Science Course Outline Template

FACULTY OF SCIENCE

SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

BIOS3123 BIOS9123

CONSERVATION IN PRACTICE Flatback Turtle Nesting Survey

SUMMER SESSION, 2014-5 Table of Contents

1. Information about the Course 2 2. Staff Involved in the Course 2 3. Course Details 3 4. Rationale and Strategies Underpinning the Course 7 5. Course Schedule 7 6. Assessment Tasks and Feedback 8 BIOS3123 Assessment Tasks 8 BIOS9123 Assessment Tasks 9 7. Additional Resources and Support 10 8. Required Equipment, Training and Enabling Skills 10 10. Administration Matters 11 11. UNSW Academic Honesty and Plagiarism 12

1 BIOS3123/9123 Conservation in Practice - Course Outline

1. Information about the Course

Year of Delivery 2014-5

Course Code BIOS3123/BIOS9123

Course Name Conservation in Practice: Flatback turtle nesting survey

Academic Unit School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences

Level of Course 3rd Year Elective / Postgraduate Elective

Units of Credit 6UOC

Session(s) Offered Summer Semester Assumed Knowledge, Prerequisites or Co- requisites Commencement Date November 23rd 2014

Summary of Course Structure (for details see 'Course Schedule')

Component Time Day Location Group 1: 23rd-30th November 2014 Field trip Week intensive program Group 2: 30th Avoid Island, QLD November – 7th December 2014 This course is undertaken predominantly off campus and contact hours are mostly limited to the field trip.

Further information will be available electronically however this course will involve Special Details personal initiative and autonomy to be demonstrated by the students. This course will incur costs to the students for the field trip and travel to/from Avoid Island from Sydney. All academic and administration requirements are covered through usual university fees.

2. Staff Involved in the Course

Staff Role Name Contact Details Consultation Times Course Convenor Associate Lecturer [email protected] By email or visit rm 550 Jaz Lawes Additional Teaching Lecturers & Jaz Lawes [email protected] By email Staff Facilitators Nancy FitzSimmons Andrew Elphinstone [email protected]

Tutors & Amanda Scrivenor Demonstrators Other Support Jonathan Russell [email protected] Staff Renee Chapman [email protected]

2 3. Course Details

1 Course Description This course is an advanced practical intensive in conservation management of (Handbook Entry) endangered species and habitats endemic to Australia. The course is run as an intensive field-based course in conjunction with actual conservation management strategies currently in place for particular endangered species. The practical component for the conservation practices involving the data-deficient Flatback marine turtle rookery on Avoid Island, QLD. Students will receive advanced practical training in monitoring strategies for this endangered species and the implementation of their conservation programs. Student will participate in all aspects of these management surveys. Practical training will include current surveying methods, active monitoring techniques of endangered species and their associated habitats and threats, as well as some data analyses. Students will also develop a realistic understanding of the financial and logistical constraints placed on conservation management strategies and the facilitation of sustainable conservation management programs.

2 Course Aims This field-based course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn about endangered species and their ecology alongside industry professionals. BIOS3123/9123 provides a unique opportunity to gain insight about ecological research and industry with practical experience. Students will employ different techniques involved in researching and monitoring an endangered species, collect data and be able to demonstrate their understanding by reporting their findings in the form of a project proposal.

1 UNSW Handbook: http://www.handbook.unsw.edu.au 2 Learning and Teaching Unit: Course Outlines 3 Student Learning There are ten learning outcomes expected from this course: Outcomes3 a) Demonstrate an understanding of the current conservation management practices of endangered species/habitats with a focus on those employed in marine turtle conservation; b) Demonstrate proficiency in surveying methods via practical assessments; c) Develop skills using technical research equipment: carapace measurements, microchip insertion and scanners, and field guides; d) Become familiar with mandatory limitations on animal capture, handling, intervention and research with respect to following approved animal ethics guidelines; e) Demonstrate an understanding of limitations placed on research regarding the ecology and individuality of the relationships between habitats and animals and our capacity to implement appropriate conservation management programs; f) Identify and implement appropriate techniques for marine turtle conservation in Queensland; g) Locate information on the conservation of endangered species in order to assess current conservation management plans and techniques; h) Communicate discipline specific information in a written format with appropriate referencing; i) Collaborate with colleagues to collect primary data that will allow you to make inferences regarding the ecology of Flatback turtles and propose strategies for the future conservation management within Queensland.

