Description

Ethnobotany is the scientific study of interactions between human cultures and plants/plant environments. This includes a wide range of topics taken from an even wider range of disciplines. This course considers many different levels and types of interactions and patterns of interactions between people and plants. Examples of interactions are taken from around the world, but most are examples of cultural uses of plants in Hawai'i, other Pacific Islands, or Asia.

The learning outcomes for introductory ethnobotany are:

1. to gain an understanding of some of the ways in which plants and uses of plants have shaped past cultural and historical developments.

2. to develop an appreciation for the roles of plants in each student's personal and family daily life.

3. to become aware of the critical roles that plants play in the modern world and into a sustainable future.

4. to introduce basic elements of botanical sciences.

5. to introduce basic elements of cultural sciences.

Introductory Ethnobotany is taught as media enhanced course. This means that many of the course materials that have been taught in the past using non-personal or non-interactive methods such as lectures or out of class assignments, are now taught through the course web site using streaming videos or are available on DVDs. This offers flexibility for students who are attending school and working concurrently, participate in sports teams that travel, or have other commitments that make regular class attendance difficult. These materials have the added benefit over lectures in that they can be reviewed as often as needed and therefore can be studied for examinations.

Because of the media enhanced learning that is offered, the course instructors are now able to teach smaller sections (fewer students per instructor) and are able to use the in-class sessions for more interactive, hands-on learning activities. The intention is that the student's overall learning experience is enhanced and increased in depth.

Students need to have a minimum of computer skills (or better) with ready access to the Internet. Access to a DVD player at home or on campus and minimal computer access on campus will be fine also.