Course Syllabus Larc 453 - 2014
Course Goals and Objectives
This semester we will work on the University of Idaho campus in Moscow and produce a master plan for the arboretum. UI facilities, various commitees on campus and an independent ogranization are interested in the product of this studio. Students will have the unique opportunity to work in a reality-charged environment and to present design ideas for evaluation by the campus community. Click the Project 1link, left, for a detailed project statement.
Learning Objectives
Your professor has defined the following learning objectives for this course and ask that you adopt and use them to evaluate the effectiveness of the course at its completion. The headings below relate to the UI strategic plan.
1. Practice Citizenship through engagement with community partners and through the venue of community projects students will : A) Apply design skills in a reality charged atmosphere. B) Integrate knowledge from other courses with particular emphasis on sustainability (we will use readings and research in this course to help define sustainability).
2. Clarify Purpose and Perspective – Address significant social, environmental, and cultural challenges and their natural environments creatively.
3. Think and Create - Apply critical thinking skills to consider diverse points of view, question, analyze, interpret, evaluate and make informed design decisions about community contexts and design projects.
4. Improve Communication Skills and cultivate verbal, graphic and written communication skills that are directed to audiences who are not landscape architects
or architects.
Required Reading
Required readings are indicated on the course calendar. The course web site offers a range of topics of general interest to professionals. Use these supplemental presentations to broaden or clarify your understanding. Evidence that the principles discussed in the required readings and web presentations have been incorporated into the master and focus plan proposals is required. Your instructors will look for the application of concepts from the readings and web presentations in their evaluation of your project's effectiveness.
Studio Experience
Because you are seniors preparing to enter the professional world, professional behavior and accountability is expected. As seniors, you should demonstrate maturity and responsibility for completing class activities on time and being prepared for every class meeting.
Students should have something to show for each class meeting. Be prepared to use each 3-hour studio period effectively. Bring all equipment and supplies that you will need to continue your design work. Bring all sketches, drawings, and models for the given project.
Environment and Studio Culture
It is important to maintain a positive, creative learning environment for all who share the space. Your classmates collectively represent a wealth of knowledge and a variety of personal, professional and educational backgrounds. As a student you would be wise to recognize that there is much that you can learn from these individuals in addition to what you will learn from your instructors. This group learning is in fact central to the historical success of the studio as a pedagogical tool. The studio should be a place where ideas are shared and discussed freely, and where competitive instincts are positively applied toward excellent work throughout the group as a whole rather than toward the shortsighted benefit of any one individual.
Social Environment
Be respectful to other students, faculty, staff and any outside visitors.
Physical Environment
- Be aware of the acoustic properties of the shared space
- Avoid using toxic substances, such as spray fixative in the studio.
- If you wish to listen to music in studio, use headphones
- Turn off your cell phone in studio.
- Clean up after yourself.
E-mail and Outside Communication
Given that we have nine scheduled hours to meet each week, most communication can take place within studio. If you need to communicate outside of class, email is the best method in most cases. Office hours are the best to discuss issues that are private, complex, and/or not directly related to class.
Important course information is delivered by the course web site and by email. Maintain space in your email mailbox and check daily. If you email, please write 'Larc 453' in the subject line and include your full name.
Course Standards
Grading Criteria
Students will be evaluated according to the following criteria for each project:
- Quality and Appropriateness of Concept
- Technical Integration
with particular emphasis on sustainability
- Degree of Completeness
- Quality of Presentation-verbal, written graphic
- Degree of interdisciplinary collaboration as evidenced in design
- Evidence of concepts from the readings
- Individual Participation (professionalism)
| Project #1
|
% |
| Research |
10 |
| Master Plan |
35 |
Focus project
|
40 |
| Professionalism, participation
|
15 |
| Total |
100 |
Grades will be assigned as follows:
A Excellent, complete design and presentation. Excellent communication. Significant contribution to all class activities.
B Good, complete design and presentation. Good communication. Full participation in all class activities.
C Design and presentation meet minimum requirements, but are somewhat incomplete or lacking in quality. Fair communication. Minimal participation in class activities.
D Incomplete or poorly executed design and presentation. Communication is somewhat problematic. Little or no participation in class activities.
F Incomplete work, work that does not fulfill assignment, work not completed on time. Lack of communication and lack of participation in scheduled class activities.
Participation
Each student is expected to actively participate in their education by requesting critiques in every studio period dedicated to them. The student is expected to ask questions or offer comments that increase understanding of the material during class discussions. Time has been set aside outside of the regular class hours for discussion or additional help from the professors. Please use this opportunity to clarify points that you don't understand, locate information on areas of particular interest, or discuss personal problems affecting your performance in this class.
Each team will earn a single project grade for group portion of projects. However, excessive absences from studio by an individual will undermine the team’s capacity to function. Please be responsible for informing team member of impending absence and complete your portion of team efforts before the absence. More than one absence from studio before the midterm is considered excessive and may impact may result in a 15% reduction in your midterm grade. Your participation will be evaluated according to our observations as professors and the individual and collective evaluations of your team members. Although evaluations by your team members will remain anonymous, they will factor into your grade.
If you miss a field trip you are required to visit the site and do the assignment on your own time.
Attendance
Class meets MWF 2:30-5:30. Attendance is mandatory. Many activities will require group interaction, so you must be in class to participate. Excessive unexcused absences (more than three during the semester) will have a significant impact on the final grade.
If, for any reason, you are unable to attend, provide written confirmation. Contact your classmates for any assignments that you may have missed - you are expected to be responsible for all material and assignments discussed during formal studio meetings. Please contact your professors, by email, or phone, if you will not be able to attend class.
Late Work
Late work may be penalized 10% for each 48 hours after the due date and time. There are valid reasons that a project might be late. Consult your professors before the due date if there are circumstances that prevent timely completion of a project. Presentation of the master plan and focus projects is critical.
Incomplete Grades
Medical as well as some family or personal circumstances are grounds for an incomplete grade in this course. To be awarded an incomplete you must have completed 60% of the course with a grade of 60% or better. You must resolve an incomplete within six weeks after the beginning of the subsequent semester. Failure to do so (or to apply for an extension) automatically results in an F on your transcript.
Retention of Student Work
The professor may retain student projects as documentation of the course or as examples for future students. You may photograph or otherwise copy retained material by making an appointment with your professor.
Disability Support Services
Reasonable accommodations are available for students who have documented temporary or permanent disabilities. All accommodations must be approved through Disability Support Services located in the Idaho Commons Building, Rm. 306 in order to notify your instructor(s) as soon as possible regarding accommodations(s) needed for the course.
Phone:
885-6307.
Email: dss@uidaho.edu
Website: www.access/idaho.edu
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