BIS 300: Interdisciplinary Inquiry (The Human Place in Nature)
IAS Program Core Course/Spring 2003
Instructor: Michael Goldberg
mlg@u.washington.edu
Office Hours: MW 1:30-3:00 and by appt.
UWB-1 Room 119 Office phone: 425-352-5362
faculty home page: http://www.bothell.washington.edu/faculty/mgoldberg/
Course page: http://www.bothell.washington.edu/faculty/mgoldberg/courses/300S03
Co-Instructors:
Sarah Leadley, American Studies Librarian and Head, Reference and Instructional
Services, UWB/CCC Library (leadley@u.washington.edu; 425-352-5387)
Becky Reed Rosenberg, Director, UWB Writing Center and UWB Teaching and Learning
Center (beckyr@u.washington.edu; 425-352-5378)
Course Syllabus
Students are responsible for all information on this syllabus, including information linked to web sites.
Course DescriptionThis course is designed to introduce students to the Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences (IAS) program and concepts of interdisciplinary knowledge more generally. It will be loosely structured around questions of how ideas are put into action and how actions and events shape ideas; in other words, how knowledge is produced and why ideas matter. Like many courses you will take in IAS, this course hopes to improve your ability to read closely, write and think critically, communicate clearly, research effectively and work collaboratively. What makes it different is the emphasis on "mindfulness"—on our constant consideration and reconsideration of the skills, abilities, and habits of mind needed to become active knowledge producers, and of the assumptions that underlie the teaching and learning process.
This approach asks all students to make every step of their learning a conscious choice, rather than a passive re-enactment of old, comfortable habits. In this course you may be asked to try processes that are unfamiliar, that feel "uncomfortable." We ask that you trust us in this journey. Even if you decide that your methods work best, you will learn by testing them against new approaches. More likely, you will find that these new approaches, and the questions they raise, provide you with a new and exciting way of engaging the educational process. This is because education in this country is rarely mindful, whether it is practiced by instructors or students. This course hopes to challenge this mindset. The instructors do not exempt themselves from this critical approach. Throughout the course all of us will have the opportunity to question, to challenge, to suggest. Indeed, the very question of assessment—of student work, of the instructors' effectiveness—is a central question of the course, and will be revisited throughout the term.
This approach is by intent "unsettling." It thus raises a basic question about assessment—is a "successful" course one that students find "enjoyable," or is it one that students can articulate the intellectual growth that has been accomplished once all of the assessments have been completed as well as at the completion of one's education at UWB, and perhaps most important, throughout one's intellectual life. The instructors hope that you come to find that these unsettling experiences can be, in their own way, enjoyable and even exhiliarating. That is, more like a really good roller coaster ride than a trip to the dentist's office.
As the above paragraphs make clear, the IAS core course privileges process over content. However, I am hopeful that the focus of the course—the relationship between humans and "nature"—will engage your interest. I have chosen this theme because I believe it is of utmost importance to all of us. The "problem" of the relationship between humans and "nature" (starting with what we might mean by "nature") is ideal for interdisciplinary inquiry, touching on every academic discipline and interdisciplinary knowledge field. Choosing this theme also allows me to assign to books which do a wonderful job of modeling the kind of educational experience we are engaging in this course. The first, Uncommon Ground: Rethinking the Human Place in Nature, is a collection of essays that by its title signals a willingness to challenge basic assumptions. The four essays we will be reading from the collection will serve to ground our interdisciplinary inquiry with a collection of probing and often unsettling questions. The essays have been chosen because of the quality of their writing, the perceptiveness of their arguments, and their implication of the reader into the problems they posit. I would encourage you to read beyond the assigned essays as time and interest allow. The second book, River of Traps: A Village Life, is part ethnography, part biography, part history, part photo journalism, part literature. It is a book about relationships: between people and the land, between cultures, between individuals of vastly different experience and backgrounds; it is also a book about teaching and learning. It is a book that repays the kind of "mindful" reading we will be discussing in the course. I have a personal connection to this topic and this area as well, but that is another story.
1.
To understand the concept of interdisciplinary knowledge production and
the ways in which it underwrites all aspects of the IAS program;
2. To
become a better critical reader, thinker and writer, one who is capable of posing,
answering, and reposing a variety of complex questions;
3. To
become a better researcher, one who is able to use the resources at UWB and
elsewhere both efficiently and effectively;
4. To
become a better speaker or synchronous communicator, one who is able to communicate
clearly and engagingly about complicated topics, arguments, and issues;
5. To
learn how to work well collaboratively, as both a learner and a researcher;
6. To
become a more effective user of educational techology;
7. To
take ownership of your education in an active and critically engaged way.
