Explorations in Environmental Studies

2002-2003

The Scholarship of Teaching

Today’s Presentation

1. Course planning2. Course context3. Course goal4. Course approach5. Course objectives6. Course structure7. Course assessment8. Student feedback9. Lessons learned

1. Course Planning and Development

Past College curriculum discussionsGuidance from Huxley curriculum committee

Syllabi from 301, 302, 304, 305, 325“Attributes of a Huxley graduate” document

Lessons learned during fall 2001Suggestions from faculty queries Winter ’02

Meetings during Summer 2002

Past College Curriculum DiscussionsThe new core curriculum should...• seek a balance between breadth and depth.

• have an applied dimension.

• employ experiential learning processes such as field trips, laboratory work, field investigations.

• be problem-focused.

• deal with complex wholes; be holistic.

The new core curriculum should...

• be interdisciplinary and multi-major.

• deal with values in the context of why and how to maintain the quality of environment and the quality of life.

• employ all of the above as methods of teaching (or ways of becoming an environmental professional), not simply as concepts.

The new core curriculum should...• provide a real-world problem identification and

solution-driven experience.

• include current topics and problems.

• provide an opportunity to work collaboratively in small groups.

• provide an opportunity to work with students from different disciplines, reflecting the reality of the work world.

The new core curriculum should...

• enable students to practice the full complement of communication skills, including written reports and platform presentations.

• require students to participate in organizational and decision-making processes required to accomplish tasks.

• facilitate reflection on and evaluation of experience.

What we did next...

• Core faculty 2002-2003 have adapted a syllabus based on...

– information from past College curriculum discussions– guidance from Huxley curriculum committee– material in syllabi from 301, 302, 304, 305, 325– concepts from “Attributes of a Huxley graduate”– lessons learned during Fall ‘01– suggestions from faculty queries Winter ‘02

What we are doing……

• Developing a reader to support course objectives

• Developing electronic access to information for student use

• Developing a “menu” of guest lecturers– to supplement our experience– to introduce students to Huxley faculty and

community experts

2. Course Context• “Real-life problems seldom parallel well-structured

problems; hence the ability to solve traditional school-based problems does little to increase relevant, critical thinking skills. Students need to interact with life beyond classroom walls.

• “Real-life problems present an ever-changing variety of goals, contexts, contents, obstacles, and unknowns…to be successful in their chosen career, students need to practice solving ill-structured problems that reflect life beyond the classroom.”

– From the Course Syllabus

3. Course Goal

“To introduce incoming Huxley students to interdisciplinary environmental problem solving while providing an introduction to environmental history and ethics, environmental science (natural and social), environmental policy, and the foundation for the development of reasoned judgment.”

