Click on the Pix above to enlarge.
Hi All,Coming up on our halfway mark for the semester! This week we will be illustrating, experimenting and talking together about aspects of Global Warming. More lively discussions anticipated, too.
Have a great week!
Dr. E
This weeks class discussion on the issue of global warming has been heated and interesting. The debate is sure to be fun and enlightening at the same time. Also, I thought the sheets suggesting possible adjustments to the course was prudent and well intentioned. Our group did our best to brainstorm new ideas and give helpful criticism on other aspects of the course.
ReplyDeleteThe cartoon, as a reference to the allegory of the cave I assume, was long but funny in the end. Though I think I've solved it.
Class Activities:
ReplyDeleteTuesday:
We had discussions about Global Warning. The group difined what they thought it meant and we shared with the class. This topic will be very interesting to hear both sides argued. It is very interesting to hear some different point of views on controversial topics such as Global Warming.
Thursday:
While in our groups we filled out a midterm check of what is working, what is not working, and what could be changed or implemented. I thought this was a great idea to do so the instructor as well as the students have an idea of what others are thinking.
The round table was very interesting and seemed to be a very effective way to get infomation across.
Rose Hervagault
Class Activities:
ReplyDeleteOn Tuesday we discussed some of the aspects of global warming. It was interesting to see both sides of the issue come out in the class discussion. In addition, we did a lab which shows how carbon dioxide can change the pH of water. The lab was helpful in putting the issue of global warming into perspective.
On Thursday we discussed censorship in science with a round table discussion. It's always interesting to hear other points of view and discover how censorship and suppression of science occurs, sometimes without even thinking about it. As a group we also filled out a midterm check. I think this was an effective way to let students voice their opinions about the class and offer suggestions to improve it.
During class on Tuesday, we discussed the issue of global warming. Each table discussed the issue and provided the rest of the class with our own definitions of global warming. I thought this discussion was particularly beneficial because this is the topic our debate group will be discussing very shortly. I thought it was good to hear what others had to say on the issue. We also did a brief experiement in class that dealt with changing the pH of water by adding carbon dioxide to it.
ReplyDeleteOn Thursday, we were to choose an article about censorship. The article our group had was perfect because it dealt with the issue of global warming and how information is kept from citizens or even changed. I thought it was a good article to start us on our search for the opposing side of global warming. Also, during the roundtable discussion, everyone gave their opinions about global warming as well. I think this activity helped to prepare us for our debates, which are rapidly approaching. Finally, as a group we were to fill out a sheet of paper about how we would change, improve, or keep class activities and strategies. I thought this was a great approach to see how the rest of the class felt about the work and activities thusfar.
Class...
ReplyDeleteTuesday... Lovely start on the topic for the opposing side of global warming from our group topic. This will be a tough but fun debate over how global warming is or is not happening because of misrepresented information or withheld information because of sensorship or sorts.
Thursday... We discussed sensorship in global warming and I got put on the spot for representing my groups ideas and believes as a whole. The exersise was to effectively show sometimes people sometimes express their own opinion even when discussed different in a group atmosphere. I seem to take opposing sides to lots of topics just because I like the debate concept. It gets the mind wondering about how to process and expand on ideas and believes.
The cartoon
OMG I am lost... Thats what I said once I got done reading it. I for sure liked math back in the day and thought of becoming a math major but that sort of steers me away from tough analytical problems. I liked the concept of bringing together elements but that just confused me and made no sense. Hopefully I will never be but in his situation. :)
On Tuesday we discussed global warming and watched a short video. There are a lot of different viewpoints on global warming in our classroom, and I really look forward to hearing that debate.
ReplyDeleteOn Thursday we talked about censorship. My group had a very long article but our group rep did a very good job of explaining all of our thoughts about it. Some of the things it talked about in our article were a little disturbing. People and government officials and such, will blacklist, and do everything they can in their power to hold scientists out of meetings, conventions, and deny them funding unless they do scientific work on the subject or area they want them too. Our rep talked about the only people standing up to this were the young and old scientists with nothing to lose, and I wasn't sure if everyone understood what really was going on. It was a very good, but lengthy article to read.
