Graduates (~5) and upper-level undergraduate students (~15) from Biology, Chemistry and Geology will learn about the various classes of toxicants (including those naturally occurring), how toxicants move in ecosystems and within organisms (humans, animals, and plants). Lectures will cover chemical transformations and mechanisms of toxicity. This course will also introduce the students to how controlled toxicity experiments are conducted, how data is reduced, and the power of statistical analyses to identify significant effects. A case study approach will be utilized in lecture and labs to examine the toxic effects of acidification, heavy metals, PCB, insecticides, and environmental endocrine disrupters. Students will learn about important endpoints and bioindicators of toxin exposure specific to each class of toxin and how they are used to determine human/ecological risk assessment. A service –learning component of the course will require students to conduct an independent group toxicology project with their choice of community partner.

4 semester hours credit 3hrs of lecture and a 3hr lab per week

Prerequisites: Biology Core courses and one semester of Organic Chemistry or by permission of instructor.

Introduction:

It is a frequent occurrence today that someone learns that some chemical is bad for them, some animal, or plant. The number of chemicals, naturally occurring and man-made, is enormous, something on the order of 100,000 just for man-made compounds. It is important to assess whether these chemicals pose a threat to organisms and/or ecosystems. Although the task of evaluating each compound for biological risk and elucidating that risk is an enormous undertaking, much of this work is being conducted. Studies conducted in the field are very relevant, however, the variables make legislatively-pertinent conclusions difficult. Therefore, much of this work is being conducted in controlled laboratory settings. As a result of this work many environmental toxicants have been evaluated for their effects on organisms. Most have been categorized as to structure and biological effects so that the possible structure-activity relationships of new chemicals may be tentatively predicted.

This course would benefit majors in the ecology/environmental biology and pre-professional tracks as well as majors in environmental science, chemistry, sustainable development, or geology. This course will introduce the students to how appropriate species and biomarkers are selected and controlled toxicity experiments are conducted. They will gain an appreciation of the various classes of toxicants and their modes of toxicity, how they move through the environment, how they are chemically transformed or degraded, and the effects on each compounds’ toxicity. The course will be comparative in nature utilizing interactions with plants, animals and humans. The course will conclude with discussions of ecological implications and risk assessment. Graduate students would be required to submit additional reports and selected projects as is commensurate with the Graduate School standards.

The course is highly integrative in nature and will utilize topics from chemistry, biochemistry, enzymology, physiology, animal culture, and ecology and even link toxicological issues to the social sciences and economics. Students will begin to understand the multidisciplinary nature of current environmental toxicology practices while building a foundation upon which they may build a very marketable career or graduate program for themselves. In addition, students will build upon their practical knowledge by conducting small scale environmental projects with community partners in the High Country. These projects will have regularly scheduled deadlines that will require concurrent written reflection exercises conducted in class throughout the semester.

Goals:

The goals of this course are to introduce students to the methods by which chemicals are evaluated for their environmental toxicity. This includes discussions about the various categories of chemicals, their occurrence and use, chemical transformation and mechanism of toxicity, and collection and extraction of environmental samples for chemical characterization and quantification. In addition, the service-learning exercise will provide students further hands-on, minds-on experience working with community organizations to integrate their learning into service for the community. This last goal is a significant divergence from most science courses you have taken, due to this course being a service-learning course.

In service-learning courses, you apply classroom/laboratory knowledge to your community real-world problems. In this class, you will be divided up into groups, and each group will work with a local community agency on some toxicological project. We will be assisted in this endeavor by ASU’s excellent ACT Community Outreach Center. More info on the service-learning component will be forthcoming including times for attending the Service Learning Orientation session in the student union (~1hr).

Required Text:

• Toxicology for Non-Toxicologists. 2000. Mark E. Stelljes. Government Institutes, Rockville, Maryland. ISBN 0-86587-611-8

Lectures will also be created from the following text (not required):

• Fundamentals of Ecotoxicology 2nd edition. 2003. Newman, M.C., and Unger, M. A.. Lewis publishers, ISBN 1-56670-598-3

Undergraduate Grading Scheme:

3 Exams x 100pts/each 300 pts

3 Quizzes 10 pts each 30 pts

Service-Learning Project* 155 pts

Organization report 10 pts

Gantt Chart/resource assessment 10 pts

Project experience reflections (3) 20 pts

Service-Learning Project Final Report 50 pts

Group Presentations* (10-15min) 30 pts

Peer and Self Evaluation 5 pts

Agency Evaluation 5 pts

ACT Service Learning Orientation/Assessment 5 pts

Case study, and discussion participation 20 pts

Total: 385 pts

*Teams of 3 or 4 will be asked to fill out peer evaluations of each other (5%) that will be combined with the faculty assessment and reflection writing pieces (95%). It is expected that each of the teams will contribute equally to each project. You will be graded on several aspects of the projects as a group.

Graduate Grading Scheme:

3 Exams x 100pts/each 300 pts

3 Quizzes 10 pts each 30 pts

Service-Learning Project* 155 pts

Organization report 10 pts

Gantt Chart/resource assessment 10 pts

Project experience reflections (4) 20 pts

Individual Oral Presentation (20-25 min) 50 pts

Service-Learning Project Final Report 50 pts

Peer and Self Evaluation 5 pts

Agency Evaluation 5 pts

ACT Service Learning Orientation/Assessment 5 pts

Lead scientific paper discussion 100 pts

Case study and discussion participation 25 pts

Total: 480 pts

Service-Learning Projects:

For most of you this will be your first service-learning experience. But we have an excellent resource on campus to help us through this most rewarding experience, so buck up and get excited about this opportunity. The basic principles of service learning involve student engagement and a group and community member collaboration to accomplish a public good. Group projects are valuable in that they create situations in which we must develop excellent communication and organization skills in addition to scientific skills in order to effectively carry them out. I will choose the actual members of groups determined by class size and strengths of the individual students. I have listed a number of community organizations and agencies below that will likely be able to find pertinent projects on which your groups will be able to collaborate. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list – just some ideas to get your minds thinking. The actual project descriptions and goals are completely up to you and your community partners (CP) (with some guidance from me when necessary). I will set deadlines for each stage of the project, which will keep you on schedule and prevent you from procrastinating if you follow the guidelines. You will be expected to work together outside of class time as well, this may include making first contact and communicating often with your community partners, work on your projects, or having group meetings (hopefully with your CP) to discuss problems and partition work loads. I will frequently present reasoning for these projects with the help of in class reflection exercises, as well as provide information, support, and time in class for your groups to discuss pertinent issues and deadlines. To aid some groups in knowledge of needed procedures, the schedule of lab and/or lecture subject matter may be changed mid semester. At the end of the semester we will celebrate the conclusion of our projects by inviting our community partners to a party where we will share food and enjoy watching each of the final presentations.

Required Service-Learning Orientation Sessions* — held January 19-25th (2nd and 3rd week of classes)

During these sessions, the ACT program officers will cover the following information: what is service-learning, what they will gain/learn from service-learning, local and national statistics about college students involved in service-learning, tips for successful service-learning projects including important ethical considerations, and we will answer any questions/concerns that they might have about agencies, projects, etc. As part of this session, we show an upbeat, 15-minute video that highlights students, faculty, and local community partners involved in service-learning initiatives at ASU.

• These are required for all ASU students who have not yet attended one of these sessions for a previous service-learning course at ASU. Students need to sign-up via the ACT website (http://act.appstate.edu/signup/sheet_id/5) for a specific date/time and will receive a reminder of their session via email.
• The dates/times for these sessions can also be found on the ACT website under the Announcements section on the ACT homepage – http://act.appstate.edu/
• Each of the 15 sessions will last 1 hour and are designed to be interactive, fun, and informative. We will NOT offer any make-up sessions.
• We will have an electronic sign-out process for each service-learning class/section. You will receive a copy of the list of attendees from your class after we have completed all of our sessions.
• Please encourage students be ready to discuss their previous service/volunteer experiences, as we draw upon these experiences to help them understand what they will be doing this semester.
• These sessions are intended to complement the course specific SL information you share with them, not replace it.
• If you have students who have attended one of these sessions for a previous class and are seeking a way to give them credit, we suggest you use the attached list of guided questions and ask them to write up a short reflection on their past SL experiences.
• If you are teaching an SL course for the first time, we highly encourage you to attend one of these sessions so that you know what we share with your students.

Suggested Toxicology Community Partners:

Appalachian Voices/RiverKeeper: Donna Lisenby, donna {at} appvoices(.)org

North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, Watauga County Center: Wendy Patoprsty, Extension Agent

971 West King Street, Boone, NC 28607, Voice (828) 264-3061, Wendy_Patoprsty {at} ncsu(.)edu

Watauga High School Earth/Environmental Science faculty: David Phillips, Kevin Shaw, Tom Brown, Katherine Chesnutt, and Johnny Gailes. Contact email: phillipsd {at} watauga.k12.nc(.)us

National Committee for the New River (George Santucchi), george {at} ncnr(.)org

Watauga River Conservation Partners (Richard DeMott)

Boone Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant (Karen Reece) – Karen.Reece {at} townofboone(.)net

Drinking Water Stations or personal wells (Boone and Blowing Rock)

Watauga County Health Department

National Park Service – Blue Ridge Parkway: Bob Cherry, Bob_Cherry {at} nps(.)gov

Watauga County Soil and Water Conservation District – Brian Chatham, Conservation Technician

971 West king Street, Boone NC, (828)264-0842 (O), 336-877-7823 (C), Brian.Chatham {at} nc.nacdnet(.)net

Local Environmental Advocates and Consulting Groups (Mountainkeepers, Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, etc)

Organization Report:

It is a good idea to prepare for your first project meeting with your CP by learning as much as you can about the organization as you can from online, written info, or calling the organization. This is to be done before you initially visit the organization so that you can ask intelligent questions as you initiate your plans to collaborate. The ACT office also has many resources to help you learn about organizations. Although this is a logical place to start, visiting and speaking to the people who run the agency are the best source of information. Cite as many sources as you can find to answer the following points.

• Goals/mission/history/size of the organization
• Atmosphere/environment of the organization (formal, informal, well-funded or small donor base, struggling,etc)
• Typical clients (or areas) served by the organization
• What types of problems does the agency/organization commonly see that they are ill equipped to handle? Or how do you think your group could aid this organization?
• What expectations does the organization have of the student group and project outcomes?
• Any other unexpected things you learned about them?

After you meet with your organization and fill answers for all the above questions, your group will submit your report (one per group with all members name on it). Your grade for the report will be based on how completely you answered each of these questions, as well as spelling and grammar and proper citation of sources.

Gantt Chart/Resource Assessment:

Successful group projects take planning and these two assignments will help you get your group started and improve your changes of completing your projects on time. As early in the semester as possible each group must begin planning a timetable that will keep you on track to finish the project in time. A great way to do this is by using a Gantt chart (see Wikipedia entry) and you can download a shareware copy of GanttProject to any computer from the Wikipedia site. It takes a couple minutes to figure out but will prove most helpful – it has a help file if you need a little tutorial. As a group you will need to complete an initial Gantt chart by the date on the syllabus. This should be as complete as possible and include all of the tasks through the end of the semester (that you can foresee). The more detailed you can break down each task the more help the chart will be. Work from the end of the semester backwards. For example, if you task must be done by a certain date, you have to schedule back from that date such things as when you’ll get the final revisions done, when you’ll get feedback from the agency, when you’ll do revisions when you’ll create the first draft, when you’ll brainstorm, etc. You should assign each task to the people who will be responsible for each job (people are named “resources” on a Gantt chart. This brings us the second half of this exercise – resources.

The resources assessment actually has two parts. The first is two assess your group and identify what skills each person brings to the group and how those skills will best be used by the group. This will help you assign specific tasks to your members. You also need to identify missing skill sets in your groups, those that you do not yet possess but will be necessary to be successful. Turn in with this exercise a report with separate sections for each person that list their skills, as well as a final section that lists shortcomings and how you plan to resolve them (in other words, you must ask for help, or learn to do something new). The second resource assessment is to make a list of equipment, supplies, techniques, protocols, etc that you will require to complete your project as you have designed it. Although there will be a modest budget for some supplies for the class (subject to a state budget freeze!), you must be very creative and resourceful to attain all required lab equipment, field instruments, and consumables needed to conduct your projects. I would also like the group to list the equipment and resources needed to complete the work.

