Week 1 - Learning Objectives

The learning objectives list should be a useful guide for mastering the vocabulary, concepts, and information analysis techniques. The list is sorted based on several key learning objectives which are the ideas that tie this module together. They are important for this course.

Each learning objective is identified by level and source:

Level:

vocabulary requires a definition
concept requires making a connection between several ideas
application or example is a specific use of a concept
synthesis requires a broader combination of concepts and examples

information analysis is the cognitive tool that is presented in the text and that is being applied to the environmental concepts in the module. For example, in week 1 that is the problem types.

Source:

L= Lecture and notes
T= Textbook chapters
R= other readings in Wikipedia and Enclycopedia Earth
V= Videos
OL = other online activities or simulations

 

short_name description/comments level source
PROBLEM TYPES    
problem types easy, CPR, information and wicked concept L,T
wicked problems are intractible with no end in sight def L,T
COMPLEXITY      
complexity multiple independent parts interacting continuously def L
IMPACT      
I=PAT general relationship concept L
water footprint embedded in the food you eat def OL
water footprint the other categories: transportion, products,  def OL
affluence amount of goods that families own def R
Kuznet's curve aka "richer is greener"  concept L
Schumacher need to have solutions at the right scale concept T
human footprint levels of consumption concept V
impact of kids - diapers age specific product use, total goods that go into diapers (wood, petrochemical) - concept V
impact of kids - milk list of all products and amount of milk consumed concept V
impact of kids - other food and eggs convenience foods, number of calories we need, calories from potatoes and wheat concept V
water footprint home use  concept OL
DEVELOPMENT      
8 Milenium Dev Goals include eradicate poverty and ensure env sustainability def T
sustainability  Bruntland Comm definition def
weak and strong sustainability compare weak and strong  concepts L
sustainability may be emergent emergent behavior in complex systems concept L
impact on poor poor live in direct contact with water, air and farming concept L
TRAPS      
trap easier to get into than out of def L,T
nutrition/health trap positive feedback, viscious cycle applic L
env. health states weak/sick, stable, positive concept L
resilience improving state could have resiliency and positive feedback L
unintended consequences outcomes that are unpredicted def L
unintended consequences CFC example example of concept T
ROLE OF SCIENCE    
env science can support development scientific method for collaboration, multiple scales, detect traps synthesis L
multiple perspectives approach different cognitive tools, information, value sets come together to avoid traps concept L,T
dimensions of problems control, knowledge, values concept L,T
values are part of every environmental problem def T
traditional science  vs. post-normal or mode 2 science concept T
data exploration and diagnosis cognitive tools that can be used to gather and begin analysis definition T
understanding requires some action def T
COURSE DETAILS    
scale  example of an EDT  def T
stock and flow example of an EDT  def T
values and worldviews example of an EDT  def T
optimization example of an EDT  def T
environmental accounting and indexes example of an EDT  def T

 

Last updated by John Rueter on January 6, 2015