Schedule St. Lucia Course Fall 2005

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 expectc at least a week ahead of schedule, so you know what to expect.

week 1:

A. Individual introductions
•    Who are you?
•    What’s your major?
•    Why are you taking this class?
•    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

B. History of the UVM/St. Lucia relationship
•    American Council on Consumer Interests (J. Kolodinsky)
•    St. Lucia training in Vermont, 2002 (J. Ashman)
•    St. Kitts and Nevis training in Vermont, 2003 (J. Ashman)
•    5th Annual Caribbean Consumer Conference in St. Lucia, 2003 (L. Dobos)
•    January, 2005 visit to St. Lucia (J. Ashman, J. Farley, D. Baker, M. Ashman)

C. Where is St. Lucia? What is it like?
•    Maps of St. Lucia
•    Images of St. Lucia

D. St. Lucia Ministry of Commerce, Investment & Consumer Affairs website
http://commerce.gov.lc/
•    Mission statement
•    Priority areas
•    Eco-tourism design and marketing concepts
•    Hire-purchase consultations
•    Consumer Affairs

Assignment

  • Read The Struggle for Survival: An Historical, Political and Socioeconomic Perspective of St. Lucia by Anderson Reynolds (Bailey-Howe Reserve Desk)
  • Select one issue that Reynolds addresses (there are many) that is of interest to you and come to class prepared to make a brief ( 5 minute) presentation on that issue. You may need to do a bit of outside research to make your presentation complete.  6 students will present for each of the next three class periods.

Week 2:

Previous year projects presentations

Chuck-Watersheds
Byron-Energy Efficiency
Rachel- Buy Local

Introduction to development-Gary Flo

Assignment

Students must read The Struggle for Survival and make a brief presentation on one issue related to sustainable development.
All students must find a good reading on St. Lucia and/or the project topic that most interests them.  Turn in electronic copy that we’ll post on course web site (can drop it off at the library to put on course reserve, and they’ll scan it for you), along with a brief summary of the reading (no more than 350 words).
week 3

Lecture topics:

Activity:
A. Five minute student presentations on book

B. Time permitting-presentation on Growth-Gary Flo

Assignment

Read article on e-reserve on Globalization

Library e-reserve link

week 4

Lecture topics:
Introduction to TINA-the Washington consensus of development-Brendan Fisher, Gund Inst.

Activity:
Discussion of different models of development T.I.N.A. vs. L.O.I.S. etc.

Assignment

Look at Consumers International website. Select an area CI is working in related to development. Draft a short summary of its activities for presentation to class. 1-2 minutes.

Week 5-Sept. 28

Lecture topics:
Introduction to Global Issues in Consumer Affairs-Jay Ashman
Consumer Affairs Powerpoint

Activity
Brain storming session that leads to group meetings and team formation during the week

 

Assignment

Meet with other people interested in your project. Flesh it out.

READ chapters 1-3 in Problem-based learning book online at: link

 

Week 6-Oct. 5

Lecture topics
Introduction to applied problem-solving and projects-based coursework-Chuck, Travis
How do we go about solving a problem?

Activities
Presentation of project topics
Finalize project teams. After hearing presentations, students can choose different teams.

 

Assignments

Begin meeting in group. 
Work with Jay and Gary to contact partners in St. Lucia. 
Write up a draft contract listing group members, field partner, and brief description of what you hope to achieve.

Week 7-Oct. 12

Lecture topics
Service learning-Lila Spring

Activities
Meeting in groups.

Assignment

Contract due.
Start literature review on chosen project topic
Assigned readings for discussion group

Week 8-Oct. 19

Lecture topic
Service learning-

Activities
Service learning discussion of Ivan Illich paper.

Assignment

Draft literature review due, with correct citation format
Begin integrating lit review into a statement of the problem. Start broad, narrow down to specific problem in St. Lucia, then conclude with specific goal that you described in your contract.

Week 9-Oct. 26 

Lecture topics

Activities
Service learning discussion of Ivan Illich paper.


Assignment

Write up objectives required to achieve goal.  Begin thinking about appropriate methodologies to achieve those objectives.

Prepare five minute presentation on lit review

Week 10-Nov. 2

Lecture topics

2004 Economic report

Activity
Meeting in groups.

Assignment

Statement of problem due. Present summary of lit review. Begin to finalize project selection. contact project partners.

Week 11-Nov. 9

Lecture
St. Lucia cultures

ppt Taxonomy of Cultures

Activity

Meeting in groups.

Assignment

Prepare project proposals for discussion.

Written report/presentation format-draft including parts 1 and 2 by December 7.

1. Problem statement/objective of project (i.e., what is the purpose of this project?)
2. Background work (i.e., what did you do before going to St. Lucia, including literature review, identification of partner, interviews, etc.
A quick caption of work done in previous years
by UVM and how this impacted there objectives.)
3. Work in St. Lucia (e.g., surveys, interviews, etc.)
4. Results and implications (i.e., what did you find out and what do the results mean in terms of addressing the problem?)
5. 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?)
We agreed that this would be the outline for the written report, and that the oral presentation might be less detailed (e.g., leave out literature review and future UVM work).

Week 12-Nov. 16

Activity
Communicating results-Meg Ashman

Assignment

Project proposals due: Brief description of the problem, moving from general to specific.  Goal statement of what your group wants to achieve.  List of specific objectives required to achieve goal.  Methodology that explains how you will accomplish each objective.

PREPARE PRESENTATION!

PREPARE SPONSOR CONTRACT

week 13-Nov. 30

Lecture topics
Presentations (4 groups, each group has 10-15 minutes to present proposal)

Activity
Meeting in groups.

Project proposals due. See box directly above.

Also Sponsor Contract due. See page 50 in Workbook for problem-based learning
or
Chapter 2 page 14 in Problem-based learning book online at: link

Week 14-Dec. 7
Pot luck at Jay Ashman's place

 

 Section 1&2 of written report and powerpoint presentation due. See week 11 for instructions.

December 31-January 15

St. Lucia.  Minimum 8 hrs/day, 5 days a week.

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 St. Lucia?

January 31, 2006 Final paper, reflection, group evaluation due at 5PM. email to gary.flo@uvm.edu and jay.ashman@uvm.edu