TeachingPortfolio 2009‐08‐11
PaulM.PuléPh.D.‐Pending(GenderStudies&EnvironmentalPhilosophy)
M.Sc.(HolisticScience)B.Sc.(AppliedScience‐Ecology)
1/116SolomonStreetFremantle,WA6160
AUSTRALIAHome:+6189335‐5932Office:+6289360–2600
Mobile:+61409054069
Email:[email protected]:www.paulpule.com.au
alsowww.istp.murdoch.edu.au/ISTP/students/
phdcurrent/pule_paul.html
ProfessionalVision:
Beingadynamicstudent‐centreduniversityinstructorin‐servicetohigherlearningforthebettermentoftheplanet
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OverviewTheplanetisfacingamultifacetedcrisis.Bioticsystems,ourcommunities,ourfamiliesandevenourinnerhealth,arecollectivelycallingourattentiontotheneedforethicalandpracticalshiftstowardssustainability.Tostickwithconvention‐toeducateourselvesmerelyforthesakeofourowncomforts–isinmyviewnolongeraviableoption.Withclimatechangenoticeableandinsomeinstancesseveresocialandenvironmentalconsequences,wearebeingforcedtofacethedreadofourownblindoptimism.Theearthisindeedfiniteandthewaysweeducateourselveswillhaveconsiderablebearingonwhatwedowiththecircumstancesthatarenowconfrontingus.Mypedagogicalapproachtouniversitylevelinstruction,thecurriculaIwrite,thetopicsIdebatewithstudentsandcolleagues,howIpresent,assess,andrefineunitinformation,aremycontributiontoresolvingthedilemmaswearenowfacing.Andweneedallthehelpwecangetinfacilitatingawholeheartedtransformationfromthecurrentconsumermodeltoonethatmightbestbecharacterisedasagradualdescentintoalow‐energyfuture.Formethereisnootherpathforwardthanthis,shortofcollapse,andnomoreeffectivewayofbroachingthesubjectandenrollingasmanyindividualsinsupportforcreativechangethanthroughuniversityeducation.Ienvisionaworldwherealllifeisembracedwithcompassionandcare.AndIlooktomystudentsaswellasmyleadersinpositionsofpolicytohelpme
TableofContentsOverview……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….2TeachingResponsibilitiesSubjectstaughtandsupervised…………………………………………………..............................3StatementofDuties……………………………………………………………………………………………….3StatementofSchool/Departmentalexpectationsandresources……………...................3Teachingthatpromoteseffectivelearning
Teachingphilosophy,aimsandmethods…………………………………………………………4Descriptionofteachingstrategies…………………………………………...........................5Examplesofteachinginnovations…………………………………………...........................7Descriptionsofuseoftechnology…………………………………………………………………….9Representativeunit/coursesyllabi…………………………………………..........................9Unit/courseandinstructionalmaterials……………………………………………………….. 9Informalstudentfeedback………………………………………………………………………………9Teachingawards…………………………………………………………………………………………….9
Useoffeedback,reflectionandprofessionaldevelopmenttoimproveteachingandlearning
Descriptionofstepstakentoevaluateandimproveyourteaching……….…………9Formalstudentfeedback…………………………………………………………………………………11
ResearchorleadershipinteachingandlearningPublications/ConferenceProceedingsRecord………………………………………………….11 Invitationstoteachpresentorpublish……………………………………........................12
Appendices…………………………………………………………………………………………………….13‐53
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contributetoaGreatTurning.Myuniversitylevelteachingisthenanintentionalinvitationforustocollectivelycraftaworldwhereweshowourunabatedcareforalllivingbeings.
TeachingresponsibilitiesSubjectstaughtandsupervisedSTP206/606SustainabilityEthics[MurdochUniversity]
CourseCoordinator,AssistantCourseCoordinator,SessionalLecturer&Internal/ExternalTutor(2005–Present)
STP108IntroductiontoSustainability[MurdochUniversity]ExternalTutor(2009–Present)
FDN150ReinventingAustralia[MurdochUniversity]SessionalLecturer&Internal/ExternalTutor(2004–Present)
ET‐100IntroductiontoEthics[UniversityofNotreDame]InternalTutor(2007)
StatementofDutiesPrepareandpresentlectures/seminars/workshopsongenderidentityandnature,environmentalandsocialjustice,theethicsandphilosophiesthatguidecontemporaryenvironmentalism,aswellasthetheoreticalandpracticalaspectsofsustainability.• Conduct relevant research, and create and deliver public presentations in the theoretical and practical
applicationsoftheethicsandphilosophiesthatguidesustainabledevelopment• Facilitatepersonalandprofessionalconsciousness‐raisingtowardssocialandenvironmental
sustainability• Constructorassistinthecoordinationofdeliveredunits• Facilitatetutorialsonphilosophicalandethicalimplicationsofthehuman/naturerelationship• Remaincurrentwithandconstructivelycriticalofrelevantacademicliterature• Facilitategroupdynamicstoinspire,enlivenandempowerotherstothinkcriticallyandcreatively• Encouragestudentstoseekswaystoactivelyengagewiththeircommunityandenvironment• Providepastoralcareforstudentsastheynegotiatetheirwaythroughtheirstudies
StatementofSchool/Departmentalexpectationsandresources
MurdochUniversity’sGraduateAttributes
Asaproficientuniversityinstructor,IaimtoalignmyteachingpedagogywithMurdochUniversity’sGraduateAttributes,suchthatmystudentscompletetheirstudieshavingaccumulatedtheacomprehensivearrayofintellectual,personalandprofessionalskills.Thoseattributesare(Adaptedfrom:
http://www.murdoch.edu.au/teach/studyat/attributes.html):
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ATTRIBUTE SUBATTRIBUTECommunication
Theabilitytocommunicateeffectivelyandappropriatelyinarangeofcontextsusingcommunication,literacy,numeracyandinformationtechnologyskills.
Speakingskills Listeningskills Readingskills Writingskills Numeracyskills Informationandcommunicationtechnologyskills
Criticalandcreativethinking
Theabilitytocollect,analyzeandevaluateinformationandideasandsolveproblemsbythinkingclearly,criticallyandcreatively.
Criticalthinking Creativethinking Problemsolving Researchskills
Socialinteraction
Acapacitytorelatetoandcollaboratewithotherstoexchangeviewsandideasandtoachievedesiredoutcomesthroughteamwork,negotiationandconflictresolution.
Collaboration Negotiation Conflictresolution
Independentandlifelonglearning
Acapacitytobeaselfdirectedlearnerandthinkerandtostudyandworkindependently.
Organizationalandtimemanagementskills Independentstudy
Ethics
Anawarenessofandsensitivitytoethicsandethicalstandardsoninterpersonalandsociallevels,andwithinafieldofstudyand/orprofession.
Personalethics Socialethics Ethicsinafieldofstudy Professionalethics
Socialjustice
Anacknowledgmentofandrespectforequalityofopportunity,individualandcivicresponsibility,otherculturesandtimes,andanappreciationofculturaldiversity.
Socialandcivicresponsibility Knowledgeofothercultures Knowledgeofotherhistoricaltimes Appreciationofculturaldiversity
Globalperspective
Anawarenessofandrespectforthesocial,biological,culturalandeconomicinterdependenceofgloballife.
Emphasisonsocialandenvironmentaljustice
Interdisciplinarity
Acapacitytoacquireknowledgeandunderstandingoffieldsofstudybeyondasinglediscipline.
Sensitivitytomulticulturalism Respectfordiversity
In‐depthknowledgeofafieldofstudy
Acomprehensiveandin‐depthknowledgeofafieldofstudyanddefinedprofessionalskillswhereappropriate.
Knowledgeofafieldofstudy Professionalskills
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TeachingthatpromoteseffectivelearningTeachingphilosophy,aimsandmethodsIhaveastrongbeliefinplacingthestudent’slearningatthecentreofmyuniversityinstruction.MyteachingphilosophydrawsfromCarlileandJordan’s(2005)constructivistteacher.Itakethe‘constructivistteacher’tobeateacherwhowillflexiblyandcreativelycombinetheclassroomexperienceintoanegotiationor‘construction’ofthelessonsinsitu.Thisstyleofinstructionbestsuitssmallgroupsorindividualinstruction,andcreatesademocraticlearningenvironmentwherethelearningprocessiscenteredonthestudent,whoisempoweredasaconsultantandco‐facilitatoroftheirownlearning.1O’NeillandMcMahon’s(2005)student‐centredinstructionhasalsoplayedaninfluentialroleonmypedagogicalapproachtouniversitylevelteaching.2Asastudent‐centeredteacher,Iaimtoempowerthestudenttohaveconsiderableinfluenceovercoursecurricula,learningtechniques,andtheireducationalprogress.Thisoccursthroughflexiblelessondesignsthatincorporategroupconsultationasanintegralaspectofthelearningexperienceandendofsemesterevaluationsthatareusedtohonetheeffectivenessofthecourseforfutureyears.Inmyclassroom,thestudentsareheldprimarilyresponsiblefortheirownlearning.Iaspiretoclearlyarticulatetheirlearninggoals,flexiblelearningstrategies,andmaintainsensitivitytowhenthesevarioustechniquesoughtbeemployed.Includedisanenthusiasmfordevelopingstudentcompetenceintheuseofteachingaidsandotherresources.AnimportantwaythatIachievethisgoalisbyemployinghumilityto‘getoutofthelimelight’toletthestudentdemonstrateanin‐depthfamiliaritywiththesubjectmatterat‐hand.Imaintainaperspectivethatstudentshavedifferentwaysoflearning,aswellasuniquestylesofsharing–variationsthatareworthyofmyrespectandpatience.Ihavecometotertiaryteachingasanadvancedformofactivism;theprincipalmotivatorformetoliftmyheadfrommypilloweachmorninganddontheteachingpersonahasbeenmyenthusiasmforcriticalthinking–advancingmyownandinspiringthatinothers–forthebettermentoftheplanet.Thishaslongseemedtometobetheheartyfodderforourcreatingasustainableworldimbuedwithflexibleintelligenceandjusticeforall.
1Carlile,O.andJordan,A.,2005.‘Itworksinpracticebutwillitworkintheory?:Thetheoreticalunderpinningsofpedagogy’.InG.O’Neill,S.Moore,andB.McMullin(eds.),EmergingIssuesinthePracticeofUniversityLearningandTeaching.Dublin:AISHE.2O’Neill,GandMcMahon,T.,2005.Student‐CentredLearning:Whatdoesitmeanforstudentsandlecturers?InG.O’Neill,S.MooreandB.McMullin(eds.),EmergingIssuesinthePracticeofUniversityLearningandTeaching.Dublin:AISHE.
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DescriptionofteachingstrategiesSusanToohey’s(1999)Beliefs,ValuesandIdeologiesinCourseDesignnotesthatcurriculadesigneasilyslipsintotherealmofaroteconventiondevoidofcriticalanalysis.3TertiarycurriculathatdosoaretypicaloftheWesterntradition.ModernWesterneducationhasafter‐allarisenoutofthecompetitive,individualisticandegocentricnormsofcapitalism.Theseeducationalnormshaveclaimedacentralplaceintheperpetuationofaprofitmotifbysteeringthestudenttowardsrationalandtheoreticaloutcomesthatwillassurethemajob,oftenattheexpenseofcriticalanalysis.Suchapedagogyprioritisesthetransformationofthehumanindividualintoaworkerwhoseprincipalroleisbeatemporarypartofamechanismofproductionthatisfundamentallyclass‐based.Inthesetimesofglobaleconomiesandvirtualrealties,universitylevelinstructionaldesignhasbecomealltooeagertomouldthelearnerintoconformity,servingasthetraininggroundforpeopletoviewithoneanotherforaccesstolimitedresourcesthroughtechnologicalcompetenceandanabilitytopresentprescribedmaterialasjustcauseforpersonalandprofessionaladvancement.4Thisishardlyanempoweringcontextforthedevelopingwisdomoftheindividualorfortheircommunities.Iamkeentocutagainstthisgraininmyuniversityinstruction.
Thereisaneedforuniversityinstructiontorekindlethegrowthofwisdom.Revealingmyteachingethics,alluniversitycoursesoughtprioritisethedevelopmentofskillsincriticalanalysis.Thetraditionofgivingprecedenttoeconomic‐rationalistoutcomespreventsstudentsfrombecomingactiveandviablemembersoftheirlearningenvironment,andtherebytheworldtheymovethrough.Toohey’spaperraisesthreekeypointsthatcollectivelypurportwhatshereferstoasa‘cognitivistapproach’tocurriculaconstruction;firstly,thatastudent‐centredapproachtouniversitylearningencouragesthedevelopmentofthemind;secondlythatinformationisintegratedthroughanactiveprocessofstudent/teacherfeedback;andthirdly,thatcognitivedevelopmentofthestudentreachesbeyondthescopeofmerelyraisingone’scomfortlevelthatischaracteristicofanoutcomes‐orienteduniversityleveleducationbyprioritisingthestudent’sraised‐consciousness.5ForJohnBiggs(1996),cognitivelearningtheoryreachesintotherealmofobjectivismandconstructivism,whicharerespectivelytakenheretosuggestthatpoliciesandproceduresthataredualisedandbasedonquantitativelearneroutcomescomparedwiththeviewthatthelearnerratherthantheinstructoroughtbelocatedatthecentreoftheinstructionalexperience.6Thesealternativeapproachestouniversityeducationsuggestthatthestudentratherthantheteacheroughtbeplacedatthecentreoftheuniversitylearningexperience.Iholdsuchapproachestouniversityinstructiondear.So…howdoIbringthesepedagogicalapproachesintobeing?Myuniversityinstructionfacilitatesaqualitativegrowthinthelearningexperienceintheformoftheaccrualofdesignatedtasksthatareassignedbyme,andthenrestructuredbythelearnersuchthatthe
3S.Toohey,1999.‘Beliefs,ValuesandIdeologiesinCourseDesign’inDesigningCoursesforHigherEducation.OpenUniversityPress:Buckingham(p.44).4Ibid.,pp.47–48.5Tooheydefines‘cognitivistlearning’aspersonallyconstructedhabitsofrigorousthinkingcultivatedthroughthedevelopmentofthemind;habitssubjecttobiological,cultural,sensoryandtactileexperiencesthatrequireflexibleopportunitiestoexpandbeyondtherealmoftradition(pp.55–56).6Biggs,J.(1996)‘Enhancingteachingthroughconstructivealignment’inHigherEducation,Vol.32,p.348.