3 Learning and Teaching Unit: Learning Outcomes 4 Graduate Attributes Developed in this Course4

Select the level of Science Graduate FOCUS Activities / Assessment 5 Attributes 0 = NO FOCUS 1 = MINIMAL 2 = MINOR 3 = MAJOR Problem solving skills and flexibility will be demonstrated during field Research, inquiry and 3 exercises conducted on the fieldtrip and daily experience field analytical thinking activities allow critical thinking of current management practices, abilities while desk-top research is necessary for a literature review and a project proposal.

The course provides a practical experience of a conservation Capability and motivation 3 management of endangered species and exposure to industrial and for intellectual research professionals. The aim is to inspire and motivate students development to get involved in conservation management practices. Skills in accessing information are developed through practical and written assessment tasks.

The literature review is designed to encourage each student to think Ethical, social and 3 critically about current conservation management techniques professional research practices. The practical assessments will provide the understanding opportunity for student to demonstrate their understanding of the practical aspect of the course both individually and as a team. The final recovery project proposal allows students to demonstrate their understanding of current Australian conservation practices. Lectures from academics and industry professionals during the fieldtrip give an insight into how and why people become involved in different facets of conservation management.

Developing science communication skills is a large part of Communication 3 collaborative projects. You will be required to collaborate with your colleagues for an extended period of time during the fieldtrip; examined on practical aspects of the course with assessments; and to complete two written assessments (a literature review and a project proposal). Post-graduate students also have an oral presentation of their proposal to expand their verbal communication skills.

You will work collaboratively in small groups to conduct monitoring Teamwork, collaborative 3 practical activities during the field trip aiming to develop collaborative and management skills skills necessary for teamwork. All assessments are written up individually.

The course includes substantial exposure to the conservation Information literacy 3 management practices currently in place for marine turtles. Individual research undertaken by students for written desk-top assessments will build literacy in current available research literature on conservation management of endangered species.

4 Contextualised Science Graduate Attributes: http://www2.science.unsw.edu.au/guide/slatig/sciga.html 5 Major Topics (Syllabus Outline) Conservation management practices of endangered species with a focus on the conservation strategies currently in place for the data-deficient species Flatback turtle at Avoid Island (QLD).

Relationship to Other Courses within the This course is ideally taken as an elective, allowing students to demonstrate Program and apply skills learnt in courses such as:

Undergraduate: BIOS2061 – Vertebrate Zoology BIOS2011 – Evolutionary Physiology and Ecology BIOS3171 – Evolution BIOS3011 – Animal Behaviour BIOS3601 – Advanced Field Biology BIOS3671 – Conservation Biology and Biodiversity (Advanced Level)

Postgraduate: MSCI9001 – Conservation in Aquatic Ecosystems BIOS6671 – Biodiversity & Conservation of Natural Resources MSCI5001 – Topics in Marine Science MSCI6681 – Topics in Australian Marine Science BIOS9001 – Fundamental Knowledge in Environmental Management: Ecology

6 4. Rationale and Strategies Underpinning the Course

Teaching Strategies Our teaching philosophy is centered on the belief that effective learning is supported when students are actively engaged in the learning process and when this process is strongly linked to practical experiences and research. You are encouraged to take responsibility for your own learning through investigative research, analysis, and evaluation. Your communication and practical skills, information literacy and team-work abilities are developed in the context of the field of conservation management.

