Course Syllabus

Course Summary

The Sustainability and the Built Environment (SBE) Program views the mentored Capstone Project as the most effective way to bring out the passion and innovation in our students on their preferred topic using the tools, skills and knowledge earned throughout their college career with us. The capstone project is a celebration of sorts and culminating experiences to deliver a polished product that showcases students’ abilities and readiness for the job market. Students are strongly encouraged to identify a project and a mentor at the end of their Method of Inquiry course that is a pre-requisite for the capstone, or least two weeks before the start of the semester in which they will enroll in the Capstone course.

 

Course Overview & Purpose

Each student will undertake an individual project under the direction of a faculty member, with a focus on comprehensive solutions to a problem in sustainability based on research.  This final semester-long project allows students to explore specific areas of personal interest, to hone problem-solving abilities, to enhance their ability to do research and to improve independent decision making and organizational skills.

The SBE program has created a list of academic, public-sector, private-sector, and non-governmental organization mentors available to work with our students to make the students final project an experience to last a lifetime. Each student is matched with the appropriate mentor based on the project topic and the mentor’s field of expertise.

 

Course Goals

• Discover and delineate a personally tailored pathway for SBE specialization, coursework, and professional development; 
• Learn and apply the elements of thought from the wheel of reason to evaluate claims within your field of interest; 
• Utilize critical thinking strategies and research design methods to examine contemporary issues in sustainability and the built environment; 
• Evaluate and develop personal philosophies of science; 
• Explore data collection, analysis methods, and writing strategies most applicable to different types of research questions; and 
• Conceptualize and develop a problem statement and a proposal for a research project (e.g., SBE Capstone). 

 

Student Learning Objectives

During the semester, students will be…

• Learning to write effective, clear, and well-organized proposals that incorporate a scope of work, schedule, and work products;
• Undertaking an independent work effort and complete it satisfactorily;
• Exploring problem-solving for an issue of sustainability and the built environment; and
• Practicing oral communication and gaining confidence in self work.

Optional Text(s) of Interest Can Be Found in Your Prior DCP 3200 Canvas Shell

In addition to the optional text(s) carried over from DCP 3200, various supplemental, free publications identified for class discussion and/or assignments may be supplied via the UF Canvas e-Learning portal (https://elearning.ufl.edu/).

 

The required and optional technologies for this course are as follows:

• A portable computing device (e.g., tablet, laptop) for mentor collaboration and at-home work

 

Should you encounter a content issue with this Canvas course shell, please inform the instructor. All other technical issues with the hardware and software you may use for this course should be directed to the UF Information Technology Computing Help Desk.

• https://helpdesk.ufl.edu/

 

Beyond the required textbook(s), minor, out-of-pocket student incidental expenses may include those associated with printing a research poster, personal mobile computing and file storage/transfer device(s) or web-based services to research, present, and share information in class.

For students who plan to stay in the course, please visit the Course Wayfinding page to learn about your path through this semester, including the course structure, expectations, and preparation actions.

   CM.00 > Start Here > Course Wayfinding

  

General course module main topics and sub-topics are summarized below. Official weekly readings, assignments, and course content will be posted within Canvas and are subject to change.

 

    Course Module > FH > First Half

• FH.01 > Mentor Meet & Greet
• FH.02 > Problem Statement & Research Questions
• FH.03 > Preliminary Literature Review 
• FH.04 > Materials & Methods
• FH.05 > Midterm Presentation

 

    Course Module > SH > Second Half

• SH.01 > Data Collection 
• SH.02 > Data Analysis
• SH.03 > Results
• SH.04 > Discussion & Conclusion
• SH.05 > Final Poster Conference & 3-Minute Thesis

 

  Informational Resources

 

Assignment details, deliverables, due dates, and grades will be published on Canvas and may be subject to change. Grades are generally based on 1,000 points over the course of the semester. See the syllabus page "Summary" (at the bottom of this page) and the "Assignments" tab (left sidebar menu) for the most current information. Required Deliverables (RD) are the touch points between you and your mentor, as well as the broader public (in some circumstances), and contribute to the final grade you will earn in this course. Unlike the RD assignments, the Optional Milestones (OM) are non-graded, voluntary waypoints which may help you to stay on track at strategic moments throughout the semester. These voluntary OM discussion posts also provide an open and collaborative opportunity to engage with your cohort of student peers as you collectively progress through your projects.