This cartoon is something else. Reading it was kind of like sinking in quicksand, the problems grew deeper by the second. I hope we discuss this in class next week so I can see if there is a solution where no one gets hurt! :)
On tuesday we talked about global warming. Each of our groups gave a definition of what global warming met to us. Most of the class agreed on the same definition. We also did a lab using carbon dioxide to change the pH of the water.
ReplyDeleteThursday's class was about censorship in scientific literature. Each group recieved an article and one person was selected as the spokesperson to tell the other groups about the article and opinion's of the group. Kayla did a great job in representing our group's opinions of the topic. I'm glad we talked about the idea of censorship within science literature. As professionals we need to be aware of possible scientific information that is bias and uncensored.
Class Activities
ReplyDeleteOn Tuesday, we focused on Global Warming. In our groups we worked together to come up with a definition for what we think global warming it. In my group, it was a pretty easy task because we all seemed to come up with the same answer. We then did an activity where we changed the pH level of water. This was the same activity we did in K-8 Science Methods, and it ended up being pretty interesting to see how my two different groups went up thinking about the activity: how similar and how different the ideas were.
On Thursday, we focused on censorship in scientific literature. Our article, in a nutshell, focused on how we need to be careful about censorship: we need to be critical about science in order to be sure the science is true, but too much and there will never be any new ideas in science. Our representative for our group was Kayla, and I felt she did a very good job representing our ideas during the activity.
Tuesday... Global Warming. This topic interests me very much- I wish we had more time to discuss it! I liked the step we each took in defining what we as a group thought global warming is. Most groups were similar in their definitions- global warming is the abnormal increase in the temperature of the earth due to human impacts. I wish that I had more free time to thoroughly research information on this topic- as I said it is a great interest to me.
ReplyDeleteThursday... Group Activity- Quite honestly at first I had no idea why we were doing the activity that we did. After we were finished- I really enjoyed and understood the concept of the activity. I can't imagine the pressure of scientists/professionals/doctors/etc... out there representing companies with thousands of employees, investors, shareholders, worth millions or billions of dollars, and with even more invested in R&D. To be able to report findings and statements that cover all bases and people, is immense. One wrong statement and funding could be cut, jobs could be cut, investments could be cut, and the possibility of dissapointed shareholders. What I think is interesting is that each of those aspects is part of a chain- this leads to that which leads to this... one mistake effects everything in the chain. It is unfortunate that scientists cannot simply "just do research" and not have to worry about pleasing anyone. Their only goal would be to report what they find- ethical or unethical- favorable or unfavorable- even the information that people do not want to hear. There are so many laws/regulations/rules/ that govern the way information is stated- who knows that is really accurate? There are so many "business appearances" to keep up- so many people to please- who knows if information is stated truthfully and accurately- or if it is stated because it is what "right" people want to hear. More than likely- we will never know!
This week in class was a discussion about global warming and censorship in science. I was not here for class on Tuesday unfortunately, but my class mates told me about the experiment and that it was something different and interesting to do in class.
ReplyDeleteThursday our groups talked about censorship issues in science. Our group had an article about a man and his beliefs about teaching creationism or evolution in schools. His argument is that evolution is not proven like anything else and should not be talk to school children if other methods cannot be taught either, like creationism or young-world theories. Our group all agreed that evolution is a very fact-based belief that should be taught in schools as opposed to the young-world type of theories.
The cartoon is also very funny. I took a philosophy class not long ago and could pick out quick a few theories the frames were presenting.
Tuesday: We talked about global warming at our tables and defined what we thought global warming meant. We had a class conversation which was interesting. The topic of global warming is a hot issue for a lot of people and I think that it will be an interesting debate for our group.
ReplyDeleteThursday:We talked about censorship in science. Our group specifically talked about the idea of censorship as it relates to the global warming debate. I don't believe that science should be censored by anyone. Scientific advances help the world as a whole and I think that it is important that we have open debates on serious issues.
