PrintGEOG 3N Syllabus: The Future of Food
Spring 2024
This syllabus is divided into several sections, as listed below.
- Course Overview
- Instructor
- Required Course Materials
- Assignments and Grading
- Course Schedule
- Course Policies
Course Overview
The Food and the Future Environment is an introductory-level science course that emphasizes the challenges facing food systems in the 21st century, and issues of sustainability for agriculture and other food production activities, as well as the challenges posed by food insecurity and modern diets to human health and well-being. Topics covered include introduction to the coupled-system perspective, historical development of food systems, socioeconomic aspects of the food system, interaction of the food system with the Earth's environment including soil, water, biota and climate, and the future of the food system considering potential changes such as in climate, urbanization, and demography.
Course Objectives
When you successfully complete this course, you will be prepared to:
- Analyze the land, biological, energy and water resources and climatic conditions in relation to food production systems.
- Analyze how human food systems significantly alter Earth's ecosystems, landscapes, surface processes, atmosphere, and waterways.
- Evaluate scenarios for the future of food, considering resilience in the context of climate change, human population growth, and socioeconomic, cultural and policy factors.
Expectations
On average, most students spend eight to ten hours per week working on course assignments. Your workload may be more or less depending on your study habits.
We have worked hard to make this the most effective and convenient educational experience possible. The Internet may still be a novel learning environment for you, but in one sense it is no different from a traditional college class: how much and how well you learn is ultimately up to you. You will succeed if you are diligent about keeping up with the class schedule and if you take advantage of opportunities to communicate with us as well as with your fellow students.
Specific learning objectives for each lesson and project are detailed in each lesson.
Instructor
Karan Misquitta
Department of Geography
Email: kjm6596@psu.edu
Communications - Please use Canvas Inbox to contact me.
Reaching Out- Please reach out to me via canvas messages or email. I am a working graduate student and also a new mom. Allow me 24 hours to get back to you. If you have any technical issues allow me 48 hours to fix it. If it's not an emergency issue, no emails on Saturday.
Office Hours: By appointment via Zoom. Please email instructor to set up a time.
Teaching Assistant
ADD
Required Course Materials
The course relies heavily on readings. The reading assignments for each module are listed in the course schedule below. Additional citations for further reading are also provided in each module.
Assignments and Grading
This course will rely on a variety of methods to assess and evaluate student learning, including:
- Summative Assessments will be completed as you read the materials.
- Capstone Activity will be introduced in the Orientation and at the end of the first module.
- Weekly Quizzes will cover course material for the week's module.
- Discussions will enable you to think about what you have learned.
It is important that your work is submitted in the proper format to the appropriate Canvas Assignment or Discussion and by the designated due date. We strongly advise that you not wait until the last minute to complete these assignments. Give yourself time to ask questions, think things over, and chat with others. You'll learn more, do better...and be happier!
Please make sure you are aware of the weekly deadlines. Please see below for late submission policy.
Grading
| Assignment | Percent of Grade | Drop Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Summative Assessments | 45% | Drop lowest 2 scores |
| Weekly Quizzes | 10% | Drop lowest score |
| Capstone Project | 35% | Drop lowest score for Capstone Assignments 1,2,or 4 |
| Discussion (Class participation) | 10% | Drop lowest score |
Your scores for all assignments will be kept current in the Gradebook.
Summative Assessments (10)
Summative assessments are activities that require students to integrate multiple concepts presented in each module used to assess student mastery. Students complete the assignment, record answers to the questions on worksheets and submit their answers via either by completing a quiz or by uploading the completed worksheet to be graded.
Quizzes (6)
Students’ understanding of the module content will be assessed through electronically administered and graded quizzes (in Canvas). The quizzes will be designed to assess the extent to which students have mastered the science presented in the modules.
Capstone Assignment (6)
The capstone project requires that students research and assess the current status of the food systems in an assigned region, and consider the food systems in their assigned region for future scenarios of human population growth and increased temperatures. The capstone assignment is broken down into five assignments corresponding to the stages of the capstone. Each stage requires students to complete associated worksheets and short writing assignments which will culminate into a 10+ page capstone paper and a 500-word reflection. https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog3/node/1019
Discussions (6)
Students will write 200-300 word reactions to address the discussion prompt which will allow them to react and explore the week's content. In addition, students will respond to their classmates by commenting on something they found interesting, answer one of the questions posed, or pose another question about the information in the post.
