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HORT 101 (GWS) Horticultural Science (3): Introduction to horticulture with emphasis on plant domestication, morphology, classification, world food crops, commodities, gardens, propagation, and agrochemicals. Prerequisites: None.
Overview
HORT 101 is a 15-week cohort course which means that the everyone in the class follows the same schedule and completes the course within the designated 15-week time frame. A computer is required for HORT 101 as all content and assignments are to be accessed online.
Specifically, the course provides a survey of a variety of areas in horticulture including the following general areas:
* Origin and Domestication of Plants
* Overview of Horticulture
* Classification of Plants and Horticultural Classification
* Science in Horticulture
* Greenhouse Management and Production
* Nursery Management and Production
* Using Floral Products
* Landscaping
* Turfgrasses
* Horticultural Crops Used for Food
So how are we going to do this?
The general format for the course will be online lectures, which will be supported by assigned readings in the required textbook, web-based projects and discussions with the instructor or other students using e-mail, and the discussion forum established for the course. Students should plan to spend 10 to 12 hours per week in order to keep up with the course material presented. Additional time will be needed in order to prepare for quizzes, exams and the web-based project; the amount of time will depend upon the individual student. It will be important for the student to log on three to four times per week to work on the course materials and address any questions which may arise by contacting the instructor or collaborating with other students in class. You will need to memorize a lot of terms in this course.
What will be expected of you, the student?
It is an introductory course requiring the ABCs, so bear with me on the memorization. However, I will make it very clear when specific material needs to be memorized. This course will provide a survey of a lot of information; therefore, I will not have much time to go into detail on any given topic. For additional information on a given topic feel free to contact me by e-mail. I would suggest to everyone not to procrastinate on assignments because I feel that it is important for you to keep up with the work or move ahead in order to maximize what you get out of the course. The main difference between taking this course via World Campus as compared to taking it on campus is that you will have my notes, but it is important to stay in contact with me in order to know what my points of emphasis are.
Course Objectives
Horticulture 101 will provide a survey of a wide range of topics in horticulture. This course will enable students to acquire knowledge of basic concepts and facts sufficient to appreciate the complexity of horticultural science and covers such topics as the origin and domestication of plants to the utilization of molecular techniques to genetically modify plants, thereby enhancing their quality. Horticulture 101 aims not only to provide knowledge of horticultural science and technology but also provides an aesthetic appreciation of how plants affect us in our daily lives. Obviously, with the recent information explosion in horticultural science, the critical role of the instructor is to help students integrate this information in a meaningful way. This will be done by teaching students factual information together with general terms and concepts important to horticulture in the modern world.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You can view the Online Students' Library Guide for more information.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and services. Once you have a Penn State account, you will automatically be registered with the library within 24–48 hours. If you would like to determine whether your registration has been completed, visit the Libraries home page and select My Account.
Technical Specifications
| Operating System | Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8*; Mac OS X 10.5 or higher *Windows 8 support excludes the tablet only RT version |
|---|---|
| Processor | 2 GHz or higher |
| Memory | 1 GB of RAM |
| Hard Drive Space | 20 GB free disk space |
| Browser | We recommend the latest ANGEL-supported version of Firefox or
Internet Explorer. To determine if your browser fits this criterion,
and for advice on downloading a supported version,
please refer to the following ITS knowledge base article: Supported Browsers and Recommended Computers.
Note: Cookies, Java, and JavaScript must be enabled. Pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. Due to nonstandard handling of CSS, JavaScript and caching, older versions of Internet Explorer (such as IE 6 or earlier) do not work with our courses. |
| Plug-ins | Adobe Reader [Download from Adobe]
Flash Player (v7.0 or later) [Download from Adobe] |
| Additional Software | Microsoft Office (2007 or later) |
| Internet Connection | Broadband (cable or DSL) connection required |
| Printer | Access to graphics-capable printer |
| DVD-ROM | Required |
| Sound Card, Microphone, and Speakers | Required |
| Monitor | Capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Online Proctored Exam
Penn State has partnered with Kryterion to provide you with convenient online, secure tests for this course. Kryterion will be proctoring the test at a distance to ensure academic integrity.
