Group Project |
| This class is designed to be a service learning experience where students work on an applied coastal management/policy analysis project. Each time I teach the course the mix of projects and clients changes. When possible, I try to have clients representing both public and nonprofit organizations and find projects that develop a wide range of skills (e.g., research, preparing reports, developing grant proposals, planning programs, strategic planning, etc.). I also try to find projects that demonstrate an application of the readings assigned this semester. Students also have the opportunity to develop their own project if they wish provided that they can find a real client, the client can be completed within the timeframes provided, and it produces some sort of definable work product. |
| Whenever possible, I will try to match students based on their personal preferences. However, some projects require special skills and students who have these skills are advised to select projects where these skills can be exploited. The projects for this semester are: |
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Pet Waste Ordinance for the City of Wilmington Contact: Jennifer Butler, 341-5895, Jennifer.butler@ci.wilmington.nc.us Description: write a report that researches various options for implementing a pet waste ordinances in other communities including regulations, practices, disposal methods, fines, public education strategy, and enforcement issues. It should also include recommendations and draft language for an ordinance or different options for an ordinance. It will present its findings to the client and the class. This group will also be responsible for helping administer the survey and enter survey data. |
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Water Quality Education Project for NC Cooperative Extension Service Contact: Nicole M. Mitchell, 452-6393, nicole_mitchell@ncsu.edu Description: There is a water quality education program developed by North Dakota. The cooperative extension service would like to modify and replicate the project in southeastern NC. This project should write a report that plans out the program and costs out different options for administering the program at different scales. The information from the report will be used as a basis for preparing at least one grant proposal to fund the implementation of this program. Researching various funding sources and preparing the grant proposal is a fundamental aspect of the project. It will present its findings to the client and the class. This group will also be responsible for helping administer the survey. |
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Strategic Planning for Marine Quest Contact: Diane Talley, talleyd@uncw.edu; Amber Morris, morrisa@uncw.edu (start with her) Description: This project involves doing some strategic planning for UNCW’s Marine Quest Program. It involves meeting with the staff to discuss management/program planning issues/problems and to help gather data necessary to help improve the delivery of these programs. Issues include budgeting/funding, marketing, staffing camps, tracking quality of camp experiences. This project will involve gathering qualitative data from interviewing camp participants, parents, staff, etc. and possibly developing and administering a survey instrument. The findings from this project will be included in a final report addressing the issues identified by the staff at Marine Quest. It will present its findings to the client and the class. This group will also be responsible for helping administer the survey. |
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Cape Fear Museum Grant Proposal Contact: Ruth Hass, 341-4350, rhaas@nhcgov.com Description: The museum is committed to strengthening its environmental programming. One way they want to accomplish this is by developing a future exhibit that looks at regional environmental challenges that interweave with history such as land use, water quality, viable flora and fauna, global warming through an interactive computer based exhibit system. They are also interested in developing an interactive traveling exhibit that displays all of the different ways that we use the oceans. This project involves doing the background research for the exhibits and putting it in the form of a report. It will also help develop and submit the grant proposal to fund the exhibit. It will present its findings to the client and the class. This group will also be responsible for helping administer the survey. |
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Beachgoers at the North End of Carolina Beach Contact: Mark Imperial, 962-7928, imperialm@uncw.edu Description: This project involves conducting at least one scientifically valid random sample of beachgoers at the North end of Carolina Beach. This involves developing a research design, getting it approved by UNCW’s human subjects committee, developing a questionnaire, training interviewers, collecting data, entering data in a computer SPSS database, analyzing these data, and writing a research report that describes the research design and summarizes these data. This group will also be responsible for training and managing the other students in the class when they help administer the surveys. At a minimum, the findings will be presented to the client and the class. |
| Management of the Project Team |
| Each project team is self-managed and your professor is available to provide assistance when needed. You must select a project leader/spokesperson but it is up to the team to decide on how you want to manage yourselves. After being assigned to your project team, you must meet with your client and reach agreement on the scope of work to be completed. You must then prepare a short document detailing the scope of work for the project that includes a summary of the project, the tasks to be completed, a timeline, and a clear division of responsibilities among team members (see the reading in Mintrom for an example). You will also be required to periodically report on the progress of your team. Approximately halfway through the class you need to submit a short progress report in memo form that describes the progress to date, any modifications that have been made to the scope of work, and summarizes any problems you have experienced. |
| Each project will result in one or more work products (e.g., report, grant proposal, etc.) that can be used in your portfolios. Keep in mind that when working in the community you are representing not only yourself but UNCW and the MPA program. Accordingly, you should behave professionally at all times. |
| Your final reports and other work products should be professional in appearance and include a cover, table of contents, executive summary, reference list, and appendices as needed. At a minimum, you will present your findings in this class but schedule permitting you will also present your findings to your clients. |
| Grading |
| Your project grades will be based on both the quality of your presentation and the final written report. Your client will evaluate the usefulness of your final project. I will factor their impressions into the grading process. Your group grades will be your individual grades. You will evaluate your own contributions to the project in a required journal entry. A peer evaluation form will also be used when you complete your projects. Your individual grade may be adjusted lower if the team reports that one of its members did not contribute to the projects adequately. |