MARINE 100/100G : The Oceans Around Us

Science

2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

A multidisciplinary approach to understanding the importance of our oceans in terms of natural processes and human uses and values. It includes an understanding of the physical and biological processes in the ocean and how they are addressed through ocean management in New Zealand and internationally, allowing informed debate about the future of the ocean realm.

Course Overview

Our Oceans Around Us provides an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the importance of our oceans as the driver of our climate, source of sustenance, and a focus of domestic and international political, economic and legal tensions and negotiations. It includes physical and biological processes in the ocean which raise questions for ocean management in New Zealand and internationally, allowing real-world debate about the future of the ocean realm.
The course is built around ve key themes, each of which has four one hour lectures followed by a two hour dialogue session, where issues raised in the lectures are discussed and students are encouraged to participate in the discussions. Personal insights generated from at least two of these dialogue sessions are written up and graded, contributing to the final grade for the course.  The course includes a practical component conducted online through computer simulation of managing a fish population that is subjected to fishing and marine protected area closures to fishing.
MARINE 100 is a core course for the BSc in Marine Science and the BAdvSci(Hons) in Marine Science.

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. Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the ocean as a critical driver of global natural processes sufficiently well to be able to describe these processes accurately to another person. (Capability 1, 3 and 6)
  2. Use underpinning knowledge of ocean physical structure and processes (e.g., such as ocean currents and mixing dynamics, coastal geomorphology, and ocean chemistry) to accurately label diagrams of these structures and processes, and provide an explanation to whanau and peers of how they will be affected by climate change. (Capability 1, 3, 4 and 6)
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of how energy and nutrients move through ocean food webs and be able to explain how this differs between tropical and temperate oceans. (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
  4. Describe major latitudinal patterns in marine ecosystems and the processes driving them. (Capability 1 and 3)
  5. Demonstrate an understanding of coastal dynamics (i.e., the processes operating at the interface between land and sea) and be able to describe how these processes variously shape the margins of our oceans. (Capability 1, 3 and 6)
  6. Identify the wide range of resources provided to humans by global oceans and be able to list the major resources, including ecosystem services and their various categories. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6)
  7. Understand and explain the varying human perspectives and resulting approaches to owning and managing our oceans, including those of Māori, sufficiently to be able to describe how their own personal perspectives may differ from those of other cultures. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8)
  8. Formulate advanced personal viewpoints on key issues in relation to the future of our oceans. (Capability 1, 2, 4, 5 and 8)
  9. Establish a knowledge of key sources of quality information and data for informing an advanced insight into issues relating to the ocean realm. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
  10. Demonstrate basic skills in assessing, interpreting and presenting scientific data and scientific concepts. (Capability 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignments 20% Individual Coursework
Test 20% Individual Coursework
Practical 25% Individual Coursework
Final Exam 35% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Assignments
Test
Practical
Final Exam

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

Te Kura Mātauranga Koiora

Key Topics

The course is built around five key themes:-
1. Oceans and Global Processes
2. Living Oceans
3. Ocean Resources
4. Ocean Values
5. Future Ocean Issues
Within each theme, the four lectures and dialogue session will involve a mix of presenters covering dierent topics and perspectives relating to the theme. The aim of this approach is to deliver a highly varied and stimulating programme that highlights the diversity of expertise from across the full breadth of a multidisciplinary university.

Special Requirements

It is not a requirement to complete the practical component of the course, however, it does contribute 25% of the nal grade for the course. The practical component is available on-line and can be completed and submitted at any time before the due date. Tutorial sessions and an online personal helpdesk are available to students to assist them with the practical component of the course.
A mid-term quiz may be held in the early evening in order to avoid clashes with the diversity of timetables for the students undertaking this course.
Other than the mid-term quiz, there are no components to this course that are delivered outside standard university hours.
An field trip may be offered as a non-compulsory option in 2024 depending on availability of hosting iwi partners/ facilities.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course at the 100 level 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 up to 3 hours of lectures, a 2 hour dialogue session, 3 hours of background reading and thinking about the content and 2 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including lectures and dialogue sessions to complete components of the course.

Lectures and dialogue sessions will be available as recordings. Some other learning activities and resources, including components of the dialogue sessions, will be available on-line via CANVAS.

The activities for the course are scheduled in two weekly timetable consisting of four one hour lectures and a two hour dialogue session based around a central theme for the course.

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. Students are encouraged to read around each topic and each of the lecturers provides suggestions on possible sources of material for further reading to complement the content presented in lectures. Some background material is also provided via CANVAS, as is copies of all in class presentations.
A reference of a general nature you may find useful is:
Brake, L., Peart, R. 2015. Sustainable Seas: Managing our marine environment. Environmental Defence Society, Auckland. 418 pp.
Copies of this book are available in the General Library of the University.
A Talis reading list is available for the course, which includes a reading list specifically designed to assist with the practical assignment.

Health & Safety

A health and safety briefing will be provided to students who elect to attend any off campus field trip.

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.

The course co-ordinator is exploring expanded Mātauranga Māori component to the course in response to changes in university priorities and student feedback. Further enhancements in this area will be included in the coming year, as well as the continuation of a departmental Tuakana tutor to assist with the course.

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.

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.