Outdoor & Environmental Studies
This course is only available to Year 11 students in 2024. The cost for enrolment will be made available in late 2023.
Practical Component
This subject will involve practical activities from a combination of the following: camping, hiking, rock-climbing and abseiling, Zoo tour, surfing and a coastal cruise.
Unit 3: Relationships with natural environments
The focus of this unit is the ecological, historical, and social contexts of relationships between humans and outdoor environments in Australia. Case studies of a range of impacts on outdoor environments are examined in the context of the changing nature of human relationships with outdoor environments in Australia. Students consider a number of factors that influence relationships with outdoor environments. Students will also examine the dynamic nature of relationships between humans and the environment.
On completion of this unit students should be able to:
- explain and evaluate how relationships with Australian outdoor environments have changed over time, with reference to specific outdoor experiences.
- analyse and evaluate the factors influencing societal relationships with outdoor environments since 1990, with reference to specific outdoor experiences.
Unit 4: The future of human-nature interactions
In this unit students explore the sustainable use and management of outdoor environments. Students will examine the contemporary state of environments in Australia, consider the importance of healthy outdoor environments, and examine the issues relating to the capacity of outdoor environments to support the future needs of the Australian population. Students will investigate current acts and conventions as well as management strategies for achieving and maintaining healthy and sustainable environments in contemporary Australian society. Through these practical experiences students are able to make comparisons between and to reflect upon outdoor environments, as well as to develop and apply theoretical knowledge about outdoor environments.
On completion of this unit students should be able to:
- evaluate the contemporary state of Australian outdoor environments and analyse the importance of healthy outdoor environments and sustainability for individuals and society, with reference to specific outdoor experiences
- analyse conflicts over the use of outdoor environments, and evaluate practices and strategies for sustaining outdoor environments, with reference to specific outdoor experiences.