SLE703 - Agricultural Biotechnology

Unit details

Year:

2024 unit information

Offering information:

Available from 2025

Enrolment modes:

Trimester 1: Waurn Ponds (Geelong)

Credit point(s):1
EFTSL value:0.125
Prerequisite:

Nil

Corequisite:Nil
Incompatible with: Nil
Typical study commitment:

Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit.

This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site.

Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment:

3 x 2 hour practical experiences (field trip) per trimester, 8 x 1 hour seminars per trimester.

Content

Agricultural Biotechnology is a subject that encompasses both plant and animal-based biotechnological solutions to agricultural problems. The unit is divided along those lines, and we will first explore plant biotechnology and its many real-world applications. In the second half of the trimester, we will focus on advances in the areas of animal biotechnology, from breeding to gene editing. Students will also be introduced to data intensive aspects of agricultural biotechnology such as genome mapping, global gene expression monitoring, and integrated omics analysis.

Throughout the trimester, we will be taking field trips to agricultural and biotechnology facilities in the Geelong region and meet experts working professionally in the agricultural biotechnology space. This helps to build our students professional networks and employability; and ensures that assessments are authentic and designed to develop students' portfolios.

ULO These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes
ULO1 Understand the biotechnological approaches used to improve animal and plant productivity and disease control.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
GLO2: Communication
GLO3: Digital literacy
GLO4: Critical thinking
GLO6: Self-management
GLO7: Teamwork
GLO8: Global citizenship

ULO2

Understand the relevance of molecular biology and recombinant DNA technology to agricultural systems.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
GLO3: Digital literacy
GLO4: Critical thinking
GLO6: Self-management
GLO8: Global citizenship

ULO3

Understand and apply principles of monitoring gene expression and proteomic analysis, gene mapping, genomics and gene discovery in contexts relevant to plant and animal systems.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
GLO2: Communication
GLO3: Digital literacy
GLO4: Critical thinking

ULO4

Understand the process of genetic modifications of plants and animals including random mutagenesis, gene transfer/deletion and methods for achieving these modifications including cloning.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
GLO2: Communication
GLO3: Digital literacy
GLO4: Critical thinking
GLO8: Global citizenship

ULO5

Show a proficiency in handling large biological data sets and analysing them using bioinformatics tools.

GLO3: Digital literacy
GLO4: Critical thinking
GLO5: Problem solving
GLO6: Self-management
GLO7: Teamwork

ULO6

Demonstrate an understanding of the underlying ethics and regulations governing gene manipulation technologies.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
GLO2: Communication
GLO7: Teamwork
GLO8: Global citizenship

Assessment

Assessment Description Student output Grading and weighting
(% total mark for unit)
Indicative due week
Assessment 1
Written report
Written report, 1000 words maximum 25% Week 5
Assessment 2
Open format assessment
Flexible format assessment (e.g. poster presentation, infographic, oral presentation, animation, brochure, etc) 25% Week 6
Assessment 3
Written report
Written report, 1000 words maximum 25% Week 10
Assessment 4
Open format assessment
Flexible format assessment (e.g. poster presentation, infographic, oral presentation, animation, brochure, etc) 25% Week 11

The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.

Learning Resource

The texts and reading list for the unit can be found on the University Library via the link below: SLE703 Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.

Unit Fee Information

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