Hello everyone,
The idea of an interdisciplinary sustainability class for first year
freshman is very appealing from an Earth Sciences standpoint. I was a
teaching assistant for a similar class in New Zealand, and I would be
happy to circulate the course materials as a starting point for
developing a curriculum. One topic that comes to mind is ecological
footprints, where students calculate the amount of land required to
support their lifestyle. This is a very involved calculation, but the
end result is revealing about your personal demand for resources,
especially when compared to the land available per capita in the United
States and footprints from developing countries.
The biggest roadblock that needs to be overcome is campus policy
regarding two teachers from two different departments collaborating on
one course. Other places do it, and I know it has been done here in the
past. However, when I attempted to set up something like this with Bill
Vining in Chemistry, there were problems: (1) distributing the student
enrolments between departments, and (2) that one of us would basically
not receive any credit (i.e. work load reduction) for teaching the
class.
I feel a course like this will not truly be interdisciplinary unless
more than one faculty from more than one department is sharing their
knowledge with the students. Perhaps say 5 sections could be offered in
one semester, taught by 5 different professors who rotate to a different
class every three weeks to teach their part of the course? Just a
thought.
All the best,
Devin
_________________________________________
Devin Castendyk, PhD
Earth Sciences Department
State University of New York, College at Oneonta
Oneonta, NY 13820
USA
Phone: 607-436-3064
Fax: 607-436-3547
Email: [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Teaching Breakfast List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Achim Koedermann
Sent: Monday, November 10, 2008 3:48 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Sustainability : Important Grant Deadline
Thank's for forwarding this, Jim,
GREAT
This would work for the intrdisciplinary proposal on Env.
Ethics/Sustainability I have in mind. Any members interested into
participating - it does not have to be 7 disciplines, and would nicely
fit into the approach to interdisciplinary work by our new president?
(see below)
Best
Achim
Course Proposal re. Sustainability through the disciplines: As of
discussion between 7 related disciplines:
As part of a new core curriculum, we propose a new course that is
interdisciplinary and built on the cooperation of faculty from the
sciences, social sciences, and humanities. It will have a changing
practical issue as foundation, linking the academic teaching to
applicable solutions. The work of the "sustainability task force" and
Green Team can be integrated in this project.
This course will study the interaction between people and their natural
environment from a global and historical perspective, drawing on the
expertise of faculty from Geography, Biology, Environmental Sciences,
Political Sciences, Chemistry, English and Philosophy (all above
mentioned disciplines have volunteered participation).
The course is multidisciplinary and synthesizes valuable
insights/paradigms from various disciplines. Topics of study will
include the impact of nature on societies and vice e versa; effects of
geography and climate on economic development and income inequality.
The impact of humans on their environment; environmental local problems
- and knowledge necessary for possible solutions; sustainable
development will lead the students to a more interdisciplinary view.
Based on an interdisciplinary approach, case studies (different for
different students from different fields) enable students to examine the
ecological interrelatedness of the environment and the impact of human
society on the environment, and the value of management, restoration and
control. Each semester, the focus will shift from the assessment of this
years theme (example: restoration of the college
pond/recycling/composting) or content of environmental studies/sciences.
The approach to such studies is discussed from various points of view:
moral, sociological, biological, chemical, urban--rural, and world
conservation problems. Subject information and teaching notes for the
syllabus are developed in four sections: (1) processes and systems of
the natural environment and the limits of the resource base, (2) the
ecosystem, (3) the interaction of man and the environment, and (4)
environmental conflicts and planning: a field study. Criteria for
examinations are developed from different disciplines.
Counter-arguments: it is impossible to teach interdisciplinary courses;
each subfield has its own perspectives; they are incompatible.
Response: The very nature of work on
Sustainability/Conservation/Preservation is interdisciplinary. We are
proposing an integrated interdisciplinary approach - with institutional
leadership, this could give the college a new, sustainable focus. To
achieve this goal, the different contributions for changing disciplines
have to allow students to form a whole - their interpretation. This
course will allow to define and teach those skills, perspectives and
competencies which all graduating students should share.
Programmatic Student Learning Outcomes will vary - from field to field;
together, they will help form a core of knowledge needed for a
successful environmental assessment. Individual courses throughout the
curriculum can be linked to this survey course, furthering knowledge in
the different fields. Although contexts will change from semester to
semester (different applications) the goals will not. Thus, it will be
possible to avoid program redundancies.
Solution: An interdisciplinary course open to all disciplines, faculty
and students learn from each other.
"Thoughts without content are empty, intuitions without concepts are
blind."
Immanuel Kant, Critique of Pure Reason, "Transcendental Logic,"
Introduction, # 1
Dr. Achim D. Koeddermann
Associate Prof. of Philosophy
SUNY-Oneonta, NY 13820
"Gedanken ohne Inhalt sind leer, Anschauungen ohne Begriffe sind blind"
________________________________
From: Teaching Breakfast List on behalf of Jim Greenberg
Sent: Mon 11/10/2008 2:14 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: FW: [POD] Important Grant Deadline
This just reached me email. Some on this list might be interested.
Mr. James B. Greenberg
Director Teaching, Learning and Technology Center
Milne Library
SUNY College at Oneonta
Oneonta, New York 13820
blog: The 32nd Square at http://32ndsquare.blogspot.com
<http://32ndsquare.blogspot.com/>
wiki: The 32nd Square at http://32ndsquare.wikidot.com
<http://32ndsquare.wikidot.com/>
email: [log in to unmask]
phone: 607-436-2701
fax: 607-436-3081
IM: oneontatltc
Twitter: greenbjb
Yammer: https://www.yammer.com/users/greenbjb
Identi.ca: http://identi.ca/jimg/all
Plurk: greenbjb
Myspace: greenbjb
Pownce: greenbjb
Friendfeed: greenbjb
Spoink: greenbjb
orkut:Jim Greenberg
"Ignorance is curable, stupidity lasts forever"
P Think before you print! Please consider the environment before
printing this email
\
Subject: New NEH Funding for Courses on Enduring Questions
From: "Mikal, Lindsey" <[log in to unmask]>
To: "Mikal, Lindsey" <[log in to unmask]>
What is the good life? What is friendship? What is good
government? Is there a human nature, and, if so, what is it? What are
the limits of science? Enduring questions such as these have long held
interest to college students and allow for a special, intense dialogue
across generations.
The National Endowment for the Humanities has recently launched
"Enduring Questions: Pilot Course Grants." This new grant program will
support college faculty from any discipline with up to $25,000 to
develop and to teach a new undergraduate humanities course that
addresses questions like these.
The application deadline is November 13, 2008, and the
sponsoring institution must agree to offer the course at least twice.
For more information and instructions, please find the grant guidelines
at: http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/EnduringQuestions.html .
We encourage you to share information about this new funding
opportunity with your members.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please
do not hesitate to contact me at 202-606-8317 or [log in to unmask]
Thanks!
Best,
Lindsey
Lindsey Mikal
Assistant Director of Media Relations
National Endowment for the Humanities
Office of Communications
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., Room 510
Washington, D.C. 20506
Phone: 202-606-8317 / Fax: 202-606-8240
Mobile: 202-841-1497
[log in to unmask]
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