STM4A1

STM4A1 The HistoricalContext of Sustainability AssessmentGuidelines Inthismoduleyouwillbeassessedbymeansofoneindividualprojectworth100%ofthe modulemark.Inview ofdevelopingtheproject,youwillhavea formativeworkshop,whichis notcompulsory normarked,butishighlyrecommended asyou will receiveinstantqualitative feedback from yourseminar tutorbeforeyou progresstothesummative (marked)project. ThesummativeassessmentisanindividualProjectthatyouhavetodevelopandsubmitin writingbyendofweek10.Youarealsorequestedtobrieflypresentthehighlightsofyour projectthatsameweekoraweeklater,toshareyourkeyfindingsandrecommendations withtheclass.Inthisway,everyoneintheclasswillgainbetterinsightsintoeachother’s countries  natural  resources  and  the  key  aspects  of  its  socio-economic  historical development. a)FormativeAssessments ?Selecta specificnaturalresourceusedasrawmaterial,ideallyfromyour own country. Examples:  cotton,wool,fur,wheat,corn,barley,milk,meat,fish,salt,gold,diamonds, quartz, marble,silica, steel,aluminium, ironore,coal,oil sands,water…. NOTE:Onlyonetopicperstudentallowedforthesamecountryinthesameseminar group,ona‘firstcome-firstserved’basis.Forexample,ifyouarefromAngolaand choosediamondsasyourtopic,thenanyotherstudentfromAngolainyourseminar groupwillberequestedtochooseadifferenttopic.However,otherstudentsmaystill selectthetopicDiamonds,aswellaslongastheycomefromadifferentcountry.Thisis in order toavoid submission ofpotentiallyverysimilarprojects. •VisitMuseums(e.g. theBritish Museum),businesscompanies,check reliable videos (e.g. HistoryChannel,BBC)andanyothersourceorlocationyoumay thinkcouldprovideyou with furtherinformationonthe resource andits useandperceivedvaluesthrough history (inyourcountry andothercountries).Reference atleast3sources fromyourRUL database. •Startdevelopingthestructureofyourproject:whatwillyoufocuson,howabundantthe resourcewas (and is)inyourcountry, howfarbackin historycan youtrace it… •Youwillhavethechancetocontributetotheformativeworkshopinclassinweek7by meansofpresentingabriefinformaloverview ofoneofyourcolleaguescountry’snatural resourcesandgive the class ahintofwhat theirprojectwill be about. •Yourseminartutorwillprovideyouinstantfeedbackandfeedbacksuggestionstohelp you continue yourresearch andfinalize yourproject (summative). b)SummativeAssessment:PROJECT(100%of TMM) ?The individual project should draw from and fully integrate and reflect upon the knowledge, awareness and skillsacquired during the lectures, seminars, and  the feedbackyougotduringtheformative stage. ?Theindividualprojectmustalsorefertotheapplicableconceptsandtoolsacquired through the semesterin thelectures,intheseminarsand inyourownindependentfurther study. ?YourProjectshoulddemonstrate thatyouhavegainedawarenessandunderstandingof theinterconnectednatureofglobalbusiness practiceanditsmanagementtowards sustainabilityinthemanagementofthespecific natural resourceyouselectedaswellas itshistorical context. MAIN OBJECTIVE Basedonyourresearchandtacitknowledge,youaretodevelopaProject(NOTan essay) that will set a recommendation for businesses, industries or even local governmentonthespecificcountry natural resourceyouselected,toadvise themonhow tomakebetterandmoresustainableuseofthatspecificresource.Youshouldsetthe sustainabilitychallengethatyou areaddressingwithin itshistorical context. •It could bebymeansof addressingCSRissues( workers, animal welfare,fair trade); •Oritcouldbebyaddressingthewaysinwhichtheresourceisextractedfromamine (humanhealthandwelfare,use ofwaterorenergy,environmentalimpact causedby the exploration,etc.) •Orthewayinwhichthebreedingprogrammesaresetfortheanimalstobeexploitedas food,orfur/wool/feathers… •OrtheissueswithCO2emissionsbecauseofthe transportinvolvedintakingthenatural resource fromitsextraction/production/naturalorigintothe processing/manufacturing/storage/distributionsites; •Ortheissuesabout illegal trading •Or anyother issuesrelated tobusinessethicsandsustainability Example:Supposingthat you chosea specificfur-type (mink forexample)as yourtopic.You foundoutduringthe research that many industriesmake useofmink fureventhough itisa highlypolemicresource.So,firstyouwouldanalysetheevolutionofthatspecificfur-type tradinginyourselected country andcompareitwithothercountriesthathavethesame resource.Whathavebeenthetrendsthroughhistoryandwhy?Isthemarketgrowingor declining,andwhy?Aretheremoresustainablewaysofproducingtheminkfurinthe requiredqualityandquantity tomeet marketdemands? Arethere anyalternatives? The ProjectistobesubmittedinWeek10 (Tueswk11)via Turnitin: AbriefoverviewofyourProjectistobepresentedinclass(inyourseminarclass)inWeek 10or11, depending on class numbers,sothat the whole classsharestheir findings.Thiswill also enable you to developpresentationand argumentative skills. ThissummarypresentationshouldbenolongerthanTHREEminutesandshouldhighlight thekeyaspectsofyour Project. It maybepresented in PowerPointoralternative format. Itissupposedtobeengaging,conciseandstraight-to-the-pointandgiveabriefpersonal overviewofthetopicyou researched uponandthefindingsyougathered. TheoverallwrittenProjecthastobesubmittedviaTurnitinbyendofWeek10(Tueswk11). No deadline extensions. Thisissupposedtobeaproject(notanessay)maximum1500wordslong,withthe followingINDICATIVE structure (thewordlimitgiven foreachsectionisalsoindicative): i.    