Module BIOL3391: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN ECOLOGY (P)

Department: Biological and Biomedical Sciences

BIOL3391: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN ECOLOGY (P)

Pre-requisites

Corequisites

Excluded Combinations

Aims

• To promote an understanding of how to analyse problems in contemporary areas of ecology and make recommendations on how best to tackle these problems.
• An appreciation of some of the current problems in ecology research.

Content

• Introduction to major problems in contemporary ecology.
• Guidance will be provided on how to assess complex problems.
• Specific problems will be selected by students.
• The subject area will be researched by students reviewing both the scientific and grey literature.
• Through teamwork students will analyse the problem and seek solutions, with guidance from a staff member.
• Team meetings will be minuted.
• Specific recommendations will be made by each student.
• Guidance will be provided on how to present a consultancy report and give a powerpoint presentation.
• Students will then present a short talk and a report.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of this module each student should be able to: appreciate some of the major ecological problems facing the world today.
• understand the major factors contributing to a particular ecological issue.

• know how to plan, run and produce a consultancy report.

• understand how to plan and execute an analyse of a complex problem.
• be aware of how to find relevant information from a variety of different sources.
• appreciate how to organise work when working as part of a team.
• understand how to present their work orally and in writing.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• This module is designed to help students analyse complex problems and make reasonable decisions and recommendations based on the available evidence.
• Teaching and learning in this component is primarily through a series of lectures and workshops.
• Each student will select one of three contemporary issues in ecology presented in a lecture by a member of staff.
• Supporting lectures will be given to provide students with information on how to find information about specific issues, how to present data and how to write a 'consultancy-style report'.
• Students will work individually and in small groups, during a series of workshops, in order to analyse and make recommendations related to their specific contemporary issue.
• The workshops will be organised with a chairperson and a secretary recording the minutes of each meeting.
• At the completion of this task students will deliver a PowerPoint presentation and a written report describing their work and conclusions.
• Skills will be acquired through the searching, retrieval, presentation of data and team work.
• Knowledge will be formatively assessed through production of a timeline and minutes of workshop meetings and summatively assessed by a written report and oral presentation.
• Understanding will be assessed by means of a written report.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment

Production of Timeline and Minutes of student workshops.