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.
Goals
The University
Colloquium is an interdisciplinary course designed to explore the
concept of sustainability as it relates to a variety of considerations
and forces in the environment. In particular, we will consider ecological
, social, ethical, historical, scientific, economic, and political
influences. The course goals are:
-
to
provide a "sense of place" and an understanding of the unique
ecological features of the environment of which you are a part,
-
to
assist in achieving the Florida Gulf Coast University learning
goal of developing "an ecological perspective" and in teaching
the related outcomes that the student will analyze and evaluate
ecological issues locally and globally, participate in projects
requiring awareness and/or analysis of ecological and environmental
issues,"
-
to
provide experiences to assist in moving toward achieving the eight
other FGCU learning goals and their related outcomes.
-
to
enable a working understanding of sustainability, of environmental
education, and of ecological literacy.
Process
Study will
be through reading, writing, and field experiences. Students will
reflect upon and demonstrate their learning through analysis in short
papers and a reflective electronic journal. Successful completion
of the course requirements will earn three-credit hours and completion
of this requirement for graduation from Florida Gulf Coast University.
Grades will be earned based on an assessment rubric which provides
the weighting of the standards for assignments.
Introduction/DL
Colloquium
