California wildfires force students to think about the connections between STEM and society
Uncommon courses It is a series of time to time from a conversation that sheds light on the unconventional methods of teaching.
Title of course:
“Impact and social timing: climate change“
What prompted the idea of the course?
Harvey Mood College mission It is the education of STEM students – an abbreviation of science, technology, engineering and mathematics – so they have “a clear understanding of the influence of their work on society.” But the “influence” part of our mission was the most challenging to achieve it.
When our college renounces her.The basic curriculaIn 2020, our teaching staff decided to create a new required course for all students.
What does the course explore?
This course is taught by a team of eight coaches who share their disciplinary views and help students analyze the proposed interventions in a critical way to increase the risk of fires in the wild.
Our coach knows biologyand chemistryand Computer science and mathematics.
The chapter also includes scientists who focus on Media studiesand Political science Religious studies and Science, technology and society.
The course focuses on Forest fires in California Therefore, students can think critically in the ways in which stem and social values constitute each other.
For example, In 1911Deputy of the American Forestry Department Fe Olmsted dish Darwini Social The idea of ”the most suitable” for forest management. It reflects the prevailing views of his time. He believed that the competition was the driving force behind biology, economics and human progress – where strong failure and weakness.
Olmansad said it was good forests and a good economy to allow forests to grow without deterrent. This policy would result in straight and long “traders” wooden wood for sale and industry needs.
He also refused.Burning light,” any Native Americans It was used for several centuries to manage the ecosystems of forests and reduce flammable growth.
We live with the consequences of this logic after 100 years. Speed fires through inflated lands at disturbing rates and release them Huge amounts of carbon and other particles In the air.
Why this course is related now?
It can be said that climate change is the most urgency in our time. Forest fires are especially related to those of us in fire areas such as southern California.
The lack of general confidence in science is increasing. Consequently, society needs skilled STEM practitioners who can understand how scientific interventions have different consequences and appeal to the owners of different interest.
For example, the first respondents Los Angeles were used Drones for search and rescue And to collect information in the actual time about the firefighting lines At least 2015.
But the audience is not always comfortable Drones fly over populated areas.
The Los Angeles Fire Fire Department has provided enough citizen concerns about “Done aircraftAnd “and Government concerns about data collection That developed Drunk policies strict In consultation with the organizers and the American Civil Liberties Union.
The focus of the course on writing, critical thinking and climate change is students to participate in public discussions on these interventions.
By making students think about the impact of their future work, we also hope that they will be proactive in the professions they want to follow, whether it involves climate change or not.
What is the embarrassment lesson from the course?
Not everyone benefits the same way from one innovation.
For example, Americans with low income and rural Less likely to benefit from low operating costs and low electric car pollution. This is because insufficient investment in public shipping infrastructure makes it less practical.
The multidisciplinary approach in the course helps to expose these types of structural inequality. We want students to obtain a habit of asking questions about any technological solution.
They include questions such as: It is likely to benefit, and how? Who historically practiced the strength in this position? Who are the voices of? What are the assumptions set? What are the values that are given priority?
What materials are the course’s feature?
We combine popular and scientific sources.
students Watch two Documentary films around 2018 CAMP FIRE In Heaven, California, which killed 85 people.
They analyze the wildfire data using Bandas LibraryThe open source data processing library for Python computer programming.
They also read a Report of the Union of Primible Scholars Examine fossil fuel companies to increase the risk of forest fires. They analyze the environmental historian William Cronon Classical indictment From the environmental movement to give a romantic character on the idea of a “wild” primitive while exempting themselves from the responsibility of protecting the rest of nature – human beings, cities, farms and industries.
We are also studying Ada Limon’s hairand Original environment and Buddhism participating.
What will the students come to do to do it?
The final task of the course requires students to analyze the proposed intervention that deals with the risk of forest fires in California using the disciplinary tools they learned.
For example, they can choose an increase “Useful fires” to reduce flammable biomass in the forest.
For this intervention, we expect students to address topics such as Historical erasure of original knowledge From the described burning, Financial obligations associated with burning burning, And scientific research on The effectiveness of useful fires.
This article has been republished from ConversationAn independent, non -profit news organization brings you facts and trusted analysis to help you understand our complex world. Written by: Erika Dysonand Harvey Mood College and Daril Youngand Harvey Mood College
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Daril Young is a professor at Harvey Mood College and participates in directing mathematics to America Los Angeles. His work was funded by the National Science Corporation.
Erika Dyson does not work with, consulting, or receiving them from any company or institution that will benefit from this article, and has not revealed any related affiliations that exceed its academic appointment.
