Powering 21st Century Innovation
Duration
- One semester or equivalent
Contact hours
- 36 hours (3 hours per week)
On-campus unit delivery combines face-to-face and digital learning.
Prerequisites
50 credit points at postgraduate level in FBL owned units
Corequisites
Nil
Aims and objectives
This unit will be offered for the final time in 2018
This unit will study the next great energy transition to learn of its causes, challenges and opportunities. The unit will operate as a case study for undertaking defensible futures research in an area of high impact and high uncertainty and it will make recommendations to a decision-maker of the student’s choosing.
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. Apply coherent and advanced knowledge of historical processes that have led to modern civilisation
2. Critically analyse and synthesise multiple sources to find convergent and divergent themes.
3. Apply problem solving, design and decision making methodologies to generate options, evaluate opportunities, assess consequences and give recommendations.
Unit information in detail
- Teaching methods, assessment, general skills outcomes and content.
Teaching methods
Face to Face Mode:
Scheduled hours: 6x6 hour blocks (2 x 3-day blocks, each day 6 contact hours)
Other Student workload: Other activities including independent study and assessment tasks for a total of approximately 150 hours
Assessment
1. Assignment 1 (Individual) 30-40%
2. Assignment 2 (Individual) 60-70%
2. Assignment 2 (Individual) 60-70%
General skills outcomes
During this unit students will receive feedback on the following key generic skills:
- Problem solving skills
- Analysis skills
- Communication skills
- Ability to tackle unfamiliar problems, and
- Ability to work independently
Content
- Historical and Geophysical foundations of energy transition
- Limits to Growth
- Societal transitions through great change and challenge
- Energy and technology options
- Policy development.
Study resources
- Reading materials and text books.
Reading materials
Students are advised to check the unit outline in the relevant teaching period for appropriate textbooks and further reading.
Text books
Textbooks
Christian, D (2013) Big History: between everything and everything, McGraw Hill, USA
Smil, V (2010) Energy Transitions, Praeger, USA
Tainter J. (2004) The Collapse of Complex Societies, Cambridge, USA
Christian, D (2013) Big History: between everything and everything, McGraw Hill, USA
Smil, V (2010) Energy Transitions, Praeger, USA
Tainter J. (2004) The Collapse of Complex Societies, Cambridge, USA