This Course Guide has been taken from the most recent presentation of the course. It would be useful for reference purposes but please note that there may be updates for the following presentation.
ENVR S216
Environment: Change, Contest and Response
ENVR S216 replaces U206 as a 20-credit, middle-level course. This new Environment course focuses on environment and discusses issues that everyone who cares about the protection of global or local environment and our future generation should attempt.
The course originates from the Open University of the United Kingdom (OUUK) and is locally adapted. We have included ENVR S216 as an optional subject for students who intend to follow the degree program in B.Sc. (Hon) in Environmental Studies. Of course, you are welcome to make it your free-choice subject in other degree programmes.
The course has an interdisciplinary approach that introduces the technological, social scientific and philosophical concepts related to the environment. The design of the course is based on the principle that students who have studied the foundation courses in science and social science will not have great difficulty in studying ENVR S216. However, if you have studied T237 you may have advantages in understanding the technological principles in environmental protection.
The course focuses on increasing awareness of environmental issues. It analyses the cause and effects of some obvious and contentious environmental issues at a global level. It also reveals less obvious but underlying issues and processes that are linked to the deterioration of ecosystems. The course lays great stress on applying integrated knowledge in geology, ecology, technology, economics, politics, cultural studies and philosophy to solve environmental problems. It aims to help students to identify and evaluate actions to reduce pollution levels and to attain sustainable development.
By the end of the course, you should be able to:
Note that all these bullet points, which are the overall aims of this course, will be explicitly tested in your course assessment.
The course discusses a variety of environmental issues that have arisen at different times and in different places, and stresses the relationship between the local and the global, the natural and the social, and the individual and society. In this way, you will be able to relate your own experience and local environment to a wider context.
The course materials include study guides and course books. For local relevance, a set of reference materials, which aim to focus on the situations in Hong Kong, China and South East Asia, will be provided in the Library or be downloadable from respective Websites. These materials will address Asian environmental issues, relevant environmental legislation, some localized environmental practices, and the political prospects related to environmental protection. It will also include some readings that come from government statements, scientific articles and environmental journals.
You will receive four course books and their study guides at the start of the study year. Some materials, including the assignments and course schedules, will be provided on the Online Learning Environment (OLE). In addition, you will receive tutorial support, and full information regarding your tutor and tutorials. Details of all these components are given below.
Course books
There are four major blocks for the course. The titles of the books are:
Book 1 Understanding Environmental Issues
Book 2 Changing Environments
Book 3 Contested Environments
Book 4 Environmental Responses
Book 1 fulfils an introductory role. In the first chapter you will be introduced to the core course themes of changing environments, contested environments and environmental responses. These themes will be developed in Books 2, 3, and 4 respectively. Book 1 will also introduce you to the analytical concepts and key questions used in the course. We have tried to make the chapters more interactive as far as possible by including activities. Depending on the type of activity, you will find answers or discussion either immediately following the activity in the text or at the back of the book. You are strongly advised to work through each activity before referring to the answer or the commentary supplied.
Block study times
ENVR S216 is divided into four blocks (each one with a course book and associated materials). In ENVR S216, the term 'block' refers to all the course components that will be studied and the activities that will be undertaken in relation to one of the course books and within a certain number of study weeks.
Note that course schedules are provided on the OLE. Although the schedules are a rough guide to your study, keeping up with both the reading and assignment schedules is essential for your successful completion of ENVR S216.
Study guides
Each course book has an associated study guide. The study guides include guidance notes for each chapter. They should be treated as your 'central organizer' and consulted each week.
How to use the block study guides
The ENVR S216 Course Team has prepared the study guides to explain what you should be doing week by week, to give you directions on how to proceed in your studies and to help you to get the most out of all the course materials.
The study guides have been organized by study week, starting with Study Week 1, the first week of the course. They provide notes advising you on all the course materials associated with each study week and on how to study them. We noted earlier that the study guides should be used as the central organizer for your studies and should be consulted each week. It is important that you read and follow the guidance in the study guides before you commence study of each block and chapter.
The basic structure of the weekly study guidance for the book chapters is:
Aims for each study week
The aims of each block suggest how to arrange the time to study different chapters of the books and teaching materials.
Study notes for each chapter
The study notes for the individual book chapters provide reflections on the chapter. For most of the chapters it will be helpful for you to read part of the notes before you start to study the chapter.
Learning outcomes for each chapter
Learning outcomes are provided for each chapter and it is hoped that you will achieve these after studying the text. To help you to do so, you may find it useful to refer back to the activities supplied in each chapter. The learning outcomes are also useful for revision purposes.
Remember!
Read and follow the guidance in the study guides before you commence your study of each chapter or any of the other course components.
Assignment file
There are seven assignments and details of these are found in the Assignment File. (Please note that the term 'TMA' and 'tutor-marked assignment' has been renamed 'assignment'. All references to 'TMA and tutor-marked assignment' in the study guides represent 'assignment'.)
