SCIGEN 399 : Capstone: Science

Science

2023 Semester One (1233) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

The combination of skills learned throughout the Bachelor of Science will be used to develop an approach to address relevant issues.

Course Overview

A capstone learning experience for students in their final semester of their BSc coming from any science discipline. Students will be able to build on prior undergraduate experiences and competencies, skills and knowledge, and integrate and apply those to real world challenges or messy problems and scenarios in the sciences. Projects are multidisciplinary and offer flexibility so that students can engage in a topic or approach that interest them. Students have opportunities to apply their discipline-specific knowledge and skills more broadly to investigate the bigger questions of science within ethical, regulatory, environmental and sociocultural contexts and the ways the sciences operate in these spaces.
Students participate in self-directed as well as small group-based learning tasks and activities, guided by instructors, and explore approaches, implications, and limitations that are authentic to the various academic and non-academic contexts to which the capstone work and assignments are directed. The course supports the development of key graduate competencies including effective teamwork, science communication, peer feedback and potentially stakeholder involvement (depending on the topic) while recognizing students’ diverse future career ambitions and the need for transferable skills for employability or postgraduate study.

SCIGEN 399 will run as a hybrid course:  Weekly 1 hour online lectures with guest speakers plus 2 hour in-person and student-led seminars (topic streams). 

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 30 points passed at Stage III and Associate Dean (Academic) or nominee approval Restriction: Any other BSc capstone

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
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Science

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Draw upon existing theoretical and conceptual discipline knowledge and integrate and apply to academic and non-academic contexts in which science operates. (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
  2. Select and evaluate appropriate scientific procedures, techniques, tools and rules to propose solutions to complex global and New Zealand issues within ethical, regulatory, cultural, environmental and social contexts of a discipline. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 6)
  3. Clearly communicate scientific ideas and arguments for different objectives and audiences using appropriate informal and formal communication approaches in discussions, oral presentations, video, scientific writing. (Capability 1, 4, 5 and 6)
  4. Reflect upon the feedback of others as well as your own self-reflections to identify and act on opportunities for developing personal qualities, employability and teamwork skills. (Capability 4, 5 and 6)
  5. Seek and critically evaluate relevant existing information and new scientific research as the basis for problem solving and synthesis of newly gained perspectives for the production of assignments, tasks. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6)
  6. Develop team skills to work collaboratively and cooperatively in multidisciplinary teams respectful of diverse viewpoints and prior experiences, demonstrating a range of academic, research, aesthetic and/or creative skills. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Presentations 15% Group Coursework
Reflections 10% Individual Coursework
Participation 10% Individual Coursework
Peer reviews 10% Individual Coursework
Written report 45% Group & Individual Coursework
MyCDES 10% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6
Presentations
Reflections
Participation
Peer reviews
Written report
MyCDES

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

Key Topics

The course is designed to be interactive, and students have the opportunity to participate in discussions with guest speakers, course teachers and peers during weekly lectures and seminars. Topics vary from semester to semester and depend on students' disciplinary background and interests.

Special Requirements

Compulsory participation in the weekly seminars.

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.

For this course, you can expect one 1 h lecture (online) and a 2 h  seminar (in person) per week. The remainder of the time (about 6-8 hours per week) is spent on self-directed learning such as seeking relevant information, reading and thinking actively about the content, and working on learning tasks (reflections, peer review) and assignments (academic piece of writing, presentation).

There is no test or final exam for this course.


Delivery Mode

Campus Experience or Online

This course is offered in two delivery modes:

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled weekly seminars to receive credits for the course.
Learning activities in the seminars will not be available as recordings.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Online

Attendance is [required/expected] at scheduled online activities including [labs/tutorials/studios/clinics] to [complete/receive credit for] components of the course.
The course will include live online events including group discussions/lectures] and these will be recorded.

Where possible, study material will be released progressively throughout the course.
This course runs to the University semester timetable and all the associated completion dates and deadlines will apply.

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.

No specific learning resources required; all materials will be available in Canvas.

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.

Class reps speak and advocate on behalf of the students and are the go-to point for students with any course-related enquiries or concerns. They may also collect class feedback from students during the semester to feed forward to instructors to inform improvements to the course delivery.

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.

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 01/12/2022 08:24 a.m.