Finally, the group will need to keep up with their Gantt chart. Someone in the group ought to keep the chart updated (hopefully on a laptop they bring to class). Your group should revisit the chart at every class or lab time to make sure the tasks are being done, add new tasks, revise existing ones, or divide up tasks into smaller sub-tasks. If you do this your group will be much more effective. A second grade will be given at the end of the semester on how detailed your Gantt chart has become.

Project experience reflections:

One of the most important aspects of Service-Learning in terms of self-assessment and measure of personal growth is to conduct in class reflection exercises. These will consist of a number of fun and/or interesting approaches that require a little time of reflection, and in the meantime you’ll be reminded of what you have learned (and what new tools are in your personal “tool box”).

Troubleshooting problems in group work and criteria to determine if project has become unviable:

In this course you will be working extensively in a group. You are expected to operate as a team, and for the most part you should handle any problems or conflict internally. As future professionals, you should conduct yourself accordingly. However, if significant problems occur in a group that you are unable to resolve on your own, you have some options.

1. Set up a time to conference with your group, in my office, with me acting as mediator. I will facilitate a discussion aimed to resolve the problem, but you will arrive at your own decisions.
2. Every group has the option of firing a member of that group that is not performing adequately. Usually a warning that the group is considering firing a member is enough to correct the problem. If not, the person can be fired by a majority vote of the group. The group will then inform me of the decision. The fired member is then responsible for finding another group willing to add “a fired person” to their group (get re-hired).
3. No later than the midpoint of the semester, if a project becomes increasing mired down by red-tape, serious issues with the community partner, or lack of scientific merit, the group may conference with me and determine a new course of action (even a new project and community partner if needed).

Oral Presentation of Service-Learning Projects:

An oral presentation (constructed in Powerpoint) introducing the community partners, the development of the project, the background on the specific toxicology topic, and slides covering the major/interesting points of the topic or case study will be required. Significant researchers, experiments, models used to design the study, and pertinent outcomes should be touched on and scans of useful figures, tables, and photos should help with presentation of the information. Be creative, but maintain focus and organization. The following rubric will be used to grade each presentation

Student Oral Presentation Grading Rubric:

Student (Group) Name _______________________

Presentation Title________________________________________________________________________________

Please rate each of the 10 categories from 1 (poor) to 3 (outstanding)

Written constructive criticism and comments for presenter are strongly encouraged.

CONTENT

1. Objectives: Was all background information relevant? Was sufficient background information given? ________
2. Data Analysis and Conclusions: Were data and graph analysis useful and conclusions appropriate for the data presented? ________
3. Thoroughness: Did the presentation indicate a thorough study of relevant materials? ________
4. Creativity : Did the presenter use creative organization or presentation of materials? ________
5. Organization: Was presentation well organized and easy to follow? ________
6. Clarity: Were procedures, data, and concepts explained clearly and concisely? ________
7. Delivery: Did presenter speak clearly, knowledgeably, and at an appropriate pace, avoid distracting mannerisms, and hold the audience’s attention? ________
8. Visual Aids: Were visual aids used effectively? Were they clear and easy to read or interpret? ________
9. Response to Questions: Did presenter respond effectively to questions from the audience? ________
10. Timing: Did the presenter use all of the 15 minutes required for the presentation? ________

TOTAL (30 pts. max.) ________

Environmental Toxicology Service-Learning Project Final Report (50 pts):

This semester you will be writing up manuscript style reports for your service-learning projects. One of the reasons for this assignment is that in doing it you must learn to organize your thoughts and express them clearly, accurately, and concisely in the style and format required of scientific writing. This handout gives a brief description of this unique writing style with an emphasis on various details that will be stressed in this class. For a more complete discussion of effective scientific reporting, it is highly recommended that you supplement this information by read¬ing the following paperback book which can be bought in the ASU bookstore. A copy of the book may be available in the laboratory.Writing Papers in the Biological Sciences, 3rd Ed.Victoria E. McMillan, Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, 2001.

• Keep a loose leaf notebook into which you can keep your lab protocols, notes from lab, and handouts. It would be very helpful if this notebook contained some sort of pocket where you can store (temporarily) any data printouts that you obtain from your experiments. This guards against accidental loss of your data in some obscure place.
• Write your report as soon after the experiment as your schedule will allow. It is easier to remember exactly what you did, and the writing will be easier.
• Reread the report writing handout before you write your report (found on the course ASULearn site)

Scientific Paper Discussions (Graduate students only):

After conferring with the instructor for an appropriate scientific paper to present, graduate students will thoroughly read, criticize, summarize and prepare a discussion of a recent manuscript relevant to the course content. At least one week prior to each presentation, all students will be provided with a copy of the article to be presented. Students should read the article before each presentation and will be expected to participate in the discussions led by their classmates. Discussion leaders should be prepared to stimulate discussions for about 45-60 minutes.

Objectives: The presentation topics will provide the student with the opportunity to become familiar with some of the important experimental techniques and advances in environmental toxicology. At the same time, the presentation topics will introduce the student to critically reading current scientific primary literature.

Format: Each student must choose a primary research journal article taken from a high impact primary scientific journal (Science, Nature, ET&C, etc) to present. This choice must be made and approved by the professor. Presentations will be expected to be approximately one hour in length and should encourage discussion during and after the presentation. The presentation should be prepared as if the student is teaching this particular subject matter to their peers in the class (NOT to the professor). At least one third of the presentation should be of a background nature. This background should include a summary of the article’s introduction, the background and state of knowledge leading up to the publication of this article and the answer to the question: “Why is this study important?” The methods used in this study should be outlined and explained in a general way, with special attention paid to any crucial experiment(s) that may have given this work its significance. The results and discussion of the paper should be discussed, as should the implications for further research and for a greater general understanding of the area.

Two weeks prior to each presentation each student will be required to choose their papers. At one week out they will have submitted an outline of their presentation to the professor, and discussed the format of the discussion. This outline will be graded and returned to the student with suggestions for the presentation. The due date for choosing the journal article to present and the outline will be strictly enforced – for each day past due 10 points will be deducted from the final score of the presentation.

Graduate Student Environmental Toxicology Journal Article Presentation Evaluation:

Presenter: ______________________

Choice Of Article (10 max) _______

Outline (20 max) _______

Instructors’ Evaluations

Scale: Poor – 1 – 6 – Excellent

Purpose/Objective- The objectives were clearly explained and understandable. _______

Organization- There was evidence of planning and presentation was well organized. _______

Enthusiasm- Evidence of a high degree of excitement and motivation. _______

Knowledge- Subject knowledge was highly evident. _______

Materials/Strategies- Several techniques and a variety of materials were used. _______

Total (30 max) _______

Peer Evaluations (Averaged)

Scale: Poor- 1 – 2 – 3 -Excellent

Purpose/Objective- The objectives were clearly explained and understandable. _______

Organization- There was evidence of planning and presentation was well organized. _______

Enthusiasm- Evidence of a high degree of excitement and motivation. _______

Knowledge- Subject knowledge was highly evident. _______

Materials/Strategies- Several techniques and a variety of materials were used. _______

Total (15 max) _______

Participation (25 max) _______

Total Grade (100 max) _______

Lecture Sequence (MWF 11-11:50pm, RSW 157)

Chapter Topic Text Reading (pages):

1 Introduction to course. Plans and expectations for Service-Learning projects.
SL Orientation session schedule, View Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore 1-37

2 A framework for environmental toxicity, chemical 9-20
properties, mechanisms of action
Physiological and Ecosystems Effects, SL Agreement Form is Due

3 Toxicity Testing (theoretical) 21-50
Dose-response, types of tests, data analysis, single-species and multispecies tests.
Appropriate animal models for testing.
Service-Learning Organizational Reports Due, In class personal reflection exercise on challenges of the projects

4 Toxicity Testing (practical) 55-92
Conditions and organism care
EXAM 1

5 Exposure and mechanism of action 93-130
Supplement: Organochlorine compounds and pyrethroids
Rachel Carson/DDT Legislative Hearing reenactment
Gantt Chart/Resource Assessments Due, In class group reflection exercise on the important
social issues surrounding their projects.

6 Extrinsic factors and metabolism, environmental 131-152
factors, interaction of pollutants
Supplement: Ionizing radiation
Biological factors, nutritional factors

7 Inorganic gaseous pollutants, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, 153-176
ozone, carbon monoxide, fluoride
Supplement: hydrocarbons (alkanes, benzene, ethylene glycols,
ketones, alcohols, halogenated aromatic compounds)
In class personal reflection exercise on development of a more sophisticated professional vocabulary

8 Heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury) 177-190
Supplement: Arsenic
EXAM 2

9 Biotransformation, detoxification, resistance development,
biodegradation. Metabolism, microbes, bioremediation, 191-224
bioengineering

10 Measurement and interpretation of the ecological effects 225-278
Biomarkers, sentinel organisms, and assessment of effects at
multiple levels of biological organization (population vs community)
In class group reflection exercise to connect course content to service project

11 Risk Assessment 287-29
Final service-learning reports and presentations
ACT, Self/Peer and Agency Evaluations

Final Exam: Friday, April 29, 2011 from 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM

Lab Schedule (Thursday 1pm-4pm, RSN 203)

Week#/ Date/  Topic/ Where to meet
1 1/13 Case Study #1: Heavy Metals RSN 203,
Discussion of the Kingston, TN TVA Coal Fired Power Plant spill of 12/22/08

2 1/20 Digestions/Quantification of As and Pb by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry
and ICP

3 1/27 Data Reduction/Risk Assessment Analyses RSW 294 Computer lab last hr Case Study #2: Insect EPT field testing (Winklers Cr/ Hodges Creek/Boone
Creek)

4 2/3 Insect Keys and Stream Assessment Activity RSN 203/RSW 294 computer lab

5 2/10 IC quantification of Nitrogen and Phosphates

6 2/17 Case Study #3: PCB toxicity (Fox River Case Study). Setup PCB exposures for
plants and animals in lab. RSW 294 computer lab, then RSN 203

7 2/24 Extract/quantify PCBs using ASE system and GC-MS. RSN 203

8 3/3 Data Reduction/Risk Assessment Analyses RSW 294 computer lab

9 3/10 Spring Break – No Lab

10 3/17 Case Study #4: Endocrine Disruption and view The Estrogen Effect: Assault on
the Male DVD (53min) Shrimp/fish exposures to insecticides/metals. Week long
toxicity tests RSW 157

11 3/24 Endocrine Disruption: sampling, extractions and ELISA of ecdysteroids.
Also take samples for HSP and metallothionein western blots (see week # 13)

12 3/31 Field Collections of fish/blood draws, Tour of WWTP RSN 203

13 4/7 Electrophoresis setup and run of fish blood samples RSN 203

14 4/14 Western Blots of Vt, HSP, Metallothionein RSN 203

15 4/21 EcoChallenge Risk Assessment game RSN 203

16 4/28 Final Student/Group Presentations and Community Partner
Appreciation Party (Groups make “thank you” cards) RSW 157

A complex array of forces continually transforms our world. Marygrove’s general education program engages these forces, providing opportunities to examine them from different disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives. Our objective is not only to disseminate information about forces that shape our world but also to intensify our critical thinking about them.

At Marygrove we try to make certain that all the courses you take will help you develop skills that can be put to use in your professional and personal life. The classes are designed to assist you in:

• Strengthening writing, critical thinking, oral communication, and research skills necessary for continued development.
• Understanding the responsibility of the individual toward the common good, making sound ethical judgments, and taking an active role in promoting social justice.
• Recognizing the distinctive elements and contributions of various liberal arts disciplines as well as the connections among the disciplines.
• Valuing diversity of individuals, communities, and cultures.
• Comprehending the complexity and interdependence of the modern world, including local, national, and global perspectives.

RELATIONSHIP TO THE COLLEGE MISSION:

This course is designed to realize all three major goals of the College mission: to develop in students the skills necessary to understand and participate effectively in the world; to foster in students the compassion to care about and respect the worth and dignity of people; and to promote the commitment to act responsibly for the building of a more just and humane world.

