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IDS 3304/4901 Ecology and Environment & Dis: Living the Earth Charter

Topic: Living the Earth Charter


CRN 83431 & CRN 83547
Policy Statement and Course Syllabus Fall 2018

“We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its
future.”

Instructor: Sheila Bolduc-Simpson


M.A. English, M.A. Theatre Arts, M.S. Multicultural/Multilingual Education

Course Days/Time: online

Email: sbolduc@fgcu.edu Location: Reed Hall 216


Mailbox: Reed Hall, Room 225

Office: Reed Hall Room 216


Office Phone: 239 590-7810
Office Hours: M/W 2-4 pm or by appt. Reed
Hall Room 216
Cell Phone: 239-272-2727
_______________________________________________________________________

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Required Text and Materials

No Textbook Required

Technical Requirements
1. High speed internet access with a standard up-to-date browser, either Chrome or
Firefox. Opera and Safari are NOT compatible with Canvas.
2. Consistent and reliable access to Canvas as it is the official method of
communication for this course.
3. Hardware: laptop/desktop/tablet, phone camera, or other device capable of
capturing audio, images, and video.
4. Adobe Flash Player

General Course Requirements

General Course Description:


IDS 3304 Ecology and Environment 3 credits
Examines selected contemporary ecology/ environmental issues and problems and their
intellectual histories through a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives and methods. Stresses
critical, creative, and collaborative thinking and application of communication, information, and
technological skills.

Course Overview:

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Rationale
Why the Earth Charter?
Learning to live together relates to diversity. For learning to live together sustainably,
the issue of diversity must be understood as a motivating factor in all life systems, and
not just a matter of cultural politics. If diversity is the generative force in biological as
well as cultural systems, as Martusewicz & Edmundson (2004) state, it must be
concerned with the development of democratic and sustainable communities. The Earth
Charter in this sense as a tool for learning to live together sustainably moves beyond the
limits of environmental education or multicultural education.

The Earth Charter lays out the fundamental principles and practices underlying the four
pillars of sustainable development where the cultural ecological perspective necessitates
the development of eco-ethical consciousness as a core for learning to live together
sustainably. Eco-ethical consciousness should be thus defined as the awareness of and
ability to respond carefully to the fundamental interdependence not only among all
forms of life on the planet but also among all forms of living and non-living creatures
(Martusewicz & Edmundson (2004 p. 2-3). This way of thinking requires what Griffin
(1996) calls “a collaborative intelligence”, the recognition that human 8 intelligence is
part of a vast and complex system of reciprocal relations where the sense making
processes that lead to human cultural forms cannot be separated off from the patterns of
communication within the natural world, whether living and/or non-living. In this
perspective, the whole Earth, including all forms of living and nonliving creatures, is
seen as highly dependent upon a sustainable way of being.

The overriding goal of this course is to explore the links between Education for
Sustainability and the Earth Charter and to develop the requisite knowledge, skills and
attitudes to enable course participants to effectively use the Earth Charter as an
educational tool.

Learning Outcomes (LOs):


Students who complete this course will be able to

1. Understand the key vision and mission of Education for Sustainability as expressed
through the values, principles and ethical approach contained in the Earth Charter. In
particular, students will be conversant with the 4 key pillars of the Earth Charter and
apply these pillars in their daily lives.
2. Understand and cogently discuss the principles of sustainability through a study of the
values necessary to achieve sustainability. This will be achieved through a study of
the principles underlying values, the identification of values in The Earth Charter and
the significance of common core values that impact on ethical decision making in
relation to building a more just, sustainable and peaceful world.
3. Utilize the Earth Charter as an ethical framework to assess different aspects of
sustainability and make informed decisions for the future.

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4. Identify sustainable practices with regard to the environment, society and the
economy through analysis of the key principles of the Earth Charter and use this
identification to develop classroom discussions, videos, scenarios and group-work

Course Approach
This course is designed to be a unique and (hopefully) engaging learning experience. You may
think you know how to “play the game of school,” but the rules in this course may not be what
you’re expecting. Please read this syllabus carefully! The assignments (e.g., Main Quests and
Side Quests and grading system may seem confusing at first, but if you take a little time to read
the syllabus, everything will be explained. Almost everything you need to know is explained in
these pages. Did I mention that you should read this syllabus?

