LAND, FOOD AND COMMUNITY I 

LFS 250 sections 001/002/003 

Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia 

xʷməɵkʷəyəm (Musqueam) Traditional Territory 

Winter Session 2024/25 Terms 1 & 2 

LECTURES: TUE 1230-1350. Synchronous lectures for all Sections 

DISCUSSIONS: TUE 1400-1530. IN-PERSON (students registered in section D01) or ONLINE (students registered in sections D02 and D03)  

INSTRUCTORS 

Dr. Amber Heckelman (Lead Instructor Section 003) 

Dr. DeLisa Lewis (Lead Instructor Section 002) 

Dr. Matt Mitchell (Lead Instructor Section 001 Term 2) 

Dr. Will Valley (Lead Instructor Section 001 Term 1) 

COURSE OVERVIEW 

Land, Food and Community I (LFS 250) is part of the Land, Food, and Community (LFC) series, the academic core of all programs in LFS. The objective of the LFC series is to create learning opportunities that encourage students to become citizens, professionals, and leaders who understand the opportunities and obstacles to creating regional, national, and global food systems that are ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable. 

The overall goal of LFS 250 is for students to demonstrate food systems literacy and systems thinking competencies in the analysis of wicked problems related to food system sustainability and food security. 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 

Upon successful completion of LFS 250, students will be able to: 

• Define, describe, analyze, and interpret food systems issues through a food security framework. 

• Apply systems thinking processes to understand and analyze food systems issues at different scales (e.g. global, regional, local, individual) 

• Describe and analyze boundaries, components, interactions, and social actors within a system 

• Create systems diagrams of food systems sectors and nodes of activity  

• Explain complex food systems issues to academic and general audiences through verbal, written, and design-based communication strategies. 

• Design, implement, and evaluate group presentations on specific course topics  

• Conduct a collaborative, interdisciplinary food security inquiry project 

• Collaborate in an interdisciplinary team context 

• Describe personal areas of strength related to disciplinary knowledge, skills, and collaboration 

• Identify team members’ areas of strength and interact professionally to accomplish shared tasks 

• Use project management strategies to organize team projects (e.g. strengths-based approaches, team charter, group multiplier)) 

• Use conflict resolution strategies to address teamwork issues 

• Give and receive feedback on teamwork  

• Critically reflect on  

• Disciplinary and systemic perspectives on food system issues  

• Your own learning process 

COURSE STRUCTURE 

Lectures for all sections (001, 002, 003) are combined and delivered via Zoom. Discussions are either in-person (D01) or online (D02 and D03). Components of the course include both synchronous and asynchronous learning activities for all sections. 

Online learning occurs via Canvas, Zoom, or other online platforms. 

In-person learning occurs with instructors and students physically in the same space. 

Synchronous Learning is any activity that happens in real-time, like a Zoom meeting or discussion that instructors and students attend at the same time. 

Asynchronous Learning is any activity that students can complete on their own schedule. 

READINGS (Online, Asynchronous) 

Readings, including academic articles, media articles, web articles, podcasts, and online videos will be assigned each week and are required course material. Additional materials and resources will also be provided but are not absolutely required (but will help you understand the material and meet the learning objectives). All the required readings will be provided on the course Canvas site. You are expected to have completed the readings for each week prior to the lecture for that week. 

LECTURES (Online, Synchronous) 

Weekly Zoom lectures: Each week (TUE 1230-1350) there will be a single ~80 minute synchronous and interactive lecture/discussion session via Zoom for all Sections. This session will focus on content delivery, guest lectures, relevant individual or group activities that will help explain course concepts and will provide time for you to ask questions of the instructors and guest lecturers about the course material and upcoming assignments. We will also use online interactive tools to help integrate and reinforce course concepts.  

Recorded lectures: Occasionally, short, recorded lectures will be made available on Canvas for all Sections.  