– From the Course Syllabus

4. Course Approach• Essential Elements of Our Approach

– Place-based case study

– Small class size (<25 students), although some sessions will be combined

– 2-hour blocks of time

– Not in conflict with other required Huxley courses

– First-quarter Huxley experience for students

– Meaningful field and lab experience

– Multidisciplinary, multi-major content

– Interdisciplinary perspectives

– Cooperation among faculty and staff

– Links to the local communities

Multi-major – Interdisciplinary

Gene Myers Briana Armstrong

Env Economics

Michael Frank

Geography

Ian Price

Geography

Stanley Howell

Env Science

Jeremiah Brown

Env Education

Daniel Heaton

Env Education

Lauren Seyda

Geography

Jennie Husby

Env Science

Benjamin Carter

Env Economics

Katherine MacDonald

Policy/Planning

Marianne Warren

Env Education

Ryan Miller

Env Science

Kevin Lopez-

Mohedano

Env Science

Scott Salyer

Policy/Planning

Multi-major – Interdisciplinary

Lynn Robbins

Erica Bleke

Env Education

Colin Shanley

Env Journalism

Karlie Wipperling

Env Economics

Carmen Welch

Env Science

Ryan Lofgren

Env Education

Jessica Shepard

Env Education

David Nellis

Env Science

Maki Hasegawa

Env Science

Ryan Los

Policy/Planning

Bronwyn Watson

Env Education

Thang Nguyen

Env Science

Aaron Edgington

Env Science

Colin McDonald

Env Journalism

Hillary Williamson

Policy/Planning

Elise Tulloss

Env Science

Jolanna Gamblewood

Env Education

Meagan Master

Env Education

Dylan Morgan

Env Science

Marianne Warren

Env Education

Letan Williams

Env Education

Multi-major Interdisciplinary

Wayne Landis

Leigh Bedell

Geography

Kathryn Mork

Geography

Kelly Flynn

Env Science

Helen Nutt

Env Science

Zachary Eskenazi

Env Economics

Scott Rockwell

Geography

Douglas Guilmet

Env Science

Kelley Roberts

Env Science

Larry Johnson

Geography

Sandra Sperry

Geography

Sonja Harlan

Env Science

Alyson Trotter

Env Science

Megan Kink

Geogrpahy

Sarah Young

Geography

Laura Klein

Env Science

Bjorn Wanwig

Env Science

Hans Magnuson

Geography

Aaron Claiborne

Env Science

Adian Laine

Env Science

Jamie Williams

Env Science

Lindsey Miller

Env Science

Andrew Deines

Env Science

Lucas Meek

Env Science

5. Course ObjectivesThis course will enable students to…..

identify and define environmental problems. understand environmental history, ethics, and policy. understand environmental science (natural and social) and its

relevance to environmental problems and ecological systems. develop interdisciplinary, and well-reasoned, solutions to

environmental problems. practice a variety of writing styles. practice oral communication and presentation skills. become familiar with Huxley curriculum, faculty and

expectations. understand and avoid plagiarism. experience a positive introduction to Huxley College.

6. Course Structure: Units• Weeks 1-2

– B’ham Bay: Sense of Place

– Situated Knowledge

– History & Ethics

• Weeks 3-5

– Science & the Environment

– Ecology & Marine Ecosystems

• Weeks 6-8

– Decision making

– Case Method Discussion Teaching

– Environmental Policy

Course structure (continued)…

• Week 9

– Environmental Economics

• Week 10

– Student Presentations

Example of Unit Structure

• Environmental History– Selected readings

• In-class discussions

– Selected guest lecturers • Lenny Dixon,

Lummi Tribe• Richard Vanderway,

Whatcom Museum• John Miles,

Huxley College• Gene Myers

Huxley CollegeLummi Spirit Dancers, 1920, courtesy NWIC

Example of Unit Structure• Environmental Science

– Selected readings • In-class discussions

– Selected guest lecturers – all adapted to Bellingham Bay and briefed by Core faculty

• Stefan Freelan Spatial Analysis• John McLaughlin, Ecology• Brian Bingham, Marine Science• Jack Hardy, Marine Environment

– Field and lab experience

7. Course Assessment• Course Entry Knowledge Assessment (Baseline)

– In-class definition of terms– Take home essay

• Reflective Journal – daily entries, submitted 3 times during quarter

• Scientific Article Critique• Case Method Discussion Teaching

– Participation – Written questions for selected guest speakers

• Policy Memo and Presentation• Final Exam

– In class and take home

In-class Knowledge Assessment• Ethnohistory• Conservation vs.

preservation• Hypothesis• Scientific method• Aldo Leopold• Inferential vs descriptive

statistics• Population dynamics• Species• Ecosystem

• Limiting factor• Carrying capacity• GIS• Detection limits• Model Toxics Control Act

(MTCA)• Environmental impact

statement• NPDES• Free social benefits• Externalities

In-class Knowledge Assessment

• Ethnohistory• Conservation vs. preservation• Hypothesis• • • •

In-class EssaySpring 2002

• Your decision-making process– Facing an uncertain situation in which you don't have as

much information as you'd like and/or the information is not clear, how do you go about making a decision about what you believe? For example, you have learned a bit about some of the problems facing Bellingham Bay. How would you go about making a decision about solutions to these problems? Begin by stating the problem you are focusing on and then outline your process of coming to a judgment in a situation such as this. Is your decision the right decision? Why or why not? How do you know?

Take Home QuestionSpring 2002

• Your best course experience– Describe the best course you've experienced in your

education. What made it positive for you? Feel free to include as much detail as you think is necessary to give a clear idea of the course. For example, you might want to discuss areas such as the subject matter, class activities (readings, films, etc.), what the teacher was like, the atmosphere of the class, the evaluation procedures--whatever you think was most important in making this experience so positive for you. Please be as specific as possible in your response, describing as completely as you can why the aspects you discuss stand out to you as important.

