Deadline
Time:
Call for Course Development and Enhancement Proposals Deadline for Proposal Submission
Date:
All Day
Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources Room: TBA
Contact:
Tiffany Heng-Moss , (402) 472-8708, thengmoss2@unl.edu
The Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) has defined goals for innovating agriculture and natural resources to 2025. One of these goals is related to the topic of agricultural literacy and more broadly, science literacy. In response to this goal, the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR) seeks to integrate classroom instruction on food, energy, water and sustainability within the UNL undergraduate curriculum. The Transforming Food and Natural Resources Literacy Innovation Team supports CASNR’s effort to develop educational opportunities for all UNL students that embrace the interrelatedness of agriculture and natural resources as major underpinning elements of a stable society.
The integration of food, energy, water and sustainability within the UNL undergraduate curriculum will be accomplished through a series of introductory-level, ACE-certified courses that focus on important issues and challenges for the future of agriculture (food, energy and water) within the context of natural resource use, management, and long-term global needs and sustainability (Focus of RFP).
Additional activities that will integrate food, energy, water and sustainability within the curriculum include:
1. AGRI 101 – Sustainable Frontiers (3 credits). A systems approach to examining the ecological footprint of our state, our nation and our world. The four spheres that will be used as lenses for this examination are: i) society, population and the quality of life; ii) economics; iii) ecology and natural resources; and iv) agriculture. A range of specific issues will be studied, but the primary focus will be on food, fuel and water. 2. Upper division courses that engage students in investigating and evaluating important issues and challenges for the future of agriculture along with the interrelatedness of agriculture, natural resources and their discipline of study (RFP Spring Semester). 3. Experiential learning opportunities related to food, energy, water and sustainability that utilize a participatory action research approach (RFP Spring Semester). 4. A course for pre- and in-service teachers focused on food, energy and water systems as models for K-12 science instruction. 5. Creation of a Food, Energy, and Water minor.
As a first step toward realizing this vision, CASNR will provide seed funds to develop new courses and/or revise existing courses that address important issues and challenges for the future of agriculture within the context of natural resource use, management, and long-term global needs and sustainability. We anticipate that the first offering of these courses will be during the 2012-2013 academic year and will be supported by $10,000 for planning/development and $5,000 to support the first offering of the course.
Course Features:
¥ Introductory level and available to all students at the University
¥ Learning outcomes for the course directly address and meet ACE guidelines
¥ Systems-approach to teaching and learning
¥ Offered on-campus and through on-line delivery
Guidelines:
The criteria that will be used to evaluate proposals include:
¥ The extent to which the proposed course will:
§ Address important issues and challenges for the future of agriculture (food, energy and water) within the context of natural resource use, management, and long-term global needs and sustainability
§ Incorporate a systems approach to address complex sustainability challenges
§ Receive ACE certification
§ Focus on integration and application of content knowledge
¥ Eligibility: All faculty/units across the campus are eligible and encouraged to submit a proposal. ¥ Appropriateness of budget
§ The maximum amount of support request should not exceed $15,000
§ The $10,000 for course planning can either i) go to the unit in return for releasing the faculty member from one course they would normally teach or from some other duties that are explained in the proposal; or ii) summer salary for the faculty member if the faculty member is on a 9-month appointment and the faculty member chooses to use the summer to develop the course.
§ Acceptance of this funding commits the participating unit to offer the course for at least 5 years.
Proposals should be submitted via e-mail to Tiffany Heng-Moss (thengmoss2@unl.edu) by October 14, 2011. Questions regarding this RFP and/or ideas for courses should be directed to: Tiffany Heng-Moss (thengmoss2@unl.edu, 472-8708).
The integration of food, energy, water and sustainability within the UNL undergraduate curriculum will be accomplished through a series of introductory-level, ACE-certified courses that focus on important issues and challenges for the future of agriculture (food, energy and water) within the context of natural resource use, management, and long-term global needs and sustainability (Focus of RFP).
Additional activities that will integrate food, energy, water and sustainability within the curriculum include:
1. AGRI 101 – Sustainable Frontiers (3 credits). A systems approach to examining the ecological footprint of our state, our nation and our world. The four spheres that will be used as lenses for this examination are: i) society, population and the quality of life; ii) economics; iii) ecology and natural resources; and iv) agriculture. A range of specific issues will be studied, but the primary focus will be on food, fuel and water. 2. Upper division courses that engage students in investigating and evaluating important issues and challenges for the future of agriculture along with the interrelatedness of agriculture, natural resources and their discipline of study (RFP Spring Semester). 3. Experiential learning opportunities related to food, energy, water and sustainability that utilize a participatory action research approach (RFP Spring Semester). 4. A course for pre- and in-service teachers focused on food, energy and water systems as models for K-12 science instruction. 5. Creation of a Food, Energy, and Water minor.
As a first step toward realizing this vision, CASNR will provide seed funds to develop new courses and/or revise existing courses that address important issues and challenges for the future of agriculture within the context of natural resource use, management, and long-term global needs and sustainability. We anticipate that the first offering of these courses will be during the 2012-2013 academic year and will be supported by $10,000 for planning/development and $5,000 to support the first offering of the course.
Course Features:
¥ Introductory level and available to all students at the University
¥ Learning outcomes for the course directly address and meet ACE guidelines
¥ Systems-approach to teaching and learning
¥ Offered on-campus and through on-line delivery
Guidelines:
The criteria that will be used to evaluate proposals include:
¥ The extent to which the proposed course will:
§ Address important issues and challenges for the future of agriculture (food, energy and water) within the context of natural resource use, management, and long-term global needs and sustainability
§ Incorporate a systems approach to address complex sustainability challenges
§ Receive ACE certification
§ Focus on integration and application of content knowledge
¥ Eligibility: All faculty/units across the campus are eligible and encouraged to submit a proposal. ¥ Appropriateness of budget
§ The maximum amount of support request should not exceed $15,000
§ The $10,000 for course planning can either i) go to the unit in return for releasing the faculty member from one course they would normally teach or from some other duties that are explained in the proposal; or ii) summer salary for the faculty member if the faculty member is on a 9-month appointment and the faculty member chooses to use the summer to develop the course.
§ Acceptance of this funding commits the participating unit to offer the course for at least 5 years.
Proposals should be submitted via e-mail to Tiffany Heng-Moss (thengmoss2@unl.edu) by October 14, 2011. Questions regarding this RFP and/or ideas for courses should be directed to: Tiffany Heng-Moss (thengmoss2@unl.edu, 472-8708).