Specific
Skills Outcomes:
1. Critical
reading skills: comprehension, analysis, and evaluation. Assessment:
online postings, in-class and online discussion, abstract assignment, and critical
reading notes.
2. Interdisciplinary
Argumentative Writing Process Skills: Prewriting, writing, peer review and
revision, including writing style. Assessment: Formal writing assignments
and writing portfolio.
3. Information
literacy and research skills: Critical use of databases, identification
and assessment of knowledge "landscapes," identification of knowledge
gaps/problems to be solved, development of a research plan. Assessment:
individual research workshops and research portfolio.
4. Group
learning skills: Cooperative learning (taking responsibility, listening,
completing tasks), interpersonal skills. Assessment: group members evaluation
(including self-evaluation).
5. Speaking/synchronous
communication skills: In-class communication, group presentation.
Assessment: Self-assessment, group project assessment.
6. Asynchronous
communication skills: online discussion strategies, online peer review of
writing. Assessment: Self-assessment, group members' assessment.
Assignments and Assessments
1. Writing Portfolio
(25% of grade)
A. Informal writing. You will
be asked to post to Blackboard a short (250-500 word) thought piece on most
of the writings. These postings should be edited for obvious typos and
should use a coherent paragraph structure, but otherwise they can be exploratory,
even experimental. These papers are not intended to be research papers, but
rather to give you an opportunity to interrogate the readings, to challenge
their assumptions and to practice critical thinking skills. The point
is to convey your thinking about a central idea that you find exciting.
The postings will be assesed based on their success at identifying one main point that merits analysis, exploring that one point using logic and evidence, and creating a posting that your fellow students find interesting
and worthwhile. They will be assessed as "+" (original, intellectually
exciting, coherent), "=" (fulfills the assignment, solid exploration
of an idea), or "-" (doesn't fulfill the expectations of the assignment).
These assignments will provide the basis for advancing your writing skills.
B. Formal writing. The first paper will be an
abstract of any of the Uncommon Ground articles except Cronon's.
This will provide you with an opportunity to do descriptive writing and demonstrate
competance in reading an argument for comprehension. There will also be
a series of formal writing assignments intended
to model the writing process for an analytical argumentative essay. These
include an exploratory thought piece (500-750 words—note change from earlier
amount), an organizing assignment, a draft, and a revision. You will not
receive grades on any of the assignments, but the comments will enable you to
understand your strengths and weaknesses. If you are unsure about "where
you stand" in terms of your assessed learning, please contact me at any
point in the process.
Your overall grade for this assignment will be based on an assessment of your
portfolio. For a description of this assignment, click
here.
2. Research
portfolio (25% of grade)
There will be a series of workshop assignments, some individual
and some for the group. These will be assessed "+"/"="/
"-". They will be collected in a portfolio and given a grade
and a final assessment at the end of the quarter. This assessment will
include your individual performance during the research presentations.
3. Small group
collaborative learning (25% of grade)
You will be placed in research groups in the third week of the
class. At week 7 and as part of your final research portfolio, you will
assess your own and your group members contribution to your collaborative
learning efforts. I will also use the examples of your individual work
within the group context to assess your performance. This assessment
will also include your group's overall performance during your research presentations.
4. Large class
collaborative learning (25%)
The format of the class emphasizes collaboration between students
and with the professor. On the most basic level of course contribution,
you should come to class on time and stay for the duration, having read the
assignment and having given it some thought in preparation for participating
in discussion. Your engaged presence in class will have a central place
in your overall assessment. It is not possible to remain silent but
do excellent written work and still receive a strong final grade, any more
than it is possible to contribute in class but refrain from writing.
Guidelines for assessing in- class collaborative learning may be found by
clicking
here. In addition, you will have several opportunities to conduct asynchronous
online discussions on Blackboard. We will be having these discussions
in lieu of the more traditional in-class discussion. We will talk about
different strategies between the classroom and online experience, and use
these two experiences as an opportunity to consider the benefits and limitations
of both approaches. Further, we will consider how experiencing a new
learning environment can help us to rethink assumptions about the traditional
environment we are used to. I take it as assumed that all members of the course,
including myself, treat each other respectfully, and know the difference between
genuine discussion and intellectual posturing. Class participation is
not only a way to share what we—ve learned, but also a chance to ask
questions, experiment with new ideas and explore issues that are unclear.