Once you have read and engaged with the course content, read or viewed the weekly readings or videos, and completed the other weekly assessments, you are ready to contribute to the Module Discussion. The reaction portion is generally 200-300 words, but please follow each week's prompt for length guidelines specific to each week. You will submit your work to the Module Discussions for the respective week by Wednesday night at 11:59 p.m Eastern Time. You must then respond to at least 2 of your classmates' reactions by Sunday night at 11:59 pm Eastern Time while keeping in mind the rules of netiquette. No weekly discussions will be due on weeks when capstone stage projects are also due. Discussions will not be graded if submitted more than 3 days late without prior permission of the instructor (i.e. if submitted after 11:59 pm Eastern on Tuesday you will receive a zero).
The post should include three sections.
- Your reaction:
In 200-300 words, your reaction is expected to address at least two, and preferably all of the assigned materials. In your reaction, you should first consider the assigned material(s) and assessments on their own terms. Ask yourself: What have I learned about in this module? What does the material assume about coupled human-natural systems? How can I challenge or expand on what I have learned? Then, provide your own brief reaction. Submissions that do not meaningfully engage with the course material(s) will receive a zero. You must read/watch the material(s) and complete the weekly assessments before completing this assignment. When responding to your classmates, you may comment on something they said that you found interesting, answer one of the questions they posed, or pose another question. The instructor will be monitoring the board to make sure that discussions stay on topic, and that comments are respectful. - Questions:
Submit 2 questions following your reaction. Your questions should relate the readings/film/assessments to the key terms covered in that week or in previous weeks. This requirement is graded as all or nothing; so, if you do not submit two questions, you will receive no points for this portion of the assignment. - Citations:
You must also include full references for the assigned material. You can copy the references from the course syllabus. You must use APA style. For information on how to do this, visit this online Handbook. This requirement is graded as all or nothing; so, if you do not submit references for materials cited, you will receive no points for this portion of the assignment. - Respond to 2 Classmates:
Once everyone has written their Q&R, you will then be required to go back into the discussion and converse with at least two of your classmates. Make your posts meaningful. They will be graded.
| Letter Grade | Percentages |
|---|---|
| A | 93 - 100 % |
| A- | 90 - 92.9 % |
| B+ | 87 - 89.9 % |
| B | 83 - 86.9 % |
| B- | 80 - 82.9% |
| C+ | 77 - 79.9 % |
| C | 70 - 76.9 % |
| D | 60 - 69.9 % |
| F | < 60 % |
| X |
Unsatisfactory (student did not participate) |
GEOG 3N Course Schedule
Printable Schedule
Below you will find a summary of the primary learning activities for this course and the associated time frames. Modules are one week long.
Weekly schedule: Modules open on Friday. Assignments are due as in the table below:
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Announcements released | Assessments due AND Initial discussion post due |
Quiz due AND Discussion post replies OR Capstone assignments due |
| Dates |
Due dates are in Canvas. |
|---|---|
| Topics |
Orientation
Module 1.1: The Future of Food
Module 1.2: Food Systems combine Natural and Human Systems
|
| Readings | Course content in Canvas and the following:
|
| Assignments |
Orientation:
Module 1:
|
| Dates |
Due dates are in Canvas. |
|---|---|
| Topics |
Module 2.1: Origin of farming as co-evolution and coupled human-nature interactions
Module 2.2: Development and spread of agriculture
|
| Readings |
Course content in Canvas and the following:
|
| Assignments |
|
| Dates |
Due dates are in Canvas. |
|---|---|
| Topics |
Module 3.1: Diet and Nutrition Basics for Global Food Systems
Module 3.2: Food System Issues for Nutrition
|
| Readings | Course content in Canvas. |
| Assignments |
|
| Dates |
Due dates are in Canvas. |
|---|---|
| Topics |
Module 4.1: Water Resources and Food Production
Module 4.2: Impacts of Food Production on Water Resources
|
| Readings |
Course content in Canvas and the following:
|
| Assignments |
|
| Dates |
Due dates are in Canvas. |
|---|---|
| Topics | Module 5.1: Soil Basics
Module 5.2: Soil Nitrogen and Phosphorus: Human Management of Key Nutrients
|
| Readings |
Course content in Canvas and the following:
|
| Assignments |
|
| Dates |
Due dates are in Canvas. |
|---|---|
| Topics | Module 6.1: Crop Life Cycles and Environments
Module 6.2: Crop Plant Characteristics and Climatic Adaptations
|
| Readings |
Course content in Canvas and the following:
|
| Assignments |
|
| Dates | Due dates are in Canvas. |
|---|---|
| Topics | Module 7.1: Cropping Systems and Soil Quality
Module 7.2: Conservation Agriculture: A Systems Approach
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| Readings |
Course content in Canvas and the following:
