GEOG 1N - Global Parks and Sustainability
This is a sample syllabus.
This sample syllabus is a representative example of the information and materials included in this course. Information about course assignments, materials, and dates listed here is subject to change at any time. Definitive course details and materials will be available in the official course syllabus, in Canvas, when the course begins.
Overview
In this course, we will use parks and protected areas – both in the U.S. and internationally – as a framework for exploring broader themes of sustainability, conservation, and socio-ecological systems. We will use case studies that exemplify national (U.S.) and international parkscapes (i.e., parks and protected areas embedded within complex landscapes) that convey stories of evolving attitudes and approaches toward conservation. These stories will help explain the historical, transitioning, and future role of conservation in societies shaped by local ecologies, conflict, and change. The course can be applied toward Penn State’s General Education “Social and Behavioral Sciences” (GS), International Cultures (IL) requirements.
In this course we will:
- Explore the history of parks and protected areas globally, including the development of the U.S. National Park system, and the globalization of conservation and sustainability ideas.
- Examine globally representative case studies to assess how parks and protected areas are part of both social and ecological landscapes (“parkscapes”).
- Assess new challenges and opportunities for conservation in an era of rapid change.
- Evaluate the history, current socio-ecological condition, and future approaches to sustainability for a particular global parkscape.
Objectives
Students who excel in this course are able to:
- Describe why the idea of ‘wilderness’ is both influential and contested
- Explain temporal and spatial trends in national and international conservation management
- Compare and contrast modern conservation approaches
- Illustrate a parkscape as a coupled socio-ecological system
- Identify key drivers of future ecological change affecting park management
Required Materials
Typically, there are no required materials for this course. If this changes, students will find a definitive list in the course syllabus, in Canvas, when the course begins.
Yellowdig Discussion Platform (fee based)
Prerequisites
None
Expectations
We have worked hard to make this the most effective and convenient educational experience possible. How much and how well you learn is dependent on your attitude, diligence, and willingness to ask for clarifications or help when you need them. We are here to help you succeed. Please keep up with the class schedule and take advantage of opportunities to communicate with us and with your fellow students. You can expect to spend an average of 8 - 10 hours per week on class work.
Major Assignments
This course will rely on a variety of methods to assess and evaluate student learning, including:
- 15 Quizzes (37.5% of total course grade)
- Weekly Yellowdig discussion posts (25% of total course grade)
- Parkscape Project (37.5% of total course grade)
This includes an individual assignment, timeline, group report, concept map, and story map. In this project, you will integrate material from the course into a digital story map. You will be assigned to a project group. Your group story map will tell the story of a conservation landscape (or parkscape) that will explore, describe, and document several themes.
Course Schedule
| Module | Week | Topic | Assignment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | History and Key Concepts, Lesson 1: Wilderness Support |
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| 1 | 2 | History and Key Concepts, continued, Lesson 2: Wilderness Critique |
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| 1 | 3 | History and Key Concepts, continued, Lesson 3: History of U.S. National Parks |
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| 1 | 4 | History and Key Concepts, continued, Lesson 4: Globalization |
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| 1 | 5 | History and Key Concepts, continued, Lesson 5: Public Use |
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| 1 | 6 | History and Key Concepts, continued, Lesson 6: Sustainability |
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| 2 | 7 | Parkscapes, Lesson 7: Corridors |
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| 2 | 8 | Parkscapes, continued, Lesson 8: Partnerships and Governance |
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| 2 | 9 | Parkscapes, continued, Lesson 9: Biodiversity and Human Health |
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| 2 | 10 | Parkscapes, continued, Lesson 10: Poaching |
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| 2 | 11 | Parkscapes, continued, Lesson 11: Water Policy |
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| 3 | 12 | Novel Parkscapes, Lesson 12: Climate Change |
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| 3 | 13 | Novel Parkscapes, continued, Lesson 13: Urban Parks |
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| Final Project | 14 - 15 | Final Project Work |
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