PCC’s Summer Sustainability Institute 2010
Curriculum Revision Plan
With support from Portland Community College’s Sustainability Training for Technical Educators (STTE) grant,
funded by the National Science Foundation, the Summer Sustainability Institute (SSI) offers high quality and up-todate training to help instructors infuse sustainability into their courses. The SSI is designed to support faculty in
revising their curriculum to integrate current sustainability concepts, theories, practices, and policies to help prepare
students for careers in green building design, construction and maintenance.
Section I: Curriculum Revision Plan Objectives
The SSI Curriculum Revision Plan helps guide participants’ development of new and/or revised course
curriculum, with the following objectives:

Identify how faculty will integrate their SSI experiences and new knowledge into their course curriculum.

Align course revisions with current sustainability concepts, theories, practices, and policies.

Document changes and/or additions instructors intend to make in their courses or teaching practices.

Determine the impact that SSI participants expect from their course revisions. Will students:

o
Develop new knowledge and skills relative to sustainability practices?
o
Apply new knowledge and skills to their school or extracurricular projects?
o
Change their perceptions and/or choices of courses, degree programs, or careers?
o
Improve their awareness and knowledge of sustainability issues, principles and practices?
o
Change their attitudes toward sustainability principles and practices?
Ensure curriculum revision plans contain descriptions of essential elements for effective instruction, including:
o
Specific outcomes or skills that students will produce or demonstrate
o
Instructional formats to be used (lecture, hands-on learning, demo, etc.)
o
Instructional tools needed (multimedia, technology, equipment, materials, etc.)
o
Assessment plans to determine if students have achieved the set outcomes and skills (test, presentation,
portfolio, observation by instructor, etc.)
The SSI Curriculum Revision Plan also seeks evaluation feedback, to assess participants’ curriculum revision
experiences and to support continual improvement in course revision efforts. Please consider the following
questions when developing your curriculum revision plan.

How has the SSI shaped your curriculum revision process?

How can the curriculum revision process be improved?

What are the major challenges in revising your course(s)?