In addition, this course incorporates six of the College\’s eight objectives: educating students from diverse backgrounds, servicing people of Metropolitan Detroit and beyond, educating each student toward intellectual competence, educating students toward professional competence, preparing students for career flexibility through a grounding in the liberal arts, and providing a personalized learning environment with excellent teaching in undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs.
This course will employ a variety of teaching methods, including lecture, small group discussion and presentations, one-on-one conferencing, community outreach, work on the Internet, and work with other learning technologies as appropriate.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course is a biological, psychological, social and literary interdisciplinary examination of HIV/AIDS. The focus is on the impact of HIV/AIDS on individuals, families and communities. Communities of color will be emphasized. A required academic service learning activity focuses on HIV/AIDS engagement with high school students and college students at Marygrove and at other colleges/universities. Additional engagements may include churches and the elderly. Prerequisite: ENG 108.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

The student will gain comprehensive, measurable knowledge of the operation of biological systems.

The student will be capable of interpreting and evaluating biological information on viruses, especially the HIV virus, from the media encountered in everyday life.

The student will demonstrate leadership skills by addressing community needs through collaboration with other students in community engagements.

The student will increase his/her awareness of the value of diversity in the student’s own personal and professional lives.

The student will synthesize course content by reflecting on academic service learning activities.

The student will be introduced to the wealth of existing literature on HIV/AIDS and be provided background as to why the literature has emerged.

The student will examine the various creative writings HIV/AIDS has inspired and how the numerous authors have used a wide variety of ways in which to depict the problems of HIV/AIDS: those traditional literary genres and some experimental, etc.
The student will examine topics that have created much controversy over the past ten years.

The student will ultimately increase his/her understanding and awareness of how HIV/AIDS affects individuals, families and communities in AIDS literature.

The student will examine what responsibilities writers in literature have in presenting AIDS to the inquiring public.

BIOLOGICAL COMPONENT
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

Written 100 point Examination. 30%

Extra Points: Research Paper. 10%
Students will research a “famous person” who died of AIDS and prepare a 3-4 page paper on the life of the individual, how he/she contracted the virus, and what opportunistic infection caused death. Paper must be written in APA style with citations.

REQUIRED TEXT:

Wessner, D., HIV and AIDS. San Francisco, CA.: Pearson Benjamin
Cummings, 2006.

PSYCHOSOCIAL AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMPONENT
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

Academic Service Learning Activity: Outside of class community engagement is required. Students will apply the knowledge and skills learned in the class to facilitate small group discussions with churches, older adults, high schools, and college students in collaboration with AIDS Partnership Michigan.

Academic Service Learning Paper (10%)
Community Engagements: Instructions to be given in class (10%)
Two Papers on Speakers (2.5% each = 5%)
Paper on Levenson Book (5%)

REQUIRED TEXT:

Levenson, Jacob. The Secret Epidemic: The Story of AIDS and Black America. New York: Pantheon Books, 2004.

LITERARY COMPONENT
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

Submit one Literary Reflection Paper: 3-5 pages on at least 2 or more novels, poems, movies, videos, plays, short stories, autobiographies, memories, documentaries, or television dramas or episodes (Instructions will be given out in class.) Include a works cited or reference page, if sources were used. Also, use the correct documentation style manual (MLA or APA). 20 %

Literary Group Project for 4-5 students: use text, the Internet and any other texts to compile a current listing for novels, poetry, movies, plays, essays, interviews, TV shows, etc. Instructions will be given out in class. 10%
Or,
Another alternative as a group project is to work on an AIDS QUILT, which will start soon after the beginning of the class to bring it to fruition by the end of the semester. 10%

REQUIRED TEXT:

Hunter, B. Michael, ed. Sojourner: Black Gay Voices in the Age of AIDS. Volume II. New York: Other Countries Press, 1993.

COURSE OUTLINE AND SCHEDULE

BIOLOGICAL COMPONENT: DR. RIZZO

JANUARY 15

Introduction to the Course

Cell Structure: Cell theory; The Eucaryotic Animal Cell; Cellular Organelles: Plasma Membrane, Cytoplasm, Nucleus, Mitochondria, Lysosomes, Endoplasmic Reticulum, Golgi Apparatus, Ribosomes, Centrioles, Cilia and Flagella, Cell Wall of Plants.

JANUARY 22

Slides on Cell Structure; Lab on cells; Genetic Control within Cells: DNA Structure and Function; Protein Synthesis: Transcription and Messenger RNA; Transfer RNA, Ribosomes, and Translation; The Central Dogma and Exceptions to the Dogma.

Levenson: Prologue (Tornado), Chapters 1 (Smoke), 2 (Allied)
Video: Out of Control: AIDS in Black America (viewed in class)

JANUARY 29

Proteins and Cell Activity: Enzymes; Structural Proteins, Antigens and Antibodies; the Nature of Viruses: Structure and Reproduction

Levenson: Chapters 3 (The Heir), 4 (Fire)
Videos: Translating the Code: Protein Synthesis; The Biology of Viruses

FEBRUARY 5

The (HIV) Human Immunodeficiency Virus: Structure and Life Cycle of a Retrovirus; The effects of HIV infection; The Clinical Stages of HIV Infection: Asymptomatic Period, Initial Disease Symptoms, Damage to the Immune System and Frank AIDS; Details of Frank AIDS: Fungal, Protozoan, Bacterial and Viral Infections, and Cancers; Modes of Transmission and Prevention.

Levenson: Chapters 5 (Invisible), 6 (Fractured)

FEBRUARY 7 National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

FEBRUARY 12

Introduction to the Social Aspects of AIDS: Fears and Prejudices, Family Members Affected, Caring for a Patient who has AIDS; Cell Structure, DNA, Protein Synthesis, and the AIDS Virus; Review

Levenson: Chapters 7 (Surfacing), 8 (Ester and the King)

FEBRUARY 19

Continue with above topics on the biological aspects of HIV/AIDS/STDs; Review for Written Examination.

Research Paper Due and Discussion

Levenson: Chapters 9 (The Guardians), 10 (The Long Dream), Epilogue

FEBRUARY 26 Written examination on biology

PSYCHOSOCIAL COMPONENT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMPONENT:
PROFESSOR KARAGON

Speakers: Paula and Felix Sirils, Testimony on Living with AIDS

HIV/AIDS and African Americans; Statistics; Stigma, Stereotypes and Judgmental Attitudes; Values and Attitudes; Psychosocial Impact of HIV/AIDS on Individuals, Families and Communities; Socialization and Connectedness

MARCH 5

Diversity Issues: Race, Culture, Class, Gender and Sexual Orientation; Religion; Drug Abuse; Downlow

Paper on Sirils due

Speaker: Rev. Dr Michael Nabors, pastor of New Calvary Baptist Church, presenting on The Black Church, HIV/AIDS and Religious Inclusion

MARCH 9-14 Spring break

MARCH 19

Paper on Rev. Dr. Nabors due

Speaker: Hank Millbourne, MSW, M.Div, Associate Executive Director Program Development, AIDS Partnership Michigan, presenting on Stigma and HIV/AIDS

Community Outreach Activities focused on college students; Engagement with Children, Youth, Adults, Seniors and Religious Institutions; Emphasis on Risk Reduction

Engagement Strategies; HIV/AIDS/STD Resources; Testing; Hepatitis C; Safer Sex and Condom Use Demonstrated

LITERARY COMPONENT: DR. WOODARD

MARCH 26

Introduction to and background on the wealth of existing literature on AIDS.
Overview of the emergence of gay literature-from the Harlem Renaissance to the present.

Handout provided in class on Jed Bryan’s poem, Voices; discuss those statements (and any others) that you have heard over the past few years and try to interpret them.

Read poems in Sojourner: After the News Got Out, Vernon Maulsby, p. 72; It can Happen to Anybody-Even Me!, Mark Haile, p. 92; 2/25/91, Ronnie Batts, p. 126; Condemned, Roy Gonsalves, p. 187; and I’ll Be Somewhere Listening for My Name, Melvin Dixon, p. 199.

Discuss poems by Sonia Sanchez, Wounded in the House of a Friend.

APRIL 2 Community engagement activities

APRIL 9

Paper on Levenson book due

Discuss plays, movies, videos, television dramas or episodes

Read chapter in text on James Jones’s The Sick Homosexual: AIDS and Gays on the American Stage and Screen in Confronting AIDS Through Literature.
View these videos: Philadelphia and The Hours; Girl, Positive (2007); and
Pandemic: Facing AIDS
Read these plays: The Boys in the Band; A Play in Two-Acts, Crowley Mart
The Normal Heart, Larry Kramer, 1985

APRIL 16

Literary reflection paper due

Read and discuss short fiction in text. Students will make oral presentations on these short stories in Confronting AIDS Through Literature: Chapters 11, Bloodstream; Despair and Spring and Fall. Others will make poetry selections from the text, Sojourner—or biographies in Collective Biographies: Ten Stories of Courage.

APRIL 23

Literary group project is due, and display of quilt

In class, read and discuss excerpts from E. Lynn Harris’s, Just As I Am, Jamaica Kincaid’s My Brother, and Charlotte Watson Sherman’s Touch.

APRIL 30

Academic service learning paper due

Students will share reflection papers and any creative work, poetry or short fiction, which was written during the course.

Students will process academic service learning activities.

SERVICE LEARNING ASSIGNMENTS

PAPERS ON SPEAKERS

Two papers, one page each on two speakers in class. Your thoughts on how each speaker contributed to your understanding of the impact of HIV/AIDS on individuals, families and communities.

One page, typed (12 point font) double spaced: 2.5 points each
Graded on content, grammar, style

PAPER ON THE SECRET EPIDEMIC

According to Levenson, in The Secret Epidemic, substance abuse, violence, trauma, the structural breakdown of Black communities, racism, HIV/AIDS stigma, homophobia, poverty, racial stress, denial and health care disparities affect the increase in infection rates of African Americans. Explain how any of these factors were illustrated in your participation in engagement activities, videos and/or speakers.

Two pages, typed double spaced: 5 points
Graded on content, grammar, style

ACADEMIC SERVICE LEARNING REFLECTION PAPER

1. How did the participation in engagement activities increase your knowledge and understanding HIV/AIDS?

2. Explain how any of the material in the videotapes and in listening to the speakers was illustrated in your participation in engagement activities.

3. Explain the two most important things you learned about HIV/AIDS.

4. What did you personally learn about yourself?

5. Describe your thinking and feelings during your participation in engagement activities.

6. Because of this course, explain what you will start doing, stop doing and continue to do.

7. Describe and explain any other of your thoughts and feelings concerning this service learning activity.

Three pages, typed (12 point font) double spaced: 10 points
Graded on content, grammar, style

Two engagement activities, 5 points each: 10 points

Mandatory Service Learning Reflection: if absent, 5 points deducted from the 30 points

TOTAL = 30 POINTS

PHIL 414

Animal Cognition & Consciousness
with laboratory component

Required Readings:
Rader & Radner, Animal Consciousness
Dennett, Kinds of Minds
Allen & Bekoff, Species of Mind
Bekoff, The Cognitive Animal
Altmann 1974 Observational study of behavior

Many articles and excerpts posted on the Blackboard site. Be sure you can access Blackboard!

Course Description:

This course examines the notions of intelligence, cognition, reasoning, consciousness, and mental content as they appear in the philosophical views and empirical studies of animals in individual and social contexts. Cognitive ethology strives to scientifically measure the extent and limits of the mental lives of animals. We will review scientific findings that suggest striking likenesses and intriguing differences in the (apparent) thought processes of humans and animals, and ask whether the research techniques that brought us these results are fully adequate to measuring such unobservable entities as conscious experience and thought. Techniques of measurement range from naturalistic observation, to the processing of vocalizations, to memory and problem solving tasks, to the imaging of brain processes through fMRI scans, etc. Students will face the challenges and rewards of practicing some of these techniques in the service component of the course. (Students will participate in veterinary clinic or shelter work to provide needed animal care while studying animal behavior using cognitive ethological methods.) We will compare methods for measuring consciousness and intelligence in animals to those used for human beings, and ask questions about types of consciousness, and the process of dividing unobservable entities into types. These issues provide a forum for a review of the relevance and impact of philosophy on science, and vice versa. How much does theory create data, and how much does data merely inform theory? Do scientists assume a specific philosophical position in order to do science? Finally, we will survey axiological questions and explore how theories developed by communities of humans do, and should, impact the care, use and treatment of animals in our society.

