Course Title: Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2016
Course Code: EASC5040C
Course Title: Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices
School: 650T Vocational Business Education
Campus: City Campus
Program: C6106 - Advanced Diploma of Legal Practice
Course Contact: Doug Gourlay
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5944
Course Contact Email: doug.gourlay@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Robyn Lang
Ph: 9925 1565
robyn.lang@rmit.edu.au
Joanne Mackay
Ph: 9925 5540
joanne.mackay@rmit.edu
Nominal Hours: 40
Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Pre-requisites and Co-requisites
None
Course Description
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to effectively analyse the workplace in relation to environmentally sustainable work practices and to implement improvements and monitor their effectiveness. It addresses the knowledge, processes and techniques necessary to implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices, including the development of processes and tools, such as:
• identifying areas for improvement
• developing plans to make improvements
• implementing and monitoring improvements in environmental performance.
This unit requires the ability to access industry information, applicable legislative and occupational health and safety (OHS) guidelines.
While no licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply holistically to this unit at the time of publication, relevant national, state and territory legislation, regulations and codes of practice impact upon this unit.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
BSBSUS301A Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices |
Element: |
1. Investigate current practices in relation to resource usage |
Performance Criteria: |
PC |
Element: |
2. Set targets for improvements |
Performance Criteria: |
PC |
Element: |
3. Implement performance improvement strategies |
Performance Criteria: |
PC |
Element: |
4. Monitor performance |
Performance Criteria: |
PC |
Learning Outcomes
Details of Learning Activities
A range of learning experiences are planned for this course including class and online activities relevant to implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices.
Teaching Schedule
This course is delivered both online and in a simulated work space in conjunction with LAW5189 Practice in a legal environment (VU20113) course. Please refer to LAW5189 Practice in a legal environment course guide for weekly outline and assessments for that unit.
Prior to training commencement a program level induction session will be conducted that comprises the following:
• Program overview and requirements
• MyRMIT/Blackboard
• Overview of assessment requirements
• Pre-Training Review including:
o Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfers
o Assessment of current skills and knowledge
• Competency/Grading Criteria
• Plagiarism
• Appeals
• Extensions
• Feedback
• Privacy
• Submission requirements
• Resubmission policy
• Where to get support
• Student responsibilities
The nominal hours associated with this course are a guide only and represent the total teaching time and student effort required to successfully complete the course. This may include not only scheduled classes but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Week |
Date |
Topics |
Assessment Tasks |
| 1 | 8 Feb | Introduction to the Course including: |
On-line Exercise 1 |
| 2 | 15Feb | What is climate change? |
On-line Exercise 2 |
| 3 | 22 Feb | Determining your own sustainability? |
On-line Exercise 3 |
| 4 | 29 Feb | Improving resource efficiency. |
On-line Exercise 4 |
| 5 | 7 Mar | Sustainability and business |
On-line Exercise 5 |
| 6 | 14 Mar | Identifying environmentally sustainable work practices |
On-line Exercise 6 |
| 7 | 21 Mar | Setting targets for improvements |
|
24 - 30 March Semester Break |
|||
| 8 | 4 Apr | Implementing sustainable work practices |
|
| 9 | 11 Apr | Monitoring sustainable work practices |
On-line Exercises 7 - 9 |
| 10 | 18 Apr | Discussion on sustainability assignment |
|
| 11 | 25 Apr | Sustainability in a Legal Practice |
|
| 12 | 2 May | WIL Placement |
Sustainability Assignment due 5.00pm 2 May 2016 |
| 13 | 9 May | WIL Placement |
|
| 14 | 16 May | Sustainability in a Legal Practice |
On-line Exercise 10 Final week for submission of Online Exercises |
| 15 | 23 May | Overall Review of Sustainability |
|
| 16 | 30 May | Feedback |
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
None prescribed however reading and articles will be available on blackboard. |
References
Other Resources
It is recommended that you have access to a mobile computing device to allow greater flexibility in terms of where you can work on campus outside class times.
Overview of Assessment
Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of the requirements in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks, for example:
• direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence
• response to case studies
• review of reports of activities of work group in relation to measuring resource use and developing improvement strategies
• review of work plans outlining approaches to improved practices with documented benchmarks
• analysis of the way in which advice is sought and suggestions are made about improvements
• observation over time and in a range of situations in relation to review of overall work area and staff, to assess and measure resource use, hazards and compliance
• reports on meetings around procedures and improvement processes and monitoring within the workplace; lists of environmental hazards/risks or inefficiencies or opportunities for improvements identified in the workplace
• analysis of implementation of programs such as a green office program, supply chain program for purchasing sustainable products, or an environmental management framework
• oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of environmental and energy efficiency issues, systems and procedures specific to industry practice.