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learningobjectivescanbeinternalisedonthestudent’sterms.AkeywaythiscanbeachievedistofacilitateclearcommunicationofahierarchyofcurriculumobjectivesthroughaStructureofObservedLearningOutcome(SOLO);whichissupportedbyacommonlyused5categoryregisterforthequalityofperformance:GradesA(≥85%)throughF(≤49%).Whilethegrademaybeanimportantaspectofassessment,mycommentarytakescentrestage;typically,astudent’sassignmentiscomplimentedandconstructivelycritiquedthroughout.Myteachingpedagogyviewsthelettered/numberedgradetobelessconsequentialthanthelearningthatisfacilitatedthroughaconversationbetweenthestudentssubmittedworkandmycomments.Myprimarytaskistodesignandimplementappropriateteaching/learningactivities(TLA’s)suchthatthelearner’s‘desiredperformanceofunderstanding’canbeachieved.7Idonotehowever,thatgradesareheldoutasanincentivetoencouragethelearnertoadopttheseactivitiesinpursuitofthehighestscorespossiblethroughoutthesemester.Inessence,thestudentofacurriculumconstructedoncognitivelearningtheoryisempoweredtobuildaportfoliooflearningthroughoutthesemesterthatisreflectiveofthecourseobjectivesthatIhaveset.Rotelearningisnotencouraged.Myprimarychargeisthentoassessthelearner’scapacitiessuchthattheyasindividualsareconsulted.Theprocessofclearlydefiningtheobjectivesofthecourseup‐front,gradingassessmentsrigorouslyanduniformlywithdetailedcommentary,andencouragingthelearnertobridgetheorywithpraxisbyrelatinglearnedlessonstotherealworldopportunities,givesanoverviewofmyteachingapproach.8
7Ibid.,p.354.8Ibid.,p.360.
Forexample:STP206/606SustainabilityEthicsharboursastrongtraditionofcognitiveconstructivism.TheunitwasintentionallydesignedtoencourageapersonalshifttowardsasustainabilitypraxisthatisdrivenbyadeepgreenethicalawakeningtowardswhatIconsiderourinnatetendencytowardscaringforsocietyandenvironment.Theassessmentsinthecoursereflectthisgoalbyencouragingthestudenttospeakfromtheheartandthemindconcurrentlythrough:
• Personalandprofessionaljournalwriting• Facilitationoftutorialsthatofferedsynopsesofkey
readings• Fieldtripsfollowedbyinterpretivereports• Personalandprofessionalreflectionssharedwiththe
group…wereplacedasequalattributestotherigorsofdenseacademicspeaksubmittedthroughessayrequirements
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ExamplesofteachinginnovationsForPeterSeldin(1997),havingarecordofinstructionalpracticesisanimportantaspectofdemonstratingone’scontinuouseffortstoimproveone’sprofessionasauniversityteacher.9ThefollowinglistfeaturesbothmyinnovationsandthewaysIhavemadeadjustmentsthroughoutmyteachingcareertomaximisemyeffectivenessasaninstructor:
IceBreakers‐Iconsidereachcohortofstudentsalearningcommunity.Consequently,uponfirstmeeting,Iamkeentobreaktheicebetweenmyself,andthestudentsaswellasprovideopportunitiesforthemtogettoknoweachother.Indoingso,thestudent‐learningenvironmentissaferandmoreeffective.IceBreakersaretypicallytrustbuildingexercises(co‐operativegames)thatinvolveameasureddegreeofrevealingaspectsofone’sselfinasafeenvironmentwherepeopleareabletogettoknowthestudentandfindpointsofconvergencefromtheverybeginningofsemester.TheseicebreakersarealsosupplementedwithaWelcomeLetteratthebeginningofsemesterthatisdistributedtoallstudents(seeAppendix1.).
ConstructiveFeedBack–Iamwidelyrenownforbeingaprolificcommenteronmystudent’spapers.Ratherthancorrectthetextduringthegradingprocess,whichcanleavethestudentfeelingdisempowered,Igivecopiouscommentary,askingquestionsorreferringthestudentonforfurtherrelevantresearchasneededtosourcesthatcometomindwhenreadingtheirwork.Thegradingtechniqueusedissupplementedwithaself‐designedcodingsystemtospeedupthegradingprocessandthereforemakeitpossibleformetoaddfurthercommentary.StudentshavefoundthedepthofdetailIascribetotheirpapersprofoundlyhelpfuland,unfortunately,rare(seeAppendix2‐Ihaveonlyincludedthecoverpagewithmycommentstopreservestudentconfidentialityandcanprovidesamplepapersasrequested).
PastoralCare–Furthertoconstructivefeedbackistheneedtokeepmyownhumannessalive,andtoseethehumannessinmystudents.Therigorsofuniversitylevellearningcanbedemanding.Forsomestudents,thevagariesoflifewhencoupledwiththepressureofduedatescanbeoverwhelming.Thiscallsforththeneedforcompassion,patience,andwillingnesstooproactivelyproblemsolvewiththestudent.Offeringmyselfasalistenertothestudent’sneedsisanimportantaspectofPastoralCare;onethatrequiresawillingnesstotrustthestudent’sthinkingandenablethemtomakeconstructivedecisionstofindthemostsuitablesolutionstotheproblemstheyareencountering.Itakeituponmyselftofacilitateratherthanprovidethesesolutionsoutright,andIdosobyplacingthestudentinthedriver’sseatoftheirowneducation(seeAppendix3.).
9P.Seldin,1997.TheTeachingPortfolio:APracticalguidetoimprovedPerformanceandPromotion/TenureDecisions.Bolton:AnkerPublishingCompany,Inc.(p.23).
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Closure–Atsemester’send,myinstructionalcohortshavetypicallybonded,makingtheendofsemesterpotentiallyheart‐wrenchingasmuchasitcanbearelief.Ihavesoftenedtheimpactofstudentdiasporasthroughtwostrategies.Finaltutorialisofferedasapotlucksharingoffood,beveragesandideas,includingwhathasgonewellandnotsowellthroughoutthesemesterIalsodraftaclosingletterthatisforwardedtoallstudents,whereIthankthemfortheprivilegeofhavingbeentheirinstructorthroughoutthesemester,andsharemygeneralobservationsoftheirgrowthasagroup(seeAppendix4.).
Descriptionsofuseoftechnology
Theuseoftechnologytoamplifyinstructionaleffectivenesshasbecomeamainstayofuniversitylevelteaching.OfparticularimportanceisacommandofPowerPointsoftware,alongwithdevelopingcompetencyindigitalphotography,projectionandaudiosynchronising.Thelaptopasprincipleteachingdevicerequiresmetoadvancemycommandofsuchtechnologytoassureeffectiveuseofmultimediawhendeliveringinstruction.
Representativeunit/coursesyllabiSeeAppendix5.Unit/courseandinstructionalmaterialsSeeAppendix6.InformalstudentfeedbackSeeAppendix7.TeachingawardsMurdochUniversityTertiaryTeachingExcellenceAwardNominee,2005MurdochUniversityTertiaryTeachingExcellenceAwardNominee,2009SeeAppendix8.
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Useoffeedback,reflectionandprofessionaldevelopmenttoimproveteachingandlearningDescriptionofstepstakentoevaluateandimproveyourteachingInNovember2008,IreviewedthesyllabusforSTP206/606SustainabilityEthics.Throughthatprocess,Imadenumerouscorrectionstothecurriculumandchronologyofteachingassignedtothecourse.OfparticularrelevancetoSTP206/606SustainabilityEthicsistheimportanceofgaininginsightsintohowtobesthelpstudentslearn,gaugestudentlearningprogress,andtothenmakeadjustmentsinthecurriculumasameansforkeepingtheunitonanupwardtrend.IhavehadtheluxuryofsmallnumbersintheunitinSemester1of2008.Thiswillchange,asSTP206/606hasbecomeacore‐requisitefortheSustainableDevelopmentdegreeatMurdochUniversity,meaningnumbersmayincreasetothreedigitsin2009.Withthischangeincircumstance,McInnisandDevlin’s(2002)AssessingLearninginAustralianUniversitieshasparticularrelevance.Posingfourkeyresponsestotherigorsofuniversityassessmentinlargecourses,McInnisandDevlinpointtoclearcriteria,markingguides,providingacross‐sectionofexamples,andthearticulationassessmentpoliciesasvitalstrategiesineasingtheinstructor’smarkingload.Thetwoprincipalmethodsthroughwhichthesestrategieswillbeimplementedare:in‐groupwork(collectivepresentationsandsubmissions)andonlinetechnologies(electronicevaluations,realtimeinternetcommunications,discussionboards,chatrooms,blogs,homepages,andelectronicallypostedmultiplechoiceassessmentsthatincludecomprehensivestudentfeedback).NoneoftheseassessmentstrategieshavebeenemployedinSTP206/606thusfar.Somespecificaddendatotheunitassessmentprofilemighttaketheformofthefollowingsuggestions.Groupworkcouldfocusonacollectivecommunitycasestudywhereateamof2–5studentschooseacommunityexampleofsustainableorunsustainableethicalpracticestocritique.Theworkgroup’sfindingscouldbesharedwiththebroadertutorialgroupintheformofacollectivecreativeprojectpresentationoraseriesofsharedjournalentries.Furthertothis,groupworkduringlecturesandtutorialsinreflectionofrelevantreadingsandtheirrelatedtopicsofdiscussioncanengageandenrichthelearningexperience.Fromthetechnologicalend,Internetservicesofferconsiderablestreamliningopportunitiesforconveyinginformationandassessingitsembodimentinunitparticipants.Keepingstudentsconnectedwitheachotherisperhapsoneofthekeychallengesinacyberneticworld.Tertiarystudyisalreadyanisolatingjourney.Asmoreandmoreinformationisconsolidatedon‐line,feweropportunitiesforrealtimeinteractionwithrealhumanbeingsareavailable.Someunittutoringisnowbeingconductedentirelyonline.Aspeople’slivesgetbusierandthereachofassignedtasksglobalise,externalstudentnumbers,andthedisparitybetweentheirgeophysicallocationsbetweenstudentsinaunitarewidening,makingresourcessuchasSkype,blogs,chatrooms,real‐timemessengerservicesetc…allthemoreimportanttoengage.Apresumptionaboutsustainingstudenthealthandwelfareisthatintheabsenceofisolationthestudentismorelikelytoflourish.Wheretactileconnectivelyisnotpossible,virtualconnectivitycanserveanimportantalternative
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role.10Thesecyberopportunitiesdemandoftheinstructoradegreeoftechnologicalsavvythatfewacquirewithoutpointedtraining,makingitnecessarytofactorintoone’sprofessionaldevelopmenttheabilitytonegotiatesuchtimesavingstrategiesastheycomeonline.IhavebeenaremotetutorforFDN150ReinventingAustraliaoverthelastsemester.WhilebasedintheUnitedStatesasavisitingscholar,Ihavemanageda60+externalstudentteachingload,ofwhichallcommunicationshavebeenthroughtheInternet.Whilethishasbeenreasonablysmoothanexperimentincyberneticteachingandlearning,therewereseveraloccasionswhentechnologicallinksfailed,specificallythroughthelossofsomestudentassignments,andtherefusalofsomestudentstosubmitassessmentselectronically.Emailsarestillaversetolargeattachments(≥1‐2MBinsize),andIhaveexperiencedanumberofoccasionswhereemailswerenotreceived.Furthertothisistheneedtoredresstraditionalassessmentmethodstomakethemarkingloadmoremanageable.OnlineassessmentsuchastheTLC’sLITEexercisehaveaddressedthiswell,andcallstomyattentiontheneedtomakesomefurtherassessmentsinthecourseelectronicallygradable,evenself‐assessableaswebdesignspermit.Suchinnovationspointtotheneedforveryclearandrefreshedparametersforelectronicteachingandlearning.Assessmentisakeycomponentoftertiaryeducation.Thereisnosetstandardforweinstructorsattheuniversityleveltoemulate.Weareverymuchartisansofteachingandlearning,findingourownuniquebrandofconveyinginformationsuchthatastudentisabletotransform(beyondsimplylearningthings).Anythingshortofthisistopaylipservicetothenotionofeducationwhilereinforcingarotestyleofinformationprocessingthatcaneffectively‘kill‐off’criticalanalysis.Integratedassessmentisthenaprinciplemeansforthetertiarylevelinstructortocreatetheoptimumconditionsforthestudenttobecomeanactivelyengagedmemberoftheirchosendiscipline,andmightthereforealsobeconsideredaprinciplewaytobettersupportstudentsbecomingglobalcitizens.
10Imakethispointbeingfullyawarethatcyberneticconnectivityisfarlesspreferabletorealtimecommunitybuilding.
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FormalstudentfeedbackTheFormalCourseAssessmentofSTP206/606SustainabilityEthicsforSemester1,2008hadan88%returnrate.InotethatthesurveyreceivedthehighestreturnrateofallcoursesofferedbyMurdochUniversityinSemester1of2008.Theresultsindicatemoststudentsagreedorstronglyagreedwiththequestionsaskedoftheminregardstocoursequality,whichratesmyteachingstandardtoalevelofexcellence.Areasneedingfurtherrefinementincludetutorialstructurewheresomestudentsfelttheirattentionwasbeingwastedwhilethepresenterpracticedpublicspeaking.Grouppresentationsamongstsmallcohortswhereindividualsgettopeer‐revieweachother’ssummaryofrequiredreadingswillbetrialledtoaddressthisfeedbackinfutureyears.Toreviewthesurveyresults,seeAppendix9.
GlitchesintheTechnologicalSystem:AnExample
Somestudentshaveshownthemselvestobenotsufficientlytechnicallyversedtocompletethetaskofsendinganemailwithanattachmentandhavedeferredtotriedandproventechniquesofsnailmail,faxingorscanningofpapercopiesofassessmentstosubmittheirwork.Whileunderstandable,andwereIon‐campusthiswouldbeacceptable,theirhavingdonesocreateddifficultiesformeinstayingabreastofallstudentassessmentneeds;someassessmentshavesimplybeenlostduetothesizeoftheattachmentstheiremailscontained.ThesolutionemployedwastorefusetoacceptpapersinanyotherformthanasWorddocumentsattachedtoemails.Havingsetthisparameter,theproblemeasedandvalidatedtheneedtoupdatetheexternalstudiesassessmentprocesstomandateelectronicsubmissions–papersubmissionremainingpermissibleinextenuatingcircumstances.
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ResearchorleadershipinteachingandlearningPublications/ConferenceProceedingsRecord2009‘ADeclarationofCaring:Towardsanecologicalmasculinism’(DoctoralDissertation).Perth:MurdochUniversity[Publicationforthcoming].‘ADeclarationofCaring:Towardsanecologicalmasculinism’.ProceedingsfortheInternationalSustainabilityConference(22–25April,2009).Philadelphia:VillanovaUniversity[Publicationforthcoming].‘EcoEthicsMatter:DeepGreenEcoEthicsandStrongSustainableDevelopmentforthe21stCentury’.InS.Paulin(ed.)SustainingaFuture.London:EarthscanBooks[Publicationforthcoming].2008‘ADeclarationofCaring:Towardsanecologicalmasculinism’.UnpublishedpaperpresentedattheLivingThroughNatureConference(19–22June,2008).Eugene:UniversityofOregon.2007‘EcologyandEnvironmentalStudies’.InMichaelFlood,JudithKeganGardiner,BobPease,andKeithPringle(eds.)InternationalEncyclopaediaofMenandMasculinities.London:Routledge,pp.158162.2006‘Towardsanecologicalmasculinism’.NationalConferenceProceedings‐Men’sAdvisoryNetwork,Inc.(29October–1November,2006).Fremantle:PROMACOConventions,PTY,LTD.,pp.311–316.2003‘UsandThem:PrimateScienceandtheUnionoftherationalSelfwiththeIntuitiveSelf’(Master’sDissertation).Totnes:SchumacherCollege/PlymouthUniversity[unpublishedmanuscript].