 

Required Deliverables (RD) > First Half (FH) of Semester @ 150 Points (15%)

• FH.05 > Midterm Presentation (@ 150 points)

 

Required Deliverables (RD) > Second Half (SH) of Semester @ 650 Points (65%)

• SH.05 > Final Poster (@ 100 points)
• SH.06 > Three Minute Capstone (@ 100 points)
• SH.07 > Final Report (@ 450 points)

 

Student-Mentor Engagement @ 200 Points (20%)

• FH.06 > First Half Student-Mentor Engagement Review (@ 100 points)
• SH.08 > Second Half Student-Mentor Engagement Review (@ 100 points)

 

Optional Milestones (OM) > First Half (FH) of Semester

• FH.01 > Mentor Meet & Greet
• FH.02 > Problem Statement & Research Questions
• FH.03 > Introduction & Preliminary Literature Review
• FH.04 > Materials & Methods

 

Optional Milestones (OM) > Second Half (SH) of Semester

• SH.01 > Data Collection & In-Depth Literature Review
• SH.02 > Data Analysis
• SH.03 > Results
• SH.04 > Discussion & Conclusion

 

Grades are awarded by the student's mentor and based on evidence that students have completed all required deliverables with a high level of student-to-mentor engagement and project due diligence throughout the semester. Completed tasks will be evaluated based on pertinence of content, critical thinking, creativity, and communication. Further details, due dates, and rubrics for assignments are posted on Canvas. As a 6-credit course, and based on the University of Florida standards, we anticipate that students should be putting approximately 12 to 24 hours per week into work on your SBE Senior Capstone. This is not a project to take lightly, nor to wait until the last minute to complete.

Final student grades are rounded up on the hundredths units (i.e., a 92.95% becomes a 93.0%) and follow University of Florida grades and grading policies.

• Undergraduate Students:
  • https://catalog.ufl.edu/UGRD/academic-regulations/grades-grading-policies/

We highly recommend that both the student mentee and the mentor explore the UF Center for Undergraduate Research (CUR) eLearning resources for how to make the most of your time together.

• UF CUR eLearning > Student Module Series
  • https://cur.aa.ufl.edu/cur-e-learning/

 

Mentors > What to Expect of the Process

SBE Senior Capstone mentors provide a deeply valued service to our students and the program overall. While often faculty and staff within the College of Design, Construction, and Planning, mentors may originate from other teaching, research, outreach, and/or operational units across the broader University of Florida institution, from other academic institutions, or even from public, private, or non-governmental organizations with mutual interests.

Mentors should be skilled in the topical domain of the project being undertaken by the student mentee and be capable and willing to guide their project design, development, deployment, data collection, data analysis, and public communication. The typical commitment necessitates mentors engage in the following activities summarized below.

• Facilitate periodic mentorship meetings (e.g., 30-minutes weekly or bi-weekly based on student needs and mentor availability);
• Support student mentee progress (e.g., project schedule, milestone attainment, required deliverable preparation) and asynchronous communications (e.g., responding to questions, project troubleshooting);
• Attend the live, synchronous Midterm Presentation(s) and Final Capstone Conference and Celebration (either online via Zoom or on campus on the designated date and time);
• Evaluate and offer feedback on the Required Deliverables (RD); and
• Provide the SBE program with a final student grade for the course (as informed by the provided rubrics).

 

Mentors > What to Expect of Your Student Mentee

Ideally, students should expect their mentor to provide the following:

• Compassionate curiosity and a sense of wonder about the research topic;
• Effort, earnestness, and equanimity in the research process and project deliverables;
• Punctuality and consistency in mentorship meetings;
• Positive attention and intention toward the project and the mentor engagement;
• Due diligence in timely and comprehensive completion and submission of required deliverables;
• Proper citation management; and
• Adherence to proper netiquette and all University rules and regulations.

 

Student Mentees > What to Expect of the Process

 We congratulate our program seniors for arriving at this final required course in your SBE curricula. A brief overview of the process is provided below. A more in depth explanation of, and preparation for, the Senior Capstone projects is provided in the curriculum of DCP 3200 Methods of Inquiry, a core course within the SBE program and a pre-requisite for the Senior Capstone. And more explicit details about the Required Deliverables and grading rubrics are provided with each assignment 

