Suggested+course+changes+for+spring

Share your ideas for course changes on this page. Include the topic/week, the type of change (class activity, assignment, etc.), and any resources that would be helpful to others.

Population Week

I think we could condense existing videos, using part of the first and second video and removing the third video. The videos for this week need to be more explicitly linked to sustainability, and less about biology and history/migration.

If we combine or remove some videos from this week, we can consider adding this reading:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/09/140920-population-11billion-demographics-anthropocene/

and/or one of the many Hans Rosling videos on population, and/or the video that Karen used it class that came from Dianne

[Karen] I incorporated the "Global Heartbeat" video (updated in 2015) at http://www.populationeducation.org/content/world-population-video, stopping periodically and briefly discussing the world events that permitted population growth. (An accompanying 2-page document provides all necessary background information.) Following the video, we created a concept map (word wall) that incorporated elements of "Everything is Connected" and "More or Less" (lessons from the same source).

[Karen] - FOOD week From a diabetic student (Katia S): I just wanted to make a brief comment on how I found interesting the video for this week. The only thing that bothered me a bit is that, as I explained earlier this week, I am a Type 1 Diabetic which is an autoimmune disease, it has nothing to do with my weight, diet, style of living. Type 1 Diabetes cannot be prevented and the video goes on and on during a very long time about how diabetes is a western disease because we have so much access to unhealthy foods. It sadly never specifies that all that information is based off of Type 2 diabetes. I am not saying this because I feel offended or anything, it is just because I feel it is misinforming the audience and because that made me realize why almost every time someone finds out I am diabetic their first reaction is "you don't look like a diabetic! You are not overweight!" Just thought I would bring it up here since I won't be present during class!

[Karen] WATER week Here's a link to get students' attention about recycling wastewater: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/arizona/articles/2017-07-08/arizona-cities-to-brew-beer-with-treated-wastewater [There are numerous other articles about the **AZ Pure Water Brew Challenge**.We can find a more recent one when we open the next session.]

[Karen] Ecosystem Services week The Tic Tac Tomework activity refers to the 'old' Bloom's Taxonomy. In their pre-service classes, they are using the 'new' version'. I suggest we use this link for the current levels of Bloom's. []

[Karen] Change/Wrap-up week Students (in small groups) did a round-robin type of brainstorming, responding to the questions in the document below. Each 'round' was given 3 minutes to answer the question. (They could not duplicate or revise any prior idea already on the board.) After 5 rounds, they moved to the last question and circled the 'best' answer (noted in red). Discussion of all responses followed.

For fall 2018

[ANDREA] I slightly modified the beginning of prompt #3 in the “Reflection on Energy Sources” Here’s my wording (I’m also open to suggestions if you have them):

3. Select one of the energy sources presented in this unit. In your own words, describe how electricity is generated from this energy source. Explain how energy is transformed in the process of electricity production. Draw a diagram if it helps with your explanation.

[ANDREA] I found an annotated version of the "Media Bias Chart" that I will use when introducing and reinforcing how to find sources for "Sustainability in the News" assignment.

http://www.allgeneralizationsarefalse.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Media-Bias-Chart_Version-3.1_Watermark-min.jpg