M5 AM Managing Environment Issues for the Next 25 Years: The Role of Science
Monday, 14 November 2005: 8:00 AM - 11:40 AM in 321-323

(DRA-1117-825847) Literature-based case studies stimulate debate and critical thinking in an undergraduate environmental chemistry course.

Draper, A¹, ¹ Trinity College, Hartford, CT, USA

ABSTRACT- To improve the understanding of concepts, critical thinking, and to stimulate debate on environmental issues, literature-based case studies have been designed for a junior-level undergraduate environmental chemistry course. Each case study begins with an packet of representative reading around an issue; most contain at least one introductory reading from the lay press, at least one article from the peer-reviewed literature, and many include scientific opinion pieces. Students must read the case and prepare a paper with personal reactions, but very little summary. One class period is then spent discussing the case. Normally, the discussion is catalyzed by the students' papers, and the instructor only moderates. Following the discussion, students are assigned a short response paper in which they must show what they have learned through the class discussion. In improving student learning through these case studies, three factors are critically important. First, the two-part writing assignment is essential. Students must write to be prepared for class discussion, and they must write afterward to synthesize the ideas presented in discussion. Without either writing assignment, the case study is not brought full-circle. Second, case studies are most effective when there is some controversy because it forces students to take a stand and read critically for scientific information which supports or refutes their argument. In this way, one case study topic that is successful each year is the Proposed World Ban of DDT. Finally, case studies are most effective when textbook concepts are clearly illustrated. In the DDT case, for example, understanding biotransformation is crucial to understanding the long-term consequences of DDT use. Case studies are used to supplement and enforce concepts, but do so in a way that stimulates critical thinking, debate and learning about current, relevant environmental issues.

Key words: environmental education, case studies, teaching environmental chemistry