Your contribution to the course should include intellectual risks that you
might not get the opportunity to take in many other courses. Other in-class
activities, written and otherwise, may also be assigned and evaluated under
course contribution. (Much of the above language has been adapted from Prof.
Ron Krabill's BLS 300 syllabus.)
You will receive explicit instructions about each assignment. They will also be available from the course web site.
PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN THIS CLASS. It is your responsibility to be knowledgeable about this topic. (You will find a link to a fuller explanation on the course web site. Please be aware that there are numerous ways to detect plagiarism beyond the instructor actually identifying the source of the plagiarism. Plagiarism wastes my time and yours, and is conscious choice by the student that the learning process in this course holds no value for him or her. If you are experiencing any kind of difficulty in completing an assignment, PLEASE see me as soon as possible. This and all other UWB courses are now guided by the campus-wide policy on plagiarism. All confirmed cases of plagiarism will result, at a minimum, in a failure of the entire assessed grade for the assignment and a letter to the Vice- Chancellor, as prescribed by the new UWB Guidelines. For this course, the grade failure will accrue to the entire portfolio assignment.
Other Guidelines:
(Adapted from Dr. David-Goldstein-Shirley's web site: faculty.washington.edu/davidgs/)
A note about grades: I know that students often need to juggle school, work, family, and other obligations. I never second-guess students' priorities, and I never think less of students who choose to devote more time and effort to one of these other obligations rather than to an assignment or the course as a whole. I respect the maturity of students who establish their priorities, make difficult choices, and accept the consequences of those decisions. Also, remember that your grade is based solely on my professional assessment of the quantity and quality of your work, not on your effort or on my opinion of you as an individual.
Consideration:
Be considerate of your instructors and classmates. Please turn off cell phones, pagers, and watch alarms before entering a classroom. Also, be aware that entering a classroom after class has started distracts your instructor and your classmates. If you must do it, please try to enter through a back door, if possible. That probably will distract your instructor (for which you should later apologize), but at least it will reduce the disruption you cause your classmates.
If you need to drop: You and I both invest a significant amount of time and effort having you in this course, so it is unfortunate when students do not complete a course that they began. Sometimes, however, students need to drop a course for good reasons. If that should become the case, I ask, as a favor, that you send me an e-mail message notifying me. Of course, I hope everyone who starts the course can complete it, so your work and time and mine are put to good use!
Class Communication: This course requires the use of e-mail and the World Wide Web, with which we will assist you if necessary. You must obtain a UW Net ID (for using various UW services); I also recommend obtaining a UWB NT account (for using UWB campus computers). Go to <http://www.bothell.washington.edu/library/newstudent.html> for instructions for obtaining a UW Net ID and a UWB NT account. Remember your passwords!
Also, make sure that your UW e-mail account is switched on, which you can do at MyUW, located at <http://myuw.washington.edu>.
This course uses the online courseware called Blackboard. You will need to enroll in the Blackboard area set up for this course (<http://bb.bothell.washington.edu>) no later than the Friday of the first week of classes for the quarter. Online instructions for enrolling in Blackboard are available at <http://www.bothell.washington.edu/faculty/mgoldberg/students/blackboard.html>. When you sign up, make sure you input an email address that you check most days, as I will use that to communicate to you about your postings.
Starting no later than the second class meeting (first week of classes), you are required to check your e-mail account at least once a week (i.e., do not let more than seven days pass without checking) and to read all messages except the ones marked "Opt." in the subject line, which are optional. Note that you can check University e-mail accounts anywhere you have access to the World Wide Web, including public libraries, by using MyUW <http://myuw.washington.edu>.
Important: If you do not usually use your UW e-mail account, immediately have it forwarded to one that you check regularly by following the simple directions at MyUW <http://myuw.washington.edu>. (Click on "UW Net ID Resources" and then on "Change your forwarding.") As noted in your Student Handbook, the University and I have only your official UW e-mail address and will send all mail to it, so you will miss important messages if you do not have them forwarded to an account you check regularly.
Please consider these requirements to be an investment in class communication. With a little extra effort at the beginning of the course, we can improve our ability to communicate with one another throughout the course. Communication is crucial to collaborative learning.
