Each student is expected to engage the content of this course to the best of their ability. The course has lecture meetings and lab meetings (in two sections).
Most lecture meetings will have a "participatory" format. Each topic may have a 5 minute introduction during which a student presents the key concepts prior to the lecture. At the end, there will be a 5 minute presentation on how the issues of the lecture apply in practice.
5 minutes: Introduction - Key concepts (student presenter)
70 minutes - or perhaps a bit less: core of lecture (instructor)
5 minutes: Applications of this concept [Who cares about this topic?] (student presenter)
Students are expected to participate in at least one lecture session in either the introduction or the application segment during the quarter. Preparation will require a preliminary meeting with the instructor in advance of the lecture day (and with enough time to make preparations), then a meeting (probably during the half hour prior to the lecture) to make last-minute arrangements. Timing of meetings will have to be fit into the schedules of all concerned.
Lab meetings will be more loosely structured than they are in courses targetted at learning a practicular package. Each session will begin with exploration of additional materials to support the topics in lecture or a demonstration of some software tool. Some assignments will be done in a particular lab session. Lab sessions will also provide some opportunity to work on projects, but additional times will be required. The Sherman Lab is scheduled between a number of courses, so other facilities, such as the Student Tech Fee machines in 401, 415, and 411 may provide the best opportunity for doing that work. The University's site license to ESRI software (ArcObjects and ArcIMS) covers only University machines.
Each student will complete the following parts in the Lab portion of the class:
Project
Each student will pursue a project that explores a specific
topic related to the course. The student should propose the function
to be performed, the software platform used and the data resources
to be treated. Each project report should contain some connection
to how this topic fits into the broader picture.
There will be a comprehensive final exam on 17 March 2:30-4:20. The big questions can serve as study resources in preparing for this event.
Grades will be based on the following proportions:
| Lab assignments (4) |
|
| Lecture contribution |
|
| Project |
|
| Final Exam |
|
Given the diversity of backgrounds and objectives, there will not be a fixed set of deliverables for this class. Each student is expected to turn in each of the Assignments. Students will enter into a contract with the instructor for their specific requirements. The contract will consider the starting point of each student, their educational objectives, then a specific set of results will be identified. Contracts should be submitted by 17 January and finalized (between student and instructor) by 26 January.
Portfolio option:
A student can assemble a portfolio that presents a series of topics related to the course, targetted to a specific audience. Entries in the portfolio could be either in the style of introductory material for a lecture meeting or in the style of applications presentations. Web-based delivery might be particularly suitable for the second option. The breadth option should include some element that is taken a bit more deeply (and engaged in a technical manner).Using an ESRI training course:
A student may construct a contract that includes an ESRI training course as a part of the product, but there must also be some student-directed project that results from this learning.