These online assessment ideas focus on selected required knowledge from the MSS11 SS1 Audit energy usage for a work area Skill Set. They do not cover all assessment requirements for the Skill Set.
UPDATE: These resources have not been designed or mapped to the updated units in the MSS Sustainability Training Package. However they do cover some of the key aspects of the MSS units of competency.
The following abbreviations have been used to show where the requirements are in the Skill Set units:
- E – Element
- PC – Performance Criteria
- RK – Required Knowledge
- RS – Required Skills
Environmental sensitivity
This is a requirement in MSS014002A (PC 2.2, RK, Range) and MSS014003A (Range)
Guidance
The Skill Set requires the learner to understand sustainability issues.
The learner will need to understand environmental sensitivity.
Environmental sensitivities take into account the sensitivity of the sustainability issue – some environmental issues may be more sensitive than others. The sensitivity of the issue can give an issue a higher priority and needs to be taken into account when making a short list of issues to address. Examples of factors that increase sensitivities are a history of community concerns and complaints, shortages of resources, or failing to meet regulatory requirements.
Environmental sensitivities are reduced when there is a history of good environmental performance and communication with the community.
Addressing community complaints about noise may be of a higher sensitivity than reducing energy consumption and this would be taken into consideration when ranking the high priority sustainability issues or equipment and providing a justification of why these have been short listed/ranked.
Sample question
This question is presented as multiple choice. In an online assessment the user typically sees an explanation if they select a wrong answer. In a formative assessment they keep trying until they get it right. In a summative assessment only the first answer is likely to be accepted and “marked”.
A Community concerns about using sources of energy that produce high levels of greenhouse gases
Correct. The sustainability issue is energy sources that produce greenhouse gases and the sensitivity is community concerns about greenhouse gases. This may mean that the business chooses to prioritise using energy sources that produce less greenhouse gases.
B Media reports about a company receiving a prize for reducing water use
Not correct. The sustainability issue is water use and the winning of a prize for reducing water use will have decrease the sensitivity, not increase the sensitivity.
C A company that meets all of its Environmental Protection Authority licence requirements
Not correct. The sustainability issue is meeting regulatory requirements and if the licence requirements have been met the environmental sensitivity should be decreased not increased. The company may still have issues of environmental sensitivity, for example the community may not agree with the licensing conditions.
D Reduced amount of visible emissions from a chimney stack
Not correct. The sustainability issue is the visible emissions and reducing visible emissions should decrease the sensitivity, not increase the sensitivity.
Interactions with the environment
This is a requirement of MSS014003A (E1, RK, Range)
Guidance
The Skill Set requires the learner to be able to analyse and evaluate the sustainability performance of the work or process area. In order to do this they will need to understand the potential ecological impacts and interactions with the environment which may include:
- drawing physical resources from the environment
- releasing materials to the environment (e.g. greenhouse gases)
- drawing energy from/releasing energy to the environment.
Sample question
This question is presented as matching statements. The learner is given two lists of statements and has to decide which one belong together.
Online this could be a drag and drop function where an incorrect answer wont drop into place. Only a correct answer will stay in place and allow the learner to move on to the next item. On paper it could be done by drawing a line between the matching statements.
Emitting materials to the environment
Drawing energy from the environment
Using physical resources
Our main raw material is timber, which we try to get from sustainable sources.
The power we use releases a lot of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere during generation and transmission.
One of our biggest production costs is gas used to run the furnaces.
Emitting materials to the environment – The power we use releases a lot of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere during generation and transmission.
Drawing energy from the environment – One of our biggest production costs is gas used to run the furnaces.
Using physical resources – Our main raw material is timber, which we try to get from sustainable sources.
Carbon equivalence
This is a requirement in MSS014002A (E2, RK, Range) and MSS014003A (E1, RK)
Guidance
The Skill Set requires the learner to be able to understand the sustainability issues and performance of the process.
To the learner will need to understand concepts and relationships between sources of energy, carbon and carbon equivalence and that different energy sources have different greenhouse gas emissions, which are measured on equivalent tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Sample question
The question is presented as True or False. In an online assessment the user typically sees an explanation if they select a wrong answer. In a formative assessment they keep trying until they get it right and can learn from the explanations for wrong answers. In a summative assessment they will typically be allowed one attempt and “marked” as correct or not correct.
A printing company using power generated from black coal would be expected to have a higher carbon footprint for energy use, measured as CO2-e, than a printing company which uses hydroelectricity.
The correct answer is True. The environmental impact depends on the type of energy used, how much is used and the source of the energy. Different sources of energy have different impacts, for example electricity generated from black coal produces substantially more greenhouse gases than solar or hydro generated electricity. This is due to the release of greenhouse gases as the coal is mined and burned, which are measured in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2 -e).
False is not correct. Hydroelectricity has lower greenhouse gas emissions than electricity generated from back coal. Substantially fewer greenhouse gases, measured in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2 –e), are emitted during the generation of hydroelectricity.
Root cause analysis
This is a requirement of MSS014002A (PC 3.1, RK, RS) and MSS014003A (E1)
Guidance
The learner will need use a simple root cause analysis technique such as 5 whys (5Y) to determine the root cause of short listed sustainability issues. Knowing the root cause will in turn provide information about how best to solve the problem. Eliminating the root cause means that the problem cannot recur.
Sample question
This question is presented as ordering sentences. The learner is given a list of questions and answers and has to put them in order.
Online this could be a drag and drop function where an incorrect answer will not drop into place. On paper this could be done by numbering the groups of questions 1 to 5 and the answers A to E.
This question is well suited to formative assessment, as it aims to give the learner an understanding of how 5Y works. A summative assessment might ask the learner to give an example from their workplace.
1. Why does the compressor produce high greenhouse gas emissions?
A. Because it uses electricity and we have it running 24 hours a day
2. Why does it run 24 hours a day?
A. Because it is needed for the section that works at night
3. Why does the overnight work need the compressor?
A. To run one press
4. Why do we need the full air supply just for one press overnight?
A. We don’t, we only use a fraction of it
5. Why don’t we buy a compressor big enough to run the press and turn off all the others overnight?
A. A good idea, let’s do it.