Invitationstoteachpresentorpublish‐October2008:InvitedtoteachasavisitingacademicatanintroductoryethicscourseatVillanovaUniversityinPennsylvania,USA.
‐July2008toFebruary2009:VisitingScholarwithaformalappointmentasCourtesyFacultythroughtheUniversityofOregon’sPhilosophyDepartment,USA.
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Appendix1.
WelcomeLetter
APacketofInformationforstudentsof…
FDN150ReinventingAustraliaExternalStudents(Semester2,2008)
DearFDN150ReinventingAustraliaExternalStudents,Firstly,welcometotheunit.LetmeIbeginbytakingthisopportunitytoextendmythanksinadvancefortheprivilegeofbeingyourtutor.I’msuretostretchandgrowasmuchasyouinthetimeahead.Youwillfindseveralotherattachmentsaccompanyingthisone.Specifically.Youshouldfindthefollowingdocumentsincluded:
AMarkingRegime.
AHarvardReferencingGuide.
AnAssignmentTemplate.
AStandardAssignmentCoverSheetforExternalStudents.
LetmeknowifyouhaveanyproblemsopeningtheseattachmentsandIcangetthisinformationtoyouanotherway.Now…ontomorecourse‐specificmatters...Myhopeisthatthesemesterisastimulatingamble(orforsomeofyouperiodsofgreateasefollowedbyperiodsofintenseanguish)asyounegotiateyourwaythroughtheweeksahead.PleasenotethatitisokaytostruggleinthepursuitofyourLearning.Iam(incaseyouhaven’talreadynoticed)goingtobegivingyouenormousamountsofautonomyoveryourownlearning.ThatsaidIamavailableforone‐on‐oneconsultationsuponrequesteitherbyemailorbyappointmentviaSkype(see:http://www.skype.com/welcomeback/)youcanalsotrytoreachmeimpromptuduringthefollowingofficehours:
Paul’sFDN150OfficeHours:Tuesdays9:00–10:00am(PerthTime)whichisMondays4:00–5:00pm(USAEST)
Ihopetosteeryouinhelpfuldirectionsthroughoutthesemesterbysendingoutperiodicgroupmessageslikethis.Pleasenotethatasanexternalstudentitisgenerallyyourresponsibilitytoinitiatecontact.Iencourageyoutoresistthetemptationtoisolateyourselvesasthisinoneofthe
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greatestchallengesofbeinganexternalstudent,asmuchasitisanopportunityforyourtohavegreatlatitudeinleadingyourownlearning.
I’llthereforebeleavingitwithyoutoinitiateone‐on‐onecontactwithmeunlessIhaveapressingconcern(inwhichcaseI’llgetintouchwithyou).Ifyouchoosetoemailme,pleasebebriefandclearabouttheissuesyouarequeryingandincludeanytimeconstraintsthatapplytoyourrequestsothatIcanbestaccommodateyourneedsaroundmyownschedule.Bullet‐pointrequestsareveryhelpful.Acoupleofremindersatthisearlystage:
RecallthatyourLibrary(LITE)ExerciseisdueattheendofWeek4
StartthinkingaboutyouressayproposalthatisalsodueattheendofWeek4
AfewpointsthatIwanttostress…Plagiarism,copying,collusion,ghostwriting,andpurloiningareveryseriousoffencesattheuniversitylevel.Pleasebecomefamiliarwiththesimilaritiesanddifferencesbetweentheseterms.Also,seepages11and12oftheFDN150StudyGuidefortheuniversitywideprotocolsrelatingtotheseoffences.Tobeblunt…don’tdoit!Iwillmakethepointherethatitisnotthatunusualforsomestudentstobedisciplinedfortheseoffencesafterhavingcommittedtheminadvertently,withthebestofintentionsatwritingastellarpaper.TheyaresimplyNOThabitstogetintoortomistakenlycommit.Thebestpreventionistolearntoresearch,write,andreferencewell‐beginningnow!TohelpyouwiththisIhaveattachedacopyofarecentHarvard(alsoknownasChicago)referencingguidetosetoneacceptablestandardforyoutousethroughoutthecourse.However,Idon’tEXPECTyoutouseHarvardreferencingastheonlyappropriatereferencingmethodforyourpapers.Iofferthisoptionasoneofmanyacceptablestandards.Forexample,AmericanPsychologicalAssociation(APA)referencingstyleisalsopopular,andwidelyusedthroughoutthesocialsciences.PleasenotethatyoushouldchooseONEreferencingstyleatatimeinyourpapers–thinkaboutwhichstylebestsuitstheparticulardisciplineyouarelikelytomajorin.IsuggestyouGETVERYFAMILIARWITHTHATSTYLEANDTHENSTICKWITHITthroughouttheentiresemester.Youcanlearnhowtouseotherstyleslater.UsetheAustralianGovernment’s‘StyleManual’orthewebtogetexcellentandadditionalreferencingguidance(See:MurdochUniversityMainLibraryReserve:808.025STY1994orgotoONLINE!CitationStylesIndex:http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/citex.html).Ontheissueofduedates,allassignmentsmustbereceivedbytheexternalstudiesofficebytheendofofficehours(5pm)ontheFridayoftheweektheyaredue.Youcanemailthemtoassignments@murdoch.edu.au.PleasebesurethataCOVERSHEETISATTACHEDandthatyousubmityourworkinelectronicform–assignmentswritteninMicrosoftWordaretheeasiestformetoassesselectronicallyasIcangetcommentsbacktoyouusingTrackChanges–aneditingandcommentingtoolinWordthatenablesmetomakecommentswithoutalteringyourpaper.Ifyouneedanextension,Igenerallygiveoneperstudentpersemester.Beyondthat,youwillneedtohaveextenuatingcircumstancesforanotherextensiontobegranted.Regardless,youwillneedtocontactmeBEFOREtheassignmentduedateifyouwouldliketoavoidlosingpenaltypoints.Wecandiscussthepossibilityofyourbeinggrantedanextensiondependingonyourcircumstancesatthetime.Thatsaid,Iwillusemydiscretionandsaynoifyouhavesimplynotgotyouracttogether.Youwilllose2%perworkingdaylateshouldanextensionnotbegranted.
16
Ihaveattachedacopyofanessay‐writingtemplatetohelpwiththesettingsyouchooseforyour‘pageset‐up’optionsinyourwordprocessingprogramme.PleasenotethatIDON’Texpectyoutoconformtothistemplateverbatimbutratheronlyofferitasaguide.Thechoiceofdocumentsettingsisultimatelyyours,butitwillmakemarkingmucheasierformeandsetsomehelpfulstandardsforyoutouseinfutureessaystructuring.Forthoseofyouthatstruggleaswriters(whichismostofus),thereisalsoawealthofresourceondevelopingsoundwritingskillsontheweb,intheMurdochUniversityLibrary,andattheMurdochUniversityTeachingandLearningCentre.TolearnmoreaboutwhatisavailabletoyouoncampusstartbyviewingthefollowingdocumentintheMurdochLibraryReserve:http://prospero.murdoch.edu.au/search~S1?/Xoff+campus+services&Go=+go+&searchscope=1&SORT=A/Xoff+campus+services&Go=+go+&searchscope=1&SORT=A&SUBKEY=off%20campus%20services/1%2C5%2C5%2CB/frameset&FF=Xoff+campus+services&Go=+go+&searchscope=1&SORT=A&1%2C1%2C.Ihighlyrecommendyoutaketheinitiativeandusetheon‐campusresourcesavailabletoyouinsupportofyourresearchandwritingdevelopment.Afterall,youhavealreadypaidfortheseservicesandresourcesthroughyourfees.Thiskindofpersonalisedanddetailedhelp,thatisavailablebeyondmytutoringguidance,maymakeallthedifferencebetweenscrapingbyandexcelling.TheTeachingandLearningCentreislocatedontheThirdFlooroftheLibrary.Youcanmakeappointmentswiththemdirectlyorgetintouchwiththemelectronically.I’vetakenthetimetosharethesedetailswithyouupfrontbecausemyexperiencehasbeenthatstudentsdobestwhentheyknowwhatisexpectedofthem.Putsimply,Iwantyoutoflourish,andhopethatprovidingyouwiththisinformationwillhelpthathappen.Ofcourse,contactmeifyouhaveanyquestionsorconcerns.Ilookforwardtoasemesterfullofgrowthforusboth.Onward!PaulM.PuléLecturerinSustainabilityEthicsandTutorforFDN150ReinventingAustraliaInstituteforSustainabilityandTechnologyPolicyMurdochUniversityMo:0409299196Email:[email protected]
17
Appendix2.
ASSIGNMENTATTACHMENTExternalStudies
Telephone:(08)93602708Facsimile:(08)93606017
OfficeUseOnlyDatein
OfficeUseOnlyDateOut
STUDENTS‐PleasefillinsectionsA,B,andCSECTIONA‐IdentificationDetailsOptions(pleaseunderline)emailaddress:OnlineS1X,YX,S2X,HXUnitCode:
RDN150
UnitTitle:
ReinventingAustralia
AssignmentNumber:
3
AssignmentTitle:
Researchessay
Date:20.11.08
StudentNumber:
Student’sName:
FDN150ReinventingAustraliaExternalStudent
Tutor’sName:Anyqueriespleasecontactyourtutor
SECTIONB‐ReturnAddress SECTIONC‐Declaration
FDN150ReinventingAustraliaExternalStudentName:Address:PleasefillinaddressinBLOCKCapitals(Thisisforthereturnofyourassignment.)
ExceptwhereIhaveindicated,theworkIamsubmittinginthisassignmentismyownworkandhasnotbeensubmittedforassessmentinanothercourse.....................................
................Name
Anonymous FDN150 Reinventing Australia External Student
18
SECTIOND‐Tutor’sCommentsAnonymous,Youaretobeproud.Thisisafantasticpaper.Youhavewrittenontheimportanttopicofreconciliationfromtheperspectiveofacompassionateandsupportivewriter,onewhosedepthofperceptionandcareforthehumanspiritbeyondraceisobvious–welldone!IwouldhaveenjoyedreadingyourthoughtsonhowtheRuddGovernmentcancontinuetoextendtheFebruaryapologybeyondgesture.Thisextrastepofofferingsolutionstotheproblemsthatyoufacewouldbethefinishingpolishonanalreadyexcellentpieceofwork.Ialsonotedthatyourin‐textquotingwasextensiveandthereforeencourageyoutolearnhowtoblock‐quote(seemynotesbelow).Theactofreferencingistrickyasthewriter’staskistoprovideevidencetosupporttheirownthinkingwithoutthengettingdistractedbywhatotherpeoplehavesaidonachosentopic–inotherwordstokeeptheirownvoiceattheforefront…Youwentperhapsalittleoverboardinthisregard,giventhescopeofthispaper,andgivenyouranmorethan500wordspastthelimit.Itisintheseplacesthatyoucouldhavetrimmeddownthebulkofthepaperbyparaphrasinginsteadofusingasmanydirectquotesasyoudid.Forlargerassessments,suchatechniqueishoweverfine.Ingeneral,Ithinkyoumanagedthesensitivityofthetopicwithgrace,andusedappropriatereferencestosupportyourcase.Onafinalpoint…therewasaneedtoplacetheinstitutionalizedracismissueattheheartofthepaper,andearlyon.Thiswouldhavebroughttheentirefocusofthepaperin‐linewithyourmessageofliberationforindigenouspeople.Itisaneasyaspectofsuchconversationsforwhitiestoavoid…beinguncomfortableasitis…andcanleaveasourtasteinone’smouthonbothendsoftheoppression(perpetratoraswellasvictim).It’sbeenapleasureandprivilegetosharethepassedmonthswithyou.Iwishyouallthebest,Warmly,PaulAssessment:85%(HD) Tutor’s
name:PaulM.PuléDate:26thNovember,2008
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Appendix3.
Emailtoastudentrequestinganextensionduetoamid‐semesterbreakdown:
From:"PaulM.Pulé"<[email protected]>Date:Thu,18Sep200810:31:56‐0700To:FDN150ReinventingAustraliaExternalStudentOfcourse…WhatIdoinsituationslikethisisIencouragethestudenttotakethelead...Sositquietlyforamomentandtakearealisticlookatwhatyouhavegoingon.Trytoprioritisethings.Puttheassignmentwhereyouthinkitoughtgointhelist...(andIstronglyencourageyoutoputitAFTERyourhealthandwell‐being)...Thenthinkaboutwhatdateandtimewouldbearealisticalternativeduedate...Isuggestnotmuchmorethanaweekortwoifyoucanswingitcosotherwiseyoumayfallquitefarbehind...Thenonceyou’vegotthatdate/timepegged...SimplyemailmewithitsoIcanmakeanoteofitandholdyoutoyourwordtoyourself.How’sthatsound?Lookingforwardtohearingfromyou.Warmly,PaulP.s.Iofferthistoallmystudentsonceasemester...Andafterthat..ShortofanemergencyItakelatepenaltiesoffifithappenedagain.Shallwecountthisoneasyours?
From:FDN150ExternalStudentDate:Mon,1Jun200920:08:24+1030To:"PaulM.Pulé"<[email protected]>Subject:RE:WithThanksPaul,Youhavebeenabsolutelybrilliantandyouaredefinitelydeservingofanaccoladeforyourassistanceandguidance.ThankyoufortakingthetimetoprovideclarityandexplainissuesIhavestruggledtounderstand.Iappreciatethatyouareextremelybusy,butyourpatienceisagodsent.ThanksagainandIwillprobablyphoneyoutomorrow.FDN150ExternalStudent
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Appendix4.
