Session Two 2011
BENV 1082 BUILT ENVIRONMENT LITERACY
Consolidates the expectations, conventions and practices applying to spoken and written communications
expected in Built Environment undergraduate degree program courses. Students will improve their ability to
research and build ideas into coherent arguments, learn how to construct and arrange texts that
demonstrate critical thinking and communicate their ideas and develop their communication skills for public
presentations of their academic work. (2010 UNSW Handbook)
Course Authority
Faculty of the Built Environment
Course Lecturer
Helen Farrell, UNSW Learning Centre
email h.farrell@unsw.edu.au
Course Tutors
Helen Farrell, Heleana Genaus and
Dodi Mcmenamin
Meeray Ghaly guest lecturer
Units of Credit
6 uoc
Course time + day
9-12 Friday
Allocated Room
Old Main Building Rm 233 K- K15
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Introduction
A warm welcome is extended to students enrolling in this FBE elective course, which is designed and
developed to consolidate the expectations, conventions and practices applying to spoken and written
communications expected in Built Environment degree program courses. Students will improve their ability
to research and build ideas into coherent arguments, learn how to construct texts that demonstrate critical
thinking and arrange design presentations to communicate this thinking, as well as develop their
communication skills (speaking, listening, writing, & reading). This course complements and interacts with
assignments in parallel courses.
A range of educational programs in UNSW Faculties such as Built Environment, Medicine, Law and
Engineering are considered ‘professional’ degree programs because they prepare students for public and
specific careers in service to society, as Architects, Doctors, Lawyers, and Engineers. These programs are
characterised by distinctive disciplinary and practice communication and discourse, national and state
accreditation and regulation, strong links to their professional bodies, associated industries, fields of action
and professional practices.
In educational settings, professional fields and industry of the Built Environment, informing our
communication with each other, community members and clients is a shared understanding of the
discourse language and conventions used and expected in practice to communicate clearly and concisely
ideas, synthesis, analysis and instruction. This is not always the same way we communicate in other
contexts or in our home culture.
Course Aims
This course is designed with the following core aims:
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consolidate student competence in communication expected at a university and professional level.
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enable students to reflect critically on their own built environment academic work by engaging with
differing sources of information for understanding, interpretation and judgement.
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assist students to analyse, summarise, and synthesise differing sources of information for the
purpose of presenting academic arguments in their assignments in the built environment context.
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explain students’ academic responsibilities with respect to originality and the body of knowledge
within the built environment academic context.
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enhance student confidence and sociability in communicating assignment presentations to others
who are different from themselves.
Student Learning Outcomes
After participating in this course students should be able to:
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identify the different components of an essay, report or design presentation and arrange them in
an effective structure
examine the logic of an academic argument using a variety of sources
effectively summarise arguments in recommended and suggested texts, case studies and
precedents
judge which interpretations are more convincing or persuasive when comparing different texts,
case studies or precedents
present a critical response to a text by means of an oral presentation and leading a tutorial
integrate the arguments of other authors into their own argument in the form of discursive and
expository essays
contribute to class discussions in a meaningful way that offers both critique and support to other
students
write essays, reports and design statements which adopt a critical stance and incorporate reliable
academic evidence
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Graduate Attributes
Each Australian university has developed a distinctive suite of attributes that graduates are expected to
demonstrate as a result of their university studies so that they may contribute to enhancing and advancing
our society and culture. In 2003, UNSW affirmed the 12 attributes of UNSW Graduates. Each course you
undertake is designed to help you achieve a number of different attributes. This course will focus on the
following graduate attributes:
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the skills involved in scholarly enquiry
the capacity for analytical and critical thinking and for creative problem-solving
the ability to engage in independent and reflective learning
an appreciation of, and respect for, diversity
an appreciation of, and a responsiveness to, change
a respect for ethical practice and social responsibility
the skills of effective communication.
W HAT DO THESE ATTRIBUTES MEAN?
A functioning knowledge of academic writing skills:
 a comprehensive knowledge of the principles of research, analysis and writing;
 an understanding of the multiple levels of writing and an ability to use these well in an appropriate
academic context;
 an ability to put forward a coherent and reasoned argument in response to an expository or
speculative question.
