SCX8004 : Addressing Climate Change and Sustainability through Live Projects
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Dr Stephen Blenkinsop
- Co-Module Leader: Dr Alistair Ford
- Lecturer: Mrs Qianqian Qin, Dr Jenny Davidson, Dr Scott Ashley
- Head of School: Professor Ruth Morrow
- Owning School: School X
- Teaching Location: Mixed Location
- Capacity limit: 49 student places
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 20.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
The aim of the Live Projects module is to enable students to enhance their understanding of working in climate action and sustainability challenge areas, providing an opportunity for students to actively participate in interdisciplinary teams in a real-world setting. This will be achieved by building on and applying the knowledge and skills developed in Facing up to Climate Change (SCX8000), Professional Skills (SCX8002) and Leadership in Climate Change and Sustainability (SCX8005) to a project defined and developed in conjunction with a partner organisation.
By the end of the module students will have:
Understood the challenges and potential responses to climate change and sustainability in live, evolving contexts.
Explored how these challenges are being addressed by civic society, business and/or governmental organisations.
Understood the role of authoritative world-leading research in responding to the challenges.
Developed the skills required to work and provide leadership in multi-disciplinary / multi-sector teams and manage projects that respond to the challenges and at pace.
Clearly and impactfully communicated the outcomes of their project to a range of stakeholders.
Outline Of Syllabus
Live team-based projects are the central element of this module. The theme of the projects is set by external organisations; intellectually informed by leading researchers (invited into interim feedback / discussion sessions); and pedagogically framed by the ‘climate change fellows’ course team.
The module also sits alongside the ‘Facing up to Climate Change’, ‘Professional Skills’ and ‘Leadership for Climate Change and Sustainability’ modules, further supplementing their content with additional knowledge and case studies specific to the Live Project theme, alongside reinforcing project related skills.
The syllabus may include:
1) Module Introduction
- live project-based learning processes and timetable
- the ‘clients’ and project theme
- resources available and suggested reading
2) Project-related Skills
- team-working: challenges/opportunities of interdisciplinarity and building networks
- design thinking and role of creativity and critique
- project management and evaluative/feedback models
- successful communication to diverse audiences, ethical engagement and effective change-making
As noted above, this module works in conjunction with the Professional Skills module and the Leadership in Climate Change module, where skills development is supported for application in this module.
3) Additional knowledge ‘packages’ specific to the Live Project themes on a case-by-case basis
4) Case studies related to the Live Project theme (from civil society, government, business, activism)
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 68 | 1:00 | 68:00 | e.g. group report and presentation preparation |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | Appropriate project-related topics which could include ethical research, project management, case studies, project briefing. |
| Placement/Study Abroad | Employer-based learning | 8 | 1:00 | 8:00 | Sponsor meetings arranged by students. In addition, industry / context personnel / relevant researcher at NU. Subject to agreement with external partner(s). |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 125 | 1:00 | 125:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 9 | 3:00 | 27:00 | Project Studio in learning labs for teams to work together on their projects, taught by module team |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 10 | 3:00 | 30:00 | Working sessions with teams and PGRs / Module Team framing and circulating. To include communication skills practice, stakeholder mapping, interim presentations and external panels. |
| Guided Independent Study | Reflective learning activity | 24 | 1:00 | 24:00 | Record-keeping of progress - ongoing project / interdisciplinarity/ networking documentation to build towards individual assessment |
| Guided Independent Study | Student-led group activity | 20 | 5:00 | 100:00 | Student Led Working Session (hourly configuration/length can be changed at student group discretion) |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 4 | 1:00 | 4:00 | Offered on request |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 2 | 2:00 | 4:00 | Module introduction |
| Total | 400:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
A module talk at the beginning of Semester 1 will introduce the module, its aims and requirements and initiate and develop team formation. Students will be given an introductory ‘pitch’ on the live projects at the outset of the module. A second module talk in semester 2 will provide a point at which to restate module aims and requirements and an opportunity for students to appraise progress.
Lectures will deliver foundational knowledge for project work e.g. ethics; interdisciplinary team-working and effective communication; principles of project management; project-relevant case studies. This may be provided by the academic team, other relevant university staff, or project partners as appropriate.
Employer-based clients' meetings will take place at appropriate points in the project, for example, context setting, brief writing, project supervisions, interim feedback etc.
