Ecology and Environment
Instructor
Joanne Tippett - Biology 4400 (3 units)
Lectures Mondays 6 – 8 PM Albertus Major Lecture Room
Field Trips/Lab
Saturday February 23 AM
(TBC)
Saturday April 6 Field Trip
all day
Saturday April 20 AM (TBC)
Office
Albertus Minor (shared office on right hand side)
Office hours
Directly after class, or
beforehand by arrangement
Email
(expected response time 2 days) email@holocene.net
Home telephone (expected response time 2 days) 510 527 5887 I prefer for you to email
me unless this is difficult.
Living in the Environment (Twelfth Edition) by G.
Tyler Miller, Wadsworth Publishing Company, 2002
A small number of selected readings, which will be
posted on the class web site www.holocene.net/sustainability/dominican.htm
There are several books on reserve in the library
which will be important for your papers and group projects, and there are many
resources and sources of information posted on the class web site at
www.holocene.net/sustainability/dominican.htm
An investigation of ecological principles involved
in human relationship to, and interaction with, the environment. Includes an
exploration of the interrelated nature of ecology, economy and social equity,
with a focus on systems thinking and analysis. Emphasis is given to political,
economic and planning aspects involved in solution of environmental problems.
Lab sessions will cover a range of skills for planning ecologically sustainable
projects.
1.
Learn
to apply understanding of scientific principles, ecology and sustainability in
understanding today's environmental issues.
2.
Learn
and apply The Natural Step framework for planning and decision-making.
3.
Learn
to use critical and creative thinking skills to find solutions to environmental
problems.
4.
Develop
the ability to synthesize concepts from an interdisciplinary perspective.
5.
Develop
the ability to communicate effectively to others what has been learned (oral,
graphic and written presentation).
§
Written
paper - evaluated on synthesis of
information during the course, evidence of critical and original thinking
and writing (spelling, grammar, etc.)
§
Group
project - oral presentation evaluated
on content and presentation, supplemented by written and graphic presentation,
evaluated on content and synthesis of principles taught on course
§
Individual
project - oral presentation evaluated
on content and presentation, supplemented by written report presentation,
evaluated on content and synthesis of principles taught on course
§
Short written exams - multiple choice and short
answer
§
Participation in class discussions,
presentations and exercises
Lectures will include a lot of images and practical
examples. There will be an opportunity for small group work and discussion
during both lecture and lab time.
The labs (shown in light gray on the course
calendar) will be project-oriented, focusing on a planning exercise to enhance
sustainability at Dominican College. This semester, we will be looking at
possibilities for restoring the creeks running through campus, with related landscape
and design issues. This will be done in small groups. The final project will be
presented during the time allocated for the final exam. It is a group project,
and each student will be assessed on the final project and the presentation.
The instructor will facilitate these projects during lab time.
During lab sessions, you will learn and practice
several different techniques of creative thinking. The skills you will learn
can be applied to many other projects and disciplines and will enhance both
your ability to think creatively and to communicate with others. The teaching
style will be participatory, with a high degree of involvement from students.
There will be use of verbal, written and graphic techniques. Lab sessions will
include work outside, such as observation of the campus and ecological
conditions on the campus. The graphic techniques will not be assessed on
artistic merit, anyone can use them to enhance their thinking and
communication. They will be assessed on content and on showing the application
of critical thinking skills to the material presented during the course.
Attendance
Responsible students attend lectures and labs
regularly and arrive before class begins and remain until it ends. Three
unexcused absences per semester will prevent the student from obtaining a grade
higher than a C regardless of the examination grades. Five unexcused absences
will result in an F for the class. Three tardies constitute one unexcused
absence. Attendance will be taken at each meeting.
General
The participatory and involved nature of the
teaching mean that disturbances from cell phones and pagers are disruptive to
the entire class.
Grading
Criteria:
A Outstanding work, showing a mastery of material and synthesis with
your own original thinking. Students is always prepared for class, shows a high
caliber of oral and written work, which includes reading outside of the
textbook and a clear analysis of theories. Student participates fully in class
discussions and in group project.
B Very good work,
significantly better than average, with thorough preparation, clear cogent
prose in written and oral work, shows frequent and appropriate contributions in
class, mastery of content with evidence of original thought and analysis.
C Average work, satisfactory.
Student is well prepared for class, uses clear, correct prose in written and
oral work, including class discussions.
D Below standard work, credit
is given for the work, though the amount and/or quality falls below the
standards of the class.
F Insufficient and/or
unacceptable work because the amount and/or quality falls below the standards
of the class.
Assignments:
1. Before the class, read the chapters in text book, as
assigned in course schedule. This reading includes the extra case studies and
discussion points in boxes throughout the text. It is wise to think about the
Critical Thinking Questions at the end of each chapter. Reading the chapters
before class is essential in order to enhance participation in class discussion
and to be able to ask questions of the instructor about the material.
2. There will be 3 oral presentations in total, these
are noted in the course schedule. The first two are individual presentations
and the third is a group presentation.
3. Each student will be
evaluated on a group project. The
evaluation will consist of: observation of input into the group process,
assessment of the content and presentation of the final project.
4. Each individual will choose one aspect of the
overall planning project that they wish to explore in more depth and will
investigate this further outside of class as an individual project (a
list of possibilities will be provided in lab). This will involve learning more
about the principles being explored in lab, an elaboration of their application
to the overall design process and investigation into how the chosen topic fits
into the overall plan.
5. There will be two exams. Exams will consist of
multiple choice and short answer questions. Each exam will cover material
presented since the last exam from readings, lectures and discussions.
6. There will be one written essay, chosen from a range of
essay questions to be assigned by the instructor. This essay will be 1500
- 2000 words in length. Each student will hand in work towards this essay
in the middle of the term. This is an assessed midway plan, and will
include: Mind Map of essay structure, working bibliography and thesis
statement. These will be graded and handed back with comments for assisting
you in completing the final assignment. This is in order to enhance the opportunities
for the student to write a good essay and to learn from the experience. There
will be a handout describing the essay questions and assessment procedure.
7 . There will be a field trip, and 2 extra planning
sessions on campus that will include practical work outside.
EVALUATION
WILL BE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
|
Exam 1 |
10% |
Group Project |
15% |
|
Exam 2 |
10% |
20% |
|
|
10% |
Participation |
5% |
|
|
30% |
Total |
100% |
FINAL GRADES
WILL BE ASSIGNED ON THE FOLLOWING BASIS:
A = 90 - 100 %
C = 70 - 79 %
D = 60 - 69 %
F = below 60 %
Assignments must be handed in on time (see course
schedule for dates). Any late assignments must be discussed and agreed by
instructor one week before the deadline, and must stem from unexpected and
extreme circumstances. Exams must be taken on the date specified unless
arranged in advance with instructor.
A Mind Map is a graphic technique for representing ideas, using words, images, symbols and color. Tony Buzan, president of the Brain Foundation, founder of The Brain Trust and creator of the concept of mental literacy, developed the technique. Mind Mapping is based on patterns found in nature and research on how humans think and use their minds. These techniques will be taught and used through-out the course, and participants will learn how to use mind maps for teaching, in group work and for design, creative thinking and organizing ideas. The ‘Mind Map Book’ by Tony Buzan, Plume/Penguin publishers, is excellent.