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Sustainable Solutions in North American Rural Communities

This seminar explores rural sustainability with a focus on North America. Key topics include course modules, reading materials, lecture content, web-based sessions, and discussion moderation protocols. Language issues, reflection papers, and grading rubrics are also discussed.

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Sustainable Solutions in North American Rural Communities

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  1. Seminar on Rural Sustainability - A North American Perspective Alex Mayer, Michigan Technological University

  2. Welcome!

  3. Completing the course modules • Given that we are still missing many of the course modules, we should decide if • some universities will not participate this year? • we should re-assign the modules? • we should cancel the course?

  4. Amount of reading material • Should agree to a broad limit on the number of pages of reading for each module?

  5. Course module language issues • Did we decide that the course materials would be in English? • Should we provide vocabulary words in English and Spanish?

  6. Web-based lectures • 90 minutes of content for each module + 90 minutes of discussion = 3 hours contact time per week. • Content can consist of lectures (powerpoint + audio + video), movies, etc. • Brian: lectures can be produced with software such as “Camtasia.” • Software can generate video files (e.g. mp4) that can be linked to course website.

  7. Moderating the discussion sessions • Recall the format of the discussion sessions • Students from each university will lead the web‐based discussion two times during the course by presenting • a 15‐minute summary of the week’s topics and • a series of questions on which to focus the discussion • Open, but moderated discussion will follow the presentation.

  8. Moderating the discussion sessions, continued • Again, did we decide that the discussion sessions should be primarily in English? • We should note that the languages issues and general awkwardness of electronic sessions: • Go slowly, simplify language and keep comments brief. • We could try to provide translation for at least some of the discussion. • Also, note that we can record the Connect Pro sessions.

  9. Moderating the discussion sessions, continued • Will we be able to see the speakers on camera? • Proposed discussion protocol: • Only one site microphone is open at a time. • If a “site” wants to speak, the site (module moderator) “raises its hand.” • Electronic moderator (Alex?) recognizes order of raised hands and opens and closes site microphone in that order. • And/or the site moderator for current module could ask electronic moderator to open and close site microphone in that order.

  10. A few other issues • Should we require reflection papers, or at least provide reflection questions, for case study modules? • For the final synthesis paper, could we ask students to connect the two halves of the course in an attempt to explain the general concepts of rural sustainability? • Should we come up with a common rubric for grading the reflection and synthesis papers? • E.g.: 20% for spelling and grammar; 30% for organization; 50% for depth of analysis

  11. Anything else?

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