Instructor: Dr. Steven L. Fales |
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Overview of the Course:
Where will tomorrow's agricultural leaders come from? We believe that some of them are enrolled in this course. As leaders, you will be faced with many complex issues. Further, you will function in a much different environment today than even 5 years ago. Agricultural practices, programs, and policies are no longer developed or applied in an "agriculturalist" vacuum. Today, groups whose major interest and training is not in agriculture are affecting agricultural practices and programs. These groups range from large national associations such as the National Audubon Society to concerned private citizen groups. There is a high probability that the members of these groups do not have the same level of training or technical knowledge as the practicing agriculturalist. What then is the basis for their involvement? What is the basis for their concern(s)? If their concerns are not technically or scientifically valid, should they be dismissed?
It can be argued that some agricultural issues have less to do with agriculture than with values of some segments of society. In some cases agriculture and its consumption of natural resources is only one component of a larger set of these issues. In this scenario, how do we go beyond simply stating how we "feel" about an issue. How do we decide on courses of action? How do we go about solving the problem or reaching a compromise?
The purpose of this course is to introduce you to some important agricultural issues, provide you a conceptual framework within which to evaluate these issues, and allow you to become intimately familiar with an issue highly important to you.
The goals of this course are to:
- Introduce students to a set of agricultural issues and, in so doing, illustrate various technical, social, and ethical components underlying these issues.
- Help students learn to evaluate data and information sources for applicability, bias, and quality.
- Induce students to logically assess these agricultural issues, including a critical analysis of the information presented.
- Provide students with the opportunity to research agricultural issues, define the problem(s), develop potential solutions to these problems, and communicate that information to a group in a professional manner.
Course Schedules and Lesson Timetable
Due dates for lessons 1 through 4 are on weekly intervals. You are provided approximately 2½ weeks for each of the next four lessons (5 through 8). Check the SNS for when the outline, project draft, and final term project is due. In addition, there are 2 submission dates for project drafts scheduled during the semester. Lesson starting dates and submission dates for discussions and assignments are noted below and in your calendar. Assignments 5.1, 6.1, 7.1, and 8.1 MUST BE submitted by the posted dates to enable the subsequent discussions. You are welcome to submit assignments before the due dates and I encourage you to look ahead at these lessons.
Discussion is critical for an issues course. The regularity and quality of your submissions will be considered in the approximate 26% of the course total score assigned to discussion via the discussion board with the class. You are encouraged to post to the discussion board whenever you have an interesting topic applicable to the class or a question for your instructor or classmates. Discussion must be posted by the dates listed. Note that for lessons 5 through 8, discussion is required within a set time frame. Discussion points must be posted during that time to enable you and your classmates to complete the final assignment in that lesson.
Term Project
Proposal for Addressing an Important Agricultural Issue in your Profession
- Choose an agricultural issue that you believe will affect your business/profession in the near future. This should be a real issue for you and/or your company---one for which a suitable course of action must be determined. You should choose a problem/issue (or part of a problem/issue) that you could influence. You should choose a professional issue that is important to you.
- Present an outline for your written proposal by the fourth week of the semester. This is, of course, an outline of your intended full proposal and should therefore address the important issues discussed later in this document relative to the complete proposal. I will review this proposal within one week of the due date and provide suggestions as appropriate.
- Research the factors related to the issue/problem. The Internet provides a wealth of information and, I realize, is one of your most available resources. You are encouraged to use all credible information resources available to you including, refereed (peer reviewed) articles, people within your company, clients, university or industry researchers, crop consultants, and extension specialists as you research your topic/issue. You will be expected to use the tools presented in this course to help evaluate the information provided.
- Develop a course of action
- Include justification
- Consider the effects of the issue/problem on all those potentially affected.
- Will all benefit or will there be some "losers" and "winners"? Another way to think about this is: what are the potential benefits of the course of action and what are the risks associated with your course of action?
- Present a complete proposal (email a Microsoft Word Document to the instructor) at the end of the term. Both an outline draft and a draft of the paper are due earlier in the semester. These will allow me to provide you feedback and revise your proposal. Your report should
- define the issue (from all pertinent perspectives),
- explain why it should be addressed, and outline your plan for addressing the problem or issue.
- In addition, your report should consider the outcomes that are likely to occur as a result of taking your approach to the issue/problem as well as those that may result from taking other courses of action. These outcomes should include the potential consequences for the various people or groups (including but not limited to your company, point-of-view, or group) affected by this issue/problem.
- Include a plan for monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of your proposed action.
- Be sure to discuss the ethical, technical, and economic considerations of this decision, too.
- The report should include citations of all sources of information used in its development.
- From your written proposal develop a concise, well-designed PowerPoint that you could use to present your ideas.
**Provide an addendum (Microsoft Word document) to the instructor discussing if and how this presentation would be changed when presented to customers, special interest groups, or other clientele.
Course Grading System
Your course grade will be composed of the following components:
| Assignments | ~50% | |
| Discussions | ~30% | |
| Term Project | ~20% | |
| Total | 100% |
| A | 90% and above | |
| B | 80-89% | |
| C | 70-79% | |
| D | 60-69% | |
| F | Below 60% |
Introduction Assignment
Assignment Calendar: Check when this an other assignments are due on the SNSCompose your introduction within the Main Discussion Topic area of the SNS. Briefly, tell me about your academic and career background. I would be interested in knowing how a M.S. degree in Agronomy fits into your career goals. I am also interested in your personal background. This helps me understand you and your motivations even better. I am looking forward to a great semester!