These are self-paced, continuous enrollment courses offered through the UM Wilderness Institute.
Course summary:
Conducting research in wilderness can advance our understanding in ways that cannot be realized outside of wilderness. This course, the third in a series of three courses on Cultural Resources Management in Wilderness, provides a comprehensive overview of the process used to evaluate proposals for scientific activity in wilderness.
Much of the course material is based on A Framework to Evaluate Scientific Activities in Wilderness, a document created by the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute.
Course objectives:
After completing this course, learners should be able to:
· Explain how cultural research is compatible with wilderness management.
· Use the evaluation framework to evaluate a proposal for scientific activity.
· Identify "red flags" in a proposal.
· Evaluate the quality of a proposal.
· Determine if research is wilderness dependent.
· Complete a Benefits Assessment.
· Complete an Impacts Assessment.
Recommended background
It is strongly recommended that you complete The Wilderness Act of 1964 e-course before beginning this course. Without a foundational understanding of the Wilderness Act, you will not be able to get the most out of this course and could find the content confusing. The Minimum Requirements Analysis courses (both Writing and Evaluating) are also strongly recommended. It is recommended that you also complete Natural Resource Management in Wilderness: Fundamentals before beginning the course.
Course topics include:
· Research in Wilderness
· Compliance Requirements
· Evaluation Framework
· Step 1: Initial Review Filter
· Step 2: Quality of Proposal Filter
· Step 3: Legal and Policy Filter
· Step 4: Benefits and Impacts Filter
· Recommendation
· Case Study
Elements of the course:
· Informational text
· Interactive practice activities
· Supplemental reference materials
· Final assessment
This course is self-paced, allowing learners the flexibility to complete the course as quickly or slowly as they need.
After completing all course content and activities, you will complete a final quiz to demonstrate your understanding of key course concepts. Upon successful completion of the quiz, you will be awarded a certificate of completion.
Please Note: After successfully registering for this course, login information for the online learning platform, Canvas, will be emailed to you at the address used for your account creation. This process could take up to 48 hours to complete. If you do not receive the login information in 48 hours, please email for assistance.