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Unit of Study ENVR1001 - Science and Global Challenges (2022)

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Unit Snapshot

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Unit description

Introduces students to the role of science in understanding complex socio-ecological interactions involved in our biggest global challenges, including climate change, land degradation, biodiversity loss, pollution and overfishing. Students will build an understanding of the foundations, philosophies and ethics that underpin science, exploring the role of science in society and vice versa. Engaging with complexity and Indigenous thinking enables students to develop creative solutions to complex global challenges.  This unit also supports students to develop foundational academic skills, including literature searching, referencing, collaboration, critical thinking, academic writing and science-communication.

Unit content

Using case studies of globally important environmental challenges, the following will be explored:

1. Science and Philosophy: exploring the scientific method, the history of science philosophy, indigenous knowledge and complex systems thinking

2. People and Planet: populations, socio-ecological systems and our impact on the planet

3. Land and Water: agricultural, landscape and freshwater challenges

4. Oceans: issues with pollution and open access resources

5. Climate change and complex interactions

6. Critical Issues for Science and Global Challenges

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
Gold Coast
Term1
Term1
Lismore
Term1,5
Term1,5
National Marine Science Centre Coffs Harbour
Term1
Term1
Online
Term1,5
Term1,5

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

critically examine the value and limitations of science in addressing global challenges, including the philosophical underpinnings of science, complexity thinking and Indigenous knowledges

demonstrate the foundational academic skills required to produce, critique and reflect on science-based communications

devise creative approaches for engaging different stakeholder groups in complex environmental challenges

collaborate in a scholarly and professional setting.

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.