GV3ESF: Environmental Science Field Class

Module code: GV3ESF

Module provider: Geography and Environmental Science; School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Steve Robinson, email: j.s.robinson@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Professor Hong Yang, email: h.yang4@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s): IN THE SAME YEAR AS TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST TAKE GV3AP OR TAKE GV3POL (Compulsory)

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 20 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to provide you with the practical skills to identify, document, and evaluate the impact of human activities on the environment in the field. It is a field-based module to enhance training and experience of monitoring and assessing the rural and urban environments, e.g., waste and contaminated land management, noise pollution, water and air quality, and sustainable wetland and agri-ecosystems. 

It is anticipated that the class will be based at the Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST), China, with the field work conducted in the local area. This module provides you with a unique opportunity to spend time working with local students and academics in Nanjing and you will develop international research experience and greater awareness of scientific practice in a global context. You will also develop teamwork, interpersonal and leadership skills through working in small teams comprising students based at NUIST.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Describe and explain some of the main environmental challenges facing a particular region and use academic literature to support critical discussions on the vulnerability and resilience of the environment around the field class location in the context of global climate change. 
2. Accurately collect, record, organise, analyse and present a range of types of field data, including your own observations, within a field notebook and via the final report and group presentation at a Presentations and Awards event.
3. Select and apply appropriate methods in the study of water, air, soil and vegetation quality at a range of spatial scales both in rural and urban environments and be able to evaluate the environmental impact of waste management practices. 
4. Competently use maps and other navigation aids in the field and use these in unfamiliar environments.

Module content

The field class will comprise fieldwork with students divided into small, supervised groups.

A familiarisation day will provide an overview of the study area, its natural features and environmental challenges. 

Each subsequent day will be composed of data collection on a specific theme, including waste management, contaminated land, air and water quality, wetland biodiversity and sustainable land management.

Local visits may include Lake Taihu National Wetland Park and Chinese Academy of Sciences research institutions.

The evenings will involve data analysis and presentation.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Prior to departure from the UK, there will be a short introduction to the module during a session in Semester 2, comprising preparatory sessions and safety briefings.

The module comprises 11 days of work in the field, including travel time, weekend teambuilding and week-day team presentations.

You will make observations in the field and then make measurements of environmental media either in the field or in laboratories to assess the anthropogenic impacts on the environment.

Each day's activity will be discussed during the evening before, and the outcomes discussed and evaluated during the evening afterwards. You will be required to give a short, team presentation each evening.

Prior to departure, you will attend a seminar on how to prepare your final report, as well as take part in a series of team presentations on a particular environmental topic.

Study hours

At least 68 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

• Verbal feedback from peers and instructors during the evening reviews whilst on the field class.
• Verbal feedback from peers and instructors on field and laboratory notebooks during the field class.
• This field class offers an excellent opportunity to develop independence as well as valuable field experience in an unfamiliar culture. The experience and opportunities on offer will be extremely valuable in team building and personal development

Reassessment

Additional costs