The service component: Laboratory Credit 25 hours of service is required, but 30 hours of observation is the standard minimum data set for adequate statistical analysis.

What is service learning? Service learning is a pedagogy that integrates experiential learning and community service in an academic context. Through activities and experiences mutually negotiated between academic and community partners, service-learning addresses identified community needs while enhancing the academic curriculum.

Why does this course incorporate service learning?

1. The course is aimed toward creating and developing a powerful learning environment. i.e., to integrate academic knowledge, practical skill and community impact.First, students will come to understand scholarship in philosophy, psychology and ethology in the classroom. Successful students will show an understanding of the philosophical questions surrounding consciousness, cognition, thought, scientific methods in cognitive ethology and debates regarding the ethical treatment of animals. What are consciousness, intelligence and thought? How can science adequately measure such things? When do we know when a policy should take such notions into consideration? How should we weigh human benefit against animal suffering? How can we ever decide such issues as these? This learning will be measured through mini-papers, papers and in-class structured reflection exercises.Second, students will build practical skills, ranging from facility in communication and public relations, to appropriate application of theory to real situations with animals, to cooperation and dependability. These qualities will be measured in part by the absence of negative/presence of positive (service host supplied) quality reports on student interaction with service host personnel and animal wards, and (student created) papers and structured reflection exercises focusing on the link between scholarship on animal consciousness and practice.Third, community impact will be measured by positive impact on animal care at partner sites in the Cleveland area. Specifically, the following data {pending time constraints, student project topics and situational factors} will be collected for and presented in the research project papers and posters:
   • Baseline/Update data describing shelter intake, adoption & euthanasia rates
   • Reduction of fertility among feral animals
   • Reports on animal behavior and measures of cognition
   • Demand for animals for use in benign research study
   • Implementation of public beliefs in policy & practice
2. There are at least 3 components of the course content that are deeply enhanced by, if not impossible to accomplish without, student experiences gained through service:Research: Because this course asks you to become proficient in common methods for measuring animal consciousness and cognition (and because your final project will present your own research in cognitive ethology), an experiential component is necessary for the development of methodological technique and skill. Your participation at the service site provides you with the opportunity to conduct observational and behavioral research while gaining experience and exposure to animal services in the area. The service component is your laboratory section.Philosophical Analysis: Further, as we ask philosophical questions about this research, student exposure to how philosophical positions held by a community are manifested in policy and practice is essential. Philosophy is often criticized for limiting itself to armchair critiques, and bad philosophy is done without a full understanding of the practical problems that arise with efforts to implement theory. This course fosters the proper activity of philosophy, in which critical details are considered as we create, adopt, and reject the studied theoretical constructs. Impact Comprehension: Your work at the service site will assist the site in the achievement of their objectives, providing a synergy between community and university. Is this impact driven by philosophy? Both philosophers and scientists have argued that philosophy is obsolete and/or useless. This work will provide a context for developing a well-informed position on the actual and potential impact of philosophy on research and on community. This component of the course is impossible without the inclusion of service experience.

Course Objectives & Educational Outcomes:

Successful students will be able to: Apply several methods in cognitive ethology to collect data for the assessment of psychological states, cognitive abilities, and mental dispositions of animals encountered in a shelter or care facility setting.

As measured by: The final research project will be presented as a paper & poster. The project supports a well-defined thesis on some aspect of animal cognition that is supported by data the student has collected over the course of the semester using these methods. Methods are clearly and accurately described in the report, and derived data meets professional standards.

Successful students will be able to: Modify learned methods in cognitive ethology to manage, modify, correct, reciprocate, and/or better understand experienced interactions with animals.

As measured by: A variety of measures, including: reviews by service site volunteer coordinators or appropriate staff members; research paper topics; structured reflection exercises; mini-papers/reflection papers.

Successful students will be able to: Recognize, describe, and engage in careful analysis of philosophical questions/concepts pertaining to such methods and measures of consciousness.

As measured by: Structured reflection exercises ask students to apply concepts learned in class to situations and observations at the service site. Structured reflections should take paragraph form, and written reflections will be the basis for class discussions.

Successful students will be able to: Critically discuss and analyze the similarities and differences in approaches to measuring animal and human cognition; critically discuss & analyze the similarities and differences in theory construction in the sciences of human cognition and animal cognition.

As measured by: Structured reflection exercises, mini-papers, and the final paper ask students to note such similarities & differences, and use philosophical methods of critique, review and analysis in order to understand such similarities and differences, and the reasons behind them.

Successful students will be able to: Explain, using philosophical concepts, the role and impact of domestic animals commonly owned as pets in the greater Cleveland area; demonstrate knowledge of the function of
animal shelters and veterinary clinics and community need for their service.

As measured by: Structured reflection exercises and mini-papers will ask students to note area needs and services and explain the response of institutions to community need.

Successful students will be able to: Critically discuss the relevance of philosophy to policy and human action. Explain a variety of views on the interaction between philosophical position and scientific method. Defend a philosophical position against objections.

As measured by: Structured reflection exercises, mini-papers, and the final paper ask students to describe, consider, develop and defend views in these areas.

Who are our Community Partners? How do I sign up at a service site?

The Cleveland Animal Protective League is our primary service partner. They are prepared to take and train all the students in this class, and they are aware that you need to collect data for your projects as you volunteer. Their website is www.clevelandapl.org/volunteer.htm and I strongly encourage you to visit this website during the first week of class. I have arranged university based transportation to and from this site, and some students will need to drive the university van to and from the site. People who become authorized to drive the van to this (or any) site, and drive people to and from the site, will receive extra credit. The Cleveland APL offers opportunities for people interested in working with cats, dogs, small animals such as rabbits and ferrets, and has options for people on the Pre-Veterinary track.

You may volunteer at another site if you wish to make contact, draw up an agreement with that site, and have it approved by me. Possible sites include:

Wolf Park Indiana* (www.wolfpark.org) (wolves, foxes, coyotes);

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History* (raptors, raccoons, bobcats, and more);

Shaker Animal Clinic* (Contact Dr. Prueter at jprueter {at} shakeranimalclinic(.)com) Madison Ave., Lakewood, Ohio 44107).

The Medina Raptor Center (http://www.medinaraptorcenter.org/index.html);

Cleveland Animal Rescue Center;

Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter;

Euclid Animal Shelter;

Feline Haven;

Back to the Wild (contact Mona Rutger at 419-684-9539 or e-mail mona {at} backtothewild(.)com);

Friends of the City of Cleveland Kennel;

Place a Pet Foundation;

Stay-a-While Cat Shelter;

Jane Miller* trains psychiatric service dogs; you can volunteer to work with her by emailing her a jmiller {at} oberlin(.)net. See www.deltasociety.org for more information.

Some people already volunteer at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo*. If you do, you may use your zoo work for this class. If you wish to assist a graduate student working at the zoo, you may do so for lab credit, but you must be hired by that graduate student and clear your work with me.

*highly recommended alternative placements.

Description of Service Roles at the Cleveland APL

The 25 hours of required service duties will vary slightly among our partner institutions, depending on their individual missions and needs, but all will include some interaction with animals. Possible duties and experiential opportunities are briefly outlined here.

• Assistance at animal shelter, care, and control sites involving activities that meet the needs of
  specific service hosts. For example:
  • Interacting with animals at clinics and shelters (visiting and handling shelter animals for socialization, as well as routine care and feeding, kennel cleaning & laundry, walking, training, re-training, and play)
  • Assess & evaluate behaviors of animals in the shelter
  • Work with dogs, cats, and other small animals to keep them socialized and people-friendly to help ensure their adoptability.
  • Collecting of baseline data & relative changes in: number of animals in shelters, trends in animals entering shelters, health & adoptability status, shelter deaths & euthanasia rates, shelter use by prospective pet owners, adoption rates, and shelter capacity, current use of advertising & media in pet adoptions, success of adoption events, availability of low-cost spay/neuter programs, feral populations, city policies, etc.
• Participation as a Foster Care Associate, possibly including:
  • Caring for an animal (feeding, grooming, medicating, socializing) in your home
  • Monitoring physical and psychological health of the animal
  • Ensuring the safety of the animal
• See handouts for more information on opportunities and duties.

Reciprocal Relationship Standards:

The service component is designed to meet the needs of our service partners while enhancing your understanding of the class concepts. Your participation at the service site benefits your research, and your conscientious adherence to service partner site policies, effective cooperation, and completion of tasks assigned to you is expected (Note that following protocol in a laboratory is required in experimental science courses.)

You will be asked to interact with animals in order to experience, test, practice and evaluate a variety of behavioral and observational methods used in the cognitive ethological sciences to measure animal consciousness and cognition. The type of interaction you have with the animals will depend to some extent on your background and your special interests and abilities, as well as the needs of the various service sites. Every effort will be made to create a mutually beneficial match between student and service role. While you will have as much freedom as possible in selecting a site and role that matches your interests, the partner site must also place you as a worker that meets their needs.

Grading Scale:

A 90% -100% 360–400 points D 60%–69% 240–279 points

B 80% -89% 320–359 points F 0%–63% 0–239 points

C 70% -79% 280–319 points

Methods of Assessment: Mini-Papers, Reflections, Final Research Project (Paper & Poster)

Mini-Papers: 100 points (25%) will be determined by 10 mini-papers, each worth 10 points. These papers will often ask students to apply material already covered in lectures or discussions to a service based experience. Mini-papers have a short essay format, and occasionally morph into in-class writing. They are always due on Friday at 11:59. Graduate students are exempt from mini papers.

Mini-Papers: 100 points (25%) will be determined by 10 mini-papers, each worth 10 points. These papers will often ask students to apply material already covered in lectures or discussions to a service based experience. Mini-papers have a short essay format, and occasionally morph into in-class writing. They are always due on Friday at 11:59. Graduate students are exempt from mini papers.

Structured Reflection & Discussion Days: 120 points (30%) will be determined by discussion days/structured reflection days. You will sometimes need to prepare a little extra for these days, and it is a good idea to have reflected on your experiences at the shelter before you come to class. Topics & Questions will be announced in class. You will have 10 minutes at the beginning of class to write down your views on the topic and apply the philosophical theories learned in class to it. Discussion topics will range from: Explain the need for animal shelters/veterinary clinics in utilitarian terms—to—What is assumed about animal consciousness by behavioral measures used at your shelter/clinic. Discussions may be free form or may take a debate format. Sometimes there will be an activity that facilitates the discussion. While we will be reflecting on emotional experiences, the main point of the discussions is to provide a place for you to evaluate your philosophical views and how your experiences may have altered, finessed, or strengthened these views. Graduate students must participate in 10 of the 12 discussions.

Extra Credit, not to exceed 21 points, will be available throughout the semester

Final Research Project (Paper and Presentation): 180 points total (45%)

Undergraduate Research Paper: 120 points total (30%)

The research paper has 2 parts:

• The scientific portion will follow standard research paper format, including an abstract, introduction, hypothesis, methods section, results, discussion, conclusion, and appendices for data and test diagrams. 8-12 pages (2,400–3,000 words) (60 points)
• The philosophical portion will raise, explain and discuss 3 philosophical issues connected to the data, research methods, conclusions, possible implementation of such conclusions, or other closely related aspects of the research. Philosophical works must include a thesis position, reasons for the position, consideration of an objection to the thesis being presented, and replies/responses to the described objections. (2,400–3,000 words) (60 points)

(Graduate & Undergraduate) Presentation: 60 points total (15%)

The presentation will follow standard research format, containing sections on main findings, background, hypothesis, methods, results, discussion and conclusion. Due to high enrollment, presentations must be done in pairs. Find someone in the class who is working on a similar aspect of cognition to work with in the development of your shared PowerPoint. You will be asked to point out philosophical issues as part of the presentation; such issues should be raised at the end of the scientific presentation. Grades will usually be the same for both people on the team, though unusually excellent or poor performance may change that.

