The learning design implemented for this exemplar encompasses 4 main activities. The Learning Design Sequence is illustrated as follows.

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WHAT THE STUDENTS DO
The round table scenario is based on a "real-life"environmental problem and is played out in the following sequence:

• Week 1 (Face-to-face session): Students are briefed on the scope of the exercise and week-by-week requirements - each student is allocated a stakeholder role in a round table group of up to 16.
• Week 1: (Online and independent study): In week one students are required to take on a stakeholder role and to research the general topic area (using online and library resources).
• Week 2: (Online and independent study): Students research their own role/stakeholder position using web based resources, conventional and grey literature. Each student submits a 150 word stakeholder position paper on the www site for the course. To access these position papers students click on the stakeholder name on the "round table"interface.
• Week 3: (Online and independent study): Students review the other position papers submitted and post questions on the discussion board) to all other stakeholders in their round table group (i.e. around 15 questions are posed). The questions posed are used to appraise their own position paper in the class-based exercise in week 4, when one of these questions (typically the thorniest) is posed by the facilitator.
• Week 4 (Face-to-face session): Students meet as a round table group. Each student presents their position paper for a maximum of three minutes. The facilitator poses one of the questions from Week 3. Negotiation aimed at reaching a decision then takes place for the second hour with a short debriefing.

The main activities performed by the students include:

1. Submitting a "stakeholder position paper"by conducting research about the topic in general and from the particular perspective of the stakeholder role in which the student is assigned.
2. Discussing the stakeholder position papers via an online asynchronous discussion.
3. Presenting their position paper and defending it - in a face-to-face round-table meeting.
4. Reflecting on the learning experience.

SIGNIFICANCE OF ORDER
The activities have been sequenced to provide enough preparation for the face-to-face round table discussion in Week 4.

CRITICAL ACTIVITIES
None of the above tasks is optional. The preparation of the stakeholder position paper and the review of other stakeholder perspectives are critical activities that underpin the actual role-play process.

ACCESSIBLE RESOURCES

• Formal literature: This mainly takes the form of journal articles on broad biophysical and institutional issues in resource management with particular application to river management. These resources are made available in week one via electronic reserve in the library. These resources provide an underpinning in key concepts such as adaptive management and ecosystem approaches.
• Web-based material: These resources are usually more directly relevant to the round table scenario itself, such as government reports and discussion papers, providing more immediate contextual material. (This material is provided via links to the WebCT site).
• 'Grey literature' - in particular, material produced by the management body itself in the form of unpublished reports, scoping papers etc. This provides direct information on the case study itself. This material is provided in library reserve in hard copy.
• Students are also required to conduct independent research and identify supporting material for their own position paper as stakeholders. At least three such sources are required.
• Lecture material and background briefing and information papers, plus a debriefing summary provided on WebCT. Lecture material supplements both the formal and web-based material identified above.

Characteristics of the online environment:

The subject WebCT site is arranged as a graphic interface that visually represents a meeting situation. Each name around the table represents a stakeholder position, which is linked to a pop-up window that can be edited by the student assigned to the role. This functionality facilitates the posting of each stakeholder position and enables student revisions following other stakeholder questions.

Some sample screen shots are as follows:

There is an administrative interface that the lecturer uses to allocate students to groups and roles. The program allows the lecturer to participate in the activity as an independent observer

RESOURCES IN CONTEXT
A key challenge presented to students is to relate the resource set as presented to related material, asking them to frame the specific situation presented in the round table exercise in light of broader themes in environmental management. The specific material is based upon field research that creates a high level of realism and currency. A balance is sought between provision of core resources to students and independent enquiry. All students are required to use a relevant referred article to substantiate their position paper - something that is not referred to elsewhere in the course. Broadening the information base, and sharing these resources with other students, is promoted.

A major aim is to demonstrate that different stakeholders use different types of information, but that ultimately one or more decisions can emerge. Unravelling complexities and uncertainties in this diverse information base is a key issue in natural resource management.

VARYING THE RESOURCE SET
The resource set provides the foundational (basic) material that students need in order to adequately prepare for the activity (i.e. sufficient signposts/scaffolding). Each student is expected to research the stakeholder role that they have been allocated and the position paper must use at least 3 additional references to those provided.

SUPPORTS SUPPLIED

• The role allocation process is somewhat dependent on the student cohort: the roles are either allocated by the instructor or students self nominate for a particular role.
• Students are divided into round-table groups with defined roles and are encouraged to interact via posting of position papers and raising questions following their review of the other stakeholder positions. Asking questions of each stakeholder position leads to an interplay of ideas and perspectives (students helping students). Each stakeholder position represents an individual perspective, but prior to the face-to-face negotiation each student is exposed to the multiple perspectives as a step towards appreciating the complexity of environmental issues and achieving balanced outcomes.
• Students are supported by an intensive briefing about the aim of the task in the face-to-face tutorial in the first week. A "learning guide"document is available from the subject web site. Face-to-face consultation time with the tutor is available if required (2 hours in total).
• A summary of the final meeting is compiled by the instructor and placed on the web site for students to review.
• The feedback from students from the "de-briefing"discussion is also compiled by the instructor and placed on the web site for students to review.
• The instructor's role is one initially of briefing students on the task. In weeks two and three the instructor acts as moderator and deals with any substantive or technical queries. In the week 4 session, the instructor facilitates or 'chairs' the round-table session, guides negotiation, and provides a debrief. The adoption of the role, "independent chair", enables tutor intervention when necessary.

SIGNIFICANCE OF SUPPORT STRATEGIES
The support strategies are designed to provide students with enough guidance and information for effective participation in their stakeholder roles during the round table activity. One of the modifications (supports) being considered for the role adoption process is the use of consultative groups.

SUPPORT STRATEGY ADAPTATION
All of the current supports are essential. The modification noted above could be optional.