AGRIC 3500WT - Professional Skills in Agricultural Science III
Waite Campus - Semester 2 - 2014
The Professional Skills III course has two equally-weighted components:1] Communication theory and skills, and 2] Professional Internship.
Communication theory and skills is coursework undertaken in the first half of semester 2, in Year 3. Students learn: how to design training and extension events using action learning processes and adult learning principles; how to design complex communication and evaluation programs; how to resolve conflict and negotiate in the workplace and business. They will also receive training in career planning, applying for jobs and interview technique.
The Professional Internship is a period of 12 weeks employment engaged from mid-year of Year 2 until end of Semester 2 of Year 3. Work can be conducted in areas that are related to agricultural science, including research, agribusiness, agricultural production (including farm experience) and related industries such as food processing, veterinary, livestock, wildlife and natural resource management.
By completing the internship students will achieve the following outcomes:
- Apply knowledge gained in the undergraduate program to a professional working environment
- Develop a deeper understanding of work in areas of professional agricultural or animal science practice
- Develop a professional approach and attitude to work
- Enhance their ability to synthesise information and present it in written reports
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General Course Information
Course Details
Course Code AGRIC 3500WT Course Professional Skills in Agricultural Science III Coordinating Unit School of Agriculture, Food and Wine Term Semester 2 Level Undergraduate Location/s Waite Campus Units 3 Contact Up to 5 hours per week for the first 6 weeks of semester Prerequisites AGRIC 1510WT, AGRIC 1520WT or ANIML SC 1015RW Assessment Assignments, major project, job interview,reports, employer assessment Course Staff
Course Coordinator: Dr Ian Nuberg
Course Timetable
The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from .
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Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course students should be able to:
1 Design and implement communication plans in agricultural and animal science 2 Communicate effectively and professionally 3 Effectively deal with various media and situations of conflict resolution 4 Understand extension concepts, models and methods 5 Understand the contexts and methods of science communication and facilitate community participation 6 Understand the conditions of professional practice 7 Design training workshops based on adult learning principles and the action learning cycle 8 Synthesize information and present it in written reports 9 Plan their career using job search skills, effective job applications and resumes, and winning interviews University Graduate Attributes
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:
University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s) Knowledge and understanding of the content and techniques of a chosen discipline at advanced levels that are internationally recognised. 1-9 The ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner. 9 An ability to apply effective, creative and innovative solutions, both independently and cooperatively, to current and future problems. 6,7 Skills of a high order in interpersonal understanding, teamwork and communication. 3,6,7 A proficiency in the appropriate use of contemporary technologies. 3 A commitment to continuous learning and the capacity to maintain intellectual curiosity throughout life. 7 A commitment to the highest standards of professional endeavour and the ability to take a leadership role in the community. 6,7 An awareness of ethical, social and cultural issues within a global context and their importance in the exercise of professional skills and responsibilities. 6 -
Learning Resources
Recommended Resources
The following texts are good background for the Program Planning assignment
From library:
• C. Leeuwis 2004 “Communication for rural innovation: rethinking agricultural extension”
• A.W. van den Ban & H.S. Hawkins 1996. “Agricultural Extension”
• N. G. Roling 1988 “Extension Science: information systems in agricultural development’Online Learning
MyUni: Teaching materials and course documentation will be posted on the MyUni website (http://myuni.adelaide.edu.au/). -
Learning & Teaching Activities
Learning & Teaching Modes
Lectures:
There will be useually 2 one-hour lecturres for the first 5 weeks of the semester. Lecture notes will be posted to MyUni a few days in advance of the respective lecture and will not generally be provided to students in hard copy.
Tutorials:
There are 5 tutorials which either develop students self-knowledg or discuss the praticalities of undertaking the assignment work
Practicals:
All the practical course work is done as part of "Communication Committees" where students in groups of 3 or 4 work together to develop a suite of communication products. These sessions also include group presentations of products.
Certificates:
Students have the option of undertaking accredited First Aid and Agri-Chemical Use coursesWorkload
The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.
As this course covers both the communication skills and internship components, a great deal of the work is completed before the semester has even begun by way of the intern work.For this reason the conventional coursework component only occupies the first 6 weeks of the semester.
In general the expected workload for a 3-unit course would be on average, 12 hours per week: i.e. 5 hours in class + another 7 hours working on assignments. Each class last for a 5 hour day broken up into lectures, tutorials and practical sessions. All of the practicals are group work sessions where committees of students work together in class time on three group products. Depending on how effective these groups use this class time, the ex-class time can be much less than 7 hours/week. However there are individual assignments that require at least 3 hours/week: Preparation of CV and job application letter (weeks 3 or 4), Internship Reflections (weeks 9-11)
Over weeks 6 & 7 students are only required to turn up for a 20-minute mock job interview. Other times during these weeks students are expected to be working on their committee projects.
