Module Information
Module Identifier
FWM2120
Module Title
Food and Water Security: Global Perspectives
Academic Year
2015/2016
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 2
Other Staff
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
|---|---|
| Seminar | 11 x 2 Hour Seminars |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Presentation at mini-conference | 30% |
| Semester Assessment | Essay of 4,000 words | 70% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Presentation | 30% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Essay of 4,000 words | 70% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
Summarise the key issues and debates from an interdisciplinary perspective on food and water security.
Evaluate the main challenges to global food and water security, and communicate their solutions using written reports and through debate / discussion and oral presentation to the group.
Identify the connections between the science and social sciences as they impact on issues of governance, globalization, and the production/distribution of/ access to food and water resources.
Brief description
The module is structured around seminars led by colleagues from the three teaching units involved in the delivery of the programme.
Indicative themes for the seminars include environmental challenges, the role and impact of governance on food and water security, globalization, international trade and food development programmes. Seminar leaders will direct discussions to ensure that any emergent themes, trade-offs and knowledge gaps are highlighted.
Indicative themes for the seminars include environmental challenges, the role and impact of governance on food and water security, globalization, international trade and food development programmes. Seminar leaders will direct discussions to ensure that any emergent themes, trade-offs and knowledge gaps are highlighted.
Aims
To expose students to the current debates about food and water security and how it is affected by broader considerations of globalisation
Content
This module will consist of 12 seminars lasting 2 hours, allowing time for discussion and interaction with the speakers. The final session will be a mini-conference in which students will present on a theme of their choosing (assessed)
Draft Summary Module Structure
1) Introduction, outlining the forthcoming themes for the seminars and the assignment details.
2) Are you ready for the global environmental challenge?
3) Role of technology in promoting food and water security
4) Approaches to studying food and water security
5) Environmental impacts of food production systems
6) Food security – contributions from crop science
7) The Global Water Crisis: Status and Challenges
8) The Global Water Crisis: Solutions
9) Globalization, Food and Water
10) Food and Water Governance
11) The Food Aid Development Architecture
12) International Trade and Agriculture
13) Food and Water Security
14) Mini-conference: Assessed Presentations
There are two assignments:
1. Students will deliver a presentation at a mini-conference held in the last (extended) session. This will be worth 30% of the final mark.
2. Students will be required to submit an essay of 4000 words from a list of questions provided at the beginning of the module. The essay will be worth 70% of the final mark.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | This skill may become an aspect of the assignment depending on the problem the students have to address, however, it will not be a focal skill to the assignment. |
| Communication | Written communication is encouraged via the assessed essay. Oral communication is encouraged during the seminars and the assessed presentation. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | The problem-based, student-led learning nature of the module requires the students to develop an informed opinion on contentious issues. |
| Information Technology | Students will be expected to engage with traditional and more modern IT including social media, blogs, and other information sources such as Twitter. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | This module develops the skills used in problem solving, including synthesising, evaluating, and creating effective solutions. Presentation skills prepare students for the workplace. |
| Problem solving | The entire module and assessment revolves around problem based approaches, including addressing real world problems, and the issues that emerge from having to negotiate a number of different potential solutions and establishing their merits |
| Research skills | As part of the course students will be required to undertake a significant amount of independent research for both the presentation and the essay. They will also be expected to undertake independent research prior to the seminars. |
| Subject Specific Skills | None |
| Team work | NA |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 7