Mini Term Course Proposal Form

A form is to be completed for each course offered in mini term I (Dec/Jan), mini term II (Spring Break), or mini term III (May/June) including innovative courses not listed in the GeorgetownCollegeCatalog and courses listed in the Catalog. This proposal must be presented to the Curriculum Committee by midterm of the long semester (Fall or Spring) preceding the mini term in which the course is to be offered. *Approval by Department Chair is required if the course carries a departmental designation (e.g. HIS 380 as opposed to GST 380).

A.COURSE DESCRIPTION

1. Mini Term Offered May Dates 17-30

2. DepartmentPsychology Course Number 470

Course Title

Animal Behavior Research

Course Description for Brochure or Website

Students will be introducted to the study of animal behavior using a combination of lectures, readings, discussion, and hands-on research with a captive dolphin population. Lecture will focus on understanding animal behavior from an ecological and evolutionary perspective. Readings and discussion will focus on current research and methodology. Fieldwork will allow students to develop the skills necessary to conduct animal behavior research and to demonstrate these skills by conducting independent research with senior scientists at the field location.

5. Semester hours credit 3

(One hour credit is given for 45 hours of assigned work in or out of class.)

6. Describe fee, if any, for travel, equipment, or materials for this course:

See attached budget

7. Using the standard syllabus format, please attach the syllabus for the proposed course (see Academic Programs website for syllabus guidelines).

B.FACULTY AND ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENTS

8.Describe your qualifications for teaching this course (include graduate studies, personal studies, interests, previous experiences teaching this or similar courses, studies planned in preparation to teach course, etc.) .

Rebecca Singer (PhD, experimental psychology)

Dolphin trainer at Kewalo Basin Marine Mammal Laboratory

9. What is the expected student interest? (State minimum and maximum enrollment requirements. Courses generally require a minimum of four students for a full course; exceptions may be made by the Provost’s Office.)

4-12

C.METHODS AND RESOURCES

10. What is your planned daily schedule of activities (class meetings, conferences, labs, field trips, travel, etc.)? Include or attach a daily schedule for every day of the term. This should include hours spent on assignments and activities in class and anticipatedhours students should spend on the course outside of class.

135 hours (40 hours in classroom; 25 hours of preparation (3 hours for each article (15hrs), 5 hours for the book chapters, and 5 hours of videos) outside the classroom; 35 hours on homework assignments (1 hour per journal entry, 1 hour per reaction paper, and 20 hours for reflection paper); 35 hours in the field conducting research study). The classroom hours will be 2-6 hours each day for two weeks depending upon field work schedule (see tentative itinerary for more detail on scheduled classroom activity). During the class hours, there will be lectures, reading discussions, and activities. The fieldwork will take place at the Roatan Institute of Marine Sciences in Roatan (RIMS), Honduras for 11 days.

Students will work with me and senior training staff at RIMS to learn how to work with the dolphins (training techniques) and conduct research with them. Students are expected to complete reading of book chapters prior to the first day of lecture at the field station. All articles pertaining to dolphin research will be read and discussed during the two weeks at the field station. The remaining articles are to be read after return to the U.S. and will be used by the students in their final reflection paper.

11. How will the grade for the course be calculated? Include specific point values or percentages for each assignment/activity.

Readings

* Discussion on readings - 100 points

* Reaction papers on readings (5) - 50 points

Fieldwork Activities - 250 points

Journal (10) - 200 points

Independent Research - 200 points

Reflection Paper - 200 points

Total: 1000 points

12. [JLP1]What college facilities are needed to implement this course? (List room choice;necessary equipment such as digital projector, DVD player, or overhead projector;required library resources, etc.,)

No college facilities will be needed for this course. It is to take place at the Roatan Institute of Marine Sciences (RIMS) in Roatan, Honduras.

*All research and animal care is conducted in accordance with the guidelines established by the Roatan Institute of Marine Sciences and the IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee) guidelines established by the College or University of the visiting researcher.

13.This course must be designed to ensure an opportunity for preparation, reflection, and analysis concerning the subject matter. At least one calendar week of reflection and analysis should be provided to students for each semester hour. Explain how students completing this course will have acquired comparable levels of knowledge and competencies to those acquired in traditional formats. (One option to allow for sufficient reflection is to require that certain assignments be completed after the actual class meetings have concluded).

Students in the class are required to read 10 scholarly journal articles (5 during the trip and 5 after the trip), discuss readings in class,listen and take notes during daily lectures, view two videos, write 5 reaction papers, 10 journal entries, 1 reflection paper, and participate in fieldwork and research at the Roatan Institute of Marine Sciences. Each of these activities will encourage the students to integrate the material we learn in class with the readings and research experiences as well as the student's individual understanding of animal behavior and research methodology.The reflection paper will be due Friday, June 12th.

D.REQUIRED ACTION

Submitted by: Rebecca SingerDate 8/29/08

Approved by: ______Date ______

(Department Chair)

Approved by: ______Date ______

(Provost/Dean of the College)

Approved by: ______Date ______

(Curriculum Committee Chair)

[JLP1]Numbers should be edited as needed once final format is determined.