Project Description

• Ten curricular modules for a general education course on climate change that faculty can readily adopt and adapt.
• Components use NASA and other resources, including online assessments
• Funded by NASA Global Climate Change Education Grant NNXO9AL64G
• Developed by National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) and its Council of Environmental Deans and Directors (CEDD)

Background

The basis for this effort has been the course that has been taught for the past 6 years at the University of California Davis by Professor Arnold Bloom. We are focussing on the development of course components based on NASA resources that encourage students to study the issues independently and propose solutions based on objective information.

Dr. Susan Ustin, also of UC Davis, who has extensive experience in using satellite and other high-altitude multispectral images to study Earth’s environment, is the primary person for NASA-related resources. Dr. Andy Jorgensen of the University of Toledo and a Senior Fellow for NCSE has been involved in both classroom and web-based curricular development.  He is coordinating the creation of new materials.

Curriculum Modules Now Available ~

NASA Time Machine - David Hassenzahl

Climate Change Impacts on Colorado River Water Supply - Patricia Mynster and Dave Hassenzahl

Seasonality - Kevin Spigel

Introduction to Remote Sensing Metrics - Kevin Spigel

Advanced Topics in Remote Sensing - Kevin Spigel

Climate Change and Snow Cover Patterns - Kevin Spigel

Ice Core Data - David Kitchen

Recent Climate Change - David Kitchen

Predicting the Long-Term Future of Climate Change - David Kitchen

Climate Change and Wine - Arnold Bloom

Societal Contributors to Climate Literacy - Marcia Owens

Team Members

• David Blockstein, National Council for Science and the Environment
• Andy Jorgensen, University of Toledo
• Timothy Weston, University of Colorado
• Susan Ustin, University of California at Davis
• Kevin Spigel, Unity College
• Barry Benedict, University of Texas at El Paso
• David Kitchen, University of Richmond
• Marcia Owens, Florida A&M University
• David Hassenzahl, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Arnold Bloom, University of California at Davis
• Maggie Surface, University of Delaware

Timeline

In Phase I representatives from six CEDD institutions created curricular components that span a range of topics central to climate change. This material and the course from UC Davis formed the basis of an offering of a trial course taught at each of these schools in the first year. Dr. Tim Weston of University of Colorado is directing an evaluation of the program to guide the production of modules for use in Phase II. In this second phase fourteen CEDD institutions will teach the course adapted for their interests and expertise.

A final evaluation will allow the creation of flexible curriculum modules that a wide range of universities should find useful. The content will have the advantage of thorough testing in a variety of settings and carry the imprimatur of a nationally-recognized organization which has been a leader in the field of science education. This outcome will advance climate change education at the undergraduate level.

Phase I Institutions

• Florida A & M University
• Unity College
• University of California, Davis
• University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• University of Richmond
• University of Texas at El Paso

Phase II Institutions

• Ball State University
• George Washington University
• Juniata College
• Macalester College
• North Carolina A&T State University
• Towson University
• University of Alaska, Anchorage
• University of California, San Diego
• University of Colorado at Boulder
• University of Cincinnati
• University of Florida
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• University of Toledo