EUB251 Environment and Society
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | EUB251 |
|---|---|
| Equivalent(s): | CRB110 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2027, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | EUB251 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Equivalent: | CRB110 |
| Coordinator: | Sarah Adams | sarah.adams@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This unit provides an applied geography approach to understand the dynamic nature of interactions between people and their environments, and the ways environments influence people's attitudes, perceptions, choices and decisions. Focusing on natural disasters, this is a skills-based unit that provides an opportunity to transform, represent and analyse geographical data and information to recognise spatial and temporal patterns and trends, use that data to make decisions, and explain how these data represent contemporary geographical challenges.
The skills developed in this unit are applicable across a range of other academic geography and social science subjects and are utilised by specialists in a diverse range of professions including economists, demographers, spatial technicians, criminologists, environmental analysists and managers, urban and regional planners and those in hazard management professions.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Understand ways in which people interact with their environments and the impact of these interactions for people's decision making.
- Interpret and analyse geographic data and information to recognise spatial and temporal patterns and trends represented in data.
- Synthesise data and information from a range of sources.
- Identify and evaluate responses to geographical challenges at a range of scales.
- Select, transform and represent geographical data in a range of graphic and cartographic forms using appropriate technologies and suitable for use in a visual text.
- Demonstrate effective communication using geographical terminology, cartographic and graphic representations as appropriate.
Content
You will develop a range of skills associated with the transformation, representation and analysis of geographic information and data to explain contemporary geographical challenges. With a focus on the interaction between people and their environments this unit encompasses a systems approach across a range of geographic scales from global to local.
Content:
- Natural and human systems and the geographical process that shape the identity of places and result in spatial patterns;
- Natural hazard zones, risk and vulnerability factors in hazard zones;
- Factors affecting the spatial and temporal patterns and trends of natural and human landscapes;
- Patterns and processes resulting land cover transformation and the implications for people and places;
- Impacts of land cover transformation including carbon sequestration and albedo;
- Climate, climate drivers and climate change;
- Population, population movement and change, population momentum;
- The responses to geographical challenges;
- Using decision making models to consider economic, environmental, political and social costs of human management; and
- Using models and modelling, maps and data, spatial and other technologies.
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will learn through exposure to various interpretations of
- Structured guided asynchronous weekly inquiry cycles that combine short content inputs, structured reading, and iterative production.
- Tutorials are student- centred with discussion and expressions of different opinion strongly encouraged. Student- directed or lecturer-initiated discussions and debate are designed to promote understanding, the exercise of higher order thinking and the formulation of positions. The unit thus provides diverse perspectives and multi-disciplinary approaches to methods of learning.
- This course is also designed to be completed as a fully asynchronous study.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will gain feedback in this unit by participating in weekly tutorials and completing the practical activities and by evaluating your achievement in attaining the learning goals established throughout the course. You will also receive summative, written feedback on Assessment 1 where the Learning Outcomes 1-6 will be represented in criterion.
Assessment
Overview
Assessment in this unit provides the opportunity to exhibit achievement across the Learning Outcomes 1-6 in two assessment instruments, an assignment presented as a poster and an examination.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Infographic
An infographic is a data driven, visual representation of a specific issue. You will select a contemporary geographical issue related to the subject matter studied in the unit and represent this in a visual text (infographic) to show your understanding of the interactions between people and their environment and the impact of those interactions.
This task will assess your:
1. Understanding of the ways in which people interact with their environments and the impact of these interactions.
2. Interpretation and analysis of geographic data and information.
3. Recognition of spatial and temporal patterns and trends represented in data.
4. Understanding of responses to a geographical challenge
5. Synthesis of data and information from a range of sources.
6. Effective communication by selecting, transforming and representing geographical data in a range of suitable graphic and cartographic forms, using appropriate technologies.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.
Assessment: Examination (practical and short response)
An examination comprised of:
1. Practical exercises that require data transformation and representation utilising common practices as included in the learning activities within the unit.
2. Short responses interpreting and analysing the data transformations completed in the practical exercises.
This task will assess your:
1. Transformation and representation of geographical data in a range of suitable graphic and cartographic forms.
2. Interpretation and analysis of geographic data and information.
3. Recognition of spatial and temporal patterns and trends represented in data.
4. Effective communication using geographical terminology cartographic and graphic representations as appropriate.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Risk Assessment Statement
For risks associated with using campus buildings or QUT facilities, refer to the HiQ Health and Safety information.
You are advised to take regular rest breaks when engaging in prolonged computer-based work and ensure that your workstation is set up for optimal comfort to prevent strain or injury.
Please be advised that this unit may include the presentation and scholarly analysis of material and subject matters that may be considered confronting, such as certain representations of race, class, gender and violence. QUT counselling support is available should you feel the need to avail yourself of these services.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.BA01 Bachelor of Arts
- Demonstrate the ability to understand and apply knowledge about society, culture and technology, for a range of contexts, audiences and purposes.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Infographic, Examination (practical and short response) - Critically analyse, evaluate and synthesise information and evidence to inform decision-making, problem solving and argumentation.
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, ULO4, ULO5, Infographic, Examination (practical and short response) - Communicate to diverse audiences using a range of modes and technologies to share and disseminate knowledge, skills and ideas.