Graduate students will write TWO research papers, each comprising 30% of the grade. (120 points each, 240 points total)

• The first research paper will be scientific, including an abstract, introduction, methods, subject descriptions, data, results and discussion sections (about 3000 words) and be modeled after sample papers from such journals as Ethology or Journal of Comparative Psychology.
• The second research paper will be philosophical in nature, modeled after articles found in journals such as Journal of Philosophy or Philosophical Review, and will contain an in depth analysis of the methods, inferences, and conclusions drawn in the scientific paper, from a philosophical perspective.

Service Component Completion

The fourth credit hour for this course is comprised of your work at the service site. The service component is specifically designed to accommodate your process of data collection. A certain amount of data are essential for project completion, and adequately serving the site is necessary for data collection, thus, adequately serving the site is necessary to pass the course. Hours of completed work will be recorded at the site, and your travel time is not included in worked hours.

Evaluation of your performance relative to the standards of the service site will be done by service site personnel. If anyone is determined to have inappropriate behavior or unacceptable performance by the service site reviewer, that student will report to me for immediate placement at another site. I cannot guarantee my ability to place you at a third site, should such a circumstance arise, and multiple site replacements will probably result in inadequate data collection and subsequent failure in the course.

If you have a conflict with the site, please bring the conflict to my attention immediately, so that we can make an effort to resolve the problem and/or place you at another service site.

Schedule (subject to change)

Week 1: Introduction, Philosophy

T. Jan. 15 Why do you think anyone else is conscious?

Syllabus & course requirements

What is Service Learning? How do I get involved with a service site?

Sign up for APL Orientation on Saturday!

Call to sign up for Van Training! call 368-2907 to register, the map to the site can be found here www.case.edu/fionadmin/does/web/Location/htm stop by the CCEL, in the basement of Thwing, to get a van packet before you go. Bring a valid, current driver?s license to the training.

Read: Nagel?s ?What is it like to be a Bat?? on Blackboard

Read: Chalmers? Hard Problem on Blackboard

R. Jan. 17 Van Drivers Safety Awareness Training at 9 am or 1 pm (extra credit)

R. Jan. 17 What is philosophy? Ontology, Epistemology, Axiology

Read: Altmann Observational Study of Behavior on Blackboard

Read: Species of Mind chapters 3 & 4

Sat. Jan. 19th Animal Protective League Orientation 11:00 am ? 3:00 p.m.

If you have questions, contact APL volunteer coordinator Danielle
Begalla at dbegalla {at} clevelandapl(.)org or 216-377-1627

Week 2: Naturalistic Methods: Building an Ethogram & Collecting Data

T. Jan. 22 Jenni Mueller on ethograms in general & methods for collecting data (scan sampling, etc.)

R. Jan. 24 Jason Wark and Christine Cassella on building an ethogram & collecting data

Read: Radners book chapter 2, 7 and 8

Read: Rosenthal article posted on Blackboard

Week 3: Defining and Measuring Consciousness ?

T. Jan. 29 Practice taking data webcam live feed from the APL!

Kinds of Consciousness

R. Jan 31 Cartesian Criteria for consciousness, defining consciousness

Read: Articles on Animal Training Posted on Blackboard

Wolf Park Intensive Behavior Seminar Feb 1-3 ($325.00). I will give lab credit for this. See
vior_Intensive_Seminar.html%253Fitem_id%253Dotgx” target=”_blank”>http://wolfparkstore.com/?mainURL=/store/item/otgx/Seminars_Photo_and_Behavior/Beha vior_Intensive_Seminar.html%253Fitem_id%253Dotgx for details.

Week 4: Clicker Training, Operant Conditioning, Canids

T. Feb. 5 The Training Game demo

Assignment for Feb. 14th discussion: find 2 research articles on the animal of your choice and one of the following cognitive processes: memory, cognitive maps, insight, tool use, tool making, learning by imitation, learning by trial and error, concepts, problem solving, theory of mind, pretend play, deception, numerical concepts, language (or some other cognitive process approved by me).

R. Feb. 7 The Training Game

Dog learning and social structures

Calming Signals & Millan?s leader of the pack

Week 5: Planning your research, solving problems at your service site

T. Feb. 12 First Service Shift Due Today

Discussion/Structured Reflection Day

R. Feb. 14 Discussion/Structured Reflection Day: developing a possible
research study

Read: Cognitive Animal 7 ?Raven Consciousness? and 31 (Parrots)
and 39 (Communication in Birds)

Week 6: Bird Brains, Corvid Cognition, Problem Solving

T. Feb. 19: Ravens & Crows, Alex the Parrot

R. Feb. 21: Holly Mathews and George, from MNH

Read: Cognitive Animal 46 (Monkeys) and 34, 36, 37, 38

Week 7: Theory of Mind, communication and language

T. Feb. 26 Theory of Mind

Vervet Monkey Calls

Kanzi, Lou Herman?s Dolphin Lab

R. Feb. 28 Second service shift due today

Discussion/structured reflection day

Read Cognitive Animal 40 & 42

Week 8: Mirror Experiments & the Self

T. Mar.4 Mirror Experiments

R. Mar. 6 third service shift due today

Discussion/reflection day

Read: TBA (posted on Blackboard ? Gorilla Cognition readings,
readings on Kanzi)

Spring break: March 10-15

Week 9: Gorilla Gorilla, Gorilla, and Bonobos

T. Mar. 18 Koko movie

R. Mar. 20 Guest: Elena Hollein & Gorilla research

Read: Psychiatric Service Dogs readings (on Blackboard)

Read: Cognitive Animal 54

Week 10: Empathy, Learning

T. Mar. 25 fourth service shift due today

Discussion/structured reflection day

R. Mar. 27 Guests: Jane Miller and Simcha: Psychiatric Service Dogs

Read: Kinds of Minds

Week 11: Dennett

T. Apr. 1 Kinds of Minds

Octopus video excerpts

R. Apr. 3 Kinds of Minds

Sign up for presentations (they start next week!)

Week 12: Presentations

T. Apr. 8: 5 teams

R. Apr. 10: 5 teams

Peer Feedback/discussion (your presence at others? presentations, with rapt attention and apt questions, will give you discussion points)

Week 13: Presentations

T. Apr. 15: 5 teams

R. Apr. 17: 5 teams

Peer Feedback/discussion

Week 14: Presentations

T. Apr. 22: 5 teams

R. Apr. 24: 5 teams

Peer Feedback/discussion

Final Paper due date: May 1st at 11:59 pm

Spring 2005

INSTRUCTOR : Dr. John M. Berestecky

Office:   Kokio 105            

Phone: 734-9123

Fax: 734-9151   

E-mail: johnb {at} hawaii(.)edu

TEXT: Microbiology: An Introduction; eighth edition

Tortora, Funke and Case

The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Co., Inc.   2004.   (T)

OPTIONAL TEXTS:   Study Guide for Microbiology: An Introduction; eighth edition.   Berdall R. Funke; The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Co., Inc.   2004.

ADDITIONAL READINGS:   1.) Microbiology Readings: Microbiology 130 (MR).   Most of these readings are at the web site.   The booklet is also on reserve at Lama Library.   Other readings may be assigned as appropriate.

2.) Microbiology Study Guides at the World Wide Web site.   These are copies of old multiple choice exams and it is highly recommended that you try to work through the questions.   It is important that you not only know which responses are right and which are wrong, but that you also understand why the responses are right or wrong

WORLD WIDE WEB :   A World Wide Web site has been developed for this course.   A number of important resources, including study guides and lecture outlines can be found at this address:

http://www2.hawaii.edu/~johnb/micro

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SECTION: 33201       MEETING TIME:    M, W, F    11:00-11:50 AM     `Iliahi 206

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EXAMINATIONS:

Three midterm exams and a final exam are scheduled for a total of 250 points.   Each midterm will be worth 50 points (20% of the total course points).   The final exam will be worth 100 points (40% of the total course points).   These exams will be machine graded and all students must bring a No. 2 pencil to the exams for marking the test forms.

Exams will cover the assigned reading as well as the lecture content.

Only one (1) make-up exam will be given on the last scheduled day of class (5/4/05).   The make-up exam will cover the first 2/3's of the semester and any student who misses either the first or the second midterm for good cause*   may take it.   Anyone who misses two or more midterms should withdraw from the course as there is no way to make up two or more exams.   If you miss the final exam for good cause*   you must make arrangements with the instructor to take the make-up exam.

*Good cause means that you have discussed the pending absence with the instructor and have received permission to miss the exam; or, that you have a medical excuse with a doctor's note.

FINAL EXAM: Monday, May 9 @ 10:00 – 12:00 noon

GRADING: Your final letter grade will be determined by your standing on a class curve of all final scores.   In order to score a "C" in this course you must have accumulated 150 points (60% of 250 possible points).   An "A" grade represents excellence in understanding and performance and generally the top 10% of the class earn an "A".   The next 15% of the class usually scores a "B" grade which represents good, above average understanding and performance.

OBJECTIVES:

            1. The student shall study and learn the basic vocabulary of microbiology

            2. The student shall study and learn how life is organized at the cellular and subcellular levels

            3. The student shall study and learn the fundamental biochemistry of cellular metabolism

            4. The student shall study and learn the basic principles of molecular genetics as they relate to cell division, mutation, genetic engineering, and antibiotic resistance

            5. The student shall study and learn the principles of sterilization, disinfection and aseptic technique as well as the principles of antibiotic therapy

            6. The student shall study and learn the principles of the host parasite relationship   both in health and in disease

            7. The student shall study and learn the components of the human immune system and how they interact in generating an immune response

            8. The student shall study the major and the common infectious diseases of humans

            9. The student shall become literate in basic microbiology

The Math / Science Department policy on WITHDRAWAL and INCOMPLETE grades is as follows:

            1. WITHDRAWALS – After the last day for withdrawals (March 18, 2005), the instructor will sign withdrawals only in cases of extreme or unusual circumstances.   Grade related excuses are NOT acceptable reasons for withdrawing from the course after the deadline.

            2. INCOMPLETES – Students must initiate this process and present the "Request for Incomplete" form to the instructor prior to the last day of instruction.   An " I " grade will only be given to students who are achieving passing grades and who are very close to completing the course.   In addition, such students must have a very good reason for not being able to complete all the course work on time.   Incomplete grades must be made-up by the deadline in the following semester; if they are not made-up by the deadline they normally revert to an "F".

SERVICE LEARNING OPTION: You may receive credit for performing a community service project that reinforces and applies some of the principles of microbiology you are learning in this course.   This Service Learning Project is worth 50 points and the grade you earn in the project will replace your lowest midterm exam score.

            Suitable Service Learning projects can be chosen by first discussing your interests and ideas with me or by discussing your interests with the counselors at the Service Learning Office and looking over their listing of placement opportunities.   HIV/AIDS prevention and education as well support for people infected with HIV and opportunistic pathogens are obvious areas of service for students in this class and there are several opportunities available with agencies that work in these areas.   There are also teaching and tutoring opportunities for high school and intermediate school students about infectious disease and HIV as well as other aspects of microbiology.   This type of teaching experience would be especially important for those of you who plan to be teachers since 40 hours of field experience is required for admission to the UH College of Education.

            A successful project will involve at least 20 hours of service.   You are required to keep a ongoing journal in which you describe and analyze your service learning experience.   In this journal you should attempt to connect the service learning experience to your microbiology class.   All projects must begin by February 18, 2005.

EXTRA CREDIT:

You may choose to write one critical review research paper, 10 typed pages long (10 or 12 point font, double spaced) for a maximum of 10 extra points. This paper is to be a critical, researched review of a recent SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN feature article dealing with some aspect of microbiology, immunology or infectious disease. These SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN articles are the long feature articles not the short news review articles. The feature articles all conclude with a bibiliography list for reference or further reading which you may use as a starting point for your research. If you have any doubt about the appropriateness of an article, please check with me!

