Technology

Accessing the course content for best approaches to learning

Principles of Sustainability is an online course that uses multiple modes of technology to assist in student learning. Doculectures in each of the learning areas form the basis of this experimental pedagogy. A doculecture is a university level lecture, formalized in content, and supported with active media such as subject supportive video, photographs, animations, and occasional text, coupling information intensity with the audiovisual warmth and intensity of a documentary film. The visuals are chosen to help the student experience the subject dimensionally beyond a typical Power Point based lecture. Music and sound are added to assist in this dimensionality. Because the lectures and background sounds are often in stereo, it is highly recommended that the student use headphones, to better experience the virtually enhanced dimension of the production. The doculectures are available in streaming SD and HD (720p) embedded on the Principles of Sustainability course web site. The doculectures are available for direct streaming or download to computers, smart phones or tablets at the Course Web Site using the URL https://webpages.uidaho.edu/sustainability or the Vimeo Home Page for Professor Greg Möller using the URL http://vimeo.com/gregmoller The doculecture videos can also be accessed directly at the Vimeo Channel for Principles of Sustainability using the URL http://vimeo.com/channels/prinsus With this Channel and an internet connection you can also explore doculectures in large screen HD using the media streaming capability of video game consoles (e.g. XBOX, PlayStation, Nintendo), streaming media players (e.g. ROKU), streaming media capable Blu-Ray DVD players, or newer internet enabled televisions (Internet Protocol television, IPTV). This approach requires accessing the Vimeo Channel for the course. Doculectures, with surround-sound and virtual elements, are optimized for headphones, and may sound "theater-mode" on stereo speakers; however home theater surround-sound systems can improve sound quality if used.

Accessing a doculecture for mobile learning

Regardless of the bandwidth of your computer or media device connection, it is advisable to let the whole doculecture load before viewing. You can do this by clicking the PLAY button and then clicking PAUSE, noting the PLAYBAR as the video loads. This may take several minutes, and your patience will be rewarded with a smoother playback. HD video requires more computer processor resources, so please try to match your viewing with your available hardware resources. Knowing your native screen resolution will help decide the best display size for a doculecture. Most course video streaming from VIMEO will have a SCALING IS ON/OFF control button in the upper left of the screen when you use the EXPAND key feature (appears as four arrows in a square) on the PLAYBACK BAR will usual make the video to your full screen dimension. If your screen resolution is greater than 720p in the vertical dimension, the video will be stretched larger than its native resolution and picture quality will degrade. Toggling SCALING OFF will relax the video to its expanded but native resolution. All doculectures are enabled for full video downloading; you are able to download full 1080p video, but it will take time as many will be >1GB in file size. We are designing this course with the future in mind and having the native 1080p HD doculectures available for full file download to computers, as well as smart phone optimized formats, are a part of this strategy. Direct doculecture file download is found at the Vimeo Home Page for Professor Greg Möller using the URL http://vimeo.com/gregmoller

Taking notes the "old school" way

Students used to courses with available Power Point notes handouts from the professor will need to adjust their approach to learning, as this course is Power Point-free. The information intensity of the lectures requires good note taking during the doculecture, an “old-school” approach, and a good approach to learning. Good note taking will enhance your inter-activity with the material. Although a doculecture rarely exceeds thirty-minutes, the information presented is highly compressed and intensive, and often more typical of a standard fifty-minute course lecture. The pause and replay button on the video may be handy for material that is more complex for your particular background. A study guide will be available for each Chapter Part to assist in outlining your notes.

Assigned readings and homework

Supplemental reading and a short homework is assigned for all Chapter Parts. For students wanting to explore the subject further, additional readings and resources are linked. Some non-public support resources, all home works, and any enrolled student interactive class support will be available in the Blackboard Learning Management System area of the course.