Reflective Journal

• Daily Entries• Key Topics

– Readings– Lectures– Field trips– Class discussions– Connections among

areas of course content– Relation to course content

• Intellectual Framework for Course

8. Student Feedback

“I would rate today as one of the best school days I have ever had…”

-Student Reflective Journal

“This course feels as though it were a ‘Welcome to Huxley College’ course and I think that will

be very useful for my future here.”

“It has been two days of this class and I already am finally feeling inspired by school. I am

also realizing that this class is like the tip to a gargantuan iceberg that I can only hope to grab a hold of a small chunk and slowly

whittle away at.”

The Importance of Place

“I think it is great to be able to walk outside of the classroom and see in real life, not on television, what it is that one is learning about.”

“The field trip yesterday was wonderful...Now I have a mental map of what it is like out on the water and how it might have looked historically...I learned about the geography of the bay and the history of some of the

important landmarks and buildings. However, besides being educational, this field trip also allowed us

students to interact with our teachers, with each other.”

“I am so glad I was able to participate in the field trip today. It drew a great visual link to everything that was talked about in the slide show yesterday. I had never been out in Bellingham Bay before and it really did make the layout and history easier for me to understand, actually being able to see it from that side…This was an ‘ah ha’ moment for me.”

“Now the history of Bellingham is somewhat more clear and the understanding of how it

has grown, developed through resource extraction and industry and changed over

the past hundred and fifty years or so, especially the waterfront areas, helps me to grasp Bellingham’s contemporary problems

of pollution in the Bay.”

The Importance of History

“… I was a little surprised to have a history lesson on the first day of an environmental course. I enjoyed it thoroughly, though. ”

Washington State Normal School, 1909

“Almost immediately, I began to think, if this man [Marsh] was this knowledgeable about ecology way back then, why do we have the problems of today? Did people not listen? Did they think he was an outcast of sorts? Was he simply too progressive?”

Importance of Faculty and Staff Involvement

“John Miles is amazing...I think that environmental history is important to look at in order to determine things about the present and the future. You have to look at the history of anything in order to make changes.”

“Dr. Brian Bingham was the guest today. I am pleased to have the opportunity to frequently hear from people interested in the same common goal with specific

expertise. Dr. Bingham discussed the validity of scientific methods used in the study for our assignment.”

“Today we had a guest lecture by Jack Hardy. The ideas discussed seemed to reflect and

support all of the ideas we have discussed and read about so far on the idea of good science.”

Jack Hardy

“I also enjoyed how the teachers have collectively made adjustments to the class schedule from the students’ requests. For example, the GIS presentation by Stefan Freelan visually related the concepts of Gigi’s lecture to the contaminants in Bellingham Bay. It helped to learn about what Geographic Information Systems is and how it helps solve and organize environmental problems and data.”

Learning by Talking

“The teaching style is different than what I’m accustomed to, I haven’t been in too many classes where I have to express myself and discuss my opinion. I’m used to ‘hear it…learn it….take a test!’ It should be an experience.”

“Having Lenny Dixon come to class was truly a gift; his perspective was a completely different look at this area...to be able to see through the eyes of the native peoples to this area was amazing.”

“I enjoy doing hands on work, because it facilitates my learning and keeps me awake. For some reason if I use my hands, the motion just helps me keep information in my memory better than if I just read about it.”

Learning by Doing...

“I went for a walk down by the bay today, and tried to really look at the area in a different light, to imagine what it would be like to have the trees so thick along the shoreline that access would be nearly impossible. I wonder if Bellingham could have been developed differently.”

“The exercise today in finding the right answer with limited information was astonishing to me. I had never before conceived of answers being

so hard to find nor felt the enormous importance of a quick, right decision needed.”

“Many of the problems discussed with the papers were problems that I am fully sure were in my writing. Scott and Gigi expressed the importance of never turning in a first draft, an offense to which I must confess guilt in my case. Beyond this idea, my paper was both vague and unassertive. I know that I did not assert a strong thesis in the beginning and provide support throughout the paper… Instead, I wrote in my usual stream of consciousness fashion. This fashion was another point directly shot down by both Scott and Gigi.”

Mantras

• This is not a lecture course

• Faculty member is a master student

• Never hand in a first draft

“What a wonderful way to incorporate real world problems with a classroom setting. Keep up with the pizza parties/social gatherings – it strengthens Huxley College and the overall experience.”