• Project Initiation:
  • Students are strongly encouraged to identify a project and a mentor at the end of DCP 3200 course or no later than two weeks before the start of the semester in which they will enroll in the DCP 4290 course. In order to register for the capstone, a student must complete the capstone registration form that requires a written description of the proposal along with both the student and mentor signatures.
• Public Engagement:
  • Students are required to engage with other internal and external stakeholders (beyond the mentor) in both the middle and end of the semester. These engagements will mix formal and informal interactions, student public speaking, and both a readiness and willingness to provide well reasoned responses to audience questions and answers.
• Midterm Presentation:
  • Approximately halfway through the semester, students are required to make a midterm presentation (10-12 minutes) to describe their progress to date and delineate their next steps to complete their project. After the presentation, an additional 8-10 minutes of audience interaction via questions, discussion, and feedback will be provided. At this stage, the audience is generally SBE program faculty and advisors, as well as the mentor, though not student peers, nor the general public.
• Final Capstone Conference & Celebration:
  • At the end of the semester just prior to the institutionally scheduled reading days, students are required to make attend a poster conference and Three Minute Thesis (3MT) style research presentation competition. This event will be designed similar to an academic conference where students will share their 3MT speeches in a lightning round, followed by standing with their posters as the audience browses the research summaries and engages with the students. At this stage, the audience will include SBE program faculty and advisors, mentors working with any SBE student past or present, other students from SBE, DCP, or other academic units, and/or invited family and friends. The event will end with a social celebration of SBE Seniors finishing their Capstones. Light snacks and beverages will be provided for attendees who register in advance.

 

Student Mentees > What to Expect of Your Mentor

Ideally, students should expect their mentor to provide the following:

• Reasonable accessibility and responsiveness at the key strategic moments in the process;
• Clear communication about expectations tailored to the mentor and mentee engagement perspectives and preferences;
• Compassion for the student and their unique learning needs and personal approaches to the project completion;
• Enthusiasm for their proposed research topic;
• Unbiased guidance and a willingness to challenge student perceptions and positions to inspire iterative improvement through critical thinking; and
• A commitment to student success and a professional development.

 

Attendance at the Midterm Presentation and Final Capstone Conference & Celebration is mandatory and participation is graded based on your preparation and punctuality. Lack of preparedness and/or tardiness leads to point deductions for those deliverables.

Requirements for participation, assignments, and other potential make-up work in this course are consistent with University policies as found at the following link.

• https://catalog.ufl.edu/UGRD/academic-regulations/attendance-policies/

 

Professionalism

As future sustainability professionals in training, you are preparing for potential future meetings and collaboration. Thus, for all public milestones, deliverables, and/or events, students are encouraged to participate in-person and/or online with dress and demeanor befitting a professional environment. 

 

Online Class Recording Privacy

Our class sessions may be audio and/or visually recorded for students in the class to refer back and for enrolled students who are unable to attend live. Students who participate with their camera engaged or utilize a profile image are agreeing to have their video or image recorded.  If you are unwilling to consent to have your profile or video image recorded, be sure to keep your camera off and do not use a profile image. Likewise, students who un-mute during class and participate orally are agreeing to have their voices recorded. If you are not willing to consent to have your voice audio recorded during class, you will need to keep your mute button activated and communicate exclusively using the "chat" feature, which allows students to type questions and comments live. The chat comments get cloud archived alongside the video, audio, and machine learning transcripts for the convenience of all students to replay and review on demand.

 

What is Permissible

Beyond anything recorded and shared by the instructor, students are allowed to record video or audio of class lectures. However, the purposes for which these recordings may be used are strictly controlled. The only allowable purposes are as follows:

1. For personal educational use;
2. In connection with a complaint to the university; or
3. As evidence in, or in preparation for, a criminal or civil proceeding.

All other purposes are prohibited. Specifically, students may not publish recorded lectures without the written consent of the instructor.

 

What Defines a Lecture

A “class lecture” is an educational presentation intended to inform or teach enrolled students about a particular subject, including any instructor-led discussions that form part of the presentation, and delivered by any instructor hired or appointed by the University, or by a guest instructor, as part of a University of Florida course. A class lecture does not include lab sessions, student presentations, clinical presentations such as patient history, academic exercises involving solely student participation, assessments (quizzes, tests, exams), field trips, private conversations between students in the class or between a student and the faculty or lecturer during a class session.

 

Publication Without Permission is Prohibited

Publication without permission of the instructor is prohibited. To “publish” means to share, transmit, circulate, distribute, or provide access to a recording, regardless of format or medium, to another person (or persons), including but not limited to another student within the same class section. Additionally, a recording, or transcript of a recording, is considered published if it is posted on or uploaded to, in whole or in part, any media platform, including but not limited to social media, book, magazine, newspaper, leaflet, or third party note/tutoring services. A student who publishes a recording without written consent may be subject to a civil cause of action instituted by a person injured by the publication and/or discipline under UF Regulation 4.040 Student Honor Code and Student Conduct Code.

