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Case Response Rubric -- “The Problem with Hoodia”
Q 1: What is the problem in “The Problem with Hoodia”? Given what you know about the world,
what are the issues
(environmental, economic, cultural, political, etc.) influencing the problem?
Global Awareness: Knowledge of the interrelatedness of local, global, international, and intercultural issues, trends, and systems.
(Knowledge/Comprehension)
(Application)
(Analysis)
(Synthesis/Evaluation)
• Does not demonstrate knowledge
• Demonstrates incorrect
• Demonstrates, with
• Assembles an analysis of the
• Synthesizes and/or evaluates
of prevailing world conditions
knowledge of prevailing world
generalizations, knowledge of
problem based on prevailing
differing interpretations of the
associated with the problem
conditions associated with the
prevailing world conditions
world conditions
problem, based on prevailing
associated with the problem
world conditions
interpretation of of the problem, based on of the interrelatedness of local, global, problem on the interrelatedness of local, Example:
Example:
Example:
Example:
Example:
The problem seems to be different ways of There isn’t just one problem with regards The problem is simply that it's a person The problem presented in “The Problem with thinking. Where Angela comes from, patents works for, is trying to use a drug called Hoodia” is that modern society’s policies ethnic groups from the place where it is conflict with traditional indigenous beliefs. In discoveries to actual inventions. Angela's grown are declaring that they are the first this case, it is between the pharmaceutical Angela is placed in a position of choosing ones to have developed medicine with it. company Pharmedics and the San of Africa. discovering a use for Hoodia, not so much morality over her job. … Since the world Today’s society is very concerned with Pharmedics recently bought the patent to for inventing the plant, but discovering a is basically in a depression because there P57, extracted from the Hoodia plant. The San though were the first to discover the differently. They believe knowledge should recession, people who haven’t lost their properties of Hoodia. However, even though be free and do not understand the concept job would like to keep it and anyone will these are, but they want credit for having plant, but supposedly this patent holder they believe they have the right to it, they do do whatever it takes to do so even if it not want monetary gain for their knowledge. discoveries and inventions should be used developed the medicine out of this plant. With regards to the environmental issues the African tribes native to the area, for morality. The company mentioned in story should be shared. Patents are necessary to is trying to take advantage of the lack of entire patenting process does not fit within make royalties, because essentially, the knowledge a group of people have so that their way of life. Instead, the San want the are, a laboratory development could lead profits to be evenly shared among the San person and patents are the documents that to the loss of fertility of the land along with over the use of the plant with the native problem of obesity in their country versus tribes to help alleviate the poverty the San face. This is further complicated by the fact consent for anyone else to. This ties in with Angela believes this will be a difficult scattered groups across three countries. politics, because the San are self-governing Even if an outside group agreed to send aid in return for Hoodia, who will be responsible for finding all the San tribes and distributing understand why our methods of doing things to pay for the medicine because in order it? The San know their people live in poverty have to be so complicated. As they live on Comment: This student summarizes
and simply want to help them. Pharmedics nature and do not have need for money or trying to profit of the discovery that the status and are content with that, they do not on the other hand, realizes the potential understand the need for other people to. The price of it, making it a really expensive real problem is that as they see it, the patent (yet helpful) medicine. Cultural problems how low are corrupt is the pharmaceutical would be stating that a particular company were already stated with the fact that the company trying to go? they are trying to problem in America, and affects a larger owns the plant, when it is really that the nationality. In addition so many other people plant, the P57 in the aid of weight loss. The plant is still free to everyone, but the one whether obese or not. Weight loss is a multi- thing extracted from it and advertised for the and they don’t care who they have to go billion dollar industry. A “miracle drug” could same effect cannot be done without their effective. Pharmedics knows that eventually support the labs in order to pursue a profit someone will market the drug and they want Comment: This student’s analysis is based
Comment: This student presents an
on a single interpretation of the problem as a patents issue. Student accurately explains Comment: This student generally describes
the interrelated world conditions associated Comment: This student synthesizes
fails to cite interrelatedness of issues, with this interpretation, e.g. politics and multiple interpretations of the problem based associated with problem and implies that the interrelatedness of these issues affect the conditions. Student evaluates the problem based on the interrelatedness of the issues Florida International University, 2009
Source: Office of Global Learning Initiatives Case Response Rubric -- “The Problem with Hoodia”
Q 2: What perspectives need to be taken into account in order to find a solution to the problem?