In your review of the article, please describe the central theme and any controversies or problems that are discussed or developed in the article. What are the theories supporting these concepts? What are the hypotheses and how are they tested? What are the results of these tests or experiments? You will have to go back to the original scientific literature for some of this information — this may mean a trip to Hamilton Library or the internet to look up some of the journals. Describe the consequences of the research described — both the good and the bad.

These extra credit papers are due no later than April 25, 2005. Please attach a photocopy of the original Scientific American article to your paper when you hand it in.

Professor: Dr. Pam Haldeman
Chair, Sociology and Gerontology Department
Office: DH214
Telephone: (310) 954 4366
Email: phaldeman {at} msmc.1a(.)edu

TEXT
Aging, the Individual, and Society, 7th Edition, by Susan Hillier and Georgia M. Barrow

COURSE DESCRIPTION
A cross cultural exploration of aging as experienced in the United States. Ageism, societal attitudes regarding the elderly, and the process of aging itself is examined. Resource and service availability is also assessed.

COURSE GOALS
The purpose of this course is to gain a greater understanding of the range and nature of the bio psycho social responses to aging over the life course, with an emphasis on how the sociological dynamics of aging impacts the biological and the psychological. A variety of theories related to the aging process will be presented. Public policy implications as the national and world population ages will also be examined. Fieldwork will be conducted in order to delve firsthand into the issues on aging and the kinds of resources available to our senior population.

BASIS FOR YOUR GRADE
Community Engagement & Analysis 10 visits @ 10 pts. ea. = 100 points
Senior Analysis Papers, 5 @10 pts. ea.
Carondelet Journal 25 pts.
10 Online Quizzes @ 10 pts. each
2 Tests (midterm and final) @ 100 pts. ea.
5 Online Discussion Board Inputs @ 10 pts. ea.
2 News Reviews @ 25 pts. ea.
Internet Resource Guide = 25 pts.
TOTAL = 600 points

COURSE INFORMATION

Community Engagement
There are many ways to learn and as many ways to view one's place in society. Community engagement is an excellent method of not only seeing ideas addressed in the classroom come alive, it is also our ethical and civic responsibility as citizens and professionals. In our community of seniors in America, millions are isolated, too frail to remain active outside the home or lack nearby family members who can or will visit, support or contribute to meeting their needs whether psychological, sociological, or biological. In this class, you will learn firsthand through serving retired Sisters of St. Joseph residing in the Carondelet Center what those needs are and how each of us, whether as professional caregivers or family members, can address them. Your challenge is to apply your experience to our guiding theoretical framework of understanding aging as a biopsychosocial process.

Over the course of the semester, you are required to conduct ten visits to Carondelet Center (one hour minimum). Activities Director, Alma Torres, in collaboration with your professor, will establish a schedule for each class member based on student availability and the sisters' daily schedule at the residence facility. Each student will be assigned to a sister as your semester partner. The sisters look forward to these exchanges and understand they are making a contribution to your education.

Carondelet Journal
Using a 7 /12 X 9" spiral notebook, create a Carondelet Center journal, dividing it into three sections: Description, Analysis, and Feelings. In the first section, "Description," write about what you experienced, talked about or did while with your senior partner. In "Analysis" discuss what you consider to be connections observed from your experience and your classroom and text material. In "Feelings" reflect upon how you felt while visiting your partner, whether happy, pleased, sad, or distracted. This is where you can express yourself freely, and thus helping to ensure analysis is not influenced by the emotional dimension to your visits. Your journal will be turned in bi-weekly to your professor. Your grade on it will be based on consistency of entries and skill in analysis.

Enjoy the journey! Students before you typically say this is the most rewarding and enjoyable assignment of this course!

Online Quizzes
Go to http://msmc.blackboard.com for course web site for access to quizzes and all other course content. Your username is the same as your MSMC email name and your password is your student I.D. number (without the first zero, if you have it). You may change your password if you wish. The quizzes are timed for one hour. Once you have opened a quiz, you cannot leave it and re enter later. Be sure to click "submit" after you have answered all quiz questions.

Technology glitches do occur, so plan submission of all of your work with this in mind. Late assignments will not be excused due to computer/web problems. Points will be deducted for late work. You can complete work before the due date, which is highly recommended if you plan to go out of town. Give yourself at least 24 hours to submit work prior to deadline to ensure its submission.

Online Discussion Board Inputs
In Blackboard, there is a "Discussion Board" where we will conduct threaded, asynchronous discussions on topics on aging. Your professor will introduce the topic on the Discussion Board and you are asked to submit at least two well thought out analyses on the topic. Opinion is acceptable if it is backed up by text material, intellectual analysis, or example. Be particularly careful to think through your comment in order to avoid stereotyping, prejudiced remarks, overly simplistic, or global remarks about any individual or groups of people. The discussion assignment is intended to engage students in civil discourse with one another and we want all to feel comfortable and welcome in voicing informed thoughts on each question posed. Please remember to exchange ideas in a respectful, tolerant, and civil manner.

After your first submission, please check back and respond to an input from another student at a later time so that it is apparent to your professor you have read comments and reflected upon them. The points given you for each discussion session will be based on the combination of apparent thoughtfulness and quality of your individual statement and your replies to other students. Apply critical thinking to each topic and join us in a sustained discussion.

Analysis Paper
This does not mean opinion! Approximately two pages of summary and one page of analysis (about 750 words' total) will be acceptable. A high quality summary and analysis, however, may consist of more than this average minimum, depending on the length and complexity of the article. NOTE: Clearly indicate your summary section and your analysis section in your paper. Remember, analysis means examining implications and what the ramifications are of a given topic, Take the topic to a deeper level for analysis, applying gerontological theory and research to discuss it. The quality of your writing will contribute to your overall score, so take care to do spell check and grammar check. Proofread all of your work as well. Late papers cannot receive full point credit.

Midterm and Final
These tests will be short answer and essay in format. Please bring large bluebook. No make up exams are permitted without written documentation.

COURSE OUTLINE

WEEK 1: JANUARY 19
Course Introduction. Community work overview.

WEEK 2: JANUARY 26
The demographic map for the future: The graying of America and the world

READ: CH. 1

WEEK 3: FEBRUARY 2
Stereotypes on aging and the social construction of what it means to be "old." Is being old relative to the culture one lives in or is it purely biologically determined?

READ: CH. 2
TAKE ONLINE QUIZ #I (chapters 1 2)
DISCUSSION BOARD INPUT #1

WEEK 4: FEBRUARY 9
Theories and research on adult development

READ: CH. 3
TAKE ONLINE QUIZ #2 (chapter 3)

SENIOR ANALYSIS QUESTION 1:
Get to know your partner. Share something about yourself with her. Write how it felt to be with and talk to an elder who is not kin.
Did you feel comfortable, anxious, happy, sad? Consider why you felt as you did.

WEEK 5: FEBRUARY 16
Theories on responses to the aging process

READ: CH. 4
NEWS REVIEW #I ~turn in via email attachment)
TAKE ONLINE QUIZ #3 (chapter 4)

SENIOR ANALYSIS QUESTION 2:
The retired sisters belong to an age cohort. Discuss with your partner what American society was like when she was your age.
Gather information on the historical context of her place and time.

WEEK 6: FEBRUARY 23
The Importance of social bonds: Marriage, family, social networks and sexual intimacy

READ CH. 5 & 6
DISCUSSION BOARD INPUT #2
TAKE ONLINE QUIZ #4 (chapter 5 & 6)

SENIOR ANALYSIS QUESTION 3:
What have been the important social bonds in your partner's life? How have these bonds influenced her in the choices she's made, challenges she's encountered, or life satisfactions she enjoyed?

WEEK 7: MARCH 2
Health and aging: Chronic vs. acute conditions, theories on aging, optimizing health.

READ CH. 7
TAKE ONLINE QUIZ #5 (chapter 7)

SENIOR ANALYSIS QUESTION 4:
As you talk with your partner, apply one of the theories of aging to her. Use examples to support your application.

WEEK 8: MARCH 9
Work, leisure and the multiplying aging tracks: Lifestyle trends after 65.

READ: CH. 8
DISCUSSION BOARD INPUT #3
TAKE ONLINE QUIZ #6 (chapter 8)

SENIOR ANALYSIS QUESTION 5:
As you listen to your partner's life story, what has was her life's "theme"? How has her work and sense of purpose possibly impacted other aspects of her life, such as sense of self and overall health?

SPRING BREAK MARCH 10 16

WEEK 9: MARCH 23
MIDTERM. On material from weeks 1 8.

WEEK 10: MARCH
30 Finances and living environments

READ: CH. 9 & 10
TAKE ONLINE QUIZ #7 (chapter 9 10)

SENIOR ANALYSIS QUESTION 6:
What do you think about the living environment at Carondelet? What are its strengths and what could be improved? How might the physical structure of the living environment affect social life and psychological well being?

WEEK 11: APRIL 6
The psychology of aging: Cognitive processes, functional disorders vs. organic disorders.

READ: CH. 11
DISCUSSION BOARD INPUT #4
TAKE ONLINE QUIZ #8 (chapter 11)

SENIOR ANALYSIS QUESTION 7:
As you talk with your partner, do you observe any cognitive impairments? If so, what kind? How are they manifested? If not, what do you think has contributed to your partner's cognitive acuity?

WEEK 12: APRIL 13
Caregiving for the oldest old and special problems of the elderly

READ CH. 12 & 13
NEWS REVIEW #2
TAKE ONLINE QUIZ #9 (chapter 12 and 13)

SENIOR ANALYSIS QUESTION 8:
What do you observe the special problems of the elderly are, based on your partner's biopsychosocial status and of those around her?

WEEK 13: APRIL 20

DISCUSSION BOARD INPUT #5
TAKE ONLINE QUIZ # 10 (chapter 14 and 15)

SENIOR ANALYSIS QUESTION 9:
Has your partner shared her thoughts about death? What are they? In sharing her life story, what have you learned about how gender and ethnicity may affect
one's attitude on age and being old?

WEEK 14: APRIL 27
Semester wrap up roundtables and in class "conference" on community engagement and our senior partnership experience.

SENIOR ANALYSIS QUESTION 10: On saying good bye. What works? How does it feel? Towards closure how can this best occur for you?

WEEK 15: FINAL TEST. On material weeks 10 15.

Professor Miriam del Campo Telephone: 305-237-0956
Biology, Health, &Wellness Department / Kendall Email: mdelcamp {at} mdcc(.)edu
Office: Room: 3265 #12

Introduction:
Biology is the study of life. All life should be respected and sustained. The end purpose of BSC 1005 is that you, the students, develop an understanding and appreciation for living systems (including humans) and for you to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to address biological issues that are important and relevant to your individual lives and the society in which you live. This course satisfies three credit hours of the natural science requirement. To insure a successful outcome, this course will require: attendance to class, writing lecture notes, reading and studying of the text book and class notes, completing supplemental readings, completing class and home assignments, surveying the literature and current events in the field of biology, application of the material to your own life and that of others, and communication with class peers and instructor. Of course, passing grades on exams and the Action Project will ensure passing the class. The completion of an acceptable Action Project is mandatory to pass the class. The time and effort that you invest in learning and applying the information in this course will be very rewarding. Enjoy and cherish this opportunity to learn, what may well be, the most vital information in your entire college years.

Book:
David Krogh, Biology: A Guide to the Natural World, 2nd Edition
Prentice Hall, 2002

Grading:

Tests:

Each student is provided with a copy of the course syllabus for the class. Based on this material there will be FIVE Examinations, Tests I, II, III, and IV, will be from 25-50 multiple choice questions and will count 100 points each. The final test (Test V) is a cumulative test that will count 100 points. For students who have NOT missed any tests, Test V is optional. Test V may be used to improve the class grade; since, the lowest test grade will be substituted with the grade on Test (V). (Only one grade, the lowest test grade from Tests I, II, III, and IV, will be substituted by the grade on Test V, regardless of whether the grade on Test V is higher or lower than the lowest test grade.) For students who have missed one test, Test V is mandatory and it will substitute the missed test grade. Students who miss more than one test are in danger of failing the class. Make up tests will only be given prior to the class test date, for security reasons. NO make up exams unless previously arranged.

Service Learning Action Project:

An action project that demonstrates the application of the material learned in class through a community service action is required. Students who do not submit an Action Project will NOT pass the class. The project should be handed no later than Thursday, April 10th (for the T R classes).