|
| Assignments |
|
| Dates |
Due dates are in Canvas. |
|---|---|
| Topics |
Module 8.1
Module 8.2
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| Readings |
Course content in Canvas and the following:
|
| Assignments |
|
| Dates |
Due dates are in Canvas. |
|---|---|
| Topics |
Module 9.1: Understanding Global Climate Change and Food Systems
Module 9.2: Food production in a changing climate
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| Readings |
Course content in Canvas and the following:
|
| Assignments |
|
| Dates |
Due dates are in Canvas. |
|---|---|
|
Topics |
Module 10.1: Food Systems
Module 10.2: Food System Impacts on Earth System Processes and Sustainability
|
| Readings |
Course content in Canvas and the following:
|
| Assignments |
|
| Dates |
Due dates are in Canvas. |
|---|---|
| Topics |
Module 11.1: Resilience, Adaptive Capacity, and Vulnerability (RACV): Agrobiodiversity and Seed Systems
Module 11.2
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| Readings |
Course content in Canvas and the following:
|
| Assignments |
|
| Dates |
Due dates are in Canvas. |
|---|---|
| Topics |
Capstone Stage 5 |
| Readings |
None |
| Assignments |
|
Course Policies
Late Submission Policy:
"This course has many different components and has been designed to be followed in order. Each week students have a number of assignments to complete.To help facilitate time management all assignments must be turned in by 11:59 pm Eastern time on the date due unless otherwise ndicated. There will be a 50% grade deduction for late submissions even if they are 1 minute late. Assignments will not be graded that are submitted after 3 days. Discussions response will note be grade if late. If this schedule does not work for you for personal and/or professional reasons please reach out to the instructor privately and let them know so other arrangements can be made. If you know you will
be late turning in a specific assignment let me know 48 hours ahead of time so that it can be accommodated. All unapproved late submissions will receive grade deductions if not approved beforehand (except ofcourse in the case of an emergency)."
Technical Requirements
For this course, we recommend the minimum technical requirements outlined on the World Campus Technical Requirements page, including the requirements listed for same-time, synchronous communications. If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the IT Service Desk (for World Campus students) or Penn State's IT Help Portal (for students at all other campus locations).
Internet Connection
Access to a reliable Internet connection is required for this course. A problem with your Internet access may not be used as an excuse for late, missing, or incomplete coursework. If you experience problems with your Internet connection while working on this course, it is your responsibility to find an alternative Internet access point, such as a public library or Wi-Fi ® hotspot.
Mixed Content
This site is considered a secure web site, which means that your connection is encrypted. We do, however, link to content that isn't necessarily encrypted. This is called mixed content. By default, mixed content is blocked in Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome. This may result in a blank page or a message saying that only secure content is displayed. Follow the directions on our Technical Requirements page to view the mixed content.
Equations
This course must be viewed using the latest version of Firefox, Safari, Chrome, or Edge. Internet Explorer is not supported. If you use any other browser, or if you are not using the latest version of your browser, some pages containing equations may not render properly. In addition, javascript must be enabled for equations to render properly. If you have any issues with equations not rendering properly, please update your browser to the latest version or try using a different browser. If you need additional technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the HelpDesk (for World Campus students) or the IT Service Desk (for students at all other campus locations).Penn State E-mail Accounts
All official communications from Penn State are sent to students' Penn State e-mail accounts. Be sure to check your Penn State account regularly, or forward your Penn State e-mail to your preferred e-mail account, so you don't miss any important information.
Academic Integrity
This course follows the procedures for academic integrity of Penn State's College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Penn State defines academic integrity as "the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner." Academic integrity includes "a commitment not to engage in or tolerate acts of falsification, misrepresentation, or deception." In particular, the University defines plagiarism as "the fabrication of information and citations; submitting others' work from professional journals, books, articles, and papers; submission of other students' papers, lab results or project reports and representing the work as one's own." Penalties for violations of academic integrity may include course failure. To learn more, see Penn State's Academic Integrity Training for Students.