ExampleofaClosureNoteEmailedtoallStudentsinFDN150ReinventingAustralia(Semester1,2009):To:InternalandExternalStudentsinFDN150ReinventingAustralia(Semester1–2009)Date:Mon,1Jun200916:24:46+0800Subject:WithThanksFrom:[email protected],Manyofyouhavewrittentomewithkindwordsofsupportformytutoring...Itsbeenapleasureandprivilegetosharethesepastmonthswithyou.Iamhonoured,andsendyoumythanksinreturnfortheopportunitytobeapartofyoureducationalunfolding...ItsbeenbroughttomyattentionthattheTeachingExcellenceNominationsareopenuntilthisFriday5thJune.See:http://www.tlc.murdoch.edu.au/eddev/grants/awards/I’dwelcometheopportunitytothrowmyhatintheringfortheawardifyoufeelmovedtonominateme.Allthebestwiththisfinaldashtothefinish...I’mcheeringyouonalltheway:).PaulPaulM.PuléResearchAssociateInstituteforSustainabilityandTechnologyPolicySchoolofSustainabilityMurdochUniversity,MURDOCH6150email:[email protected]<http://murdoch.edu.au/>off:+61893602600mo:+61(0)409054069Skype:paulpulewww.sustainability.murdoch.edu.au<http://www.sustainability.murdoch.edu.au<http://www.sustainability.murdoch.edu.au/>>
Outbeyondideasofwrongdoingandrightdoing,thereisafield.I'llmeetyouthere.Whenthesoulliesdowninthatgrass,theworldistoofulltotalkabout.Ideas,language,eventhephrase"eachother"doesn'tmakeanysense.MevlanaJelaluddinRumi‐13thCentury
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Appendix5.
STP206/606SustainabilityEthics
UnitInformationandLearningGuideSemester1,2008
UnitCoordinatorforSemester1,2008:PaulPuléRoom:3.10inSocialSciencesBuildingOffice:9360‐2775Mobile:0409299196Fax:9360‐6421Email:[email protected]/606–UnitInformationandLearningGuide20082
PublicationInformation©PublishedbyMurdochUniversity,Perth,WesternAustralia,January2008.WrittenbyPaulM.PuléThispublicationiscopyright.ExceptaspermittedbytheCopyrightActnopartofitmayinanyformorbyanyelectronic,mechanical,photocopying,recordingoranyothermeansbereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystemorbebroadcastortransmittedwithoutthepriorwrittenpermissionofthepublisher.
22
STP206/606SustainabilityEthics
UnitOverview[Semester1,2008]
Prerequisites:
None
AimsandObjectives:
WhatisSustainabilityEthics?SustainabilityEthics(STP206/606)aimstoaltertheimpactthathumanityishavingontheplanet.Thediscipline’srootsoriginateinthe1970’sfromwithinEnvironmentalEthics,drawingitscoretenetsfromdeepecology,animalliberation,landethics,gender/naturedebates,aswellassustainabledomesticandinternationaldevelopmentalpoliciesandpractices.SustainabilityEthicsencouragesustoredefineoursetofmoralprinciplesandpracticessowecandevelopanintimateunderstandingofourselves,andourrelationshipwithmore‐than‐humannature.SustainabilityEthicsbringsaboutashiftinourculturalbeliefsandthewaysweinteractwiththeworldbyencouragingtheflourishingoflifesystems–humanandmore‐than‐humanalike.AidanDavison’s(2002)submissiontotheWesternAustralianStateSustainabilityStrategynotesapluralityofethicalfoundationscomprisingamoresustainableworld.Thisarrayofethicscollectivelyrepresents:
Theimpulsetobegoodanddoright[that]liesdeeplyembeddedinthedetailsofourembodiedexperience[andthe]…capacitytoimagineaworldverydifferentfromthepresent:aworldinwhichwhatistodayconsidereda‘resource’maybeexperiencedassacred;aworldinwhichlamentsbytheoverfedaboutthenumbersofpeoplewhostarvefrombirthtodeathistransformedintoa‘sustained‐ability’tosharetheirwealth.11
MichaelBooth(2002)putsforwardcooperation,collaboration,andconsiderationasfoundationalprinciplesofSustainabilityEthics,whichconstructanethosofrelatednessandwisdomthatgeneratesa“…climateofwarmthandwidthofresponse”totheneedsofsocietyandenvironment.12PatsyHallen(2002)suggeststhat:
…weneedanethicswhichrecognizesourradicalcontinuitywithanddependencyonnature.Ourrelationswithearthothersarenotjustinstrumentalandexternal,theyconstitutewhoweare:EcologicalBeings…weneedalivingearthethicswhichthrobswiththepungentbreathofthewhale.13
11Davison,A.(2002)Sustainability:Theabilitytosustain“thegood”.ASubmissiontotheWesternAustralianStateSustainabilityStrategy,MurdochUniversity,InstituteorSustainabilityandTechnologyPolicy,p.1.12Booth,M.(2002)Whatistheethicalfoundationforplanningamoresustainablefuture?MurdochUniversity,InstituteorSustainabilityandTechnologyPolicy(unpubl.),pp.1‐3.13Hallen,P.(2002)EthicsforSustainability.MurdochUniversity,InstituteorSustainabilityandTechnologyPolicy(unpubl.),pp.1–3.
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SustainabilityEthicscallssuchperceptionsintobeingwithintheindividualandthroughthem,gainsincreasingpurchasethroughouthumansociety.ForBradPettitt,anethicalpracticethatbothwidensourcareforthenon‐humanworldanddeepensourcareforfellowhumansisanimportantpursuit.Howoughtweliveinworldthatismarkedbyinjusticeandunsustainablepracticesthatleavemostoftheworldpoorandglobalbiodiversitydeeplyunderthreat?SustainabilityEthicsattemptstosynthesisesuchthoughtsinsupportofahealthyplanetforpresentandfuturegenerations.Thedisciplinefallsundertwokeycategories:ReformEthics–whichencourageadaptationstowardsgreatersocialandenvironmentalsensitivitywithintheexistingconstraintsofModernity;andTransformativeEthics–whichreachbeyondtheexistingconstraintsofWesternontologyandepistemologyinseekingholisticphilosophicalprinciplesandpracticesthatformthebasisforbroad‐scalebehaviouralchangetowardspersonal,social,political,culturalandenvironmentalsustainability.Thisunitexplorestheethicalbasisofsustainabilityacrossawidenedspectrumofconsideration.
CourseSyllabus:
Week Topic1 MakingtheConnection:TheEthicsofSustainability,Social
JusticeandEnvironmentalism2 SustainabilityEthicsYesterdayandToday:TheLegacyof
WesternModernity3 TheSuccessesandChallengesofContemporary
SustainabilityEthics4 Stewardship:ToCareorToControl?5 SocialandEnvironmentalJustice6 StudyBreak7 AwakeningtheEcologicalSelf8 GenderandEcology(I):EcologicalFeminism9 GenderandEcology(II):EcologicalMasculinism10 StudyBreak11 AnimalsandUs/AnimalsareUs12 SustainabilityEthicsasPraxis:WhatdoesSustainability
Ethicsmeanforhowwelive?[FieldTrip]13 TheInternationalRelevanceofSustainabilityEthics14 SustainabilityEthicsTomorrow:HopefortheFuture15 TeachingFreeWeek16 ExamWeek117 ExamWeek2
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Appendix6.
STP206/606SustainabilityEthicsUnit/CourseandInstructionalMaterials
[Semester1,2008]
LearningObjectivesReasonstostudySustainabilityEthicsSustainabilityEthicsprovideanopportunityto:
• Explorethehistorical,socialandculturalvaluesthatshapethewaysweinteractwiththehumanandmore‐than‐humanworld;
• Recognisethatsustainabilityethicsoffersanimportantentrypointintoour
understandingofglobalsocialandecologicaldis‐ease;
• Developatheoreticalandpracticalappreciationforthewaysthatsocialandecologicaloppressionsarelinkedwitheconomic,social,environmental,andculturalsustainability;
• Revealthepersonalmoralhorizonsofpolitical,social,economic,cultural,and
technicalsustainability;
• Fosterattitudesthataccentuateourinnerabilitytocaredeeplyfortheworld;
• Givepoliticalsignificancetothatcare;
• Cultivatethenecessaryethicalframeworks,whichenableustoviewhumanandmore‐than‐humannatureinwaysthatpreserveandimprovetheflourishingofalllifeonearth
GraduateAttributesSTP206/606aimstoincorporateMurdochUniversity’sgraduateattributesintopersonalandprofessionaldevelopment,through:
Communication:Theabilitytocommunicateeffectivelyandappropriatelyinarangeofcontextsusingcommunication,literacy,numeracyandinformationtechnologyskills.CriticalandCreativeThinking:Theabilitytocollect,analyzeandevaluateinformationandideasandsolveproblemsbythinkingclearly,criticallyandcreatively.SocialInteraction:Acapacitytorelatetoandcollaboratewithotherstoexchangeviewsandideasandtoachievedesiredoutcomesthroughteamwork,negotiation,andconflictresolution.
25
Independentandlifelonglearning:Acapacitytobeaselfdirectedlearnerandthinkerandtostudyandworkindependently.Ethics:Anawarenessofandsensitivitytoethicsandethicalstandardsoninterpersonalandsociallevels,andwithinafieldofstudyand/orprofession.Socialjustice:Anacknowledgmentofandrespectforequalityofopportunity,individualandcivicresponsibility,otherculturesandtimes,andanappreciationofculturaldiversity.Globalperspective:Anawarenessofandrespectforthesocial,biological,culturalandeconomicinterdependenceofgloballife.Interdisciplinarity:Acapacitytoacquireknowledgeandunderstandingoffieldsofstudybeyondasinglediscipline.In‐depthknowledgeofafieldofstudy:Acomprehensiveandin‐depthknowledgeofafieldofstudyanddefinedprofessionalskillswhereappropriate.
UnitCoordinatorYourcoordinatorforSemester1:2008STP206/606SustainabilityEthicsisPaulM.Pulé.Paul’soffice(Room3.10)islocatedintheInstituteforSustainabilityandTechnologyPolicy(ISTP),onthethirdflooroftheSocialSciencesBuilding.Hewillbeavailableforconsultationsbyappointmentandcanbecontactedbymobile:0409299196,office:08‐9360‐2775,oremail:[email protected],kindlycontacttheCourseTutor.
TutorYouwillbenotifiedofyourtutoratthefirstlecture.
TechnicalHelpFortechnicaldifficultiescontacttheITServiceDesk:ITservicedesk@murdoch.edu.auorphone93602000FordifficultieswithotheronlinematerialscontactyourUnitCoordinator.
LearningActivitiesTosuccessfullycompleteSTP206/606,youareencouragedtoattendorreviewthelecturesandparticipateinoneofthetwotutorialseachweek(50minuteseach).
AttendanceLecturesmaybeattendedin‐personorreviewedon‐lineusingLectopia(http://www.murdoch.edu.au/teach/lrctopia/).Tutorialattendanceisrequiredforinternal
26
students.Youmaybeabsencefornomorethantwotutorialsthroughoutthesemesterwithoutpriorarrangementwithyourtutor.Additionalunexcusedabsencesmayaffectyourfinalgrade.
ResourcesfortheUnitUnitInformationandLearningGuideandReader(bothitemsareavailablefromtheMurdochUniversityBookStoreorwillbeissuedtoyouthroughExternalStudiesifyouareanexternalstudent).
AssignmentCoverSheetsandSubmissionsCoverPageAllinternalstudentsmustsubmitassignmentswithacoversheetbyplacingtheminthesecurebrownboxoutsidetheProgrammeChair’sOffice(Room3.017)attheISTP.InternalStudentscancollectassignmentcoversheetsfromtheISTP.ExternalStudentswillreceivecopiesoftheappropriateassignmentcoversheetfromExternalStudiesandmustsubmittheirassignmentselectronicallyorbypostthroughtheExternalStudiesofficetobesuretheyareformallylogged.AssignmentSubmissionAssignmentsmustbesubmittedby5pmontheduedate.Pleasenotethatitistheresponsibilityofstudentstokeepacopyofallassignmentshandedinforassessment.Re‐submissions,extensionsandlatesubmission,willonlybegrantedunderextenuatingcircumstancesandmustbenegotiatedwiththeUnitCoordinatororyourtutorpriortotheirduedate.DeferredassessmentsmaybeobtainedunderjustifiablecircumstancesandmustbenegotiatedwiththeUnitCoordinator.ElectronicAssignmentSubmissionWhensubmittingassignmentselectronically,youmayalsousetheMurdochUniversityGenericElectronicCoverSheet:http://www.murdoch.edu.au/admin/policies/electronic.html
DeterminationoftheFinalGradeYourfinalgradefortheunitwillbereportedbyalettergradethatreflectstheextenttowhichyouhaveachievedunitobjectivesoutlinedintheassignments.HighDistinction(HD)80–100%Exceptionalperformanceindicatingcompleteandcomprehensiveunderstandingofthesubjectmatter;genuinemasteryofrelevantskills;demonstrationofanextremelyhighlevelofinterpretiveandanalyticalabilityandintellectualinitiative;andachievementofallmajorandminorobjectivesofthesubject.Distinction(D)70–79%Excellentperformanceindicatingaveryhighlevelofunderstandingofthesubjectmatter;developmentofrelevantskillstoaveryhighlevel;demonstrationofaveryhighlevelofinterpretiveandanalyticalabilityandintellectualinitiative;andachievementofallmajorandminorobjectivesofthesubject.
