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Expectations of Students

The model of this course context is a job in "the real world" after graduation, where your team activity represents a contracted project for a client. UT-Austin has a new focus for "Service Learning" courses, and this class is one of the models for this category of course "flagging". This class was the first to receive UT's Service Learning Award. Now there are additional features that are used for course designations, such as for developing leadership skills, and achieving social, ecological and financial sustainability over time. Note that these features are about sustaining the functionality represented in society, ecosystems and economy. This course also is "flagged" to fit these features in the University.

The class format is one of teams working "in the real world" to learn how to manage, to achieve, and maintain a high quality of life for people and other life forms. The project sites may be on campus or in the Austin area, and are approved by the instructor.

If   you are working at Hornsby Bend (Center for Environmental Research), then your client is the City of Austin and your official contact person is Kevin Anderson, the Coordinator of the CER. He requires a written report (such as the team web site) and a copy of your data must be given to him as "hard copy" at the end of the project. Certain formal communication and reporting requirements are mandated by US Homeland Security regulations imposed on the City of Austin. You must adhere to these as required. If you are working on a project elsewhere, a realistic context must become part of your team project plan.

If you are working at another site, the team leader will be responsible to insure the team has permission to be on access-controlled locations, and have contact procedures for any team member if permission, reporting, or other requirements obtain. In all cases, individual safety is a primary consideration for team leaders and individuals on the team. Be sure there is a clear understanding of notification, emergency procedures, and special local requirements.

This class has a 4 hour credit (or 3 hour graduate credit for graduate students).  Typically, after the first 2-4 weeks, the class will meet scheduled lectures and have presentations only once a week as part of these periods.

Remaining class time commitment (for 4-credit hours, 6-8hr per week project work) is for the field or lab activities. Preparation of project reports and assignments require additional time and are a part of your Learning Record "deliverables" or samples. Study and homework is generally estimated to be about 3 hours per credit hour, or about 12 hours a week; thereby class commitment is 2hr per class, 9hr on your project & 12hr prep and reports, a total 23+ hours per week.

Keeping your record of learning and doing the related activities consume most of the semester. Maintaining your Learning Record as directed is a required additional one hour activity per week. In former classes, and potentially in this class, creating a team web is one of the optional activities.  Graduate student expectations are similar, but team leaders have an additional hour a week for meetings with other project leaders (similar to an executive council). Team leaders are required to attend, and team members may attend if they wish. (These meetings often are before or after one of the class periods.)

In summary, the class credit hours translate into actual "work hours" in approximately the following ways:

• Class = 6 hours/wk (lower after projects begin)
   

• Field/lab = 6-9 hours/wk (lower as class approaches the end of semester)
   

• Preparation/assignments = 12 hours/wk (more as class nears completion)
   

• Total class time = 20-26 hours/wk (assuming you maintain efficient working dynamics)
   

Classes are designed to introduce management concepts and techniques, and to review progress. One of the most important habits that you must learn for "real world" work is accountability for your time and work. Each week you must enter into your team "time sheet" (with elaboration of activities and achievements in your personal LR):

• What you have done,
   

• When you did it,
   

• How it related to your team responsibilities,
   

• Description of your contribution to moving the project along the project time line,
   

• and verified by the team leader.
   

• Note deficiencies or surprises will be discussed in your team meetings, and will be part of the minutes of these meetings. You will learn that these meetings are one of the most important characteristics of an effective team (including a marriage), and this note-taking procedure likely will become a characteristic of any significant collaboration you have in the future.

You will learn many skills to accomplish this performance level. When you do, your work will take less time and produce better results.

Keep your Team Coordinator (Analogous to the "Project Manager" if you were working on a formal project) informed about scheduling variations that you need and these are summarized and they become part of the team work schedule. It is each team member's  responsibility to keep their team TC informed about schedule changes so the work needs for your project can be met. Timely and accurate communication is essential. The time and activity record will help document that you are learning to function responsibly in a team. These procedures are part of professionals working on contract jobs, and it will give you a sense of "real world" expectations of professional managers. (Lawyers and consultants often account and charge for their time and work activities in 10 minute intervals.) These schedules of activity are part of your Learning Record documents.

After about two weeks, teams usually will meet once a week as a team group (sometimes including your instructor, TA, or client). The remainder will be associated with your team working at your project site, or elsewhere as appropriate. The typical week requires you to spend around 20 hours on class activities. However, you will need to meter your time and focus your activities to achieve the efficiency of time. Note how your efficiency improves. I recommend that you reserve an additional 15 hours a week and have "flex time" for the unexpected activity needs of your project.

The final determination of individual work schedules will be that you "do whatever it takes" to get your job done well.

Your field and lab work will be monitored and your leader will be evaluating your work each week and make suggestions for improvement. Record these in your LR to document your progress.. A work plan and schedule must be developed to coordinate schedules of all individuals involved, including instructors). As a team, each of you is responsible to plan, coordinate with your team, maintain a record of activities and evaluate the results. The aggregate individual records comprise your team's record. The team, individually and as a whole, is responsible for assuring accuracy and completeness of this record.

You must arrange a specific time for everyone on a team to meet at least once a week (Often the TA or Instructor will monitor the meeting, so you must inform them of the time and location.) This time and location may be modified as necessary to allow everyone to attend.

It is critical that you be present at team meetings; emergency interference must be documented or prior permission of your team leader must be obtained. This meeting time may be in the evening so that it does not conflict with field work. In Texas, the weather often can be disagreeable. You probably need to plan your field work accordingly, and indoor lab work otherwise.

Note the following basic principles of safe and effective field work are required for the CER locations, but all teams are expected to maintain an equivalent notification of the Instructor, TA, or Kevin Anderson as appropriate:

  After the class begins, each meeting in the classroom will include a brief (2 minute) progress update by one member of each team and supply a written copy for each member's LR and one for the class record. These reports record the synopsis of the things you did & observed and what you learned about field techniques during the past week. You will learn from reports of others in the class, and expand the implications of your own learning observations. These meetings are required unless you have specific approval for an alternative report. You are encouraged to discuss what you are learning in class (including your space in Blackboard). Your presentations, and those you hear from others increase awareness of what you are learning and the implications of your activities and projects. These postings -- and the ideas they generate -- are components of what you record in your LR. You may record other observations and include photographs as appropriate in both your project activity log and your LR.

Each team will construct a web site or a written, illustrated report (pdf) that is the documentation of what you do, and this must be completed by April 30. (This record documents what you do, along with your individual learning observations recorded in your LR). Your class grade will not be reported until this web site or final report is completed and approved, and each of you has completed your Self Evaluation as part of your LR. (A copy of your class web should be on a CD.) You must submit these "deliverables" to achieve a passing grade.

Plan to finish this class by April 30^th. This record, with the associated documentation, is an important resource for me if I prepare recommendations for you in the future (job applications, graduate school applications, award applications, etc.)

To get your final grade, your Learning Record, Self Evaluation and team web site must be completed, submitted on a CD, and approved for content and quality. If your project was at the CER, you also turn in a printed copy of your field report to Kevin Anderson for work done at Hornsby Bend.