Year

2024

Credit points

10

Campus offering

No unit offerings are currently available for this unit

Prerequisites

EXSC116 Journeying in the Natural World

Teaching organisation

150 hours of focused learning.

Unit rationale, description and aim

This unit will introduce students to Alpine environment and its ecology. It will examine alpine conservation issues and their implications for the outdoor leader and educator. The unit will investigate a variety of programs that use the alpine environment, their outcomes and impacts. Students will have the opportunity to develop foundational alpine pursuit skills in a variety of settings. An examination of personal behaviour styles and leadership skills will be explored.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Learning Outcome NumberLearning Outcome Description
LO1Explain environmental and management issues that directly affect alpine ecology.
LO2Critique alpine conservation issues currently facing the Australian Alps.
LO3Implement outdoor program models that engage with the alpine environment.
LO4Reflect upon their personal behaviour styles and its relationship to leadership skills.
LO5Demonstrate organisational and practical skills in alpine outdoor pursuits and their application in the context of a journey.
LO6Demonstrate an understanding or risk, hazard identification and management of or extreme weather environments.

Content

  • Alpine environments, hazards and management 
  • Alpine ecology and alpine conservation Issues 
  • Personal behaviour styles and leadership skills development 
  • Alpine pursuits models and their applications 
  • Foundation skill competencies in alpine outdoor pursuits 

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Teaching and learning strategies may include resources sessions, tutorials, lectures, field work, and reflective/critical thinking activities, which will be delivered in a 2 hour lecture and a 1 hour tutorial as well as field work activities. Teaching and learning strategies will reflect respect for the individual as an independent learner. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively within group activities.  

Assessment strategy and rationale

A range of assessment procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements.  Such procedures may include, but are not limited to: essays, reports, tests, student presentations and field work. 

Overview of assessments

Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment TasksWeightingLearning Outcomes

Assessment 1 – Fieldwork: Alpine program development and implementation/Logbook

15%

LO3, LO4, LO5, LO6

Assessment 2 - Alpine Conservation

35%

LO1, LO2

Assessment 3 - Test

35%

LO5, LO6

Assessment 4 - Journal

15%

LO4

Representative texts and references

Brymer, E., Gray, T.L., Cotton, W. & Carpenter, C. (2010). Profiling outdoor leadership, Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership, 2(1),93-108. 

 

Goffee, R., Jones, G. (2006). The route of authentic leadership. Training Journal, Nov, 31-34 

 

Godde, P., Martin, F., Price. Friedrich, M., & Zimmerman. (2000)Tourism and Development in Mountain Regions. CABI. 

 

Huber, M., Harald, K., Bugmann, M., & Reasoner, M. (2005). Global Change and Mountain Regions: an overview of current knowledge. Springer 

 

Luckner, J. L., Nadler, R. S., (1997). Processing the Experience. Iowa: Kendall/Hunt  

Publishing Company. 

 

Morgan, J. (1998) An Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Victorian High Country. Dept . Conservation , Forests and Lands, Victoria. 

 

Schumann, S.,Paisley, K., Sibthorp, J., & Gookin, J. (2009). Instructor influences on student learning at NOLS. Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership, 1(1) 15-37. 

 

Smith, H. (2011) Extraordinary outdoor leaders: an Australian case study. PHD thesis, University of Wollongong. 

 

Stapleton, I. (1988). Something Small: The Story of Mittagundi. Omeo: Mittagundi Outdoor Education Centre. 

 

Stav (1997).  A Handbook of Cross-Country Skiing in Victoria. Victoria. Trundel, I., (1990).  The Australian Nordic Ski Instructor Manual.  Qld 

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