Environmental Science 1
The Human Impact on the Natural World
Course Syllabus 

Assignments Philosophy - The Portfolio

ALL assignments should be typed, using 11 or 12 point fonts, double-spaced, and with 1-inch margins all around. Each assignment should have a cover page clearly identifying the class and the assignment. Use recycled paper and print on both sides (including the cover sheet) if you can. Contact the instructor if you need to know how to get recycled paper or how to print on both sides.

The main goal of this class is to create an environment in which you can practice thinking critically about your life and your world. One of the reasons why you came back to school, whether explicitly or implicitly, is to develop your "intellect." Most people don’t develop their intellect – they are not in charge of their thinking or their ideas. They use intellect to justify infantile, egocentric, and destructive behaviors. For example, we all rationalize our use of resources (our cars, boats, planes, etc.). We need our car to get to work. But if we are truly thinking "critically," we would have to conclude that in order to preserve our health and the health of others, we must live closer to where we work and work only in ways that support our health and planet. But we don’t. Instead, we unconsciously pick up what people around us think, what is on television or in the movies, or from the families we were raised in. We are products of a process we did not select.

To change these things, we must work to think consciously, deliberately, and skillfully if we are to take charge of the ideas that run one’s life.

Whenever you are doing an assignment for this class, whether inside the classroom or out, constantly ask yourself, would an outside observer watching you closely conclude that you were engaged in "taking charge of your mind, your ideas, and your thinking?" Or would they conclude that you were merely going through the motions of doing an assignment and trying to get by with the minimum possible. It is obvious which observation suggests critical thinking.

The Process

You will build a "portfolio" of work for this class. There is work due for each class session. You must come to class with the work completed in order to effectively participate in the activities planned for the session. The goal of the portfolio is to amass evidence of your ability to think and reason critically about the world around you and your participation in it. "Evidence" is something that makes something "evident." Always ask yourself, "what does my writing make "evident?"

Examples of flaws in reasoning:

We will form small groups in the class. For each class, the groups will read and critique each other’s papers. One paper will be selected from each group for presentation to the class. From the discussion, everyone has the opportunity to correct their work and improve their reasoning if needed.