[Anaam]

I took this in 2008 academic year with Maureen Padden. This course has 2 lectures and 1 podcast, no labs (even though it says so on the course outline).

The course content includes looking at various environmental issues and climate changes, and the types of international agreements and protocols implemented to resolve these issues. A few times we watched movies such as 'The Story of Stuff' and 'Portland: A sense of Place". The material in the movies is testable and she does test it.



Assessments:
2 midterms (30% each). 50 minutes to write during class time.
- have about 20 MC and 2/3 SA worth 3-5 marks each
1 exam (40%). 2 hours .

The midterms are straight forward if you studied. There is no reason for you to not do well. Short answers are usually definitions and sometimes just common sense stuff. One of the questions on the exam was to 'list 3 things you can do to cut impact on tropical rainforests'. I think that is pretty common sense, even if you didn't take the course, you should be able to come up with things that you can do.

Notes:
-her notes are simple and contain things you need to know. She will definitely test on definitions, environmental protocols and what each one did.
-you need to go to class, she elaborates on her notes and talks about things that the notes might not mention, and she will test the information. So go to class.

Podcasts
-divided in 3 parts, about 10-15 mins each. The entire podcast is about 40 mins more or less.
-she will put up the notes for the podcasts, you can print them and then write on them whle you listen to the podcast.
- i suggest listening to all the podcasts the weekend before the midterm. That way, it is fresh in your mind and you will remember more for the midterm. If you watch the podcasts as she releases them, you might need to listen to them again before the midterm.


Textbook:
- is not needed at all. Don't buy it.


Overall: I enjoyed this course, some material is common sense and you may already be aware of it while some parts were englightening. Most people did well in this course. Definitely take this course, and take courses with Padden, her format is the same for all her courses.

I would also like to add:

http://www.science.mcmaster. ca/~ge...ei3/index.html

I heard that they are trying to make the class more difficult this year because in the past grades had been too high. Sort of similar to gemstones.

Originally Posted by blenicnl

I heard that they are trying to make the class more difficult this year because in the past grades had been too high. Sort of similar to gemstones.

Well, I took this course and natural disasters when people were saying they were changing it because marks were too high, and Padden was a new professor. While students with Riller did not enjoy the natural disaster course, the same course was good with Padden.

So I think you might be fine. Just ask her now if she will be posting practice for the midterms, and if she says yes then she has not changed the course. If she says no, then she has changed the course.

I asked her today during office hours about practice tests and she said that she was still considering it, but she was "apprehensive about the idea". Anyways I guess I'll see. Thanks for the help.

A few of the times, she did not post the questions for us. For us, I believe that she only posted midterm review questions for one midterm.

I think that if a few students really keep asking her for it, she will eventually post a sample.

Do not hesitate to contact me about any questions you have. I wish I had access to the course material (she blocked access soon after the course ended), but I am pretty sure that I will be able to remember the short answer questions if I look at the notes or the topic list.

Good luck.

Hey there I am just wondering about the textbook OUR ENVIRONMENT for the course as I am still debating buying it. Are you sure it is not needed as the notes are enough?

Thanks

It is up to you, I never bought it, and used the library book once when I missed the class and was unable to get notes from anyone, and I did well. You have to attend class though. If you have took first year enviro, did you need the book for that class? Enviros are no different upper years. If you felt the need for a book in first year than you will probably feel the need for a book in second year.

Easy course, very straight forward. Lectures and podcasts are interesting. Dr. Padden takes a lot of her material from the textbook, I found that doing the readings really supplemented the lectures. Tests were easy if you studied. If you go to lecture, read the textbook, you'll do really well. I ended up getting a 9.

How is bernier? he is teaching it now

Bernier is great also. Had him for 1B03. Really nice guy, and always straight forward with information he puts on tests and exams.

any reviews from people who have taken it recently?

Originally Posted by 3am Coffee

any reviews from people who have taken it recently?

I had it in first term.

The course was comprised of two tests and a final exam, if I recall correctly. The tests (particularly the first) were relatively easy, and the exam wasn't much harder. If you go to the lectures, you should do really well in the course. I got an 11 with minimal studying, and I'm not that smart. The textbook wasn't necessary at all. Bye, $120...

Dr. Bernier taught the course. There were no surprises in the course at all (e.g., no "where the f*ck did these questions come from?!"), and his lecturing is really good. He's also really funny, so though the content was a little dry (for some) at times, it wasn't unbearable to sit through.

/crushonprof

Hope that helped!