Course Coordinator:Theresa Ashford (tashford@usc.edu.au) School:School of Law and Society
UniSC Sunshine CoastUniSC Moreton Bay |
Blended learning | Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online. |
Online |
Online | You can do this course without coming onto campus. |
Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
If you are interested in exploring how the planet works then this is the course for you! This introductory physical geography course investigates the lithosphere, hydrosphere, weather and climate and the biosphere and how humans are impacting these ancient physical systems. You will develop “writing the earth” report writing skills using professional geographical tools and datasets.
Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
Blended learning | |||
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – On Campus Tutorial | 2hrs | Week 1 | 10 times |
Learning materials – Weekly introduction and preparation material | 1hr | Week 1 | 13 times |
Online | |||
Learning materials – Weekly introduction and preparation material | 1hr | Week 1 | 13 times |
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Synchronous tutorial | 2hrs | Week 1 | 10 times |
The Geographers tool kit
The big picture: Climate Change
Lithosphere – deep history
Atmosphere – weather and climate
Hydrosphere – water and waves
Biosphere – biodiversity under threat
Physical geography investigations
100 Level (Introductory)
12 units
Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | Professional Standard Mapping * Australian Learning & Teaching Council | |
1 | Describe and apply foundational geographical concepts and principles of place, space, scale, interaction, environment and sustainability. | Knowledgeable |
1
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2 | Demonstrate spatial and temporal thinking and awareness. | Empowered |
1, 3 |
3 | Describe and explain core physical geography systems and processes | Knowledgeable |
1, 3 |
4 | Apply geographical knowledge to evaluate the sustainability of human-environment interactions in a region/place. | Sustainability-focussed |
3
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5 | Search, select, analyse and structure information to communicate geographical perspectives and knowledge using different textual forms including maps. | Engaged |
6
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CODE | COMPETENCY |
Australian Learning & Teaching Council | |
1 | Knowing: Demonstrate a coherent geographical understanding of trends, processes and impacts that shape Australian and other environments and/or societies at different spatial and temporal scales. |
3 | Thinking: Apply geographical thought creatively, critically and appropriately to specific spaces, places and/or environments. |
6 | Communicating: Communicate geographical perspectives and knowledge effectively to specialist and non-specialist audiences using appropriately selected written, oral and visual means. |
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Not applicable
Not applicable
ENP100
Not applicable
Standard Grading (GRD)
High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
There is an early (Week 3) low weighted quiz that sets the tone and the types of material covered in the course.
Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
All | 1 | Quiz/zes | Individual | 15% | 2 hour window and should take less than an hour. |
Week 3 | Online Submission |
All | 2 | Report | Individual | 40% | Four reports (10% each) 500 words each Figure titles, tables and references not included in word count |
Throughout teaching period (refer to Format) | Online Submission |
All | 3 | Report | Individual | 45% | 1200 words |
Exam Period | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All - Assessment Task 1:Climate Change and COP26 | |
Goal: | This foundational quiz is designed for you to demonstrate your understanding of key IPCC scientific findings and related UN working groups. |
Product: | Quiz/zes |
Format: | online multi choice and short answer |
Criteria: |
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All - Assessment Task 2:Physical Geography Systems | |
Goal: | The purpose of this task is for you to demonstrate your competency to describe and apply knowledge of physical geography systems. |
Product: | Report |
Format: | Each of the four exercises will be introduced in the tutorial. Each system description will be produced using relevant communication methods including maps, images, graphs and text. Lithosphere due Week 4 Friday Atmosphere due Week 6 Friday Hydrosphere due Week 10 Friday Biosphere due Week 12 Friday |
Criteria: |
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All - Assessment Task 3:Queensland Globe Investigation | |
Goal: | You will evaluate the sustainability of environment-human interactions in a region or place. You will draw on primary data of the four physical systems and describe key relations, impacts, drivers of change and implications of climate change on your landscape. |
Product: | Report |
Format: | Academic Report 1200 words – this is a sharp and concise piece of work. APA referencing Primary data used All referencing, tables or figure titles are not included in the word count |
Criteria: |
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A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Not applicable
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying: The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4% The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct
Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: - 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.
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