ENVS 195 – Introduction to Environmental Studies 
                                                                                                              Fall 2018 
                                                  Course Syllabus for ENVS 195 
                                    Introduction to Environmental Studies 
                                       Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo  
                  
                 Instructor:     Erin (Joakim) O’Connell                  
                 Office:         EV1-201  
                 E-mail:         erin.oconnell@uwaterloo.ca   
                 Office Hours: Wednesdays 11:00am – 2:00pm   
                                 Or by appointment 
                  
                 Class Hours:  T Th 2:30pm – 3:50pm in RCH 101 
                                  
                 Teaching Assistants: TBD 
                                                   
                                                   COURSE DESCRIPTION 
                 Calendar Description 
                 Introduction to Environmental Studies provides an overview of human ecological aspects of 
                 environmental studies from an inter-cultural and global perspective. 
                 Course Overview 
                 This first-year course introduces the field of environmental studies, exploring the relationships 
                 and interactions between humans and their natural, social, and built environments. Over the 
                 duration of the course, we will:  
                     1)  Explore the variety of drivers underlying human interaction with the natural world, 
                         including demographic, economic, and socio-cultural/ethical drivers;  
                     2)  Develop an understanding of the planetary systems and processes that have been 
                         disturbed by human activity and contribute to the environmental challenges that we 
                         face today;  
                     3)  Examine key planning and management approaches, concepts, and frameworks that 
                         may be useful for responding to environmental challenges; and  
                     4)  Critically analyze specific environmental challenges we face as global citizens and 
                         some of the key debates / proposed solutions related to these challenges. These 
                         environmental challenges will be studied at the global, national and local levels, and 
                         the complexity and interconnectedness of these various challenges are examined.  
                 The course promotes acquisition of core environmental knowledge (concepts, principles, 
                 practices)  from  the  perspectives  of  social  sciences,  environmental  sciences,  and 
                 management. A transdisciplinary, mixed teaching approach is used throughout the course to 
                 help  make  learning  meaningful  for  students.  Lectures,  videos,  in-class  discussions  and 
                 activities,  reflection  assignments,  case  studies,  and  authentic  assessment  activities  are 
                                                                   ENVS 195 – Introduction to Environmental Studies 
                                                                                                                     Fall 2018 
                  designed to provide students the opportunity to explore and analyze environmental issues 
                  from a variety of perspectives. 
                  Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) 
                  By the end of the course, students should be able to:  
                      •   Articulate key perspectives on the demographic, economic, and socio-cultural/ethical 
                          drivers that have led to environmental degradation.  
                      •   Situate their own values and perspectives of key drivers of environmental degradation 
                          within the context of other perspectives.  
                      •   Comprehend  the  movement  of  energy  through  ecosystems  and  the  impacts  of 
                          disruptions on energy flows within ecosystems.  
                      •   Explain the key storage pools and movements between storage pools for identified 
                          biogeochemical cycles and the impact of disruptions to these cycles.   
                      •   Apply planning and management concepts and frameworks to key environmental 
                          issues.  
                      •   Appreciate the causes and implications of key environmental challenges, including 
                          climate change and air pollution, agriculture, waste management, energy, and oceans 
                          and fisheries.  
                      •   Identify the pros and cons of potential solutions to key environmental challenges 
                      •   Utilize basic terminology and concepts as applied in the field of environmental studies  
                  Required Text 
                  Dearden, P. & Mitchell, B. (2016). Environmental Change and Challenge (5th ed). Toronto: 
                  Oxford University Press. ISBN-13: 9780199015146.  
                  The required text has been selected to assist in understanding environmental issues from a 
                  variety of different perspectives, including Canadian and internationally.  The text has many 
                  references to further reading in both printed sources and electronic web sites at the end of 
                  each chapter. The text will be useful (and in some cases, required) for completing the 
                  assignments in the course.   
                  Course Evaluation 
                  Your final mark will be determined based on: in-class quizzes, reading quizzes, lecture 
                  reflections, classroom activities, and one final exam. Details regarding each of the 