Global Perspective: Ability to develop a multi-perspective analysis of local, global, international, and intercultural problems.
(Knowledge/Comprehension)
(Application)
(Analysis)
(Synthesis/Evaluation)
• Does not recognize or does not
• Identifies a limited number of
• Identifies multiple perspectives
• Assembles an analysis of multiple
• Integrates multiple perspectives
acknowledge the legitimacy of
perspectives pertaining to the
pertaining to the problem
perspectives pertaining to the
into a multifaceted interpretation
differences in perspectives
however, does not analyze the
of the problem
pertaining to the problem
influences on differing
perspectives
perspectives explicitly stated in article Example:
Example:
Example:
Example:
consideration are the San, Pharmedics, the Example:
government of the countries involved, and The answer to the problem lies within the questions the potential buyers of the product. The San asked. Angela must first find out what are the main beliefs. As the lecture says, it is very have lived the same lifestyle for generations. objectives of all who are involved. The Bushmen, hard to find all the tribes member of the the African government, the CSIR, the multinational Their beliefs are engrained in every part of said. After all, if Hoodia does turn out pharmaceutical firms and most importantly her their daily lives. The fact that they continue company, Pharmedics, must be considered when to live the same way shows how they have determining how to unravel the knot. With so many rejected the customs and values of modern interests to take into account the significance of society. The patent of Hoodia is a foreign each group must be assessed and a compromise obviously formed. However, the problem is not how concept to them so naturally they are wary many perspectives there are to consider, it is though it would be the ideal resolution. deciding which ones weigh more on the scale of Second, Pharmedics does not want to lose Comment: This student identifies only
importance and how to exclude the impertinent this opportunity. With so many brands and influences. Therefore, for each group there are ingredients available, having the patent to an questions that must be asked such as what does Comment: This student identifies
important one can bring in a large revenue this group want and why? What influences this their interests, without harming others. group or drives their decisions? What are the positive outcomes of their desired goal? What are maybe expand it. On another note, Africa the positive outcomes if their desired goal is not achieved? And the negatives? What are the long- history their resources have been used and term and short-term effects of the goals? Once all the questions to consider are mapped out then a in and tries to claim African resources for plan of attack is in place…Based on all these their own, the people living in Africa have felt answers for each group, it can be thoroughly harder that they are already doing it to cogitated and responsibly determined which the effect of it. Thus, the government may perspectives should be prioritized to create a not want the right to local resources, like the solution. Despite how reminiscent it might be of the Hoodia plant, sold to other countries unless American attitude toward Native Americans in the this way, if an illiterate try to governs 19th century, I believe that the most prominent group potential buyers will eventually hear about in this situation is the pharmaceutical companies the situation surrounding the retrieval of P57. who are trying to help the modern population rather than preserving an ancient culture. To me, Depending on how heavily the news cover it contemporary times are a whole different universe and how the situation was resolved, could than that of the nomadic, African natives, one that change whether they will continue to use this dominates the majority of the earth’s surface and product. Diet pills are plentiful and if one that will continue to grow. Therefore, all efforts loses favor with the market, a better cheaper should be made with the intentions of contributing to the bettering of our future society, so it will continue Comment: This student identifies only
to positively thrive rather than slowly digress backwards into savage times. However, my Comment: This student identifies multiple
perspective is not one to consider when finding a including one not explicitly stated in the case. Student explains the influences on the Comment: This student synthesizes the
discussion of multiple perspectives by presenting an analytical framework, i.e. essential questions concerning stakeholder objectives. Student offers a potential solution to the problem, as well as a possible evaluation of the solution in terms of her own perspective and the perspectives of others. Florida International University, 2009
Source: Office of Global Learning Initiatives

Source: http://goglobal.fiu.edu/QEP_Report/Report/Rubric_The_Problem_With_Hoodia.pdf