EOC

EOC = End of course. As in Biology EOC.

I don't post anything during the course because I was very busy. Having never taken an on line course I didn't quite know what to expect. As I repeatedly told my instructors, I haven't taken a course for a grade since 1997 when I earned my M Ed degree.The last class I took, I got one of the two "4.0" I ever earned at UW. It was a Educational statistics class, that was probably one of the easiest classes I took in my 390 credits at the UW. The other 4.0 was when I took CHEM 231 (1st quarter Organic Chemistry) the second time. :-) I hear that Organic has been shortened to "O". We only had P Chem back in the 1980's. :-D

The course was really interesting. It would have been better if my internet didn't suck. I cannot wait to be in PLzen for three weeks and have blazing wired internet at the dorm. My satellite internet at home is slow, expensive and "metered". I have a rolling 30 day bandwidth limit of  5000 MB Up / 17000 MB Down. $84.95 a month. One of the perks of living in the country.

The reason I took this course was to qualify to teach Atmospheric Sciences 211 (Climate and Climate Change), which was changed to  Atmospheric Sciences 111 (Global Warming). The difference that I see between the courses is the focus and the level of "hard science" that is needed. The science and comprehension of climate models was pretty "eye-opening" for me. Forcings. PETM. Lots of new vocabulary to learn, apply and then teach with.

I did OK after I received a "approaches standards" on my first assignment. ;-)
It was a vocabulary thing...after that I got ":exceeds expectations" on all assignments but one. I received "meets standards" on that one. My discussion grades were all "exceeds standards". So....70% of my total grade is almost "exceeds expectations." I am curious on how my final project will be graded. My $500 course fee reimbursement and qualification to teach ATMS 111 depends on it! :-D

My idea of a final project is something that I can use. I wrote it, I use it. The new standard is I write it and EVERYONE else can use it. I am not a playwright. I design curriculum for me to use. WTF do I have to write what I will be doing and the students will be doing during the activity? How do I script a discussion of an internet data search? Too much work. If I want to sell curriculum, I'll include all of this extra BS. Education has been transformed a bit into a "product" since I began teaching in 1985.

I leave tomorrow night for Seattle. I will observe a quiz section of ATMS 111 at 10:30 AM on Friday morning at UW. After that I head to Silver Cloud Inn Stadium and check in. Pre-game to follow check-in. I could be at the rooftop pool by about 1:00 PM with a "pre-mix" in my hand....

End of Week 1

Hmmm...I can say that online learning is a little different from being in the classroom. :-D

I find myself being a little "randomized"...I post a question...one of the instructors responds...someone else responds...I read another student's question... and respond with some information germane to the topic...the instructor responds to my post...and now I am included in that discussion...

I posted to the learner lounge...

No replies. Maybe everyone has boring summers and has to stay in the USA. :-D

I hope my fellow students are not B_O-R+I^N-G...

Next week we actually have an assignment to turn in...I mean "submit" ...

Day 3

What happened to days 1 and 2? Hmmm...too busy or tired to write.
The online course format is interesting. You have the "Icebreaker Discussion" where everyone tells a little about themselves...where they live, what they teach, what affects the climate where they live, etc.
I found out that one of the other students knows a former student of mine from WHS. They met at University of Portland. It's a small world. :-)
I gave a woman who lives in WV a bad time about her "mountains" actually being "foothills".
I posted photos of daffodils

in my backyard. There are lots of people who live east of the Rockies in the class. :-)

I chose this as my profile photo:

Of course no one has asked me about this photo...
Perhaps I should have chose

or

Anyway...I posted the first response to the "Energy Budget" discussion.

DISCUSSION QUESTION

Energy Budget

The focus this week is on energy balance, and how atmospheric and ocean circulation relate to the climate system. This figure  represents the Earth's global annual mean energy budget (in Watts per square meter, W/m2) for the period between March 2000 and May 2004. The broad arrows indicate the schematic flow of energy in proportion to their amounts.
Using this figure and examples from this week's reading, discuss how one of these factors contributes to the balance within the climate system. How does this factor interact with other components? What questions do you have about this diagram or the way the system works?

I think I am participating enough to meet the standard. :-)

More tomorrow...

Klimatické změny

A few weeks ago, I got an email from the UW about a grant being available for teachers to take an online course in Climate Change. At first I dismissed it, and closed the email and went on reading other emails.
The next day I went back and read the email, and somehow I decided that I should take the course. So I registered online with my credit card, and faxed a singed W9 for for my stipend when I complete the course. Of course, I have to receive a grade of meets or exceeds course expectations to earn the stipend.

Seminars in Science

 I have two reasons for taking this course:

1) To exercise my brain
2) To qualify me to teach another UW in the of  High School course, Atmospheric Sciences 211.

I haven't done any science training since I went to the Weizmann Institute in Israel in
2008. While this course won't require any travel, I will get to do that anyway at the end of June. Prague here I come!

I actually have another reason for taking this course. I have never taken a course online. This method of learning seems to be en vogue, so I thought I should try it. I bought a copy of the required text in almost new condition on half.com. Of course the text is written by one of the instructors.

http://cup.columbia.edu/book/climate-change/9780231146425







Another reason I want to take this course is to be informed well enough that I can teach others about climate change, and why it is real.