The course applies the principles of ecosystem sciences to the study of the human environment. The emphasis is on the significance and function of ecosystems, how humans have affected these systems over time, and what are the opportunities of and barriers to making positive changes. Dynamical systems thinking and the concept of coupled social ecological system is introduced as a powerful means of comprehending the behaviour of these complex situations. Field trips allow students to experience first-hand the complexity of these human-ecological interactions and the challenges of managing them sustainably. In the latter half of the course, human-nature interactions over human history are critically reviewed, including hunter gatherer societies, early agricultural societies and modern globalised urban and industrial societies. Some key contemporary challenges facing humanity in the Anthropocene are presented for critical reflection. Students extend their understanding of one of these challenges in their final research report and presentation.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Demonstrate a basic understanding of Human Ecology, including knowledge of the history and background to the topic.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of key linkages between ecosystem and social processes and how they relate to human-nature interactions, and to integrate this understanding with knowledge drawn from their own degree backgrounds.
3. Use a basic systems approach to ‘get at' an understanding of the complex, multi-scaled, interactions that characterize human-ecological situations, and their associated problems.
4. Apply this understanding in to a significant contemporary challenge facing humanity in the Anthropocene.
5. Communicate human ecological systems approaches to social-environmental challenges to a range of audiences in effective written and oral form.

Research-Led Teaching

Through workshops and readings the course develops a systems based approach to interdisciplinary research into complex human-environmental problems. These concepts

are applied to analyse research being done to foster transitions to sustainable futures. The students then develop and undertake research into one of five topical areas of concern covered in later lectures, reading, and tutorial. These are recorded as short audio-visual presentations.

Field Trips

There is a three-day field trip to the Snowy Mountains leaving on the morning of the Friday of week five of term, returning on the afternoon of the following Sunday. Details of the field trip will be given early in the course. The field trip is highly recommended, but not compulsory. Students choosing to not attend must devote an equivalent amount of time to an alternative desk-based study of the same topic.

Additional Course Costs

There are additional field trip fees of approximately $120 applicable to participation in this course (payment to ANU Science Shop). 

Required Resources

There are no additional resources required although purchase of the textbook Understanding Human Ecology is recommended (an electronic copy is in the ANU library).

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

1. Written feedback will be given on all submitted assignments

2. Written comments will be made on systems diagrams, where used

3. Verbal comments will be made on tutorial contributions

4. Verbal comments to the whole class will be made on general issues in assignments

5. Individual feedback will be given upon request.

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Other Information

Adjustments to delivery in 2020

Course delivery and assessment in 2020 was adjusted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Any information below that replaces what was published in the Class Summary for Semester 1, 2020 was approved by the Associate Dean Education (as is required after 10% commencement of a course). Where an activity or assessment is not referenced below, it remains unchanged.

Teaching Activities

• Lectures were pre-recorded recorded using Echo360 and available through Wattle instead of in person delivery.
• Tutorials were conducted live via Zoom at originally scheduled timeslot instead of in person delivery.

Assessment

Adjustments were made to assignment due dates; for details see the course Wattle site.

