Syllabus

Natural Resources Measurements – Spring 2020

Any changes to the syllabus after the first class will be announced in class and shown by strike-throughs and bold pink (or whatever this color is) text.

A Different Approach

This course will likely differ from most you’ve experienced.  It will be an active learning environment in which most class time – lecture and lab – is devoted to interaction among students, instructors, community partners, and other natural resource professionals.  Our learning and efforts will focus on creating a real – as in it will actually be used – natural resource inventory with a community partner.  This year we will work at Lake Johnson Park on several inventory items in collaboration with Raleigh Parks, Recreation, & Cultural Resources and WakeNature Preserves Partnership.

What this means to you is …

  1. I will treat and expect you to act like professionals.  That means giving you a job to do, helping you organize the resources needed to do it, and expecting you to do the job well and on time.
  2. I will not remind you constantly (hardly at all, actually) about assignments, deadlines, and what you should be doing – you’re professionals and I should not have to.
  3. If you have questions, concerns, or needs, raise them – otherwise I’ll assume everything is going well.  And I expect LOTS of questions!
  4. Part of being a professional is being asked to learn, on your own or with colleagues, something you don’t know about, get good at it, and then teach it to others.  You should expect to do that during this course.
  5. You’ll get out of this course what you put into it.  If you are inquisitive, think about what you’re doing (and want to do), ask lots of questions, actively follow up on questions that arise, and and dig into issues that interest you, you will likely learn a lot.  If you try to just go along for the ride, chances are you’ll get run over.

You can read more about this approach on my teaching web page and on our project page.

Learning Objectives

During this course you will have the opportunity to learn about the theory and practice of measuring, analyzing, and describing natural resources through the application of those skills.  You will also have the opportunity to improve your ability to develop, articulate, and attain concrete goals from nebulous problem statements and to function effectively in a team environment.  I keep using the word opportunity because your actual learning depends on #3 above.  You can find more detail about specific learning objectives on our project page.

Class Philosophy

We will establish a respectful environment in class and lab in which everyone feels free to ask questions or pose ideas.  I ask each of you to accept the following philosophy for this course:

  • There are no stupid questions.  If you don’t understand something I encourage you to ask questions – there’s probably someone else who’s also confused (and it might be me).  [ I’ve also heard a somewhat different version of this … “There are stupid questions, but they need to be asked – and answered – anyway.” ]
  • There are no dumb ideas – and no excuses for ridiculing another person’s thoughts.  If you think an idea is flawed you should present your case in a reasoned and civil manner.
  • Our class is a “Positive Attitude, No Whining Zone!”

Class Meetings and Outside Work Expectations

Because of the different approach, participation is critical to your success.

  • Class meets Tuesday & Thursday 13:30-14:45, Wednesday 12:50-15:35, Room 3214 Jordan Hall Addition.  Some labs and classes will meet at places other than the assigned room – see the home page (go.ncsu.edu/NR300) for weekly activities, assignments, and details.
  • The home page is considered part of this syllabus.  It provides details about class sessions, activities, and assignments.  You should consult it regularly to stay current on what we’re doing.
  • The class calendar (home page) is sparse at the beginning of the semester, by design, so that we can establish the details of our learning goals and schedule together.  After the first few weeks, activities from week to week will be created collaboratively as we progress through the semester, usually about two weeks out.
  • There will be significant work outside of the classroom, possibly on weekends.  On average, you should expect to spend 6-8 hours a week on this course outside of class. Some of that work will be in the field, for which you will be required to provide or arrange your own transportation at your own cost.
  • There will be one Saturday morning (9A-noon) service event at Lake Johnson, probably shortly after Spring Break – details forthcoming.

Instructor & Teaching Assistant

George Hess (Schedule – scroll down to see calendar), Instructor – email grhessATncsu.edu to make an appointment.

Jamie Cochran, Teaching Assistant – email jkcochraATncsu.edu to make an appointment.

We’re usually in the classroom before and after class for questions or to make appointments.

Required Readings

Required readings will be supplied electronically, most in the readings folder linked to the Google Drive sidebar of our home page.  Please respect Copyright law by not posting any of this material on open websites.

  • One book will be required reading.  As it is no longer in print, I’ve placed an electronic copy in our readings folder.  Willcocks, G. & S. Morris. 1997. Successful Team Building. Barron’s, Hauppauge, NY, USA.