In this course, there will be Main Quests (MQs), which are required assignments that
have XPs attached to them with specific due dates and Side Quests (SQs), which will be
activities that are optional XP assignments and will have more flexible due dates. You’ll
manage how I assess your progress through the course by choosing some activities and skipping
others depending on the number of XPs you want to accumulate. Throughout the term, you’ll
choose activities that have an associated number of XPs. Many of the activities you choose also
allow you to determine how much of the activity you want to do, with different rewards for
different degrees of activity.

Badges and Leaderboards will also be included in this course for mastering material.
More on that as we get into the course!

Organizing the course this way gives you a lot of freedom but also a lot of responsibility in
managing how your performance is assessed.

As you’ll see in reading through the details, you’ll earn points most easily by being critically
engaged with the course material, with me and with your classmates, front-loading your course
work early in the term. Life will be easiest in this course with steady progress throughout the
term rather than heightened activity at a few points.

I reward engagement. Engagement in the course will be online and that means logging in
frequently in Canvas. You should be viewing all pages under each weekly module and logging
into Canvas a MINIMUM OF 3 TIMES A WEEK.
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Accumulating experience points (XPs)

You can earn up to 70,000 XPs for the mandatory activities, which are called Main Quests. If
you earn all 70,000 XPs, this represents a C in the course.

You can earn up to 60,000 XPs for the optional activities, which are called Side Quests.

Accumulating between 90,000 XPs and 130,000 XPs in this course will give you an A in the
course.

SEE PAGE 11 FOR THE BREAKDOWN OF THE XPs FOR B+. B. C+. C, D, or F.

Course Design
This course is designed to give you opportunities for

● thoughtfulness and deep reflection rather than rote memorization of information


● action and engagement rather than passive receptivity
● creative self-expression rather than one-size-fits-all assignments
● individualized self-assessment rather than multiple guess tests with one right answer
● collaborative construction of meaning through dialogue rather than lobbying for position
with debate and discussion
Class Community: Use your time and effort in this class as positively and productively as
possible. All of us, including me, are here to learn from one another. All members of the class
are entitled to their own opinions; however, we need to consider various arguments, to respect
individual perspectives, and communicate our points of view effectively while being considerate
of all members of the class. This class is about consensus building.

Attendance Policy: It is important that you regularly participate in ALL online class
sessions because these courses are structured in such a way that if you do not participate, you
cannot pass. This means that you need to log into Canvas a minimum of THREE days a week
and access the modules to do the readings, watch the videos and do the Main Quests (MQs) and

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the Side Quests (SQs). In order to earn a passing score (a grade of C or higher, you must

accumulate at least 70,000 experience XPs).

Verification of Attendance Assignment: As of fall 2015, all faculty members are required
to use Canvas to confirm a student’s attendance for each course by the end of the first week of
classes. Failure to do so will result in a delay in the disbursement of financial aid. The
confirmation of attendance is required for all students, not only those receiving financial aid.

Quests: In this course, you will have a variety of quests including but not limited to discussion
forums, shorter written quests, reflections, group work quests, quests submitted in a multimodal
format, participation at events on the FGCU campus or in the local community.

Please note: To fulfill the requirements for this course, turning in all mandatory quests is a
minimum requirement—but not a guarantee—for passing IDS 3304/IDS .

Plagiarism & Intellectual Honesty: Plagiarism is a form of intellectual theft and occurs
when students present the words or ideas of another without giving credit to the original source.
The University’s definition of plagiarism can be found in the Student Code of Conduct, which
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also outlines the University’s policies and procedures regarding academic dishonesty/cheating
(of which plagiarism is one form), students’ responsibilities, and the consequences for violating
this policy.

In this course, those who plagiarize, regardless of intent, will be required to meet in conference
with the instructor and may be referred to the Dean of Students Office for a hearing before the
Academic Integrity Committee. In all cases, an adjudication form will be filed with the Dean of
Students Office. The Adjudication form can be found at
http://studentservices.fgcu.edu/StudentConduct/files/Summary_Adjudication_Form-2011-12-
Updated.pdf

Based on these meetings and/or hearings, students found guilty of plagiarism are subject to
penalties including—but not limited to—receiving a failing grade for the assignment and/or
course, or even suspension or expulsion from the University. It is ultimately the student’s
responsibility to understand and avoid plagiarism.