27
Credit(C)60–69%Goodperformanceindicatingahighlevelofunderstandingofsubjectmatter;developmentofrelevantskillstoahighlevel;demonstrationofahighlevelofinterpretiveandanalyticalabilityandachievementofallmajorobjectivesofthesubject;someminorobjectivesnotfullyachieved.Pass(P)50–59%Satisfactoryperformanceindicatinganadequateunderstandingofmostofthebasicsubjectmatterpartialdevelopmentofrelevantskills;adequateinterpretiveandanalyticalabilityandachievementofallmajorobjectivesofthesubject;failuretoachievesomeminorobjectives.Fail(N)Below50%Limitedperformanceindicatingpartialunderstandingofbasicsubjectmatter;partialdevelopmentofrelevantskills;someevidenceofinterpretiveandanalyticalability;achievementofmostmajorobjectivesofthesubjectbutfailuretoachievesome,failuretoachievesomeminorobjectives.Fail(DNS)Below50%Limitedperformanceindicatingpartialunderstandingofbasicsubjectmatter;partialdevelopmentofrelevantskills;someevidenceofinterpretiveandanalyticalability;achievementofmostmajorobjectivesofthesubjectbutfailuretoachievesome,failuretoachievesomeminorobjectives.FailedtoparticipateinanyassessmentpasttheHECScensusdate.SupplementaryAssessment(S)45–49%Unsatisfactoryperformanceindicatinganadequateunderstandingofthebasicsubjectmatter;failuretodeveloprelevantskills;insufficientevidenceofinterpretiveandanalyticalability;andfailuretoachievemajorandminorobjectivesofthesubject.TheawardofthegradeofSshallbeatthediscretionoftheUnitCoordinatorThegradedescriptorsareprovidedintheMurdochUniversityHandbookandCalendarandathttp://www.murdoch.edu.au/admin/policies/assessment.html#11
UniversityPolicyonAssessmentAssessmentforthisunitisinaccordancewiththeprovisionsofDegreeRegulations40–48.ChecktheseinthecurrentMurdochUniversityHandbookandCalendarorhttp://www.murdoch.edu.au/admin/legsln/regs/bachelor.html#assessment
AssessmentRolesandResponsibilitiesPleaserefertotheUniversityPolicyonRightsandResponsibilitiesofStudentsandStaffhttp://www.murdoch.edu.au/admin/policies/assessment.html#8
28
AcademicIntegrityMurdochUniversityencouragesitsstudentsandstafftopursuethehigheststandardsofintegrityinallacademicactivity.Academicintegrityinvolvesbehavingethicallyandhonestlyinscholarshipandreliesonrespectforothers’ideasthroughproperacknowledgementandreferencingofpublications.Lackofacademicintegrity,includingtheexampleslistedbelow,canleadtoseriouspenalties.Findoutmoreabouthowtoreferenceproperlyandavoidplagiarismat:http://www.murdoch.edu.au/teach/plagiarismPlagiarismandCollusionPlagiarismconstitutesusingtheworkofanotherwithoutindicatingbyreferencing(andbyquotationsmarkswhenexactphrasesorpassagesareborrowed)thattheideasexpressedarenotone’sown(seeAppendix1forhelpfulandacceptablereferencingstyles).Studentscanusetheideasandinformationfromotherauthors,butthisusemustbeacknowledged.Itisalsonotacceptabletosubmitanassignmentwhichissimplyaparaphrasingofextractsfrompreviouswork–yourownorsomeoneelse’s.Theworksubmittedmustincludesomeintellectualcontributionofthestudent’sown.Unauthorisedcollaboration(‘collusion’)constitutesjointeffortbetweenstudents,orstudentsandothers,inpreparingmaterialsubmittedforassessment,exceptwherethishasbeenapprovedbytheUnitcoordinator.Studentsareencouragedtodiscussmatterscoveredinunits,butwhenwritinganassignmenttherecordingandtreatmentofdataandtheexpressionofideasandargumentsmustbethestudent’sown.MurdochUniversityregardsmostseriouslyanyactsofdishonestyinassessmentsuchasplagiarism,collusion,re‐submissionofpreviouslymarkedworkfromdifferentunits,examinationmisconductandtheftofotherstudents’work.TheseactscouldresultinpenaltiesincludingfailureintheunitandpossibleexclusionfromtheUniversity.Forfurtherdetailspleaserefertothesectionon‘DishonestyinAssessment’inthecurrentMurdochhandbookSection1,AssessmentandAcademicProgressorhttp://www.murdoch.edu.au/vco/secretariat/admin/codes/assessapp2.html#dishonesty.GhostWritingGhostWritingresultsinanassignmentwrittenbyathirdpartyandrepresentedbyastudentasherorhisownwork.PurloiningMaterialcopiedfromanotherstudent’sassignmentwithherorhisknowledge.Non‐discriminatoryLanguageMurdochUniversityiscommittedtotheuseofnon‐discriminatorylanguage.StudentsandstaffshouldavoidtheuseofdiscriminatorylanguageinallactivitieswithintheUniversity.Thisappliestobothoralandwrittencommunication.Discriminatorylanguageisthatwhichrefersinabusivetermstogender,race,age,sexualorientation,citizenshipornationality,ethnicorlanguagebackground,physicalormentalability,orpoliticalorreligiousviews,orwhichstereotypesgroupsinanadversemanner.Thisisnotmeanttoprecludeorinhibitlegitimateacademicdebateonanyissue,howeverthelanguageusedinsuchdebateshouldbenon‐discriminatoryandsensitivetothesematters.Themostcommonformof
29
discriminatorylanguageinacademicworktendstobeintheareaofgenderinclusiveness.Youarethereforerequestedtocheckyourworkandensureitisnon‐discriminatoryinallrespects.Non‐discriminatorylanguagePleasereferto:http://www.murdoch.edu.au/teach/studyat/non_disc.htmlStudentappealsandgrievanceshandlingprocessesPleasereferto:http://www.oss.murdoch.edu.au/grievances/ConscientiousObjectionAnystudentwithaconscientiousbeliefthatisinconflictwithteachingand/orassessmentpracticesinthisunitisadvisedtocontacttheUnitcoordinatorpriortothestartoftheunitorinthefirstthreeweeksofsemester.Earlynoticeincreasesthechancesthatalternativearrangementscanbemade.FurtherdetailsaboutwhatconstitutesaconscientiousbeliefandhowtheseclaimsareassessedcanbefoundintheUniversity’sGuidelinesonConscientiousObjectioninTeachingandAssessment,at:http://www.murdoch.edu.au/vco/secretariat/admin/gdelines/consciobj.htmlDeferredAssessmentandSpecialConsiderationDeferredassessmentmaybegrantedincasesofextenuatingpersonalcircumstancessuchasseriouspersonalillnessorbereavement.Specialconsiderationintheawardingofgradesisalsopossibleinsomecircumstances.RefertothecurrentuniversityHandbookor:http://www.murdoch.edu.au/vco/secretariat/admin/codes/assessapp2.html#deferredExplanationofGradesandAppealsStudentshavetherighttoappealtheirassessmentinthisunit.First,youshouldapproachyourtutorforareviewofanassignment.Ifyouarenotsatisfiedwiththisprocess,thentakeyourcasetotheUnitcoordinator.StudentswhofeeltheyhavegroundsforappealingagainsttheirfinalgradeinthisunitshouldconsulttheproceduresoutlinedintheStudentHandbookunderDegreeRegulation49.Seealso:http://www.murdoch.edu.au/admin/legsIn/regs/bachelor.html#appealsortheOfficeofStudentServicesAppealsProcedure:http://www.murdoch.edu.au/oss/legacy_pages/appeals.html.
ExaminationsExaminationsdetailsaregivenbelow.Forgeneralinformationaboutexaminations,pleaserefertohttp://www.murdoch.edu.au/oss/exams/.
30
InternalAssessment
STP206–InternalAssignment Description Value
CriticalThinkingJournal(4x500wordseach)
Keepajournalforthefirst4weeksoftheunitwhereyoucriticallyanalysethelecturematerial,thereadingsandofferyourpersonalreflections
20%
EthicsIn‐ActionProject(2,000–2,500words)
Chooseaspecificsustainabilityissueandexploretheethicsandphilosophiesthatapply
30%
TutorialComponent Attendance–minimum9tutorials.CreativeProject(apiececapturingsustainabilityin‐actioninyourpersonallife)TutorialPresentation(leadtheclassdiscussionontheweek’sfocus)Participation(howwellhaveyouengagedwiththematerial)
5%5%5%5%
Exam ClosedBookExam 30%Total 100%
CriticalThinkingJournal(20%)Keepajournalforthefirstfourweeksoftheunitwhereyoucriticallyanalysethelecturematerialandthereadingsbyrespondingtothefollowingthreequestions.
1. Whatarethemaintheses(centralpoint)oftheweek’srequiredreadings?2. Whatarethemainreasonsorargumentstheauthorsgiveinsupportoftheirthesis?3. Whatisyourcriticalanalysisofboththethesisandthesupportingarguments?What
arethestrengthsandweaknessesofeacharticle’sargument,andwhy?Besuretojustifyyourviews,includingcross‐referencingfromadditionalsourceswhereappropriate.
4. Commentontheweek’sthemesastheyarediscussedinthelectureandtutorialandastheyrelatetoyourpersonallife.
Also,includeyourpersonalreflectionsabouttheimpactthesetopicsarehavingonyoursustainabilityethics.Eachweeklyjournalentryshouldbeapproximately500words.
Ethics‐in‐ActionProject(30%)Inthis2,000–2,500‐wordproject,youareaskedtoanalyseaspecificsustainabilityissue(local,state,national,orinternational),usingphilosophicalarguments,ethicalprinciples,strategiesforchange,andtheskillsdevelopedinthecourse.Theprojectshouldtaketheformofareportorextendeddiscursiveessayfocusingontopicssuchasclimatechange,theeffectivenessofgovernmentsustainabilitystrategiessuchascarbontrading,etc.Youshouldgiveparticularattentiontothemoralimperativesthatrelatetothechosentopicbyframingtheprojectintermsofoneoranumberoftheethicalthemesilluminatedthroughoutthecourse(forexampleanimalwelfareorecologicalfeminism).Youshouldalsoincludeyourpersonalperspectivesontheissuesraised.Pleaseaimtostructurethisprojectaccordingtostandardphilosophicalanalysesandtheethicaltreatmentofthechosentopic.Also,besure
31
toreferenceusinganapprovedacademicstyle.Yourresearchshouldincludeaminimumoffivereferences.Pleaseaimtolimityourwebreferencingtonomorethantwooutofeveryfivecitationsunlesstheyareelectronicversionsofacademicpeer‐reviewedtexts.
TutorialComponent(20%)Thisassessmentisdesignedtoencouragethetutorialsessionstobeenrichingandparticipatoryeducationalexperiencesthataccelerateyoureducationalprocess,andismadeupoffourdistinctcomponents.Attendance(5%):Studentswhoattendlessthanninetutorialsthroughoutthesemesterwillincurpenaltypoints.Underextenuatingcircumstances,studentsmaybeexcusedfromadditionaltutorials,butmustcontacttheirtutorortheunitcoordinatortonegotiateextendedabsences.CreativeProject(5%):Atyourfirsttutorial,youwillnominateaweekthatsuitsyoubesttopresentacreativeproject,whichexploresyourinteractionswiththemore‐than‐humanworld.Thispresentationwillbe5‐10minutesandtaketheformofapieceofart,asong,performance,scaledmodel,etc.Youmaycollaboratewithotherstudentsbutthismustbearrangedwithyourtutor.Yourprojectshouldbeaccompaniedwithacommentary(approx.200words)thataddressestheintersectionbetweenyourcreativeprojectandsustainabilityethics.TutorialPresentation(5%):Youwillbeexpectedtoconducta5‐10minutetutorialreportto‘kick‐off’theweeklydiscussion–studentswillnominatetheirassignedweeksatthefirsttutorial.Participation(5%):Allinternalstudentsareexpectedtoattendandactivelyparticipateintheweeklytutorialsallocatedtothecourse.Bepreparedtocommentontheissuesraisedbytheweek’slecturematerialandassignedreadings.Asstudentattendanceandparticipationwillbemonitored,itwillbeinyourbestinteresttocomepreparedto‘pullthediscussiontowardsyou’,andoffersupporttoothersintheclassastheydosoaswell.
Exam(30%)Therewillbeatwo‐hour,closedbookexamforthiscourse.Samplequestionsandguidanceinregardstohowyoumightbestrespondtothekindsofphilosophicalandethicalquestionsaskedofyouwillbeaddressedtowardssemester’send.
32
STP606–InternalAssignment Description Value
CriticalThinkingJournal(4x750wordseach)
Keepajournalforthefirst4weeksoftheunitwhereyoucriticallyanalysethelecturematerial,thereadingsandofferyourpersonalreflections
25%
ThematicEssay(2,000words)
Respondto1oftheessayquestionsprovidednotingthelinksbetweenthetopicsraisedandsustainabilityethics
20%
EthicsIn‐ActionProject(3,000–3,500words)
Chooseaspecificsustainabilityissueandexploretheethicsandphilosophiesthatapply
35%
EthicsIn‐ActionPresentation
SummariseandpresentyourEthics‐in‐ActionProjectatyourTutorial
10%
TutorialComponent Attendance(minimum10tutorials)Participation(howwellhaveyouengagedwiththematerial)
5%5%
Exam NoExam 0%Total 100%
CriticalThinkingJournal(25%)Keepajournalforthefirstfourweeksoftheunitwhereyoucriticallyanalysethelecturematerialandthereadingsbyrespondingtothefollowingthreequestions.
1. Whatarethemaintheses(centralpoint)oftheweek’srequiredreadings?2. Whatarethemainreasonsorargumentstheauthorsgiveinsupportoftheirthesis?3. Whatisyourcriticalanalysisofboththethesisandthesupportingarguments?What
arethestrengthsandweaknessesofeacharticle’sargument,andwhy?Besuretojustifyyourviews,includingcross‐referencingfromadditionalsourceswhereappropriate.
4. Commentontheweek’sthemesastheyarediscussedinthelectureandtutorialandastheyrelatetoyourpersonallife.
Also,includeyourpersonalreflectionsabouttheimpactthesetopicsarehavingonyoursustainabilityethics.Eachweeklyjournalentryshouldbeapproximately750words.
ThematicEssay(20%)Respondtooneofthefollowingessayquestions,notingthelinksbetweenthetopicsraisedandsustainabilityethics:
1. Carbontradingisemergingasanewaspectofglobaleconomics.WhataresomeofthebenefitsandpitfallsofaCarboneconomyandwhatimplicationsitishavingandwillithaveonthemainstreamingofsustainabilityethics?
2. DiscussthesignificanceofAustralia’sdecisiontoratifytheKyotoProtocol.Whatimpactwillthishaveonglobalsocialandenvironmentaljusticeissues?Whatroledosustainabilityethicsplayinencouragingnationstoendorseandadheretoauniversalagreementthatprioritisessustainability?
3. Sustainabilityethicsplayakeyroleinshiftinganindividual’spoliticsandpracticestowardssocialandenvironmentaljustice.Explorethisconceptrelativetotheenvironmentalphilosophiesdiscussedthroughoutthecourse,referencingtheimpact
33
ofthecoursematerialonyourownlife.4. Themainstreamingofsustainabilityethicsrequiresashiftingenderrelationswithin
humansociety,andbetweenhumansandthemore‐than‐humanworld.Discussthecurrentandfuturetrendsofgenderidentityandhowthismightimpacttheuptakeofsustainabilityethicsglobally.
5. Internationaldevelopmentpoliciestypicallyencourageandincorporatethoughtfulsustainabilitystrategies.Aretheyeffective?Discusssomeofthebenefitsandcostsofinternationalaid,citingacasestudytostrengthenyourperspective.
Ethics‐in‐ActionProject(35%)Inthis3,000–3,500‐wordproject,youareaskedtoanalyseaspecificsustainabilityissue(local,state,national,orinternational),usingphilosophicalarguments,ethicalprinciples,strategiesforchange,andtheskillsdevelopedinthecourse.Theprojectshouldtaketheformofareportorextendeddiscursiveessayfocusingontopicssuchasclimatechange,theeffectivenessofgovernmentsustainabilitystrategiessuchascarbontrading,etc.Youshouldgiveparticularattentiontothemoralimperativesthatrelatetothechosentopicbyframingtheprojectintermsofoneoranumberoftheethicalthemesilluminatedthroughoutthecourse(forexample:animalwelfareorecologicalfeminism).Youshouldalsoincludeyourpersonalperspectivesontheissuesraised.Pleaseaimtostructurethisprojectaccordingtostandardphilosophicalanalysesandtheethicaltreatmentofthechosentopic.Aspost‐graduatestudents,youareadditionallyexpectedtoconsidertheunderlyingsourcesofthepredominantvalueconflictsinvolvedinyourchosentopic,aswellaspossiblestrategiesforconflictmediationandforencouraginggreaterpublicappreciationoftheneedforsustainabilityethics–inotherwordswhyoughtasustainabilityethicsbepresent,howmightitbeimplementedandwhatoutcomesarelikely?Inadditiontoanexpectationofpost‐graduatelevelgrammaticalpoiseandlucidexpression,alsobesuretoreferenceusinganapprovedacademicstyle.Yourresearchshouldincludeaminimumoffivereferences.Pleaseaimtolimityourwebreferencingtonomorethantwooutofeveryfivecitationsunlesstheyareelectronicversionsofacademicpeer‐reviewedtexts.