This project requires:

1. Research of a specific topic within the "Biology" discipline.

2. Community Service Learning – an action in the community that applies the research topic to people, animals, plants, the environment etc.

3. Reflection as to the value of the action for the community and to the student. Please refer to the Service Learning Action Project instruction handout for specific instructions and requirements.

Grade Chart:

Tests/ Project Points
Test I =100 points
Test II =100 points
Test III =100 points
Test IV =100 points
(Test V) =(100 points)
Action Project =100 points
Total Points =500 points

Accumulated Points for Class Grade Class Grade
450-500 points A
400-449 points B
350-399 points C
300-349 points D
299 and below F

The Service Learning Action Project is a mechanism by which students will become involved with the class material in depth and have an opportunity to apply it in a meaningful manner. We are all consumers of science. The best consumer is an informed consumer. Through the course work and research each of us can gain, understand, and apply, useful science related information. In this rapidly advancing technological world, we all have a responsibility to be science literate. Moreover, we have a responsibility, as members of the biosphere, to share our knowledge and skills with other members of nature: humans, animals, plants, microbes, and the environment, in order to promote individual and collective well being. We can influence personal and public opinion and policies with our strong commitment and knowledge base. While we won't solve all problems, we can at least have a positive influence on some. We can spread good will and information through our actions to make this a better world.

The best place to start is to get involved in conducting some vital service for our community. After the research and the action have been conducted, reflection about the project will undoubtedly point to the success or failure of your endeavors and the next set of steps to follow on your own. But whatever the outcome of your Action Project may be, know that you are on the way to improving your life and that of other creatures through your involvement.

General Idea:

1. Identify a topic in the Biology text that you are interested in.

2. Identify a problem, related to that topic, which exists in our local community.

3. Conduct research to gather information about the topic and problem,

4. Come up with a possible solution or ways to alleviate the problem.

5. Take an action and/or conduct a service that will help solve the problem.

6. Reflect upon what you have learned from this process, how it has affected you personally, how it has impacted others, and what actions need to be taken in the future.

Resources:

1. Professor del Campo: Room 3265 12, 305 237 0956, mdelcamp {at} mdcc(.)edu

2. Ms. Ossie Hanauer, Director of the Center for Community Involvement, Kendall Campus, 305 237 0859, 305 237 0631

3. The Krogh Biology textbook and the MediaLabs in the CD ROM

4. Internet

5. Libraries:

6. Media: Newspapers, TV stations, etc.

7. Community and Government Agencies and Interest Groups
8. Environmental Agencies and Interest Groups
9. Schools, Colleges, Universities, Professors, Researchers, Scholars,
10. Community Leaders,
11. Elected Officials
12. Professionals: Lawyers, Doctors, Veterinarians, Scientists, Environmentalists
13. City, State, and U.S. Government Offices and Agencies
14. Non Profit Organizations
15. Global Organizations: United Nations, World Bank
16. Businesses
17. Hospitals, Churches
18. Retirement/Children's Homes
19. Hospices

Action Project Portfolio

Procedure:

1. Choose a topic from Biology. Use the Krogh book and CD ROM

2. Identify community needs/problems related to your topic

3. Brainstorm for creative solutions to the necds/problems

4. Verify possibility of conducting community service related to the topic

5. Conduct a scientific periodical search at the library. Choose THREE good articles related to the topic. Read them and think about them.

6. Search the Internet for reliable sources on this topic. Choose THREE good ones. Get involved in related chats or discussions. Get feedback if possible. Use the MediaLabs in the Krogh book if applicable.

7. Through the Kendall Campus Center for Community Involvement find a community SERVICE LEARNING site that is related to your topic and where you will volunteer your time and talent.

8. Conduct the community service. Keep a time log sheet and get VERIFICATION of your time and service project from a reliable source. During the project keep a journal of activities conducted.

9. Complete all paperwork from Action Project Group Workshops and Evaluation Handouts.

10. Reflect on how your knowledge of biology and you community involvement, using that knowledge, are making a difference for a better world.

Checklist of the required documents: (Documents to be turned in for grading)

1. Workshop I Handout (Identification of topic and problem, plus Research)

2. Three articles from current scientific periodicals (include Xerox copy)

3. Three website articles (include print out)

4. Workshop II Handout (Service Learning Project)

5. Proof of community involvement (letters of reference, tickets, photographs, etc.)

6. Workshop III Handout (Reflection)

7. Self/Group Evaluation Handout

Assemble all documents in a binder to be turned in for a grade. Due on December 3 (M W F) or December 4 (T R) (Use the checklist above) Call me or e mail for assistance if needed.

Professor M.L. Walsh
Mendel Science and Engineering Center 351
x4249; email: marcia.walsh {at} merrimack(.)edu
Office hours: Tuesday 1-3:30 and by appointment

TEXTS:

Understanding Nutritions: Sports Nutrition Cookbook. E.N. Whitney and S.R. Rolfes Nancy Clarke. Ninth edition.

West Publishing Company, 2002 Human Kinetics, 1997

Books on reserve at the library for reference and required reading:
Bowes and Church's Food Values of Portions Commonly Used. J.A. Pennington and H.N. Church. Fourteenth edition.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Nutrition, Diet and Health will introduce the student to the science of nutrition. The fundamentals of protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamin, and mineral requirements and metabolism will be explained as a basis for the study of the relationship between diet and health in both a personal and global perspective. This course will consider issues of personal and community health and nutrition, and will explore the particular needs of recreational and elite athletes with regard to diet and health.

** This course has a required Service-Learning component in which the entire class will be engaged in different facets of a community project on campus. The purpose of this activity is to provide technical expertise to the College community in the field of Human Nutrition with a view towards the enhancement of student learning and development of productive and responsible leadership skills.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

To study the basic chemistry and molecular biology of nutrients and human nutrition
To understand how nutrition influences people's lives and long term health, and to consider how different lifestyles impact human nutrition and health
To apply information about human nutrition in a personal assessment and improvement of one's diet, and in the service learning project
To investigate current issues in human nutrition, such as food additives, fad diets, fiber, and vegetarianism
To emphasize the role of good nutrition in the athlete, and to study the dietary practices that enhance athletic performance.
To investigate the connection between diet and disease, focusing on the chronic diseases of adults that result from poor dietary habits
To consider the global perspectives of feeding the human population

GRADING:

2 hourly exams = 30 %
Diet records project* = 10 %
Market Basket Project** = 5 %
Food Additives Presentation*** = 15 %
Service-Learning project**** = 25%
Comprehensive final exam = 15%

EXAMS: Hourly examinations will be given on the following Wednesdays: February 20 and April 3

* The Diet Records Project
The purpose of the diet records project is to collect information about the kind of diet that the members of the class have. Several sample projects will be chosen for classroom discussion, in an effort to evaluate and make recommendations about those diet records. Using a group discussion format, we will attempt to determine the nutritional quality of those projects chosen from all the projects submitted. The diet records project involves:

A] keeping an organized record of all food and beverages consumed over a three-day period [two weekdays and one weekend day]
B] an analysis of the nutritional content of the food and beverages consumed
C] evaluation of the diet, and recommendations for improvement based on the principles of good nutrition.

Forms will be distributed in class, and the project will be explained in great detail at that time. The Diet Records Project is due on Friday February 1.

** Market Basket Project
The purpose of this project is to consider different types of foods with regard to their nutritional quality. Each student will receive two kinds of food that one might usually purchase at the supermarket, and compare the food value of each.

***Food Additives Presentation
During the week of March 18, student groups will be responsible for class presentations on the topic of Food Additives. Each group of presenters should consider various scientific aspects of a particular additive such as

1] its purpose and use in the food industry
2] the biochemistry of the additive
3] its relationship to human health and disease
4] FDA regulation of the additive

This topic will be introduced in lecture early in the course, and there will be further discussion of the guidelines for presentations at that time.

You may wish to get a head start on this project by forming groups of 2-3 students, and begin to explore possibilities for the topic. Before you go ahead and begin collecting information, please submit a proposal to me no later than March 4. The group who claims a particular additive first has dibs! This presentation should contain sound scientific information on the particular additive, therefore, references from scientific journals and textbooks will be required [internet resources alone are not sufficient].

****The Service-Learning Project
The diet records project becomes the scientific basis for the Service-Learning component of this course. In recording, analyzing, and evaluating your own diet, you will master the skills necessary to put into practice the art and science of good nutrition. Service-Learning has been described as a method of extending student learning outside the classroom by applying theoretical concepts to a practical problem, while at the same time providing a benefit to the community. In this Human Nutrition course, Service-Learning acts much as a laboratory does in other science courses: you will practice and apply what you learn, becoming the campus "experts" on good nutrition and healthy lifestyles. Service-Learning will develop your confidence as a professional, and at the same time will offer the College community information on how to improve their health through good nutrition and exercise. The structure proposed for this project is as follows:

There will be 5 groups of 5 Nutrition students who will volunteer for 3 different projects. There should be at least one Sports Medicine major per group.

There are three areas where your expertise can be beneficial:

1] In evaluating the diets of a defined student group, determining areas of deficiencies in their diets, and offering suggestions for improvement if students are interested in your advice. Identifying particular nutritional problems in this population , such as anorexia, obesity, or alcohol abuse is possible, and the offer of assistance in these cases might connect students with Hamel Health counselors if appropriate. (2-3 groups of Nutrition students)
2] In evaluating the diets of student athletes, using the same approach as above. In this case, coaches may be interested in the data generated in your study.
(1 group of Nutrition students)
3] In offering nutritional counseling/posters/seminars on nutrition, diet, fitness and health to the general Merrimack community through the Sakowich Recreation Complex. This service need not be limited to nutritional information. Be creative!! Students would be encouraged to offer information about body fat/BMI and overall fitness and exercise. You may wish to set up a health and fitness group interested in weight loss. (1-2 groups of Nutrition students)

Some organizational information for this project:

1] One anticipates that students will devote a total of approximately 25 hours to this project.
2] Groups should be officially formed by Monday, January 28, and each will indicate a first and second choice for the Service-Learning "assignment".
3] The project will begin on February 4 with a classroom meeting in which each group will outline an "Action Plan" for the project to be undertaken.
4] Part of class on each subsequent Wednesday will be devoted to an update on the progress of each group.
5] Each group will be responsible for a brief "Summary of Service-Learning Project" presentation to the class at the end of the semester and submission of a written report on the last day of class [May 1]. Part of the written report should include a "reflective component", indicating your assessment of the benefits of this experience to your overall understanding of nutrition, as well as the value of your work to the Merrimack community.

Purpose of the project, materials and methods, analytical work to be done, and a timeline for conducting the work should be covered. For those projects involving more than one group, the groups should collaborate on the Action Plan to insure uniformity of methodology. A list of resources necessary to carry out the project is required here.

This proposed Service-Learning project is a unique one, and with this group of enthusiastic and talented students, I anticipate that a great deal of data will be generated. My intention is to publish the material in an article in the Journal of College Science Teaching.

Summary of important dates:

January 28 – Form groups for Service-Learning Project; indicate choice of project
February 1 – Diet records project due
February 4 – Service-Learning "Action Plan" presentation
February 20 – Nutrition exam 1
March 4 – Food Additives proposal due
March 18, 20, 25 – Food Additives presentations
April 3 – Nutrition exam 2
May 1 – Service-Learning summary presentations; Final Service-Learning report due
May 10 – Nutrition Final Exam

Instructor:
Dr. Marybeth Lima, Associate Professor
Room 159 E.B. Doran Building
Phone: 578 1061
E-mail: mlima1 {at} lsu(.)edu

Office hours: Thursday mornings, 8:30 11:30 a.m. or by appointment

Credit hours: 2 (1 hour lecture, 3 hours lab per week)

Meeting Schedule:
Tuesday 12:40 – 1:30, 104 Tureaud
Lab section 1: Friday, 1:40 4:30, Rm. 115 E.B. Doran
Lab section 2: Thursday, 1:40 4:30, Rm. 115 E.B. Doran

Final exam: Friday, May 16, 7:30 9:30 a.m., 104 Tureaud

Prerequisites: none

Course designations: This is a service-learning course, and a communication intensive course

Course description: Effect of variability and constraints of biological systems on engineering problem solving and design; engineering units; engineering report writing; oral report presentation; laboratory demonstration of biological engineering analysis.

