flowchart LR
subgraph Learn
AA[Data Pipeline]
AB[Sharing Your Work]
AC[Learner's Permit]
AD[Describing Places]
AE[Population]
AF[Projections]
AG[Segregation]
AH[Neighborhood Change]
AI[Place Opportunity]
AJ[Transportation Equity]
AK[Neighborhood Health Equity]
end
subgraph Apply
AA --> B[Place Selection]
AB --> B
AC --> C
AD --> C[Place Background]
AE --> D[Population]
AF --> D
AG --> E[Policy]
AH --> E
AI --> E
AJ --> E
AK --> E
end
subgraph Communicate
direction LR
B --> F{Final Report}
C --> F
D --> F
E --> F
F --> G[Document or Website]
F --> H[Presentation]
end
Learn
On a weekly basis, we’ll incorporate new tools and analytic strategies into our repertoire. We’ll devote some time most weeks in class to working through lab examples in class that help to illustrate how tools work and how to apply them. Labs are designed to be a low-stakes opportunity to learn. We will spend 80 minutes of class time on working collectively on labs. You are expected to devote an additional 2 to 3 hours of effort outside of class on your labs on a weekly basis. Labs are due 7 days after they are introduced - you will complete and submit each lab before you start the next one.
A Pedagogic Note on Labs: Our philosophy on labs is that the goal is not simply to get to the “correct” answer (if there is any). The primary goal of labs is to learn how to integrate new tools and approaches to analysis through creative problem-solving. We provide time to work on labs in class, and a suggested time allocation for labs because we understand that problem solving happens at different paces. Labs provide detailed glimpses as tools and strategies, and then ask you to apply them independently. This independent application should help you identify how these techniques may be useful to you as you develop your own applications (see the apply section below). You may at times grow overwhelmed with the detail or types of problems you encounter in labs. Trust us that you’re learning regardless of whether you breeze through these labs or struggle through early steps. We simply ask that you apply yourselves, reach out to us and each other for assistance, and that you proudly turn in the work you have accomplished after meeting the recommended time allotments for each lab.
Apply
You’ll apply what you’ve learned over the course of the semester to the analysis of a place of your choosing. At the beginning of the semester, you will identify a place, and start to examine the relevant policy issues that motivate your analysis. You will then apply course tools and concepts to your place and will communicate your findings in a series of memos. You are expected to devote approximately 10 hours of effort outside of class to each apply component (Ph.D. students are likely to devote more time to their literature review and drafting).
Communicate
Our ultimate goal is to develop the capacity to communicate our analysis to diverse audiences. You will draw from your place analysis and memos to develop a final policy report in which you communicate your to a public audience in a form that is polished and professional.
Engage
Consistent contributions in class, thoughtful engagement with course material, and other achievements may lead to overall adjustments in your course grade.
Evaluation
Evaluation Components
| Learn |
Labs |
Labs |
| Apply |
Place Selection Memo
Place Background Memo
Population Memo
Policy Memo |
Paper Proposal
Paper Outline
Paper Draft |
| Communicate |
Final Report |
Term Paper |
| Engage |
Participation and Engagement |
Participation and Engagement |
Ph.D. Students
Doctoral students may elect to either satisfy course requirements laid out for Master’s students or may instead complete a research-oriented term project that applies neighborhood analysis techniques to a specific research problem.
Doctoral students should speak with me during weeks 1 or 2 if you wish to pursue this option so we can develop an appropriate research proposal, timeline, and outputs.
Assessment
Most of the methods classes you have probably taken have focused on grading you on your skill at reproducing specific outcomes. Our pedagogy in this class is that while it is possible to measure these outcomes, what is more important to assess is the process of learning as well as the effort you put into that process. Here’s some more detail on our thinking:
A unitary assessment of performance in a 500-level class is not likely to serve students well. Each of you has proven time and time again in other classes that you can reproduce certain expected outcomes. The challenge in this class will focus on assessing your effort and learning process as opposed to the reproduction of outcomes.
Implementing a contract-based assessment approach mirrors course goals regarding our understanding and practice around the power of data, particularly with regards to public deliberation, decision-making, and governance. Dealing differently with power around evaluation in our classroom mirrors how we might deal differently with power and power relationships in professional practice.
There is increasing evidence in higher education settings that unitary grading measures tend to hamper individual learning, and have the potential to be biased towards certain types of students. Put simply, obsessing about grades in advanced coursework is counter-productive to deep learning. This course adheres to the pedagogy that when given more control and ownership over the terms of evaluation, a student is more likely to embrace the challenges presented to them within the classroom, and are more likely to take ownership of their work (see, for instance Elbow and Inoue).
Contract Expectation Summary
Each of you begins the semester with an “A” in the class. You may alter your grade based upon the choices you make regarding the following accountability expectations:
| A |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| B |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
| C |
4 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
| D |
5 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| F |
6 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
Absences indicate the number of times you are absent from class. Additional excused absences may be allowed due to documented extenuating circumstances.
Late Assignments are assignments submitted after a due date but within 48 hours of the due date.
Missed Assignments are assignments submitted more than 48 hours after the due date.
Ignored Assignments are assignments that are not submitted by the last day of class (excluding your final assignment). Ignored assignments are a more serious breach of contract than missed assignments as they reflect contracted work which you have not completed.
Please note that assessment of these contracted standards are based upon what you do. The contracted grade does assess of the quality of your work. You will reflect upon and will receive direct feedback on the quality of your work as part of the assignment review process. Note that we reserve the right to adjust grades based upon exceptionally strong or weak engagement within the class. We will provide sufficient feedback over the course of the semester so that your final grade in the class should not be a surprise based upon what you do and how you reflect upon your learning over the course of the semester.