Ethics‐in‐ActionPresentation(10%)AlongwithsubmittingyourEthics‐in‐ActionProject,bepreparedtopresentyourprojectatthefinaltutorialforthesemester.Thisshouldbenomorethana5–10minutepresentationandmayincludevisualaids.
34
TutorialComponent(10%)Thisassessmentisdesignedtoencouragethetutorialsessionstobeenrichingandparticipatoryeducationalexperiencesthataccelerateyoureducationalprocess,andismadeupoffourdistinctcomponents.Attendance(5%):Studentswhoattendlessthanninetutorialsthroughoutthesemesterwillincurpenaltypoints.Underextenuatingcircumstances,studentsmaybeexcusedfromadditionaltutorials,butmustcontacttheirtutorortheunitcoordinatortonegotiateextendedabsences.Participation(5%):Allinternalstudentsareexpectedtoattendandactivelyparticipateintheweeklytutorialsallocatedtothecourse.Bepreparedtocommentontheissuesraisedbytheweek’slecturematerialandassignedreadings.Asstudentattendanceandparticipationwillbemonitored,itwillbeinyourbestinteresttocomepreparedto‘pullthediscussiontowardsyou’,andoffersupporttoothersintheclassastheydosoaswell.
Examination(0%)NoExam.
ExternalAssessment
STP206–ExternalAssignment Description Value
CriticalThinkingJournal(4x500wordseach)
Keepajournalforthefirst4weeksoftheunitwhereyoucriticallyanalysethelecturematerial,thereadingsandofferyourpersonalreflections
20%
ThematicEssay(1,500words)
Respondto1oftheessayquestionsprovidednotingthelinksbetweenthetopicsraisedandsustainabilityethics
20%
EthicsIn‐ActionProject(2,500–3,000words)
Chooseaspecificsustainabilityissueandexploretheethicsandphilosophiesthatapply
30%
Exam ClosedBookExam 30%Total 100%
35
CriticalThinkingJournal(20%)Keepajournalforthefirstfourweeksoftheunitwhereyoucriticallyanalysethelecturematerialandthereadingsbyrespondingtothefollowingthreequestions.
1. Whatarethemaintheses(centralpoint)oftheweek’srequiredreadings?2. Whatarethemainreasonsorargumentstheauthorsgiveinsupportoftheirthesis?3. Whatisyourcriticalanalysisofboththethesisandthesupportingarguments?What
arethestrengthsandweaknessesofeacharticle’sargument,andwhy?Besuretojustifyyourviews,includingcross‐referencingfromadditionalsourceswhereappropriate.
4. Commentontheweek’sthemesastheyarediscussedinthelectureandtutorialandastheyrelatetoyourpersonallife.
Also,includeyourpersonalreflectionsabouttheimpactthesetopicsarehavingonyoursustainabilityethics.Eachweeklyjournalentryshouldbeapproximately500words.
ThematicEssay(20%)Inthis1,500‐wordessay,respondtooneofthefollowingessayquestions,notingthelinksbetweenthetopicsraisedandsustainabilityethics:
1. Carbontradingisemergingasanewaspectofglobaleconomics.WhataresomeofthebenefitsandpitfallsofaCarboneconomyandwhatimplicationsitishavingandwillithaveonthemainstreamingofsustainabilityethics?
2. DiscussthesignificanceofAustralia’sdecisiontoratifytheKyotoProtocol.Whatimpactwillthishaveonglobalsocialandenvironmentaljusticeissues?Whatroledosustainabilityethicsplayinencouragingnationstoendorseandadheretoauniversalagreementthatprioritisessustainability?
3. Sustainabilityethicsplayakeyroleinshiftinganindividual’spoliticsandpracticestowardssocialandenvironmentaljustice.Explorethisconceptrelativetotheenvironmentalphilosophiesdiscussedthroughoutthecourse,referencingtheimpactofthecoursematerialonyourownlife.
4. Themainstreamingofsustainabilityethicsrequiresashiftingenderrelationswithinhumansociety,andbetweenhumansandthemore‐than‐humanworld.Discussthecurrentandfuturetrendsofgenderidentityandhowthismightimpacttheuptakeofsustainabilityethicsglobally.
5. Internationaldevelopmentpoliciestypicallyencourageandincorporatethoughtfulsustainabilitystrategies.Aretheyeffective?Discusssomeofthebenefitsandcostsofinternationalaid,citingacasestudytostrengthenyourperspective.
36
Ethics‐in‐ActionProject(30%)Inthis2,500–3,000‐wordproject,youareaskedtoanalyseaspecificsustainabilityissue(local,state,national,orinternational),usingphilosophicalarguments,ethicalprinciples,strategiesforchange,andtheskillsdevelopedinthecourse.Theprojectshouldtaketheformofareportorextendeddiscursiveessayfocusingontopicssuchasclimatechange,theeffectivenessofgovernmentsustainabilitystrategiessuchascarbontrading,etc.Youshouldgiveparticularattentiontothemoralimperativesthatrelatetothechosentopicbyframingtheprojectintermsofoneoranumberoftheethicalthemesilluminatedthroughoutthecourse(forexampleanimalwelfareorecologicalfeminism).Youshouldalsoincludeyourpersonalperspectivesontheissuesraised.Pleaseaimtostructurethisprojectaccordingtostandardphilosophicalanalysesandtheethicaltreatmentofthechosentopic.Also,besuretoreferenceusinganapprovedacademicstyle.Yourresearchshouldincludeaminimumoffivereferences.Pleaseaimtolimityourwebreferencingtonomorethantwooutofeveryfivecitationsunlesstheyareelectronicversionsofacademicpeer‐reviewedtexts.
Exam(30%)Therewillbeatwo‐hour,closedbookexamforthiscourse.Samplequestionsandguidanceinregardstohowyoumightbestrespondtothekindsofphilosophicalandethicalquestionsaskedofyouwillbeaddressedtowardssemester’send.
STP606–ExternalAssignment Description Value
CriticalThinkingJournal(4x750wordseach)
Keepajournalforthefirst4weeksoftheunitwhereyoucriticallyanalysethelecturematerial,thereadingsandofferyourpersonalreflections
25%
ThematicEssay(2,000words)
Respondto1oftheessayquestionsprovidednotingthelinksbetweenthetopicsraisedandsustainabilityethics
20%
EthicsIn‐ActionProject(3,500–4,000words)
Chooseaspecificsustainabilityissueandexploretheethicsandphilosophiesthatapply
25%
Exam ClosedBookExam 30%Total 100%
37
CriticalThinkingJournal(25%)Keepajournalforthefirstfourweeksoftheunitwhereyoucriticallyanalysethelecturematerialandthereadingsbyrespondingtothefollowingthreequestions.
1. Whatarethemaintheses(centralpoint)oftheweek’srequiredreadings?2. Whatarethemainreasonsorargumentstheauthorsgiveinsupportoftheirthesis?3. Whatisyourcriticalanalysisofboththethesisandthesupportingarguments?What
arethestrengthsandweaknessesofeacharticle’sargument,andwhy?Besuretojustifyyourviews,includingcross‐referencingfromadditionalsourceswhereappropriate.
4. Commentontheweek’sthemesastheyarediscussedinthelectureandtutorialandastheyrelatetoyourpersonallife.
Also,includeyourpersonalreflectionsabouttheimpactthesetopicsarehavingonyoursustainabilityethics.Eachweeklyjournalentryshouldbeapproximately750words.
ThematicEssay(20%)Respondtooneofthefollowingessayquestions,notingthelinksbetweenthetopicsraisedandsustainabilityethics:
1. Carbontradingisemergingasanewaspectofglobaleconomics.WhataresomeofthebenefitsandpitfallsofaCarboneconomyandwhatimplicationsitishavingandwillithaveonthemainstreamingofsustainabilityethics?
2. DiscussthesignificanceofAustralia’sdecisiontoratifytheKyotoProtocol.Whatimpactwillthishaveonglobalsocialandenvironmentaljusticeissues?Whatroledosustainabilityethicsplayinencouragingnationstoendorseandadheretoauniversalagreementthatprioritisessustainability?
3. Sustainabilityethicsplayakeyroleinshiftinganindividual’spoliticsandpracticestowardssocialandenvironmentaljustice.Explorethisconceptrelativetotheenvironmentalphilosophiesdiscussedthroughoutthecourse,referencingtheimpactofthecoursematerialonyourownlife.
4. Themainstreamingofsustainabilityethicsrequiresashiftingenderrelationswithinhumansociety,andbetweenhumansandthemore‐than‐humanworld.Discussthecurrentandfuturetrendsofgenderidentityandhowthismightimpacttheuptakeofsustainabilityethicsglobally.
5. Internationaldevelopmentpoliciestypicallyencourageandincorporatethoughtfulsustainabilitystrategies.Aretheyeffective?Discusssomeofthebenefitsandcostsofinternationalaid,citingacasestudytostrengthenyourperspective.
38
Ethics‐in‐ActionProject(25%)Inthis3,500–4,000‐wordproject,youareaskedtoanalyseaspecificsustainabilityissue(local,state,national,orinternational),usingphilosophicalarguments,ethicalprinciples,strategiesforchange,andtheskillsdevelopedinthecourse.Theprojectshouldtaketheformofareportorextendeddiscursiveessayfocusingontopicssuchasclimatechange,theeffectivenessofgovernmentsustainabilitystrategiessuchascarbontrading,etc.Youshouldgiveparticularattentiontothemoralimperativesthatrelatetothechosentopicbyframingtheprojectintermsofoneoranumberoftheethicalthemesilluminatedthroughoutthecourse(forexampleanimalwelfareorecologicalfeminism).Youshouldalsoincludeyourpersonalperspectivesontheissuesraised.Pleaseaimtostructurethisprojectaccordingtostandardphilosophicalanalysesandtheethicaltreatmentofthechosentopic.Aspost‐graduatestudents,youareadditionallyexpectedtoconsidertheunderlyingsourcesofthepredominantvalueconflictsinvolvedinyourchosentopic,aswellaspossiblestrategiesforconflictmediationandforencouraginggreaterpublicappreciationoftheneedforsustainabilityethics–inotherwordswhyoughtasustainabilityethicsbepresent,howmightitbeimplementedandwhatoutcomesarelikely?Inadditiontoanexpectationofpost‐graduatelevelgrammaticalpoiseandlucidexpression,alsobesuretoreferenceusinganapprovedacademicstyle.Yourresearchshouldincludeaminimumoffivereferences.Pleaseaimtolimityourwebreferencingtonomorethantwooutofeveryfivecitationsunlesstheyareelectronicversionsofacademicpeer‐reviewedtexts.
Exam(30%)Therewillbeatwo‐hour,closedbookexamforthiscourse.Samplequestionsandguidanceinregardstohowyoumightbestrespondtothekindsofphilosophicalandethicalquestionsaskedofyouwillbeaddressedtowardssemester’send.
39
Week1:SustainabilityEthicsforToday:CourseIntroductionReadings: Required:
PeterGarrett(2000)“TheDiggerMovesOn”inTheBulletin,Dec/Jan:74‐75.DonellaMeadows,JorgenRandersandDennisMeadows(2004)“Overshoot”inLimitstoGrowth:The30YearUpdate.London:EarthscanPublications,pp.1–16.HolmesRolstonIII(2003)“ValueinNatureandtheNatureofValue”inEnvironmentalEthics:AnAnthology,AndreLightandHolmesRolstonIII(eds.).Malden:BlackwellPublishing,pp.143–153.
Recommended:
GarrettHarding(2002)“TheTragedyoftheCommons”inEnvironmentalEthics:WhatReallyMatters,WhatReallyWorks,DavidSchmidtzandElizabethWillnott(eds.).Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress,pp.331‐340.PeterHay(2002)“Ecophilosophy”inMainCurrentsinWesternEnvironmentalThought.Sydney:UniversityofNewSouthWalesPress,pp.26–71.BillMcKibben(1999)“Postnatural”,Aperture,150:5‐6.K.S.Shrader‐Frechette(1981)“AlternativeEthicsRegardingtheEnvironment”inEnvironmentalEthics,K.S.Shrader‐Frechette(ed.).PacificGrove:TheBoxwoodPress,pp.28–56.AnthonyWeston(1999)“IsItTooLate?”inAnInvitationtoEnvironmentalPhilosophy,A.Weston(ed.).Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress,pp.43–68.
Thisweek’sreadingsaimtowhetyourappetiteasyoubeginaskingfundamentalquestionsaboutthewaysyouviewhumanity’srelationshipswiththemore‐thanhumanworld.Thisweek’sreadingsareintendedtoinitiatetheprocessofcreatingmoreecologicallybenigninteractionsbetweenourfellowhumansandnaturalworlduponwhichwedepend.
40
Week2:EthicsofModernity:OurEthicalLegacy
Readings:
Required:CarolineMerchant(1980)“DominionOverNature”inTheDeathofNature:Women,EcologyandtheScientificRevolution.NewYork:HarperandRow,pp.164–190.
JamesLovelock(2006)“ForecastsfortheTwentyFirstCentury”inRevengeofGaia:WhytheEarthisFightingBackandHowWeCanStillSaveHumanity.London:AllenLane,pp.48–65.
Recommended:LesterR.Brown(1997)“StateoftheWorld”inClassicsinEnvironmentalStudies:AnOverviewofClassicTextsinEnvironmentalStudies,NicoNelissen,JanVanderstraaten,andLeonKlinkers(eds.).Utrecht:InternationalBooks,pp.320‐332.
BillDevallandGeorgeSessions(1985)“TheDominantModernWorldViewandItsCritics”and“TheReformistResponse”inDeepEcology:LivingasifNatureMattered.SaltLakeCity:GibbsSmith,pp.41–49&51–61.
DavidKorten(2006)“ModernEmpire”inTheGreatTurning:FromEmpiretoEarthCommunity.Bloomfield:KumarianPress,pp.126–141.
CarolineMerchant(1980)“TheMechanicalOrder”inTheDeathofNature:Women,EcologyandtheScientificRevolution.NewYork:HarperandRow,pp.192–235.
RichardTarnas(1996)“V:TheModernWorldView”inThePassionoftheWesternMind.London:Pimlico,pp.223–323.
