RTM 305, Fall 2015, TTH 11-12:15, WC 230
“To me, wilderness is the logical place, the ideal place, to marvel at life’s unfolding, to live at
life’s edge…It is in wilderness that we can best rejoice in the here and now.”
-Dan Dustin, The Wilderness Within
Professor
Larry Beck, Ph. D.
PSFA 445
Office Hours: Tuesday 1:30-4 and Thursday 11-1:30
lbeck@mail.sdsu.edu
Why This Course Is Important*
The subject matter in this course is important because we exist as part of a larger community of
species in the natural world. Our entire history has been rooted in our relationship with nature.
In an increasingly developed world, the resources that sustain us are often isolated in wilderness
and other protected natural spaces.
In our daily lives, nature offers a sense of balance—a source of solace, joy, and beauty. Yet in
the past few decades many have removed themselves from nature. This is especially true for
children (referred to as “nature-deficit disorder”) who have so much to gain from being outdoors,
getting exercise, and exploring the world around them. Being in nature offers everyone a chance
to experience adventure and wonder in ways not possible in our day-to-day existence. We can
follow more natural rhythms and slow down our busy lives.
Furthermore, a close examination of our relationship with nature is important as we learn better
how to care for the planet with an emphasis on stewardship. We must direct our attention toward
environmental integrity, especially in curbing global climate change. This is very likely the
biggest issue of our time. What we do now in terms of a sustainable relationship with nature will
have implications for generations to come. The quality of our future requires a greater
understanding of, and response to, protecting our cultural and natural resources.
Course Description
This course is about wilderness and leisure, and the connections between these, as we strive
toward responsible environmental stewardship and a high quality of life. The benefits that come
from a knowledge of this subject include: expanded interest in the natural history of this region
and beyond, exposure to literature about wilderness ideals, increased personal awareness
regarding environmental issues both local and global, broadened horizons concerning our
obligation to protect natural resources for this and future generations, and a sense of hope that
individuals can make a difference (toward a human community of integrity and a natural
community of beauty). The purpose is to provide a broad, interdisciplinary general education
course that will encourage a more perceptive and responsible way of seeing your own life and
the world.
RTM 305 encompasses the best of the traditional classroom and online learning. This is a
blended course and we will not meet in class on Thursdays. Online sessions will include a
variety of activities including recorded Captivate lectures, PBS documentary video segments,
essay assignments, online quizzes and exams, and other online work. Still, the intent of the
course is to establish a community of learners engaged in a topic of significance to our lives.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course the committed student will be able to:
1. Analyze the values of protected landscapes to individuals and to society.
2. Articulate the roots, institutional origins, and shaping of wilderness policy.
3. Evaluate contemporary wilderness management and preservation issues and provide
implications for protection, visitor management, and sustainable tourism.
4. Examine the politics of environmental protection and become an informed citizen
on current sustainability issues.
5. Consider deeper values of natural environments in the context of environmental
ethics and spirituality.
Required Readings*
Beck, Larry, Moving Beyond Treeline, San Diego, CA: Montezuma Publishing, 2010.
Dustin, Dan, The Wilderness Within, Fourth Edition, Champaign, IL: Sagamore, 2012.
Sanders, Scott, A Conservationist Manifesto, Indiana University Press, 2009.
*Note: Be certain to buy the Fourth Edition of The Wilderness Within. Earlier editions do not
include all the chapters we read for this class. Each of the books is essential for the class and
will be used extensively. The price of all three books combined is about $75 for all new books
and less expensive used. Moving Beyond Treeline is available only at Aztec Shops Bookstore.
Course Requirements
Exams (100+100)
Readings Quizzes (10 x 10)
Portolio Project OR Aztec Adventure Portfolio Project
Grand Total
Points
200
100
100
400
Grading (Standard Percentage Grading: 90-100=A range, etc.)
368-400=A, 360-367=A-, 352-359=B+, 328-351=B, 320-327=B-, 312-319=C+, 288-311=C,
280-287=C-, 272-279=D+, 240-271=D, <240=F. (CR=288+)
Online Quizzes and Exams
For the quizzes and exams make sure you have a very reliable internet connection. Firefox
is recommended for your browser. Read all the instructions on Blackboard so that your quiz or
exam doesn’t crash. Especially be certain not to re-size your browser, change screens, or
otherwise manipulate the settings. Don’t use smart phones or tablets for taking the tests.