                  assignments will be provided in class and, in some cases, LEARN.  
                      1.  In-Class ‘Participation’ Quizzes (10%) 
                              a.  Dates not announced for in-class ‘participation’ quizzes (unless noted in the 
                                   weekly schedule). Responses will take the form of online multiple choice and 
                                   true/false questions answered on LEARN during class time. Please ensure 
                                   you have a device (laptop, smartphone) available in class to respond to 
                                   these  questions  during  class  time  –  no  options  will  be  available  to 
                         ENVS 195 – Introduction to Environmental Studies 
                                            Fall 2018 
             complete  these  questions  outside  of  class  time.  Please  speak  to  the 
             instructor  if  this  creates  any  undue  hardship  or  accessibility  concerns and 
             alternative arrangements may be made on a case-by-case basis. Note that 
             these arrangements must be made at the beginning of term by speaking to the 
             professor during office hours – not during class.  
            b.  A total of 12 in-class ‘participation’ quizzes will be completed during class time. 
             If you miss a quiz, no accommodation will be made, as there are options to 
             make this up throughout the term. If you complete all twelve (or eleven) in-class 
             quizzes, LEARN will automatically select the top ten marks when calculating 
             the final grade (each in-class quiz is worth 1% of the final grade).  
            c.  These quizzes should be completed individually and considered as preparation 
             for the final exam in the course.  
        2.  Readings Quizzes (10%) 
            a.  Dates for readings quizzes are noted in the course outline. Responses will take 
             the form of online multiple choice and true/false questions answered on LEARN 
             on your own time.  
            b.  Each quiz will be ‘open’ to complete for a period of approximately one week 
             (see dates on weekly schedule). Correct answers to the readings quizzes will 
             be available for review once the quiz has closed.  
            c.  Eleven readings quizzes will be available throughout the term. If you miss a 
             quiz, no accommodation will be made, as there are options to make this up 
             throughout the term. If you complete all eleven readings quizzes, LEARN will 
             automatically select the top ten marks when calculating the final grade (each 
             readings quiz is worth 1% of the final grade).  
            d.  These quizzes should be completed individually and considered as preparation 
             for the final exam in the course.  
        3.  Lecture Reflections (Top four of five marks count: 4 x 10% = 40%)   
            a.  Dates for each lecture reflection (this usually includes content from three to four 
             lectures) are listed on the course schedule. Each lecture reflection should 
             include a well-thought out response to questions provided in the instructions 
             and should be based on the lecture content and assigned readings – these are 
             completed individually, outside of class time.  
            b.  Instructions for completing each lecture reflection will be provided on LEARN 
             and responses will be due via LEARN a few days after the last lecture for that 
             particular reflection. 
            c.  Note  that  it  is  your  responsibility  to  decide  how  many  and  which  lecture 
             reflections you will complete. You can complete all five reflections if you choose 
             – if you do so, the top four marks will count towards your final grade calculation. 
             You may also choose to only complete four reflections – in this case, each 
             grade will count towards the final grade.   
            d.  Note that no accommodations will be made for one missed lecture reflection. 
             You will just be responsible for completing all remaining lecture reflections. If 
             you  miss  more  than  one  lecture  reflection,  you  will  need  to  submit 
                         ENVS 195 – Introduction to Environmental Studies 
                                            Fall 2018 
             documentation  to  support  missing  both  reflections  for  a  potential 
             accommodation. 
        4.  Four Classroom Activities (Top four of five marks count: 4 x 5% = 20%)  
            a.  See  weekly  schedule  for  dates;  instructions  for  each  assignment  will  be 
             provided in class the day of – no instructions will be provided on LEARN. 
            b.  Note that it is your responsibility to decide how many and which classroom 
             activities you will complete. You can complete all five activities if you choose – 
             if you do so, the top four marks will count towards your final grade calculation. 
             You may also choose to only complete four activities – in this case, each grade 
             will count towards the final grade.  
            c.  Note that no accommodations will be made for one missed classroom activity. 
             You will just be responsible for completing all remaining classroom activities. If 
             you  miss  more  than  one  classroom  activity,  you  will  need  to  submit 
             documentation  to  support  missing  both  activities  for  a  potential 
             accommodation.   
        5.  Final Exam (20%)  
            a.  To be scheduled during the final exam period in December 
            b.  Final exam will take the form of multiple choice and true/false questions and 
             will be similar to the questions included in the in-class and readings quizzes 
             (but not the same questions!).