SYLLABUS

• Contact information
• Purpose of the course
• General expectations
  • no late work accepted
  • student conduct code
  • plagarism and cheating
• Resources for the course
• Assignments and grading
• Sickness policy
• Use of course information for university assessment

Contact information

Lecture:

John Rueter
rueterj@pdx.edu
IMPORTANT: if you contact me via email, put ESM102 in the subject line
office hours: to be announced later

Laboratory:

see the lab syllabus and schedule posted in D2L

 

Purpose of the course

This course is designed for non-science majors and beginning science students as an overview to the problems addressed by Environmental Science. This particular version of the course will look at these problems from multiple perspectives and, by example, train you to start looking at any environmental problem using a set of extensible intellectual tools (which I call "viewers").

The broad goal of the course is to help you to become a better citizen in our society as we face many, interrelated environmental and social issues. These problems are "complex" in the sense that they are every changing because of interactions. This course will help you develop an approach that isn't paralyzed in the face of this complexity or uncertainty.

There are three type of specific goals for this course:

1. Multiple perspectives - introduction to and some practice with the viewers such that they become "habits of mind".

2. Environmental concepts - a combination of lecture topics and references to Wikipedia and Encyclopedia of Earth pages

3. Direct experience - laboratory field and problem solving

The specific learning objectives for each week are will be listed as a type of study guide.

General course expectations

Please see "Hybrid Course Instructions" for additional directions and hints.

Lecture section - This course has a large lecture section. This has been proven to be a very valuable resource for student learning in combination with the other resources (reading the text, concept list study, case studies, and laboratory). There is no role taken or enforced requirement that you attend. However, please show up before the class starts, turn off electronic gear, and be ready for class to start promptly at 10 am. Out of respect for others and the instructor, please do not talk during class. An outline of the lecture notes will be posted that has links to the references and learning objects used during the lecture.

Laboratory - Attendance and participation in the laboratory is required. There will be role taken right at the beginning. You must be present and attentive. As you will learn in the laboratory, this part of the course focuses on field and group work.

Assignments - All assignments have a due time and date. Because we are trying to grade and get the assignments back to you in a timely way. All assignments (except the in-class assessment) will be on-line using D2L.

No late work will be accepted.

Student conduct Code

Portland State has a well defined conduct code. This link takes you to the official statement. In the lab section we will discuss how you can both share work and ideas and still meet the requirement that all assignments represent your personal work.

Because this course has a significant on-line component we will address proper attribution of resources or help. If you work in a study group or for the group projects in the lab, there can sometimes be a confusing line between plagarism or copying and doing your own work. The ethical standard however is simple, any work you submit must be an accurate represenation of your own knowledge and understanding. You will discuss this in lab. The problem with cheating can also be heightened on-line. At PSU we are working on ways to minimize the damage to the course integrity from cheating.

Don't freeload off others.

Resources for the course

The text for this course is online at Multiple Perspectives and Approaches for Environmental Issues. This is a book that I am writing and there will be link to the chapters as they are posted.

These pages for the lecture and laboratory sections

D2L access will be required for weekly assignments and total grades.

Wikipedia

NCSE - Encyclopedia Earth

Assignments and Grading Policies

points	assignment
5 points	original login assignment - if done on time
8 * 3 points	in-class assignments two throwouts
8 * 10 points	weekly on-line assignment that includes post-class reflections and vocabulary/concept questions for the upcoming lecture two throwouts - but it can't be the final assignment
3 * 15	on-line quizzes that focus on understanding and application of the viewers to different problems
154	(total points = 5+24+80 +45)
	lab has its own points and counts for 1/4 of the overall grade

 

Score to grade

Grades will be assigned by a mix of fixed cutoffs (90-80-70%: A-B-C-) and point distribution (curve). The point distribution method can only help you. For example you might get an A- if you got 88%, but if you get 90% you are guaranteed to get an A-.

Remember the lab counts in as a quarter of your total score.

 

Sickness policy

You are encouraged NOT to attend class if you are sick with the flu or any other contagious disease. Do not bring your sick children to PSU either. You should stay away from school and other crowds until your fever has been gone for 24 hours (without medication).

Lectures are not mandatory so that is not a problem for the lecture section. If you have to miss one of the quizzes, you need to contact the instructor to make arrangements.

Attendance is required for the lab. If you miss a lab section because of the flu, please contact the teaching assistant. If possible, you should try to make one of the other lab sections during that week, but we realize that this is not always possible.

We are developing some make up assignments and other accomodations to fairly handle absences from the lecture or lab due to sickness.

If the lecturor is sick, you are still responsible for reading the lecture notes from that day and any reading. All assignments are due on time whether or not the lab or lecture instructor is sick.

 

Use of class information for assessment purposes

Any student activity in the course (written or verbal assignments) can be used for the purposes of assessment of student learning in the class. All results will be used in a confidential manner (not anonymous). For the purposes of assessment we need to be able to track your performance on particular questions in relationship to your overall course performance and, possibly, pre-requisite courses or following courses. This information will be treated in a secure and ethical manner just as we currently treat all grade information.