The University Colloquium

IDS 3920 – CRN 50114

Tuesdays 8:00-12:00

BHG 170

We have made a commitment as a university to make environmental education an integral part of our identity. One of our university-wide outcomes is that all students will develop "an ecological perspective." A way to accomplish this perspective is to devise a course, or group of experiences, with an environmental focus that all FGCU undergraduate students must complete, and in which faculty from all five colleges would be involved. Because "ecology" applies to our total living space and interrelationships, human and natural, it is relevant to all our disciplines and professions. Thus, an ecology course would touch on all nine of the university-wide goals and outcomes, and more. Students would not only be introduced to FGCU values, they would participate in them.

Concept Adopted at the January 15, 1997 Dean's Council Meeting

Summer, 2006

Instructor:

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Nora Egan Demers Associate Professor of Biology (Comparative Immunology) and Interdisciplinary Studies

Office:

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Whitaker 218

Hours:

/ T 12:30 – 1:30 pm

or call to make an appointment

Phone:

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(239) 590-7211 FAX (239) 590-7200

Email:

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Course Objectives

This is YOUR Colloquium, and you should take ownership of all things offered in this unique, once-in-a-lifetime class. The Colloquium is designed to be one of the most interesting, inspiring and personally transforming courses you will ever take. Do not miss the opportunity!

“My Colloquium”: The goals for students are to:

As I begin my colloquium with professor Demers, I feel a sense of place and an understanding of the unique ecological features of the Southwest Florida environment. I start to get a sense of what the environment and community of Southwest Florida is like (as compared with other places and times that I have been in). This area is definitely unique and I anticipate seeing, hearing, feeling, and experiencing in ways I had not thought of before. It’s exciting!

I know that, as a student (and future alumni of) Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), I am expected to carry with me “an ecological perspective.” I suspect that professor Demers will facilitate teaching us the related outcomes, so that we will “know the issues related to economic, social, and ecological sustainability; analyze and evaluate ecological issues locally and globally; and participate in collaborative projects requiring awareness and/or analysis of ecological and environmental issues.” I know also that FGCU has other learning goals and outcomes. I hope professor Demers will provide experiences to assist us in moving toward achieving the eight other FGCU learning goals and their related outcomes. Ultimately, I imagine professor Demers will guide us in order to enable a working understanding of sustainability, of environmental education, and of ecological literacy.

OAS statement

Florida Gulf Coast University, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the University’s guiding principles, will provide classroom and academic accommodations to students with documented disabilities. If you need to request an accommodation in this class due to a disability, or you suspect that your academic performance is affected by a disability, please see me or contact the Office of Adaptive Services. The Office of Adaptive Services is located in Howard Hall, room 137. The phone number is 590-7956 or TTY 590-7930.

Textbooks:

The following textbooks will be used in this section, referred to in this syllabus by author. Other handouts will be provided during the semester as indicated in the schedule.

Experience and Education, John Dewey

Ecological Literacy: Education and the Transition to a Postmodern World David W. Orr

A Sand CountyAlmanac, Aldo Leopold

State of the World 2006

Audubon Society Field Guide to Florida

The Swamp Grumwald

Course grading:

The grade for this course is based on the following:

ITEM

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% Value

Attendance – numerous outdoor field trips dress accordingly / 10
Participation / 10
Group presentation / 10
Journal / 15
Papers and summaries (5% per paper, summaries worth 20%) / 35
Final Project / 10
Species Exam / 10
Total / 100
93-100% A
83-89% B
73-79% C
63-69% D
<59% F
+ / – Grades may be used to more accurately report the grade.
Cheating, dishonesty, nor plagiarism will be tolerated and if identified may result in failure of the assignment and/or course.

This is a seminar/discussion course; your attendance and participation are vital to the class.

Any student who misses more than two classes should not expect to pass the class.

There is a completion requirement for the ELCAI (Environmental Literacy and Citizenship Assessment Instrument) and the CSAS (Community Service Attitudes Scale). Students must complete both assessment instruments in order to pass the course. The student’s scores on the ELCAI and the CSAS will not be calculated in the final grade. Instructions and links to these assessment tools will be sent to you via e-mail.

You are expected to submit all assignments by their due dates unless prior arrangements have been documented with me in advance. No extra credit is available. Any requests for exceptions to due dates or assignments must be documented and APPROVED IN ADVANCE

Academic Honesty

Plagiarism is cheating. When one appropriates or deliberately uses another’s work without any indication of the source, thereby attempting to convey the impression that such work is the student’s own, one engages in plagiarism. Any student failing to provide proper credit ideas or material taken from another is plagiarizing. A student work found to contain plagiarized material will earn an F for the paper, and the student may be given an F for the course.

Students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use posted on the Turnitin.com site.

Course website:

Access the course website through ANGEL. Be sure to check your school e-mail account to stay informed of any changes to the schedule or the syllabus. There is a wealth of material available that I encourage you to take advantage of, including web-links to resources that support the required reading, lists of additional field trips, and suggested journal entries.

