The unit featured in this assessment task has been designed for a Year 10 Business Education class. The focus of the unit is environmental sustainable work practices. This unit addresses the knowledge, processes and techniques necessary to participate in environmentally sustainable work practices and to work in an environmentally sustainable manner.
The unit heavily focuses on the environmental sustainability of the school and the current issues which affect this school and also the wider community.
Topics covered: • efficient resource use • potential environmental hazards • regulatory compliance • improving environmental performance (within the scope of competency, authority and own level of responsibility)
Through this unit of work students will work towards the essential learnings and standards as set out by QSA for the Business Education key learning area. (Qsa.qld.edu.au, 2013).
The learning goals of this unit directly mapped to the essential learnings of the Queensland curriculum and are noted as follows:
This unit of work also gives students opportunities to develop knowledge, processes, skills and attitudes necessary for making informed decisions about Environmental Sustainability. They are encouraged to act, individually or collectively, in culturally appropriate ways, to enhance their knowledge and understanding so they are able to promote structures in society which support their own and others’ ideas on this topic.
Common Curriculum Elements/Ways of WorkingStudents are able to: • develop a relevant hypothesis and research focus from broad business, economic and legal topics • conduct investigations of past, present and future business, economic and legal activities, using valid business strategies, procedures and processes • gather and validate evidence and data from a range of relevant sources using a planned approach • analyse and interpret business data, financial information and evidence to solve problems • develop arguments supported by interpretations of data, information and evidence • apply concepts, processes and principles to unfamiliar business issues, problems and situations • devise and justify recommendations and decisions to business issues and problems at local, national and global levels • select and apply procedures, business technology and communication tools to present information to a business standard that suits the context and audience • record, report, design and create business information, financial records and products for personal and professional purposes • apply decision-making strategies in individual and team situations to develop business plans and products, and to take informed and responsible action to achieve specific business outcomes • reflect on different perspectives and interactions within business, economic and legal environments, demonstrating consideration of social, ethical, environmental and economic responsibility. (Qsa.qld.edu.au, 2013)
· Searching and Locating items/information · Structuring/Organising extended written text · Interrelating ideas/themes/issues · Extrapolating · Analysing · Synthesising · Judging/Evaluating · Justifying · Setting out/presenting/arranging/displaying · Creating/composing/devising · Develop a relevant hypothesis and research focus from broad business, economic and legal topics · Conduct investigations of past, present and future business, economic and legal activities, using valid business strategies, procedures and processes · Gather and validate evidence and data from a range of relevant sources using a planned approach · Analyse and interpret business data, financial information and evidence to solve problems · Develop arguments supported by interpretations of data, information and evidence · Apply concepts, processes and principles to unfamiliar business issues, problems and situations · Select and apply procedures, business technology and communication tools to present information to a business standard that suits the context and audience
Students will be able to identify the factors that influence environmental sustainability on the community and also will be able to define and describe the terms of Environmental sustainability
Unit Assessment
Assessment Conditions
· 2 weeks · Written Report · 600 – 800 words The assessment for this section of the unit of work will be through a 600 to 800 word report which pertains to the following context and task
Context
Protecting our environment is important. The workplace provides many opportunities to reduce our environmental impact. Protection encompasses minimising resource usage and waste of energy, water, petrol, paper or any other resource we use in our daily activities. You have been contracted for two weeks to East State High School as an Environmental Sustainability Consultant.
Task
East State High School has become part of the Green Schools Initiative and seeks to improve environmental performance, minimise environmental risks and use resources and materials more efficiently in daily processes. They have contracted your services to conduct an audit of their current practices and to give recommendations for improvement.
To complete this assessment item students will need to employ a range of Literacy and Numeracy capabilities and also ICT capabilities as outlined in the Australian Curriculum (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA, 2013).
References
Acara.edu.au (2013) Home | ACARA. [online] Available at: http://www.acara.edu.au/default.asp [Accessed: 30 May 2013].
Qsa.qld.edu.au (2013) Year 10 Guidelines [Qld Studies Authority]. [online] Available at: http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/10954.html [Accessed: 30 May 2013].