2. Background Adult Learning Center at Morongo College (MC) New building has no decorative plants MC offers Community Education courses Adult students in new course do landscaping Budget There is no budget for landscape Successive classes plan and plant Provides a living laboratory Science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) Agriculture is well suited to this model
3. Course Description Hybrid: Blackboard, classroom, and fieldwork Facilitate participation with face-to-face lessons Expand content with Web resources Learners Twenty adults in a no-credit community education course
4. Objectives Learners will be able to design xeriscape that adheres to best practices. Learners will incorporate safe working techniques in their daily life. Learners will have the ability to identify suitable and problematic plants for their location. Learners will reduce the amount of water used in their irrigation.
6. Face-to-Face Introduction Syllabus Schedule Blackboard Connect Log in Navigate Communicate Drop box Log out Directions for self-study Share on the Discussion board
7. Pests Versus Xeriscape Rabbits List of plants they rarely eat Rodents Pack Rats Ground squirrels Coyotes Will dig up water lines Condors Nesting flocks can crush small trees Rattlesnakes Know where you have created shelter Thorns, Seeds, and Fruit Hazards
8. Fieldwork: Part One Meet at the Butterfly Garden outside of Phase III at CMC Tour the Garden Types of plants and hardscape Locate and photograph successes Locate and photograph problem areas Groups meet to discuss findings Select three successes and three problem areas Explain why they are either successful or a problem Solve the problems Whole class discussion of findings Identify most significant problem and solve it
9. Fieldwork: Part Two Meet at the 29 Palms Inn for lunch Walking tour of the grounds Oasis Garden Restaurant Cabins Joshua Tree National Park Meet at the lawn for discussion Where were the zones? What plants are doing well? Any surprises?
10. The Project Using your home as the example Conduct a water use survey Analyze and record the landscape Identify problem plants and areas Define problems Identify successful plants and areas Explain why they are successes Design a new landscape Explain your choices Is there a change in water use? Present your results Your presentation may be in any form
14. Reflection on the process Self: Mac user with Office X Two New Products: PowerPoint in Office 2010 for Windows Downloaded trial version August 25, 2010 Supported by text and Web-based tutorials Likes Additional image editing features add variety Dislikes Trial version download is 600MB Dragged text is not visible hindering alignment
15. What I Learned Character Map location on a PC Shift + drag for minute adjustments Arrow keys for larger adjustments Home/Format/Drawing Tools is lots of fun The random clicking learning method requires notes