Email: katharine.bartsch@adelaide.edu.au (preferred mode of contact)
Researcher Profile https://researchers.adelaide.edu.au/profile/katharine.bartsch

Room 473, Level 4 Horace Lamb Building (accessed from north-east corner of Hub Central).
Available by appointment only.

Website: School of Architecture and Civil Engineering: 
https://set.adelaide.edu.au/architecture-and-civil-engineering/disciplines/architecture-and-landscape-architecture

Contact Protocol: Course-specific queries should be raised with your tutor.
If queries cannot be resolved in your tutorial, please contact the course coordinator via email.

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

All the details for this course will be available, and updated, on MyUni.

Environment I introduces the relationship between specific environmental contexts (with emphasis on the bio-physical context) and design. The course provides the foundation for subsequent courses in the environment stream of the Bachelor of Architectural Design. 
The course learning outcomes for Environment I are specifically aligned with the thematic content of the lecture series, the tutorials, the required and recommended readings, the objectives of the assessable tasks, and importantly, the program learning outcomes.

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1.   analyse key aspects of the historical, political and ethical context of sustainable development, as well as Indigenous perspectives about the environment. 
2.   identify the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainability.
3.   demonstrate understanding of sustainable processes, relating especially to biodiversity and water.
4.   employ the basic principles of sustainable design in a small project, including the selection of a plant palette. 
5.   apply independent research skills to analyse and evaluate the relationship between climates, environments, and design. 
6.   write clear and concise analytical texts which structure evidence for and against (a point of view) relating specifically to sustainable design.

1 - Travis Beck. (2013). Principles of Ecological Landscape Design. Washington, DC: Island Press / Center for Resource Economics: Imprint: Island Press.

2 - Paul Thompson. (2012). Australian Planting Design. Second Edition. Victoria, Australia: CSIRO.

These textbooks are available online via the Barr Smith Library for unlimited simultaneous users.

All other resource books are available in electronic version at the University of Adelaide via the MyUni Digital Platform.

Students are also required to conduct independent critical research via the University of Adelaide, Barr Smith Library Digital Search Engine for their Assignments.

Detailed information about further resources and required reading will be available on MyUni.

The Writing Centre offers practical advice and strategies for students to master reading, writing, note-taking, and referencing techniques for success at university. Please note, the drop-in service is not an editing or grammar checking service but the Centre can help you develop your written English. Consult “The Writing Centre” for on-line resources re: essay writing guides, study guides, referencing.

You can book a virtual meeting with writing mentors. Details are available at the website. https://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/

University Email
The school uses the University email system to get in touch with the students. So it is imperative that you check your email regularly and keep up to date with any new announcements. It is expected students check University email account regularly as this is the primary means of individual contact. Also, check MyUni for regular updates, announcements and online material.

Based on such communication, it will be assumed you are aware and prepared before each studio, lecture or scheduled meeting time in regards to any prior communication. Tutors will NOT respond to individual email correspondence. Be prepared to ask your questions in class, preparation before class is therefore essential so you can make full use of this time to communicate and seek advice from tutors.

MyUni
In addition to the above resources, further assignment resources are available on MyUni. These may include further reading material for the lectures and studios, reading material that will assist with the preparation of assignments and appropriate links to assist students with academic writing including essay writing as required.

MyUni is an essential online tool which will be used to communicate information regarding the course including details of assignments and interim grades. There are many other learning resources and assessment pieces that rely on the MyUni system for delivery. Therefore it is recommended that you familiarise yourself with the various functions of MyUni and employ it to its fullest extent. https://myuni.adelaide.edu.au

Discussion Board
The Discussion Board can be used to interact with other students and is an essential tool to discuss information and increase your understanding of issues.

Lecture Recordings
Lecture content will be made available online in Semester 2, 2023

Environment I focuses on student-centred learning and teaching. In “What the Student Does: Teaching for Enhanced Learning” Biggs (1999) advocates a systemic approach which takes into account all aspects of the teaching context—course objectives, teaching and learning activities and the assessment tasks—as a strategy to move away from passive, uni-directional, teacher-to student transmission of knowledge. This is the aim of the teaching and learning mode of Environment I. Importantly, Biggs stresses the need to embed the course objectives in the assignment tasks. Thus, formative and summative assessment tasks are designed to engage students in activities which will develop their knowledge and skills which are aligned with the course objectives (most significantly, foundational knowledge of sustainable development as a basis for future courses in the Environment stream at Levels I, II and III and an understanding of the synergies between design and the environment in preparation for future design studios as well as the ability to the ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources to prepare clear and concise analytical texts).

