Unit Outline

In this unit you will learn how soil characteristics including physical, chemical and biological properties underpin and inform the development and implementation of soil management strategies. You will investigate how soil health, plant productivity and ecosystem services can be influenced by land use, management practices and agricultural production activities. You will also explore how effective and sustainable soil management strategies can maintain and improve soil form and function in different ecological landscapes.

This unit also incorporates learning through practice by exposing you to authentic learning experiences. These experiences are placed at the centre of learning and assessment to provide you with opportunities to develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours necessary to respond to industry, community and/or global needs.

Through a range of learning experiences you will be introduced to:

· methods, practices and approaches relative to sustainable soil management;

· comparative analysis of soils to identify opportunities and limitations for agricultural production;

· ways of understanding problems associated with soil management and developing solutions.

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.	Explain how soil characteristics underpin and inform management strategies.
2.	Evaluate the impact of agricultural production activities on soil characteristics.
3.	Develop strategies that maintain and improve soil form and function in different ecological landscapes.
4.	Evaluate uptake and adoption of sustainable soil management strategies and practices.

Requisites

REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Anti-requisite (mutual excl)	ZAB203

Alterations as a result of student feedback

The number of assessment tasks has been reduced from four to three.

Teaching arrangements

ATTENDANCE MODE	TEACHING TYPE	LEARNING ACTIVITY	CONTACT HOURS	FREQUENCY
On Campus	Tutorial	9 x online 90 minute tutorials.	1.50	Study Period 9 times
	Workshop	1 x 3 hour online workshop.	3	Study Period 1 time
	Fieldwork	1 optional course wide field trip in week 5, and a possible second optional field trip in week 11.	8	Study Period 2 times
Online	Tutorial (Online)	9 x online 90 minute tutorials.	1.50	Study Period 9 times
	Workshop (Online)	1 x 3 hour online workshop.	3	Study Period 1 time
	Fieldwork	1 optional course wide field trip in week 5, and a possible second optional field trip in week 11.	8	Study Period 2 times

Attendance / engagement expectations

If your unit is offered On campus, it is expected that you will attend all on-campus and onsite learning activities. This is to support your own learning and the development of a learning community within the unit. If you are unable to attend regularly, please discuss the situation with your course coordinator and/or our UConnect support team.

If your unit is offered Online, it is expected you will engage in all those activities as indicated in the Unit Outline, including any self-directed learning.

If you miss a learning activity for a legitimate reason (e.g., illness, carer responsibilities) teaching staff will attempt to provide alternative activities (e.g., make up readings) where it is possible.

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:	AT 1: Soil Characterisation	Week 3	25 %	LO1, LO2
Assessment Task 2:	AT2: Soil Management Scenario Analysis	Week 8	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 3:	AT3: Soil management case study	Week 13	45 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: AT 1: Soil Characterisation

Task Description:

You will use practical hands-on techniques to collect and assess soil samples. You will identify and describe characteristics of your soil samples and discuss the relevance of the characteristics to agricultural production.

Task Length:

800 words plus references and photos or images with captions

Due Date:

Week 3

Weight:

25 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)

1	Assess characteristics of different soil types.	LO1
2	Explain characteristics of different soil types.	LO1
3	Assess relationships between soil characteristics and agricultural production.	LO2
4	Communicate ideas and information on the topic of soil characteristics.	LO2

Assessment Task 2: AT2: Soil Management Scenario Analysis

Task Description:

You will be provided with information for a range of real-world scenarios of agricultural production enterprises.

You will analyse and evaluate the information provided in the scenarios and write a report.

Task Length:

1000 words plus references

Due Date:

Week 8

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)

1	Explain how soil characteristics underpin and inform management strategies.	LO1
2	Evaluate relationships between soil characteristics and agricultural production.	LO2
3	Explain how soil management strategies and practices influence soil form and function.	LO3
4	Evaluate uptake and adoption of management strategies and practices.	LO4

Assessment Task 3: AT3: Soil management case study

Task Description:

You will develop a soil management plan for an agricultural production system. Development of the plan will require you to work on a case study of an actual or hypothetical agricultural production site. You will select the site to base your case study on. The type of production system, scale of operation and location of the site is your decision. You may work on an existing production system or propose a new production system.

You will assess the site and develop a soil management strategy for that site. In your report, you will also identify and evaluate factors that may influence uptake and adoption of your proposed management practices, including potential barriers to adoption.

Task Length:

1500 words plus references and photos or images with captions

Due Date:

Week 13

Weight:

45 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)

1	Explain how soil characteristics underpin and inform management strategies.	LO1
2	Evaluate relationships between soil characteristics and agricultural production.	LO2
3	Develop strategies that maintain and improve soil form and function in ecological landscapes.	LO3
4	Evaluate uptake and adoption of management strategies and practices.	LO4

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.

Required Resources

Required reading materials

Required readings will be provided by the Unit Coordinator.

Recommended reading materials

Recommended readings will be provided by the Unit Coordinator.

Other required resources

Not applicable.