Environmental Health

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Overview

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Overview

Getting Around the Web Site to Learn What is Expected

 

Plagiarism Warning

 

Required Texts:  

Maxwell, Nancy Irwin (2014) Understanding Environmental Health: How We Live in the World. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning (Web Resources), Ebook Purchase Site with Coursesmart.

Course Description:

This course complies with the Quality Matters standards now applicable in higher education and is designed to provide students with an introduction to and overview of the key areas of environmental health. The principal text, Understanding Environmental Health by Nancy Irwin Maxwell, takes a unique approach to presenting environmental health to students. Rather than being organized around the traditional regulatory fields (air pollution, hazardous wastes, etc.), this book is structured around the things we do as individuals and societies that result in environmental health hazards. The author details the hazards of energy production, industry, food production, and the modern lifestyle, while exploring our place within the global community. Thereafter students have an opportunity to reflect upon the practical implications of some of the theoretical material presented in the Maxwell text by considering several case studies.

Using this perspective, the course will cover factors associated with the development of environmental health problems. Students will gain an understanding of the interaction of individuals and communities with the environment, the potential impact on health of environmental agents, and specific applications of concepts of environmental health. The course will consist of a series of lectures and will cover principles derived from core environmental health disciplines. The sequence of major topics begins with background material and “tools of the trade” (environmental epidemiology, environmental toxicology, and environmental policy and regulation). The course then covers specific agents of environmental diseases (e.g., microbial agents, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation). Finally, applications and domains of environmental health are addressed (e.g., water and air quality, food safety, waste disposal, and occupational health).

Students will be expected to become familiar with a broad range of environmental health issues to include:

  • Environmental Toxicology

  • Epidemiology & Risk Assessment

  • Workplace Safety

  • Air, Water, & Soil Pollution

  • Solid and Liquid Waste

  • Drinking Water

  • Health Concerns Related to Rodents & Insects

  • Radiation, Energy & Health

  • Environmental Law

  • Disaster Preparedness,

  • Pollution Monitoring & Safety Standards.

 

Getting Started:

  1. How to get started and where to find various course components:

    Students gain access to this course by logging on to the Canvas system at FGCU and cliking on the "syllabus" link which gives them a course overvie and links them to the course's external web pages. This course website consists of a "Home" page that provides information on course ID, how to connect with the instructor and the course schedule. The course schedule contains "links" to the various web pages for each course session. These links are activated by clicking on the course number for each session from the schedule section of the "Home" page. These "Session Pages" contain information regarding what the reading and viewing assignments are for the homework, links to additional readings where included and a list of homework questions to be completed by the end of the class session which typically ends at 5 p.m. every Sunday evening. Student's also have access to a course "Overview" page where the course texts are presented, the course description, goals and objectives, competencies, methods, techonologies, assessment and student support resources. Finally, the course incorporates a "Links" page that takes the student to additional resource that may also be of use to students throughout the course.

  2. Purpose and structure of the course:

    This course is designed to provide students with an introduction to and overview of the key areas of environmental health. The principal text, Understanding Environmental Health by Nancy Irwin Maxwell, takes a unique approach to presenting environmental health to students. Rather than being organized around the traditional regulatory fields (air pollution, hazardous wastes, etc.), this book is structured around the things we do as individuals and societies that result in environmental health hazards. The author details the hazards of energy production, industry, food production, and the modern lifestyle, while exploring our place within the global community. Thereafter students have an opportunity to reflect upon the practical implications of some of the theoretical material presented in the Maxwell text by considering several case studies. Using this perspective, the course will cover factors associated with the development of environmental health problems. Students will gain an understanding of the interaction of individuals and communities with the environment, the potential impact on health of environmental agents, and specific applications of concepts of environmental health. The course will consist of a series of lectures and will cover principles derived from core environmental health disciplines. The sequence of major topics begins with background material and “tools of the trade” (environmental epidemiology, environmental toxicology, and environmental policy and regulation). The course then covers specific agents of environmental diseases (e.g., microbial agents, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation). Finally, applications and domains of environmental health are addressed (e.g., water and air quality, food safety, waste disposal, and occupational health).

  3. Communication Expectations:

    Course communications revolve around use of Canvas email for the purpose of sending homework and receiving feedback and student-specific instructions. The instructor is available virtually 24/7 by telephone (239.405.4164) as well as by scheuled telephone consultations. The course also employs Skype and Facetime for face-to-face interanctions between the instructor and the students. Commuication for all participants is expected to be unfailing civil. Because the instructor lives at a distance from campus problems and issue need to be resolved initially by phone and online. If these fail the instructor will come to campus to meet with students.

