The course instructor and GSIs will offer office hours via Zoom. These office hours allow for synchronous interaction with the instructor and GSIs and are a good opportunity to discuss your questions relevant to the course. Check the course’s Office Hours page for more details.

Links to the appropriate Zoom meeting will be available in bCourses.

Course Mail

You can also contact your GSI and instructor using the bCourses emailing system, accessed via your Inbox (in global navigation on the left). You can also choose to have your bCourses mail forwarded as text (SMS) or to your personal email.

Course Help

You’re not alone in this course; the instructor and GSIs are here to support you as you learn the material. It's expected that some aspects of this course will take time to grasp, and the best way to grasp challenging material is to ask questions.

To ask a question, use the bCourses Q&A forum. The instructor and GSIs will monitor this discussion forum, but you should also feel free  to answer questions posted by other students. You can also reach out to the course staff in office hours and/or via email.

Students with Disabilities

If you require course accommodations due to a physical, emotional, or learning disability, contact UC Berkeley's Disabled Students' Program (DSP). Notify the instructor and GSI through course email of the accommodations you would like to use. You must have a Letter of Accommodation on file with UC Berkeley to have accommodations made in the course.

UC Berkeley is committed to providing robust educational experiences  for all learners. With this goal in mind, we’ve enabled the ALLY tool for this course. You can now automatically generate “Alternative Formats” for course files and bCourses Pages. Depending on the context, these   formats can include Tagged PDF, HTML, BeeLine Reader, Electronic Braille, ePub, Immersive Reader, MP3, and translated versions.  For more information watch the video entitled, Ally Tutorial for Students at UC Berkeley.

Please note that DSP status is not a blanket that covers all assignments. Students need to be in touch with course staff proactively when disability barriers arise and they need to apply their accommodations.

Textbook / Required Materials

Rosenblum, E. B. (2021). Global Change Biology. United Kingdom:

Oxford University Press.

This eBook will be an indispensable companion for the course. The most economical option is to rent the ebook from RedShelf or VitalSource. We also have a small number of print copies on reserve at the Biosciences library. Please plan ahead if you decide to use library reserve copies as there may not always be one available due to demand.

You cannot pass the course without access to the textbook. If you are facing extreme financial barriers and cannot rent the textbook, coordinate immediately with other students via Ed Discussions to explore sharing resources. Do not put this off!

Technical Requirements

This course is built on a Learning Management System (LMS) called Canvas (UC Berkeley’s instance of Canvas is called bCourses). You’ll need to meet these computer specifications to participate in this online platform.

Technical Support

If you’re having technical difficulties please alert one of the GSIs immediately. However, understand that neither the GSIs nor the instructor can assist you with technical problems. You must call or email tech support to resolve any technical issues.

To contact tech support, click the "Help" button on the bottom left of the global navigation menu in bCourses. Be sure to document all interactions (save emails and transaction numbers).

You’re expected to fully participate in all the course activities described below. We’ll have frequent opportunities to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding. We’ll have small cumulative “knowledge checks” instead of traditional midterms. We’ll also have a term project with several intermediate deadlines. Review material consistently and turn your work in on time.

Asynchronous/Synchronous Format

Most of your learning activities will be asynchronous (i.e., lectures, readings, threaded discussions, data assignments, quizzes, term projects), which you can complete at any time before the due date.   Other activities will be synchronous (i.e., optional workshops, office   hours, live review, final exam), which you’ll attend at a specific time.

All times listed are Pacific Time (PT)—please adjust for your time zone. If you prefer, you can set your own time zone to display throughout bCourses.

Reading Assignments

Each week, you’ll read 1 or more textbook chapters as per the  schedule below. You’ll receive a bCourses reminder each week.

Lectures

Each week, you’ll find lectures that provide important information and insights on the week’s topics. All lectures have been pre-recorded, for you to watch on your own: there are no live lecture meetings for this course. Recorded lectures support your readings and assignments but also contain additional material that may be included in the exams.

You’re expected to take notes while viewing the lectures as you would in a regular classroom. Please watch the lectures before the week’s discussion section.

Discussion Section

Each week contains an assigned group discussion in which we ask you  to write reflectively and critically about the discussion topic. Your posts and responses are considered your class participation and represent an opportunity for you to exchange views with your classmates, share experiences and resources, and ensure your understanding of the  course material. Please join in creating an engaged community for learning and exploration.

For the asynchronous discussion assignments, you’ll be expected to make an initial posting on the bCourses Discussion tool by 11:59pm

Monday PDT and to respond to at Ieast one student’s postings by 11:59pm Wednesday PDT.

There is aIso a separate tooI in the course caIIed Ed Discussions. Use this as a question-and-answer forum at any time throughout the course.

Data Assignments

These assignments from the textbook’s 、Meet the Data’section provide you with direct experience interpreting GIobaI Change BioIogy data.

You’II generate predictions/ interpret data figures/ and articuIate key findings of articIes provided in the textbook. These are due on Fridays.

Quizzes

After compIeting the Iectures and reading assignments for the week/ take the weekIy quiz . There’II be a weekIy bCourses quiz to compIete on bCourses on Friday. These quizzes wiII aIternate between short

knowIedge checks on the textbook chapter and sIightIy Ionger more synthetic assessments.

If you have a Letter of Accommodation at UC BerkeIey/ confirm with your GSI that it has been received and accommodations have been made. Every time you start a quiz or exam/ check to confirm you have the correct time accommodation . If not/ notify your GSI.

Student Input

We created three student surveys to obtain your input and feedback throughout the course. The initiaI 、WeIcome to the CIass’survey is part of the Orientation ModuIe and serves to Iearn more about you and your aspirations. The anonymous mid-semester survey serves as a way to determine what’s working and continuousIy improve. The     anonymous finaI survey serves as a refIection .

Term Project

There wiII be one written term project. You’II conduct a Iiterature review/ identify an area in need of further expIoration/ propose a specific project to address a knowIedge gap and deveIop a GIobaI Change BioIogy research grant proposaI. You wiII not be conducting the research/ but you’II gain vaIuabIe skiIIs in scientific writing and in personaIizing your own education . Your grade wiII be based on meeting intermediate deadIines for the foIIowing:

● Topic selection

● Introduction & bibliography

● Objectives & methods

● Rough draft

●  Final paper

There will be optional weekly office hours to get live support from the teaching staff for your term projects.

Final Exam

You’ll take a comprehensive, 90-minute, closed-book, final exam on Thursday August 14th. There’ll be no make-up exam. The multiple-choice exam will be provided on bCourses and will cover information  from lectures and lecture slides, assigned readings, and discussion questions.

The final exam will be available beginning Thursday August 14th  at 8:00 AM (PDT) and closing that evening at 11:59 PM. During that time period, you’ll have a fixed time limit to take the exam.

Accommodation is provided as prescribed.