The knowledge base begins with the lectures and the required reading material. However, these are intended as a point of inspiration and a starting point for students’ independent learning which is demonstrated in the assessable work. They are not intended as a comprehensive, finite review of the content.

Knowledge, skills, and assessable work are carefully integrated to achieve the intended holistic approach to learning and teaching. Moreover, according to Biggs, assessment must generate higher level cognitive learning activities, specifically, theorising, applying, relating, understanding or explaining distinguished from describing, note-taking or memorising. Student-focused learning strategies, embedded in the assessable work, are essential to bring about higher level cognitive learning.

John Biggs (2012) What the student does: teaching for enhanced learning, Higher Education Research & Development, 31:1, 39-55, DOI: 10.1080/07294360.2012.642839.

The Learning Activities Summary will be available on MyUni in the Course Orientation Module.

The University expects full-time students (ie. those taking 12 units per semester) to devote at
least 48 hours per week to their studies. Accordingly, students undertaking this 3 unit course are expected to devote 12 hours per week to contact activities and self-guided studies.

Based on this framework here are some figures that might assist workload management:

Total workload hours: 12 hrs per week x 12 weeks = 144 hrs + 24 hours (non-teaching period, mid-semester break) = 168hrs

Total contact hours: Usually 3 hrs per week x 12 weeks = 36 hrs

Total self-guided study: 168hrs – 36 hrs = 132 hrs


These 132 hours should be used towards preparation of weekly tasks and for completion of the various assignments associated with the course, including development of various skills required to complete the same. Please organise your time wisely.

Assignment 1 Due Friday Week 5 30%
Assignment 2 Due Friday Week 8+1 20% (mid-semester break)
Assignment 3 Due Friday Week 13 40% (Assessment Hurdle)
Quizzes 10%

If there are any concerns about the due dates or conflicts arising with those of other courses these concerns must be communicated to the course coordinator by Monday of Week 2. The course co-ordinator will take these into account and notify the class of any changes via MyUni.

Topic 1: THE ORIGINS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Week 1 
- Every course should have a theme song! Big Yellow Taxi
- The Lorax and other Tales of Caution: Responsibilities for Designers  
- Course Overview
- Introduction to Assignment 1

Topic 2: SUSTAINABLE TRADITIONS

Week 2 
- Traditional Responses to Eco-limits: Vernacular Settlements
- The Relevance of Indigenous Architecture: Tangible and Intangible Lessons
- Online Quiz 1

Topic 3: SUSTAINABLE FUTURES: ECOLOGY AND THE DESIGN PROFESSIONS

Week 3 
- How the Other Half Lives...
- Can Design Save the Planet?
- Introduction to Assignment 2
- Online Quiz 2

Assignment 3 is an assessment hurdle. Students must receive 50% for the assignment to Pass the Environment I.

All details about the individual assignments including an overview of each assessment task, the task type, due date, weighting, and identification of the learning objectives addressed by the assessment task are provided in the relevant assignment folder on MyUni. The course is not exempt from any requirement of the Assessment for Coursework Programs policy

Assignment 1 Due Friday Week 5 30%
Assignment 2 Due Friday Week 8+1 20% (mid-semester break)
Assignment 3 Due Friday Week 13 40% (Assessment Hurdle)
Quizzes 10%

If there are any concerns about the due dates or conflicts arising with those of other courses these concerns must be communicated to the course coordinator by Monday of Week 2. The course co-ordinator will take these into account and notify the class of any changes via MyUni.

Students are expected to attend all lectures and tutorials. Class rolls will be maintained to monitor attendance. Membership of tutorials is to be finalised by the end of the first week of semester 1. Students wishing to swap between tutorials after this time are required to present their case to the coordinator (Katharine Bartsch), but should be aware that such a request may not be approved. It is important to maintain a good staff to student ratio.

There are well publicised School policies for registering non-attendance for legitimate reasons, and you are strongly encouraged to formally acknowledge non-attendance reasons as soon as is practicable prior to planned absences or after your non-planned absence. The Medical and Counselling services, as well as the Education and Welfare Office of the University, are available to assist you free of charge in regard to medical or counselling matters.

