Learning Approach & Activities

The course will use problem-based and case-based learning approaches to help students develop critical thinking skills in designing an operational afforestation plan for a chosen site of student choice by the end of the course. Students are expected to analyze real-world problems and apply the appropriate principles of forest plantation design and management they learned in the course.

To help students to achieve the goal, students will receive relevant course materials (including downloadable files and web links, PPT presentations, mini videos) to learn the fundamental knowledge of each topic on weekly basis. In weeks 2,3,5,6,8,9,12,13, students would join online class discussions to discuss practical issues asked by the instructors for the related topic that would enlighten their thoughts on their own assignments. In weeks 4,7,10,11, students would join online group discussions. For each group discussion, all groups will discuss the same topic within their groups first and then share their ideas and explanations with the whole class.

Along the way, milestone assignments are set for students to target to complete their final design of an afforestation plan for a local site of their choice. The milestone assignments include writing a design proposal, writing reports on important technical indicators, complete final design, and conduct peer review for peers’ final design. The design proposal is set at early stage (Week 3) of the course. Depending on the topics covered, different report topics are set for reporting, some of the reports require students to go to the field to investigate in their own area. The final design task is to apply all the knowledge learned in this course.