Schedule
 
Belize Project course
CDAE195/ESCI-430
Spring 2007

updated 2-1-07

Problem solving courses are by their nature flexible.  We may change this schedule significantly as the course proceeds. We will try to provide detailed outlines of what to expect at least a week ahead of schedule, so you know what to expect.

Jan 9:

TOPIC: Introductions, Course Outline, Previous Projects, Potential Partners
•    Who are you?
•    What’s your major?
•    Share something about an international experience you’ve had (even if it’s just a family vacation in the Bahamas) and something you learned from it

History of the UVM/Belize relationship
  • Deep Ford
  • Dan Baker
  • Tom Hudspeth

Previous year projects: St. Lucia, Dominica

  • Watersheds
  • Consumer education
  • Energy efficiency, hydro
Possible partners:
Guard Institute, Rotary Club, Tumul K'in, etc.

Development theories

Introduction to development-Gary Flo
Presentation on growth

Assignment:

For Next time:
read GDAE: (Macroeconomics in context)
macroeconomics and development


HW:  Review questions page 15-26
One page minimum.
Jan 11

TOPIC: Theories of Development
Project presentation: Aids, pregnancy project among Creole women

 ppts:
 Introduction to TINA-the Washington consensus of development
Bretton Woods origin

Assignment


Due: Macro chapter 15 review questions

For next time:
Research a development theory and report back in groups
LOIS-Locally Owned Import Substitution
Human capabilities-Amartya Sen
Indigenous-(Mayan)
UN Development Program (UNDP)
Dependency Theory

Globalization websites link: pro & anti

Read article on Globalization:

Pro-Globalization
Anti-globalization

Jan 16

TOPIC:  BELIZE HISTORY, Sustainable Development Issues, discussion of Globalization

Assignment

Due: Presentation on development theories.

For next time:
  • Select one issue related to development (there are many), that is of interest to you and come to class prepared to make a brief (5 minute) presentation on that issue. Analyze how it relates to one of the 5 development theories listed above. 
You may need to do a bit of outside research to make your presentation complete.  Email one page electronic copy to gary.flo@uvm.edu or submit written copy in class.

Other Resources: (Library Reserve Desk)
A History of Belize, Assad Shoman
Readings in Belize History, Krohn and Salam 

Jan 18

TOPIC:  BELIZE HISTORY, Sustainable Development Issues

Project presentation: Challilo dam/BCONGO, WEBAD

Assignment

Due: Discussion of Belize History sustainable development issues

For next time:
Choose a topic of interest and research the topic in more depth:
Prepare a summary of development issues for class.  Analyze how it relates to one of the 5 development theories listed above.  Submit one page.

Protected Areas, Young, Horwich
Emigration-Straughan
Crime-Rosberg
Economic Development -Richardson
Human Rights-Moore
Coral Reef-McField, Bood
Environment-Gonzales
Jan 23

TOPIC: 25th anniversary issues of development

Project presentation: environmental projects





Assignment
Due: Discussion of 25yr issues. submit paper on 25 yr issues


For next time:
Belize Trade Report

Principal U.S. exports (to Belize): (top 5 by 4-digit tariff item)
- 6203 men’s or boy’s trousers and shorts of cotton, etc.
- 8703 motor cars and other motor vehicles
- 4819 paper box cartons, cardboard boxes
- 2309 inputs used in animal feed
- 1001 wheat and meslin

Principal U.S. imports (from Belize): (top 5 by 4-digit tariff item)
- 0306 crustaceans (shrimps and prawns, frozen), etc.
- 2009 fruit juices, concentrated
- 6203 men’s or boys’ suits, ensembles, etc.
- 1701 raw cane sugar
- 6211 track suits and swimwear
(Sources: Central Statistical Office, Belize Ministry of Finance; and Research Department, Central Bank of Belize.) from:
US Commercial Country Guide-Belize 2001

Choose an import item for Import substitution.  Determine how much the trade deficit would be reduced.  (Subtract the $$value of import from trade deficit.) Use an additional source beside the ones shown here.

Write up assigment and email to gary.flo@uvm.edu or submit in class. One page minimum.
Jan 25

TOPIC: Trade deficit, import substitution
Introduction to applied problem-solving and projects-based coursework
How do we go about solving a problem?

Additional project choices
Project presentation: Rotary Club Projects
 Assignment
Due: LOIS assignment

For next time:
Choose a problem to work on:

poverty
education
employment
sanitation/trash
health/HIV
corruption
gender equality
environment

Submit following answers one page minimum
1. What is the problem?
2. What are the resources needed?
3. Who are the stakeholders?
3. What are the most important elements of the problem?
4.  List of alternatives for solving the problem

Jan 30

TOPIC: Continue problem discussion.

