Assessment 2 (30%) – Survey (Group 20% and Individual 10%)
Overview
Transport issues can be understood at different scales. So far we’ve looked at transport issues at regional or district scale. The movement of cars, and mass and secondary transit has important implications for the economic, social and environmental functions of cities. Transport and mobility is experienced at a human scale. Now, we’ll start to focus more on issues relating to the embodied experience of transport.
For car travel, the embodied experience of mobility is confined within the controlled environment of the car. For walking and cycling, the embodied experience is with the surrounding environment. For car dependent cities, the interactions between people are cars can often be an intimidating experience. Pedestrians and cyclists are vulnerable road users
When it comes to access key location, everyone is a pedestrian. People get out of their cars to walk to key activities. The people who drive and park cars need to cross car parks to get to where they want to go. What type of environments are we creating for them when we plan developments?
This assessment will focus on these issues in the context of Curtin University. The purpose of this assessment is to survey of an area of Curtin University and analyse and evaluate the quality of an area with regards to the mobility of vulnerable modes and the experience of pedestrian and cyclist mobility.
Group component (20%)
In groups, students are required to work together to provide a report of the results of the survey.
Groups will be required to do the following:
- Conduct background research into the issues of vulnerable modes of transport on campus, focusing on areas such as:
- the pedestrian and cycling experience
- safety for vulnerable road users
- road and path infrastructure design
- transport issues university campuses
- Collect data from mobility and the mobility environment in the area at different times of the day and week relating to:
- volumes of traffic (car, bike and pedestrians)
- speeds of cars – we’ll use speed cameras
- road and pedestrian path design
- observations of mobility, particularly vehicle and vulnerable modes of transport interactions (to assist observation templates will be provided in Week 7)
- Analyse the data and draw out key findings, reflecting on the following issues:
- Evidence of mobility patterns of different modes
- Evidence of the interaction between different modes of transport
- Evaluation of the contribution of the design of the transport environment with regard to the above two points.
- Identification of good and bad areas for vulnerable road users
- Provide a summary of potential improvements to the transport environment that could improve the safety and quality of walking and cycling.
The report should be presented as a bound, colour A3 sized report in landscape orientation, as well as a pdf uploaded to turnitin. The reports should contain the following information.
- Cover page
- Introduction – what is the exercise; what did you do; what’s the structure of the report. (1 page)
- Background – what are the key issues (see above) (2 pages)
- Context analysis – what is the site like? (1-2 pages)
- Analysis – (2 pages)
- Key findings and conclusion (2 pages)
- References
The roles that group members can play is:
- Be in class to discuss what needs to be done
- Contribute a summary of a relevant reading
- Write up background; frame the issues
- Map the spatial context of the site
- Collect data using the templates provided
- Take photographs to communicate analysis and support findings
- Visualise the analysis
- Write up the analysis
- Design the graphics to communicate analysis and
- Synthesise the key points to lead to a conclusion
- Organise the references
- WORK WELL AS A GROUP – assign roles to build on individuals’ key strengths.
A peer review of group contribution is required as part of this assessment.
Group assessments should be uploaded to turnitin by the assessment deadline
Individual component (10%)
In addition to the group work, you are required to briefly describe your contribution to the assessment, and provide a reflection on the assessment, noting key take-home-messages and what you thought was the value of the exercise – if any. It’s OK to be critical, but always be well reasoned (500 words). References welcome and not included in the word count.
Individual assessments should be uploaded to turnitin before the deadline. No hard copy submission is required.
Assessment criteria
The group assessment (worth 20 marks) criteria and weighting are:
- Quality of background and context 25%
- Quality of analysis 25%
- Connection between the key findings and the background and analysis 25%
- Use and quality of images/graphics 10%
- Control of syntax and mechanics 10%
- Referencing 5%
Note that in order to gain a HD grade for this assignment you will need to produce a comprehensive and professionally written report with high quality graphics and images.
The individual assessment (worth 10 marks) criteria and weighting are:
- Demonstration of contribution to the group work 30%
- Quality of ideas 50%
- Control of syntax and mechanics 10%
- Referencing 10%
Use Chicago Style for referencing. See the Library web site: http://libguides.library.curtin.edu.au/referencing
Campus
https://www.citylab.com/life/2015/12/how-colleges-are-stepping-up-campus-walkability/419220/
https://thefield.asla.org/2015/07/16/town-gown-walkable-neighborhoods-on-campus/
Walking
https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2019/8/14/the-cult-of-the-fantasy-pedestrian
Car parks and walking
