ASSIGNMENT OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTION (45 pts)
Everybody studies, learns and recalls information differently. An important part of developing these skills is to recognize these differences and reflect on your own individual learning. For this assignment, you will reflect on your own individual learning in the form of a reflection paper. A reflection paper is written from your perspective and will contain your thoughts and ideas (you will not be using the internet for this assignment). There are five topics to address in this reflection paper (listed below), and these topics are based on the course goals outlined in the syllabus and highlighted throughout the semester. You will reflect and write on each of the following Reflection Topics:
REFLECTION TOPICS:
1) Develop and practice scientific reasoning and analytical thinking in order to make more informed decisions. Describe a lab, lecture, assignment, or aspect of this course that you feel helped accomplish one or both of these goals. In your explanation, state the specific activity and provide specific examples of how the activity helped accomplish the goal(s). If you do not feel that you developed or practiced scientific reasoning or analytical thinking explain why, and also offer a suggestion(s) that would have helped you to obtain these goals.
2) Communicate effectively to diverse audiences. Describe a lab, lecture, assignment, or aspect of this course that you feel helped accomplish this goal. In your explanation, state the specific activity and provide specific examples of how the activity helped accomplish the goal(s). If you do not feel that you developed communication skills explain why, and also offer a suggestion(s) that would have helped you to obtain these goals.
3) Develop teamwork skills. Describe a lab, lecture, assignment, or aspect of this course that you feel helped accomplish this goal. In your explanation, state the specific activity and provide specific examples of how the activity helped accomplish the goal(s). If you do not feel that you developed teamwork skills explain why, and also offer a suggestion(s) that would have helped you to obtain these goals.
4) Understand the role of science as an important part of your daily life. Describe a lab, lecture, assignment, or aspect of this course that you feel helped accomplish this goal. In your explanation, state the specific activity and provide specific examples of how the activity helped accomplish the goal(s). If you do not feel that you have a greater appreciation for science and how it relates to your daily life explain why, and also offer a suggestion(s) that would have helped you to obtain these goals.
5) What aspect of the Water Footprint Calculator Project do you feel you learned the most from, and why? Or. What more would you like to have learned during this project, and why? Chose one of these two topics.
FORMATTING AND GRADING:
Format: The paper should be typed, using 12pt font, and single-spaced. There is no minimum required number of pages for this assignment; however, there is a maximum of 4 pages. IMPORTANT: Add headers/titles to each of your paragraphs to help organize your thoughts. For example, add “Communicate effectively to diverse audiences” at the beginning of that particular paragraph or section.
Grading: The total assignment is worth 45pts. The grade will be based on overall spelling and grammar (5pts –3 to 5 spelling or grammatical errors 2.5/5pts; more than 5 spelling or grammatical errors 0/5pts), and substance (8pts each topic; 40pts total). Substance includes your understanding of the material (2pts), how your thoughts are communicated (2pts), and whether your thoughts are supported by specific examples (2pts) to specific course goals (2pts).
Submission: All papers will be submitted electronically to a designated Dropbox in D2L. All work is due prior to the beginning of your last regularly scheduled 208L class period, but you may submit your work earlier. Your instructor may also require a hard-copy printed and brought into class on your last regularly scheduled 208L class period.