DISCUSSIONS (D01: In-person, Synchronous; D02/D03: Online, Synchronous) 

While there are initially only three discussion sections for registration (D01, D02 and D03), during the first week of classes students will be split up and assigned to one of 15 specific discussion rooms. This includes one of seven rooms for in-person discussions (D01: Discussions D01-01 to D01-07) or one of eight rooms for online discussions (D02/D03: Discussions D02-08 to D03-15). 

Discussions provide time for most of the practical and experiential learning that happens in LFS 250. All discussions are scheduled from 1400-1530 on Tuesdays. Discussions will involve short lectures, group work, activities, group discussions, and presentations. 

COURSE CANVAS SITE & MODULE STRUCTURE 

All course content, lectures, and material will be available through the course Canvas sites. This will include preparatory material for each lecture and discussion, which must be reviewed before the session start. Additional resources, detailed assignment information, community project information, and much more can be found on the Canvas site. 

The course is organized through Modules in Canvas. Modules should be completed in order. Resources and activities within Modules include the Session “Prep Work,” Required Readings, recorded lectures, and other resources and assignments. Unless otherwise noted, Session Module items must be completed BEFORE the Session/Lecture begins. 

LEARNING ONLINE, TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS & PRIVACY 

Online learning means different responsibilities and etiquette requirements for everyone compared to in-person learning. Since many components of LFS 250 will be online through video conferencing technology such as Zoom, everyone needs to contribute to a respectful learning environment. This includes: 

• Using earphones (if available) to reduce noise while online 

• Muting your microphone when not speaking 

• Using the "raise hand" function to speak up 

• Turning off your video feed if there will be distractions around you 

Other "netiquette" guidelines can be found here: https://elearningindustry.com/10-netiquette-tips-online-discussions.  

One important consideration is the use of webcams in live sessions for the course. We will use Zoom for our "in-class" lecture time and for online discussion rooms. To ensure effective teaching and discussion, students are strongly encouraged to have their cameras on during online (D02/D03) discussions. This will allow your TA to respond and adapt to your non-verbal feedback and make the Zoom meeting feel more like being in a physical classroom. However, we also recognize that there may be specific times when it is not possible for you to have your camera on. While our expectation is that all students will have their cameras turned on in the online Discussions (see Participation section below for additional details), if you think using a camera will be difficult for you in a discussion session, please let your TA know. 

There will also be computing and technology requirements beyond what is normally required for many university courses. At a minimum, effective learning, and participation in LFS 250 will require a laptop, personal computer, or tablet with stable internet connectivity. A good internet connection is especially important to participate in online discussions, but we know that this may not always be possible for all students. Beyond this, a working webcam and headphones will be helpful but not absolutely required. If you have any concerns or questions about your access to technology and ability to participate in the course online, please reach out to the instructors and teaching team early in the course. 

The course will primarily rely on Canvas and Zoom for teaching and learning. However, LFS 250 may also use a limited number of other online tools and platforms to help facilitate learning and interaction. The goal here is to provide a small number of tools that will help make the course more interesting and improve learning outcomes. These include: 

• TurnItIn 

• iPeer 

• iClicker Cloud 

Use of these online tools and platforms can lead to some privacy concerns. UBC's Canvas platform is secure, and all Zoom videos will be stored on servers physically located in Canada to address privacy concerns. For other tools, you should not have to download an application but can use these tools directly in a web interface. iPeer is FIPPA (Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act) compliant and most of the data is stored securely in Canada. For TurnItIn, information is stored in the United States, and you are advised to remove any identifying information (name, student number) from any assignments you submit. iClicker Cloud has been verified by UBC's Privacy Impact Assessment Process. Finally, if anyone has any privacy concerns about any aspect of the course, please contact an instructor. 

