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CET 199

I. TITLE: Environmental Science and Technological Concepts

II. CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION: Pollution assessment and control introduction intended for general student awareness. Topics include basic environmental science and ecological principles; population dynamics and resource management; sampling and analytical techniques; regulatory considerations; and water treatment, air pollution control, solid waste handling, and hazardous waste management systems. Laboratory required.

III. PURPOSE: The goal of this course is to provide students with sufficient scientific, technical, and regulatory understanding to realistically assess the import of environmental issues relative to themselves, other people, and their surroundings. General knowledge about the causes of pollution, the actual impact of the pollution on the environment, pollution control systems, resource management (both nationally and globally), and the underlying sciences and regulations will enable students to better understand the significance of environmental issues and respond to such issues in an informed and reasoned manner.

A newspaper headline screams ,,10,000 Pounds of Toxic Wastes Dumped Into the Ohio River Each Year“. What is your reaction? You might assume the river was horribly polluted. What other questions should be asked, however, before making such an assumption? Such questions might be concerned with the chemical and biological characteristics of the wastes, the degree of treatment prior to discharge, the volume of wastes compared to the river flow, and specific impacts on the water quality, flora, and fauna of the river ecosystem. What was the reason for the waste discharge? Are the wastes related to the production of goods that are considered desirable or indispensable? Can more of the wastes be economically recycled or treated? What trade-offs are necessary to enable production of goods and still protect the environment adequately? Even though scientists, engineers, and other specialists are needed to answer many of these questions completely, all educated people should be aware of the pertinent questions.

Characteristics of a scientifically and technologically literate person (paraphrased from Technology Teacher magazine, February, 1997) include the abilities to solve problems while recognizing that solutions oftentimes cause other problems; use concepts from science, math, social studies, and the humanities as tools for understanding and managing technological systems; understand the technological concepts underlying many socioeconomic issues; and, using a synergistic multidisciplinary approach, develop creative, systems-oriented thinking skills recognizing the importance of technological development to meet cultural needs and wants.

The National Research Council, in its science education standards for grades K-12, emphasizes the relationships between science and technology in a cultural or socioeconomic setting. Over the past two years, a university committee has examined ways of improving science education for non-scientists. Much of the discussion centered on the use of multidisciplinary, problem-solving, team approaches that integrate technology and scientific applications. In a survey of approximately 200 Kentucky secondary science, agriculture, and technology education teachers on biotechnology education, environmental applications were consistently identified as being most appropriate for a wide range of students. CET 199 provides science and technology education using problem-solving involving environmental issues.

Students taking CET 199 as a University Studies science elective will gain an understanding of the relationships among science, technology, and cultural development. Content areas relative to land use, an international awareness. Furthermore, students will increase their critical thinking and problem solving
skills by looking at several aspects of environmental issues in a systematic, purposeful, and efficient manner. In addition to the examination of technical and scientific information, students will be able to understand the effects of personal attitudes and values on environmental decisions. Through the preparation and evaluation of team projects, oral presentations, and written reports, students will improve analytical and communication skills.

Relative to the desirable characteristics of an MSU graduate, the course does not address the world’s historical, literary, philosophical, and artistic traditions. CET 199 supports each of the seven remaining characteristics, and is particularly oriented towards engaging in mature thought, understanding scientific methodologies, applying analyses to decisions, understanding the roles of science and technology in solving world problems, and understanding the nature of responsible citizenry in our society.

IV. COURSE OBJECTIVES: CET 199 includes the study and application of science, engineering, sociology, and economics relative to environmental, impacts and pollution control. Critical thinking and communication skills are needed to understand the issues and demonstrate that understanding to others. Harvard University offers a similar course in its geosciences department that is a required science class for students in law, economics, medicine, and the humanities; in fact, the Harvard course is the only required science class for students in a major requiring only one semester of science. The intent of CET 199 is to help students understand how our decisions impact the environment and to demonstrate that scientific and technical understanding, rather than rhetoric and hyperbole, should form the basis for environmental opinions, policy, and regulation. The course should appeal to a broad cross-section of students and might be of particular interest to education, pre-law, business, and political science majors.

Any study of environmental issues and resource management must include consideration of the resources, needs, and wants in societies worldwide. Waste management and pollution control practices range from open sewers in developing nations to extremely sophisticated systems in small European countries having limited resources and land. CET 199 will include a comparison practices in the United States with those in other countries..

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to do the following:

1. Identify general physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of pollution and assess the
overall impact of such pollution on the environment.
2. Understand the relationships among cultures and societies, natural resources use, waste
generation, and potential environmental impacts.
3. Interpret the environmental regulatory system relative to public involvement and
responsibilities.
4. Understand the general approaches towards reuse, treatment, and control of wastes.