Intellectual skills of analysis, synthesis, critical judgment, reflection and evaluation:
 identify the scope of the topic under discussion;
 identify evidence appropriate to that genre and then to interpret it critically;
 interpreting the different genres of built environment writing;
 being able to reflect on critical feedback and systematically improve the assignments.
The capacity to engage in scholarly research:
 develop and plan the set assignments;
 research effectively within the given constraints;
 analyse, evaluate and interpret information;
 form an understanding of the main themes of a topic;
 show an understanding of how to begin the research process to answer unfamiliar questions.
Effective oral and written communication skills:
 express and analyse academic arguments in formal and informal presentations;
 work in small groups and articulate a position on behalf of the group;
 demonstrate effective listening skills in order to contribute to class discussions.
Teaching and Learning Strategies
This course is structured around a one hour lecture and two hour tutorial setting. The lecture will focus on
the content of the nominated topic and may include video, DVD and other visual and aural multi media.
Tutorials will focus on specific academic skills and will be interactive, so that students have the chance to
learn, develop and deepen their skills. These seminars are ‘hands on’ and focus on ‘learning by doing’ with
the guidance of the course lecturer.
This course reflects the general philosophy of learning and teaching undertaken at UNSW. It is based on
the theory that students learn most effectively when they are thoroughly engaged in the learning process
and are supported within their learning environment to take up challenges offered to them. So, by
establishing a supportive as well as a challenging learning environment, much more sustained and
sustainable learning can take place. This philosophy is reflected in the Guidelines on Learning that Inform
Teaching at UNSW which may be found at www.guidelinesonlearning.unsw.edu.au.
Assessments and Assignments
In addition to meeting the 80% attendance requirement for this course, to be eligible for a final assessment
grade and mark in this course, students must complete and submit for assessment all required progressive
submissions and tutorial exercises. This course involves formative and summative assessment of required
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submissions with constructive, timely progressive feedback and evaluation. All assignment tasks are
assessed against stated criteria. It is expected that all students will meet the requirements for assessment
submission at the due time, date and place.
Assessment Schedule
30%
Assignment One
Portfolio of Tutorial Exercises
40%
Assignment Two
Tutorial Research Paper and Presentation
30%
Assignment Three
Assignment from parallel core course (essay, report, design
statement)
Weekly Schedule BENV 1082 2011
Week
1
Lecture
Lecture
Tutorial
Tasks
No tutorials this week
Set Reading for next week: Modern Shopping
Centres by Roy Laria
22 July
2
29 July
Reading
efficiently
Identifying main
ideas +
elaboration
Discussion:
Modern Shopping
Centres
Reading activity + writing
activity
Please bring a hard copy of the article for
discussion to class each week
Set readings for next week:
1. Intentions of the ‘Themed’ Environment
in the 1990s by Lucy Pullin
2. A city for Mall rats: the shopping
landscape in Hong Kong by Tin Sing Kho
Reflective activity
3
5 Aug
Summary and
synthesis of
texts
Discussion:
Intentions of the
‘Themed’ Environment +
A City for Mall Rats
Summarising & synthesis
task based on both the
readings above
4
12 Aug
5
19 Aug
Develop an
academic
argument
Design
presentation for
BE
(Meeray)
Discussion:
Indigenous Housing
Chicago & Harvard
referencing conventions
Research strategies
Discussion:
The Eyes of the Skin Pt 1
Design related activity
Assignment 2
Introduction:
Variations in spoken and
written English
Features of an oral
presentation
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Set reading for next week:
Read any one of the articles listed below
related to indigenous housing in Architecture
Australia Sept- Oct 2008 issue.
http://www.architecturemedia.com/aa/aaissue.php
?issueid=200809
Indigenous Design Paradigms or
Culture and Delivery or
Housing and Health or
Dreaming the Block
Edit and hand in completed summary and
synthesis task next week.
