For AEE 530, we revised a syllabus for a course we have taken or taught. I revised the syllabus from the IPM class I took during my Ph.D. program at Penn State. You can view my revised syllabus below and read my reflections on syllabus writing and revising here.
Principles of Integrated Pest Management
ENT 457/AGECO 457
Fall 2016
INSTRUCTOR AND TEACHING ASSISTANT CONTACT INFO WOULD GO HERE
Principles of IPM is the integrated study of pest complexes and their management, emphasizing ecological principles and drawing on examples from a range of agricultural, forestry, and urban systems. This course is designed for sixth, seventh, and eighth semester undergraduate students and graduate students.
Class Time: Tuesday and Thursday 4:15 – 5:30 PM
Class Location: 107 Ag Science and Industries Building
Office Hours: E-mail to set-up an appointment.
Prerequisites: Must have taken two or more of the following: ENT 313, PPEM 405, PPEM 318 or HORT 238. We expect students to be able to contribute some level of basic knowledge regarding plant, arthropod, or pathogen biology but anticipate that basic level will vary amongst students.
Course Goals: There are two major goals of this course. One is to introduce students to the principles and practices of integrated pest management. The second goal is to apply IPM knowledge to real-world pest problems by interacting with pest managers in several different systems. This course addresses IPM issues concerning insects, plant pathogens and weeds in agricultural, natural, and urban environments. Rooted in ecology, IPM also human influences including social, economic, and regulatory constraints on pest management. The overarching goals of environmental protection, economic viability and social welfare are considered throughout the course. We expect the skills and knowledge acquired to be useful in many different future careers in pest management.
Course Objectives:
After taking this course, students will be able to:
- List the tactics of IPM including biological, cultural, legal, mechanical, genetic, and chemical controls
- Explain how pest monitoring can aid decision making
- Appraise the factors influencing how IPM decisions are made
- Compare IPM implementation domestically and internationally
- Design solutions to solve pest management problems, using real-world examples
Course Description: This course will be a mixture of lectures and presentations by outside speakers supplemented with field trips and team-based projects to provide real-world context for key concepts. The course will be handled through the ANGEL course management system. Handouts, slides and supplemental reading material will be placed on ANGEL for this course.
Course Credits: 3 credits
Course Text: Norris, R.F., E.P. Caswell-Chen, and M. Kogan. 2003. Concepts in Integrated Pest Management. Prentice Hall.
Web Resource: Pennsylvania IPM Program: http://paipm.org
American Phytopathological Society: http://apsnet.org
Course Grading:
Mid-term exam 20%
Final exam 20%
Group IPM project (75% report, 25% oral presentation) 20%
Random quizzes (6-7) 15%
Field trip attendance and reports 15%
Class attendance and participation extra credit 10%
Total 100%
Letter grades will be assigned based on the points that you earn. Class participation, attendance and other factors can be used to adjust your overall grade. Students will be randomly called on to answer questions during in-class discussions. If you are absent, you can’t participate. In general, A = 93‐100%; A– = 90‐92%; B+ = 87‐89%; B = 83‐86%; B– = 80‐82%; C+ = 77‐79%; C = 70‐77%; D = 60‐69%; F = <60%.
Course Assignments:
- Field trip reports and discussion: Following each of three field trips, students will be expected to complete a brief report that describes key IPM tactics observed, stakeholders, etc. Reports and observations will inform a post-field trip discussion.
- Report should be completed ahead of discussion to enhance discussion quality. Late reports will be deducted 10% of report grade per day that they are late.
- Semester-long team project: Students will be assigned to one of approximately five teams tasked to complete a semester-long group IPM project. Project progress will be reported during the semester with a final presentation and term paper at the end of the semester.
- Because in-class presentations will be featured on the final exam shortly after, no late presentations will be accepted. Reports will be deducted 20% of report grade per day that it is late.
- Exams: Both exams will be given in Room 107 Ag Sci and Ind Bldg. Mid-term exam will occur on 29 Oct from 4:15-5:30 pm. Final exam will be given a 2 hour block. Date to be determined by the university, but will be announced in advance of the exam.
- Makeup exams will only be granted with a pre-approved reason for absence.
Course Schedule and Reading Assignments:
This syllabus schedule will be subject to change.
AN EXAMPLE SCHEDULE WAS INSERTED HERE
Online Reading Assignments:
1 Oct Online Plant Health Progress article: Cucurbit Downy Mildew ipmPIPE: A Next Generation Web-based Interactive Tool for Disease Management and Extension Outreach http://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/pub/php/review/2011/cucurbit/.
Journal article: The Use and Role of Predictive Systems in Disease Management. Annual Review of Phytopathology 51: 267-289 http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-phyto-082712-102356
PDF files will also be available on ANGEL.