An example content area would be water pollution. Discussions, calculations, readings, and written assignments would address the sources and effects of water pollution, how wastewater is treated, and the differences in water quality management that exist in developed and developing countries. Critical thinking questions would address personal and societal views on adequate sanitation or pollution control levels, what levels of water quality are needed for different uses and how much people are willing to pay to achieve those levels, and the specific treatment or pollution prevention techniques needed to reduce water pollution.

V. CONTENT OUTLINE:
The following topics will be addressed, but not necessarily sequentially. The intent of the course is to offer a multidisciplinary, but integrated, approach to environmental science and technology. A case study or problem solving approach will be used to introduce most of the content.

1. Basic Ecological Concepts and Population Dynamics
2. Resource Availability and Management
3. Introductory Environmental Chemistry
4. Introductory Environmental Biology
S. Basic Hydrology and Hydraulics
6. Air, Soil, and Water Quality Chemical Parameters
7. Air, Soil, and Water Quality Biological Parameters
8. Water Pollution Sources and Impact
9. Drinking Water Treatment
10. Wastewater Treatment
11. Municipal Solid Wastes and Recycling
12. Hazardous Wastes
13. Air Pollution Control

VI. INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES: Problem-solving in a social, scientific, and technical context, basic system design calculations, laboratory chemical analyses, field physical and chemical measurements, biological surveys, and field observations relative to pollution levels and impacts. Since the course will be structured around cases and problem solving, student-directed learning will be a necessary element. In some situations, teacher involvement will be limited to assisting the students in identifying questions and appropriate resource materials for finding the answers to those questions. The use of formal lecture/recitation will be minimized, and the teacher will oftentimes serve as more of a coach. Such techniques are common in secondary school technology education and are encouraged by KERA. New students at Murray State will have been exposed to this type of active learning technique.

An oral or written report will be required for each lab or field exercise. A team project addressing the socioeconomic, scientific, and technical issues of an environmental problem will be required. Each team will be required to prepare a written and oral report summarizing its analyses and conclusions. Guidance on effective written and oral communications will be given to the students, and the reports will be evaluated based on that guidance.

A plethora of environmental information relative to regulatory agencies, professional organizations, equipment manufacturers, and scientific or technical data exists on the Internet, and current texts incorporate Internet resources for exploring environmental problems. Use of Internet resources will be required when examining environmental issues and will be especially essential to the group projects. All reports, figures, and tables will be computer generated, and some design calculations will require the use of spreadsheets.

VII. FIELD, CLINICAL, AND/OR LABORATORY EXPERIENCES: The course includes a lab that consists of analytical laboratory and field exercises. Students will be introduced to sampling techniques, specific analytical procedures, and the field observations and measurements used to assess pollution levels and impacts. Exercises will include basic fluid mechanics and properties, stream flow measurements, physical observations and biological/chemical measurements used to assess air and water quality, and visits to wastewater treatment and solid waste management facilities.

VIII. RESOURCES: Access to Internet resources and laboratory facilities will be required.

IX. GRADING PROCEDURES: Letter grades of A, B, C, D, and E will be assigned based on overall student performance relative to the course objectives. Mastery of the environmental field cannot be achieved in one course, but passing the course will require achieving a level of competency that allows a student to critically review scientific and technical information. A grade of A or B will require a high level of understanding and the ability to apply that understanding in abstract situations.

X. ATTENDANCE POLICY: Each student is expected to attend class regularly.

XI. ACADEMIC HONESTY: Cheating, plagiarism, submitting another person’s material as one’s own, or doing work for another person who will receive academic credit are not permitted. This includes the use of unauthorized books, notebooks, or other resources to secure or give help during an examination, the unauthorized copying of examinations, assignments, reports, term papers, laboratory reports, and drawings, or the presentation of unacknowledged material as if it were the student’s own work. Disciplinary action may include failure of the course.

XII. TEXT AND REFERENCES:
Texts similar to the following:
Nathanson, Jerry A., 1997. Basic Environmental Technology: Water Supply Waste Management and Pollution Control. Prentice-Hall, Inc. 440 pp.
Cunningham and Saigo, 1997. Environmental Science: A Global Concern. Win. C. Brown Publishers. 580 pp.
A copy of the overall contents, the contents of one chapter, and the suggested review and critical thinking questions for the Saigo text are attached.

XIII. PREREQUISITES: None. . High school chemistry and biology are desirable, but the course will be taught for non-scientists.

Last updated February 14, 2000. Designed and maintained by Kyosung Koo