Take the quizzes with plenty of time before they are removed from our Blackboard site. If
you miss a deadline, you lose the points for that quiz, or half your total points for an exam,
unless there has been an emergency with written documentation. There are no exceptions to this
policy. Again, be certain of all quiz and exam deadlines, as listed on the calendar, so that you
don’t needlessly lose points. Compared to traditional quizzes and exams taken in the classroom,
students vastly prefer online testing because you have access to your course materials.
Over the semester there will be 10, online, multiple-choice, readings quizzes. These are 10
points each, for a total of 100 points. The quizzes are timed so be sure to complete all the
reading prior to taking the quizzes. Often, the next class session will include a class discussion
on the material that you will have previously read.
The exams consist of 50 multiple-choice questions and are each worth 100 points. They cover all
the course materials including the online lectures, PBS documentary segments, readings, and so
on. The exams are not cumulative. You will have 50 minutes to take the exams, which is the
same amount of time as traditionally offered in the classroom. Since the test is timed you
shouldn’t count on looking up too many answers. To prepare for the tests, you should learn the
material as if it were for a closed book exam, but knowing you have the luxury to refer to your
course materials a little as necessary.
Students must complete the exams individually. One semester someone solicited other
students to “take the test together” and I was notified. Exams must be completed on your own.
To do otherwise is considered cheating and isn’t fair to all the hardworking and honest students
who have done the work and taken the tests on their own. Students who cheat will be referred to
the proper university authorities. However, there is really no need to cheat. The course is
designed for your success with extensive study guides. If you don’t complete the work that is
your choice, of course, but please have the integrity to accept a lower grade.
There is a definite correlation between attendance, completing all online work, and achievement
on exams. Furthermore, there is a correlation between preparation for the exams and your
success on them. I have made the course as straightforward as possible.
Choose Either the Portfolio Project or Aztec Adventure Portfolio Project
Portfolio Project
All upper division GE courses require a written component; often a lengthy “term” or “research”
paper. In contrast, the Portfolio in this class provides an opportunity for you to connect with the
course content in more personal and meaningful ways. My past surveys show that students
vastly prefer this approach.
The Portfolio is an opportunity to reflect on personal meanings of nature in our lives. Research
shows that self-reflection on course content is an important mode of empowerment and
assessment for learners. This project is a creative response to prompts from the course material
and emphasizes personal intellectual development and written communication skills. Various
themes you may explore include challenge and risk, solitude, adversity, the healing power of
nature, courage, and passion. You will also have the opportunity to explore other broad
questions from the readings and PBS documentary video clips.
If you follow the directions precisely for each of the assignments you will be able to earn a high
number of points. I have experimented with this approach extensively and it has proved
successful for many students. Refer to full instructions and the grading rubric by clicking on
“Portfolio” on the course menu on Blackboard.
Aztec Adventure Portfolio Project
The Aztec Adventure Wilderness trips provide excellent opportunities for experiential learning
that complement the course content in unique ways. These trips are in the price range of two
expensive textbooks. The final paper will be a thoughtful analysis of your experience in the
context of course materials. Refer to the full instructions by clicking on “Portfolio” on the
course menu. This Aztec Adventure portion of the assignment is listed toward the end of the
Portfolio instructions. Students choosing this option will only complete ONE response (your
choice) from Responses #1-4 AND complete Response #5. In other words, those choosing this
option will only complete two responses from the Portfolio in addition to the Aztec Adventure
write-up. Again, more information may be found by reading the full instructions on Blackboard.
Extra Credit—Book Analysis
Read and analyze The Last Season by Eric Blehm. This is an outstanding book written by a
former student of mine who is a New York Times best-selling author. Eric won the National
Outdoor Book Award and the Barnes and Noble “Discover Writer” Award for this book.
Although The Last Season is nonfiction it reads like a mystery novel. It is about the wilderness
of California’s High Sierra range and is an excellent complement to the course material. This
extra credit is worth 15 points. Students from past semesters have loved this book.
The full assignment is listed at the end of the Portfolio assignment (click on “Portfolio” in
Blackboard). You must commit to this assignment no later than the date listed on the course
calendar. Bring your book to class to sign up for the extra credit by the deadline. (I just want to
make sure you have the book with plenty of time left in the semester to finish reading it.)
Statement on What I Can and Can’t Do To Assist You
My concern is for ALL of the students in the class, making sure that everything is fair, and that
everyone has the opportunity to earn the highest grade possible.
