CUC100 Assessment 1: Learning Reflections (x2)

Value: 15% (Learning Reflection 1 = 5%, Learning Reflection 2 = 10%)

Length: Approximately 250 words per reflection
Due date: LR 1 – Monday, 23:59 (CST), Week 3
LR 2 – Monday, 23:59 (CST), Week 5
Submission:
Submit your Learning Reflections through the “A1: Learning Reflections” link in the
“Assessment Submission” area of Learnline by 23:59 (CST) on the respective Monday
when each is due.

Task overview:
Each assessment in this unit represents a step in the process of completing an academic essay,
so this first assessment covers Step 1; reflecting on what you know about the topic and what
aspect of the task you will focus on.
This assessment has two (2) separate learning reflection submissions. They will each help you
consider what you know already about sustainability, and also help you choose one of five
scenarios that are available to write about and begin to develop your ideas for your Persuasive
Essay (Assessment 4).
You can write in “first person” (I, me, my) for these learning reflections, as you are expected
to reflect and write on your own thoughts and views. However, you must use full sentences,
correct paragraphing, grammar and punctuation.

Task details:
Learning Reflection 1 (5%): Thinking about the theme of sustainability and your essay scenario

In 200 to 300 words (that is, two paragraphs, each of 100 to 150 words):

1. What are some examples of sustainability concerns you have come across personally or in
your community?
2. Which sustainability scenario (select one from the five below) have you chosen for your
essay, and what is it about this scenario that interests you, and why?
NB: For this learning reflection, your answers should include no research and no referencing, as
they should simply be based on your own prior understanding, as well as personal reflections
that you may have had so far in the unit.
Scenarios:
• Food production
• The health and livelihoods of groups of people seeking asylum
• Lifestyle choices in urban or community settings
• Resource usage in a professional workplace (e.g. hospital, school, law firm, etc.)
• Tourism

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 CUC100 Assessment 1: Learning Reflections (x2)
Learning Reflection 2 (10%): Thinking about how your essay scenario relates to the three
pillars of sustainability (social, economic and environmental)

By now you should have started scoping and developing ideas about the scenario you have
chosen for your essay (from one of the five listed below). In 200 to 300 words (that is, two
paragraphs, each of 100 to 150 words):

1. For your chosen scenario and scope, how would you describe some of the different
sustainability concerns that you think need to be considered under each of the three
pillars (environmental, social and economic)?

2. Given the concerns you have identified, do you think any of the three pillars should be
responded to first to help achieve a sustainable outcome? Why or why not?
For example, in Ben Brown’s Tanakeke Island case (see video in Week 4.2), the economic pillar
had to be addressed before the other two pillars, because the community was so poor.

NB: For this learning reflection, your answers should include no research and no referencing, as
they should simply be based on your own prior understanding, as well as personal reflections
that you may have had so far in the unit.
Scenarios:
• Food production
• The health and livelihoods of groups of people seeking asylum
• Lifestyle choices in urban or community settings
• Resource usage in a professional workplace (e.g. hospital, school, law firm, etc.)
• Tourism

Points to consider for passing Assessment 1:

• Read the questions carefully, stay on topic and stick to the word limit.
• Use ‘Scoop-it’ to help inform your ideas.
• Read the guidelines for the Persuasive Essay (Assessment 4) so that you are clear about the
scenarios available to choose from and how this assessment relates to Assessment 4.
• Structure each reflection in two separate paragraphs to fully answer both questions.
• The reflective writing genre differs from essay writing. A ‘learning reflection’ should give
your original thoughts, knowledge and/or ideas on a topic with no concern about being
‘right or wrong’. It should relate to the topic through meaningful, everyday life experience.
Your voice (as author) should be clear and relatively informal. Use this task as a starting
point towards building your understanding of ‘sustainability’ and your chosen scenario, as
well as an opportunity to practice writing clearly and concisely.
• Write your draft response in a Word document so that you can use spell-check. Then save a
copy for your records before copy-and-pasting into the submission area on Learnline.
• Don’t settle for an obvious or predictable response. Challenge yourself to reflect critically
and analytically about sustainability in your answers.

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