• Tutorial starter questions were posted as a Wattle short-answer quiz. This was not assessed, but was used as evidence of tutorial preparation.
• Field trip report was only available in its ‘non-travelling’ version, which was previously an option for students unable to travel on the field trip.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Theme: What is the Challenge? Lecture 1A Introduction: Course outline, proposed assessment and presumed knowledge Lecture 1B What is Human Ecology? What is the challenge and what conceptual tools will you need to meet it Tutorial Consultation on course outline and assessment followed by exercise on the need for collaborative teams in complex problem solving.
2	Lecture 2A Our Place in the Biosphere: Some evolutionary and ecological perspective Lecture 2B Evolving approaches to Human Ecology A brief history of some key ideas Tutorial What is the Challenge?
3	Theme: Variables and Processes Driving Change in Human-Environmental Systems Lecture 3A Fundamental Environmental Processes What makes life possible? Lecture 3B Justice, Fairness, Wellbeing What makes life worthwhile? Tutorial Conspiring. Collaboration and coordination for collective action on shared problems
4	Theme: The Snowy Mountains Field Trip Lecture 4A Unraveling Complexity Simple yet powerful concepts underpinning systems thinking Continuing the Snowy Mountains Field Trip case study Lecture 4B It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time: ?Introducing the Snowy Mountains Field Trip case study Tutorial The ecology of the high country and the impact of contested values and behaviour.
5	Lecture 5A It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time: Continuing the Snowy Mountains Field Trip case study Lecture 5B No lecture. Buses depart for Snowy Mountain Field Trip Tutorial Snowy Mountain stakeholder exercise	Field trip 27 - 29 March 2020 (The Snowy Mountains)
6	Lecture 6A What Was That All About? The field trip in review Lecture 6B Field Report Guide What is in the rubric? Tutorial Clarification of issues encountered during the field trip and discussion on how to approach the field trip report
7	Theme: The Rise of the Anthropocene Lecture 7A Filling the Earth: From hunting and gathering to the rise of the city – ideas that changed the world Lecture 7B The Joy of Cola Profiling modern consumer society Tutorial Technometabolism. Energy/emergy, material, and information flows in modern society
8	Lecture 8A Formal and Informal Institutions: Regulating collective behaviour Lecture 8B Future Scenarios: Where are we heading and is that what we want? Tutorial Culture as a force in nature	Assessment Field Trip report due (40%)
9	Theme: Solutions Lecture 9A Inclusion as an Ecological Imperative: Further issues in justice and fairness Lecture 9B Visioning Working together Tutorial Bring your own solution from The Solutions journal. Present and critically explain it and its relevance to the class in five minutes
10	Lecture 10A Material Stocks and Flows Analysis: Measuring progress towards sustainability Lecture 10B Cyclical Economies The world without waste Tutorial Developing a material stocks and flows analysis for your final project.
11	Theme: Celebrating the Anthropocene Lecture 11A Healthy People on a Healthy Planet The benefits of co-benefits Lecture 11B Eat food, not too much, mostly plants, mostly local Tutorial Virtual tutorial – listen to 2 podcasts: Consuming our Future; & The Art of Frugal Hedonism.
12	Lecture 12A Can We Consume Our Way to Sustainability? Re-configuring the role of producers and consumers Lecture 12B Celebrating the Anthropocene: ?Linking sustainability, environmental responsibility, and human well-being Tutorial No readings. All students give a summary report of progress on their Pecha-Kucha

Tutorial Registration

Tutorial registration via Wattle site

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Tutorial Participation	10 %	24/02/2020	29/05/2020	1,2
Complete Online Systems-Thinking Modules	10 %	24/02/2020	26/03/2020	1,2
Field Trip Report	40 %	14/04/2020	04/05/2020	1,2,3,4
Pecha Kucha Seminar Report	40 %	04/06/2020	02/07/2020	2,4,5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Integrity . In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Active participation in, and contribution to, tutorials is required.

Examination(s)

There is no formal examination for this course.

Assessment Task 1

Tutorial Participation

Active participation in, and contribution to, tutorials and workshops, is required. Each week’s readings will be accompanied by some ‘starter questions’. These are designed to initiate the conversation, but you are encouraged to expand with your own interests. If you just come to tutorials and do not contribute you will not get a high grade. Attendance at 10 out of 12 tutorial and workshop sessions is a course requirement.

Assessment Task 2

Complete Online Systems-Thinking Modules

There are ten short online learning modules designed to build and test your systems-thinking capabilities. The modules build on material given in lectures, readings, and tutorials across the first half of the semester. You are free to complete the modules any time that you like, but you must complete them by 26 March, before the field trip (or its alternative assessment). The modules reveal correct answers or provide model answers to most exercises and test questions, after you have submitted responses.  You get one grade point per module that you complete.

Assessment Task 3

Field Trip Report

The three-day field trip to the Snowy Mountains will present you with a wide range of perspectives from different stakeholders. Your task is to select two stakeholders (from a range of current and historically active groups) who are or were in conflict because their activities both affect (or are affected by) the same ecosystem service, and set out how this conflict came about, what have been its social and ecological consequences, and what might now be done about it.

