Conservation Biology (8898.2)

Required texts

There is no required text for this Unit. However, the following books are recommended reading:

Krebs, C. (2008) The Ecological World View. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood.

Lindenmayer, D.B. and Burgman, M.A. (2005) Practical Conservation Biology. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood.

Primack, R.B. (2014) Essentials in Conservation Biology. Sinauer Associates, Inc., Publishers, Sunderland Massachusetts, USA; ISBN 978-1-60535-289-3.

Lindenmayer, D., MacGregor, C., Dexter, N. and Fortescue, M. (2014) Booderee National Park: the jewel of Jervis Bay. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood.

These books are available on short loan from the library or as an e-book, and can be purchased through the University Cooperative Bookshop.

Relevant scientific journal articles will be available through the Moodle site.

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

All written assessment items must be uploaded to Moodle by the due date and time. Exceptions are the presentations in person and the in-class quiz as per the details provided.

Students will be asked to confirm the following online declaration at the point of submission.  I certify that:

• the attached assignment is my own work and no part of this work has been written for me by any other person except where such collaboration has been authorised by the lecturer/s concerned;

• material drawn from other sources has been fully acknowledged as to author/creator, source and other bibliographic details according to unit-specific requirements for referencing; and

• no part of this work has been submitted for assessment in any other unit in this or another Faculty except where authorised by the lecturer/s concerned. 

Late submission of assignments

When a student does not submit an assessment task on or before the due date and time, their mark will be reduced by five percentage points per day from the total mark available (e.g. if an assessment was submitted three days late a mark of 70% would be reduced to 55%, or put another way, if a student was awarded 21 out of 30 and submitted three days late their mark would be reduced to 16.5 out of 30), up to a maximum of seven days at which time the assignment will no longer be accepted, unless there are approved extenuating circumstances.

Extensions: Extensions must be applied for before the due date 

Students can apply for an extension to the submission due date for an assessment item on the grounds of illness or other unavoidable and verifiable personal circumstances. Documentary evidence will be required for an extension to be granted.

It should be noted that such documentation will be considered but will not guarantee that the application will be successful. The Unit Convenor will decide whether to grant an extension and the length of the extension.

Responsibility for understanding

If there is any doubt with regard to the requirements of any particular assignments or assessment procedure, the onus for clarifying the issue rests with the student who should contact the unit Convener or tutor. Further, it is the responsibility of students to ensure that they are correctly enrolled in the unit and that the tutor and Student Administration have their correct contact details.

Special assessment requirements

An aggregated mark of 50% is required to pass the unit.

In addition, students must:

• complete and submit all assessment items for marking;
• pass (or have already passed) the Academic Integrity Module (AIM);
• achieve a mark of at least 50% in the in-class quiz.

 The Unit Convenor reserves the right to question students orally on any of their submitted work.

Academic integrity

Students have a responsibility to uphold University standards on ethical scholarship. Good scholarship involves building on the work of others and use of others' work must be acknowledged with proper attribution made. Cheating, plagiarism, and falsification of data are dishonest practices that contravene academic values. Refer to the University's Student Charter for more information.

To enhance understanding of academic integrity, all students are expected to complete the Academic Integrity Module (AIM) at least once during their course of study. You can access this module within UCLearn (Canvas) through the 'Academic Integrity and Avoiding Plagiarism' link in the Study Help site.

Use of Text-Matching Software

The University of Canberra uses text-matching software to help students and staff reduce plagiarism and improve understanding of academic integrity. The software matches submitted text in student assignments against material from various sources: the internet, published books and journals, and previously submitted student texts.

Participation requirements

Your participation in lectures and tutorials will enhance your understanding of the unit content and is required to complete the assessment tasks. Students are expected to participate in all lectures and tutorial/practical classes. The in-class quiz will be given in the tutorial session of week 13 (i.e. 2 November).

Attendance at the four-day field trip is mandatory. If you have a concern about your participation in the field class, that for example, relates to a health problem or disability or extreme personal circumstances, please speak to the Unit Convenor before the end of week 2 (19 August).

Required IT skills

Students will need basic computer skills in generic programs including web browsers, email and Microsoft Office software. The written reports must be in word processor format, readable by MS Word 2007. All written assessment items are to be uploaded to the unit Moodle website.

In-unit costs

Prior to departing for the field class (i.e. before Friday of Week 6 – 12 September), students will need to pay for accommodation and food costs for the field trip. Further information and the final costs will be provided in class and on the unit Moodle website.  

Work placement, internships or practicums

None

Additional information

Foundation of Unit

This unit involves research-led education and work-integrated learning. There are active researchers delivering this unit who are able to engage students in active learning and transmit to students their passion for the research they are carrying out. The unit will give students the opportunity to develop relevant skills and demonstrate their capacity to apply their knowledge and understanding to address novel conservation problems.

Provision of information to the group

Notifications through the Moodle Announcements Forum or the Moodle Discussion Forums are deemed to be made to the whole class.  It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they check for announcements on the Unit's Moodle website (Moodle forum messages are also emailed to student email addresses only).  Students should ensure they check their student email regularly.  The Moodle discussion forums will be checked regularly.

Use of student email account

The University Email policy states that "students wishing to contact the University via email regarding administrative or academic matters need to send the email from the University account for identity verification purposes".  Therefore all unit enquiries should be emailed using a student university email account. Students should contact servicedesk@canberra.edu.au if they have any issues accessing their university email account.

Absences

In all cases of absence, sickness or personal problems it is the student's responsibility to ensure that the Unit Convenor is informed. The minimum participation requirement must be met in order to pass the unit (regardless of supporting documentation)

• Semester 2, 2016, On-Campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (151172)
• Semester 2, 2015, On-Campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (139345)