Class Times & Contact Information About the Class Class Schedule  Assignments & Grading Quick Links to Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5 Unit 6 Unit 7 SMA Home Page (Photos Courtesy of NOAA)	SMA 500, Autumn 2004 Introduction to Marine Affairs
	Assignments and Grading
	Individual Assignments: 1. REQUIRED READINGS – Students are expected to have assigned reading completed before the end of each unit. Readings are listed for each unit following the corresponding section description below. The readings will be useful in generating questions and comments for the discussion day at the end of the unit as well as beneficial for writing the unit analysis. 2. QUESTION AND ANSWER / DISCUSSION WITH SPEAKERS – (5% of grade based on participation) Twenty minutes are reserved at the end of each speaker day for general class discussion. Efforts will be made to secure in advance short readings or other materials specific to the topic of each day's discussion. Students are expected to come prepared to raise questions and to engage in discussion with the speakers. Please come to class with thoughts in mind on the day’s topic. Five percent (5%) of your grade is based on active participation in the question/answer and discussion. 3. UNIT ANALYSIS PAPERS – (10% each x 5, total of 50 %) Each student prepares a separate analysis for Units 2-7. These papers should be no more than 3 pages long, and should include appropriate references to readings and speakers. The first two pages of your unit analysis paper should address the problems, challenges, opportunities, and issues presented in the readings and lectures that you feel represent the most important points you heard in that unit. In short, what did you learn that was especially important to you and why was it important? For the second part of the paper (one page), pick one or two recommendations of your choice from Chapter 31 of the USCOP report that are applicable to the current unit’s subject matter. Describe how the recommendation(s) addresses the themes of the unit and the readings, and comment on the adequacy of the recommendations given your knowledge gained from the unit. Note the organization of Chapter 31; it will help you navigate towards recommendations that are applicable to the subject matter of the unit. Group Assignments: 1. INITIAL CONCEPT MAP – 5% You will meet with your assigned group during the first week of class to create a concept map for the field of marine affairs. Include all aspects of marine affairs that your group considers to be important; don’t focus solely on your assigned unit. Professor Leschine will provide more detail on concept mapping before this assignment. 2. UNIT GROUP PRESENTATION – 20% Each student will be assigned to one of six groups (one for each of units 2-7) and will specialize in the topic of the group’s unit. The group will present to the rest of the class on the concluding day of the unit. Your group’s unit presentation should be designed to engage the class on the essentials themes and issues of the unit, or what should be done to address important problems or issues that arise in your unit. You may find sections of the USCOP report helpful to generate ideas, but it is not essential for you to address the report or its recommendations at this stage. Occasionally, a group finds a highly innovative way to get its principal points across (this can be fun and creativity is always encouraged). Your group’s aim is to identify and prioritize key players, the most important policy and governance issues, broad objectives and opportunities, as well as priorities, challenges and suggested solutions. You should draw from the readings and lectures from the unit and other materials, as well as ways to make a compelling case in your presentation. It is advised that the group (or group representatives) make an appointment with Professor Leschine on either the first or second day of their unit to discuss their ideas for the presentation. The presentation should be 30-35 minutes long, leaving the remainder of the class period for an engaged class discussion. Note that class starts at 9 am on the day of group presentations (and occasionally on other days--see the class schedule). This is a group effort and the entire group will receive the same grade. 3. FINAL PRESENTATION, CONCEPT MAP, AND WRITE-UP -- 20% The final group assignment consists of three parts: 1. A revision of your initial concept map that places your group’s unit themes, guiding principles, and recommendations at the center of the marine affairs universe; 2. An approximately 10-page write up that describes the logic behind the concept map; and 3. A 20-minute presentation that presents the concept map and your group's major findings and recommendations to the class. This exercise should be approached as follows: First, working as a group, think about the key policy goal or goals for your unit. In other words, envision the subject matter of your unit and its associated problems, inefficiencies, major issues, or other important facts or principles. What would you most like to see improved, and once improved, what would things look like? You should write this up in about a page. Next, you'll want to think about how your goals for your unit align with the vision of the Ocean Policy Commission. A "must read" is the “Guiding Principles” of the USCOP report as described in Chapter 3. You'll see that the OPC's own vision is built around 13 basic principles. You'll likely discover that all principles don't apply equally to your unit, though several very likely will. The basic questions to ask at this stage are, what aspects of the OPC’s vision are most relevant to the subject material of your unit, and what steps should be taken to better align policy and management in or affecting your area with the vision outlined by the OPC? (Aim for a write-up of two pages or less). Finally, go to Chapter 31 of the USCOP, “Summary of Recommendations”. Your task at this stage is to pick a few (3 or 4) key recommendations that are especially relevant to achieving your group’s vision for your unit. How will these work to address your goals and embody the guiding principles that you have selected? (two pages or less) [Of course, it is possible that your group’s vision differs in some respects with that of the OPC, or even if your vision is the same, you disagree on the recommendations to achieve that vision. For example, maybe you like Pew Ocean Commission approach better, or even find aspects of the OPC’s ideas counter-productive. If so, make that the subject at this stage, but be sure your arguments are well developed, and follow the same basic steps. All students should be looking past the selected key recommendations in the Summary chapter to the supporting text in the OPC’s voluminous report. ] Revise your original concept map (from the first week in class) that puts your unit in the middle and works in the chosen guiding principles and most important recommendations. This should look like an exploded version of your first concept map, zoomed in to show detail of the functions within your unit. How do your guiding principles and recommendations work together to improve the overall function of your unit as a system? Describe the logic of the concept in a page or so. So, the hand in product should consist of a revised concept map and a ten-page (or less) write-up that describes the logical steps taken to create it. Remember, this is a group project, so divide and conquer! Think about assigning the tasks above to different group members, with the idea that each reports back to the whole group. The Presentation (10%) Each group will present their concept map and papers in front of the class. The presentation should be intended to educate your fellow classmates on ways to achieve your vision for improvement within your unit and follow the same basic form as your papers. The concept map should be presented and explained in a poster format (a digital power point slide works great for this, and can be printed out to hand in as well). Expect to have 15 or 20 minutes for the total presentation with 10 or 15 minutes for question and answer with the rest of the class. All members of the group receive the same grade. Final Writing Assignment (10%) Each group is to hand in, by not later than COB the day following their final group presentation, their concept map together with the ten-pages or less write up that describes the logic behind it. A FEW WORDS CONCERNING “CONCEPT MAPPING” Concept mapping is a way to use box-and-arrow diagrams to show how the various aspects of marine affairs are related and/or connected to each other. Experience has shown that this learning device can be a good aid to bringing group thinking to a common point of view and a stimulant to thinking holistically about a field like marine affairs. For more information, go to the SMA 500 website and follow the link to assignments. (http://faculty.washington.edu/tml/sma500/assignments.html)
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