What resources do you need to help your students reach their learning objectives?
Section II: Curriculum Revision Plan
Revision of at least one course is a requirement of the SSI program. The overall purpose of the Curriculum Revision
Plan is to help you organize your ideas in a way that will facilitate integration of your sustainability training into your
courses. Revisions should include some new content and instruction techniques.
You will have an opportunity to share your ideas with each other during the week, at the follow-up Summit on August
30, and via our web page at www.ppc.edu/stte. We request that you submit your completed Curriculum Revision Plan
by August 30 to Kim Smith, the SSI Training Coordinator, at kdsmith@pcc.edu. Note that parts of your plan may be
combined with other faculty input for use in evaluation reports, but names and other forms of identity will be removed
to ensure anonymity. We appreciate all suggestions to help us improve the STTE SSI program.
Table 1. Course(s) to Revise
Identify the course(s) you plan to revise using knowledge and skills gained from the SSI.
College/School
Forest Grove High School
Course Number & Title
Advanced Building Construction
Why did you choose this/these course(s) for revision?
The following modifications to the 2011 Viking House project represent our effort to move forward in
the evolution of homebuilding. Initiating changes in design, materials, and methods that support a
more sustainable approach to homebuilding is the goal of these changes. The Viking House is a selfsustaining program; therefore the ideas implemented here have been evaluated for their relative
benefit to cost ratio.
Table 2. Impact of Curriculum Revisions on Students
Describe the type of impact you expect your curriculum revisions will have on your students.
Circle “Yes” or “No” for each type of impact. Then, briefly explain your expectations.
Will your course revisions help students:
Develop new knowledge and skills of sustainability principles and practices relevant to
the course(s) and discipline?
Change their perceptions and/or choices of courses, degree programs, or careers?
Possibly, in making them aware of this emerging career sector.
Improve awareness and knowledge of broader sustainability issues within their
communities and the world. As with all of the skills and knowledge they acquire in our
subject area, it is my goal that they will find it useful in their future lives, either through
career choices or home ownership.
Change their attitudes toward sustainability principles and practices? Who is to
determine if their attitudes need changing? If they don’t have the right “attitude”, should
we send them to reduction camps until their attitudes are corrected? I plan to integrate
my curriculum changes through the choices we make in constructing our home. We will
endeavor to build the highest quality sustainable home that the market will support.
Be better qualified for jobs. Absolutely. Good knowledge of sustainability practices
might be a major advantage in many job descriptions.
Yes
X
Yes
X
No
No
Yes
X
No
Yes
No
Yes
X
No
Explain why you expect this/these impact(s) to occur.
I expect these impacts to occur because I plan to make them part of our construction process. There are numerous choices
to be made at every phase of construction. I plan to consider sustainability at each phase and make the best choices we
can in this regard as our budget allows.
Summer Sustainability Institute Template Description: STTE, NSF Project No. 0812576, J. Mattoon, External Evaluator, and Kim Smith, SSI Training
Coordinator, July, 2010.
Section III: Curriculum Revision Description
Use the following guidelines and tables to identify the learning objectives and instruction techniques you plan
to revise in your course(s). They are designed to help you organize your plan for adding content and/or new
student learning activities to the course(s) you teach.
Please copy and paste additional tables, if needed for multiple courses.
Table 3a. Learning Objectives
New or revised learning objectives are essential for effective curriculum revisions. Write student learning
objectives that describe exactly what you expect students to be able to do related to sustainability after taking your
course. Writing these as measurable actions, using action verbs, rather than in general terms like “understand”
(which is hard to assess) is important. Reference the Verbs for Measurable Learning Objectives (at the end of this
document) for help in setting specific outcomes for student knowledge and skills.
Course Number and Title: Advanced Building Construction
Students completing this course will be able to:
Build a floor system using 11-7/8” “I” Joists combined with 1-1/8” T&G plywood floor
1
sheathing. This will provide a good base for a well-sealed floor system as well as providing
an adequate space for R-30 floor insulation.
Build an exterior wall system using advanced framing techniques to create a wall resistant
2
to thermal bridging. This will likely be a wall utilizing 2x8 plates combined with 2x4 offset
studs.
Build a roof system using manufactured trusses designed with a raised heal, thus creating a
3
more efficient insulated ceiling area.
Construct soffits and lowered ceilings as necessary to accommodate conditioned space duct
4
work throughout the home.
Correctly install windows, a “rainscreen” system, and locally grown 1x8 beveled TK cedar
5
siding, trim, and cornerboards.
Summer Sustainability Institute Template Description: STTE, NSF Project No. 0812576, J. Mattoon, External Evaluator, and Kim Smith, SSI Training
Coordinator, July, 2010.
Table 3b. New Teaching/Learning Methods
Describe any new teaching or learning methods you plan to use as a result of your SSI experience (multimedia,
technology, lecture, hands-on learning, demo, etc.) to help achieve your new learning objectives.
New Methodology: Identify any new teaching/learning technique(s) you plan to integrate into
your course(s).
The predominant teaching method I use is a “learn by doing” approach in the context of a
1 real jobsite, requiring that they meet quality and scheduling expectations no matter what the
circumstances.
I plan to present a brief comparison/contrast overview for each sustainable practice we
2 implement noting what we might of done in the past.
How do you expect the new teaching/learning method(s) increase your students’ knowledge or skills or change
their attitudes?
When they actually build the home rather than just discuss it, they tend to remember the way they were
taught to do things “the first time.” I believe our method creates a lasting knowledge base that they can
