TDFOOD 100 : The Future of Food Systems

Science

2025 Semester Two (1255) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Explores the global food system with a focus on sustainability, health, sovereignty, culture, science and technology, particularly within Aotearoa, New Zealand. Students will work in teams to analyse future trends and propose innovative solutions, using a transdisciplinary approach to envision and design sustainable food systems and practices that respect diverse cultural perspectives.

Course Overview

Are you curious about the world of food and its impact on who we are? Our course offers a unique opportunity to dive deep into the central role food plays in shaping our health, environment, cultural identity, and overall wellbeing. Food isn’t just about what we eat—it's a central part of who we are, and society’s relationship with food is complex and ever-changing. This course is designed to help you develop the skills and perspectives needed to understand and positively influence this relationship.
We take a transdisciplinary approach, meaning we go beyond just one field of study. You’ll explore food from various angles—combining insights from business, design, population health, nutrition, the humanities, food process engineering, food science, and environmental science. Our approach merges rigorous academic knowledge with real-world relevance, involving both academic and community perspectives.
As a student in this course, you'll have the chance to:
• Collaborate with peers from different disciplines to tackle real-world challenges.
• Engage with diverse community perspectives to create meaningful, future-focused solutions.
• Gain a well-rounded understanding that goes beyond traditional classroom learning.
We invite students from all backgrounds and fields of study to join us on this exciting journey. Whether you're passionate about health, the environment, business, or culture, there’s a place for you in our community.
The course is approved for General Education for all undergraduate programmes.

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

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. Identify and explain the primary features of Transdisciplinarity as it relates to the future of food. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  2. Collaborate effectively within a diverse team while engaged in discussion of a complex societal problem related to the future of food. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  3. Apply one or more transdisciplinary approaches to address a complex societal problem. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  4. Communicate effectively using at least two different channels (written, oral, or visual) to convey complex information. (Capability 3, 4, 6 and 8)
  5. Reflect on the use of transdisciplinary approaches for complex problem-solving related to the future of food. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  6. Demonstrate an understanding of the interconnected impacts of food systems on sovereignty, culture, science, technology, health, and sustainability. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Creative Output 30% Group Coursework
Reflection and Analysis 20% Individual Coursework
Test and Quizzes 30% Individual Test
Engagement in studio activities 20% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6
Creative Output
Reflection and Analysis
Test and Quizzes
Engagement in studio activities

Key Topics

  1. Food Sustainability: Integrate scholarship and research on food sustainability, emphasizing the impact of policies on sustainable choices and public health. Examine how these choices influence both individual and community well-being.
  2. Nutrition & Public Health: Delve into nutrition research, public health, and systems principles. Use your knowledge to visualize a future of healthy, accessible, sustainable food for all.
  3. Scientific and Technological Innovation: Gain insights from food science and engineering research to understand food processing, safety, and preservation techniques that ensure quality and longevity. We will investigate technological advancements and systems thinking in food processing, showcasing innovative solutions to food security challenges.
  4. Design for Food Systems Change: Discover the transformative power of design in fostering creative and sustainable innovations at the intersection of social, technological, and ecological systems. Engage with research from the fields of Design and Development to explore food design as a catalyst for change.
  5. Food Information Systems: Examine the role of blockchain technology in ensuring food sovereignty and preserving integrity along the supply chain. We will discuss the critical applications of technology in enhancing food systems.
  6. Consumer Communication on Food Choices: Explore research on anti-consumption and its relevance to food choices among consumers. We will discuss how communication strategies can influence consumer behaviour towards food.
  7. Food Sovereignty and Global Contexts: Investigate how international geopolitical factors and trade dynamics affect food sovereignty. We will discuss the intertwining of cultural identity and food sovereignty in shaping food systems.

Special Requirements

Engagement in studios is compulsory to pass this course.

Tuākana

Tuākana Science is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacic students providing topic specic 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

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 12 hours of lectures (plenary sessions), 22 hours of studios (11 x 2 hour studios), 44 hours of reading, viewing videos and other creative works and thinking about the content and 70 hours of work on assignments (individual and group) and/or test preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Each week the course involves one 1 h plenary class (very much like a lecture) and one 2 h studio (like a tutorial).   

The weekly 1 h plenary sessions will be available as recordings and attendance is optional but encouraged.  The plenary sessions will involve interactive components which will not be captured by recordings.  

The weekly 2 h studio session involves small group work and associated practical tasks and skill development linked to assessment and learning outcomes. Attendance at studio sessions is compulsory as these contain activities, teamwork and marks that contribute towards learning outcomes and assessment. 

At the end of the course you will engage in a course symposium to showcase your work and ideas to diverse audiences inside and outside the University. You will learn more about this in the early weeks of the course. 

Course material will be available where possible on the course’s Canvas site.

Staff office hours will be available either in-person or via Zoom

There is no final exam – the course is 100% internally assessed.

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.

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
There is NO set textbook for this course. Readings will be provided via Talis and other resources are available on 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.

Formative feedback will be conducted at mid semester and at the end of the course students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through the University’s course evaluation. 

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 06/11/2024 10:46 a.m.