Skip to main content

Lekha Sreedhar

Instructors have provided the following information to generally describe what to expect in their classes.

Horticulture

The courses I teach transfer to Kansas State University (K-State). Therefore, I use the same text books and laboratory manuals as K-State. JCCC Horticultural Sciences has a transfer agreement with K-State.

Hort 201, Introduction to Horticultural Sciences. The course outline and content for this course matches that of K-State’s Hort 201, Principles of Horticultural Science. Text book used will be “Plant Science: Growth, Development, and Utilization of Cultivated Plants, by Margaret J. McMahon, Anton M. Kofranek, and Vincent E. Rubatzky, Prentice Hall.  PowerPoint lecture notes will be posted online or distributed in class to supplement text book information. Discussions will follow during class period. This is a hybrid course.  

Hort 201 Honors: Students are encouraged to work on research projects, like plant tissue culture. On completion of the project, a final report has to be submitted.

Hort 205, Plant Propagation: Most universities and colleges including us, use Hartmann and Kester’s Plant Propagation text book.  Therefore, students are directed to access University of Florida’s web-based Plant Propagation course notes. I have permission to access that site. Students can read their lecture notes, watch video presentations, guest lectures, and quizzes for each lecture.  Additionally, I will post questions online pertaining to each module for class room discussions. This is a hybrid course and transfers to K-State as Hort 350, Plant Propagation.

Hort 214, Hort 215 and Hort 220: Plant material courses. Lecture notes will be posted online or distributed in class. The lecture material is directly related to the labs. There will be some discussion of lecture material during labs. Field trips to arboretums, parks, Kansas State University, and local green businesses help stimulate discussions regarding practical applicability of material/concepts learned in class. These courses transfer to K-State as Hort 374, Hort 375, and elective credit.

Hort 225, Plant Problems: This is a multi-disciplinary course. Course content includes Entomology, Plant Pathology, Agronomy and Plant Physiology. This is a very useful course if you plan to work in the industry. The focus is on plant problems of the mid-west.

For almost all my classes, especially Hort 201, Intro to Horticultural Sciences, and Hort 225, Plant Problems, I invite guest lecturers from academia, industry and government agencies to bring an external perspective to the material covered in class.

Hort 270: This is a capstone internship course. Once you have completed most of the course work toward a Hort AAS degree or certificate, please email me your student ID for registration-hold release. You can work with an employer of your choice as long as the work you do relates to horticulture. Internships are more structured than a seasonal job experience. Students follow an internship plan which is explained in the 'Cooperative Internship Agreement' form signed by the employer and the student. If needed, I will provide one-on-one advising to help you successfully complete the course. Grades are based on submission of biweekly reports, a final internship report, and employer’s evaluation of your work.

Class policies:  Class discussions are geared toward critical thinking, and developing problem-solving skills. I use a variety of methods including case studies, videos, and the latest publications, to encourage discussions and enhance communication skills. 

Laboratory sessions involve experimentation, data collection, analysis and research reports to foster critical thinking skills. In-class projects and student presentations (optional) usually involve library research and group-work.

Overall, I provide a learning environment that is informative, engaging, challenging and fun.

Resource Use:  Textbooks supplement the online lecture notes and discussions in class. Students should read the relevant chapters and online lecture notes prior to attending class.

Lab Manual: Students should read lab exercises prior to attending class. Exams will include all lecture and lab material covered during class time.

Assignments are posted online for some courses. It is imperative that students finish these assignments as directed.

Extra credit assignments. For most courses there will be extra credit assignments or extra credit points with each exam.

Assessment: Exams (multiple choice, matching quiz/exam), lab reports (for Hort 201 and 205), assignments and optional class presentations. In Hort 214, Hort 215, and Hort 220 there are ID exams also.

Homework Policy: Policy as outlined in the syllabus.

Attendance Policy: Students are responsible for all materials discussed during regular lecture hours and lab hours.

Availability: I have an open door policy. Students are always welcome.