  4. Course Policies:
    1. Regularly Attend and Participate in Class Via Posting Homework.

    Class attendance is very important in this course. Class participation centers around participation in completing and posting homework and at Canvas Email. Homework completion counts as 50% for 10 week students during Summer C. Homework completion also reflects upon the class participation grade. Students must receive permission from the instructor to miss a class. Missing (i.e. nonparticipation or inadequate participation in class activities) for 3 classes or more without instructor permission will result in students failing the class.

    Homework submitted later than 5:00 p.m. on the final date of each class session will will be considered late homework and will not be credited toward class attendance and participation. Students not turning in any homework over the first three weeks of the class session will be considered as having failed the course for failing to come to class. Distance learning course are considered to operate over a seven day week period.

    1. Successfully Complete the Comprehensive Examination

    The Comprehensive Exam will be mailed out to students via canvas email during week 9 of the class and will be due by the end of session 10. A return date will be included in the email with the exam. the exam accounts for 50% of the course grade. Exams turned in after the final due date will not be graded and the student will recieve a grade of 0% for that assignment.

  5. Technological Requirements:

Students will need access to a notebook, laptop or desk computer with internet access equipped with Word or a comparable software application.

  1. Computer Skills and Digital Literacy

Students will need only basic computer skills, experience with Word or a comparable text software.

  1. Prerequisite Skills and Knowledge

Students will need some basic knowledge of science and and the capacity to critically read and analyze scientific data and reflect upon what they read and learn on essay style questions posed weekly. Students will also need to know how to cite and reference all of their answers in APA format.

  1. Meet Your Instructor

Edward T. "Terry" Wimberley has worked as a professor, policy analyst, social worker, gerontologist and clergyman throughout his career. Terry holds a B.A. in psychology from Stetson University, a M.Div. from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, an M.S.W. from the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Social Work and a Ph.D. in Public Affairs from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh. He has worked as a mental health and social service adminsitrator in Arizona and Texas where he admdinistered mental health centers for Samaritan Health Service in Mesa, Chandler and Apache Junction, Arizona. Thereafter, he administered the Department of Social Work at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston for 8 years.

Terry has also served as a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow (1989-90) and worked on Capitol Hill in Washington in both the House and the Senate working on a variety of policy issues. He has also worked as a psychotherapist and social worker for 10 years at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Medicine, served 8 years on the faculty of Preventive Medicine and Community Health at the University of Texas Medical Branch, 5 years as Director of the Gerontology Center and Chair of Mental Health and Human Services at Georgia State University in Atlanata and 24 years on the faculty of public affairs, social work and ecological studies (serially) at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Florida where he aslo served as the founding Dean of the Colleges of Education and Public and Social Services as well as being the first faculty person hired at the university. His complete academic resume can be found herein.

Dr. Wimberley is the author of 4 books and more than 40 professional journal articles. Beyond his academic work, Terry has served as pastor of two rural churches in Pennsylvania (Pine Creek Presbyterian Church and Hanover Presbyterian Church), served as assistant minister at Bower Hill Community Church in Pittsburgh and Riverside Church in New York, and has served for 19 years as Chaplain at Moorings Park (a retirement community) in Naples, Florida. He is pleased to continue functioning in this capacity at Moorings Park.

  1. Introducing Yourself to Your Classmates and Your Instructor

At the outset of this class you will receive a "Welcome" email from your instructor. This email will go to all students in the class. You can introduce yourself to your instructor by responding to that email and briefly telling him about what your major is, your interests and what you would like to get out of the class. On the course syllabus page in Canvas you will also find a disucssion board entitled "Meet and Greet" where you can also introduce yourself to other students in the class.

Learning Objectives & Competencies

1. Learning Objectives:

As demonstrated in your written resposnse to exam and homework questions you will demonstrate the ability to:

  1. Discuss the history and definition of environmental health.

  2. Discuss the association between population growth and dissemination of environmental pollutants.

  3. Describe methods used in epidemiology and toxicology to assess environmental exposures and hazards.

  4. Identify chemical, physical, and microbial agents that originate in the environment and can impact human health.

  5. Describe specific applications of environmental health concepts to fields such as water quality control, food safety, and occupational health.

  6. Utilize the APA documentation method to reflect where they draw the material they use in their written assignments.

2. Competency Outcomes:

Upon the completion of this class you will have demonstrated competencies in the following areas:

  1. Familiarity with Environmental Health Concepts and Terms: You will demonstrate in your written work the ability to apply environmental health concepts to environmental health issues and cases.

  2. Familiarity with Epidemiological Concepts: You will demonstrate in your written work the ability to apply basic epidemological concepts to contemporary and environmental health problems and issues.

  3. APA Compentency: You will demonstrate in your written work the capacity to document what you have learned from your readings and research in APA format and style suitable for publication.

