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Year:

AGRO100 Agriculture in Practice

Updated: 22 April 2010
Credit Points 6
Offering
Responsible Campus Teaching Period Mode of Study Online Level
Armidale Semester 2 Off Campus D - Comp/internet essential
Armidale Semester 2 On Campus D - Comp/internet essential
Intensive School(s)
Start Finish Attendance Notes
14 July 2010 17 July 2010 Mandatory On- and off-campus students must attend intensive school in July
Supervised Exam There is a UNE Supervised Examination held at the end of the teaching period in which you are enrolled.
Pre-requisites None
Co-requisites None
Restrictions None
Notes None
Combined Units None
Coordinator(s) Paul Kristiansen (paul.kristiansen@une.edu.au)
Unit Description

This unit examines the effects of climate, temperature, biotic, soil factors, markets and human resources on plant and animal production systems including introductory animal nutrition. The unit is designed to develop an appreciation of the environmental and biological factors that influence agricultural production systems. The unit encompasses practical considerations of the management of Australia's major agricultural and horticultural crops and pastures. This is achieved through practical problem solving exercises in chosen enterprises augmented by field visits to examine various enterprises within the New England area.

Prescribed Material
Mandatory
Text(s):

Note: Students are expected to purchase prescribed material

Agriculture in Australia: An Introduction
ISBN: 9780195560114
Malcolm, B., Sale, P., Leury, B. and Barlow, S., Oxford University Press 2nd ed. 2009
Text refers to: Semester 2 , On and Off Campus
Disclaimer Unit information may be subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Assessment
Title Exam Length Weight Mode No. Words
Practical 5%
Assessment Notes
Participation
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-5 GA: 1, 2, 4-6, 8
Quiz 8%
Assessment Notes
Four online quizzes (2% each)
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-3 GA: 1,4-6
Report 12% 1000
Assessment Notes
Written problem report
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-5 GA: 1,2,4-6, 8
Report 2 45% 2000
Assessment Notes
Written problem report and oral presentation
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-5 GA: 1, 2, 4-6, 8
Final Examination 2 hrs 30%
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-3 GA: 1,4-6

Learning Outcomes (LO) Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. identify the main environmental factors influencing a variety of plant and animal production systems in Australia;
  2. identify the main social factors influencing a variety of plant and animal production systems in Australia;
  3. identify the main biological factors influencing a variety of plant and animal production systems in Australia;
  4. use problem-solving skills to identify the major limiting factors to specific agricultural enterprises;and
  5. communicate the findings of problem solving exercises on specific enterprises in oral and written form

Graduate Attributes (GA)
Attribute Taught Assessed Practised
1 Knowledge of a Discipline
Students will gain knowledge of the key terminology, definitions, concepts and issues of the discipline through all activities in the unit.
True True True
2 Communication Skills
Written communication skills will be practised and assessed through class activities and assignments.
True True True
3 Global Perspectives
Unit material will describe the global nature and extent of agriculture, and the importance for Australia. Students will discuss those issues in the classes and assignments.
True
4 Information Literacy
Intelligent processing and effective conversion of diverse information into higher-level knowledge. All assessment tasks will evaluate this attributes.
True True True
5 Life-Long Learning
Students will be able to integrate learning exercises with current and future workplace activities and gain skills in information acquisition and evaluation. The written problem reports will demonstrate this.
True True
6 Problem Solving
The problem-based learning approach will require students to identify constraints on specific farms and develop possible solutions.
True True True
7 Social Responsibility
The unit will cover social issues in agriculture through lecture material and class discussions.
True True
8 Team Work
The problem-based learning assignments will require students to work in groups and to share the compilation of their major written report and seminar or poster. Regular class discussions will reinforce the value of team work.
True True True
   

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