During your study of ENVR S216, you may undertake a small project, looking either at a locality or at a selected environmental issue. The aim of the project is to apply a set of the key analytical concepts of the course (time/space or values/power/action or risk/uncertainty) or one the course themes (change or contest or response) to your chosen topic.
Instructions for carrying out the project are contained in the Assignment and Project Guide.
Course schedules
The schedule showing when to study different materials each week is provided in the 'Course Schedules' section on the Online Learning Environmnet (OLE). ENVR S216 starts in Study Week 1 and ends in Study Week 40. Two weeks are reserved at the end for course revision.
Online Learning Environment (OLE)
General information on websites is provided in the letter distributed with the first mailing. You will be introduced to the course website in the first week of study. Each tutorial group is linked together through the OLE platform in case you wish to discuss aspects of your studies with other students. It will be up to you to decide on the amount of time you wish to spend on the OLE activities and you may allocate your time for joining such activities appropriately.
The 'Course News' section in the OLE is the main channel for course communication. You need to check this section regularly (say once per week) to receive updated information from the Course Coordinator.
Websites
Materials from suggested websites aim to broaden your view beyond that of the UK or Europe-oriented materials. Local references will be mainly extracted from the following government documents — most of them are available through the Internet:
HK Government. Environment Hong Kong. Published by the Environmental Protection Department of Hong Kong (check the latest online version).
HK Government. Waste Reduction Programmes; Environmental Protection Department (https://www.wastereduction.gov.hk/en/waste-reduction-programmes.html)
HK Government. Air Study Reports; Environmental Protection Department (https://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/air/studyrpts/air_studyrpts.html)
Your tutor
An essential support in your studies is your tutor. Before the course begins, HKMU will allocate a tutor to you. Your tutor will be your main point of contact during your studies. You will submit your written assignments to your tutor for marking. Before you attend your first tutorial, your tutor will make initial contact with you and give you details of what will take place at the tutorial and any other relevant information — for example the times during the week when she or he will be available to take telephone calls from students.
Should you encounter problems with your studies, you should contact your tutor for help (at the allotted times). Your tutor would prefer that you do this, rather than to struggle on and worry unnecessarily.
Tutorials
Although attendance at face-to-face tutorials and participation in any online tutorials is not mandatory, it is recommended that you try to attend or participate. Your Course Coordinator (CC) will send you information regarding the dates and venues of the tutorials. A separate tutorial guide with the intended aims and objectives for each tutorial will be uploaded to the OLE accordingly.
You should find the following two publications of help with your ENVR S216 study.
The Sciences Good Study Guide
The Course Team suggests a reference: The Sciences Good Study Guide (Northedge, A, Thomas, J., Lane, A. and Peasgood, A., 1997, London, Routledge) available in the HKMU Library. If you have already studied some of the University's science courses, you have probably had some exposure to this guide. However, if you feel you need to remind yourself of basic science or how to draw graphs, you will find this book useful.
Good Essay Writing
The Course Team also suggests the reference: Good Essay Writing (Redman, P., 2001, London, Sage), which is also available in the HKMU library. Although the assessment in ENVR S216 is developed to help you to write an essay by the final Assignment (07), it is possible that you are unfamiliar with writing essays. A summary on 'Good Essay Writing' has been prepared to help those students who are not accustomed to writing essays and those who have not written any essays for a long time. It is, of course, also invaluable if you want to hone your essay writing techniques. The summary is included in the Assignment and Project Guide.
Active study: taking notes and doing activities
As you work through the chapters, we recommend that you make your reading more of an active task by taking notes. As well as reinforcing the main points, good notes produced at this stage will provide you with significant benefits while working on your project and also at revision time.
At various points in the chapter, you will encounter activities or questions. These are designed to help you to think through the issues or to consolidate your learning. Activities invite you to comment on what you have just read, while questions require you to recollect key points and help you to achieve the learning outcomes. We strongly advise you to undertake each activity before referring to the answer or commentary supplied.
Assessment is based on seven assignments (50%) and a three-hour final examination (another 50%).
Assignments
7 Assignments (01–07) | Each counted assignment carries 8.3% |
Total | 50% of Overall Course Score (OCS) |
3-hour final examination | 50% of OCS |
Total | 100% |
The minimum pass thresholds for both overall continuous assessment score (OCAS) and overall exam score (OES) are 40%. You must pass both components to pass the course.
If you have difficulties in understanding the course materials, you are advised to consult your tutor immediately or post your questions on the ENVR S216 OLE Discussion Board or by e-mail (details are addressed in the OLE letter and related materials). Your tutor will be very happy to discuss with you all matters related to the course. If you have inquiries about academic or administrative issues of the course, please do not hesitate to contact the Course Coordinator Dr Carol Lau by email (cpylau@hkmu.edu.hk), telephone (3120 2632) or by fax (2406 2376).