You must describe what aspect of the environment is bringing the two parties into conflict, assuming the same finite stock of environmental resources cannot equally satisfy the demands of both.

It is a requirement that your discussion shows at least two properly notated system diagrams, one for each stakeholder, and reveals the common element bringing the two into conflict. The variables that you discuss will be both quantifiable, in which case you should provide at least approximate figures or estimates, as well as qualitative elements which might not be ‘countable’ but which you still should include. For both, you should be say how, meaning in which ‘direction’, the amount of the variable is changing over time.

You must as fairly and accurately as possible set out the values and beliefs of both parties, describe the main institutions or rules that are governing their behaviour, and say what social benefits they see (or saw) as arising from what they do (or did), including to whom these benefits are, or should be, flowing.

Finally, you should argue, with evidence, whether the current situation is just and sustainable and, if it is not, what might be plausibly done to improve it. The tools you need to complete this task will be extensively covered in the first weeks of the course, before the field trip.

Due date: 5pm Tuesday 14th April. 

Word limit: 2,000 words. 

Value: 40%

Presentation requirements: Submit via wattle.

Estimated return date: week commencing 27 April

Rubric: Please refer to course outline on Wattle

Individual Assessment in Group Tasks: This is an individual task. If you collaborate by sharing data gathered and observations made that is fine, but the submitted report must be your own. Reports containing material copied from each other will be treated as plagiarized and subject to the university’s rules on plagiarization.

Assessment Task 4

Pecha Kucha Seminar Report

Synthesis of course content via one of five focus questions. Each of these topics is covered in lectures and tutorials in the second half of the course. You are also expected to conduct independent research into your topic, just as you would for any essay. There will be a workshop and online instructions in how to create and record a pecha kucha presentation in the second half of the course.

You are to present your response to one of the questions in Pecha Kucha format. Pecha Kucha requires 20 powerpoint slides each automatically set to advance on 20 seconds. The resulting presentation is exactly six minutes and forty seconds long. You are to record your presentation and save it as a video and upload it to Wattle. You are able to re-record your presentation as often as you like until you get a version you are happy with. You are also to submit a version of your presentation where your speaker’s notes are saved against each slide. The word count is determined by how quickly you speak, but as you should speak slowly you should aim for about forty words a slide and hence a total word count of 800 words. The 10% penalty limit will apply, but largely to stop you trying to speak too quickly. Your bibliography is not included in your word count, and in-text referencing can be informal. Pecha Kucha are intended to be largely visual, some insist on no words at all. You are allowed headings and some dot points, if you wish, but you should work on making your presentation visually attractive. You will have opportunities to rehearse this in class. Each topic is covered in lecture and tutorial, but will require extensive additional independent research, including in most instances you finding at least one case example to illustrate your position with.

Due date: 5pm Thursday June 4th

Estimated return date: At the close of the course.

“Word” limit: 6 minutes and 40 seconds for video; 800 words for script

Rubric: Please refer to course outline on Wattle

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically, committing to honest and responsible scholarly practice and upholding these values with respect and fairness.

The ANU commits to assisting all members of our community to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle and Academic Misconduct Rule, uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with.

The Academic Misconduct Rule is in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Very minor breaches of the academic integrity principle may result in a reduction of marks of up to 10% of the total marks available for the assessment. The ANU offers a number of online and in person services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. Visit the Academic Skills website for more information about academic integrity, your responsibilities and for assistance with your assignments, writing skills and study.

Online Submission

Assignments that can be are submitted using Turnitin in the course Wattle site. You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the

submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records.

Hardcopy Submission

Submit across Wattle. If you submit in hard copy form you have include hard copies of all your referenced material. This is a university rule. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure.

The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request it in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

Comments will be made online to assignments submitted across Wattle and return via Wattle.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Assignments submitted across Wattle can be resubmitted up until the due date. No resubmission is possible after that.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students