no provision for online delivery of this course. Lectures are recorded only for revision purposes. Attendance in class is expected. This class involves considerable interactive content. 

This course is not 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.


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.

There is no prescribed textbook for this course.
- Recommended key readings will complement what is presented in lectures.  There is an expectation that students read one essential reading (typically an academic journal article) per lecture. Other readings may be suggested to guide students interested in exploring particular topics in more depth.
• Course readings will be listed in Talis, accessible through Canvas. You are expected to use the University Library to access these readings, as well as other relevant references.
• Most readings will be available through the University Library as PDFs or ebooks. Some may only be available as hard copies through Short Loan in the Kate Edger Information Commons.
• It is vital to go beyond recommended readings for your assignments.

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.

This course will no longer have an exam. All marks for this course will be derived 100% from coursework, which may include in class (in-person) assessment.

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.

Coursework will be submitted to Canvas via Turnitin, a plagiarism-prevention service which compares your assignment with existing literature and previously submitted assignments.
• Assignments must be submitted to Turnitin before the due time and date.
• Turnitin will place your work in a database to ensure that others do not copy your work in the future.  
• Make sure that you leave enough time to submit your essay to Turnitin, allowing for any problems that may arise.
 
If you have any queries about avoiding plagiarism, or if you are uncertain about what constitutes academic dishonesty, please contact the course coordinator for guidance.

The University of Auckland has comprehensive policies on academic honesty, cheating and plagiarism.
If you have any queries about avoiding plagiarism, or if you are uncertain about what constitutes academic dishonesty, please contact the course coordinator for guidance.
• It is the student's responsibility to read and adhere to the University's policies.
• Staff encourage students to work together but do not share electronic copies of your coursework. Enabling another to cheat is also a form of academic misconduct.
• Referen©ite – this web resource provides guidance on correctly acknowledging sources of information: http://www.cite.auckland.ac.nz/

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.

Published on 01/11/2023 10:23 a.m.