Course Syllabus (PDF)

Each weekly unit begins on a Tuesday and ends the following Monday (that means you've got an extra day this first week to get oriented and complete Module 1!).  Prior units will stay open until the end of the course, but new units will be timed to go live each Tuesday.  Research on online education has shown that learners prefer and are better able to stay on schedule when end-of-unit activities do not fall on weekends.  I've made end-of-unit deadlines fall on Mondays, so that you can use weekends to work on the course, or take a break. 

Course Contents and Requirements

Each week will include between 5-10 short videos, one or more readings, a brief multiple-choice quiz, an activity and/or ePortfolio reflection, and participation in the online discussion board. There is also a “Find Out More” list of additional readings and resources related to the weekly topic. The “Find Out More” resources and materials are optional, provided for you to explore if you wish to research more about a particular topic. Weekly activities will go live at 12:01 a.m. on the Tuesday of each week.

	Lecture videos:  There are several 2 to 15 minute long videos each week, including an interview or discussion with one or more guests.  You will be quizzed on the content of the videos, unless they are marked "optional"
	Readings:  The weekly readings are news articles, scientific articles, book chapters, or reports related to the course material. These materials are copyrighted and should not be reposted or redistributed outside the course.
	Quizzes:  There is a quiz each week to test your knowledge of the content. Quizzes may include multiple choice, matching, images, and short answer questions. Quizzes will be available from 6:00 a.m. on Friday until 11:59 p.m. on Monday each week.  If you cannot take a quiz during the normal time frame, email the instructor to  make special arrangements to take it earlier. No late quizzes will be given.
	Assignments:  There are several assignments that complement the course content by asking you to explore the content more deeply and reflect on forests and forest resources around you.  The weekly assignments are due by each Monday (the last day of each weekly unit), unless otherwise specified.
	Discussions:  Discussion forums may be part of an assignment (see above), or interspersed throughout the week. Besides required discussions, there also are forums for posting questions to or getting feedback from the instructor or your peers, and for connecting with other students in the class.  For more on Discussions, see Discussion Ground Rules, below!
	ePortfolio:  In the first week you will create a personal ePortfolio from a Google Sites template, where you will post weekly reflections on the main points from each Unit, as well as upload assignments.  Your ePortfolio also is a great place to take general notes on the content as you work through it, record main concepts and muddiest points, and save files for later review.

Course Expectations and Grading

This course is entirely online, giving you flexibility to login and explore the materials where and when you want!  However, it is expected that you complete all the material for each week by the Monday deadline.  If you need additional time to complete an assignment or take a quiz, you must let me know before the due date, otherwise you will lose points for turning it in late. 

Given that this is a two credit course, expect to spend between 6-8 hours on the course content each week, as well as 1-2 additional hour per content hour studying and working on assignments. To earn a passing grade, you will need to:

1. Watch the video lectures and interviews.
2. Read course readings, and explore additional information and resources (Note some are optional).
3. Complete the weekly quizzes. Quizzes will be multiple choice, matching, and short answer -- delivered online, and timed.
4. Complete each assignment on time.
5. Participate in the required online discussions and other class activities.
6. Reflect on each unit in your ePortfolio.
   
   You'll be answering questions for some of the activities using the course discussion board. You can also join an existing conversation that is of interest to you by commenting on others' posts, or start a new thread with your own question or comment related to the content of the course. There is no specific word count or number of posts required - the goal is to thoughtfully engage in a discussion about the course topics. Discussions will be moderated by the instructor during the week to which they pertain.

Discussion Ground Rules

The discussion forums are meant to provide for stimulating and respectful conversations around the subject matter. Please abide by the Online Discussion Code of Conduct for basic "netiquette" that should guide all your posts. Beyond these basics, please also consider the following in order to receive full credit on required posts:

• Be concise. Shorter, well-written posts generally get more attention and are more likely to be persuasive.
• Just saying "I agree" and reiterating what someone else writes does not constitute a substantive post.  Consider looking for posts that offer a different interpretation than yours, or that stimulate a new idea and offer an analysis, additional resource, or alternative viewpoint.
• Support your arguments with facts. Arguments should be based on data, facts, and other evidence, rather than personal opinion.
• Where possible, provide links out to resources that support your assertions. Please note that your personal opinion alone does not constitute evidence.
• Please read and respond to others’ posts, and respect others’ ideas even if you disagree.

If you fail to follow these guidelines within the discussion forum, we reserve the right to limit your participation in the forums in order that a respectful and constructive dialog can continue.

Grade Breakdown

Getting Help

You may also email Dr. Woodward directly with questions on course content.  Emails will be answered as promptly as possible, on Mondays-Fridays from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.  I also encourage you to ask questions about the course content by connecting with your peers in the Course Q&A forum. I encourage you to rely on your peers for solutions and support to questions/problems you may encounter during class, but always feel free to ask me as well.  I'll also be monitoring the forums and will respond to these questions as I can.  I can be available for live chat or a Skype call by appointment.

If you encounter technical problems using Learn@UW please start with the Help link at the upper right of the Learn@UW window or contact the DoIT Help Desk.  If you have trouble accessing course materials, please email Dr. Woodward.  

Acknowledgements

I thank all the people who contributed to the making of this course, which started as a MOOC offered on Coursera in 2015.

Thanks to Terry Erwin, Robert Costanza, Tom Gillespie, Don Waller, Alex Wiedenhoeft, Max Lascano, Tom Krapf, and Jamie Nack for their expertise and video interview on special topics. Tom Gower for creating the week 4 activity. Greg Konop, Josh Morrill, Braden Bruington, and Nicole Olthafer who helped to plan and design the course. Alyson Herreid, Travis Brillowski, and Donald Fleischman who shot and edited the videos.

I'd like to acknowledge the assistance of the following partners in bringing this MOOC to our Wisconsin audience. Arrowhead Library System, Great Outdoors at Your Library, Madison Audubon Society, Marshfield Public Library, The Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, and the The University of Wisconsin-Madison Office of Sustainability.

I’d also like to thank Tom Gower for originating the idea for this course and including me in it.