Attendance and Participation: Common methods of showing participation include being engaged in class discussion. You can also show your engagement with the material by submitting images for the Species test to the drop box on the ANGEL site. Another strategy to participate is to share appropriate current news events with the class using the course distribution list. Address your note to . Tell us briefly and concisely the relationship of what you have shared to the course outcomes. This will provide great fodder for our discussion, your papers and journal entries.

Group Presentation: During the third session you will be presenting an overview of a chapter from SOW 2006 as well as supporting material from our local area, and in relation to your major and career. Detailed instructions for this assignment are on ANGEL. We will form groups and assign content on the first day of class. We will be able to refer to these presentations and build on the concepts during our conversations during the term. Post your presentation in the labeled drop box on ANGEL and I will give you feedback before you present to the class.

Journal: Journals are more than diaries. This journal’s purpose is to help document and guide your exploration of the Colloquium goals and outcomes. While diary entries may be used, they become “high quality” journal entries when they clearly link the reflection to the course outcomes. The journal is your personal and creative outlet to make connections and find meaning. Use it as an opportunity to explore creative forms of expression that we seldom make time to allow. Now that is it a requirement for the class, you are expected to use your creative mind, sit and smell the roses (so to speak). There are numerous suggestions for journal entries on the ANGEL site, as well as the Generic Colloquium website. A mimumum of 35 “high-quality” entries are needed to earn full credit for this assignment. During the ECHO field trip (mid way through the term (session 4) I will collect and respond to your journals. By that time you should have made at least 20 entries. I will try to incorporate several entries into each class session so be sure to keep your journal with you.

Papers and summaries: Specific directions for each of three papers are on the ANGEL site. With our very limited class meeting time this term (only 9 sessions instead of 12 or 14), it is necessary that your writing assignments clearly demonstrate that you have read and considered the assigned readings (as class time may not allow us to discuss them fully).

The intent of the summary and reflection assignments are to cement your comprehension and consideration of the powerful and fundamental concepts in the readings. Each summary and the reflection component should be clearly recognizable as written by you as the author during the summer of 06. Do this by showing your interaction with the material and building connections with the concepts of ecological literacy, sustainability and sense of place with your major and career goals.

  • Your papers and summaries are due by electronic deposit at the ANGEL website no later than SUNDAY at 8AM. This will give me a chance to review and respond to your work in advance of our weekly class meeting. Papers submitted late are NOT accepted unless arrangements are made in advance of the due date.
  • Papers that meet the basic minimums of the assignment will receive a grade of C, assuming that the requirements of spelling, grammar, format, etc. are met. Grades of B or A must be earned by incorporating additional references (resources you have acquired that are NOT on the required reading list), critical thinking and evaluation, and/or bringing other aspects of the course to the topic. My goal is to help you achieve mastery of effectively communicating in writing. To that end, you can rewrite papers (even multiple times) to improve your grade (and ability). I am willing to work with you as long as you are willing and serious about the process of improving yourself.
  • Your papers should reflect that you have taken and passed both ENC 1101 and ENC 1102. In other words, I expect college-level writing on your papers. USE MLA OR APA FORMAT WITH CITATIONS. Papers with typos, misspellings, poor grammar, etc will be returned ungraded, with a recommendation that you work with The Writing Lab in Reed Hall to improve your writing skills (it’s free!)

Final Project: Our last day will be a “Show and Tell” of how we have made progress in the students learning outcomes for the course by completing a civic engagement activity that helps bring FGCU closer to our mission and vision as outlined in the Environmental Stewardship Management Plan. Detailed instructions including links to the plan with intermediary deadlines are all available on the ANGEL site.

Species Exam: The species exam consists of a series of photographs in PowerPoint format, of common plants and animals found in Southwest Florida. We will compose a power points presentation of images of species we observe during the term. Submit your photos for the species test to the appropriate ANGEL folder. A “correct” rate of 80% or better will earn you the full credit for the assignment.

Schedule

This schedule is subject to change during the semester. Any changes I make to this syllabus will be announced in class, and by email in the case of last-minute changes. It is imperative that you keep up with assignments, including Journal entries and readings. Consult (you guessed it) ANGEL for details. Also, if you have any concerns or problems with the Technology be sure to call, stop by or speak to me in person so they can be resolved (or alternative arrangements can be made) as soon as possible.

Prior to DAY 1:

  • Read about the Colloquium at:
  • Much of Colloquium is based on the teachings of John Dewey. Read about John

Dewey at

  • Read Dewey: Ch 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8
  • Read Orr Chapter VIII Place and Pedagogy (it’s short!)
  • Fill out the three short “quizzes” on the ANGEL site so that I can get to know you. (Introductions, Information literacy and News)
  • Begin your Journal:

write your conceptions about Colloquium- expectations, feelings, what you have heard, etc. (minimum 100 words) – be honest!

Day 1 (May 9)INTRODUCTIONS Sense of Place I: Orientation to Colloquium, campus field trip and class members

IN CLASS: Select group members and plan strategy for group presentations for session 3.