Student Responsibilities

“ In 1995 the UF student body enacted an honor code and voluntarily committed itself to the highest standards of honesty and integrity. When students enroll at the university, they commit themselves to the standard drafted and enacted by students…”

As a student at the University of Florida, you have committed yourself to uphold the Honor Code, which includes the following responsibilities as delineated at https://catalog.ufl.edu/UGRD/student-responsibilities/ .

 

• Academic Honesty
  • Preamble
  • The Honor Pledge
  • Student Responsibility
  • Faculty Responsibility
  • Administration Responsibility
• Student Conduct Code
• Alcohol and Drugs
  • What the University Community Can Do to Prevent Alcohol Abuse and Drug Abuse
• Relations Between People and Groups
• Service to Others
• Standard of Ethical Conduct

 

It is assumed that you will complete all work independently in each course unless the instructor provides explicit permission for you to collaborate on course tasks (e.g. assignments, papers, quizzes, exams). Instructors reserve the right to use the TurnItIn app within Canvas to evaluate work originality. Plagiarism is a serious offense and will result in an honor code violation and potential failure of the course. Additionally, any use, access, or handling of technology (e.g., cell phone, smart watch) during an exam will result in an honor code violation and potential failure of the course.

Furthermore, as part of your obligation to uphold the Honor Code, you should report any condition that facilitates academic misconduct to appropriate personnel. It is your individual responsibility to know and comply with all university policies and procedures regarding academic integrity and the Student Honor Code. Violations of the Honor Code at the University of Florida will not be tolerated. Violations will be reported to the Dean of Students Office for consideration of disciplinary action. For more information regarding the Student Honor Code, please see: https://sccr.dso.ufl.edu/process/student-conduct-code/.

 

Software Use

All faculty, staff and students of the university are required and expected to obey the laws and legal agreements governing software use. Failure to do so can lead to monetary damages and/or criminal penalties for the individual violator. As such violations are also against university policies and rules, disciplinary action will be taken as appropriate.

 

Course Evaluation

Students are expected to provide professional and respectful feedback on the quality of instruction in this course by completing course evaluations online via GatorEvals. Guidance on how to give feedback in a professional and respectful manner is available at https://gatorevals.aa.ufl.edu/students/ . Students will be notified when the evaluation period opens, and can complete evaluations through the email they receive from GatorEvals, in their Canvas course menu under GatorEvals, or via https://ufl.bluera.com/ufl/ . Summaries of course evaluation results are available to students at https://gatorevals.aa.ufl.edu/public-results/ .

 

Students with Disabilities

Students requesting accommodation for disabilities must first register with the Disability Resource Center (DRC). The DRC coordinates the needed accommodations of students with disabilities. This includes registering disabilities, recommending academic accommodations within the classroom, accessing special adaptive computer equipment, providing interpretation services and mediating faculty-student disability related issues.

Upon registering, the DRC will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the instructor when requesting accommodation. You must submit this documentation prior to submitting assignments or taking quizzes or exams. Accommodations are not retroactive, therefore, students should contact the office as soon as possible in the term for which they are seeking accommodations. The DRC may be contacted by visiting 001 Reid Hall, calling 352-392-8565, or visiting their website.

• UF Disability Resource Center
  • https://disability.ufl.edu/ 

 

Netiquette – Communication Courtesy

All members of the class are expected to follow rules of common courtesy in all email messages, threaded discussions and chats. Please refer to these resources.

• http://biostat.ufl.edu/resources/e-learning-resources/e-learning-basics/etiquette-online/
• https://teach.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/NetiquetteGuideforOnlineCourses.docx 

 

Religious Observances

Please inform the instructor of any religious holidays or other days of special religious significance that may interfere with your participation in this class so that appropriate accommodations can be made. For more information, please visit the Religious Holidays section of the UF Attendance Policies.

• https://catalog.ufl.edu/UGRD/academic-regulations/attendance-policies/#religiousholidaystext

 

Special Consideration

The principle of equal treatment of all students is a fundamental guide in responding to requests for special consideration. No student shall be given an opportunity to improve a grade that is not made available to all members of the class. This policy is not intended to exclude reasonable accommodation of verified student disability or the completion of work missed due to religious observance, verified illness, or absence due to circumstances beyond your control. Reconsideration of subjective judgments of an individual student’s work will be done only if all students in the class can be and are given the same consideration.