Students with Disabilities—I gladly accommodate all documented disabilities as directed by Disability Student Services at UWB. You must be a documented DSS student to receive accommodations. I encourage anyone believing themselves to be covered by DSS guidelines to visit the UWB DSS web page. Accommodations are not "extra help"—they are actions taken to provide people with disabilities an educational environment similar to those who enjoy the benefits of a system designed to cater to the needs of the non-disabled majority.
Besides the above mentioned instructors, thanks also to Bruce Burgett and Colin Danby for their input on the design of this course.
Books:
William Cronon, ed. Uncommon Ground: Rethinking the Human Place in Nature
William deBuys (pronounced duh-bweeze), River of Traps: A Village Life
Andrea Lunsford, New St. Martin's Handbook
(optional but strongly recommended)
Reserve
Readings
The Freire reading is available on reserve electronically at <http://eres.bothell.washington.edu/coursepage.asp?cid=408&page=01>
under my name and with the password —halfmoon.— Other readings
may be assigned as deemed appropriate and useful for the course.
Weekly Schedule
Mon. 3/31: Introduction
What is "mindful learning"?
Assignment: investigate the IAS web site thoroughly; research two instructors
as well as myself.
Weds. 4/2: Locating Your Learning Experience
Discuss IAS web site and research on instructors; present learning inventory;
introduce portfolio
Mon. 4/7: Education, Responsibility, and Power
Reading due: Paulo Freire, "The 'Banking' Concept of Education"
(E-Reserves)
Discuss Freire; introduce online asynchronous discussion strategies
Post response to Freire by Sunday 6pm; read as many of the responses as possible;
respond wherever your interest takes you.
Weds. 4/9: Continue Education discussion
NO CLASS/Extended online discussion
Mon. 4/14: Generating Questions
William Cronon, "The Trouble With Wilderness: Or, Getting Back to
the Wrong Nature" (Uncommon
Ground)
Richard White, "Are You an Environmentalist or Do You Work for a
Living" (Uncommon Ground)
Becky Rosenberg visits (how to read a scholarly source)
Post response by 6pm Sunday on Blackboard (OR post response for Wednesday's
readings on Tuesday at 6pm); read as many of the responses as possible; respond
wherever your interest takes you.
Weds. 4/16: Generating Questions
Jennifer Price, "Looking for Nature at the Mall: A Field
Guide to the Nature Company" (Uncommon Ground)
Giovanna Di Chiro, "Nature as Community: The Convergence
of Environment and Social Justice" (Uncommon Ground)
Post response by 6pm Tuesday on Blackboard (UNLESS you already posted a response for Monday 4/14's readings); read as many of the responses as possible; respond wherever your interest takes you
Online exercise: Generating research topics
Mon. 4/21: Mapping the Scholarly Terrain: Satellite
Abstract writing assignment due
Sarah Leadley visits, research workshop
Weds. 4/23: Mapping the Scholarly Landscape:
Satellite
Sarah Leadley visits
Set up scholarly source exercise (due 5/5)
Mapping exercise due/Group research presentation
Mon. 4/28: The View From the Ground: Asking
Questions, Seeking Answers
Abstract writing assignment returned: How to Assess Assessments (Grades
and Comments)
Meet in research groups
Weds. 4/30: The View From the Ground: Asking Questions, Seeking Answers
Research group presentations due
Mon. 5/5: Mapping the Scholarly Landscape (Aerial)
Sarah
Leadley visits
Mapping/bibliography assignment due
Weds. 5/7:
Second writing assignment due (thought piece)(new deadline)
Group/class discussion on research and writing projects
Mon.5/12: Mindful reading (New Mexico)
Continue
River of Traps
Post response by 6pm Sunday on Blackboard (note change)
Weds. 5/14 Mindful reading (New Mexico)
Continue
River of Traps
Post response by 6pm Tuesday on Blackboard
Mon. 5/19: Paper Organizing Workshop
Becky
Rosenberg visits
Weds. 5/21: Information/Data/Evidence
Groups meet
Mon. 5/26: Holiday
Weds. 5/28
First version due
Peer review workshop
Becky Rosenberg visits
Mon. 6/2: Research report due
Group research presentations due
Weds. 6/4: Final meeting
Reviewing
the learning inventory, preparing the portfolios
Assessing the instructor and class: how to read (and write) course evaluations
Tues.. 6/10, 5pm: Final version due/Portfolio due
(NOTE CHANGE OF DATE AND TIME)