Introduction to Teaching
NOTE: I have just been awarded a 3 year research fellowship. Therefore, as of the summer of 2007, I will be on teaching leave.
I have spent a large amount of time over the past few years developing course material on the challenges of environmental management. In each case, my goal is to provide students with a framework and the critical insights to explore environmental problems in a proactive and constructive way.
In doing so, I teach quite a bit about specific environmental problems, though given my background this focuses on agriculture, forestry and landuse related issues. I also focus on solutions to these problems such as "sustainable agriculture" and "ecosystem based forestry".
I teach about the challenges of bringing together "experts" and "community" members to develop environmental management plans and help provide students with conceptual tools and frameworks they can use to overcome these problems.
Finally, I spend a lot of effort unpacking the use and mis-use of indicators, highlighting when and how to use data to see if we are moving towards or away from "sustainability.
My courses are quite interactive, and I try to minimize traditional lecture material, focusing instead on problem based learning, workshops, and discussions. For larger undergraduate classes, however, I do rely on lectures quite often.
I also use a range of assessment styles and generally try to avoid the "1 essay, 1 exam" type course that are all too common. Instead, I use policy briefs, group presentations, and oral exams to provide a richer learning experience that tries to mirror how the "real world" works a bit.
Undergraduate
Envi 1110 Environment and Society
This is the core first semester course that all our students take. It is team taught and I provide sessions on landuse and history, environmental ethics, and international policy. This class typically attracts 90 students and is assessed by an exam and an essay. (Taught 2003-2006)
Envi 2025: Environmental Skills
This is a core research methods course that is team taught. I cover qualitative methods and analysis. This class typically attracts about 60 students. (Taught 2005-2006).
ENVI 2370: Poverty and Development
This class introduces students to the link between poverty and development. I provide a number of lectures in this class including ones on sustainable agriculture and the role of urban agriculture to alleviate poverty. (Taught 2003-2007)
ENVI 3420: Sust. Dev. Challenges and Practice.
This is a full year module that uses problem based learning, along with introductory lectures to provide a critical look at how we can achieve sustainable development in six key case studies drawn from agriculture, forestry and urban systems in both "developed" and "developing" worlds. Normally 85 students take this class and are assessed through a short essay, a group presentation, a written policy brief and an oral exam. (Taught 2003-2007)
ENVI 2131: Climate change, social issues
This team taught class is designed to go along side our class on the science of climate change. In it I provide sessions on climate change impacts and vulnerability. (Taught 2003-2007)
Masters
Envi 5280: Sustainable Development, Theoretical Issues
The goal of this small post-graduate seminar is to critically explore a number of the theoretical aspects of sustainable development, and critically reflect on the key publications in the field. This class typically attracts 20 students. (Taught 2003-2005).
Envi 5291: Sustainable Development,practical approaches
The goal of this small post-graduate seminar is to critically explore a case studies where the challenges of sustainable development were very apparent. This class typically attracts 20 students. (Taught 2003-2005).
Envi 5281: Introduction to Sustainability
This is the introductory course for our M.Sc. students and is intended to introduce students to (1) the historical context under which the concept of sustainability has emerged; (2) frameworks we have to assess and discuss sustainability; (3) the way that large scale forces such as land tenure, market economics, policy and society shape behaviour towards or away from sustainability. This class usually attracts about 60 students and is assessed through an essay a group presentation, a written policy brief and a take-home exam. (Taught 2006).
PH.D. Students
Mark Reed (2003-2005)Participatory environmental management in the Kalahari (successfully finished)
David Mkwambisi (2003- )
Urban agriculture in Malawi: a win-win approach (expected finish: mid 2007)
John Atibila (2004- )
Livelihoods and social resilience in the Volta River Basin
David Abson (2006- )
The link between biodiversity and food system resilience.
Gareth Clay (2006-)
The effect of burning on upland England and policies to address problems (co-supervised with F. Worral at U. Durham).