For those who would seek special treatment:
Over many years of teaching I have found that, recently, the number of students who seek special
consideration at the end of the semester has increased. This practice is especially common
among students who have missed quizzes or done poorly on the midterm exam. Seeking special
favors is not fair to all the hard-working students who have kept up with the course work over
the entire semester and reflects a lack of integrity. Furthermore, university policy does not allow
professors to change grades or permit individual students to earn extra points without that same
opportunity being available to every student in the class. If you are concerned about your grade
the time to do something about that is right now at the beginning of the class and throughout
the full semester. If you must have a certain grade in the class to meet eligibility requirements
for a major, a scholarship, athletics, or graduate school then it is your responsibility to see that
you earn that grade. Out of respect for hard-working and honest students in the class, and
university policy, I cannot provide special treatment for individual students. Although it is my
hope that everyone is successful, that will ultimately be up to each of you. The course is
designed to reward your efforts. If you want to do well in the class you will.
Extended deadlines for “emergency” situations:
You must present written documentation (police report or notice from Student Health Services,
for example) and meet in my office during office hours to make up quizzes or exams.
Otherwise, you lose all the points for missed quizzes and half the points for a missed exam.
Don’t needlessly lose points by missing quiz and exam deadlines. If you can’t manage your time
effectively, I encourage you to drop the course immediately.
Accommodations for students with disabilities:
If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, it
is your responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at (619) 594-6473. To avoid any
delay in the receipt of your accommodations, you should contact Student Disability Services as
soon as possible. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive, and that I cannot
provide accommodations based upon disability until I have received an accommodation letter
from Student Disability Services. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Academic Integrity
The faculty and staff demand the highest levels of academic and professional integrity in all
work at San Diego State University. Plagiarism, cheating on exams, copying another students
work, or any other type of academic dishonesty will be referred directly to the Office of Student
Rights and Responsibilities for disciplinary action. You will also receive zero points on the
exam or assignment which all but guarantees failing the class. Most important, if you cheat you
are sacrificing your personal integrity and compromising hard working and honest students.
For Your Success
Attend class regularly. Those students who are present in class may expect to gain more from
the course and, subsequently, will perform better on exams. Since this is a hybrid (blended)
course you should always plan to be in class those times we are scheduled to meet.
Complete the study guides. Study (or learning) guides are provided for much of the
coursework. Please fill these out completely on your own. To share these denies other students
the opportunity to learn the material firsthand through watching the documentary or reading the
material and is unfair to all the other students in the class.
Prepare for exams. Although you don’t have to memorize materials for the exams, it is
essential that you prepare for the exams by familiarizing yourself with the material. The
highlights of the lectures will be summarized on PowerPoint slides. Most of the information used
on the exams comes from these slides and the study guides provided for the online sessions.
Collect all of your material and be familiar with it prior to attempting the exams.
Complete the readings. To do well on the online quizzes it is essential that you complete the
reading assignments. In addition, look over the reading assignments and notes you have taken
during discussion periods to familiarize yourself with the material before the major exams.
Follow Instructions and Complete the Portfolio Project. I encourage you to keep up with the
deadlines for each of the Portfolio assignments. Note that I use Turnitin which is a plagiarism
detection system (out of respect for hard-working and honest students in the class). If you
copy work from other sources or from a student who took the class in another semester this will
be caught as part of the overall database. Your work must be original or you will receive a “0”
for the project.
Formal Catalog Description
SDSU General Catalog: Values of protected landscapes to individuals and society. Scientific,
political, international, and ethical dimensions. Implications for protection, visitor management,
and sustainable tourism.
Courses that fulfill the 9-unit requirement for Explorations in General Education take the goals
and the skills of GE Foundations courses to a more advanced level. Your three upper division
courses in Explorations will provide greater interdisciplinary attention, more complex and indepth theory, deeper investigation of local problems, and wider awareness of global challenges.
More extensive reading, written analysis involving complex comparisons, well-developed
arguments, considerable bibliography, and use of technology are appropriate in many
Explorations courses.
This is an Explorations course in Social and Behavioral Sciences. Completing this course will
help you learn to do the following with greater depth: 1) explore and recognize basic terms,
concepts, and domains of the social and behavioral sciences; 2) comprehend diverse theories and
methods of the social and behavioral sciences; 3) identify human behavioral patterns across
space and time and discuss their interrelatedness and distinctiveness; 4) enhance your
understanding of the social world through the application of conceptual frameworks from the
social and behavioral sciences to first-hand engagement with contemporary issues.
As an SDSU general education course, “Wilderness and the Leisure Experience” stresses
personal intellectual development and the integration of knowledge necessary for meaningful
work and leisure, life-long learning, and effective citizenship. In this class you will have
opportunities to advance academic skills in the areas of inquiry and analysis, creative and critical
thinking, information and technological literacy, problem solving and coalition building, and
communication.