3 Nov Mushroom Production
http://extension.psu.edu/plants/vegetable-fruit/mushrooms/publications/guides/SixSteps.pdf
10 Nov International IPM
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/253328721_Evaluation_of_Integrated_Pest_and_Disease_Management_Module_for_Shallots_in_Tamil_Nadu_India_a_Farmer%27s_Participatory_Approach
Group IPM Projects:
The class will be split into several teams. Each team will act as a consulting ‘company’ that has been hired to develop an IPM strategy, policy, etc. for a given site. The strategy will be based on the site’s environment, pests present or likely to be encountered, site management goals and use, stakeholder analyses, economics, benchmarking, regulations, etc.
Factors to consider include:
- Benchmarking
- Stakeholder interviews and surveys
- Pest history and biology; level of threat
- Site use and future plans
- Site management and procedures
- Federal, state, local and institutional rules and regulations
- Safety concerns
- Relevant business plan(s)
- IPM tactics
- Stakeholder education plan(s)
The team will be graded based on collaboration/interactivity, work effort, stakeholder report, final project presentation/report and an assessment by team peers.
These projects should begin immediately since arranging stakeholder meetings can be time-and energy-consuming! Please feel free to reach out to instructors for assistance in identifying stakeholders, scheduling meetings, and approaching design of IPM plan.
Questions to consider asking during the stakeholder meeting(s) (questions may vary depending on the specific project):
- During the participatory appraisal:
- What is the present state of knowledge about IPM?
- What are key pests? Secondary pests?
- What IPM practices are currently in place?
- What are the current goals and parameters for management? Are policies in place regarding pests and/or chemical usage?
- How does this fit with the new PSU ‘Green’ initiative?
- How are pests monitored? Who is responsible? Are records kept? What happens if an employee sees a pest problem?
- How are ‘six steps’ or ‘staircase’ applied?
- Who are the customers? What are they demanding?
- What laws and regulations have to be accommodated?
- Where are they on the IPM continuum?
- How do they presently learn about IPM tactics and strategies?
- Seasonality of IPM:
- Make a calendar of activities
- What tactics are currently being used?
- Training available and needed:
- What kind of IPM education is available for stakeholders? What kind of publicity?
- Training for employees? Seen as part of core responsibilities?
- How can you make the system better?
- Other tactics that should be evaluated?
- Other stakeholders to be included?
- Policy changes needed
- Improved monitoring
- Cost/benefit improvements
- Environmental and health benefits
- What needs to happen to move them along the IPM continuum?
- Barriers to progress
IPM 457 Project Evaluation Rubrics:
| Project design and benchmarking | Innovative and comprehensive of all potential problems presented. Extensively benchmarked (at least 8 outside resources).
(20-25) |
Design adequate for task. Some benchmarking (at least 3 outside sources).
(10-19) |
Design inappropriate or inadequate; unlikely to successfully manage pest(s). Little or no benchmarking.
(0-9) |
| Stakeholder interactions | Extensive stakeholder interviews (at least 6 interviews), broad range of stakeholders (at least 3 different occupations). Video enhances understanding of interviews.
(20-25) |
Adequate number and diversity of stakeholders to develop problem description (3-6 interviews). Video included but does not enhance project.
(10-19) |
Inadequate stakeholder interactions (fewer than 3 interviews). Hindered problem development. Video nonexistent.
(0-9) |
| Use of IPM principles strategies and tactics in solution | Diverse tactics recommended that were well integrated and considered economic, environmental and social goals. Excellent implementation strategy explained
(20-25) |
A few tactics recommended, some integration shown, not all goals addressed. Implementation strategy adequate.
(10-19) |
Simplistic or single tactic solution, weak implementation strategy.
(0-9) |
| Teamwork | Even division of labor.
(11-15) |
Lopsided division of labor.
(6-10) |
No division of labor evident.
(0-5) |
| Presentation/Report organization | Well integrated presentation and report. Good use of allotted presentation time.
(4-5) |
Adequate alignment between presentation and report. Fair use of allotted presentation time.
(2-3) |
Presentation poorly aligned with report. Poor use of allotted presentation time
(0-1) |
| Presentation style | Interesting and entertaining. Clear and relevant take-home messages. Graphics enhance understanding of presentation.
(4-5) |
Easy to understand. Graphics are relevant but did not greatly enhance presentation.
(2-3) |
Hard to follow. Few graphics included or those included did not enhance presentation.
(0-1) |
| Report style | Well written, cleanly formatted, useful graphics/photos, clear and relevant take-home messages, proper citations.
(4-5) |
Adequate and digestible. Graphics do not enhance report.
(2-3) |
Hard to follow and poorly organized. Any graphics included did not enhance clarity of report.
(0-1) |
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