AnthonyWeston(1992)“BeforeEnvironmentalEthics”inEnvironmentalEthics,Volume14(4),pp.597–608.
LynneWhite(1999)“TheHistoricRootsofOurEcologicalCrisis”inEnvironmentalEthics,JosephDesjardins(ed.).London:Mayfield,(PART1:AContextforEnvironmentalEthics)pp.46–52.
Week2exploresthehistoricalunderpinningsofthesocialandecologicalcrisesthatpervadeWesternsociety,notingtheoriginsandtheoutcomesofourdriftawayfromsustainability,whichsomesuggestwasourevolutionarydefaultbehaviourism.Howdidhumanity’sgoodnessandrightactionthatbroughtaboutametaphysicalinclusivenessandcarefortheselfimmersedintheworldformostofhumanexistencebecomemoreself‐orientedinthespaceofafewmillennia?Howareourbeliefsaboutnatureconnectedwithourethics?
41
Week3:SustainabilityEthicsandtheChallengestoSustainabilityReadings:
Required:TheRealWorldCoalition(2001)“SustainingtheEnvironment”inFromHeretoSustainability:PoliticsintheRealWorld,IanChristieDianeWarburton(eds.).London:Earthscan,pp.54–82.DonaldWorster(2005)“TheShakyGroundofSustainability”inSustainability:CriticalConceptsintheSocialSciences[VolumeII:SustainableDevelopment],MichaelRedclift(ed.).London:Routledge,pp.11–23.Recommended:GarrettHarding(2002)“LivingonaLifeboat”inEnvironmentalEthics:WhatReallyMatters,WhatReallyWorks,DavidSchmidtzandElizabethWillnott(eds.).Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress,pp.374–386.PeterHuber(1999)“EthicsintheGreenLifeBoat”inHardGreen:SavingtheEnvironmentfromtheEnvironmentalists.AConservativeManifesto.NewYork:BasicBooks,pp.159–173.KristinS.Schrader‐Frechette(1981)“AlternativeEthicsRegardingtheEnvironment”inEnvironmentalEthics.PacificGrove,CA:BoxwoodPress,pp.28–56.PeterSinger(1993)“What’sinitforme?”inHowAreWeToLive?:EthicsinanAgeofSelf‐Interest.MilsonsPoint:RandomHouse,pp.26–44.PaulW.Taylor(1998)“TheEthicsofRespectforNature”inEnvironmentalEthics:FromAnimalRightstoRadicalEcology,MichaelE.Zimmerman,J.BairdCallicott,GeorgeSessions,KarenJ.Warren,andJohnClarke(eds.).NewJersey:PrenticeHall,pp.71–86.
Thisweek’sreadingsexploretheimplicationsof‘normative’(orvalue‐laden)inquiries,andaimstointroducesomeofthephilosophicalstrategiesthathaveemergedforconsideringthem.Akeydistinctionistheneedtoextendourphilosophicalself‐understandingsandarticulationsaboutmeaningfulandconstructivedebatestowardsthosewhoappeartoholdverydifferentvaluesfromourown.Howdoweachieveexpressionsofthisgoodnessandrightactionthroughcareforhumanandmore‐than‐humanothers,andwhatroledoesphilosophyandscienceplayinsustainabilityethics?
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Week4:AnimalsandUs/AnimalsareUs
Readings:Required:IngmarPersson(1993)“ABasisfor(Interspecies)Equality”inTheGreatApeProject:EqualityBeyondHumanity,PaolaCavalieriandPeterSinger(eds.).NewYork:St.Martin’sGriffin,pp.183–193.
TomReganandAlexanderCockburn(1995)“TheBurdenofComplicity”and“AShort,Meat‐OrientedHistoryoftheWorldFromEdentotheMattole”inDeadMeat,SueCoe(ed.).NewYork:FourWalls,EightWindows,pp.1–4&5–35.
Recommended:StephenClark(1997)“HowtoCalculatetheGreaterGood”inAnimalsandTheirMoralStanding,NewYork:Routledge,pp.9–15.
RickO’Neil(2000)“AnimalLiberationversusEnvironmentalism”:TheCareSolution”inEnvironmentalEthics,Volume22,pp.183–190.
PeterSinger(1990)“Man’sDominion:Ashorthistoryofspeciesism”inAnimalLiberation(SecondEdition).London:JonathanCape,pp.
PeterSinger(1998)“AnimalLiberation”inEthicsintoAction:HenrySpiraandtheAnimalRightsMovement(AdvicetoActivists:TenWaystoMakeaDifference).CarltonSouth:MelbourneUniversityPress,pp.45–74.
WilliamO.Stephens(1999)“FiveArgumentsforVegetarianism”inEnvironmentalEthics,J.Desjardins(ed.).London:Mayfield,pp.288–301.
AnthonyWeston(1994)“AnimalsNexttoUs”inBacktoEarth:Tomorrow’sEnvironmentalism.Philadelphia:TempleUniversityPress,pp.15–33.
AcrucialstepinSustainabilityEthicsisexploringourrelationshipwithnon‐humananimals.Dotheypossessmoralagency?Aretheyintrinsicallyvaluable?Dotheyfeel?Dowecare?Andifsowhyandhowareweabletoshowthat?Seekinganswerstothesequestionsprovidesanavenuetowardstransformativeethics,radicallyshiftingpatternsofthinking,beinganddoingawayfromdisembodied,pragmatic,self‐orientedconsumption,andtowardsanawakenedsensitivityfortheotherbeyondtheself.Inthisweek’slectureandreadings,youwillexploretheinterfacebetweenthehumanandthemore‐than‐humanworldsasanabstractorfactualboundary.Fromthere,youwillbeencouragedtonotetheimpactthatautilitariandefenceofanimalliberationhasonthewaysweperceivetheanimalkingdom,andourplacewithinit.
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Week5:Stewardship:ToControlorToCare?Readings:
Required:AldoLeopold(1949)“TheLandEthic”inASandCountyAlmanac.Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress,pp.201–226.ClarePalmer(2006)“Stewardship:ACaseStudyinEnvironmentalEthics”inEnvironmentalStewardship,R.J.Berry(ed.).London:T&TClarkInternationalpp.63–75.WorldWildlifeFund(2000)“Beingentrustedtocarefornaturalresourcesonbehalfofsociety.”AWWFScotlandReport.ScottishLandReformConvention(StewardshipAdvisoryCommittee:AndrewRaven,RobinCallander,RachelHarding‐Hill,OsbertLancaster,GonzaloOviedo,CamillaToulmin,ChrisHowe),pp.1–9.Recommended:RachelCarson(1965)“TheObligationtoEndure”inSilentSpring.Harmondsworth:PenguinBooks,pp.21–30.StevenBouma‐Prediger(2001)“HowShouldWeThinkoftheEarth:ATheologyandEthicofCarefortheEarth”inFortheBeautyoftheEarth:AChristianVisionforCreationCare.GrandRapids:BakerAcademic,pp.117–135.ChrisD.Stone(1997)“ShouldTreesHaveStanding?”inClassicsinEnvironmentalStudies:AnOverviewofClassicTextsinEnvironmentalStudies,NicoNelissen,JanVanderstraaten,andLeonKlinkers(eds.).Utrecht:InternationalBooks,pp.153–159.R.WorrellandM.C.Appleby(2000)StewardshipofNaturalResources:Definition,EthicalandPracticalAspectsinJournalofAgriculturalandEnvironmentalEthics,Volume12(3),pp.263‐277.
Stewardshipmightbedefinedastheconsciousandunconsciousresponsibilitytocarefor,manage,andcontroltheinteractionsbetweenhumansandthemore‐than‐humanworld.OftenassociatedwithChristiantheology,stewardshipiswidelylinkedtosubservience,hierarchies,absenteelandlordismandexploitation.Butitcanalsobeassociatedwithtrusteeship,agency,companionship,andcommunion.Isitpossibletotuneintotheebbsandflowsofthelandthroughastewardshipethicthatisnon‐exploitative,orisstewardshipanotherjustificationforourtendencytoassumedominationandcontrolovernature?
44
Week7:GenderandEcology(I):EcologicalMasculinismReadings:
Required:MaryMellor(1992)“GreenPolitics:Ecofeminist,EcofeminineorEcomasculine?”inEnvironmentalPolitics,Volume1(2),Summer,pp.229–251.
RichardTwine(1997)“Masculinity,Nature,Ecofeminism”inwww.ecofem.orgejournal:AnOpenCallforPapersaboutthejournal,retrievedonFebruary4,2008fromtheWorldWideWebathttp://www.ecofem.org,pp.1–6.
Recommended:RichardBradley(2006)“WhichistheGreenerGender?”inPlenty,April/May,pp.60–63.
MarkAllister(ed.)Ecoman:NewPerspectivesonMasculinityandNature.Charolettesville,UniversityofVirginiaPress.
IanColdwell(2007)“NewFarmingMasculinities”inJournalofSociology,Volume43(1),pp.87–103.
JamesW.Donaldson(1990)Thebeliefofmaleecologicalleadersregardingtheimpactofecologicalmovementsonthesocializationofthemasculinerole(MastersThesis).LongBeach:CAStateUniversity.
LeeHall(2005)“ReflectionsontheMasculineHegemon:AReplytoRichardTwine”inwww.ecofem.orgejournal:AnOpenCallforPapersaboutthejournal,retrievedonFebruary4,2008fromtheWorldWideWebathttp://www.ecofem.org.pp.1–26.
Whileecologicalfeminismalludestopost‐patriarchalmasculineidentities,itstopsshortofmakingspecificrecommendationsfortheecologisationofmasculinitiestheoryormen.Todosowouldunfairlyplaceexpectationsonwomenandfeminismtotakealeadroleinthedeconstructiveandreconstructivework,whichmenandmasculinitiescouldandshouldbecontributingtothecreationofasustainableworld.Here,weexplorethevaluesandvirtuesimpresseduponmenandmasculineidentities,notingtheforebodingpresenceofethicsofdaringthroughoutthemodernWest.Butmenandmasculinitiesareimbuedwithethicsofcaring–asetofmoralprinciplesandpracticesthatemphasisecareforselfthroughcareforhumanandmore‐than‐humanothers.Theseethicsareinherentlymaleandthroughwideracknowledgementcanenrolmenandmasculinitiesintothesustainabilityproject.
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Week8:AwakeningtheEcologicalSelfReadings:
Required:ArneNaess(1988)“SelfRealization:AnEcologicalApproachtoBeingintheWorld”inThinkingLikeaMountain,JohnSeed,JoannaMacy,PatFlemmingandArneNaess(eds.),GabriolaIsland:NewSocietyPublications,pp.19–30.JoannaMacy(1998)“TheBasicMiracle:OurTrueNatureandPower”inComingBackToLife:PracticestoReconnectOurLives,OurWorld,JoannaMacyandMollyYoungBrown(eds.).GabriolaIsland:NewSocietyPress,pp.39–62.Recommended:WarwickFox(1990)“MovingAwayfromHumanCentredness:FromSilentSpringtoDeepEcology”and“DeepEcology:AFocusWithinEcophilosophy—andBeyond”inTowardsaTranspersonalEcology:DevelopingNewFoundationsforEnvironmentalism.NewYork:StateUniversityofNewYork,pp.3–40&43–77,.BillDevall(1988)“TheEcologicalSelf”inSimpleinMeansRichinEnds:PractisingDeepEcology.London:GreenPrint,pp.38–72.JoannaMacy(1991)“TheGreeningoftheSelf”and“WorldasLover,WorldasSelf”inWorldasLover,WorldasSelf.Berkeley:ParallaxPress,pp.3–14&183–192.FreyaMathews(1991)“Valueinnatureandmeaninginlife“inTheEcologicalSelf.Savage:Barnes&NobleBooks,pp.117–163.ArneNaess(1973)“TheShallowandDeep,Long‐rangeEcologyMovement.ASummary”,inInquiry,Volume16(1),Spring,pp.95–100.
Thisecologicalselfasanindividualcorporealselfisanaggregateimbeddedwithinauniversalwhole.Drawingonthecoretenetsofdeepecology,thisholisticorecologicalviewrevealsanopportunity,indeedaresponsibility,toidentifytheselfasawiderSelf,inforginganintuitive,emotiveandintellectualunionthroughoutthehumanandmore‐than‐humanworlds.InWeek8,youwillencounterthetheoreticalpremisesandseekwaystounlockyourownecologicalself.Fromthisplace,ethicsofcaringforselfthroughcareforhumanandmore‐than‐humanothersemerges.
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Week9:GenderandEcology(II):EcologicalFeminismReadings:
Required:ValPlumwood(1998)“Nature,SelfandGender:Feminism,EnvironmentalPhilosophyandtheCritiqueofRationalism”inEnvironmentalEthics:FromAnimalRightstoRadicalEcology,MichaelE.Zimmerman,J.BairdCallicott,GeorgeSessions,KarenJ.Warren,andJohnClarke(eds.).NewJersey:PrenticeHall,pp.291–314.KarrenJ.Warren(2000)“QuiltingEcofeministPhilosophy”inEcofeministPhilosophy.NewYork:RowmanandLittlefield,pp.43–71.Recommended:SusanGriffin(1974)“Matter”inWomanandNature:TheRoaringInsideHer.NewYork:Harper&RowPublishers,pp.5–46.PatsyHallen(1994)“ReawakeningtheErotic,”inHabitatAustralia,Feb,pp.18–21.ValPlumwood(1993)“Introduction,”inFeminismandtheMasteryofNature.London:Routledge,pp.1–18.NoëlSturgeon(1998)“MovementsofEcofeminism”inEcofeministNatures:Race,Gender,FeministTheoryandPoliticalAction.NewYork:Routledge,pp.23–58.MichaelZimmerman(1994)“EcofeminismandDeepEcology”inContestingEarth’sFuture:RadicalEcologyandPostmodernity.Berkeley:UniversityofCaliforniaPress,pp.276–317.
AsoneofthemostdiversebranchesofTransformationalEthics,ecologicalfeminismexploresthewaysinwhichthehistoricalexploitationanddegradationofwomenisinextricablyrelatedtotheexploitationanddegradationofmore‐than‐humannature.Thecentralpremiseofandrocentrism(ormale‐centredness)throughoutWesternthoughtandpracticehasbroughtabouthierarchicalrelationshipsofdominationandhasbecomeadefiningfeatureoftherationalanddualistictendenciesimbeddedwithinpatriarchy.Ecologicalfeminismoffersapathbeyondtheselimitations,inthecreationofpositiveaffirmationsforwomen,feminineidentity,andnature,beyondthoseimposedbypatriarchy.Ecologicalfeminismprovidesanentrypointintothetheoryandpracticeofagender/natureradicalecologyasitappliestowomenandnature.Thisweek’sreadingsintroducethetheoreticalframeworkofecologicalfeminismandexposetheimpactofthelogicofdominationuponhumansocietyandthemore‐than‐humanworld.
