Unit of Competency Mapping – Information for Teachers/Assessors – Information for Learners
MSL975017 Mapping and Delivery Guide
Perform laboratory-based ecological techniques
Version 1.0
Issue Date: June 2024
Qualification | - |
Unit of Competency | MSL975017 - Perform laboratory-based ecological techniques |
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Description | |||
Employability Skills | |||
Learning Outcomes and Application | This unit of competency covers the ability to participate in laboratory investigations involving animals, plants and related environmental parameters. The animals or plants might be single specimens, parts of specimens or be in culture or under propagation. The investigations might also be part of experimental models that examine interactions of animals and/or plants and their environments. Investigations would generally relate to taxonomy, physiology and pathology, and would be oriented to scientific research, food production and manufacture, and to investigation of biological environments and ecosystems.This unit of competency is applicable to laboratory technicians and technical officers working in biological, biotechnology and environmental industry sectors. It is expected that all work would conform to statutory and work health and safety (WHS) codes of practice. This unit of competency assumes that personnel perform tests and procedures under the close supervision of scientific staff and that the workplace will equip its workers with relevant animal handling skills should they be required. The unit does not cover procedures related to the handling of vertebrates that are subject to national and state/territory animal care and ethics regulations. While no specific licensing or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication, laboratory operations are governed by relevant legislation, regulations and/or external accreditation requirements. Local requirements should be checked. | ||
Duration and Setting | X weeks, nominally xx hours, delivered in a classroom/online/blended learning setting. Judgment of competence must be based on holistic assessment of the evidence. Assessment methods must confirm consistency of performance over time, rather than a single assessment event. This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or a simulated workplace environment. A simulated workplace environment must reflect realistic operational workplace conditions that cover all aspects of workplace performance, including the environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills. Foundation skills are integral to competent performance of the unit and should not be assessed separately. Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate. Knowledge evidence may be collected concurrently with performance evidence or through an independent process, such as workbooks, written assessments or interviews (provided a record is kept in each case). This unit of competency may be assessed with: MSL925001 Analyse data and report results MSL974007 Undertake environmental field-based monitoring Holistic assessment methods include: review of data and results obtained by the candidate over time to ensure accuracy and consistency inspection of records and workplace documentation completed by the candidate feedback from supervisors or clients about the candidate’s ability to perform laboratory-based ecological techniques in support of laboratory investigations involving animals, plants and related environmental parameters observation of the candidate processing specimens and conducting analyses questioning about procedures that form part of experiments relevant to job role review of the candidate’s responses to case studies/scenarios, such as: relating field and laboratory data in an environmental impact statement preservation of plant species and placement in a herbarium plant propagation in a variety of controlled environments maintenance of cultures of protozoans or invertebrates. Access is required to instruments, equipment, materials, workplace documentation, procedures and specifications associated with this unit, including, but not limited to: equipment and resources for investigating the physiology of plants and animals in the laboratory workplace procedures, sampling plans, test methods and equipment manuals computers and programs for simulated experiments or data analysis items of equipment, reagents, specimens and systems for botanical and zoological techniques laboratory information management systems (LIMS), databases, record and filing systems, including specimen accessioning. Assessors must satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment as set by the VET regulator. The assessor must demonstrate both technical competence and currency. Technical competence can be demonstrated through: relevant VET or other qualification/Statement of Attainment AND/OR relevant workplace experience Currency can be demonstrated through: performing the competency being assessed as part of current employment OR having consulted with a laboratory about performing the competency being assessed within the last twelve months. |
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Prerequisites/co-requisites | |||
Competency Field | Testing |
Development and validation strategy and guide for assessors and learners | Student Learning Resources | Handouts Activities |
Slides PPT |
Assessment 1 | Assessment 2 | Assessment 3 | Assessment 4 | |
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Elements of Competency | Performance Criteria | |||||||
Element: Process specimens and documentation |
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Element: Participate in the identification and classification of species |
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Element: Maintain viability and integrity of specimens during experimentation |
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Element: Integrate laboratory and field data |
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Element: Maintain a safe work environment |
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