Rationale for learning and A literature review equips each student with a base of knowledge of current 5 teaching in this course , conservation management practices of endangered species. This also encourages critical thinking and awareness of limitations of working with endangered species or habitats. Practical experience in small groups with industry professionals is used to deliver practical content within the course and include the opportunity for questions and guided problem solving. The field trip is a challenging but fun exercise offering an opportunity to experience field research and conservation management while also developing practical and interpersonal skills. Students are guided in the process of developing and implementing conservation practices and assessment of these supported by their collected data and other peer-reviewed research. A field project proposal is used to assess the students’ comprehension and interpretation of the data gathered. Survey competency will be assessed as the practical component of the course where skills learnt in tracking, identification and health assessment are examined. This course encourages a community and communication between professionals and students as well as between mentors and peers. We believe this offers the opportunity to broaden their experience outside the Kensington campus. Communicating experiences commonly confirms ideas and enables extensive engagement within a program and enables rapid assimilation of new skills. The literature review and project proposal provide exposure to the primary scientific literature and encourage the development of information literacy.

5. Course Schedule

The contact hours for this course are predominantly during the field trips (2 groups; Group 1: 23rd to 30th November; Group 2: 30th November to 7th December 2014) with other contact and information communicated electronically.

Assessments (outlined below) and all relevant information will become available to students a minimum of 2 weeks prior to submission.

5Reflecting on your teaching 7 6. Assessment Tasks and Feedback

BIOS3123 Assessment Tasks

There are four mandatory assessments within this course:

25% Literature review – 1500 words Group 1 = 7/12/2014 Group 2 = 30/11/2014 Topic: Islands can present conservation opportunities as they are habitats thought to be easier to control. Discuss the benefits and challenges associated with incorporating islands into conservation strategies with a focus on one or two recovery programs (current or historical) for endangered habitats or species.

20% Practical Assessment – On-site at Avoid Island Group turtle health status assessment 20%

15% Reflective exercise – Due date: 4pm Wednesday 17th December 2014 The benefits of many skills and experiences you gain from practical experience will not be immediately obvious, but will become apparent through reflection of the processes and experiences in which you are engaging during your study. Acknowledgement and expression of how you feel about these experiences and where they fit in relation to other experiences or the ‘big picture’ facilitates your growth as a reflective practitioner. The aims of this course include the provision of practical training and to facilitate experience of current conservation management strategies. This reflective exercise is designed to assess less tangible aspects of your learning and to highlight the importance of reflection to obtain a complete conservation experience.

Please complete the following tasks: a) In a maximum of three paragraphs, Describe your impressions of the current state of conservation management in Australia and how you feel it should be approached; b) Briefly describe three important things you learnt about the constraints placed on conservation management strategies (and the organisations that implement them). Please rank these (with no.1 being the most important).Provide a brief justification why you ranked them in this order; c) Write one or two sentences each day describing the most outstanding thing you learnt that day d) Write a maximum of two paragraphs describing your practical experience during this field trip (e.g. collection of field data, leadership) and what you learned about working in a group; e) Describe three important things you learnt during the field component of the course. Please rank these (with no. 1 being the most important to either your personal or professional development). Provide a brief justification on why you ranked them in this order.

This assessment should be short (no more than four pages using size 12 font and standard margins). Adherence to this formatting will also be assessed.

40% Final Project Proposal – Due date: 4pm Friday 30th January 2015

You are asked, as a conservation expert, to assess and expand on current strategies employed in conserving marine turtle rookeries within QLD. This includes both island and mainland habitats. Using the 4 C's of conservation (community, culture, commerce and conservation) and data gained on the field trip write a project proposal that promotes and safeguards marine turtle rookery habitats through best environmental management practices.

Your proposal should identify species and habitats of high conservation value, take into consideration key threats to these environments and seek to improve environmental management practices in these areas. Or seek to safeguard, expand and improve different locations occupied by the same species / environmental values. Taking into consideration the current political, industrial and environmental situations of Australia you will create three achievable conservation strategies (in detail) that will safeguard the future of Queensland's marine turtle populations. These strategies need to be financially viable by including detailed budgets that include referenced costings from current catalogues or peer reviewed literature.

NB: Further information (i.e. data etc.) will be released after the field trip, early during the semester.