Set Reading for next week:
The Eyes of the Skin Pt 1 by Juhani Pallasmaa
Bring your site analysis of a recent Australian
architectural design (BENV1080 Assignment 2) for
Week 5
No reading for next week
Assignment 2 : Research work for oral
presentation
Theme: Innovations in Architecture and related
fields
Focus: Libeskind’s 17 words of BE inspiration
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/daniel_libeskind
_s_17_words_of_architectural_inspiration.html
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Oral presentations with multimedia powerpoint + Student peer review.
Submission Interim assessment of
Assignment 1 –PORTFOLIO
Set Reading for week 9: The Eyes of the Skin Pt
2 by Juhani Pallasmaa
26 Aug
MID SESSION BREAK: 2 Sept & 9 Sept
Writing a
Discussion:
critique
The Eyes of the Skin Pt 2
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16 Sept
9
23 Sept
10
30 Sept
11
7 Oct
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Set reading for next week: The Eyes of the Skin
Pt 3 by Juhani Pallasmaa
Students to bring their selected design studio
precedents to Week 10 class
Discussion of set
reading, their relation to
design projects and
student voice
Writing a report
Refining research skills
Reading
Re scheduled to 7 Oct
precedents in
relation to
Design Studio
assessment
criteria +
Design work
(Meeray)
Esquisse of Assignment 3 reports.
+ Refining research skills
The Eyes of the Skin Pt 4 by Juhani Pallasmaa
Consultation on visual presentation of Design projects
14 Oct
13
21 Oct
15
The student
voice in an
academic
essay/ research
paper / report in
BE
Feedback from studio
ARCH 1102 + ARCH
1390
Students to bring studio
work if possible
Discussion:
The Eyes of the Skin Pt 3
Assignment 2 Report submission
Review of
academic
literacy
consolidations
Return of work
Short oral presentation
about Assignment 3
Submission of Assignment 1 -Portfolio
Submission of Assignment 3 - Report
5 Nov
Recommended Text:
Forty, Adrian (2000).Words and buildings: A vocabulary of modern architecture. London: Thames &
Hudson. Available at Main Library, High Use Collection (720.108/25 C) and on level 9.
For individual research, students are encouraged to use the BE subject guides available at
http://subjectguides.library.unsw.edu.au/
Wikispace
Following the very successful use of the wiki previously, we will continue to use a wiki as our online
site for course materials, for class discussion and for easy access to additional resources. You will
find our wiki at
http:// BENV1082.unsw.wikispaces.net
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COURSE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION
BENV1082
Assessment Submission Grades and Marks
Overall Assessment in this Course is guided by the UNSW Assessment Policy
https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/academiclife/assessment/AssessmentPolicySec3_2.html#3.2.5Gradeonly
In accordance with this policy in this course the distribution range of marks in relation to grades and their
descriptor is as follows:
Grade
HD - High Distinction
DN - Distinction
CR - Credit
PS - Pass
PC – Pass Conceded
FL - Fail
AF – Absent Fail
Mark Distribution
85 - 100
75 - 84
65 - 74
50 - 64
45 - 50
0 - 45
0
WJ
Academic Standard
Outstanding performance
Superior performance
Good performance
Acceptable performance
The concession algorithm will determine
concessional passes on the basis of the student's
results in all courses under assessment and their
cumulative weighted average. The Assessment
Review Group should vary this only in exceptional
circumstances.
Failure: performance below minimum level of
competence
The student has not completed any assessment.
Subsequent submission of work will not be accept
Assessment withheld due to academic
misconduct.
The UNSW Policy gives guidance on notional marks for each grade in the distributed range of marks.
Therefore as a guide the following marks will be awarded to each of these grades. At the discretion of the
Assessors (Tutors and Course Convenor) plus + or minus – weightings may be given either side of this
notional mark.
Grade
HD - High Distinction
DN - Distinction
CR - Credit
PS - Pass
PC – Pass Conceded
FL - Fail
AF – Absent Fail
Mark
90
80
70
55
48
30
0
Students should be mindful of the following:
1.Outstanding Performance is the UNSW grade descriptor for the academic standard of High Distinction.
At the University of Queensland it is described as follows: High Distinction (HD) demonstrates imagination,
originality or flair based on proficiency in all the learning objectives for the course where the work is
interesting or surprising or exciting or challenging or erudite.
