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Applied Urban and Rural Planning Program

Applied Planning Research - APPL 2460

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Fall 2006
Instructor Brian Riera

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Course Outline

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1. Purpose of the Applied Planning Research course
The Applied Planning Research course provides students with an opportunity to work as a
planning consultant in a planning agency or similar organisation. The course allows students to
tackle a research project in a supervised project environment, and to experience the range of
problems and challenges that typically come with working for a client on a short project. Students
normally work as a team with one or more other students.
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Participation in the course is by invitation of the instructor. Only Applied Planning students who

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have demonstrated a high level of competence and dependability are invited to participate in the
course.
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2. Learning Outcomes
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The Applied Planning Research course provides students with an understanding of the wide
range of planning activities and what it is like to be a professional planner or planning assistant.
Each project is different and the learning outcomes will normally be different. Examples of the
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learning outcomes that are often experienced by students, include the following.

Experience working with a professional client in a professional workplace environment.

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Learn to work with others in a close team environment, working to fixed deadlines and
limited research time.
Learn project management and resource allocation skills.
Projects may involve working with members of the public and students learn outreach
and similar skills.
All projects require the production of a high quality report on the findings. Students can
experience the special requirements of writing a public document for which a critical
review is often required and writing and re-writing may be necessary. Students will have
the opportunity to learn the importance of wording and style in the presentation of
findings, and the need for sensitivity to client and public needs.

3. Applied Planning Research Basics

There are two Applied Planning Research Projects for Fall 2006.

One project is for Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST). This will examine ideas
and practices for road pricing and similar mechanisms to promote transit and the better use of our
roads. The details of the research project are described in the Proposal for the project written for
them by the Department of Applied Planning at Langara College.

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A team of Applied Planning students will undertake the project, as follows:

Emily Smith

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Michael Watson.

The team of Langara Applied Planning Students (LAPS) will undertake the research project as
described in the project proposal agreed to by BEST. The draft report of the study is to be
completed and submitted to the instructor by no later than December 15, 2006, for marking in
time for the final grades due by 12.00, December 20.

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The second project is for the District of North Vancouver. This will examine ideas and practices
for implementing a major development project. The details of the research project are described
in the Proposal for the project written for them by the Department of Applied Planning at Langara
College.

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A team of Applied Planning students will undertake the project, as follows:
Lynn Roxburgh

The team of Langara Applied Planning Students (LAPS) will undertake the research project as
described in the project proposal agreed to by the District of North Vancouver. The draft report of
the study is to be completed and submitted to the instructor by no later than December 15, 2006,
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for marking in time for the final grades due by 12.00, December 20.

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4. Conduct of the Study
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The LAPS teams should conduct the study as described in the project, except where there is
agreement with the Project Steering Committee, or the Instructor, that changes are appropriate or
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necessary.

Students will normally work as a team but will determine individual tasks and responsibilities
amongst the team members. The final draft report is the responsibility of the combined team, but
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normally individual team members will undertake specific sections and responsibilities.
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During the project, the LAPS team is asked to submit the following material on a weekly basis.

An updated project management report, briefly indicating:

o progress to date;
o progress on tasks since the last report; tasks to be undertaken in the following
two weeks; and
o any special issues and problems anticipated or experienced.
As appropriate and as requested, descriptions of intended surveys, outreach programs or
other material necessary for the conduct of the upcoming tasks.
As appropriate and as requested, written drafts of the research reports

These items will be reviewed with the Instructor at the weekly project review meetings.

Each member of the study team is asked to prepare a short report each week (no more than a
page long), indicating the work she/he has conducted in the previous week and expects to
conduct in the coming week. This material when combined at the end of the project, will constitute
a Project Journal, and will form part of the final assessment and marking.

Unlike other courses in the Applied Planning Program, this course will be directed by the
Instructor, as would typically occur in a professional consultant study. Students will conduct all the
project work themselves, but will report weekly to the instructor. The instructor will provide help

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and guidance during the project. This close working relationship is part of the special benefit of
the course allows students to have the opportunity to work under professional supervision.
However, in this case, the instructor intends to provide only general guidance and to provide a

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helpful safety net for the students and for the client organisation.

5. Assessment and Grading

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Assessment of the project will normally be on a team basis. All team members will receive the
same mark and grade. However, the instructor reserves the right to mark and grade students
separately, in the event of significantly different contributions from students. Where practical, the
instructor will alert students to the intention to mark separately during the course, and before
submission of the final draft report.

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Students in the research program will be assessed on the following aspects of the study.
Research and data collection
Analysis of information collected
Findings and conclusions of the report
Presentation of the findings
Project management
Project communication
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At the end of the term, marks will be allocated to grades on the following basis.

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A+ = 95 and over C+ = 65 69
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A = 89 94 C = 60 64
A- = 85 88 C- = 55 59
B+ = 80 84 D = 50 54
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B = 75 79 F = 0 - 49
B- = 70 - 74
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6. Conduct of the LAPS Team
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This is a full 3-credit course within the Applied Planning Program and students should abide by
the College Code of Conduct, as described and outlined in the College Calendar. In this research
study, students have additional responsibilities, which you should recognise and respect.

You have responsibilities to the project client, as with any employee or consultant. Please
respect the requirements for confidentiality.
People who you interview as part of the project have a right to privacy in any discussions
and surveys conducted. Please respect their privacy.
Students and instructor represent Langara College. Please consider the reputation and
concerns of the College in all dealings on the project.
For the study to be undertaken, the project clients (BEST and District of North
Vancouver), must agree to a liability waiver. Even so, please do all you can to ensure you
report the surveys and findings accurately, together with the necessary caveats that
represent a fair representation of the conclusions.
Finally, your safety must come before all other considerations. Please be aware of the
potential for difficult or even dangerous situations in any project that requires contact with
the public. Wherever possible, conduct interviews and discussions in public places.
Where this is not practical, make sure that there is always at least two of you involved in
any event, survey, discussion, etc.

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