In Weeks 9-11, there are optional First Aid and Chemical Certificate courses that can count towards the Internship program. When not attending these courses students are expected to be finalising their Internship Reflections
Learning Activities Summary
The Communication Theory & Skills component of the course content will include the following:
Week
1 LECTURES a] Extension concepts, models and methods. b] Extension program planning
TUTORIAL: Your personal learning style.
PRAC: Preparing intern reports
2 LECTURES Adult learning principles and the action learning cycle.
TUTORIAL: Designing workshops
PRACTICAL: Committee work to design a workshop based on adult learning principles
3 LECTURES a] Job applications & interviews b] Career planning and learning from the internship
TUTORIAL: Developing a program plan
PRACTICAL: Committee work on workshop and program plan assignments
4 LECTURES a] Communicating science b] Conflict resolution and negotiation
TUTORIAL: Conflict resolution video assignment
PRACTICAL: Committee work on conflict resolution video
5 LECTURES a] Exension case studies
TUTORIAL: Program plan progress
PRACTICAL: Committee work on program plan
6 ASSESS: Mock job interviews
PRACTICAL: Committee work on program plan
7ASSESS: Mock job interviews
PRACTICAL: Committee work on program plan
8 ASSESS: Presentation and assessment of conflict resolution videos
ASSESS: Presentation and assessment of program plans
ASSESS: Peer evaluation of committee work
Optional9 CERTIFICATION: First Aid10 CERTIFICATION: Chemical Use
11 CERTIFICATION: Chemical Use
The Internship component of the course is completed before the semester begins. Students who have not already completed their intern reflections will do this during Weeks 9-11 of the semester.Small Group Discovery Experience
Students will form small committees of 3 or 4 people to undertake the production of 3 group products:
1] a professional plan for an 1 or 2 day extension workshop based on action learning principles
2] a 10 minute youtube video illustrating the principles of conflict resolution
3] a a program plan for a 3-4 year extension / communication project
The committees will have formal sessions with an agenda and minutes which is reported and assessed. They will also have a significant amount of class time to work on these products together.
Successful completion of these 3 assignments will require research into both the content of the scenarios and the production processes required for the final output.
Students have the opportunity to practice and demonstrate effective and professional group work while researching specific agricultural content for the products. -
Assessment
The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:
- Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
- Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
- Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
- Assessment must maintain academic standards.
Assessment Summary
Individual Commitee Description and Assessment Submission due Marks Assignment 1 Adult Learning Workshop
Design an extension workshop based on adult learning principlesweek 3 10 Assignment 2 Conflict Resolution
Youtube video of how a manager will handle the situation of conflict in the workplace.week 6 10 Assignment 3 Program Plan
A professional document that integrates communication theory into practice by providing a plan to implement a major communication and development project. Assessed on value as a real working document. Assessment includes short group presentation.week 8 30 Assignment 4 Record of committee minutes
To show how professionally your group workedweek 8 5 Peer assessment of Committee work
The committee members share a group mark, but each individuals contribution to the project is assessed by a confidential peer evaluation processweek 8 modifier based on peer assessment Assignment 5 Job application and interview:
You will write an application letter and CV for an actual job that is currently on the market. You will undergo a mock, but formal, interview. Both items assessed by criteria discussed in class.
Application letter and CV
Job interview 15-20 minutesweek 5
5
5INTERN REPORTS The number of reports depends on the number of different periods of work experience. The first report should be submitted as early as possible in semester so that feedback can be given. All reports must be submitted by end of the semester. week 12 35 TOTAL 100
Assessment Detail
No information currently available.
Submission
It is a university-wide policy that assignments must be submitted by their deadline. There will be a penalty of 10% of the total mark for each day (or part of a day) that an assignment is late, up to a maximum penalty of 50% of the total mark. Assignments that are submitted after the assignments for the rest of the class have been marked may not be accepted.
Extensions of deadlines may be allowed for reasonable causes. Such situations would include compassionate and medical grounds of the severity that would justify the awarding of a replacement examination. Evidence for the grounds must be provided when an extension is requested. Extensions of deadlines should be negotiated with the course coordinator before the assignment is due. Extensions will not be provided on the grounds of poor time management.Course Grading
Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:
M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme) Grade Mark Description FNS Fail No Submission F 1-49 Fail P 50-64 Pass C 65-74 Credit D 75-84 Distinction HD 85-100 High Distinction CN Continuing NFE No Formal Examination RP Result Pending Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.
Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.
Final results for this course will be made available through .
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Student Feedback
The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.
SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
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