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Week11:SocialandEnvironmentalJusticeReadings:
Required:KevinDeLuca(2007)“AWildernessEnvironmentalismManifesto:ContestingtheInfiniteSelf‐AbsorptionofHumans”inEnvironmentalJusticeandEnvironmentalism:TheSocialJusticeChallengetotheEnvironmentalMovement,RonaldSandlerandPhaedraC.Pezzullo(eds.).Cambridge:MassachusettsInstituteofTechnology,pp.27–55.ShirleyWilliams(2003)“GlobalSocialJustice:TheMoralResponsibilityoftheRichtothePoor”inMakingGlobalizationGood:TheMoralChallengesofGlobalCapitalism,JohnDunning(ed.).Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress,pp.334–344.Recommended:WilliamBeckerman(2001)“SustainableDevelopmentandourObligationstoFutureGenerations”inEnvironmentalEthicsandPhilosophy:ManagingtheEnvironmentforSustainableDevelopment,JohnO’Neill,R.KerryTurnerandIanJ.Bateman(eds.).Cheltenham:AnElgarReferenceCollection,pp.243–270.
RobertD.Bullard(2005)“EnvironmentalJusticeintheTwenty‐firstCentury”inTheQuestforEnvironmentalJustice:HumanRightsandthePoliticsofPollution,RobertD.Bullard(ed.).SanFrancisco:SierraClubBooks,pp.19–42.
PeterSingerandTomGregg(2004)“Australia’sPolicytowardsRefugees”inHowEthicalisAustralia?:AnExaminationofAustralia’sRecordasaGlobalCitizen.Melbourne:TheAustralianCollaboration,pp.62–78.
KarenWarren(1999)“EnvironmentalJustice:SomeEcofeministWorriesaboutadistributiveModel”inEnvironmentalEthics,Volume21(2),pp.151–161.
SustainabilityEthicsguideustowardsthepreservationofhumansocietiesandtheenvironment.Theyareineffectjusticeethicsthatencouragemoralstandardsandprinciples,equalisingtherelationshipsthroughouthumancommunities,andwiththemore‐than‐humanworld.ToachievejusticerequiresawillingnesstoquestiontheadequacyofexistingWesternpoliticsandpraxes.Seekingnewwaysofbeingwithintheselfisessentialifwearetocreateequitableandsustainablesocietiesandrelationshipsbetweenthehumanandmore‐than‐humanworld.Hereweexploretheeconomicrationalityofpoliticaldecision‐making,theextentto‐whichenvironmentalneedsareconsideredbypolicymakers,andtheintersectionbetweensocialandenvironmentaljustice.
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Week12:SustainabilityEthicsasPraxis:WhatdoesSustainabilityEthicsmeanforhowwelive?
Readings:
Required:TheRealWorldCoalition(2001)“MakingItHappen:ClosingtheSustainabilityGaps”inFromHeretoSustainability:PoliticsintheRealWorld,IanChristieandDianeWarburton(eds.).London:Earthscan,pp.183–195.
R.K.Turner(2005)“Sustainability:PrinciplesandPractice”inSustainability:CriticalConceptsintheSocialSciences,MichaelRedclift(ed.)London:Routledge,pp.38–68.
Recommended:SarahA.Conn(1995)“WhentheEarthHurts,WhoResponds?”inEcopsychology:RestoringtheEarth,HealingtheMind,TheodoreRoszak,MaryE.Gomes,andAllenD.Kanner(eds.).SanFrancisco:SierraClubBooks,pp.156–171.
AlanDrengson(1995)“IntegratedStudiesinTechnologyPracticeandMasteryofAppropriateDesign”inThePracticeofTechnology:ExploringTechnology,Ecophilosophy,andSpiritualDisciplinesforVitalLinks.Albany:StateUniversityofNewYork,pp.167–181.
DavidForeman(1991)“SecondThoughtsofanEco‐Warrior”inDefendingtheEarth:ADebateBetweenMurrayBookchinandDaveForeman.Montréal:BlackRoseBooks,pp.17–119.
AlbertLaChance(1991)“ChapterEight–ChapterTen”inGreenSpirit:TwelveStepsinEcologicalSpirituality.Rockport:Element,pp.9–137.
DeloresLaChapelle(1988)“BringingtheSkyintoYourLife”inSacredLand,SacredSex:RaptureoftheDeep.Durango:KivakíPress,pp.216–249.
TheodoreRoszak(2001)“AttendingthePlanet”inTheVoiceoftheEarth:AnExplorationofEcopsychology.GrandRapids:PhanesPress,Inc.,pp.306–317.
ThisweekweexaminethepracticalapplicationsofSustainabilityEthics.Hereyouwillbeencouragedtoseekanswerstothefollowingquestion:howdoyounurtureyourself,yourhome,yourcommunity,yourworld,sothatecologicalandsocietalhealthandwellbeingispreserved?Havingponderedtheethicaltheoriesbehindsustainability,wenowsteptowardsincorporatingthemintoourdailylivesthroughpersonalreflection.
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Week13:SustainabilityEthicsandInternationalDevelopmentReadings:
Required:MariaMies(1999)“TheMythofCatching‐upDevelopment”inEnvironmentalEthics,J.Desjardins(ed.).London:Mayfield,PartIII(PoliciesandControversiesinEnvironmentalEthics)pp.416–423.PeterSinger(2002)“AChangingWorld”inOneWorld:TheEthicsofGlobalization.NewHaven:YaleUniversityPress:pp.1–13.Recommended:TomAthanasiou(1996)“WhereAreWeNow?”inSlowReckoning:TheEcologyofaDividedPlanet.London:Secker&Warburg,pp.3–20.DenisGoulet(1995)“DevelopmentEthicsandEcologicalWisdom”inDevelopmentEthics:AGuidetoTheoryandPractice.London:ZedBooksLimited,pp.119–135.RamachandraGuhaandJuanMartinez‐Alier(1997)VarietiesofEnvironmentalism:EssaysNorthandSouth.London:EarthscanHansKüng(2003)“AnEthicalFrameworkfortheGlobalMarketEconomy”inMakingGlobalizationGood:TheMoralChallengesofGlobalCapitalism.JohnH.Dunning(ed.).Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress,pp.145–158.E.F.Schumacher(1974)“PartIII:TheThirdWorld”inSmallisBeautiful.London:Abacus,pp.157‐‐214.VandanaShiva(1992)“RecoveringtheRealMeaningofSustainability”inTheEnvironmentinQuestion:EthicsandGlobalIssues,D.E.CooperandJ.A.Palmer(eds.).NewYork:Routledge,pp.187–193.
Westerninternationalaidanddevelopmentisimbuedwithgoodintentionsthatoftenstruggletobringaboutsustainableimprovementstothelivesofpeopleandthequalityoftheenvironmentthroughoutthenon‐Westernworld.Whileonehopesthatfutureinternationaldevelopmentandoverseasaidwillbecomeunnecessaryandtheresourcescurrentlydedicatedtotheseendeavourscanberedirectedelsewhere,weareinrealityfarfromthatgoal.CanSustainabilityEthicsbringusclosertoaworldwherejusticeandequalitymaketheneedforinternationalaidanddevelopmentredundant?Week13isdedicatedtoexploringthisquestion.
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Week14:SustainabilityEthicsforTomorrow:BeingHopefulReadings:
Required:AidanDavison(2001)“SustainingTechnology”,inTechnologyandtheContestedMeaningofSustainability,Albany,NewYork:SUNYPress,pp.199–213.MichaelP.Nelson(1999)“RethinkingWilderness:TheNeedforaNewIdeaofWilderness”inEnvironmentalEthics,J.Desjardins(ed.),London:Mayfield,(PartIII–PoliciesandControversiesinEnvironmentalEthics)pp.366–370.Recommended:YvonneBaskins(1997)TheWorkofNature:HowtheDiversityofLifeSustainsUs.WashingtonD.C.:IslandPress.NickFotionandJanC.Heller(eds.)(1997)ContingentFuturePersons:OntheEthicsofDecidingwhowilllive,ornot,inthefuture.Dordrecht;Boston:KluwerAcademic.JohnLemons,LauraWestraandRobertGoodland(eds.)(1998)EcologicalSustainabilityandIntegrity:ConceptsandApproaches.Dordrecht;Boston:KluwerAcademic.DavidMasMasumoto(1999)“LearningtoFail”inAtHomeontheEarth:BecomingNativetoOurPlace.AMulticulturalAnthology,D.L.Barnhill(ed.).Berkeley:UniversityofCaliforniaPress,pp.191–200.
Withthesceptreofclimatechangelooming,areweabletoallowashiftinconsciousnesstowardsSustainabilityEthicsthatwillassuresocialandenvironmentalhealthforgenerationstocome?Havingcompletedtheunit,wewillholdapaneldiscussiononwhatsustainabilityethicsmeansforyouandfortheplanet.Wewillalsoexplorewherewearelikelytoventurefromhereasaspeciesandasaplanet.Thiswillbeacelebratoryweekwherewereflectontheimpactoftheunitmaterialoverrefreshments.Bringsomefoodorbeveragestoshare!
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Appendix7.
From:FDN150ReinventingAustraliaExternalStudentDate:Thu,4Dec200808:37:34+0900To:"PaulM.Pulé"<[email protected]>ThanksPaul.Afterstudyinginternallyovertenyearsago,thedifferencebetweentheinternalsupportandexternalsupportissignificant.ThisismythirdexternalunitthisyearandImustsayitwasarefreshingchangetogetsomeusefulfeedbackwithassignmentsasopposedtoacoupleoftokencomments(ornoneatall).Ithinkyou'vedoneanexcellentjobasatutorandhopefullyyou'llcontinuetodosoforanotherintakeortwoofFDNstudents.Thanksagain.FDN150ReinventingAustraliaExternalStudent
From:PaulM.Pulé[mailto:[email protected]]Sent:Wednesday,3December200807:28To:FDN150ReinventingAustraliaExternalStudentFDN150ExternalStudents,Thegradesarefinalisedandall’sdonefrommyend.I’dliketotakeamomenttowishyouallwellfortheholidaysandtothankyoufortheprivilegeofworkingwithyouthroughoutthesemester.Onerequest...I’dverymuchappreciateyoutakingamomenttocompletetheunitevaluationwhenitarrivesfromExternalStudies–itshouldbearrivinginthecomingweeks.Itwilltakeonlyafewmomentsandisveryhelpfulinrefiningthewaytheexternalunitismanaged.Wewereanexperimentinremotelearningthissemesterascommunicationthroughtheinternetgainsamorecentralroleindistancelearningsoanyfeedbackyouhavewouldbemostwelcomed.Warmly,Paul
From:STPSustainabilityEthicsInternalStudentDate:Sun,8Jun200800:13:06+0800To:"PaulM.Pulé"<[email protected]>Subject:RE:WithThanksPaul,Thanksforthosekindwords.Itisgreattohaveateacherwhoactuallytotallystandsforwhattheypreach..Youaresoapproachableandmakeeveryonefeelaccepteddespiteurobvioushigherlearningexperience,most
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lecturersgetan"academic"wayofinteracting.Itisgreattohavesomeonesoeasy‐goingandfamiliarteachusabout"big"issues.Withmanythanks,STPSustainabilityEthicsInternalStudentDate:Sat,7Jun200814:57:07+0800Subject:WithThanksFrom:[email protected]:STPSustainabilityEthicsInternalStudentDearAll,Nowthattheexamisinthepast,thecourseiscomplete(Iwillbetendingtoyourfinalgradesinthecomingweek).It’sbeenanimportantaspectofmylifebeingyourunitcoordinatorforthesepastmonths.IamdeeplyappreciativetohavehadtheprivilegeofcoordinatingSTP206/606.Throughthecourse,andmydesiretobehereforeachofyou,Ihavebeengracedwiththegiftofhavingattentiondirectedtowardsaprojectthatismuchgreaterthanmyself–namelysupportingthegrowthofasustainabilityethicswithineachofyou.Thecoursehasbeenmyservicetomycommunity.Yourpresencehasgivenmemuchinreturn,andforthosegiftsIextendtoyoumysincerethanks.WhileIamabouttoembarkonanextendedtripoverseas,Iwillonlybeasfarawayasemail,sopleasefeelfreetostayintouch.WhenIreturntotheISTPlaterintheyearyouwillbemostwelcomedtostopbyforacatch‐upinpersonaswell.Forthoseofyouwhohavetakenthetimetocompletetheunitsurveyemailedtoyou–Isendyoumyheartfeltthanksforyourthoughtfulnessandfeedback.I’llbetakingyourcommentsintoconsiderationasIfine‐tuneSustainabilityEthicsintheyearsahead.ForthoseofyouyettocompletetheUnitSurvey–mayIaskforyoutotakeafewminutestodoso.Theinformationwereceivefromyouisinvaluable.TheTLCwouldhaveemailedthesurveytoyoualready.Letmeknowifyouareneedinganothercopy.Mayyougoforthwithnewandrenewedzestforyourselvesasanintricatepartofthisbeautifulplanet,andcarrywithyoumywarmwishesinyoureveryendeavour.FortheEarth,Paul
Appendix8.
TeachingExcellenceAwardNomination(2005):From:MurdochUniversitySchoolOfficialDate:Fri,30Sep200515:53:33+0800To:"PaulM.Pulé"<[email protected]>Paul,
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Congratulationsonyournominationandgladtoseeyouwillbeapplying.Youareright,theFridaysessionisarepeatofMonday.AtthesesessionsIwillbeoutliningthesubmissionprocess,soitwouldbegoodtostartbuthopefullyyouwillalsolearnsomethingsatthesessiontohelpyouwithyoursubmission.SeeyouFridayMurdochUniversitySchoolOfficial
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐From:PaulPuleSent:Friday,September30,200511:58AMTo:MurdochUniversitySchoolOfficialMurdochUniversitySchoolOfficialIreceivedtheinformationpacketinregardstotheteachingexcellenceawards.Thanksforthat.Veryencouragingandvalidating.Yup...Willpursuetheapplicationprocess,sopleasedoaddmetothelistofapplicants‐I'llattendtheFriday7thsession(doIunderstandcorrectlythatweareonlytoattendthisworkshoponceandthattheMondayoptionisarepeatofthatonFriday).InthemeantimeI'llpreparetheformandprovidethesixcopiesasrequested.I'llbeintouchifthereareanyquestionsthatarise.Cheers,Paul
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TeachingExcellenceAwardNomination(2009):
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Appendix9.
Resultsavailableuponrequest.
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Appendix10.MessagefromanexternalstudentusingtheMurdochUniversityOnlineChatservice:Subject:Re:ResearchProposal Topic:MainAuthor:Anonymous Date:24September200812:55PMEmailPaulandaskhim‐he'sveryapproachableandeasytodealwith‐youshouldhavegottenaninintroemailfromhimwithhiscontactdetails.