Science Based Fuels Management Planning Syllabus Print Version

Instructor Chad Hoffman College of Natural Resources Phone: (208) 885-7115 Email: chadh@uidaho.edu Course Objectives Models play an important role in fire and fuels management. Models can be as range from simple regression equations which estimate canopy fuel loadings to complex three dimensional fire behavior models. During the course of this class we will discuss the roles, uses and limitations of quantitative and qualitative modeling in fuels management and planning. Topics covered in this course will include the role and uses of models to make predictions in fuels management, validation and evaluation of models, and communication and interpretation of modeling results for planning and decision making in fuels management. Learning Outcomes Understand and appreciate the roles of modeling and predictions in fuels management. Recognize when models could be used to answer fuels and fire management questions and understand the modeling options and alternatives to answer such questions. Understand the importance and develop the ability to interpret model results and communicate the results effectively in both written and oral fuels management planning. Successfully use, analyze and communicate modeling results in a written fuels management plan.   Required Books There are no required texts for this course, we will use selected journal articles as a supplement to the course lectures. The following is a list of a few recommended texts: Canham, C.D., Cole, J.J. and Lauenroth, W.K. 2003. Models in Ecosystem Science. Princeton University Press. Princeton, New Jersey. (good overview of modeling in ecoology, not to technical) Haefner, J.W. 2005. Modeling Biological Systems: Principles and Applications. Springer. New York, New York. (Good introduction to the development of scientific modling in biology) Sarewitz, D., Pielke, R.A., Byerly, R. 2000. Prediction: Science, Decision Making, and the Future of Nature. Island Press. Washington D.C. (good overview of the prediction process and lots of case studies) Orell, D. The Future of Everything: The science of Prediction. Thunder's Mouth Press. New York, New York (interesting book, not that technical but traces the history of prediction and discusses why it does not always work) grading Online Discussions (4 x 75pts each) 300 Aha Moments (3 x 50pts each) 150 Models in Everyday Life Assignment 50  Model Development and Comparison Assignment Part 1 100 Model Development and Comparison Assignment Part 2 250 Model Evaluations (2 x 75pts each) 150 Total 1000 How's my driving discussion 10 Bonus Points I have provided grading rubrics for all the assignments in this course. In general I will try to give you back both written comments a copy of the grading rubric for all assignments you hand in. For the discussions and AHA moments I will grade these throughout the semester and save your rubrics. Note I will not send these to you unless you ask for them due to logistics, however all you have to do is call and ask and I will send your rubric to you and discuss your grade.  Online Discussion Grading The online discussions will be your chance to openly discusses several topics we will talk about in this course. You will be graded on the basis of your input for each online discussion. One third of your grade will be based upon quantity, but 2/3 of your grade will be based upon quality (clarity of ideas and critical thinking) using the following grading rubric:   Score Quantity Quality/Clarity Quality/Critical Thought 90-100 Did the student post significantly more than two times Did the student use new vocabulary, and make his/her points clearly Did the student respond professionally to the critique or questions of fellow students? 80-89 Did the student post at least twice on each discussion Did the student utilize information and vocabulary from the required readings and presentation Did the student build on, or synthesize, the comments of the preceding students? 70-79     As a bare minimum, student must always be polite to other students.  It’s OK – even enlightening – to disagree, but do so professionally. 0 You will get a score of zero if you do not participate in the threaded discussion by the required deadline

Model Evaluation Assignments

During the course of this class you will evaluate 2 models. Each evaluation should be between 1 and 2 pages and include an introduction, a review of the model objectives, inputs variables, assumptions, sources of error, limits and uses of the model as well as a conclusion where you provide your opinion of the model and a brief discussion of the usefulness.

For More information about these assignments click here!

To view the grading rubric for this assignment click here!

Aha Moments!

Throughout each topic in this course you may experience what is termed an "Aha!" moment. These are moments when something you have been reading or contemplating makes sense with an unexpected clarity. I will ask you to post on of your "Aha!' moments for different topics throughout the course.

For each Aha moment you should explain in some detail what the moment was, and why this moment seemed important to you in terms of your learning. In general I would like you to contemplate the experience and synthesize it within the context of other newly acquired knowledge.

You should spend some time on this activity since it is reflective and not reactive. It may be helpful to keep a journal of sorts throughout the class to document your aha moments (this is not required)

Your grad for the "Aha!" moments will be based mostly on completing the task but 20 percent will be based on writing style and your explanation of the moment. 

Aha! Moment Grading

Models in Everyday Life Assignment

This assignment is designed to provide you with an opportunity to explore the roles of models in your life.  To view the specifics for this assignment click here!

To view the grading rubric for this assignment click here!

Model Development Assignment

The model development assignment is a two part assignment in which you will develop your own prediction model.

The first part of the assignment is worth 100 points and will require you submit a draft version of your model objectives statement and your field methods you will use to collect the data to estimate the parameters in your model. This report should be no more than 2 pages, I will review and grade your drafts and return them within 1 week so you can start the second part of the project. To view the grading rubric for part one and to get more details about the first part of the assignment click here.

During the second part of this project you will go and collect some data, and build your model. You will be required to not only build the model but test it against an independent data set to verify your model. to view more information about the second part of this assignment and to view the grading rubric please click here. 

How's My Driving?

As your instructor it is important to me that you learn the material in this course, however it is also important that i present the material and guide the learning process in a meaningful way and create a learning environment that will help you in this process. If you you promise to be professional and candid about my teaching, the materials in this course and the online environment I have set up, i promise to use this information to strengthen not only this course but my teaching as well. So please post comments about what is and is not working as well as suggestions throughout the course I will give up to ten bonus points.

Plagiarism will NOT be tolerated:

In this class, you must summarize, paraphrase, quote and reference sources to avoid plagiarism in your writing. Consistent with the policy of the Department of Forest Resources (http://www.its.uidaho.edu/forres/), plagiarism will not be tolerated. Plagiarism violates the code of academic conduct at the University of Idaho. Under UI policy, regulation O-2, "Consequences for academic dishonesty may be imposed by the course instructor. Such consequences may include but cannot exceed a grade of "F" in the course" (http://www.uidaho.edu/catalog). If you are accused of plagiarism, you must meet with the course instructor and the chair of the department to discuss the evidence, circumstances, and consequences. If you have indeed plagiarized text, you will receive 0 points on the assignment, you may fail the course and your unethical behavior will affect recommendations for jobs and graduate school.

Cite sources to support and lend credibility to your writing. Please be careful in citing sources for your ideas when you write. You should be aware that web-based searches for plagiarized text have become quite sophisticated. Even a sentence or two plagiarized in a long document is inexcusable. It is very tempting and easy to copy text directly, but it works against the educational process and is a form of theft.