 

Sexual & Gender-Based Harassment

Sexual and gender-based harassment is reprehensible and will not be tolerated by the University. It subverts our academic mission and threatens the careers, educational experience, and well-being of students, faculty, and staff. The University will not tolerate behavior between, nor among, members of this community that creates an unacceptable working environment.

• UF Office of Accessibility & Gender Equity Homepage
  • https://titleix.ufl.edu/
• Report an Incident
  • https://titleix.ufl.edu/report/

Your safety, health, and wellbeing are important to our University community. Students experiencing crises or personal problems that interfere with their general well-being or academic performance are strongly encouraged to talk to the instructor and/or to utilize the University’s confidential counseling resources, available at no cost to currently enrolled students.

 

Safety, Health & Wellness Resources

• Dean of Students Office, 202 Peabody Hall, 352-392- Among other services, the DSO assists students who are experiencing situations that compromises their ability to attend classes. This includes family emergencies and medical issues (including mental health crises).
  • https://www.dso.ufl.edu/care
• GatorWell Health Promotion Services: For prevention services focused on optimal wellbeing, including Wellness Coaching for Academic Success, visit the GatorWell website or call 352-273-4450.
  • https://gatorwell.ufsa.ufl.edu/
• Sexual Assault Recovery Services (SARS), Student Health Care Center, 352-392-1161. Sexual assault counseling.
  • https://umatter.ufl.edu/helping-students/sexual-violence-response/ 
• Student Health Care Center. Call 352-392-1161 for 24/7 health care information.
  • https://shcc.ufl.edu/
• UF Health Shands Emergency Room / Trauma Center, 1515 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32608, 352-733-0111. For immediate medical care call or go to the emergency room.
  • https://ufhealth.org/emergency-room-trauma-center
• U Matter, We Care , multiple locations, 352-392-1575. If you or someone you know is in distress, please contact umatter@ufl.edu or visit the website to refer or report a concern and a team member will reach out to the student in distress.
  • https://umatter.ufl.edu/
• University Counseling & Wellness Center, 3190 Radio Rd., 392-1575. Personal and career counseling, as well as therapy for anxiety, stress and mental health issues.
  • Homepage
    • https://counseling.ufl.edu/
  • Services
    • https://counseling.ufl.edu/services/
• University Police Department, 392-1111 (or 9-1-1 for emergencies).
  • http://www.police.ufl.edu/

 

Student Complaint Resources

• For student complaints related to on-campus situations, visit the Student Honor Code and Student Conduct Code webpage.
  • https://sccr.dso.ufl.edu/policies/student-honor-code-student-conduct-code/ 
• For student complaints related to online situations visit the Distance Learning Student Complaint Process webpage.
  • https://distance.ufl.edu/getting-help/student-complaint-process/

 

"A growth mindset’s defining characteristic—the belief that intelligence is malleable—provides a powerful formula for improving student outcomes. Students who believe that they can get smarter and that effort makes them smarter will put in the effort that leads to higher achievement." - American University School of Education

Change is the only constant. Within the SBE Program, we focus on a triple-E approach to intrapersonal and interpersonal growth and development. That is, we support our students in placing their attention and intention on effort, earnestness, and equanimity. In the lab of life, lessons are best learned when seeing failure as feedback for your future fitness and adaptability in uncertainty. Your instructor encourages you to foster a growth mindset and to leverage the resources available to help you thrive.

 

Academic & Professional Development Resources

• Career Connections Center, Reitz Union, 352-392-1601. Career assistance and counseling.
  • https://career.ufl.edu/
• E-Learning Technical Support, 352-392-4357 (select option 2) or e-mail to Learning-support@ufl.edu .
  • https://elearning.ufl.edu/student-help/ 
• Library Support. Provides various ways to receive assistance with respect to using the libraries or finding resources.
  • https://uflib.ufl.edu/contact-us/
• UF Academic Resources & Teaching Center, Broward Hall, 392-2010 or 392-6420. General study skills and tutoring.
  • Homepage
    • https://academicresources.clas.ufl.edu/
  • Hours & Location
    • https://academicresources.clas.ufl.edu/about-us/hours-location/
• Writing Studio, 302 Tigert Hall, 846-1138. Help brainstorming, formatting, and writing papers.
  • http://writing.ufl.edu/writing-studio/
• UF Human Resources | Keep Growing | Improvement Mindset Series
  • https://learn-and-grow.hr.ufl.edu/keep-growing/improvement-mindset/ 
• UF Information Technology | Computing Help Desk, 352-392-HELP (4357) or e-mail to helpdesk@ufl.edu .
  • http://helpdesk.ufl.edu/