I think we all agree that we talked about global warming Tuesday. I thought I should state that since everyone else did as well. Nowe, global warming should be a fun debate and I'm rooting for reason, aka the pro side. Go pro! just making that clear. I also hope the con side comes up with some fun arguments to get the whole thing heated. In general, I'm hoping all the debates are like that, where students are scrambling to find that quote in front of everyone so they can give that good intellectual jab.
ReplyDeleteLet's bring in that individual thought people! This sort of challenge is always good because it really brings out what exactly we as individuals stand for, and with that comes one's own power. Yay!
Tuesday we discussed the concept of Global Warming. It will be interesting to see some issues arise during the debate. I personally do not think Global Warming is as certain as some people believe it is.
ReplyDeleteOn Thursday our group discussed censorship in science. We talked about the how scientists choose not to publish some of their finding as because they fear it will censored and their research may be compromised. Then a member from each group particiated in a round table, which I thought was very interesting. I enjoyed hearing all the other view points and many groups brought up other interesting peices that our group neglected. The round table was a great way to exchange and process new information, I though it was a very valuable exercise.
On Thursday our group talked about censorship in science specifically censorship by people's moral standards. The article we read talked about how some issues are not researched because of how the public would react to the research. In the article most the scientists said that most of their research had at one time come under fire to be censored. I liked the exercise we did where each group had one person present their views on the articles and I learned from each groups viewpoint and thoughts.
ReplyDeleteGlobal Warming was an interesting topic to discuss on Tuesday because of all the controversy surrounding it. Personally I think it is a big deal and humans have contributed to it but the earth has long range weather patterns that we don't fully comprehend as well. Both of those facts play a big part in the picture and its hard to distinguish which has the bigger role. The only one we can do anything about though is how we contribute to it or how we intend to slow it down.
ReplyDeleteCensorship on Thursday was also quite the interesting topic, especially for our group, because it dealt with how scientists censor themselves before anyone else can. This comes in the form of refusing to research certain topics because of social moral values/approval or not documenting research already done because they fear it is dealing with things the public is not yet ready for. I think many scientists walk a fine line and that research is subjective to the individual or group of scientists pursuing that interest.
On Tuesday we discussed the issue of global warming/climate change and the scientific controversy surrounding it. This topic is not only interesting to me because it is my group's debate issue, but it is also influencing the discipline of ecology. Based on what we observed in class there is no doubt over whether or not the global climate oscillates over vast time periods. However, the discussion becomes engaging over the degree humans have in impacting or driving change to the global climate system. Thursday's topic of scientific integrity/censorship ties directly into debate over climate change. Recently a number of emails and various discourses between climate scientists working for the Climatic Research Unit in Norwich, England have been leaked. This event has been dubbed "Climategate" by the media. Concern arose from the event because some of the documents hint towards falsification of data and skewing results. Of course, these sorts of actions threaten the very core of the scientific process. Events like this exemplify the need for transparency in science and its corresponding social dialogue.
ReplyDeleteThe lecture on Global Warming was interesting and frustrating at the same time. An issue as important as that has been turned into a political game and people are blindly dismissing science. Hopefully the lecture shed some light on the topic to people who weren't fully aware of the time constraint. I find it difficult to take people seriously when they accept science in every other part of their life except when it comes to global warming. It's not a liberal conspiracy and I'm sure the oil companies can get just as rich off green energy. Later in the week I enjoyed the circle discussion when we had to judge our representative. I'm sure there was much more pressure on him then us in the crowd.
ReplyDeleteOn Tuesday of this week we had a discussion about global warming as a class. It was a very interesting discussion and really opened up minds and prepared them for the upcoming debate on it. It was a great discussion and a great activity to activate our prior knowledge on the subject.
ReplyDeleteOn Thursday we had a great discussion on censorship. Each group got an article to read and then discuss with the rest of the class. Censorship is a very interesting issue that I think will be argued forever. I don't think it can ever be completely resolved.
The discussion about global warming was certainly interesting. I knew there was some kind of debate about it, but I had no idea some people felt so strongly about it. Not being much of a science person, I knew nothing about the topic until reading about it. It's pretty interesting stuff and I'm excited to hear more about it.
ReplyDeleteThe discussion about censorship was also very interesting. It was cool to hear both sides of the topic and the reasons for them.