Executive summary(thebasisforyourpresentation)_200 words ii.    Keywords(aselectionof5wordsthatyouconsiderfullydescribethetopicand your findings) iii.    Overviewofresource/businessandhistoricalcontextofthesustainabilitychallenge (500 words) iv.    Developmentoftheideaandbriefjustificationofyourrecommendations(whichcan be presented asbulletpoints)(600words) v.    Reflective analysisandConcludingremarks  (200words) Illustrative setof thoughts that mightshape your report: i.    Abriefoverview onthenaturalresourceselected andwhatmay haveledpeopletostart usingitandtrading it,eitherperseorasa componentofafinal product; ii.    Whathasbeentheimpactontheavailabilityofthatsameresourcethroughtime(e.g. was the resourcelocated in averyspecific area ofthe world ordiditexistalmost everywhereonEarthwhenpeoplestartedusingit? Isthe resource stillavailable nowadaysinthoselocations,isthereashortageoftheresourceandis sowhenand where did itstart?) iii.    Whathavebeenthesocialimpactsoftheexploitationofthatresourcelocallyand globally? (e.g. apprenticeships, jobs) iv.  Whathavebeentheenvironmentalimpactsofthetradingoftheresource(e.g.ifithas tobetransported fromhow farandusingwhattypesoftransport? Orifhas tobe processedin someway,does theprocess leadtodust/noise,etc.) v.    Furtherconsiderationsonhowbusinessesnowadaysperceivetheresourceandwhat have theyconsidered doing (ifanythingat all tohelp decreasetheimpacts) vi.  Ifyouwereabusinesspersonleadingabusinessthatwouldrequiretheuseofthis specificresource(eitherastheresourceitselforasacomponentofany product/service yourcompanyweretoprovide)whatwouldbeyourrecommendationsforthecompany to besustainable. vii. Adetailedreflectiononhowthedevelopmentofthisassignment(identifyingthekey stepsofyourresearchfromweekonetothepresentationdayinweek10)hashelped you gain further insights on the role of businesses on natural resources and on enhancingqualityoflife locallyand globally. IndicativeAssessment Criteria CRITERIA i.    Structuringandcoherenceofthefindingspresented ii.    Demonstrateddepth,scopeandfocusoftheresearch iii.    Reflectiveanalysis iv.    Argumentativeskillsduringthepresentationofthehighlightsoftheproject v.    Bibliography(usingHarvardreferencingsystem) Marking scheme(indicative) 0 t029%    Thestudentdoesnotaddressthetopic/formatrequested,ORclearlyfailstoaddress eventhemostbasicideas/concepts.Farbelowanyacceptablestrictminimum. 30to39%    Thestudentidentifiesonlythemostbasicconcepts,addressingitfrom averybasicand incompleteperspectiveORprovidesa veryrudimentarydefinitionbasedcoursework exclusivelyfrom theliterature. 40to49%    Thestudentidentifiesthemajoraspectsoftheconcept,andaddressesthecoursework respectingtherequirementsbutfrom abasicperspective,showingnoevidenceof any furtherengagement. 50to59%    Thestudentidentifiesthemostimportantaspectsoftheconcept/situation,provides basicillustrativeexamplestosustainhis/herproposalbutdoesnotelaboratefurther. 60to69%    Agoodreply,withclearpersonalinputandaclearunderstandingoftherequested concepts,additionalresearchandabletoprovideinformationandrecomendationswith supportingreasonsthatshowpersonalinput. 70to79%    Thestudentis clearlyateasewithalltherelevantaspectsoftheconceptandshowsa fairlyextensiveadditionalresearch/knowledgeandinterestinthetopic.Theprojectis veryfocusedand wellstructured.Theexamplesprovidedandtherecomendationsare verywellchosenand integrated,extensivelyandclearlyjustifiedandprovidingsome clearpersonalcriticalinsightsintothematter.A verygoodproject,witha veryclearand maturepersonalinput. 80to89%    Anoutstandingproject.Thestudentprovidesextremelyclear,wellstructured,insightful andverywellillustratedrecomendations,withexamplesvisiblydrawnfrom arather extensivepersonalresearchandgrowingawareness/knowledgeintothe issues, showingproofofamatureandinterestedlearningprocessonthesubject.. 90to99%    Thestudentoverexceeds.Theoverallassignmentsareperfectlypresentedand excellentlystructured,withaverystrongpersonalinputthroughout,includingreflexive analysisandcoherentcriticalthinking.Theillustrativeexamplesprovideandthe recommendationsputforwardshowadditionalproofof extensiveknowledge/research andarefullyjustified/ discussedtofullymeetthegoalofthequestion.Basicallya “publishable”exemplaryprojectfortheapplicableundegraduatelevel. 100%    Aboveallexpectations.Suggestionsfrom neutralexternalexpertsshouldberequiredto decideon nextstep. Mappingofassessmenttaskstolearningoutcomes Assessmenttasks    LearningOutcomes A6    B7    C6    C8    D8 Formative:research-based activities            x    x    x Summative:individual project    x    x    x    x    x

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