NCSE-NASA Interdisciplinary Climate Change Education
Contents
NCSE-NASA Curriculum for Interdisciplinary Climate Change Education (NNICCE)
Project Description
- Nine 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)
- Modules areincorporated into the NSF funded CAMEL (Climate, Adaptation, Mitigation, E-Learning) project, found on the CAMEL.
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. Weare focussingon 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 aSenior Fellowfor NCSEhas been involved in both classroom and web-based curricular development. Heis 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 (NCSE-NASA Curriculum for Interdisciplinary Climate Change Education (NNICCE))- Kevin Spigel
Advanced Topics in Remote Sensing- Kevin Spigel
Ice Core Data - David Kitchen
Recent 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 isdirecting 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
