ENV403C - Interdisciplinary Team Research and Management

Leader: TBA

Offered

Not offered in 2007

Synopsis

This unit prepares candidates for environmental research by providing guidelines, techniques and working experience in nterdisciplinary environmental research. Participants have the opportunity to gain a broad appreciation of the methods and dynamics of interdisciplinary team research. The core of ITRM is two interconnected research tasks. The first involves an investigation by self-selected teams of a chosen topic, culminating in the time-scheduled preparation of a team project report. The second entails research into, monitoring and analysis of the team, its structuring and processes and the impact of personal responses and social interactions on the management of the team.

Objectives

On completion of this unit students will be able to demonstrate:

1. understanding of the meanings and methods for working as part of an interdisciplinary environmental research team for a client.
2. a capacity to formulate clear research aims and objectives grounded within a coherent conceptual framework, a planned schedule and a sound methodological strategy.
3. skills in the adaptation and integration of research design within the practical constraints affecting research project performance (e.g. available resources and skills, information constraints, analytical difficulties, client expectations, time scheduling).
4. understanding approaches to the writing of professional research reports, in relation to research design and organisation, leading to skills in the production of well written interdisciplinary reports.
5. a capacity to research into, monitor and provide analysis of team structuring and processes and the impact of personal responses and social interactions on the management of the team.

Assessment

1.Research brief (400 words): 10%:
2.Final report (2500 words): 50%;
3.Team management report (1500 words): 30%;
4.Participation 10%.

Contact hours

2 hour lecture/workshop per week

Prohibitions

ENV503C