In the College of Natural Resources, the course "American Environmental and Cultural History" was reorganized beginning in the fall of 1997 to take advantage of computer-based technologies. It is one of several "stellar courses," which receive support from the dean's discretionary fund to increase the numbers of Graduate Student Instructors and guest speakers and better incorporate the latest technologies. The Educational Initiatives Award is a direct result of the college's "stellar course" program. The Berkeley classroom version of the course is offered in the fall semester and a totally online version is offered through the UC Berkeley Extension Center for Media and Independent Learning (CMIL) in the spring semester. The two versions of the course represent new achievements in computer-based learning and offer a model for similar initiatives on and off campus.
Using computer-based technologies (presentation software, audio, and video) makes lecture material more accessible and dynamic for students, and allows for on-line discussions of course topics. Students themselves contribute to course content by posting additional course materials online.
The course focuses on the American environment and how different cultural groups (including American Indians, Europeans, and African Americans) have perceived, used, managed, and conserved it from Colonial times to the present. It examines natural resource development, including gathering, hunting, fishing, farming, mining, ranching, forestry, and urbanization, and studies changes in attitudes and behaviors toward nature, as well as past and present conservation and environmental movements.
The course focuses on the American environment and how different cultural groups (including American Indians, Europeans, and African Americans) have perceived, used, managed, and conserved the environment from Colonial times to the present.
Professor Carolyn Merchant of ESPM developed the original course and teaches the on-campus version, while Sandra Marburg, lecturer in ESPM, modified the course for the web and teaches the on-line class. They point out that this is a collaborative effort, involving a number of other faculty, as well as staff of the Berkeley Multimedia Research Center and University Extension.
According to Gordon C. Rausser, Dean, College of Natural Resources, "The response from students towards this course has been overwhelmingly positive, with many class evaluations noting the increased depth of understanding which resulted from better note taking and more organized class materials."
"The course has benefited from the efforts of creative, dedicated graduate students, faculty, and staff and from enthusiastic undergraduates who have developed materials, suggested changes, and debated ideas online and in the classroom," Professor Merchant says. "Grants from the College of Natural Resources and the Berkeley campus Committee on Teaching were also indispensable."