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ENV521 - Community Engagement for Biosecurity and Natural Resource Management

2024

Sector

Higher Education

Discipline

Environmental Science

Credit Points

Equivalent Units

(ENV401, SBI401)

Prerequisites

Incompatible

Assumed Knowledge

This is a master level unit, with expectations of at least Bachelor level skills of academic literacy.

Unit Description

This unit will demonstrate to the student the role of community stakeholders in the management of environmental issues, where 'the community' may include international, national, regional scales of engagement and government, industry and public sectors. We use biosecurity as a shared case study, while the principles, skills and knowledge covered in this unit apply to any context where a community engagement is required for the implementation of a project or policy. Students will build their understanding of social aspects of engagement including ethics, stakeholder analysis and monitoring and evaluations of programs. Applying tools such as social mapping, students will analyse the role of social structures in augmenting (or impeding) action and understanding of natural resources management. Students will investigate community perspectives, and the importance of genuine consultation with community members for the development of effective practice. By the end of this unit students will have developed an ethical rationale, be able to undertake a stakeholder analysis and design a program that can be monitored and evaluated, for effective community engagement. Although developed specifically as part of a national curriculum for biosecurity, the unit will also benefit students in other disciplines where social partnerships and community engagement are integral to effective professional practice, and will draw upon a broad base of community engagement literature and activity.

Unit Learning Outcomes

1.	Analyse the stakeholders and their roles, in an environmental or biosecurity management setting.
2.	Evaluate a community's capacity for engagement in an environmental or biosecurity management problem.
3.	Evaluate and apply tools for appropriate engagement of a community and stakeholders in an environmental or biosecurity management setting.
4.	Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical basis for community engagement.
5.	Communicate strategies for effective community engagement for management of biosecurity and natural resources, in written and oral formats.

Assessment Overview

	Assessment Task	Value (of total mark)	Related Learning Outcome/s
1.	Community stakeholder analysis (1000 words)	15%	1 - Analyse the stakeholders and their roles, in an environmental or biosecurity management setting. 2 - Evaluate a community's capacity for engagement in an environmental or biosecurity management problem. 3 - Evaluate and apply tools for appropriate engagement of a community and stakeholders in an environmental or biosecurity management setting. 5 - Communicate strategies for effective community engagement for management of biosecurity and natural resources, in written and oral formats.'
2.	Ethical case for effective community engagement (1000 words)	25%	1 - Analyse the stakeholders and their roles, in an environmental or biosecurity management setting. 2 - Evaluate a community's capacity for engagement in an environmental or biosecurity management problem. 4 - Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical basis for community engagement. 5 - Communicate strategies for effective community engagement for management of biosecurity and natural resources, in written and oral formats.'
3.	Presentation on planning for an engagement project (15 minutes + 5 minutes questions)	15%	3 - Evaluate and apply tools for appropriate engagement of a community and stakeholders in an environmental or biosecurity management setting. 5 - Communicate strategies for effective community engagement for management of biosecurity and natural resources, in written and oral formats.
4.	Proposal for a community engagement plan (3500 words)	45%	1 - Analyse the stakeholders and their roles, in an environmental or biosecurity management setting. 2 - Evaluate a community's capacity for engagement in an environmental or biosecurity management problem. 3 - Evaluate and apply tools for appropriate engagement of a community and stakeholders in an environmental or biosecurity management setting. 4 - Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical basis for community engagement. 5 - Communicate strategies for effective community engagement for management of biosecurity and natural resources, in written and oral formats.

Unit Availability

Year	Semester	Att Mode	Location	Learning Method	Timetable*
2024	Semester 2	Internal	Casuarina Campus	OLR
2024	Semester 2	External	External Studies	OLR

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OLR: Internet access is required for this unit as students are required to access study materials provided on-line through Learnline. Please log into Learnline on the first day of each teaching period. For more information about Learnline, please click here.

Critical Dates

Important Dates for Students

Fee Information:
Fees and Payments
Student Services and Amenities Fees
2024 Domestic Unit Fees (PDF)