University Nondiscrimination Statement


Florida Gulf Coast University is committed to ensuring equity and fairness for all University
employees, students, visitors, vendors, contractors and other third parties. As such, the
University prohibits discrimination on the bases of race, color, national origin, ethnicity,
religion, age, disability, sex (including sexual harassment/assault), gender identity/expression,
marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status or genetic predisposition with regard to
admissions, employment, programs or other activities operated by the University. This
prohibition extends to enforcement of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Questions
or complaints should be directed to the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC).
The OIEC’s phone number is (239)745-4366; the OIEC email address is OIEC@fgcu.edu.

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Attendance Verification: As of fall 2015, all faculty members are required to confirm a
student's attendance for each course by the end of the first week of classes. Failure to do so will
result in a delay in the disbursement of your financial aid. The confirmation of attendance is
required for all students, not only those receiving financial aid.

Office of Adaptive Services


Disability Accommodations Services: Florida Gulf Coast University, in accordance with
the Americans with Disabilities Act and the university’s guiding principles, will provide
classroom and academic accommodations to students with documented disabilities. If you need
to request an accommodation in this class due to a disability, or you suspect that your academic
performance is affected by a disability, please see me or contact the Office of Adaptive
Services. The Office of Adaptive Services is located in the Wellness Building. The phone
number is 239-590-7956 or Video Phone (VP) 239-243-9453. In addition to classroom and
campus accommodations, individuals with disabilities are encouraged to create their personal
emergency evacuation plan and FGCU is committed to providing information on emergency
notification procedures. You can find information on the emergency exits and Areas of Rescue
Assistance for each building, as well as other emergency preparedness materials on the
Environmental Health and Safety and University Police Department websites. If you will need
assistance in the event of an emergency due to a disability, please contact Adaptive Services for
available services and information.

The following is a list of the main technologies used in this course. Accessibility
statements for each can be found on the Technology Accessibility Policies page.
The link to an interfaith calendar is at http://www.interfaithcalendar.org

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Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provides free counseling and therapy services
(including psychiatry) to all FGCU students. Please walk in to the second floor Howard Hall
office any week day between 8:30 and 4:30 to schedule an initial contact appointment. Visit the
CAPS website at www.fgcu.edu/caps for more information. CAPS offers a 24/7 Helpline at
(239) 745-3277 (EARS).

Grading Policy
Assignments: Some assignments will be turned in as a Word doc (.doc or docx) or Rich Text
format (.rft) document. These files must be labeled to include the name of the submitter and the
name of the assignment (e.g., JaneDoeProjectProposal).

Microsoft Works files (.wps) will NOT be accepted. To convert your .wps files to .doc files,
go to the free online file conversion program Zamzar.

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Other assignments will be submitted as LINKS to a video or as TEXT in a discussion
forum. Please read the assignment directions and follow them to the letter.

Deadlines: ALL Main Quest by 11:55 p.m.


assignments are due in Canvas
on Monday on the due date listed in Canvas.
Main Quests (MQs) must be submitted online and on time; late assignments will not
be accepted unless you communicate with me at least 24 hours before the assignment is due
and request an extension, provide justification for why you need the extension and when
you plan to turn in the assignment. Extensions cannot go for more than ONE week after
the assignment is due.

Side Quests (SQs) for Pillars 1 and 2 will be kept open from the beginning of
Module 3 (Sep. 3) until the midterm, or by the end of Module 8 (Oct. 15).
Side Quests for Pillars 3 and 4 will be kept open from the start of Module 9 (Oct.
15) until the end of the course (Dec. 3).

Life will be easiest in this course with steady progress throughout the term rather than
heightened activity at a few points.

Points Scale: Points distribution will be as follows:

MAIN QUESTS (MQs) (REQUIRED ASSIGNMENTS)

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Attendance Verification Assignment 500 XPs
Syllabus Scavenger Hunt

Earth Charter Critical Reflection 500 XPs

Paul Hawken FGCU Event OR TedTalk Drawdown video 500 XPs

Discussion Forums 4500 XPs


Introductions & Getting Acquainted 500
Pillar 1: Respect & Concern for the Community of Life 1000
Pillar 2: Ecological Integrity 1000
Pillar 3: Social & Economic Justice 1000
Pillar 4: Democracy, Nonviolence & Peace 1000

Interactive Video Quizzes 1000 XPs

Earth Charter Pillar Activities 20000 XPs


Earth Charter Pillar 1 Activity 5000
Earth Charter Pillar 2 Activity 5000
Earth Charter Pillar 3 Activity 5000
Earth Charter Pillar 4 Activity 5000

