AGRONOMY 114 - Principles of Agronomy

General Information Sheet and Syllabus

 

Agron 114. Principles of Agronomy. (2-2). Cr.3. F.S. Mullen. A foundation course in agronomy applying crop, soil, and environmental sciences in understanding agricultural systems in the world.  Includes introductory concepts of plant, soil, tillage, pest, environmental, and sustainable aspects of crop production.

 

General Learning Goals (see extended list of learner objectives for the course for more detail):

1.      To develop an understanding of the science and principles of crop production systems in agriculture and the importance of crops to our society.

2.      To develop a basic foundation for continued learning in agronomy courses and for agricultural related careers.

3.      To develop an appreciation and knowledge of agro-ecology, environmental risks, and sustainability practices for crop agriculture.

 

Course Textbook: 

Plant Production Systems-Food, Fuel, Feed, Fiber by Mullen, McAndrews, and Taylor, 2008.  5th edition, Kendall-Hunt Publishing, Dubuque, IA.   The textbook is strongly recommended for students enrolled in the course.  The course covers each chapter in the textbook and each textbook comes with a personal access code which enables the owner to utilize web-based learning tools, quizzing programs, for the course.

 

Course URLs:

Agron. 114 Homepage:  http://www.agron.iastate.edu/courses/agron114/Default.html

Agron. 114 online computer-based learning tools http://webcom3.grtxle.com/agronomy

 

Class Requirements:

·         Prerequisites: None

·         Two, 1-hr discussions in the classroom (MW4) and a 2-hr laboratory for study and taking unit quizzes in the PLANTS Learning Center (G525 Agronomy Hall) per week.  Some optional class activities will be held during some weeks (Thinker, CASA and Entrepreneurism) at F4 and other times during the week.

·         Examinations: Chapter/unit weekly quizzes (14 total), 2 exams, and a final.

·         Grading: Letter grade (plus-minus)

·         Tutoring: An instructor is available for individual help and tutoring more than 30 hours/week in the Agron. 114 PLANTS Learning Center. 

·         Estimated Expenses: Textbook, which includes computer based learning tools for the course

 

HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE AGRONOMY 114 INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF:

Name or Place

Agron. Hall Rm. #

Office Phone

Home/cell Phone

Email

PLANTS CTR

G525

294-4528

 

114staff@iastate.edu

Dr. Russ Mullen

1126

294-3271

515-231-6271

remullen@iastate.edu

Dennis Miller

G525

294-4528

319-290-5253

dgmiller@iastate.edu

Meaghan Bryan

G525

294-4528

515-418-8085

mjbryan@iastate.edu

Josh Henik

1126

294-4528

319-310-3787

jjhenik@iastate.edu

Ruth Rolling

1126

294-4528

563-568-1690

ruthroll@iastate.edu

Linda Brown

G525

294-4528

515-339-2956

lkbrown1@iastate.edu

Katie Demers

G525

294-4528

712-291-5444

kjdemers@iastate.edu

Madison Vangorp

G525

294-4528

515-988-7597

mvangorp@iastate.edu

You can make an appointment to see us by visiting or calling our secretaries (phone: 294-3846) in the Agronomy Student Services Center (Rm. 1126 Agronomy). 

 

AGRONOMY 114 WEEKLY SCHEDULE:

 

FLEXIBLE STUDY HOURS MONDAY - FRIDAY IN THE PLANTS LEARNING CENTER (ROOM G525 AGRONOMY):  Agronomy 114 is designed to give you the opportunity to learn in different ways.  Our primary emphasis is placed on individually tailored learning in the PLANTS Learning Center (Room G525 Agronomy) rather than on large-group instruction in a lecture hall.  Students have a significant degree of flexibility in structuring their learning and quizzing schedule, utilizing a variety of learning tools (a variety of computer-based video, practice learning and quizzing activities, hands-on demonstrations, etc.) and scheduling instructor tutoring help in a learning center utilized for the course that is open nearly 30 hours/week.  We encourage you to ask questions and interact with the instructor in the PLANTS Learning Center.  You may study in the PLANTS Learning Center anytime during Mondays and Tuesdays when the Center is open for general student use.  Time spent in the Center during the week will vary from 2 to more hours per person depending on their familiarity with the subject matter, speed of learning, difficulty of the subject matter, and other factors.  You will be able to access the computer-based supplemental learning tools for the course using your username and password that comes with your textbook.  If you use a used textbook you won’t have access to the computer learning and quizzing tools that supplement the course that are accessible by the web as determined by Kendall-Hunt Publishing Company (publisher of the textbook).

