Green Infrastructure Practicum: Sample 18-Hour Syllabus
Course Description Green infrastructure uses natural ecological processes to address environmental and social challenges in urban environments. Urban planners are increasingly seeking to use green infrastructure to provide ecosystem services such as stormwater management to local communities, and the range of possible benefits and design options continues to expand. This course will use the Vacant to Vibrant project, a green infrastructure project spanning three U.S. Midwest cities, as an extended case study to draw out broader themes in urban planning, design, and sustainability. Lectures and group exercises will help to integrate learning of conceptual knowledge, planning process skills, and problem solving skills. The course will begin with an overview and discussions of urban land vacancy, stormwater management, and neighborhood dynamics, with a focus on the three cities participating in Vacant to Vibrant. We will then discuss Vacant to Vibrant project planning, design, implementation, and long-term maintenance while translating relevant process skills to our local context. Finally, we will use lessons learned from Vacant to Vibrant to envision opportunities and challenges related to scaling green infrastructure pilot projects beyond the neighborhood level. Course Learning Goals By the end of this course, students will be able to: 1. Explain the multidisciplinary processes involved in developing, carrying out, and sustaining urban green infrastructure projects. 2. Use knowledge of organizational, historical, social, environmental, and economic context to solve green infrastructure planning and design challenges. 3. Select candidate project sites and plantings using public data and technology tools. 4. Engage diverse stakeholders in project planning and feedback processes. Course Expectations Required Textbook Albro, Sandra L. 2019. Vacant to Vibrant: Creating Successful Green Infrastructure Networks. Washington, DC: Island Press. 190 pp. ISBN-13: 978-1-61091-900-5 [Clarification of expectations with regards to, e.g., requests for disability accommodations, course format, timeliness of completing assessments, make-up work for missed class time, etc., can be included based on instructor’s preferences and institutional requirements.]
Green Infrastructure Practicum
18-Hour Syllabus
Grading Point Distribution Students will earn points through three main routes during the course, as shown in the table. Each evaluation item is described in more detail below. Evaluation
Number
Points
Total Points
Distribution
Exam
1
50
50
~37%
Reading Quizzes
3
5
15
~11%
Group Exercises
7 of 8
10
70 135
~52% 100%
TOTAL Exam
A one-hour final exam worth 50 points will be administered after the completion of nine class hours. Exam questions may include multiple choice, short written answers, and problemsolving scenarios. On each lecture day, the presentation will begin with three learning goals to provide guidance to students as to the knowledge and/or skills that will be tested during the exam. A study guide will also be provided during the final week of class. Reading Quizzes Brief quizzes related to the assigned reading will be announced at the start of three lecture classes to be determined by the instructor. Each quiz will consist of five multiple choice questions. Group Exercises Students will engage in eight group exercises during the course, which as a whole will provide an opportunity to participate in key aspects of the design, planning, installation, and evaluation of a green infrastructure pilot project. Each exercise will be worth ten points, with the lowest score among the eight exercises dropped from the student’s final grade. Points will be distributed within each exercise as follows: • Preparation prior to class (2 points) • In-class activities (5 points) • Feedback to and from group members (3 points) Grading Scale The total number of points a student has accumulated at the end of the semester determines their final grade for the course, as shown in the table below.
2
Green Infrastructure Practicum
18-Hour Syllabus
Letter Grade
Minimum Earned Points
Minimum Percent
A
122
90%
B
108
80%
C
95
70%
D
81
60%
Anticipated Schedule Items in the “Assigned Reading” column should be completed no later than the next class period (next row). Class Hour
Day
1
Mon
2
Wed
Topic
Assigned Reading
Course Introduction & Urban Vacant Land
Syllabus Albro, pp. 1-16
Stormwater Management
Items in the “Assigned Reading” column should be completed no later than the next class period (next row). Week
Day
Topic
Assigned Reading
3
Fri
Group Exercise: Green Infrastructure Options
Albro, pp. 17-36
4
Mon
Role of Urban Dynamics
5
Wed
Group Exercise: City History, Nature, and Context
Albro, pp. 37-58
6
Fri
Planning: Site Selection & Design
Appendix
7
Mon
Group Exercise: Parcels and Plants
Albro, pp. 58-70
8
Wed
Planning: Community Engagement
9
Fri
Group Exercise: Surveys and Forums
10
Mon
Implementation: Project Installation
11
Wed
Group Exercise: Installation Troubleshooting
12
Fri
Implementation: Design Modifications & Maintenance
13
Mon
Group Exercise: Response to Community Feedback
14
Wed
Sustaining Green Infrastructure
15
Fri
Group Exercise: Plant Population Dynamics
Albro, pp. 125-145
16
Mon
Scaling Up Green Infrastructure
Exam Study Guide
17
Wed
Group Exercise: Cost-Benefit Analysis
18
Fri
Exam
3
Albro, pp. 71-89 Albro, pp. 90-104 Albro, pp. 105-124