Early Assignment! (See Course Requirements 1 &4)
Welcome! Global Issues is a huge conceptual framework that can be approached from a number of non-exclusive standpoints - political, economic, environmental, sociological, technological, etc. The one I've chosen is from an environmental standpoint, not only because it's what I've been teaching at Linfield for several years, but also because many of the human impacts we've had transcend political borders and encompass all of the above standpoints. In addition, we are in an age of increasing environmental awareness. I've noticed most people are fairly well informed of local issues, but the familiarity appears to be inversely related to the distance from the environmental situation. For example, many of us have at least some knowledge (and opinions!) about the local salmon situation, but how many of us are aware of economic pressures on wholesale prices paid to commercial fishermen due to imports of farmed salmon from British Columbia, Chile and Norway? Or, as one more example, most of us are at least somewhat aware of the local forestry issues and conflicts, but how many of us are aware of massive exports of plywood from Indonesia with the pressures that has caused on their forests to satisfy the world demand for wood products?
Toward that goal of increasing awareness on a more global level, the book I've chosen for the course is Vanishing Borders: Protecting the Planet in the Age of Globalization by Hilary French, an objective portrait of many of the major environmental challenges we face today around the world. Within the discussion format lies the opportunity to consider many of these challenges, and that's the avenue I'd like to pursue.
OBJECTIVES
After completing this course, you should be able to
- Focus on the importance of critical thinking and substantiation
- Differentiate between the multiple interpretations of globalization
- Recognize the complexities of environmental issues around the world and how they often include economic, social, and political components
- Realize that our everyday use of resources may have had prior impacts in other parts of the world
- Understand how long-term sustainability of the Earth's resources and life-support systems is going to require cooperation not only between governments but also between individuals, non-government organizations, corporations, and international monetary sources
PARTLY PERSONAL
Well, like quite a few people here, I'm not a native Oregonian – I've only been here since 1972. That's when I came out here from a suburb of New York City (30 miles east – still much too close!) to go to Oregon State University. I graduated from there in 1977 with two B.S. degrees (zoology and fisheries) and 2 years later with an M.S. degree (fisheries). Then it was down to the University of California at Davis for 4 more years and a Ph.D. (ecology) in 1985, where the summers were way too hot, and I couldn't wait to get back up here!
Since 1986 I've been teaching introductory biology laboratories at Reed College, covering quite a range of subjects each year.
I started teaching at Linfield on the McMinnville campus in 1992. I've been teaching environmental science there, and it's now up to three sections and over 150 students each year!
The DCE program advertised for an instructor on the Portland campus for the summer of 1994, and after filling that role, each year seems to bring more requests! Well, lately I think I've "settled" into five-six courses a year, one each term and two-three travel ones each summer. So far, I've taught Human Ecosystems, General Ecology, Global Issues, Environmental Issues and the Physical Sciences, Environmental Science, Environmental Problem Solving Seminar, Field Zoology, and Shoreline Ecology, at the Portland, Salem, Albany, and McMinnville campuses, plus the wonderful Oregon Coast in the summer!
These topics are all at least mentioned in your book, but I'd like you to expand on that by incorporating some information from at least two (2) outside sources. What you may find helpful before doing an Internet search are any appropriate footnote numbers in the text directing you to more detailed notes (and some websites!) in the back of the book.
Early Assignment #2! Choose four (4) potential topics, in your order of preference, from the list above, and send them to me no later than Monday January 3 (For this, send me your choices using the e-mail function within the program). Then I'll let you know by Friday January 7 which topic you can pursue. I'll post a list of students and topics
The format of the paper is up to you, but one general approach for organization could be the following:
brief historical background
current situation
future prospects
Guidelines:
a. Choose reputable Internet sources (not just someone's opinions!) and cite in your text where appropriate [(Author,year), or if no author given (Anonymous,year)]. Then include a complete listing of the sources in a Bibliography at the end.
b. Due: Tuesday, February 1
c. Send a copy to 1) me
2) the next numbered student (see the original topics list from January 7) for peer
review (see below)
5. Lastly, a short peer review critique of the paper you received from the previousstudent on the class list. Consider this as constructive criticism – what you liked and what and/or how something could be improved (2-3 paragraphs is fine!). Send a copy to a) me
b) the author of the paper
Due date: Friday, February 4
MECHANICS
1. Most of the course will be conducted in the Discussions page, accessible in the Course Menu down the left column. Click once on each of the following:
Discussion ¨ specific topic ¨ specific subject ¨ Reply ¨ Post
Note: You can compose your opinion (or reply) either directly in the Message box, or from your own word processor and upload it with Copy and Paste. But please don't upload attached files - some students have had difficulties opening them.
2. I like using the Home Page for announcements, so you'll see them right away.
3. My Grades - this will show you your progress in the course. I'll post numbers for each of your contributions. Even though you'll see there's an option for me to add comments on each, I'll do that instead as individual replies to your contributions.
4. Mail - this software package has its own internal e-mail system which allows you to send and/or receive messages from others in the class, for example. It is separate from your own regular e-mail address, though if you like, under Message Settings is an option to forward all incoming e-mails from here to your own. Just click on Update when done.
5. I'll be providing some feedback to each of your contributions, using the Reply Privately button. However, that function sends it to you individually as an e-mail message (see above), so you'd best check the Mail function within a day or so after your postings.
6. Lastly, we're all among friends, so if you've discovered any other shortcuts, etc., I'd love to hear about them and pass them along!
TIME COMMITMENT
A one-credit course such as this should have a time commitment of 15-16 hrs total. Over 5 weeks, that means an average of 3 hrs per week. The readings should take about two-thirds of that time, with the balance for your contributions. Note only two chapters to read in the third and fourth weeks – that's to give a bit more time if you want to start your paper early.
EVALUATION
This is a Pass/No-Pass course, and the minimum requirement to pass is completion and send-in of all the assignments above. So, even though more detailed course grades will not be recorded, your best time and effort in each of the assignments, with corresponding feedback from me and your peers, will greatly enhance your enrichment from this course.
Along the way, you should review the Grade Book to make sure I've recorded everything you've completed and sent. My goal is to record all incoming assignments within 2 days of receiving. Credit where credit is due!
Lastly, the Grade Book requires numbers for entries, so I'll score each submission from you as if it's part of a full grading system. That'll give you a bit more feedback, though recognize that any number at all for each entry means you've received credit for it!
PROMPTNESS
Note: It's such a short term, so this is critically important!
A successful interactive on-line course such as this requires a two-way commitment between the instructor and the students to discipline, diligence, and timeliness. Pay close attention to the tentative schedule deadlines, so you know what's expected and when. Missing a deadline is not only difficult to make up but also a hardship on others who are depending on your contribution.
If you're gone for a few days, such as an out-of-town business trip, one nice aspect about a web-based course like this is you can access it from nearly anywhere!
QUESTIONS ?
Something not working? Directions not clear? Some options: If it's a general question that you think may interest others, I've set up a Discussion topic called Office Hrs and you can ask there. Or... You can e-mail me at any time (nknight@linfield.edu) and I'll respond within 24 hrs, if not sooner!
Or #2, if you're having difficulties logging in or navigating around the website, you can e-mail either Brett Hardee (bhardee@linfield.edu) in the DCE office, or the DCE computer consultant Peter Shultz (pshultz@westerlook.com)
Or #3, if you're having mechanical or technical difficulties with the software program, you can click on Access WebCT Online Support, which appears in the Institutional Bookmarks box on the very first page after you log in to the website.