Your tests will be securely delivered to your computer via Kryterion's Webassessor Sentinel Security Shield's software and monitored in real-time by an Online Kryterion Certified Proctor via your Hue HD webcam (please check the Online Course Catalog for more information).
Course Requirements and gradings
You will be evaluated based on the following:
Requirement/Activity
Point Value
Online quizzes (10 quizzes @ 10 points each)
100
Proctored exams (2 exams @ 100 points each)
200
Web-based project (10 @ 10 points each) 100
Participation
50
Comprehensive proctored final
200
Total for Course
650
The quizzes will be multiple choice, true or false and/or matching. To access the quizzes, click on the Quizzes Folder underneath the Lessons Tab. During the first week of the course, you will take a "practice quiz" that will not be graded. The purpose of the practice quiz is to give you the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the quiz tool without the pressure of being graded.
The web-based project will utilize the Horticulture 101 Web site for exercises to evaluate the student's ability to synthesize information and make judgments as to what is good versus bad information. The exams will be list, fill in the blank, multiple choice, true or false, matching and definitions. The exams are closed-book and must be supervised by an approved proctor. See the Exam Policies below for instructions on how to secure and take an online proctored exam.
In addition to the major assignments, you will complete other activities throughout the course. Below you will find a summary of the learning activities for this course and the associated time frames. Specific details for each activity can be found in each lesson.
Grading
The final grades of A, B, C, and D will be assigned as follows:
|
Letter Grade
|
Numerical Grade
|
|
A
|
94-100
|
|
A-
|
90-93
|
|
B+
|
87-89
|
|
B
|
84-86
|
|
B-
|
80-83
|
|
C+
|
77-79
|
|
C
|
70-76
|
|
D
|
60-69
|
|
F
|
below 60
|
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies. If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Course Schedule
Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please refer to Graduation at the Chaiken Center for Student Success.| Date/Topic | Quiz | Activity |
|---|---|---|
Getting Started |
Take the Academic Integrity Quiz | Due by Midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the last day of this week
|
| Lesson 1: The Green Plant, What an Organism! Lesson 2: Origin and Domestication of Plants |
Take Practice Quiz 1 | Due by Midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the last day of this week
|
Lesson 3: Exploring the Horticulture Industry | Complete Quiz 1 | Due by Midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the last day of this week
|
Lesson 5: Horticulture and the Environment | Complete Quiz 2 | Due by Midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the last day of this week
|
Exam #1 (covers lessons 1 through 8) Lesson 7: Plant Propagation | Complete Quiz 3 | Due by Midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the last day of this week
|
Lesson 9: Plants and Their Environment | Complete Quiz 4 | Due by Midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the last day of this week
|
Lesson 11: Postharvest Physiology | Complete Quiz 5 | Due by Midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the last day of this week
|
Lesson 13: Greenhouse Structures | Complete Quiz 6 | Due by Midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the last day of this week
|
Exam #2 (covers lessons 9 through 16) | Complete Quiz 7 | Due by Midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the last day of this week
|
| Lesson 17: Floral Design Lesson 18: Interiorscaping | Complete Quiz 8 | Due by Midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the last day of this week
|
| Lesson 19: Designing Landscapes Lesson 20: Establishing Landscapes Lesson 21: Landscape Maintenance | Complete Quiz 9 | Due by Midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the last day of this week
|
| Lesson 22: Warm and Cool Season Grass Lesson 23: Turfgrass Establishment and Care |
No Quiz this Week | Due by Midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the last day of this week
|
| Lesson 24: Olericulture | No Quiz this Week | Due by Midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the last day of this week
|
| Lesson 25: Pomology: Fruit and Nut Production | Complete Quiz 10 | Due by Midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the last day of this week
|
| Final Exam |
No Quiz this Week | Due by Midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the last day of this week Complete the Final Exam |
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Accomodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University’s educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities, including World Campus. The Disabilities and Accommodations section of the Chaiken Center for Student Success website provides World Campus students with information regarding how to request accommodations, documentation guidelines and eligibility, and appeals and complaints. For additional information, please visit the University's Student Disability Resources website.
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Additional Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.