Workshops support the live project by offering more structured yet discursive opportunities for groups to access support for knowledge and/or skills from the academic teaching team. They enable project teams to meet at scheduled junctures to address key aspects of project work with the opportunity for feedback and/or supervision from PGR/module team. At the interim and final presentations students will participate in discussion of the ideas/outcomes of other teams alongside a diverse panel.
Small group teaching studios are focused wholly on the live project and will be tutored/monitored by teaching staff. The content of these sessions will be responsive to student needs.
Student-led working sessions are self-organised by project groups, encouraging development of organisational and project management skills and experience of working in multi-disciplinary teams.
Directed research and reading will allow students from different disciplinary areas to develop knowledge and skills at their own pace.
Drop-ins will support the development of the project including knowledge, skills and reflection.
Reflective learning activity encourages students to regularly complete a reflective log e.g. blog or journal entries about their project work and personal development to continuously build material for their final report and ensure that the report reflects the project process as a whole and not only the final project outputs.
The project theme(s) will be defined by an external client organisation. In Semester 1 the students will work in teams to investigate the problem area, define the project aim, objectives and scope, approach and evaluation methods, alongside relevant networks and sources of expertise. They will identify several different approaches which they will pitch to a panel (this may include clients, stakeholders, relevant researchers and the project team). At the conclusion of Semester 1 they will generate a clear brief, which of the approaches they will take which they will then progress to tackle in Semester 2. Students will be encouraged throughout to link to the latest thinking and research within and beyond the University, whilst addressing real world challenges and practice.
The module sessions will provide an opportunity for students to be coached in additional professional skills and to apply knowledge and skills from the Facing up to Climate Change (SCX8000), Professional Skills (SCX8002) and Leadership in Climate Change and Sustainability (SCX8005) modules, alongside project-specific tutoring. This will develop appropriate forms of communication/presentation, alongside project management and problem resolution/design thinking approaches.
The module and its assessment will give students an authentic context in which they can demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of climate change and sustainability challenges as well as responses to those challenges. They will also articulate their personal development with reference to interdisciplinarity, communication, personal strengths and professional skills.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research proposal | 1 | A | 20 | Team Project Proposal: Written project proposal and references defining the agreed work for semester 2 (group submission). |
| Report | 2 | A | 40 | Final Group Report: Group project report |
| Report | 2 | A | 20 | Final Individual Report: Individual project report |
| Oral Presentation | 2 | A | 20 | Final Group Presentation: Group presentation |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Presentation | 1 | M | Project Pitch |
| Reflective log | 1 | A | Self and Peer Assessment |
| Oral Presentation | 2 | M | Interim Presentation |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The project proposal (Semester 1) will include (max. 800 words per team member, excluding references):
- Outline of a team project proposal, including aim and objectives, that responds to the project client’s theme and concerns.
- Review of the wider project context and relevant case studies/references, evaluating the challenges and opportunities for climate action and sustainability in the context of the project theme.
- Proposed approach, methods, data requirements, specific deliverables etc.
- A project timeline (e.g. Gantt chart) setting out work packages, responsibilities, milestones and timelines, reflecting skills in planning projects within a defined timescale and resources.
- Sources/references and relevant audiences.
The final project report (Semester 2) will report on the completed project set out in the project proposal and will include a project summary (max. 1500 words per team member, excluding references) including the teams’:
- revised project aim and objectives, demonstrating the ability to prioritise the challenges and opportunities for climate action and sustainability.
- summary of project outcomes, demonstrating ability to identify and apply appropriate, verifiable knowledge, applying analytical skills with creativity and flexibility to solve problems and make evidence-based decisions. Outcomes might include proposed tactics, strategies, policy changes and/or socio-technical solutions to the challenge or other output as agreed as part of the project scope.
- a stakeholder map.
- a communications plan.
- implications and recommendations and any further references associated with outcomes.
- critical reflection on project outcomes, to demonstrate creativity, flexibility, effective team-working and application of team assessment skills in the delivery of projects within given timescale and resources.
The individual report (Semester 2) will include (max, 500 words , excluding references):
- Individual reflection from each team member on learning, contribution to project and where next? This will demonstrate application of self-assessment skills to drive improvement and development, and critical reflection on the challenges and possibilities of responsible leadership for climate action and more sustainable practice.
Students will also be assessed on a final group presentation in terms of:
- clarity, coherence, persuasiveness, ingenuity and level of sophistication of argument embodied in the project.
- accessibility of project’s argument and outcomes to the defined audience.
- evidence of multi- and inter-disciplinary outcomes.
- creativity of delivery (e.g. use of multimedia presentation delivery).
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- SCX8004's Timetable