Assignment
Due: Problem discussion

For next time: Research your problem or project of choice:
Do a literature review of the topic.  Look at all the research you can find on the topic.  Make a bibliography.
Compile a list of organizations working on the issue (public, private, government, non-profit, etc.)
Feb 1

TOPICS: Rotary, Service learning (Conor), Begin Project selection
Assignment:
Due: Turn in list of organizations working on the problem.
Submit list of research sources found so far

For next time: Work on Project proposal in groups.
Use form:
Project proposal form

Feb 6

TOPIC:  Discuss draft project proposals.  Continue brain storming session that leads to group meetings and team formation during the week.

 



Assignment:

Due:  Project Proposal draft
ii. Figure out why it hasn’t been solved before (i.e. State of knowledge – is it lack of data, ineffective policy, economic forces)
iii. Identify how your project will affect it.

For next time: Begin a literature review of the topic.  Do literature review with correct citation format.  Begin integrating lit review into a statement of the problem. Start broad, narrow down to specific problem in Belize, then conclude with specific goal/objectives that you describe in your contract.
 
Continue meeting in groups. 
Contact partners in Belize to develop project
Feb 8

Topic:
Discuss Literature reviews
Assignment:
Due: Draft literature review

For next time: Continue working on literature review and project proposal

Feb 13

TOPIC:
Discuss literature reviews
Communicating results-Meg Ashman will give a presentation on how to give a presentation.

Assignment:

Due:  Literature review due, with correct citation format

For next time:  Complete project Proposal.  Prepare ppt presentation on your proposal.  Format:
  1. Problem statement
  2. Review of literature
  3. Project description
  4. How project addresses problem + MDG
Feb 15

TOPIC:

Presentations on projects (5 groups, each group has 10-15 minutes to present proposal)



Assignment:

Due-Final project proposals and Powerpoint Presentation on project due.  Integrate literature review into Project Proposal.
Format:

Use format above.  Final presentation will have this format:
  1. Problem statement
  2. Review of literature
  3. Background work (i.e. including literature review, identification of partner, interviews, etc.)
  4. A quick caption of work done in previous years by UVM and how this impacted your objectives.)
  5. Project description
  6. How project addresses problem + MDG
  7. Work in Belize(e.g., surveys, interviews, etc.)
  8. Results and implications (i.e., what did you find out and what do the results mean in terms of addressing the problem?)
  9. Future actions recommended (i.e.,what do we believe our partners should do as a result of our findings? What should future UVM classes do to continue the work?)


For next time:  Begin developing contract with partner

Feb 20
TOPIC:

Work on partner contract

Assignment

Due: Draft contract with partner

For next time: Finalize partner contract
Feb 22

TOPIC:
Discuss Project Partner contracts

Assignment

Due: Final Partner Contract due


Feb 27
Assignment:
Work on projects
March 1

 Assignment:
Due: Report on Projects

For next time: Contract with signatures, timeline
preliminary budget

March 6

TOPIC:

Timeline and Budget

Assignment:

Due: Final contract with timeline
Preliminary budget

For March 13: Finalize budget
March 8

 Work on projects, finalize budget

March 13

TOPIC: Report on Project work

ppt Taxonomy of Cultures

Assignment

Due: submit final budget
For March 20:
March 15

 Work on projects

March 20

TOPIC:  Report on Project work

 

Assignment

Report on project work
March 22

 work on projects

March 27

Topic:  Report on Project work

 

Assignment
Report on project work
March 29


 work on project work

April 3

TOPIC:  Report on Project work

.

Assignment:
Report on project work
April 4-9 spring recess

April 10:

TOPIC: Report on Project work

 

Assignment:
April 12:

Assignment: Prepare ppt presentation to partners
April 17
TOPIC: PRACTICE PRESENTATIONS

Assignment:
Due: ppt presentation

For next time: Revise powerpoint and practice after practice comments
April 19

TOPIC: PRESENTATION TO PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS
LAST CLASS
Assignment:
Due: Final Presentation for partners

For next time: Finish final report
Thursday, April 26th
TOPIC: FINAL PROJECT PAPER DUE

Friday, April 27th
REFLECTION AND GROUP EVALUATION DUE

Workbook Step 6, page 142 Synthesizing Results

Final paper, reflection, group evaluation due at 5PM. email to gary.flo@uvm.edu

  1. Problem statement
  2. Review of literature
  3. Background work (i.e. including literature review, identification of partner, interviews, etc.)
  4. A quick caption of work done in previous years by UVM and how this impacted your objectives.)
  5. Project description
  6. How project addresses problem + MDG
  7. Work in Belize(e.g., surveys, interviews, etc.)
  8. Results and implications (i.e., what did you find out and what do the results mean in terms of addressing the problem?)
  9. Future actions recommended (i.e.,what do we believe our partners should do as a result of our findings? What should future UVM classes do to continue the work?)
  10. Project budget as appendix



We agreed that this would be the outline for the written report, and the oral presentation, which might be less detailed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Group Evaluation form

Reflection questions:

What did you learn about:
1) Sustainable Development
2) The country
3) Yourself
4) What impression did you leave of yourself and UVM?
5) What was your impression of your project partner(s)?
6 ) What suggestions do you have for ways to improve the end product presented to our partners in Belize?