Project (Individual or Group) 41000 XPs


Project Brainstorming Session 1000
Project Proposal 5000
Project Execution 5000
Project Presentation 20000
Project Reflection 10000

Midterm Reflection of Learning 1000 XPs

Final Reflection of Learning 1000 XPs

TOTAL FOR MAIN QUESTS: 70000 XPs

SIDE QUESTS (SQs) (OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENTS) 60000 XPs

Pillar 1: Respect & Concern for the Community of Life Side Quests 15000
Pillar 2: Ecological Integrity Side Quests 15000
Pillar 3: Social & Economic Justice Side Quests 15000
Pillar 4: Democracy, Nonviolence & Peace Side Quests 15000

TOTAL FOR SIDE QUESTS: 60000 XPs

TOTAL MQs + SQs 130,000 XPs

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GRADING SCALE
Your coursework and final course grade are determined using the following scale.

Level XP (Experience Points) Grade

Level 7 90,000 - 130,000 A

Level 6 86,000 - 89,999 B+

Level 5 80,000 - 85,999 B

Level 4 76,000 - 79,999 C+

Level 3 70,000 - 75,999 C

Level 2 60,000 - 69,999 D

Level 1 0 - 59,999 F

You will begin on the first day of class at Level 1. Level 7 is the highest level you can achieve.

CANVAS DOES NOT ROUND UP OR ROUND DOWN. IF YOU GET 89900 POINTS,
YOU GET A B+.

ENC 1102 / Fall 2018


Tentative Schedule
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NOTE: The schedule below, while as complete as possible, is subject to revision to meet
class needs. All revisions to the schedule will be announced on Canvas.

ALL MAIN QUESTS (MQ) will be due by 11:55 p.m. every Monday.
Week 1 August 20 – August 27 Getting Acquainted with Each Other and the Course

● Introductions & Creating Community

● Submit Syllabus Scavenger Hunt

Week 2 August 27– September 3 Introduction to the Earth Charter

● Read the Earth Charter document

● Submit Earth Charter Reflection

● Interactive Video 1 (IV1)

Week 3 September 3 – September 10 Pillar 1: Respect & Care for the Community of Life
● Discussion Forum 2
● Interactive Video 2 (IV2)

Week 4 September 10 – September 17 Pillar 1: Respect & Care for the Community of Life

● Earth Charter Activity 1

Week 5 September 17 – September 24 Pillar 2: Ecological Integrity & Project Sign Up

● Discussion Forum 3
● Interactive Video 3 (IV3)

Week 6 September 24 – October 1 Pillar 2: Ecological Integrity & Project Brainstorming


& Earth Charter Activity 2

● Project Brainstorming Discussion Forum

● Earth Charter Activity 2

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● Interactive Video 4 (IV4)

Week 7 October 1 – October 8 Project Proposal

● Project Proposal

● Interactive Video 5 (IV5)

Week 8 October 8 – October 15 Project Execution & Midterm Reflection

● Project Execution

● Interactive Video 6 (IV6)

Week 9 October 15 – October 22 Pillar 3: Social & Economic Justice

● Discussion Forum 4

 Project Progress Report 1

Week 10 October 22 – October 29 Pillar 3: Social & Economic Justice

● Earth Charter Activity 3

● Interactive Video 7 (IV7)

 Project Progress Report 2

Week 11 October 29 – November 5 Pillar 4: Democracy, Nonviolence & Peace

● Discussion Forum 5

● Interactive Video 8 (IV8)

 Project Progress Report 3

Week 12 November 5 – November 12 Pillar 4: Democracy, Nonviolence & Peace

● Project Progress Report 4

● Earth Charter Activity 4

● Interactive Video 9 (IV9)

Week 13 November 12 – November 19 Project Presentations

● Project Progress Report 5

● Interactive Video 10 (IV 10)


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● Do SPoL

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY November 21-November 26

Week 14 November 19 – November 26 Project Presentations

● Project Presentations

Week 15 November 26 – December 3 Project Reflection

 Project Reflection

IMPORTANT DATES
Last day to Drop/Withdraw via Gulfline (100% refund): Friday, August 24.
Last day to Drop/Withdraw without academic penalty: Friday, November 2.
Last day to Apply for Grade Forgiveness: Thursday, December 13.

TECHNOLOGY

It is expected that each student will take personal responsibility for developing the skills
necessary to use basic computing applications. Please complete the FGCU Self-assessment
survey to measure your skill level.