Students are required to attend all scheduled teaching (or engage in the online offering); and lectures, tutorials and other classes will proceed on the assumption that students have done so. Attendance at tutorials, seminars, practical work and studio sessions is taken into account in decisions about offering Replacement/Additional Assessment and/or examinations. Students who regularly do not attend sessions and do not carry out the associated work may be precluded from and regarded as having failed the course. Students should take advantage of the educational opportunities offered by all classes, including the opportunity for interaction, and learning from each other. Compulsory attendance is necessary at all practical work sessions for a number of reasons: to achieve this interaction, in particular in group work; because of the sequential nature of work in some courses; because of the need for students to provide an audience and feedback for other students presenting work; and to ensure the authorship of project work on which assessment is based.

When the assignments are to be presented during a studio or tutorial, students must arrive and submit their work at the beginning of the studio (as directed). Students who arrive later than 10 minutes after the studio commences will not be allowed to
present and will receive 0 mark. It is expected that all students will remain to listen to the presentations by their peers during studio presentations.

All details about the individual assignment submissions and online participation tasks will be provided on MyUni.

Final results for the course will only be available through Access Adelaide and students SHOULD NOT contact the course coordinator or the tutors for the same.

Most assignments will be marked within 3 weeks of the submission. Students are expected to inform the Course Coordinator if there are any errors or issues arising in relation to their assessment. The best examples of students’ work will be included in the All-In Exhibition to be held at the end of term alongside the best works from other courses and year levels.

Please note the following general points about Submissions:

General
The School recommends electronic submissions < 50MB.

All submissions must include Student Name and Student ID Number. Submissions without Student Name or ID Number will not be considered for marking, and will receive zero marks in accordance with the guidelines.

Please adhere to submission deadlines and follow instructions provided.

Students must not submit work for an assignment that has previously been submitted for this course or any other course without prior approval from the Course Coordinator.

On occasion, the lecturer/tutor may wish to retain students’ work for future reference and the relevant student will be informed at such a time.


Late Submission:
The school will NOT accept late submissions and any such assignment will receive zero marks. This also applies to electronic submissions.

Good practice:
Students should ensure that they regularly backup their work on multiple locations as hard-disk crashes are an unfortunate reality. When relying on community printing facilities, students should attempt to finish their work in advance to avoid unnecessary delays. Students must retain a copy of all assignments submitted (digital or hardcopy), as originals may be lost during the submission process.

For modified arrangements of submission and assessment due to special circumstances see the following Assessment Task Extension(s) & Additional Assessment guidelines.

Modified Arrangements (General)
Students can apply for extensions or modified arrangements based on Medical, Compassionate or other Extenuating circumstances. However, students need to submit their application along with supporting documents within 5 business days of the condition becoming applicable.

Submit your application for extension to your Course Coordinator. The form can be found here:
https://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/exams/ua/media/706/assessment-extension-form-april-2022_0.pdf

Please note that submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance. The Course Coordinator will inform the applicant if the application is accepted. 

Medical Reasons:
In case of an extended medical condition which makes it impossible for the student to submit the work on time, an Application for Assessment Task Extension due to Medical Circumstances must be supported by a doctor’s certificate within 5 business days.

Extenuating Circumstances:
If the student is unable to submit the work on time due to extenuating circumstances an Application for Assessment Extension due to Extenuating Circumstances must be submitted to the Course Coordinator. Please note that this is only available for certain military, religious, or legal obligations and does not extend to minor personal problems.

Compassionate Grounds:
In case of certain extraordinary personal problems students can apply for extensions based on compassionate grounds. However, these must first be discussed with the Course Coordinator via appointment.

Additional Assessment:
If a student receives a Fail grade for the course with an overall mark between 45 and 49, they may be eligible for an Offer of Additional Assessment which would allow them to get a maximum of 50 Pass for the Course.

Additional Assessment offers are made by the School and the student will be informed directly once these are made available.

Disability:
Students who have a disability and wish to seek modified submission or assessment arrangements can contact the
University Disability Services at https://www.adelaide.edu.au/disability/ and then communicate this to the Course Coordinator in person by appointment.

Elite Athlete:
Students who have national/international sporting commitments and wish to seek modified submission or assessment
arrangements need to register with the University Elite Athlete Support Scheme at https://www.adelaide.edu.au/eliteathletes/ and then communicate this to the Course Coordinator in person by appointment.