Unit Outline

The most complex and important challenges facing societies today bring together concerns about environmental, political, economic, and cultural sustainability. Guided by an interdisciplinary teaching team with expertise in life sciences, social sciences, and business, you will explore ways that you and others can act as agents of change for sustainability. You will work individually and in collaborative teams to analyse root problems, develop feasible action plans, and communicate about sustainability transitions to target audiences. Acknowledging the essential importance of just and democratic action to achieving sustainability, you will take account of Indigenous perspectives, diverse values, social power, and your own positioning. Global sustainability challenges will be grounded in diverse contexts from Tasmania and around the world. Drawing inspiration from the stories of other change agents, you will be empowered to advocate and catalyse practical change through organisational, professional, civic, and personal action. This unit forms the capstone of the Sustainability Major that can be completed in the BSc or in any other undergraduate degree that provides elective space. It can also be taken as a stand-alone elective.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1.	Analyse the roles, values, and practices of sustainability change agents by critically integrating environmental, political, cultural, and economic knowledge in diverse settings and across scales.
2.	Analyse a global sustainability challenge and design a sustainability transition plan, individually and in teams, to guide diverse change agents in a specific context.
3.	Communicate persuasively, ethically, and reflectively through varied means, individually and in teams, to advocate for sustainability transitions.

Alterations as a result of student feedback

The teaching team is very grateful to the students of 2023 who generously helped refine the unit in its first year of delivery, especially in relation to assessment task descriptions and assessment criteria.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	AT1: Discussion	Week 2	30 %	LO1, LO3
Assessment Task 2:	AT2: Mapping a sustainability challenge	Week 5	20 %	LO1, LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 3:	AT3: Sustainability Transition Plan	Week 9	50 %	LO1, LO2, LO3

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: AT1: Discussion

Task Description:

Submit to the MyLO Discussion Board one or more posts comprising a minimum of 200 words in total for EACH of the SIX (6) modules in the unit (i.e., 6 x 200 words). Demonstrate understanding of and engage critically with Module materials, including talks, readings, and activities. You are also encouraged to respond to the discussion posts of peers.
The aim of AT1 is to: 1) demonstrate your learning about the role of change agents in social transitions towards sustainability, and 2) enhance your learning and that of peers through constructive, critical and reflective discussion.

Task Length:

1200-1500 words (posts in each of 6 Modules of a total of 200-250 words)

Due Date:

Week 2

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Drawing on unit materials and self-reflection, describe and critically evaluate the role of change agents in sustainability transitions	LO1, LO3
2	Drawing on unit materials, critically integrate environmental, political, cultural, and economic knowledge about sustainability challenges.	LO1
3	Contribute constructively to discussion respectfully with peers.	LO3
4	Write clearly and persuasively, fully referencing all sources used.	LO3

Assessment Task 2: AT2: Mapping a sustainability challenge

Task Description:

The focus of AT2 (the map) is on diagnosing (analytically mapping) the root problems and underlying concerns within a global sustainability challenge.
Working collaboratively in teams, select and analyse a global sustainability challenge by mapping key processes, contexts, actors, and concerns.
PART A (10%, Due Friday Week 5)
As a group you will produce a visually engaging diagram (infographic, concept map, systems map, …) that identifies key components of your chosen challenge.

PART B (10%, 500 words +/-10%, Due Friday Week 6)
Working individually: 1) explain the context of the challenge; 2) describe the main insights offered by the diagram and 3) reflect on your own position in relation to the challenge. Support your claims with credible sources.

Task Length:

A - map/diagram (group) (10%, Sunday Week 5) B - 500 word description (individual) (10%, Sunday Week 6)

Due Date:

Week 5

Weight:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Integrate environmental, political, cultural, and economic knowledge about sustainability	LO1
2	Critically identify key processes, contexts, actors and concerns relating to a global sustainability challenge.	LO1, LO2
3	Support evidence-based claims with credible sources and fully acknowledge all sources used	LO3
4	In Part A, collaboratively design a visually engaging diagram (map, infographic...).	LO2, LO3
5	In Part A, work collaboratively as a team.	LO2
6	In Part B, explain the context of the sustainability challenge and the main insights offered by the map and reflect on your own position in relation to this challenge.	LO1, LO2, LO3

Assessment Task 3: AT3: Sustainability Transition Plan

Task Description:

Work in the same teams as for AT2.
Part A – Pitch (10%, Week 9)
For the global challenge identified in AT2, identify a specific practical context (this could be a specific place, practice, problem etc...) in which to advance a sustainability transition. Pitch a draft Transition Plan outlining feasible actions and relevant change agents. Teams will advocate for peers to support their plan.

Part B – Design/Plan (25%, Friday Week 12)
Working individually, write a 1200 word (+/-10%) Plan addressed to a target audience of potential change agents (each team member will address a different audience, as agreed with the team and one of the teaching team). The Plan will propose actions relevant to the chosen audience that address a specific sustainability challenge.

Part C - Exhibit (15%, Week 13)
Working in your team, collaboratively develop and present, for a diverse audience, a 15 minute audio-visual exhibit that creatively and persuasively communicates your Sustainability Transition Plan.

Teamwork assessment (Parts A & C): Peer assessment will be used to help evaluate team collaboration and individual contributions.

Task Length:

A - 10 min group presentation (10%) B - 1000-1200 word Individual Plan (25%) C- Group exhibit/15 min group presentation (15%)

Due Date:

Week 9

Weight:

50 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	In Part A, collaboratively design and pitch to peers a draft sustainability transition plan outlining how change agents can integrate political, cultural, economic and environmental goals in addressing a global challenge in a specific context	LO1, LO2
2	In Part B, target your team's transition plan to the context of a stakeholder audience, describing clear goals, strategies and feasible implementation steps for this group to act as change agents in achieving integrated goals.	LO2, LO3
3	In Part C, collaboratively create an exhibit to persuasively communicate to diverse stakeholders through spoken and visual means a sustainability transition plan to responding to a global challenge in a specific context.	LO2, LO3
4	Write and speak clearly and persuasively, fully referencing any sources used.	LO3
5	Engage constructively and reflectively with feedback from peers and work collaboratively as a team.	LO2, LO3

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.