Please read the FGCU Minimum Technology Requirements.

These are the privacy policies for external links.


Canvas - https://www.canvaslms.com/policies/privacy (Links to an external site.)Links to an
external site.

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Kaltura - https://corp.kaltura.com/privacy-policy (Links to an external site.)Links to an external
site.
Connect -
http://connect.mheducation.com/connectweb/branding/en_US/default/html/privacy.html (Links
to an external site.)Links to an external site.
Adobe Connect - http://www.adobe.com/privacy/policy-linkfree.html (Links to an external
site.)Links to an external site.
Respondus - https://www.respondus.com/about/privacy.shtml (Links to an external site.)Links
to an external site

Technology Problems
If you experience problems with Canvas, please contact 590-7100 for tech support.

Live support is available at 239-590-7100:


o Monday through Thursday, 8 am - 11 pm
o Friday, 8 am - 6 pm
o Saturday, 8 am - 5 pm
Logging into the Canvas server indicates that you agree to abide by the policies and procedures
set forth in Florida Gulf Coast University's Acceptable Computer and Network Use
Policy. Further, Canvas mail is governed by FGCU email policies set forth in documentation
found at http://eagle.fgcu.edu/policies.html.
If your problems are computer related , please contact the IT staff at 590-1188.

BACKING UP YOUR FILES


If you want to be able to access your files ANYWHERE and anytime, install DROPBOX on
your computer or install DROPBOX on your Smartphone. To access DROPBOX, go to
https://www.dropbox.com/
Alternatively, you can back up your files using Google Drive. You will have to create a gmail
account. Create a folder for each of your courses for organizational purposes.

Office of Student Conduct


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UNIVERSITY STATEMENT REGARDING ACADEMIC BEHAVIOR STANDARDS
AND ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

All students are expected to demonstrate honesty in their academic pursuits. The university
policies regarding issues of honesty can be found in the FGCU Student Guidebook under the
Student Code of Conduct and Policies and Procedures sections. All students are expected to
study this document which outlines their responsibilities and consequences for violations of the
policy. The FGCU Student Guidebook is available online at
http://studentservices.fgcu.edu/judicialaffairs/new.html

E-MAIL USAGE & CORRESPONDENCE STATEMENT

For general matters, if you wish to correspond with me and/or your fellow classmates, use the
Inbox tab in Canvas.
1. Inbox tab to send correspondence

Try to avoid using my faculty email address noted above as I like to keep all course-related
correspondence in the course itself.

You should expect feedback on any correspondence within 24 hours and feedback
on your assignments within 7 days of your submission.

UNIVERSITY POLICY (POLICY 4.005) REGARDING RELIGIOUS


HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATIONS

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All students at Florida Gulf Coast University have a right to expect that the University will
reasonably accommodate their religious observances, practices, and beliefs. Students, upon prior
notification to their instructors, shall be excused from class or other scheduled academic activity
to observe a religious holy day of their faith. Students shall be permitted a reasonable amount of
time to make up the material or activities covered in their absence. Students shall not be
penalized due to absence from class or other scheduled academic activity because of religious
observances. Where practicable, major examinations, major assignments, and University
ceremonies will not be scheduled on a major religious holy day. A student who is to be excused
from class for a religious observance is not required to provide a second party certification of the
reason for the absence.
The link to an interfaith calendar is at http://www.interfaithcalendar.org

A list of the FGCU student services can be located by clicking on the “resources” button in
the blue ribbon on the left-hand side of the browser window.

Incompletes
Incompletes will only be granted when a student has a documented and unavoidable emergency
situation and has completed all course work except for a final project, paper, or exam
(approximately 75% of course work). In cases where students have not finished most of the
course assignments, they will be given the grade earned. In these cases, an "I" is NOT an
appropriate option.

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3/2 Withdrawal Rule: This rule is designed to help students stay on track for timely
graduation.
Beginning Fall 2017, FGCU students will be allowed to withdraw from a maximum of three (3)
lower-level courses (numbered 1000-2999) and two (2) upper-level courses (numbered 3000-
4999) without academic penalty after the drop/add dates. Any W’s that students acquired prior to
Fall 2017 do not count toward this limit. An appeal process will be in place. Withdrawals for
approved extenuating circumstances such as medical reasons and active duty military service
will not count toward this limit.

NOTE: The last day to drop/withdraw from this course without academic penalty is by
Friday, October 19.

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