Objectives: After completing this course, you should be able to:

1. Define and discuss engineering and biological engineering.

2. Have a better appreciation of yourself and your learning process, including why you picked this major.

3. Understand in some depth the area of biological engineering in which you want to study in which you are interested.

4. Communicate effectively with your community partner(s) and your peers, and apply rudimentary techniques for working together and resolving conflicts that result in the most success.

5. Conceptualize the process of engineering design, including the following: what is engineering design, how does one approach a problem using the engineering method, impact of social and technical factors on design, evaluation methods in design, and effective communication in the design process.

6. Understand the significance of service-learning, and how it affects your strength as a person and an engineering student.

7. Understand the significance of communicating, and how it affects your strength as an engineer.

Course Texts:

Donaldson, K. 2002. The Engineering Student Survival Guide (B.E.S.T. Series). McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. 216 pp.

Gelb, M. 1998. How to Think like Leonardo Da Vinci: Seven steps to genius every day. Delacorte Press, New York, NY. 322 pp.

Handbook for Public Playground Safety. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Publication #325, 43 pp. (provided free of charge)

Reference Books:

Burghardt, M. 1995. Introduction to the Engineering Profession, (2nd Edition). HarperCollins College Publishers, New York, NY. 298 pp.

Oakes, W., Leone, L. and C. Gunn. 2000. Engineering Your Future: An Introduction to Engineering (2nd Edition). Great Lakes Press, Okemos, MI, 650 pp.

Pfeiffer, W. 1997. Technical Writing: A Practical Approach (3rd Edition). Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. 616 pp.

Wright, P. 1989. Introduction to Engineering. Wiley & Songs, New York, NY. 292 pp.

Course approach. This is a service-learning course. Service-learning is defined as a credit-bearing, educational experience in which students participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs and reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility.

You will accomplish all of the learning objectives in this course by completing a service-learning project that concerns Biological Engineering and addresses a community need. This process is a mutual exchange of knowledge, information and service between the community (through community partners) and each of you.

This year, each section (Thursday and Friday lab sections) will be working in a groups of 3-4 students to design a playground. Each of these playgrounds will be designed by end of the semester, and will hopefully be constructed at some point in the future. Today we will discuss our approach, and will consult information on each community partner.

Overall approach:

Weeks 1-4< > Learn about engineering design and the engineering design method< > Learn about designing playgrounds< > Learn about your group members and create policies for decision making and management issues< > Information gathering on community partner and addressing community needs (meet with contact and community members, site visit)

Weeks 5-8< > Continue information gathering with community partners (second site visit, further discussions with community partners) and professional playground designers< > Generate preliminary designs < > Initial check on designs by instructor

Weeks 9-13< > Create and refine final design with input from instructor, community partners, and experts

Weeks 14-15< > Presentation of final design to panel consisting of community partners and playground design experts < > Instructor and community partners take all designs and suggestions from panel, and streamline them into one consolidated design that best addresses community needs

Subsequent to semester:< > Instructor (and interested students) presents streamlined design to community partners for further input, and a final design is agreed upon< > Fundraising for playground project is completed< > Construction will take place with community and student volunteers

Community Partners.

Section 1. Your community partners are the Old South Baton Rouge Community (centered at the Leo S. Butler Community Center) and Baton Rouge Green. You will be working with these groups to design a community park and playground using the SPARK model (www.sparkpark.com), in which school grounds are transformed into community parks. We will work with the community partners and the community to choose a location, and will then work with community members, including children, parents, and teachers at the school, to design the playground and park.

Section 2. Your community partner is the Louisiana School for the Deaf. The School for the Deaf has four playgrounds, an elementary school playground, a middle school playground, a high school playground, and a special needs playground. You will be involved with re-designing the special needs playground. Administrators at the School for the Deaf have chosen to tear down all existing equipment on the special needs playground and are in the process of starting over. You will be working with the children, parents, teachers, therapists, and administrators at the School to design a playground for children with special needs.

Grading policy:
Grades will be determined based on the following break down:

Midterm exam — 20%
Quizzes (2, plus lab attendance, 6.67% each) — 20%
Student Portfolio (web page, journal and selected HW) — 20%
Group design project — 20%
(10% individual contribution, 10% group grade, grades determined in consultation with community partner)
Final exam — 20%

A number of criteria are used for grading because each of us has strengths in different areas. My objective is for each of you to shine in this course; the different criteria for grading are provided with this notion in mind. In past years, there has been no curve in this class (that is, 89.5% and above is an A, 80-89.4% is a B, 70-79.4% is a C, 60-69.4% is a D, and <60% is an F); I expect the same situation to prevail this year.

Student portfolio. Each of you will be developing a portfolio this semester. A portfolio is defined as a purposeful collection of student work that tells the story of the student s efforts, progress or achievement in a given area. Your purpose this semester is to learn about engineering, biological engineering, and yourself. Completing the assignments in this course will enable each of you to examine your motivations for choosing this major, and to learn more about biological engineering. This knowledge will help you to identify your personal and professional goals. Through portfolios, you will be documenting your path to a greater understanding of yourself and of this profession. You can use your portfolio for reference throughout your undergraduate career and beyond.

Investigators have established four levels of learning, which are as follows: (1) Information: student can define, repeat, list, name, label, memorize, recall and/or relate that information. (2) Knowledge: student shows an understanding and comprehension of the information gained in level (1), and can describe, explain, compare/contrast, identify, discuss and/or summarize it. (3) Application/Analysis: student can solve problems by applying knowledge in new situations, and can critically distinguish the logical components of other applications of that knowledge. (4) Wisdom: student can display professional judgment and the ability to synthesize, design, organize, plan, manage, teach and/or evaluate. Investigators have also determined that approximately 85-90% of one s undergraduate education is spent in levels (1) and (2). My goal as an educator is to provide opportunities for students to participate in levels (3) and (4). Developing your portfolio is one way to accomplish this. <,p>Your portfolio will consist of three parts: (1) a personal web page that you will develop as part of this class; (2) an engineering journal, which contains incidental or informal writing assignments that we will be doing throughout the semester, and (3) homework assignments.

Throughout the semester, you will have homework assignments, all of which will go into your portfolios. Obtain a notebook or binder immediately for your portfolio! In this way, you will be able to build the portfolio throughout the semester, instead of rushing to pull it together at the last minute. You will turn in your portfolios for comments from me at mid-semester.

Your final portfolio should contain the following:

1. A table of contents, including a description of the work done and the page on which it appears. An example is as follows:

Description ———- Page

Introduction: my portfolio ———- 1
My definition of engineering, 1/22/02 ——— 2
My group s definition of engineering, 1/22/02 ———- 3
The class definition of engineering, 1/22/02 ———- 4
Autobiographical sketch ———- 5

Personal web page address at www.bae.lsu.edu/people/Faculty/mlima/WEB_FOLDER/index%202.htm

2. A short introduction describing the purpose of your portfolio and what is contained in it; although this goes at the beginning of the portfolio, I suggest you write it at the end of the course.

3. All the work you did in whatever order you d like, as long as it makes sense and fits together

4. Reflection narratives: after certain exercises, you will be asked to write a short statement describing what you thought and felt about that specific exercise. This is to help you to identify how and why you thought the exercise was useful (or not) to you, to help me identify if the exercise is one worth keeping and/or refining for next year s students.

Your portfolio requires a concluding self-assessment narrative, in which you write about your overall experience in the course, and evaluate the use of service-learning in your quest to achieve the objectives of this course.

Feel free to include anything that you find of help to your own learning process. This portfolio is for you, not for me.Engineering journals will be graded on completeness only, and not on what you said, how you said it, or grammar. The purpose of the engineering journal is for you to record all your thoughts, feelings and actions during the course of this class; please keep it with you at all times. These notes can be invaluable for many reasons; they may tell the story of how you develop into an engineer! Also, you may have great ideas that you forget about later; this is one excellent way to keep track of them.

Homework assignments. Homework assignments are intended to help you understand material. I employ a resubmission process for homework because of this reason: if you mess it up the first time, instead of just getting the grade and continuing, re-submissions allow you to concentrate on the mistakes you make and to fix them.

Re-submissions will not be accepted for any grade higher than 80%, except in special cases that I will designate. You may re-submit an assignment for any grade lower than this, and your final grade for that assignment will be the average of the original grade and the final grade. You are not required to re-submit any assignment, but if you choose to, you must re-submit within one week of the assignment being returned to you in class. If you happen to miss class the day the assignment is returned, you are still responsible for re-submitting it one week from the date in which it was returned in class. Your submission must include a written explanation of what (specifically) you didn t understand, and why you understand it now.

Homework must be turned in on time to receive full credit. Assignments must be turned in by 4:30 p.m. the day they are due in order to be considered on time! Late assignments will receive 20% off for each day that they are late! No re-submissions will be accepted for assignments turned in late.

Course policies:

1. Turn off your cell phones before you come to class. If you have an emergency, place your cell phone on vibrate!

2. Although I expect each of you to attend all classes, arrive punctually and participate, your final grade for this course will not be based on these criteria (except for attendance at lab). However, if you attend class regularly and on time, and if you participate in class discussion, it could make the difference in getting the higher letter grade if you are on the borderline between two. If you miss class, you are responsible for finding out what you missed from your classmates!

I will be taking attendance in lab this semester! The percentage of labs that you attend will be one of your quiz grades! For example, if you attend 13 of 15 lab sessions, then your attendance grade is 13/15*100 = 87%. This grade represents one quiz grade (of four total). If you miss labs, it is your responsibility to MAKE UP THE LAB. Do not copy data from your classmates.

If you know you re going to miss class in advance, let me know and I ll make arrangements to let you know what you re going to miss.

3. Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated! I check work carefully, and will report any student I suspect of academic misconduct to the Dean of Students, Dr. Jim Welles. It is okay to work together on homework assignments but it is NOT okay to COPY someone s work (or to allow someone to copy yours). Check with me or the Code of Student Conduct Code of Student Conduct if you have questions on this matter; it is better to find out all the information you need up front, vs. asking for forgiveness later! The reporting process would be agonizing for all of us, but I will do it if I have to. As a faculty member of LSU, it is my responsibility to uphold academic integrity, and the reputation of this university. I take this responsibility very seriously.

4. Group work. A significant portion of what you learn in this course will be accomplished in a group setting. Your grade for the group design project is worth a significant portion of your grade for this course, and will be determined by me with input from you, your community partners, and other members in your group, each of whom will complete a confidential evaluation of all group members (this evaluation will be determined by all of us at the beginning of the semester). If you do not participate and attend meetings, your grade may suffer as a result! A sample grading rubric created by last year s class is included below:

Good citizen and group member (attitude, respectfulness, listening, group and communication skills): 25%< > Attendance at meetings (in and out of class, with community partners, etc.): 25%< > Dependability (did what needed to be done in a timely manner): 25%< > Contribution to design project (quality of work, quantity of work): 25%

Special Issue: Communication Across the Curriculum. Studies have shown that through more frequent writing experiences and instructor feedback, students become more proficient and confident in their oral and written communication skills. LSU has implemented a Writing Across the Curriculum Program (and is in the process of switching to a communication across the curriculum model) to improve the writing skills of students at this university. One program requirement is ensuring that students take at least one course designated writing intensive during each year of their college career. BE 1252 has been designated the writing intensive course for the freshman year! This course is also communication intensive, that is, you will be required to make several oral presentations to your community partner and to your peers throughout the semester.

For those of you who do not enjoy writing and speaking, keep in mind that one of the main complaints of employers regarding entry level engineers is lack of oral, written and group communication skills. You will spend a significant amount of your time writing on the job as a practicing engineer. I will try to make this experience as fun and painless as possible, but keep in mind that strong writing and communication skills will help you a great deal in your education, and in your future career.

BE 1252 Biology in Engineering: day-to-day syllabus plan
Note: this plan is subject to change

Thurs., 1/23 Former BE 1252 design projects