HOMEWORK:

  • Read websites and readings listed above, if you haven’t already.
  • Read SOW 2006 Chapter 1
  • Read Field Guide: pgs 10-59
  • WRITE and submit Paper 1: Experience, Education and Environment, emphasizing your world view, how you acquired it and your education/experiential (“Dewian”) learning about the world. Details available on ANGEL.
  • Submit summary and reaction to SOW Chapter 1 to ANGEL site
  • Paper #1 and summaries for SOW due no later than May14th 8 AM.

Day 2 (May 16) Sense of Place II: CORKSCREW Field Trip

Visit and explore the Corkscrew website:

CorkscrewSwamp Sanctuary: Take I-75 south from campus to Immokalee Road. Turn East on Immokalee Road and proceed about 15 miles (past the sharp curve.) Turn left onto Sanctuary Road and go to the end of the road. Meet at the front door of the education building at 8:45 AM.

Map: “Visit Us”, then “Map and Directions” Bring: water, journal, pen or pencil for journal entries, Field Guide, insect repellent, hat, walking shoes (no sandals or flipflops!)

  • Measure your ecological footprint at and

make a journal entry about the results – submit your footprint size to ANGEL site.

  • Pick up your writing assignments from ANGEL.
  • SUBMIT your presentation for the Group assignment no later than May 21st at 8 AM. You may do this individually or as a group. Look for my feedback before class on Tuesday.
  • Do you have 10 journals entries yet?

Day 3 (May 23) Sustainability: Global Environmental Problems and Solutions

GROUP PRESENTATIONS from SOW and Our Common Future. Details can be found on ANGEL.

Share footprint data.

HOMEWORK due no later than Sunday May 28

  • Read The Earth Charter
  • Read Ecological Literacy Chapter I and V and Leopold a “Sand CountyAlmanac” and “Land Ethic”
  • WRITE: Summaries and reflections for each of the four readings submit to ANGEL by May 28th.
  • You should have at least 15 journal entries by now.

Day 4 (May 30)ECHO Field Trip

Visit and explore the ECHO website:

ECHO Field Trip: Take I-75 North from campus to Bayshore Rd. (SR 78) turn east 1.1 miles. Turn north on Durrance Road. You will see the ECHO sign. Park in the Visitor lot on the left, and meet on the porch at 10:00 AM.

Bring: Water, journal and writing implement, walking shoes (no sandals or flip-flops), insect repellent, hat (we will be in the sun for most of this tour). Map at

Evaluate your lifestyle, your family’s lifestyle, list ways to reduce your collective footprint.

Bring your journal so I can review it during the field trip. You should have almost 20 entries by now!

HOMEWORK due no later than Sunday June 5

  • Reread your summaries and Submit Paper #2 Ethics and Economics no later than June 4th at 8 AM.
  • Read Grumwald The Swamp Section 1.
  • Submit summary and reflection for the first section of The Swamp.
  • Post your plan for the Civic Engagement Final Project to ANGEL no later than May 30th..

Day 5 (June 6) Ecological Literacy Economics

Discuss Orr and Leopold readings. Incorporate your perceptions and thoughts on the ideas of mainstream economics.

Watch Orr seminar (FGCU Spring, 2006)

Discuss The Swamp by Grumwald.

Discuss how these reading influence your perceptions, career goals, environment etc.

  • Read Grumwald The Swamp Section 2.

Submit summary and reflection for the second section of The Swamp.

Day 6 (June 13) Sense of Place III; Sustainability

Fort MyersBeach Historical Cottage and Beach Seafood Field Trip

HOMEWORK ( due no later than Sunday June 18)

Submit summaries for Orr Chapter VI and X (Ecological Literacy and Environmental Education), The Swamp, and Environmental Education readings.

  • Finish reading Grumwald’s Swamp and prepare a final summary and reflection. Share whether reading the book has enhanced your sense of place, ecological literacy and ideas of sustainability.
  • Read Environmental Education Material on ANGEL. Prepare a reflection and summary.
  • Submit Paper #3 : Role of Environmental Education in Higher Education and it influence on Ethics and Economics.
  • Submit your Final Project progress report no later than June 13th.

Day 7 (June 20) Environmental Education, Risks and Health; Ecological Literacy

Discuss Orr and Grumwald.

Campus Field trip- Archeology and invasive

Watch Prescription for Survival from WGCU

Discuss The Swamp, Earth Charter, and other readings

Pass out handouts for role-playing at Downtown Field trip.

You should have your journal almost completed by now. It will be collected at the end of the Downtown field trip, and returned to you during our final class session. What an amazing journey we have had these last two months!

Day 8 (June 27) Sense of Place IV: DOWNTOWN FT. MYERS Field Trip

Visit and explore the City of Ft. Myers website:

Take I-75 North from campus to Palm Beach Blvd. (SR 80). Turn left (west) onto Palm Beach Blvd. Take Palm Beach Blvd. downtown until it becomes one-way, and will dead end in a parking lot under the CaloosahatcheeBridge. The parking lot is for Centennial/Riverfront park. Park in the lot or turn right and part along Edwards Drive next to the River. Walk to the east along the park and you will come to the Uncommon Friends fountain. We will meet at the fountain at 10:00 AM. If there is an event downtown that blocks off the fountain area, we will meet in CentennialPark at the pavilion.