 

OPTIONAL COURSE ACTIVITIES:  The following course activities are optional and bonus points will be given to participants.   Bonus points you earn from optional course activities will be added to the sum of points counted toward your course grade.

 

ENTREPRENUERIAL ACTIVITY – In cooperation with the college entrepreneurship initiative, a program on entrepreneurship in agriculture and life sciences will be offered for students in Agron. 114 on an optional basis.  The entrepreneurship program will require you to participate in a group and to formulate and present an entrepreneurial idea.   More detailed information on this program and its grading will be given to you as we approach the start of the program (15 bonus pts. possible).

 

THINKER SESSIONS – We will conduct several “Thinker Sessions” during the semester for students in Agron. 114.  Students discuss environmental and ethical topics related to the course material.  Points earned for each Thinker session will be based on quality of your typewritten assignment and level of class participation during the Thinker session (15 bonus pts. possible). 

 

WEDNESDAY CASA SESSIONS - A collaborative program with the University Museums office, called CASA (Connecting Art with Science in Agriculture), has been established for Agron. 114 students in an effort to promote and encourage agriculture students to integrate arts and sciences in their discipline.  Students can participate in two, separate CASA tours during the semester (one Art on Campus tour and one Farm House Museum tour).  These tours are offered at various times during the semester (10 bonus pts. possible). 

 

CROP DIAGNOSTIC PROBLEMS – Each week students will be allowed to diagnose a crop problem presented in a photo in the Plants Center.  Students who correctly identify the cause of the problem will be given 1 bonus point (10 bonus pts. possible). 

 

DISCUSSION SESSIONS (Mondays and Wednesdays):  Discussion sessions will highlight the week’s material, review learning tips, and focus on problems, research, application, and other interesting aspects of the course subject matter.  These sessions will give you an opportunity to interact with other students and your instructor, thus participation and attendance are expected.  In addition, information discussed during these sessions will be included in the exams.  Attendance and participation quizzes (30 pts. total) will be taken randomly and unevenly during the semester at the professor’s discretion and will influence your grade.

 

SEMESTER EXAMS AND WEEKLY QUIZ SCHEDULES:  You will be provided a handout of exam and quiz schedules from your instructor.  The schedules will also be posted on our course Web page. 


SUGGESTIONS FOR SUCCESSFUL STUDYING:

 

Here are a few suggestions that should help you gain the most for the time invested in the course:

 

1.      Since this is a 3 cr. course, you should study a minimum of 9 hours per week (3 hours for each course credit).  Try to schedule 4-6 hours of study per week in the PLANTS Learning Center and outside of class.  Do not delay studying and taking quizzes for any unit. Your success in the course will be much greater if you “stay-up” with the course as scheduled.

 

2.      Study the week’s unit at your home and in the PLANTS Learning Center early in the week (Monday and Tuesday).  Come to your laboratory session in the Center prepared to finalize your study and complete the weekly quiz.  You may take the quiz on Monday or Tuesday or during your laboratory time.  Studying with a partner or small group may be effective learning tool for you and you are encouraged to consider it.

 

3.      STUDY HABITS:  You should not plan to delay your study time until "the last minute".  You should start your study early in the week and study in periods of 1-2 hours rather than attempting to spend the total study time to complete a unit in one visit to the PLANTS Center.  Most students find studying in the PLANTS Learning Center much more meaningful than studying notes at home because of the hands-on demonstrations and tutoring assistance available in the learning center.  Effective learning requires a rested and alert mind – please come to the PLANTS Learning Center when you are mentally and physically alert.

 

4.      Use the WebCOM computer based learning tools in the course to help you visualize and understand course material.  These tools can give you learning objectives, diagnostic quizzing programs, video tutoring, learning aids, practice learning programs, problem solving exercises, and more. (WebCOM® ) website for enrolled students with textbook: http://webcom3.grtxle.com/agronomy.

 

5.      Thoroughly study the material in the presented sequence.  Observe and study the demonstration material in the PLANTS Learning Center as you study your text.  The demonstrations in the demonstration area and the greenhouse have been designed to help clarify and supplement the principles in the text.  Enrich your learning with supplemental reading, observations, and discussions with fellow students and the instructors.

 

6.      Quiz yourself.  Take the Self Evaluation Test (SET) at the end of each chapter in your text and score it (answers are in the PLANTS Center).  Use the Chapter Assessment Test and the many smaller self-check quizzing programs in the computer learning tools to give you personal feedback and scores over each subunit in the chapter.   When you are ready to take the regular quiz over the unit you are studying, present a properly prepared answer sheet along with an ID to the instructor in the PLANTS Learning Center.

 

7.      ASK THE INSTRUCTOR FOR ASSISTANCE ANYTIME WHEN NEEDED.  WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU LEARN.

 

8.      Please check our Agron 114 homepage for course information, old exams, study tips, and other scheduling information. 

 

9.      Check your ISU Blackboard for Agron. 114 for announcements and your grades.  Notify the instructor of potential discrepancies of recorded scores in a timely manner.

 

TESTING AND LEARNING ASSESSMENT:

 

Learning progress for each student will be assessed by classroom attendance and participation, assignments, weekly quizzes and 3 exams.  Course grades utilizing plus-minus grading will range from A to F based on the student’s total points earned in the course.

 

Weekly Unit Quizzes:

There are 14 weekly units of subject matter in the course (the introduction unit and 13 units corresponding to the 13 chapters in your textbook.  YOU MUST SCORE 50% OR BETTER ON EACH UNIT TO PASS THE COURSE.  Students will be given TWO tries (if desired) to achieve the highest score on a unit quiz.  If needed, you will be allowed a third quiz attempt to pass a unit during regular dead week for up to 3 units, but your maximum score will be 50% of the possible points for the unit(s) requiring 3 tries.  Students with 4 or more units not passed by the beginning of regular Dead Week will receive a failing grade for the course.

 

Here are the rules for taking weekly unit quizzes:

·         When you are ready to take a quiz over the unit you are studying, present a properly prepared answer sheet and a photo ID card to the instructor. 

·         You can take both quiz attempts during the week the unit is offered.

·         If you do not achieve a 50% or better score on the first attempt, you must wait 30 minutes before attempting a second try.

·         You are encouraged to take at least one quiz attempt during your scheduled lab time.

·         If you take only one quiz attempt during this week, you may take your second quiz attempt during the “mini dead week” for that unit. 

·         The highest quiz score for each unit will be summed and added to the total points counted toward your course grade (maximum sum of points for the 14 quizzes is 220 points).  

·         Students requesting to take a quiz during their lab period will be given priority over students from other lab sections. 

 

Students will be allowed to review the quiz after it has been corrected unless there are too many students waiting to take the quiz.  Instructors will mark correct answers on your answer sheet so that you can use the instructor text to find answers to "missed" quiz questions and restudy your deficient areas of subject matter understanding.  Feel free to discuss any quiz question with the instructor on duty.  Only the instructor's textbook is permitted to review a corrected quiz. 

 

Course Exams:

Three exams will be given during the semester.  Exam 1 (covering the first 4 chapters) and Exam 2 (covering the next 5 chapters) will be worth 100 points each toward your course grade.  The Final Exam (60% comprehensive over the first 9 chapters and 40% over the last 4 chapters) will be worth 150 points toward your course grade. 

 

Calculating Your Course Grade:

Use the following template to add the total points you earn in the course and to calculate your class percentage rank out of 100%:

 

Item

Points Possible

Your Points:

Exam 1

100

 

Exam 2

100

 

Final Exam

150

 

Discussion Attendance & Participation

30

 

Weekly Quizzes (14)

220

 

Bonus Points Earned

 

 

TOTAL

600

 

Calculating your class percentage and course grade:

Sum points earned from exams, weekly quizzes, discussion, and bonus points. Divide your sum by 600 points and multiply by 100 to convert to a percentage.  Estimated Grade Percentages for the following course grades: 90%+=A; 88-89=A-; 86-87% =B+; 80-85%=B; 78-79%=B-; 76-77%=C+; 70-75%=C; 68-69%=C-; 66-67%=D+; 60-65%=D; 58-59%=D-, 57% or below or not passing each weekly quiz = F

 

ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT:  You are expected to practice academic honesty in every aspect of this course and all other courses.  Academic misconduct in any form is in violation of Iowa State University Student Disciplinary Regulations and will not be tolerated.  This includes, but is not limited to: signing attendance or participation sheets for absent students, copying or sharing answers on tests or assignments, plagiarism, and having someone else do your academic work.  Depending on the act, a student could receive an F grade on the test/assignment, F grade for the course, and could be suspended or expelled from the University.  See the Conduct Code at www.dso.iastate.edu/ja for more details and a full explanation of the Academic Misconduct policies.

 

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:  Iowa State University complies with the American with Disabilities Act and Section floor of 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.  If you have a disability that qualifies under these provisions and seek accommodations to meet your learning needs, please visit with the faculty instructor.  Students who request accommodations based on disabilities should obtain a Student Academic Accommodation Request (SAAR) form from the Disability Resources (DR) office (phone 515-294-7220).  The DR office is located on the main floor of the Student Services Building, Room 1076.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:  Each student must assume the responsibility of checking the bulletin boards in the PLANTS Center and/or their ISU emails each week for announcements and instructions.  Also, be sure to check with the PLANTS Center instructor every week or periodically for any scheduling questions you may have.  Students are responsible for checking their grades on ISU Blackboard for the course and to notify the instructor of potential discrepancies of recorded scores in a timely manner.

 

Academic Courtesy Requirements for the Course: 

  • No in-class use of electronic devices, such as cell phones (verbal or texting), i-Pods, calculators is permitted during class or during examinations.
  • Students are expected to be courteous, attentive, and participative in the classroom.
  • No tobacco or alcohol use allowed inside of the Plants Learning Center or in the classroom. 
  • No drinking or eating at the computer work stations in the Plants Learning Center. 
  • Please silence you cell phones and talk on your cell phones in the hallway outside of the Plants Learning Center.
  • Please help take care of the equipment and materials in the Plants Learning Center so all students will have an opportunity for learning.  Report malfunctions and irregularities to the instructor.

·         NOTE:  The student may be asked to leave the classroom if the academic courtesy requirements are ignored.

 

Attendance and Student Participation Policy:  Each student is responsible and expected to attend and meet every class and activity required.  If extenuating circumstances prevent you from attending or participating in certain instances, the faculty instructor must be contacted and the situation (reasons) discussed.  The faculty instructor will try to work with you to help you avoid grade penalties, but this may not be possible if the class activity cannot be rescheduled or duplicated.  Extenuating circumstances are those defined by health or unexpected emergencies or professional activities important enough to warrant a student’s absence and the schedule cannot be controlled by the student.  On the other hand, scheduling work, committee meetings, adviser visits, travel, etc, although possibly important and professionally valid, may not constitute an excused absence if you can control the scheduling or your participation in that activity.  Extenuating circumstances should be discussed with your faculty instructor before or at the time of occurrence, and not after.  The ultimate responsibility for attendance and participation in each required class activity rests with the student.

 

You will receive all the help for studying and learning that you request.  Please ask the faculty instructor or instructors in the PLANTS Learning Center for assistance when you need it.  We are here to help you learn and to be successful in the course.  We wish you a very successful and enjoyable semester learning Agronomy 114, Principles of Agronomy.

 

Sincerely,

Your Agron 114 Instructors