Environmental Issues & History 2024

• Course held at: Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College

• Professor: Dr. John Mischler (Faculty Profile)

• Office: Oshtemo

• Phone: (309) 264-6946

• Email: jamischler@goshen.edu

• Office hours:  immediately before or after class or by appointment

In this interdisciplinary topics course, we will engage with a variety of current environmental issues facing society, consider how to teach about these issues, and work toward a well-grounded sense of hope as we interact with many individuals and organizations who are active in working on these realities.  We will visit local organizations addressing issues and will also experience parts of the complex systems our society relies on. Responses to climate change will be a connecting point across the course. This course delves deeply into the concepts required to understand climate change issues.  Namely we focus on not only the basic science but also communication and teaching surrounding climate change.  Care is taken to review the history of how climate change has been presented to learners and the public, what effects that has had, and fruitful ways forward for teaching and learning surrounding climate change.  During this course we will practice building lesson plans and preparing for the in-classroom climate residency taking place later in the spring.  Emphasis will also be placed on workable/scalable climate change solutions that provide hope as well as how to approach the subject in a compassionate way.

1. Working through Environmental Issues (both their history and current manifestations) so as to build up our competencies when discussing a variety of environmental issues facing the world today.

2. Addressing our own mental/spiritual/emotional states when confronting and learning about pressing environmental issues.  Environmental Education requires one to be resilient!  Sometimes these realties are hard - but we have to learn to connect to realistic sources of hope .

3. Intentionally approaching Environmental Education in a way that inspires hope and a new exciting vision for the future for those we teach.  These issues are difficult and some may be learning about them for the first time.  We shift the conversation beyond "doom and gloom" and towards the good work that is being done.

4. Exploring pedagogical approaches for challeniging topics (like climate change)  

While no specific content knowledge is expected prior to this course, any coursework in chemistry, ecology, or sociology is useful. All readings will be posted on the course schedule.  These will come from textbooks, popular books, research papers, extension documents, non-profits, and governmental agencies.

| A = 94 to 100 | A- = 90 to 93 | B+ = 87 to 89 | B = 84 to 86 | B- = 80 to 83 | C+ = 77 to 79 | C = 74 to 76 | C- = 69 to 73 | D = 60 to 68 |

• Course Activities:  Schedule of all course activities is found on the MAEE course calendar (see above)

• Grade Disputes: While I strive to be fair to all students, grade disputes may occur.  If you feel that you have been graded unjustly, please speak to me first.  I am happy to work with all students to make sure their competency is reflected in their grade.

• Late or Missing Work:  No unexcused late work is accepted.  You either turn it in when it is due or you don’t turn it in at all.  That being said, accommodations will be made for those with excused absences or special circumstances.

• Access to Grades:  Please check Moodle as your grades will be periodically uploaded throughout the course. 

• Absences:  No unexcused absences.  If you know ahead of time that you will be missing class for an excused absence (doctors appointment, etc.) please make plans with me ahead of time to make up any missed work.  If you must take a sudden excused absence (sickness, death in the family, etc.) please contact me as soon as you are able to make plans for making up any missed work/material.  It is your responsibility to make sure all work is handed in.

• Statement on Disability Services for Students:  Please let me know if you are concerned about any issues that may inhibit your ability to learn and perform in this course.  I am happy to work with all students to see that everyone has a fair chance to succeed.  Goshen College is committed to providing all students equal access to programs and facilities. Students who need accommodations based on disability should contact the Director of the Academic Success Center (ASC).  Students must register with ASC before faculty are required to provide reasonable accommodations. For more information or to register, please contact the Director of the ASC, Judy Weaver, Good Library 112, jweaver@goshen.edu  or 574-535-7560. To ensure that learning needs are met, contact the director of the ASC the first week of classes..  More information at: www.goshen.edu/campuslife/asc/disabilities-services/

• Any student who has difficulty accessing sufficient food to eat every day, or who lacks a safe and stable place to live, and believes this may affect their performance in the course, is urged to contact the Dean of Students, Gilberto Pérez Jr. (gperez@goshen.edu) for support. Furthermore, please notify the instructor if you are comfortable in doing so. He may be able to provide additional assistance or flexibility in meeting the requirements of the course.

• Academic Dishonesty - We will follow Goshen College’s policy regarding discipline and academic dishonesty.  At all costs please avoid plagiarism.  I expect all students to adhere to Goshen’s Commitment to Community Standards.  Assignments you submit in this course will be checked for plagiarized material copied from the web, other papers, online databases, and other sources.  Cases of academic dishonesty  are reported to the Associate Dean.  Penalties for plagiarism are listed in the college catalog and range from redoing the assignment to dismissal from the college. Plagiarism entails the use of the ideas and/or words of a source without citation. Any borrowing of language (sentences, clauses, or distinct phrases) without the use of quotation marks is also plagiarism.

• Tutoring - The Academic Success Center provides course tutors and writing tutors at no extra cost.

• We all need a mental health check up from time to time.  Please know that Goshen College has counselors and other mental health services available free of charge to students through Campus Life

• If you are aware of any sexual misconduct, please report it to the Title IX office on campus