SCIENCE 1101WT - Principles & Practice of Science for App Biology I

Waite Campus - Semester 2 - 2017

This course will introduce students to the broad array of scientific endeavour, the integrated nature of scientific disciplines, and the importance of scientific process and critical thinking. A number of key contemporary issues in science will be considered as frameworks for discussion and investigation. Students will also be introduced to skills for learning and academic writing. Applied Biology will be introduced through a series of four structured workshops in which students will gain an understanding of the discipline of Applied Biology, and the careers available within biology.

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Course Details

Course Code	SCIENCE 1101WT
Course	Principles & Practice of Science for App Biology I
Coordinating Unit	School of Agriculture, Food and Wine
Term	Semester 2
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	Waite Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 4 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	N
Incompatible	SCIENCE 1100 and SCIENCE 1200
Restrictions	Available to BAppBiol students only
Assessment	Reports and assignments

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Tina Bianco-Miotto

Course Timetable

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

Course Learning Outcomes

The anticipated knowledge, skills and attitudes to be developed by the student in this course are:

1	An understanding of what science is and how it is both practiced and applied
2	Research skills (including acquisition, analysis and synthesis of complex scientific ideas and information)
3	Critical and logical thinking
4	Principles of academic honesty and ethical behaviour
5	Communication skills (primary emphasis will be on academic & reflective writing)

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Deep discipline knowledge informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1 accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)	1-5
Critical thinking and problem solving steeped in research methods and rigor based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment	1-3
Teamwork and communication skills developed from, with, and via the SGDE honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning	2, 5
Career and leadership readiness technology savvy professional and, where relevant, fully accredited forward thinking and well informed tested and validated by work based experiences	2, 5
Intercultural and ethical competency adept at operating in other cultures comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges	4, 5
Self-awareness and emotional intelligence a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate	5

Learning Resources
Recommended Resources
A highly recommended writing guide (available as an e-book) is:
- The Little Penguin Handbook (Lester Faigley: 2nd Edition, Longman; 2013)
A range of other resources, guides and source materials will be made available through MyUni.
Online Learning

MyUni: Teaching materials and course documentation will be posted on the MyUni website (http://myuni.adelaide.edu.au/).

MyWritingLab
A key component of SCIENCE 1100WT will be the assessment of students’ writing skills. For this purpose we will be using an online resource (MyWritingLab) that will involve a diagnostic pre-test, a study plan (based on each individual student’s pre-test results) and a summative post-test.
Learning & Teaching Activities

Learning & Teaching Modes

Classes will be devoted to group and open discussion of what science is and how it works. This will include introducing and developing scientific literacy skills (particularly skills related to finding, reading and interpreting scientific literature), consideration of key elements of scientific practice and utilisation of the developing scientific literacy skills.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

Contact time

Classes                         4 hours per week (48 hours total)

Non-contact time

Workshop preparation    2 hours per week (24 hours total)
MyWritingLab (online)    10 hours total
Researcher profile          20 hours total
Information search         10 hours total
Annotated bibliography   15 hours total
Essay                            20 hours total
Reflective writing            5 hours total

Learning Activities Summary

Classes will be devoted to group and open discussion of what science is and how it works. This will include introducing and developing scientific literacy skills (particularly skills related to finding, reading and interpreting scientific literature), consideration of key elements of scientific practice and utilisation of the developing scientific literacy skills.

Small Group Discovery Experience

The Small Group Discovery Experience in SCIENCE 1100WT will take the form of meeting and interviewing an active researcher within the Faculty of Sciences about their development as a scientist and the research they are currently engaged in.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task	Type of assessment	Percentage of total assessment for grading purposes	Learning Outcomes being Assessed
Writing skills assessment (MyWritingLab)	Diagnostic Summative	0% 20% (HURDLE)	5
Researcher Profile	Summative	20%	1,2,5
Major assignment: (i) Information search (ii) Annotated bibliography (iii) Essay	Formative/Summative Formative/Summative Summative	5% 15% 30% (HURDLE)	1,2,3,4,5
Reflective writing	Summative	10%	1,2,3,4,5

Assessment Detail

Writing skills assessment:
Writing skills will be assessed and developed using Pearson’s ‘MyWritingLab’. This task involves a diagnostic ‘pre-test’, which is used to generate an individually tailored study plan for each student. A predetermined ‘mastery’ level is set for each study plan component. Once the study plan has been completed then a summative ‘post-test’ is undertaken that will contribute 20% to the overall course mark.
A minimum level of performance (70%) is required in the ‘post-test’ in order to achieve a passing grade for the course.

Researcher Profile:
Each group of students (4 students per group) will interview a University of Adelaide researcher (academic staff or affiliate) focussing on the researcher’s views on science, the science the researcher engages in and the development of the researcher as a scientist. Results of the interview will be presented as a short video profile. Summative (20%) – 6 minute (max.) presentation; 300 word reflection.

Major Assignment:
This will be on a broad topic in science chosen and developed by each student. The task will consist of three components.

(i) Information search:
This will be the starting point for collection of sources to construct an evidence base in order to address the chosen topic. The intention is to focus on primary peer-reviewed sources. Formative & Summative (5%).

(ii) Annotated bibliography:
Development of the information search into the primary literature (a minimum of 6 primary peer-reviewed sources is required). Formative & Summative (15%); task length – 2000 words (max.).

(iii) Essay:
This will address the chosen topic and will be developed from the Annotated Bibliography. Summative (30%) – task length 1800-2000 words.
A minimum level of performance (50%) is required in order to achieve a passing grade for the course.

Reflective writing assignment:
For effective learning, new experiences need to be interesting, readily understood, believable and useful to the student. People often learn best when they can identify how new experiences alter their existing knowledge, skills and emotions. Describing and elaborating upon these experiences is an effective way to promote learning and professional development. This task will capture the ways in which students react to, or are affected by, their experiences in this course. Summative (10%); task length 450-500 words.

Submission

Submission of assessment tasks
Details of submission requirements for each piece of assigned work will be made available on MyUni. Some tasks may require submission through Turnitin (http://www.turnitin.com).

Return of assessed work
Work that has been assessed will be returned in class (where this is a practical). Work which is not returned in class can be collected from the Faculty of Sciences Office.

Extension for Assessment Tasks
Extensions of deadlines for assessment tasks may be allowed for reasonable causes. Such situations would include compassionate and medical grounds of the severity that would justify the awarding of a supplementary examination. Evidence for the grounds must be provided when an extension is requested. Students are required to apply for an extension to the Course Coordinator before the assessment task is due. Extensions will not be provided on the grounds of poor prioritising of time. The assessment extension application form can be obtained from: http://www.sciences.adelaide.edu.au/current/ (see under ‘Forms for Students’).

Late submission of assessments
If an extension is not applied for, or not granted then a penalty for late submission will apply. Penalty of 10% of the value of the assignment for each calendar day that the assignment is late (i.e. weekends count as 2 days), up to a maximum of 50% of the available marks will be applied. This means that an assignment that is 5 days late or more without an approved extension can only receive a maximum of 50% of the marks available for that assignment.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator