Community Education

Morongo College

Linda DeneherED TECH 512Boise State UniversityFall 2010

XERISCAPE

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

COURSE DESCRIPTION Hybrid: Blackboard, classroom, and

fieldworkFacilitate participation with face-to-face

lessonsExpand content with Web resources

LearnersTwenty adults in a no-credit community

education courseSchedule Module

Module One Introduction

Module Two Xeriscape Theory and Practice

Module Three Plants Versus Pests

Module Four Fieldwork

Module Five Project Presentations

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.

RUBRIC

FACE-TO-FACE INTRODUCTION

Syllabus Schedule Blackboard

ConnectLog inNavigateCommunicateDrop boxLog out

Directions for self-studyShare on the Discussion board

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

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

FIELDWORK: PART TWO Meet at the 29 Palms Inn for lunch Walking tour of the grounds

OasisGardenRestaurantCabins Joshua Tree National Park

Meet at the lawn for discussionWhere were the zones?What plants are doing well?Any surprises?

THE PROJECT Using your home as the example

Conduct a water use surveyAnalyze and record the landscape Identify problem plants and areas

Define problems Identify successful plants and areas

Explain why they are successesDesign a new landscape

Explain your choices Is there a change in water use?

Present your resultsYour presentation may be in any form

PROJECT PRESENTATIONS Student One: project title Student Two: Student Three: Student Four: Student Five: Student Six: Student Seven: Student Eight: Student Nine: Student Ten:

PROJECT PRESENTATIONS Student Eleven: project title Student Twelve: Student Thirteen: Student Fourteen: Student Fifteen: Student Sixteen: Student Seventeen: Student Eighteen: Student Nineteen: Student Twenty:

RESOURCES

REFLECTION ON THE PROCESS

Self: Mac user with Office X Two New Products: PowerPoint in Office

2010 for WindowsDownloaded trial version August 25, 2010Supported by text and Web-based tutorials

LikesAdditional image editing features add variety

DislikesTrial version download is 600MBDragged text is not visible hindering

alignment

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