Welcome to Huxley

“I know that our class isn’t really what you would call ‘guinea pigs’ for reshaping Huxley College, but that we are contributing to building a more personal experience at Huxley. This approach, gathering outside of the classroom for a dinner party is awesome, and I would recommend doing it every year with new students. It makes for a unique opportunity for students to experience teachers and their classmates in a non-academic setting.”

“He is a very friendly and open individual and it’s nice to know that. I always thought deans of colleges were aloof and impersonal. I was wrong, and I feel very fortunate that I am in this college.”

On Huxley Dean Brad Smith

9. Lessons Learned• Keys to Success

– A first-quarter Huxley experience – Small group size– Multi-major group – Place-based course

• makes history come alive• provides context for scientific understanding• provides access point to policy and science• allows us to take something complex and make sense of it

– “Less is More” • Don’t overload students with material

How did we get all the content in?• Keys– Place based– Highly motivated, invested students– Small group size– Guest speakers– Guest teachers – Field experience– Guiding/facilitating role of the

faculty – faculty as the master student.

•Content–History/Ethics–Geography–Spatial Analysis–Science–Ecology–Policy–Decision Making

• “I enjoyed all the hands on experiences and the real problem solving under real world situations.”

• “Bellingham Bay project was a great project!!”

Place-based learning makes senseto students. It provides the “glue.”

• “They incorporated the real world into our learning experience which made it more interesting. I feel I have gained knowledge that I will actually use, unlike a majority of classes I have taken at Western.”

• “The field trips were fun and informative. The knowledge of topics was up to par and I have to say I did learn a lot about environmental issues.”

Place-based learning holds information together.

Challenges Encountered...• Limited Time to Prepare

– Reader, lectures, field trips and labs

• Teaching– Role of Core faculty in the classroom– Guest faculty availability and commitment

• Scope of Course Content– Multi-major, multi-disciplinary– Amount of material– Integration of topics

• Writing– Taking it seriously; assessing it honestly

• “This class has been a fun, insightful learning experience. I think it has been educational. The teachers were engaged in class discussions. Sometimes too engaged, but that shows enthusiasm.

• “The structure of the class was excellent – concepts and course material were suitable. Instructors were knowledgeable/competent. Some improvements in the beginning of the course: Explain what a journal entry is….how formal or informal should this be? Our policy memo/presentation would have been better, given more time.”

Challenges Encountered...

Challenges Encountered (continued)….

• “This was an excellent course, the co-teaching and guest lectures gave needed perspective to the local case study. This was very valuable in understanding the complexity and dynamic of environmental problems. The number of writing assignments was sometimes overwhelming, but the instructor comments were very useful and helped me to improve my writing.”

• “Everything went very well. The only improvement I’d make is initiating the PM (Policy Memo) sooner. It was more difficult than we anticipated.”

Who would you need to teach this course?Andy

Bach

Gigi

Berardi

Brian

Bingham

Leo

Bodensteiner

Nancy

Bonnickson

Scott

Brennan

Pat

Buckley

Rabel

Burdge

Devon

Cancilla

Janet

Collins

Marilyn

Desmul

Sally

Elmore

Stefan

Freelan

John

Hardy

Mike

Hilles

Gene

Hoerauf

Sue

Hoidal

Peter

Homann

Kathy

Johnson

Judy

King

Teresa

LaFreniere

Wayne

Landis

April

Markiewicz

Robin

Matthews

John

McLaughlin

Mike

Medler

Jean

Melious

John

Miles

Deb

Mookherjee

Mary

Moores

Gene

Myers

Diane

Peterson

Lynn

Robbins

John

Rybczyk

Don

Singh-Cundy

Brad

Smith

Tom

Terich

Donna

Vandergriend

Joan

Vandersypen

Steve

Walker

Wendy

Walker

David

Wallin

Grace

Wang

Nick

Zaferatos

Emma

Spenner

The Huxley Core ClassIt’s the work of faculty and studentsPersons decent, patient, and prudentLearning essentials about environmental knowledgeA student’s introduction to Huxley CollegeIsn’t easy for those involvedWonderful to see understanding evolveOf the questions one must askTo disclose and unmaskThe most important of the themesOf the environment we must redeem

Lynn Robbins