Course Copyright
All course materials students receive or to which students have online access are protected by copyright laws. Students may use course materials and make copies for their own use as needed, but unauthorized distribution and/or uploading of materials without the instructor’s express permission is strictly prohibited. University Policy AD 40, the University Policy Recording of Classroom Activities and Note Taking Services addresses this issue. Students who engage in the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials may be held in violation of the University’s Code of Conduct, and/or liable under Federal and State laws.
For example, uploading completed labs, homework, or other assignments to any study site constitutes a violation of this policy.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Office for Student Disability Resources website provides contact information for Campus Disability Coordinators at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the Office for Student Disability Resources website.
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled. You will participate in an intake interview and provide documentation. See documentation guidelines at Applying for Services from Student Disability Resources. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Change in Normal Campus Operations
In case of weather-related delays or other emergency campus disruptions or closures at the University, this online course will proceed as planned. Your instructor will inform you if there are any extenuating circumstances regarding content or activity due dates in the course due to these delays or closures. If you are affected by a weather-related emergency, please contact your instructor at the earliest possible time to make special arrangements.
Reporting Educational Equity Concerns
Penn State takes great pride in fostering a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated (Policy AD29 Statement on Intolerance) and can be reported through Educational Equity via Report Bias.
Counseling and Psychological Services
Many students at Penn State face personal challenges or have psychological needs that may interfere with their academic progress, social development, or emotional well-being. The university offers a variety of confidential services to help you through difficult times, including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, consultations, online chats, and mental health screenings. These services are provided by staff who welcome all students and embrace a philosophy respectful of clients’ cultural and religious backgrounds, and sensitive to differences in race, ability, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Services include the following:
Counseling and Psychological Services at University Park (CAPS): 814-863-0395
Counseling Services at Commonwealth Campuses
Penn State Crisis Line (24 hours/7 days/week): 877-229-6400
Crisis Text Line (24 hours/7 days/week): Text LIONS to 741741
Military Personnel
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Connect Online with Caution
Penn State is committed to educational access for all. Our students come from all walks of life and have diverse life experiences. As with any other online community, the lack of physical interaction in an online classroom can create a false sense of anonymity and security. While one can make new friends online, digital relationships can also be misleading. Good judgment and decision-making are critical when choosing to disclose personal information to others whom you do not know.
Deferred Grades
If you are prevented from completing this course within the prescribed amount of time for reasons that are beyond your control, it is possible to have the grade deferred with the concurrence of the instructor, following Penn State Deferred Grade Policy 48-40. To seek a deferred grade, you must submit a written request (by e-mail or U.S. post) to the instructor describing the reason(s) for the request. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested before the beginning of the final examination period. It is up to the instructor to determine whether or not you will be permitted to receive a deferred grade. If permission is granted, you will work with the instructor to establish a communication plan and a clear schedule for completion within policy. If, for any reason, the coursework for the deferred grade is not complete by the assigned time, a grade of "F" will be automatically entered on your transcript.
Attendance
This course will be conducted entirely online. There will be no set class meeting times, but you will be required to complete weekly assignments with specific due dates. Many of the assignments are open for multiple days, so it is your responsibility to complete the work early if you plan to travel or participate in national holidays, religious observances or University approved activities.
If you need to request an exception due to a personal or medical emergency, contact the instructor directly as soon as you are able. Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Disclaimer
Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus can be changed at any time, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. All changes will be communicated to you via e-mail, course announcement and/or course discussion forum.
Diversity, Inclusion, and Respect
Penn State is “committed to creating an educational environment which is free from intolerance directed toward individuals or groups and strives to create and maintain an environment that fosters respect for others” as stated in Policy AD29 Statement on Intolerance. All members of this class are expected to contribute to a respectful, welcoming, and inclusive environment and to interact with civility.
For additional information, see:
- Penn State Affirmative Action Nondiscrimination Statement
- Policy AD 85 Sexual and/or Gender-Based Harassment and Misconduct, Title IX
- Penn State Values
- Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Penn State
- Assessment of the Living, Learning, and Working Environment (ALLWE) in EMS| Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
Mandated Reporting Statement
Penn State’s policies require me, as a faculty member, to share information about incidents of sex-based discrimination and harassment (discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, and retaliation) with Penn State’s Title IX coordinator or deputy coordinators, regardless of whether the incidents are stated to me in person or shared by students as part of their coursework. For more information regarding the University's policies and procedures for responding to reports of sexual or gender-based harassment or misconduct, please visit Penn State's Office of Sexual Misconduct Prevention & Response website.
Additionally, I am required to make a report on any reasonable suspicion of child abuse in accordance with the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law.