Feedback

All assessments will be marked and feedback given by Jaz Lawes four weeks (maximum) after submission. 8 BIOS9123 Assessment Tasks

There are five mandatory assessments within this course:

20% Literature review – 1500 words Group 1 = 7/12/2014 Group 2 = 30/11/2014 Topic: Islands can present conservation opportunities as they are habitats thought to be easier to control. Discuss the benefits and challenges associated with incorporating islands into conservation strategies with a focus on one or two recovery programs (current or historical) for endangered habitats or species.

15% Practical Assessment – On-site at Avoid Island Group turtle health status assessment 20%

10% Reflective exercise – Due date: 4pm Wednesday 17th December 2014 The benefits of many skills and experiences you gain from practical experience will not be immediately obvious, but will become apparent through reflection of the processes and experiences in which you are engaging during your study. Acknowledgement and expression of how you feel about these experiences and where they fit in relation to other experiences or the ‘big picture’ facilitates your growth as a reflective practitioner. The aims of this course include the provision of practical training and to facilitate experience of current conservation management strategies. This reflective exercise is designed to assess less tangible aspects of your learning and to highlight the importance of reflection to obtain a complete conservation experience.

Please complete the following tasks: a) In a maximum of three paragraphs, Describe your impressions of the current state of conservation management in Australia and how you feel it should be approached; b) Briefly describe three important things you learnt about the constraints placed on conservation management strategies (and the organisations that implement them). Please rank these (with no.1 being the most important).Provide a brief justification why you ranked them in this order; c) Write one or two sentences each day describing the most outstanding thing you learnt that day d) Write a maximum of two paragraphs describing your practical experience during this field trip (e.g. collection of field data, leadership) and what you learned about working in a group; e) Describe three important things you learnt during the field component of the course. Please rank these (with no. 1 being the most important to either your personal or professional development). Provide a brief justification on why you ranked them in this order.

This assessment should be short (no more than four pages using size 12 font and standard margins). Adherence to this formatting will also be assessed.

40% Final project proposal – Due date: 4pm Friday 30th January 2015 (10-20 pages excluding references). You are asked, as a conservation expert, to assess and expand on current strategies employed in conserving marine turtle rookeries within QLD. This includes both island and mainland habitats. Using the 4 C's of conservation (community, culture, commerce and conservation) and data gained on the field trip write a project proposal that promotes and safeguards marine turtle rookery habitats through best environmental management practices.

Your proposal should identify species and habitats of high conservation value, take into consideration key threats to these environments and seek to improve environmental management practices in these areas. Or seek to safeguard, expand and improve different locations occupied by the same species / environmental values. Taking into consideration the current political, industrial and environmental situations of Australia you will create three achievable conservation strategies (in detail) that will safeguard the future of Queensland's marine turtle populations. These strategies need to be financially viable by including detailed budgets that include referenced costings from current catalogues or peer reviewed literature. NB: Further information (i.e. data etc.) will be released after the field trip, early during the semester.

15% Proposal presentation – Due date: Thursday 5th February 2015 (Time to be confirmed) Concise, clear and effective communication is integral to the implementation of successful conservation management strategies. This assessment is designed to develop your communication and interpretation skills as a conservation manager via a 10 minute presentation of your key conservation strategies that you have proposed in your project proposal to an 'expert' panel.

Feedback

All assessments will be marked and feedback given by Jaz Lawes four weeks (maximum) after submission.

9 7. Additional Resources and Support

Many journals are available via the library and accessible using your student number and zPass. Additional relevant research and support will be available electronically as it is required.

8. Required Equipment, Training and Enabling Skills

Equipment Required A head torch with RED LIGHT, a pillow, sleeping sheets and good walking shoes will be beneficial for the field trip. Wet weather gear is also recommended.

Further itinerary details will be provided prior to the field trip.

Address questions to [email protected] / [email protected]

10 10. Administration Matters

Expectations of Students Students are expected to complete all assignments on time and attendance to the field trip is compulsory. Participation in all activities at Avoid Island is mandatory.

