This tool is designed to help students identify connections between the disciplines of planning, transportation engineering, environmental studies, public policy, land use planning, and environmental economics. The goal of the tool is to support students with different backgrounds to understand basic concepts from these related fields and be able to apply them in their subject area. The concepts involved help explain congestion, emissions, urban sprawl, and other common phenomenon in urban transportation systems. The knowledge developed through this tool will help students understand how to make transportation systems more sustainable.

This tool uses pre-recorded lecture videos and in-class activities to allow students to manage their learning of land use, urban, and environmental economics concepts in transportation planning. Before the formal class time, students with varied prior knowledge will watch the pre-recorded lecture videos at their own pace. They will be asked to post at least one question on the Canvas discussion thread and answer at least one of their peers' questions. These will become the basis for designing the in-class discussion session. A one-hour “jigsaw” discussion or a half-hour game will help students to further apply, migrate and transfer their knowledge.