Evaluation

Your grade will be based on the following …

  • Project – Team Component (40%)
  • Project – Individual Evaluation (10%)
    • Toward the end of the semester, you will be asked individually to reflect on the project in a way that demonstrates and documents your learning.  This will be due during the last week of classes.
  • Project – Individual Contribution (Peer Review) (10%)
    • Your contribution to the final product will be evaluated by your peers and yourself.  Peer review criteria will be created by students early in the semester.  Everyone is required to complete peer and self reviews for teammates; if you don’t complete peer or self reviews you will receive no (zero) credit for this grade component, regardless of how well your peers review you.
  • Assignments (20%)
    • There will be a variety of assignments posted on the course calendar; expectations and due dates are posted with each assignment.  Some will be completed by individuals, some by teams.  I’m not much for reminders – it’s your responsibility to be on top of assignments.  Assignments will be submitted and returned through Google Drive – each of you will have your own folder that is accessible only to you, the instructor, and the teaching assistant.  Look in the “shared with me” section of your google drive for a folder named NR300_FirstLast (where First & Last are replaced with your first and last name); I recommend adding that to your drive (Add to My Drive button).  Remember, you need to be logged in to Google with your NC State ID to access the drive.
  • Exam (15%)
    • There will be one exam some time after spring break.  As a class, we will decide on timing, content, and format.
  • Learning Assessments (5%)
    •  During most weeks you will report at least once in writing on the main point for the week and the thing that confuses you most, or you will complete an Articulated Learning Worksheet describing what you learned and how you learned it.  The day on which this occurs will be the one most appropriate for the schedule that week.  You receive credit for thoroughly completing the assessment (1 point each, all or nothing).  Assessment worksheets will be scanned and shared anonymously with everyone in the class so that you can learn from one another.
  • Final grade breakpoints are rounded to whole numbers, with no +/- grades.
    • 90 <= A
    • 80 <= B < 90
    • 70 <= C <80
    • 60 <= D <70
    • <60 F
  • Late Stuff.  Nothing will be accepted late unless you arrange it with me in advance or have a documented emergency – pretty much how it works on the job.  Everyone gets two late passes for the semester for Assignments.  A late pass allows you to submit an Assignment up to one week late for full credit.  We won’t be looking for your late submissions, so you must email me or the teaching assistant the late assignment (or the location of the assignment) stating in the message that you’re requesting use of a late pass.  Use them wisely.
  • A gradebook will be available through Google drive.  Early in the semester, we’ll share with each of you access to your gradebook.

Personally Identifiable Information

“Students may be required to disclose personally identifiable information to other students in the course, via electronic tools like email or web-postings, where relevant to the course. Examples include online discussions of class topics, and posting of student coursework. All students are expected to respect the privacy of each other by not sharing or using such information outside the course.” (NCSU Syllabus regulation 02.16.3.1)  This will happen during our course; your permission is not required.

“This course may involve electronic sharing or posting of personally identifiable student work or other information with persons not taking or administering the course. Students will be asked to sign a consent form allowing disclosure of their personally identifiable work. No student is required to sign the consent form as a condition of taking the course. If a student does not want to sign the consent form, he or she has the right to ask the instructor for an alternative, private means of completing the coursework.” (NCSU Syllabus regulation 02.16.3.2). Note that in this course such disclosure will be of work done by collaborative teams rather than individual people.  Examples include the final report and presentations, as linked to our Project PageProject.  You will have the opportunity to say whether or not you want your name on such documents.

I take photos for posting to the website and Twitter during the semester.  Students often take photos during the semester that are included in the publicly-available final report and presentations. You will have the opportunity to say whether or not you want pictures that include you used in this manner.

Please complete this form to give or withhold your permission.

Academic Integrity

Although most of the work in this course is collaborative, there are some assignments.  For assignments, it’s pretty simple – do your own assignments unless I tell you otherwise.  That doesn’t mean that you can’t talk to others about an assignment – in fact, I encourage interaction.  However, you can’t copy another person’s work and submit it as your own.  Similarly, interaction among teams is OK, but it has to stop short of outright copying. Do not violate the University Code of Student Conduct.

Disabilities

I take appropriate steps to accommodate students with disabilities, in collaboration with the Disability Resources Office – please let me know if you need assistance.

People in Distress

College can be a stressful place at a stressful time of life.  If you are personally struggling emotionally, please visit the NCSU Counseling Center for help.   As members of the NC State community, we also share a personal responsibility to express concern for one another.   Occasionally, you may come across someone whose personal behavior concerns or worries you, either for the other person’s well being or the well being of others.   If so, you should visit the NC State Cares website and decide whether to report the behavior to people who can help.

Transgender Inclusivity

In an effort to affirm and respect the identities of transgender students in the classroom and beyond, please let the instructor know if you wish to be referred to using a name or pronouns other than what is listed in the student directory.