Global Change I Course: A Technology-Enhanced, Interdisciplinary Learning Environment

Susan Millar and Jean-Pierre Bayard, researchers for the Institute on Learning Technology, conducted interviews and observed labs and classrooms during mid-January 2000 at the University of Michigan. We interviewed:

• four "core" Global Change faculty members:
  • Timothy Killeen, at the time, director of the Space Physics Research Laboratory, professor in the Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences Department of the College of Engineering, and director of the Global Change Project, and as of fall 2000, director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
  • Ben van der Pluijm, professor of Geology and present director of the Global Change Program
  • David Allan, professor, School of Natural Resources and Environment
  • George Kling, professor of Biology, School of Literature Sciences and Arts

• one new Global Change faculty, Lisa Curran, assistant professor, School of Natural Resources & Environment

• three graduate teaching assistants
  • David Halsing, currently completing a Master of Science degree in Resource Policy and Management
  • Patrick Livingood, graduate student instructor, Ph.D. student, School of Natural Resources and Environment
  • Luis Fernandez

• Professor Daniel Mazmanian, then dean of School of Natural Resources & Environment and as of fall 2000, C. Erwin and Ione L. Piper Dean and professor of the University of Southern California's new School of Policy, Planning, and Development

• Robert M. Owen, associate dean of Undergraduate Education of the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, and professor of Marine Geochemistry

• two leaders from the central administration

• two evaluators
  • Eric Dey, professor in the School of Education and member of the U of M Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education (CSHPE)
  • Anne Chapple, graduate student, CSHPE, School of Education, and faculty in the Department of Law, History & Communication

• eight students
  • seven Global Change students, and
  • one Global Change I alum who now serves as an administrative assistant for the course.

In addition, we observed one of the weekly organizational meetings in which the Global Change instructors participate, two of the weekly Global Change lab meetings, and one of the large lectures (given by Gayle Ness, professor emeritus of Sociology, and former member of the core Global Change faculty group).

At the time of our visit, these Global Change faculty and teaching assistants were in their third week of classes with a group of approximately 190 students enrolled in Global Change I.

The interviews were guided by the protocols used in all the Learning Through Technology case studies and were taped and transcribed. Andrew Beversdorf analyzed the interview material, and with help from Susan Millar, as well as from Sharon Schlegel and Mark Connolly, produced this case study.

Acknowledgements:
The authors thank the University of Michigan faculty, staff, and students who participated in this study. These individuals very graciously responded to our request for their time and attention. In particular, the authors thank Professor Ben van der Pluijm for the many hours and the thoughtful attention he dedicated to the improvement of this document.

This case study is based on a deeply collaborative analysis and planning process undertaken by the NISE's Learning Through Technology Fellows:

Jean-Pierre Bayard
Stephen Erhmann
John Jungck
Flora McMartin
Susan Millar
Marco Molinaro

The Fellows, in turn, benefited substantially from members of the College Level One Team:

Susan Daffinrud
Art Ellis
Kate Loftus-Fahl
Anthony Jacob
Robert Mathieu