SUSTAIN 200 : The Sustainable Community

Science

2025 Semester One (1253) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

What is the sustainable community? The course unpacks the nature of complex social and ecological systems with a particular focus on large organisations and cities. Students undertake a group project to enhance their skills in collective decision making, and to develop skills in integrating information and presenting sustainability solutions. The course explores two sustainability issues in depth.

Course Overview

SUSTAIN 200 is the second course in the Sustainability Module, but can also be taken as a standalone course. It explores sustainability at a local scale, aiming to understand how we create sustainable communities, the challenges involved and how these challenges might be overcome. Examples of overseas cities that have made progress on sustainability issues will serve as a springboard to consider how Auckland could achieve sustainability initiatives. The major assignment involves working in small teams to enhance sustainability at Waipapa Taumata Rau/ The University of Auckland.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 60 points passed

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. Critically reflect on how complex social systems and complex ecological systems work together, and understand the enablers and barriers to implementing sustainability solutions (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
  2. Critically discuss and apply the values of sustainability. (Capability 2, 3, 4 and 5)
  3. Work with peers to identify and investigate a sustainability issue within the university and design a project to address this issue. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  4. Show good awareness of effective group process. (Capability 3, 6, 7 and 8)
  5. Demonstrate awareness of, and an ability to critically discuss, two sustainability issues and potential solutions (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
SUSTAIN Citizenship Portfolio 20% Individual Coursework
Test 20% Individual Test
Sustainable Campus Campaign 20% Group Coursework
Reflection 20% Individual Coursework
Final Exam 20% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5
SUSTAIN Citizenship Portfolio
Test
Sustainable Campus Campaign
Reflection
Final Exam

Special Requirements

This course involves teamwork, it is essential that you come prepared to work with others in a team of 4 - 5 peers. This includes negotiating a timeframe for shared tasks.

Tuākana

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. This course is supported by our Programme Coordinator, Kaiāwhina/Māori student adviser, and Pacific student adviser. They are able to organize group study and facilitate direct assistance regarding material taught in this course. 

Workload Expectations

During a typical teaching week, there will be 3 hours of lectures and one hour of tutorials. For the 12 teaching weeks, this totals 45 hours. Since the course as a whole represents approximately 150 hours of study, that leaves a total of 105 hours across the entire semester for both team work and independent study.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities, particularly tutorials, as these are a required component of the course.

Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials will not be available as recordings.

The course will not include live online events unless we are forced to change our delivery mode.

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.

There is no textbook for this course. All readings and other resources will be available via 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.

We are investigating a number of suggestions from past students.

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.

Published on 04/11/2024 09:31 a.m.