Students are advised that they are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate their assessment work to their teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.
Assessment Tasks
To pass this course, you need to demonstrate you are competent to the industry standard as required of a paralegal. To achieve this, you must complete all assessments to an acceptable industry standard.
You will be assessed against your skills and knowledge and will receive feedback on each assessment task that will inform you whether you have performed to industry standard or not and how well you are performing.
To be deemed competent in this course the following evidence is essential:
• knowledge of relevant compliance requirements within work area
• developing plans to make improvements
• planning and organising work group activities in relation to measuring current use and devising strategies to improve usage
• monitoring resource use and improvements for environmental performance relative to work area and supervision
• ensuring appropriate action is taken within work area in relation to environmental/sustainability compliance and potential hazards
• implementing new approaches to work area in an effort to resolve and improve environmental and resource efficiency issues and reporting as required.
Assessment Task 1 - 10 Online Quizzes/Exercises (number of attempts will be taken into account for competency grading)
Due Date: To be completed by week 14
Submission Procedure: To be completed and submitted on blackboard
The purpose of this assessment is for you to demonstrate your understanding of the sustainability principles in particular how to investigate current practices, how to set targets and implement and monitor strategies to improve sustainability performance.
Assessment Task 2 - Sustainability Assignment
Due Date: 5 2 May
Submission Procedure: To be submitted through Turnitin on blackboard with a hard copy to be handed to the teacher.
The purpose of this assessment is for you to demonstrate your understanding of the sustainability principles and how to apply them to working in a Legal Practice.
Feedback
Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online. You are encouraged to ask and answer questions during class time so that you can obtain feedback on your understanding of the concepts and issues being discussed. Finally, you can email or arrange an appointment with your teacher to gain more feedback on your progress.
You should take note of all feedback received and use this information to improve your learning outcomes and final performance in the course.
Assessment Matrix
Marking Guide (Grading)
Grades received throughout semester are only indicative of your performance. These grades will only contribute to your final grade if you complete all assessments to an acceptable industry standard. If students cannot demonstrate competency across all learning outcomes or elements of the course the maximum grade they can achieve is NN or NYC. If students fail to submit one or more pieces of assessment, the maximum grade available is DNS.
After achieving competency we then grade your performance in the unit; this gives you the opportunity to have the level of your performance formally recognized against industry standards and employability skills.
Final Grades table:
| CHD | Competent with High Distinction |
| CDI | Competent with Distinction |
| CC | Competent with Credit |
| CAG | Competency Achieved - Graded |
| NYC | Not Yet Competent |
| DNS | Did Not Submit for assessment |
Further information regarding the application of the grading criteria will be provided by your teacher.
Other Information
Submission Requirements
You should:
• Ensure that you submit assessments on or before the due date:
• If your performance in the assessment is affected by unexpected circumstances, you should consider applying for extensions of time. (Please refer to the information in the Late Submission Procedure section below)
• If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program manager or the Disability Liaison Unit if you would like to find out more.
• Always retain a copy of your assessment tasks (hard copy and soft copy).
• When you submit work for assessment at RMIT University you need to use a cover sheet that includes a declaration
and statement of authorship. You must complete, sign and submit a cover sheet with all work you submit for
assessment, whether individual or group work. On the cover sheet you declare that the work you are presenting for
assessment is your own work. An assignment cover sheet for submission of work for assessment is available on
Blackboard.
• Each page of your assessment should include a footer with your name, student number, the title of the assessment,
unit code and title and page numbers.
Late Submission Procedures
If you are prevented from submitting an assessment on time, by circumstances outside your control, you must apply in advance for an extension to the due date of up to seven calendar days.
More Information: http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/assessment/extension
Form to use: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/seca86tti4g4z.pdf
Where an extension of greater than seven days is needed, you must apply for special consideration. Applications for special consideration must be submitted no later than two working days after the assessment task deadline or scheduled examination.
More Information: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=g43abm17hc9w (unresolved)
Form to use: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/8a5dgcaqvaes1.pdf
Resubmissions (VET Programs):
Students who achieve an indicative grade of greater than 50%, yet have not demonstrated competency across all learning outcomes will be given the opportunity to undertake an oral questioning with the assessor in which they will be required to demonstrate competence in the elements or learning outcomes not yet demonstrated. If students cannot demonstrate competency across all learning outcomes or elements of the course the maximum grade they can achieve is NYC - Not Yet Competent.
Adjustments to Assessment
In certain circumstances students may be eligible for an assessment adjustment. For more information about the circumstances under which the assessment arrangements might be granted please access the following website:
More Information: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=kehn9bz22r41 (unresolved)
Course Overview: Access Course Overview