2.Acceptable Performance is the UNSW grade descriptor for the academic standard of Pass (PS). To
meet this standard students’ assignment submissions are required to demonstrate competence in relation
to all assessment criteria.
Late Assignment Submissions.
Each scheduled assignment task is expected to be completed for the day it is due. In fairness to all
students, assessable tasks that are received late without the advance agreement of the Course Convener
will receive a late penalty of 10%. Work submitted 24 hours or more late will accrue an additional 10%
penalty per day. The late penalty will be deducted from your assigned mark for that project task.
Mishaps, commitments and obligations certainly make life interesting and can affect your university study.
Consequently, at the sole discretion of the course convener, late assignment work may be accepted
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without penalty if prior (24-hours minimum) notification is given to the Course Convener for that assignment
task. When approval is given for a late submission, students should attach a statement to the assignment
explaining the reasons why the work is late and submit it through the Faculty Student Centre marked to the
attention of the Course Convener.
Course Management
This course involves presentations, tutorial exercises, consultations and student self-directed group
activities. Students are to familiarize themselves with the schedule, be alert to any unforeseen issues and
changes. They are expected to be punctual in their attendance for class. The class roll will be available for
signing at each class meeting until 9.15 am. Students arriving after 9.15 am will be deemed to be absent.
In the community of the course, student learning is the responsibility of each student, their colleagues as
well as teaching staff. Peer Learning is actively encouraged in this course and the course has been
designed so as to facilitate this interaction.
Attendance
Students should be advised that as the Convener needs to plan out each in class studio session and
allocate time to spend with each student, based on the number of students present at the start of the
tutorial, and on the extent of discussion needed with each student present, that if students are late they
may not be consulted about their work.
Your non-attendance will be particularly noted if you attend less than 80% of any scheduled class. The
following extract from the University Calendar indicates the penalty that can be imposed for this type of
attendance pattern,
“If students attend less than eighty percent of their possible classes they may be refused final assessment”
For sickness, accident, or personal problems affecting attendance or progress in this course, you must
formally advise the Course Convenor by E-mail or telephone immediately so that suitable arrangements
might be made. In all E-mail correspondence, include your full name, student number, tutorial group and
Tutor’s name, course, day time telephone contact and the reason why you are unable to attend or the
nature of the problems that are affecting your progress. You must do this as soon as possible so we can
help you in the most effective way. If other academic courses are affected students should contact the
Head of Program, Associate Professor Harry Margalit.
The mutuality of employment and academic study in contemporary universities is understood but we would
ask that students reflect on their management of this mutuality so as to not comprise their academic
success in this course.
Special Consideration
Students at UNSW are all individuals with special needs, differing perceptions and varying circumstances.
The University has in place a number of procedures to recognize that students’ lives, health and wellbeing
can affect their studies. One such procedure is Special Consideration – www.student.unsw.edu
You should note that merely submitting a request for Consideration does not automatically mean that you
will be granted additional assessment, nor that you will be awarded an amended result. For example, if
you have a poor record of attendance or performance throughout a session/year in a course you may be
failed regardless of illness or other reason affecting a final examination in this course. You must make
formal application for Consideration for the course/s affected as soon as practicable after the problem
occurs and within three working days of the assessment to which it refers. The application must be made
through UNSW Central. Making an application for Special Consideration assists Course Convenors who
are notified through the Universities special consideration procedures. They are then able to comment on
your behalf in the Assessment meeting at the end of session.
The Course Convenor does not accept medical certificates.
Expected Student Workload
The UNSW Academic Board has determined that the normal workload expectation of students is 25-30
hours per session for each unit of credit, including class contact hours, preparation and time spent on all
assessable work. This course has a credit point loading of 6 credit points per week during the session.
Expected student workload for this course is therefore at least 150 hours. 3 teaching contact hours per
week accounts for 36 hours of the session load. Therefore you are expected to undertake at least 8 to 10
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hours a week of independent work and study for this course. We would encourage you to examine your
study practices, employment and social commitments so that you will meet the expectations of this course
for academic engagement and success. This expectation is premised on individual student study patterns
being efficient and effective to meet the academic standard of intellectual and practical work required in
this course.
