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Energy, High Technology and Society (SMP3 Summer Version) June 4 to July 6, Summer 2001
Instructors: David L. Zellmer and Doris Buffo For Dr. Zellmer: For Doris Buffo: Course Website: http://zimmer.csufresno.edu/~davidz/ns116/ Course description: The course addresses how the use of high-density energy sources and a revolution in the production of synthetic materials has transformed human society. As such it emphasizes the role that chemistry and physics play in shaping our world. Technological innovation has made possible an expanding population, but that population consumes resources at an exponentially growing rate. Society looks toward science and technology to find new energy sources and to solve future problems. This course asks students to understand the science and technology that underlies our society, and has them "do the math" to explore the feasibility of technological fixes for current and future problems. Text (required): Roger A. Hinrichs and Merlin Kleinbach, Energy--Its Use and the Environment, 3rd Ed, Harcourt Publishers, 2002. The book by Hinrichs and Kleinbach provides factual information about energy resources and contains many examples of how to do the calculations involved with energy use. It also contains many activities which students can do at home and has them investigate the impact that energy use has on their daily lives. Additional material will be accessed on the Web. Other Materials: Each student must have a scientific calculator and access to a computer that can use the Internet. For the summer SMP3 students, they each must have a bound journal for specified "journaling" exercises. The SMP3 program will probably provide this journal. Note that the journal is separate from whatever you use to take daily notes in class. About this syllabus and the SMP3 summer format: We have learned from experience that the format for the SMP3 summer version of this course must remain more flexible than during the regular semester and will include activities and tie-ins to the K-6 elementary school experience in addition to the lecture. The use of the word "tentative" means that we may change topics, times, and the point value for graded activities as the summer progresses. The SMP3 version of this course uses a team of co-instructors. One is a college professor, the other a working teacher from the local school district. While covering the Science, Technology and Society (STS) content of the course, we will also see to the basic physical science needs of the future science teachers in the class. We cannot predict in advance what those needs will be. The main vehicle for teaching basic physical science will be hands-on activities similar to those used in the K-6 classroom. We will try to avoid duplication of those activities already covered in the Natural Science 1A (chemistry and physics) and 1B (biology and earth science) courses that are a prerequisite for NS 116. Grading: The summer version of this course uses 21 daily blocks of 105 minutes each plus a field trip, rather than the semester version which uses three 50-minute lectures per 15 week semester. Instead of the traditional three exams, papers and a final, summer grades will be assigned based on a variety of assessment methods including journals, portfolios, participation in class projects and exercises, daily web-work or homework assignments, group and individual presentations, a series of small quizzes to track progress and a comprehensive final examination. Because of the pace of the summer class, there are no makeups for missed quizzes, presentations, the field trip or other material. The student will simply lose those points. Because of the requirements of the SMP3 program, students are required to attend all class meetings. Absences will be reported to the SMP3 project director. List of graded items (tentative)
Total: 800 pts Grading Scale, percent of possible points (tentative): 100-85 A; 84-70 B; 69-50 C; 49-40 D; 39-0 F Written Reports, Presentations and Journals: The data and results from assigned projects are to be worked up in an organized fashion and discussed in a literate manner. The reports should be written with a word processing program on a computer. A spreadsheet will be beneficial for computing and displaying results. Since the summer version of this course takes place in an Electronic Classroom with computer projection, students may elect to prepare presentations using HTML, PowerPoint, or similar presentation media. To help students who are also taking NS 115 this summer, short quizzes are tentatively scheduled for Mondays and Thursdays of each week. (NS 115 will have weekly quizzes on Fridays.) We plan on having one or two student presentation as part of the class each day starting on Thursday of the second week. With fifteen teams of two, we should conclude all NS116 presentations by Friday of the Fourth Week. (The NS 115 presentations are scheduled for Thursday and Friday of Week Five.) The presentations will provide a daily technology counterpoint to the ongoing flow of energy issues that form the backbone of the course. Don't pick an issue, pick a "gadget" instead! How does a cell phone work? What is an MP3 player? How does GPS work in the OnStar system? How does a "new technology" fluorescent light work? A list of possible topics for the team presentation will be available on the course website; others may be chosen with approval of the instructor. Each team of two students will choose a different topic. there will be a signup sheet in the classroom. The students are to choose one technology, describe (1) how it works, (2) cover the underlying science, and (3) describe its impact on society. Presentations are 15-20 minutes. Your instructors will be standing by to help you understand the science needed to prepare your presentation. Journals are to be used for two main purposes: (1) Specified activities as announced by your instructors. (2) Messages to your future selves on How to Do Things. Example of purpose (2): In your first day at CART you will be introduced to the computer systems in the building. We expect to see directions written in your journals for using this technology, including usernames, passwords, and procedures. Leave room at the beginning of your journal for a Table of Contents (TOC), and number every page in your journal so it can be indexed in the TOC. A descriptive title and date that can be used in the TOC should precede each journal entry. Homework from the textbook or other sources will be assigned as needed. The Field Trip is a required part of the course and is part of the grade. The students are responsible for material presented during the field trip, and are expected to participate in the scheduled activities. Cheating and Plagiarism: Each student is expected to perform his or her own work throughout the course. Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated and will be dealt with according to university policy. Please refer to the CSU Fresno catalog for further information. Disabled Students: It is the responsibility of students with disabilities to identify themselves to the university and the instructor so reasonable accommodation for learning and evaluation within the course can be made. Daily Schedule (Summer): (105 minutes (Group A) + 15 min break + 105 minutes (Group B)) Group A: 1:00 pm to 2:45 pm (30 students) [Cancelled, Summer 2001] Group B: 3:00 pm to 4:45 pm (30 students) [only session, Summer 2001] CART room S-105 Daily Schedule Summer 2001 -- This schedule is tentative and is subject to revision. Because of the requirements of the SMP3 program, daily attendance is mandatory.
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