On this module you will be assessed by means of one individual project worth 100% of the module mark.
There are 2 assessments:
Formative: present and discuss project plan with tutor (1:1) in week 7
This is not marked, but you will receive instant qualitative feedback from your seminar tutor to help you progress to the final summative project.
Summative (part 1): submission on turn-it-in of an individual written project report of 1500 words in week 10 (100% of the module mark.)
Summative (part 2): A 3-minute individual project overview presented to the class to in week/s 11 / 12. You are required to briefly present the highlights of your project a week later, to share your key findings and arguments/discussions with the class. In this way, everyone in the class will gain better insights into each other’s countries natural resources and the key aspects of its socio-economic historical development.
Deadlines: There will be no dead-line extensions for assignments. You can submit late up to 3 working days but your work will be capped at 40% unless extenuating circumstances which you must see with registry.
STM4A1_HCS_Assessment Guidelines 2015-16 1 iKL 2014 RD 2015 AL 2016
a) Formative Assessment
Select a specific natural resource that has historically (before 1940) been used as raw material, ideally from your own country.
Examples: cotton, wool, fur, wheat, corn, barley, milk, meat, fish, salt, gold, diamonds, quartz, marble, silica, steel, aluminium, iron ore, coal, oil sands, water… (but not Solar or other renewable energy sources)
NOTE: Only one topic per student allowed for the same country in the same seminar group, on a ‘first come-first served’ basis. For example, if you are from Angola and choose diamonds as your topic, then any other student from Angola in your seminar group will be requested to choose a different topic. However, other students may still select the topic Diamonds, as well as long as they come from a different country. This is in order to avoid submission of potentially very similar projects.
Guidelines
Research on the Natural Resource’s distribution, perceived value and uses through time and in different cultures/countries, as an extension exercise you might consider how has this changed since 1940?•
Research on what types of businesses/industries have depended on this resource (directly or indirectly)•
Research the history of sustainability problems arising from the use of this resource by industry before and since 1940•
o Visit Museums (e.g. the British Museum), business companies, check reliable videos (e.g. History Channel, BBC) and any other source or location you may think could provide you with further information on the resource and its use and perceived values through history (in your country (and other countries). Reference at least 3 sources from the RUL Discovery database.
Start developing the structure of your project: what will you focus on; How abundant was the resource (and perhaps still is) in your country; How far back in history can you trace it; What are the sustainability issues; What are your arguments discussion behind how these have arisen and potential solutions…•
Create a Reference Journal of your work, no longer than 6 sides of A4 and bring to your Seminar in Wk7•
In Week 7 your seminar tutor will provide you instant feedback and feedback suggestions to help you continue your research and finalize your project (summative).•
STM4A1_HCS_Assessment Guidelines 2015-16 2 iKL 2014 RD 2015 AL 2016
b) Summative Assessment: PROJECT (100% of TMM)
The written project report maximum 1500 words long
Based on your country based research and tacit knowledge, you are to develop a Project that will both discuss the history of the sustainability problems that have arisen from business use of that specific natural resource(s) and discuss a set of your recommendations for industries, businesses or even local government, to advise them on how to make better and more sustainable use of that specific natural resource. Discussion supported by research is the key approach.
This is supposed to be a project report so you should use illustrations and bullet points to back up your discussions (not an essay), with the following INDICATIVE structure (the word limit given for each section is also indicative):
Executive summary (the basis for your presentation) – 200 words
Key words (a selection of 5 words that you consider fully describe the topic and your findings)
Overview of Resource/Industry and discuss the historical context of the sustainability challenge associated with it (600 words)
Development of the improved sustainable use idea (which can be presented as bullet points) and brief discussion of your recommendations (600 words)
Concluding remarks (100 words)
The
awareness and skills acquired during the lectures, seminars, and the feedback you got during the formative stage as well as your own independent further study.
An illustrative set of thoughts that might shape your report:
A brief overview on the natural resource selected and what may have led people to
start using it and trading it, either per se or as a component of a final product;
What have been the social impacts of the exploitation of that resource locally and
globally? (e.g. apprenticeships, jobs)
What have been the environmental impacts of the trading of the resource (e.g. if it has
to be transported from how far and using what types of transport? Or if has to be
processed in some way, does the process lead to dust/noise, etc.)
Examples of historical sustainability issues that could be discussed:
STM4A1_HCS_Assessment Guidelines 2015-16 3 iKL 2014 RD 2015 AL 2016
individual project should draw from and fully integrate and reflect upon the knowledge,
o It could be by means of addressing CSR issues ( workers rights, fair trade);
o Or it could be by addressing the ways in which the resource is extracted from a mine (human health and welfare, use of water or energy, environmental
impact caused by the exploration, etc.) ;
o Or the way in which the breeding programmes are set for the animals to be
exploited as food, or fur/wool/feathers…;
o Or the issues with CO2 emissions because of the transport involved in taking
the natural resource from its extraction/production/natural origin to the
processing/manufacturing/storage/distribution sites;
o Ortheissuesaboutillegaltrading;
o Oranyotherissuesrelatedtobusinessethicsandenvironmentalsustainability
Reflect upon if you were a business person leading a business/ industry that would require the use of this specific resource (either as the resource itself or as a component of any product/service your company were to provide) and you are aware of the sustainability challenges you outlined earlier, what would be your recommendations for the company/industry to address these challenges and become more sustainable.
The Project Presentation
A brief overview of your Project has to be presented in class (in your seminar class) in Week 11 or 12, depending on class numbers, as part of your summative assessment so that the whole class shares their findings. This will also enable you to develop presentation and argumentative skills.
This summary presentation should be no longer than THREE minutes and should highlight the key aspects of your Project, particularly to raise discussion about the various factors and issues that relate to you focus.
It may be presented in Power Point (3 to 5 slides) or an alternative format.
The presentation should be engaging, concise and straight-to-the-point, giving a concise and personal overview of the topic you researched and the recommendations and reflections you have made.
PS, i chose chocolate as i’am from switzerland
PLEASE DO THE FOLLOWING EDITS :
TALK MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF MILK IN SWITZERLAND
STARTING TO TALK ALSO FROM THE COCO (THE MOTHERLAND) REALTED THEN TO THE IMPORTATION TO SWITZERLAND.
ADD POSSIBLE DIAGRAMES
ADD PICTURES (EFFECTIVE ONES)
TALK ALSO ABOUT THE CONSEQUNCES RELATED TO THE SUSTABILILTY
CHANGE THE SUMMARY…….
VERY IMPORTANT TALK ABOU THE IMPACT OF THIS RESOURCE ON THE NATURE BUT ALSO ON THE CULTURE OF SWITZERLAND..
TO MAKE THE LONG STORY SHORT IT HAS TO HAVE MORE RELATIONS REGARDING The Historical Context Of Sustainability.