TEACHING TEAM 

INSTRUCTORS 

Dr. Amber Heckelman (she/her)  

Lead Instructor for Section 003 

Sessional Instructor, Faculty of Land and Food Systems 

amber.heckelman@ubc.ca, Office Hours by appointment 

Dr. DeLisa Lewis (she/her)  

Lead Instructor for Section 002 

Lecturer & Research Associate, Applied Biology, Faculty of Land & Food Systems 

delisa.lewis@ubc.ca, Office Hours by appointment 

Dr. Matthew Mitchell (he/him)  

Lead instructor for Section 001 (Term 2) 

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Land & Food Systems and Faculty of Forestry 

matthew.mitchell@ubc.ca, Office Hours by appointment 

Dr. Will Valley (he/him) 

Lead instructor for Section 001 (Term 1) 

Associate Professor of Teaching and Associate Dean Equity, Decolonization & Inclusion 

Faculty of Land & Food Systems 

will.valley@ubc.ca, Office Hours by appointment 

COURSE COORDINATOR 

Lindsay Goodridge (she/her) 

PhD Candidate, Human Nutrition, Faculty of Land & Food Systems 

Office Hours by appointment 

TEACHING ASSISTANTS 

SECTION D01 

Anisha Sandhu, Discussion D01-01 (Swing Space 107), Groups 1-5 

Batoule Hyjazie, Discussion D01-02 (Swing Space 208), Groups 6-10 

Muh Syukron, Discussion D01-03 (Swing Space 210), Groups 11-15 

Hannah Anderson, Discussion D01-04 (Swing Space 307), Groups 16-20 

Eva Burghardt, Discussion D01-05 (Swing Space 309), Groups 21-25 

Yao Yao, Discussion D01-06 (Swing Space 407), Groups 26-30 

Evan Eskilson, Discussion D01-07 (Swing Space 409), Groups 31-35 

SECTIONS D02/D03 

Claudia Baldassi, Discussion D02-08 (Online), Groups 36-40 

Valerie Zimmermann, Discussion D02-09 (Online), Groups 41-45 

Jasmine Lambert, Discussion D02-10 (Online), Groups 46-50 

Annika Walsh, Discussion D02-11 (Online), Groups 51-55 

Martina Propedo, Discussion D03-12 (Online), Groups 56-60 

Cassie Klaas, Discussion D03-13 (Online), Groups 61-65 

Momodou Barry, Discussion D03-14 (Online), Groups 66-70 

Patricia Acosta, Discussion D03-15 (Online), Groups 71-75 

CONTACTING THE INSTRUCTORS & OFFICE HOURS 

If you have broad questions about the course content or assignments, please first post these to the course Discussion Boards on Canvas and not through email. Instructors, the course coordinator, or a TA will do their best to respond promptly to these posts, but other students may also share information and responses. Please note that the teaching team does not work on weekends and will not usually respond to posts on these days. Please only email instructors, the coordinator, or your TA if you have questions that are directly personal or specific to your individual situation. To discuss any questions, issues, or anything related to the course with the instructors, please contact them directly to schedule a specific time to meet.  

We will do our best to respond promptly to emails (within 1-2 working days), but please realize that this may not always be possible. Please include "LFS 250" in the subject line so that we can prioritize course emails. If your question is one that is relevant to the wider course, we may copy and paste your question (anonymously) and our answer on Canvas.  

ASSIGNMENT & ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW 

Additional information for each assignment can be found under the Assignments tab in Canvas. There is a wide diversity of assignments for LFS 250, split between individual (50% of your grade) and group (50% of your grade) assignments. 

Please note that the accepted format for all assignments is the American Psychological Association (APA) format. Please follow this format for all assignments (the Story of Self is an exception). In brief, this means double-spaced on letter-sized paper (8.5" x 11") with 1" margins all around. More detailed information about this format, including how to cite references correctly can be found here and here. 

ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW 

Most individual and group assignments are due at 11:59pm Vancouver time. See Canvas for specific assignment due dates. 

DUE DATES & LATE ASSIGNMENTS 

All assignments are due at the times and dates listed in Canvas. All times are in Vancouver time (PST/PDT, UTC-7 hours). Late assignments will be reduced by 10% per day late. Efforts have been made to set due dates that will allow all team members to contribute to group assignments in case of technological difficulties. If you anticipate that you will not be able to meet a deadline or run into technological difficulties, it is important that you contact your TA early and provide a valid reason for your late submission. 