use to build from in their future studies, at least that is what many of them tell me when they come back
to visit over the years.
Describe how each new activity will be set up. What must the instructor and/or students do to prepare for the
activity? Identify set-up tasks, equipment, materials, and/or supplies needed to complete the activity. Describe
what students must do to prepare for the activity when appropriate (e.g., reading, studying, forming teams, etc.).
Most of what I will need will be part of our normal set-up and layout at the jobsite. Material list
will be adjusted beforehand. I intend to use small scale mock-ups or images to illustrate the
difference between what we are doing compared to what the minimum building code requires.
Table 3c. Student Assessment
Student assessment should be closely aligned with each learning objective. Try to ensure that students demonstrate
active use of new knowledge by solving problems, making critical decisions, or creating new information or
products from what they learn. Assessment of new skills may require only a few new test questions or they might
require direct observation of new tasks or collaborative work. To make your observations consistent and accurate,
you may wish to create a checklist or rubric that enables you to assign ratings of student performance (e.g.,
excellent, good, acceptable, poor).
We utilize detailed scoring guides for every major phase and the tasks that support them. They very much
resemble the typical checklist that a company might use for employee evaluation or quality control. Our
assessments, both the rubric and course final, have been approved by ODE. The rubric is below.
Summer Sustainability Institute Template Description: STTE, NSF Project No. 0812576, J. Mattoon, External Evaluator, and Kim Smith, SSI Training
Coordinator, July, 2010.
Describe assessment methods to determine achievement of specific learning objectives.
1
2
3
4
6 – Exceptional, very high-end professional quality
5 – Excellent, A-quality, high degree of quality, exceeds industry standards
4 – Good, B-quality, competent skill level, meets industry standards
3 – Fair, C-quality, marginally acceptable, but much room for improvement
2 – Poor, D-quality, not acceptable, needs vast improvement
1 – Fail, little effort is evident, not complete, find another profession
Both our semester and course finals are revised each year to reflect the work the students have
performed on the jobsite and the knowledge that goes with it. Our course final has been
approved by ODE for student assessment.
Our homes are inspected by local building officials as required. Are homes must meet or
exceed state building code.
Our last three homes have met Energy Star standards. We intend to qualify for this standard
again with Viking House 2011. They inspect once during construction and again when the
home is completed.
We are going to attempt to gain Earth Advantage certification for VH 2011.
5
How are these methods different than previous methods used in your course(s)?
The assessment methods are essentially the same. It is the standard that will change as noted previously.
Section IV: Curriculum Revision Plan Feedback
How has the SSI shaped your curriculum revision process?
It has made me aware of innovative construction practices that I can integrate into our construction
processes and standards.
How can the curriculum revision process be improved?
What are the major challenges in revising your course(s)?
Added construction cost.
What resources do you need to help your students reach their learning objectives?
“Sustainable” choices are oftentimes significantly more expensive than code. It is a struggle in our
economically-challenged rural community to sell “green.” We are making changes where we can however in
order to help students stay current with emerging industry trends. I have found that I can’t get a dime more
for the house. This is a major problem because we are a self-funded program trying to survive in a
depressed housing market. The best resource you could send us is money.
Summer Sustainability Institute Template Description: STTE, NSF Project No. 0812576, J. Mattoon, External Evaluator, and Kim Smith, SSI Training Coordinator, July, 2010.
Verbs for Measurable Learning Objectives
add
alter
analyze
apply
arrange
articulate
assemble
build
calculate
calibrate
categorize
chart
check
choose
classify
collect
combine
communicate
compare
compile
complete
chart
compute
conduct
connect
construct
contrast
convert
coordinate
correct
criticize
critique
decrease
defend
define
demonstrate
derive
describe
design
designate
detect
develop
diagram
differentiate
discriminate
dissect
distinguish
distribute
divide
document
draw
duplicate
eliminate
employ
estimate
evaluate
execute
expand
explain
express
extend
extract
extrapolate
find
finish
formulate
generate
group
guide
identify
illustrate
include
increase
indicate
insert
integrate
isolate
label
list
locate
manipulate
map
mark
match
measure
modify
name
number
order
organize
outline
paraphrase
perform
place
plan
plot
position
predict
prepare
present
propose
prove
provide
rearrange
recall
reconstruct
regroup
relate
remove
reorganize
rephrase
replace
report
reproduce
restate
restructure
score
select
show
signify
sketch
Recommendations for Setting Learning Objectives and Planning Student Assessment
Understanding: It is challenging to assess if students
“understand” a particular concept or principle, so try to
create a task that will verify their understanding.
Students should be able to demonstrate their capability to
use new knowledge to make decisions or communicate
information to others. Some examples: apply a principle
in a particular context, find a solution to a problem,
compare and contrast ideas, assess a sustainability plan or
practice, or perform a new skill and explain why it is
important.
Standards: If you are using
established industry or educational
standards, please list them as part of
your learning objectives. Include a
reference citation (publication or
Internet URL) where the standards
may be found.
Quality and Value of
Assessment: Regardless of
your chosen method for
measuring student learning, try
to insure your outcomes can be
measured. Use specific criteria
to grade students, while
providing feedback that
supports improvement.
New Teaching Methods and Strategies: You may
decide to use a new teaching method or change your
student learning environment as a result of your SSI
experience. New methods can be simple or complex,
but consider the purpose and how best to integrate the
method(s) into your course.
solve
sort
state
structure
suggest
summarize
support
translate
troubleshoot
verify
write