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Critical thinking in interdisciplinary science using Katrina

This class overview focuses on teaching critical thinking skills in the field of climate change science. It addresses the need for adapted teaching approaches, interdisciplinary learning, and the development of students' ability to study independently. The class covers various topics including global warming, greenhouse gases, climate modeling, natural variability, regional impacts, and adaptation strategies. Students are engaged in pre-class activities, readings, in-class discussions, and critical thinking projects.

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Critical thinking in interdisciplinary science using Katrina

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  1. Critical thinking in interdisciplinary science using Katrina Catherine Gautier UC Santa Barbara

  2. Living with Global Warming Class Overview • Learner-centered class • Intended Learning Outcomes • Students’ understanding requires interdisciplinary learning • Students come with different disciplinary backgrounds => Need teaching approaches adapted to heterogeneous student body • Climate Change Science has much uncertainty and different interpretations of data => Need to develop students critical thinking ability • Climate Change Science is a very broad field (= not possible to teach everything) and evolving rapidly => Need to give the students the tools and motivation to study by themselves and become life-long learners • Climate Change understanding requires the contribution of every one => need to handle diversity and use collaboration and cooperation

  3. Global Warming Overview Population Earth Energetics and Radiation Principles Atmosphere Greenhouse Effect and Greenhouse Gases Carbon Cycle and Carbon Sequestration Aerosols Effect Ocean Circulation and Coupling with the Atmosphere Climate Modeling Climate Forcing, Feedback, Sensitivity and Modeling Past Climate and Natural Variability Global and Arctic Impacts Regional Impacts: California, Hurricane, Deforestation Water Cycle Life Style and Energy Utilization Emission Limitations and Kyoto Protocol Carbon Trading and New Economy Adaptation and Mitigation Energy and Transport in the Future Solving Climate Problem for next 50 years Class Content Overview

  4. Class Activities • Pre-class activities • Readings from reader or book • Submissions of critical thinking activity results • Meta-analysis of reading to connect with prior knowledge • In-class discussions in small groups • Lab activities modeling and scenarios analysis and evaluation of consequences • Mid-term and final critical thinking projects

  5. Mid-term Project Hurricanes in a warmer world The example of Katrina and New Orleans • Objective: demonstrate critical understanding of the science and the impact of global warming. • Can use any material to support points and the Internet to find answers to the questions • Must reference all published material (including web material). • 10-page length

  6. Science and Impacts Components • Formation – Why do hurricane form? How do they form? What is needed for them to form? Why do they form where they do? • Structure– Once they have formed, how do they get organized and what is their organization? • Prediction – What is being predicted, how is it predicted and how well is it predicted? • Connection to global warming – What is the potential connection between hurricanes and global warming? Why should we be concerned? Why is this connection still controversial? How did the recent IPCC summary report (Summary for Policy Maker – SPM) address the controversy? • Relation to natural oscillations of the atmosphere-oceansystem – What are the other possible explanations for observed changes in hurricane characteristics? • Impacts – In what ways do hurricanes impact the land over which they land? • New Orleans impacts – What were the main impacts that occurred as the result of Katrina in New Orleans in 2005? • Hurricanes in a warmer world – How could hurricane characteristics be modified by global warming? Please give the reasons for uncertainties. • Hurricane impacts in a warmer world – What are the ways in which hurricane impacts could be modified in a warmer world? Relate the increased impacts to the changes in characteristics of the hurricanes

  7. Op-Ed Essay The example of Katrina and New Orleans to reconstruct or not? • Take a position about this topic and write an essay in the form of an op-ed letter to a newspaper • 1 -2 page letter describing and justifying position on topic of the reconstruction considering, or not, the potential of global warming • If you do not consider global warming as a possibility you will have to explain why • Address all issues, including social, political, economical, ethical etc…

  8. Rubric – Writing Technique Writing Technique of paper- 20 points

  9. Rubric - Content Content of paper- 70 points

  10. Uncertainty Scientific uncertainty • It is premature to conclude that human activity--and particularly greenhouse warming--has already had a discernible impact on Atlantic hurricane activity • Model results about future hurricane are contradictory: • Decreased frequency overall • Possible increase of more intense hurricanes • Need for more research and improved modeling Impacts uncertainty • Result from scientific uncertainty on hurricane frequency and strength • Result also from human actions and decisions (e.g., building in vulnerable regions) • Most likely combined effects of sea level increase and storm intensity • Address issue in the context of risk theory • Should it be handled like an externality? E.g., making those who take the risk (build in vulnerable regions, pay for it • Assign a risk to regions based on best present knowledge

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