PARTICIPATION 

Participation is a core element and process of learning in LFS 250. All students are expected to participate meaningfully in the course. Participation includes engaging in live online sessions and completing lecture quizzes, attending, and participating in discussions and completing group quizzes, and completing course peer evaluations, team charters, and reflective activities. Participation makes up 15% of your overall grade. 

Below, some of the broad ways that you will be evaluated on your participation are described. 

Attendance - attendance in sessions, punctuality, not leaving early. 

Preparation - the extent of your reading, ability to analyze and understand the course material demonstrated by actively submitting materials (worksheets, systems diagrams, etc.), completing individual quizzes.  

Contribution to Discussion - the extent to which you volunteer answers, ask questions, express your own opinion, and integrate material relevant to each topic. Contributions can occur in either small or large group settings and can be in written or oral form.    

Group Presence, Self-Awareness & Responsiveness - facilitation of small group discussions, not impeding others in their facilitation or contributions, providing constructive feedback, actively listening, and exhibiting respect for others. Evidence of self-awareness of one's presence and impact in a group setting (e.g., identity, privilege, and power related to social identities/location).  

Communication skills – being clear, concise, and using appropriate vocabulary and terminology (in oral and written form). This can be difficult for students whose first language is not English – instructors and TAs will take this into account when marking participation. 

NOTE: do not confuse communication skills with objective measures of accuracy or “being right.” The purpose of discussion is to discuss uncertainty of concepts, hear different perspectives, and challenge commonly held beliefs, values, and assumptions, not publicly state correct answers. 

Discussion Participation 

In the discussion sections, TAs will evaluate student participation in discussion rooms based on the participation criteria listed below. Specific feedback from TAs on student participation in discussions will be provided twice each semester. At the same time that this feedback is provided by TAs, each student will also be asked to self-assess their own discussion participation through an online form.  

For online discussions, some students may experience technical difficulties from time to time and thus will not be able to attend an online discussion or participate fully. This will be considered by TAs when they evaluate discussion participation. 

Each student can be absent from their discussion class once per term if they communicate this absence to their TA beforehand (i.e., at least one day before). Discussion attendance and participation makes up 5% of your overall grade. 

Discussion Participation Criteria 

Does Not Meet Expectations 

0 – The student is absent (unexcused). 

0.25 – The student is present but disruptive and distracting; does not arrive prepared; does not respond well to TA or peer feedback on behaviour in discussion. 

0.5 – The student is present but mentally elsewhere; does not contribute to the conversation; unclear if student is prepared; often distracted with electronic devices.  

Meets Expectations 

0.85 – The student is present and paying attention; contributes at least once to class discussion; or participates through hand raising, taking notes, the online chat, discussion with group members, or completing written assignments.  

Exceeds Expectations 

1.0 – The student arrives prepared for class; participates multiple times in class discussion; is responsive and engaged with respect to comments made by others; contributions are thoughtful and provoke additional comments from others; does not dominate conversation; listens carefully and responds thoughtfully to comments made by others.  

Group Participation & Group Multiplier/Peer Evaluation 

LFS 250 involves a considerable amount of group work and being able to work effectively within a group is one of the most important learning outcomes of LFS 250. Over the course of the year, we will collectively discuss and develop effective group collaboration skills in our lectures, discussions, and assignments.  

Within each discussion room, every student will be randomly assigned to a group of 5-6 students for each term. Group assignments (50% of your overall grade) will be completed in these groups, as well as group quizzes and various discussion room conversations and activities. Working effectively and participating fully in group activities is therefore a critical component of your final grade.  

To assess individual student contributions to their group's assignments, at the end of each term a group multiplier will be applied to each individual student’s group mark. Within each group, each team member will assess the other team members’ participation and teamwork during the term to create a multiplier for each student. TAs will then adjust the multiplier score based on their judgment and observations of discussions and group dynamics. The multiplier can range from 0.0 (a student did not participate at all in any of the group activities for the entire semester) to 1.1 (a student exceeded group contribution expectations), so at most will increase a student's group mark by 10% (or 5% of your final grade). However, if a student does not contribute at all to group work during a semester, the group multiplier could result in a group mark of 0% for that individual. 