Relates to: ULO5, ULO6, Infographic, Examination (practical and short response)
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2027, Online
| Unit code: | EUB251 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Equivalent: | CRB110 |
Overview
This unit provides an applied geography approach to understand the dynamic nature of interactions between people and their environments, and the ways environments influence people's attitudes, perceptions, choices and decisions. Focusing on natural disasters, this is a skills-based unit that provides an opportunity to transform, represent and analyse geographical data and information to recognise spatial and temporal patterns and trends, use that data to make decisions, and explain how these data represent contemporary geographical challenges.
The skills developed in this unit are applicable across a range of other academic geography and social science subjects and are utilised by specialists in a diverse range of professions including economists, demographers, spatial technicians, criminologists, environmental analysists and managers, urban and regional planners and those in hazard management professions.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Understand ways in which people interact with their environments and the impact of these interactions for people's decision making.
- Interpret and analyse geographic data and information to recognise spatial and temporal patterns and trends represented in data.
- Synthesise data and information from a range of sources.
- Identify and evaluate responses to geographical challenges at a range of scales.
- Select, transform and represent geographical data in a range of graphic and cartographic forms using appropriate technologies and suitable for use in a visual text.
- Demonstrate effective communication using geographical terminology, cartographic and graphic representations as appropriate.
Content
You will develop a range of skills associated with the transformation, representation and analysis of geographic information and data to explain contemporary geographical challenges. With a focus on the interaction between people and their environments this unit encompasses a systems approach across a range of geographic scales from global to local.
Content:
- Natural and human systems and the geographical process that shape the identity of places and result in spatial patterns;
- Natural hazard zones, risk and vulnerability factors in hazard zones;
- Factors affecting the spatial and temporal patterns and trends of natural and human landscapes;
- Patterns and processes resulting land cover transformation and the implications for people and places;
- Impacts of land cover transformation including carbon sequestration and albedo;
- Climate, climate drivers and climate change;
- Population, population movement and change, population momentum;
- The responses to geographical challenges;
- Using decision making models to consider economic, environmental, political and social costs of human management; and
- Using models and modelling, maps and data, spatial and other technologies.
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will learn through exposure to various interpretations of
- Structured guided asynchronous weekly inquiry cycles that combine short content inputs, structured reading, and iterative production.
- Tutorials are student- centred with discussion and expressions of different opinion strongly encouraged. Student- directed or lecturer-initiated discussions and debate are designed to promote understanding, the exercise of higher order thinking and the formulation of positions. The unit thus provides diverse perspectives and multi-disciplinary approaches to methods of learning.
- This course is also designed to be completed as a fully asynchronous study.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will gain feedback in this unit by participating in weekly tutorials and completing the practical activities and by evaluating your achievement in attaining the learning goals established throughout the course. You will also receive summative, written feedback on Assessment 1 where the Learning Outcomes 1-6 will be represented in criterion.
Assessment
Overview
Assessment in this unit provides the opportunity to exhibit achievement across the Learning Outcomes 1-6 in two assessment instruments, an assignment presented as a poster and an examination.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Infographic
An infographic is a data driven, visual representation of a specific issue. You will select a contemporary geographical issue related to the subject matter studied in the unit and represent this in a visual text (infographic) to show your understanding of the interactions between people and their environment and the impact of those interactions.
This task will assess your:
1. Understanding of the ways in which people interact with their environments and the impact of these interactions.
2. Interpretation and analysis of geographic data and information.
3. Recognition of spatial and temporal patterns and trends represented in data.
4. Understanding of responses to a geographical challenge
5. Synthesis of data and information from a range of sources.
6. Effective communication by selecting, transforming and representing geographical data in a range of suitable graphic and cartographic forms, using appropriate technologies.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.
Assessment: Examination (practical and short response)
An examination comprised of:
1. Practical exercises that require data transformation and representation utilising common practices as included in the learning activities within the unit.
2. Short responses interpreting and analysing the data transformations completed in the practical exercises.
This task will assess your:
1. Transformation and representation of geographical data in a range of suitable graphic and cartographic forms.
2. Interpretation and analysis of geographic data and information.
3. Recognition of spatial and temporal patterns and trends represented in data.
4. Effective communication using geographical terminology cartographic and graphic representations as appropriate.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Risk Assessment Statement
For risks associated with using campus buildings or QUT facilities, refer to the HiQ Health and Safety information.
You are advised to take regular rest breaks when engaging in prolonged computer-based work and ensure that your workstation is set up for optimal comfort to prevent strain or injury.
Please be advised that this unit may include the presentation and scholarly analysis of material and subject matters that may be considered confronting, such as certain representations of race, class, gender and violence. QUT counselling support is available should you feel the need to avail yourself of these services.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.BA01 Bachelor of Arts
- Demonstrate the ability to understand and apply knowledge about society, culture and technology, for a range of contexts, audiences and purposes.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Infographic, Examination (practical and short response) - Critically analyse, evaluate and synthesise information and evidence to inform decision-making, problem solving and argumentation.
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, ULO4, ULO5, Infographic, Examination (practical and short response) - Communicate to diverse audiences using a range of modes and technologies to share and disseminate knowledge, skills and ideas.
Relates to: ULO5, ULO6, Infographic, Examination (practical and short response)