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Term
Project Guidelines
Fall
2005
Organization
of Teams
Integrated
pest management, by its very nature, is a team endeavor, requiring
the collaboration of many individuals with differing expertise.
While working together collaboratively helps us to accomplish
far more than we could individually, it adds another dimension
of complexity to any effort—that of interpersonal interactions.
We have to be able to deal with differences of opinion, issues
of control, problems of equitability, and many other matters
that, if not managed well, can lead to the collapse of the collaboration.
The term project is designed to provide students the opportunity
to exercise their teamwork skills while at the same time being
evaluated as individuals. During the first week of the semester, the class will be divided
into teams of 3-4 students, and each team will select a pest
problem on which to focus.
Selection
of pest problem
Unfortunately,
our climate precludes most outdoor crop production during the
fall semester, so we are constrained, for the most part, to
working in greenhouses, with indoor pest problems, such as cockroaches,
cluster flies, etc. or with postharvest pest management in stored
products, such as apples, grain, etc. There are a few outdoor
pests, such as rodents and deer, that can be monitored and for
which management actions can be taken during the period from
September to December. Each team is free to select a pest on
which to focus, as long as it has been approved by the instructor.
While the focus of the project is a single pest, it must be
considered within the context of the other pests in the system
and the overall management of the system. The "system" in this
case can be a farm, an orchard, a greenhouse, a building, a
dining hall, or wherever the target pest population is found.
(See the examples of projects
from past years and potential projects and contacts.)
Analysis
and management of the pest problem
Each
team will conduct an analysis of the selected pest management
system, interviewing the manager, observing the problem, assessing
the pest population, executing or overseeing the appropriate
management action, and assessing the results. This will be done
throughout the semester, as necessary according to the specific
pest problem. Although some of the laboratory periods will be
devoted to work on the team projects, much of the work will
have to be arranged by individual teams outside of class.
Class
presentation of the project
Time
has been set aside during the lecture periods of November 16,
and 18 for each team to present a summary of its project
to the rest of the class. The presentation should be about 15
minutes long, allowing at least 10 minutes for discussion. All
members of the team must participate in the presentation.
Documentation
of the project
On
the last day of class (Friday, December 2), each team will submit
documentation of its pest management project using the following
guidelines:
- Definition
of the problem. Describe the system being studied, identifying
the major pests and explaining their impact on the system.
Outline the pest management problems, and state the specific
needs for an integrated pest management program. Include
information on any qualitative assessment that grower/producer/manager
has made and any quantitative assessment that the team has
made.
- Statement
of objectives. Define the objectives of the proposed
pest management program and identify the priorities.
- Pest
management proposal. Propose a scheme for the long-term
management of the pest. Show how pest management will be
integrated into the overall production system.
- Implementation. Depending on the nature of the pest problem, either execute
the appropriate management action or observe its execution
by the personnel of the organization involved.
- Analysis
and evaluation. Assess the impact of the management
action qualitatively and, if possible, quantitatively. Evaluate
the costs and benefits (including economic, social, and
political considerations where relevant) of your proposed
long-term management scheme, and justify its implementation.
- Summary
and conclusions.
Grading
of the project
The
project reports will be evaluated according to the following
criteria:
- Demonstrated
depth of understanding of integrated pest management concepts
and principles
- The
logic and reasoning demonstrated in applying these concepts
to addressing this specific problem
- Creativity
and originality demonstrated in innovative approaches to
pest management
- Thoroughness
and quality of the field evaluation and followup
- Quality
of the class presentation
- Quality
of the writing in the document submitted
Individual grades for the project will be adjusted upward
or downward according to the contributions of each individual
to the team effort as judged by (1) the perceptions of the
instructors and the TA and (2) the team
evaluation form completed by each individual. The Term
Project will account for 25% of the final grade. |