Participation and Illness 

Some students will become sick with respiratory illnesses or COVID-19 during the year. Minimizing the chance of spreading COVID or other illnesses to other students depends on both teaching team flexibility and individual student responsibility around attending the in-person portions of the course. On the teaching team side, we will be open to adjusting due dates for individual students due to illness, but only with adequate advance notice by the student. Do not expect extensions the day an assignment is due! We will also be flexible around assessing class participation if provided advance notice of absences. On the student side, this means being aware of your health status, completing BC's online COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool before coming to campus, and not attending class in-person if you are feeling ill. There is always pressure to attend in-person classes, especially when presentations are being given or group work is being completed, but it is important to stay home if you are feeling sick. As described above, the teaching team will be understanding of these situations during the year (within reason) and will work with each student to provide alternative evaluation opportunities, including online options. 

STUDENT RESOURCES & MENTAL HEALTH 

If you are having issues with stress, anxiety, or other mental health problems, please do not hesitate to contact one of the course instructors or your discussion TA. UBC also provides several resources if you are one of your colleagues is in need: 

• https://www.landfood.ubc.ca/student-services/medical-emotional-difficulties/  

• https://facultystaff.students.ubc.ca/assisting-students-distress 

• https://students.ubc.ca/campus-life/diversity-campus/sexual-diversity 

• https://students.ubc.ca/health-wellness/student-health-service 

• https://students.ubc.ca/health-wellness/mental-health-support-counselling-services 

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY 

All students are subject to the University's rules on Academic Misconduct and should behave as honest and responsible members of the academic community. All students are subject to these rules and are expected to always act with academic integrity. It is also the student's obligation to inform himself or herself of the applicable standards for academic honesty. The UBC academic integrity website offers resources to teach and learn about academic integrity. 

Plagiarism should be a particular concern for students in LFS 250. Plagiarism is a serious offence, and any student caught plagiarizing will be subject to penalties set out in the UBC calendar. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to: 

• Copying or paraphrasing from another author or source without proper citation 

• Copying work from another student 

• Copying your own work used for another course 

• Broadly, any form of intellectual theft where another's work or ideas are presented as another individual's

Generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) Tools 

Students are permitted to use artificial intelligence tools, including generative AI, to gather information or review concepts. However, students are accountable for the work they submit, and any content generated or supported by an artificial intelligence tool must be cited appropriately. Use of AI tools is not permitted for writing essays or assignments, or during quizzes for this course. 

Academic Integrity and Quizzes 

• All Canvas quizzes for this course are timed and 'open book'. To clarify, 'open book' in this course is limited to the LFS 250 Canvas course pages.  

• No consultation or collaboration with your peers or other online resources or devices are permitted during the time you are taking your individual quiz.  

• Until you are in process with your discussion group quiz, you are also prohibited from sharing or discussing any part of the quiz with any other student currently enrolled in LFS 250. 

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT CONSIDERATIONS 

During the pandemic, the shift to online learning has altered teaching and studying at UBC, including changes to health and safety considerations. Keep in mind that some UBC courses might cover topics that are censored or considered illegal by non-Canadian governments. This may include, but is not limited to, human rights, representative government, defamation, obscenity, gender, or sexuality, and historical or current geopolitical controversies. If you are travelling abroad, you will be subject to the laws of your local jurisdiction and your local authorities might limit your access to course material or take punitive action against you. UBC is strongly committed to academic freedom but has no control over foreign authorities (please visit here for an articulation of the values of the University conveyed in the Senate Statement on Academic Freedom). Thus, we recognize that students will have legitimate reason to exercise caution in studying certain subjects if they are outside Canada. If you have concerns regarding your personal situation, consider postponing taking a course with manifest risks, until you are back on campus or reach out to your academic advisor to find substitute courses. For further information and support, please visit: http://academic.ubc.ca/support-resources/freedom-expression. 

COURSE SCHEDULE (subject to change at instructor discretion) 

Term 1 

Term 2