Assignment Submissions Literature review must be submitted with a School of BEES coversheet on arrival at Avoid and Assessment Procedures Island (unless otherwise arranged) to Jaz Lawes. Final project proposals must be submitted to the Student Office (G27, Biological Sciences Building), and also on-line (via email) by UNSW Assessment Policy6 4pm on the due date. Final project proposals will be submitted to Turnitin to identify potential plagiarism. Students sign a cover sheet at the office on submission of their assessment. The cover sheet requires that you have made a photocopy back-up of your assignment. For assessments submitted up to seven (7) days late a 10% per day penalty applies. Assessments submitted more than seven (7) days late will not be marked. If medical grounds preclude submission of the assessment by due date, contact should be made with Jaz Lawes as soon as possible. A medical certificate will be required for late submission on medical grounds and must be appropriate for the extension period.

Occupational Health and Information on relevant Occupational Health and Safety policies and expectations can be Safety7 found at: www.ohs.unsw.edu.au

Equity and Diversity Students who have a disability that requires some adjustment in their teaching or learning environment are encouraged to discuss their study needs with the course Convenor prior to, or at the commencement of, their course, or with the Equity Officer (Disability) in the Equity and Diversity Unit (9385 4734 or http://www.studentequity.unsw.edu.au/ ).

Issues to be discussed may include access to materials, signers or note-takers, the provision of services and additional exam and assessment arrangements. Early notification is essential to enable any necessary adjustments to be made.

Student Complaint School Contact Faculty Contact University Contact Procedure8 1 Grievance Contacts Dr Jes Sammut A/Prof Julian Cox 2 Student Conduct and [email protected] Associate Dean Appeals Officer (SCAO) within the Tel: 9385 8281 (Education) Office of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor [email protected] (Students) and Registrar. Tel: 9385 8574 3 or 4 Telephone 02 9385 8515, Dr Gavin Edwards email Associate Dean [email protected] (Undergraduate Programs) 5 [email protected] University Counselling and Tel: 9385 4652 Psychological Services9 6 Tel: 9385 5418

6 UNSW Assessment Policy 7 UNSW OHS Home page 8 UNSW Student Complaint Procedure 9 University Counselling and Psychological Services 11 11.UNSW Academic Honesty and Plagiarism

What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is the presentation of the thoughts or work of another as one’s own. *Examples include:  direct duplication of the thoughts or work of another, including by copying material, ideas or concepts from a book, article, report or other written document (whether published or unpublished), composition, artwork, design, drawing, circuitry, computer program or software, web site, Internet, other electronic resource, or another person’s assignment without appropriate acknowledgement;  paraphrasing another person’s work with very minor changes keeping the meaning, form and/or progression of ideas of the original;  piecing together sections of the work of others into a new whole;  presenting an assessment item as independent work when it has been produced in whole or part in collusion with other people, for example, another student or a tutor; and  claiming credit for a proportion a work contributed to a group assessment item that is greater than that actually contributed. †

For the purposes of this policy, submitting an assessment item that has already been submitted for academic credit elsewhere may be considered plagiarism.

Knowingly permitting your work to be copied by another student may also be considered to be plagiarism.

Note that an assessment item produced in oral, not written, form, or involving live presentation, may similarly contain plagiarised material.

The inclusion of the thoughts or work of another with attribution appropriate to the academic discipline does not amount to plagiarism.

The Learning Centre website is main repository for resources for staff and students on plagiarism and academic honesty. These resources can be located via:

www.lc.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism

The Learning Centre also provides substantial educational written materials, workshops, and tutorials to aid students, for example, in:  correct referencing practices;  paraphrasing, summarising, essay writing, and time management;  appropriate use of, and attribution for, a range of materials including text, images, formulae and concepts.

Individual assistance is available on request from The Learning Centre.

Students are also reminded that careful time management is an important part of study and one of the identified causes of plagiarism is poor time management. Students should allow sufficient time for research, drafting, and the proper referencing of sources in preparing all assessment items.

* Based on that proposed to the University of Newcastle by the St James Ethics Centre. Used with kind permission from the University of Newcastle † Adapted with kind permission from the University of Melbourne