units

EDF5580

Faculty of Education

Monash University

Postgraduate - Unit

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2014 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

print version

6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered, or view unit timetables.

LevelPostgraduate
FacultyFaculty of Education
OfferedNot offered in 2014

Synopsis

This unit considers the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainability and introduces the multifaceted concept of sustainability. Students explore what sustainability means for them personally and for humanity. Using multiple perspectives, informed by research, the unit presents a coherent, personalising and engaging introduction to the concept of sustainability, the challenges it presents and the range of possible responses. Through the understanding of sustainability provided by this unit, students develop their capacity to be reflective, ethically aware professionals capable of giving recognition to sustainability issues in the decisions they make personally, professionally and as members of the community.

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. differentiate the principles underlying different dimensions and perspectives of sustainability
  2. design and apply a sustainability assessment tool relevant to an environment of relevance and use that tool to assess the effectiveness of making a change to reduce a personal environmental impact
  3. contrast the range of responses available to respond to unsustainable systems.

Assessment

Essay: sustainability perspectives (1500 words equivalent, 30%)
Essay: quantifying, reflecting and advancing sustainability at a personal level (2000 words equivalent, 50%)
Online discussions: contributions to discussions and written reflective response (500 words equivalent, 20%)

Chief examiner(s)

Workload requirements

Minimum total expected workload equals 24 hours per week for six weeks (144 hours total per term) comprising:

(a.) Study schedule for online students:

  • 4 hours of directed online activities per week

(d.) Additional requirements:

  • 20 hours of independent study per week

Prerequisites