Plagiarism + Academic Misconduct
The University is committed to assisting students to understand the conventions, which govern academic
communication, and thereby to avoid action, which may result in academic misconduct.
UNSW seeks to enable students to acquire theoretical and practical knowledge that is both trustworthy and
verifiable. The writing, presentation and representation (images +drawings) of research-based assignments
is one way in which students approach this goal. These scholarly works, in part, report on the creation of
new insights and knowledge. To maintain standards in scholarship requires a commitment to scholarly
values. Among such values is the adherence to ethical behaviour.
Many aspects of ethical behaviour come together in the process of research and, in particular, in the use of
scholarly materials.
In the interests of maintaining high standards in scholarship and research, the University reminds students
of their obligations and responsibilities in regards to Plagiarism.
What is Plagiarism?
Plagiarism is the presentation of the thoughts or work of another as one’s own.* Examples include:
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direct duplication of the thoughts or work of another, including by copying material, ideas or concepts
from a book, article, report or other written document (whether published or unpublished), composition,
artwork, design, drawing, circuitry, computer program or software, web site, Internet, other electronic
resource, or another person’s assignment without appropriate acknowledgement;
paraphrasing another person’s work with very minor changes keeping the meaning, form and/or
progression of ideas of the original;
piecing together sections of the work of others into a new whole;
presenting an assessment item as independent work when it has been produced in whole or part in
collusion with other people, for example, another student or a tutor; and
claiming credit for a proportion a work contributed to a group assessment item that is greater than that
actually contributed.†
For the purposes of this policy, submitting an assessment item that has already been submitted for
academic credit elsewhere may be considered plagiarism.
Knowingly permitting your work to be copied by another student may also be considered to be plagiarism.
Note that an assessment item produced in oral, not written, form, or involving live presentation, may
similarly contain plagiarised material.
The inclusion of the thoughts or work of another with attribution appropriate to the academic discipline does
not amount to plagiarism.
The Learning Centre website is main repository for resources for staff and students on plagiarism and
academic honesty. These resources can be located via:
www.lc.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism
The Learning Centre also provides substantial educational written materials, workshops, and tutorials to
aid students, for example, in:
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correct referencing practices;
paraphrasing, summarising, essay writing, and time management;
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appropriate use of, and attribution for, a range of materials including text, images, formulae and
concepts.
Individual assistance is available on request from The Learning Centre.
Students are also reminded that careful time management is an important part of study and one of the
identified causes of plagiarism is poor time management. Students should allow sufficient time for
research, drafting, and the proper referencing of sources in preparing all assessment items.
* Based on that proposed to the University of Newcastle by the St James Ethics Centre. Used with kind permission
from the University of Newcastle
† Adapted with kind permission from the University of Melbourne.
Continual Course Improvement.
Student feedback is taken seriously in this inaugural course and continual improvements will be made to
the course based in part, on such feedback. Students will be requested to complete online evaluations of
this course and its teaching as part of UNSW’s Course and Teaching Evaluation and Improvement (CATEI)
process.
Equity and Diversity:
In valuing the characteristics of its unique academic and social community UNSW strives to provide a work
and study environment for students and staff that fosters fairness, equity, respect for social and cultural
diversity and one that is free from unlawful discrimination, harassment and vilification. The UNSW Equity
and Diversity Unit (9385 4734) http://www.equity.unsw.edu.au/help.html#infstud provides information for
students on anti – discrimination legislation, policies and practices, harassment and grievance procedures:
support for ACCESS students and students with disabilities whether hearing or vision impaired, learning,
chronic medical conditions or physical disabilities. Additionally, there are specific support services for
Indigenous
Students
http://www.aep.unsw.edu.au/
and
International
students
http://www.international.unsw.edu.au/
Information in this Course Outline is subject to change at the discretion of the Course Convenor.
The Course Convener takes this opportunity to extend a warm welcome to you all and looks forward to a
productive, interesting and exciting session of learning engagement with you.
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