nathan bowden na.bowden@avans.nl minor environmental geography university of applied science

Nathan BowdenNa.bowden@avans.nl

Minor Environmental Geography

University of Applied Science

Meet the lecturers

Minor Environmental Geography

• Builds on previous coursework from: Ecology, Environmental Geography, GIS, Biodiversity, Environmental Science and Water Management

• Combination of Computer work (GIS) and field work

Virtual Minor• Guided computer learning

• (virtual) meetings 2 times a week

• All coursework materials are online...

• BUT computer rooms, meeting rooms and laboratories will be reserved for you!

Advantages for students•Flexibility

• Lessons are recorded and online• Assignments and study material all online• Study anytime and anywhere (but still need to

meet deadlines)•Less travel – Students from outside Breda (KoM)•Ability for international students to stay at home

• Financially attractive• Local Jobs

Minor Course and Project Schedule per week

• Assignments on Blackboard• Courses – 4 to 6 assignments per course. No exams.• Project – 2 assignments in the first two weeks

• Theory Report – due at the end of week 2• Advice Report – due in week 5• Blog – Weekly updates and final report

• Nl: https://mysteryofsand.wordpress.com/• Sp: https://emilio01blog.wordpress.com/

• Student Presentations – Big blue button

Project Deliverables

Student population

Number of students total: 17Student source: 4 KoM, 9 ATGM, 4 Science without bordersATGM Students who were abroad during the minor:•Budapest, Hungary – 2•N. Spain – 1•Romania – 1Project groups were mixed: •All groups had at least 1 student abroad•All groups had at least one KoM student•For one project 1 student abroad had individual project

Virtual Lessons – Big Blue Button (BBB)

Scheduled in a computer classroom•About half in attendance physically•About half in attendance virtually

Presentation given on BBBRecorded with Snagit (Screen capture software)Uploaded to YoutubeImbedded in Blackboard for student review

Project Meetings•Google Hang-out enhanced•Facebook as project group work area

Project Workshops – Computer Workshops

Workshops are scheduled in computer locations

Blackboard•Assignment•Materials (software, instructions)

Youtube•Instructional Videos•Presentations

Big Blue Button•Live instruction for student guidance•Not recorded

Project Workshops – Video Presentation/BBB with Client

Big blue button presentation•The same as a “normal” BBB presentation•Is also recorded and put up on youtube/Blackboard•Clients in the minor

• Water Board Brabant Delta• Nature Monuments• Wageningen UR – Biobased Chemistry and Technology

Self EvaluationAttendance:Pro: Class attendance was almost always 100%Con: Were they attentive?Tip: In class assignments (before the break give a question and after the break get a response)

CommunicationPro: Flexibility!Con: Technology dependent (and sometimes things go wrong)Tip: Students (abroad especially) need to have the right equipment. Everyone needs to have basic accounts (Facebook, Google+, Avans account)

Virtual InteractionsPro: Students are technology fluent...everything went amazingly well (above expectations)Con: Set-up time is longer. More support needed. Sometimes technology fails! Hangouts with only one virtual student were physically awkward.

Student evaluationsStudents were very content•Average of 8.8•Only one score below an 8 (it was a 7.5)

Feedback•Questions: What do you think goes well during this online class?

• “That it is online”• “Nathan’s voice is clear and I can understand him well”• “The presentation is easy to follow and he answers most of the

questions that people ask in the chat”• “He is open-minded and uses a lot of humor, which is fine and

makes it interactive (the chat also is very handy”•Question: Any points of improvement?

• “No don’t think so• “He sometimes used the webam but I actually clicked that away

onces because it was distracting me• “yeah me too...any way we should only look at the presentation I

guess”

Questions and Big Blue Button demo