BIS 243 Introduction to Environmental Issues
In this course we explore some of the most pressing environmental issues confronting the world today, including global climate change, loss of biodiversity, and human impacts on the ecosystems and on our own species. Students are introduced to the major concepts and approaches of various fields of environmental science that are involved in understanding and attempting to solve these problems.
We l also examine the primary social dimensions of these problems.
Questions that are addressed in this course include: What are the reasons for these problems? What is known and how do we know it? What remains to be learned and how can we learn it? What may be some promising solutions?
Covering environmental issues is challenging as is depressing to learn about the current state of the planet, however students get engaged in solid and positive discussions. For this class, I have tried to make it as interactive as possible as I have usually about 40+ students and they come from different backgrounds. That could be challenge on its own as many people admits that has not science background, thus I provide plenty of context in my lectures.
In this course, we work in designing strategies at the personal and local level for potential solutions to the pressing environmental problems we are facing. students also have the opportunity to participate in hands-on CBLR activities.
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Find here the syllabus for this course and below examples of the work students do.
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Assignment examples:
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CBLR Project:
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Students partner with a local organization and need to prepare a report on their experience. This report is done in a blog format. see examples below:
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- CBLR report example1
- CBLR Report example 2
- CBLR Report example 3
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Exams are open book and students are challenged to think on their own, rather than regurgitate information. See example exam here
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Worksheet for Readings: A simple aid provided for students to work on readings and be prepared for discussion/activities in class. See example here
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