  4. Written Communication Skills: You will learn how to thoroughly research and communicate the content of environmental health research and effectively communicate that content in written form.

  5. Case Study Analysis: You will learn how to critically read case studies to determine what the essential problems, processes and outcomes involve and to analyze those cases on the basis of contemporary environmental health and epidemiological concepts.

Course Assessment

  1. Assessment Outcomes & Objectives

 

  • Attend and participate in class on a regular basis through weekly posting of homework on Canvas Email as Word attachments. Attendance is measured by the frequency of homework submission on a weekly basis.

    Class attendance is very important in this course. Class participation centers around participation in completing and posting homework and at Canvas Email. Homework completion counts as 50% for 10 week students during Summer C. Homework completion also reflects upon the class participation grade. Students must receive permission from the instructor to miss a class. Missing (i.e. nonparticipation or inadequate participation in class activities) for 3 classes or more without instructor permission will result in students being withdrawn from the class.

    Homework submitted later than 5:00 p.m. on the final date of each class session will will be considered late homework and will not be credited toward class attendance and participation. Students not turning in any homework over the first three weeks of the class session will be considered as having failed the course for failing to come to class. Distance learning course are considered to operate over a seven day week period.

     

  • Successfully complete the comprehensive examination during the class session set aside for that purpose. Completion of course homework weekly exposes students to the entire content covered in the multiple choice exam thereby serving as a weekly preparation for the comprehensive exam.

    The exam - accounting for 50% of your grade during 10 week Summer C sessions - will be administered via Canvas Email.

  1. Grading Policy & Scale
Competency Exam  50%
Homework questions (Reflecting Attendance & Participation) 50%

 

97-100%

A+

94-96%

A

90-93%

A-

87-89%

B+

84-86%

B

80-83%

B-

77-79%

C+

74-76%

C

70-73%

C-

67-69%

D+

64-66%

D

60-63%

D-

59% and Below

F
  1. Keeping Up with Your Progress in the Course

Course progress can be readily monitored by averaging your weekly homework score as you approach the comprehensive exam at the end of the semester. Students participating in class sessions will, on a weekly basis, prepare their homework assignments and post their responses to Canvas Email. All posted attachments must be in Word format. In every case your homework must include your name, date, assignment Identifiation as well as the questions followed immediately by your answer. Homework written into the memo field of Canvas Email will not be graded. Likewise any homework turned in any format other than Word format or turned into any other email address will not be graded. The one exception is that homework turned in as "rich text format" (.rtf) will be accepted. Work turned in as pdf format will not be graded. Work turned in late will not be graded. Students missing three consecutive class will be failed. All students are required to prepare written responses to the study questions assigned weekly, and are responsible for being prepared to answer and explain all questions. Make sure that in naming your Word file for the homework you are posting that you use short titles and only use letters and numbers in the title. Never use the # sign in the name of a file you are postings, since the software for the lesson board can't open any file with such a symbol in it.

  1. Weekly Time Requirements:

Typically, students should expect to spend between 6 and 9 hours of course effort weekly. Some week's assignments may entail less time investment, while other class periods may entail more effort.

Instructional Materials Employed

1. Learning Material's and Instructional Application:

Learning materials for this course are principally digital to include digital and paper texts, extensive use of case studies available as pdf files and links to films that exemplify and discuss environmental health issues. The intent is to use video to reinforce concepts introduced in textual material online and in paper.

2. The Employment of APA Documentation

The instructor does not tolerate plagiarism evene when it is committed out of ignorance. Typically plagiarism is the product of not knowing how to cite and reference in APA format. Consequently, the instructor strongly encourages every student to take the time to complete the APA tutorial by the American Psychological Association. One of the objectives of this class is that you learn how to use the APA documentation style. You can learn everything you need to know about how to use this method by studying the material at the following sites. Please understand that any of your discussion questions or other assignments that are lacking in complete APA styled documentation will be returned to you and will not be graded until they are in order.

3. Academic Integrity & Plagiarism

According to the Merriam Webster Online Dictionary to plagiarize means to " steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own; use (another's production) without crediting the source; to commit literary theft; present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source (Merriam-Webster, 2004). Plagiarism is not tolerated in any class taught at Florida Gulf Coast University. Plagiarism will result in a failing grade for the course at the point where the plagiarism occurs. Plagiarism is easier than ever in today's internet environment. Although widely practiced, it continues to be considered academically dishonest. This web site, and the links found herein are designed to assist the student in avoiding plagiarism. All students are encouraged to review this site completely and to learn how to effectively use APA citations and references in all of their written work.

Remember, if you are caught plagiarizing an assignment, there is no acceptable excuse. All college students are expected to know how to cite and reference research material. Poor writing skills and ignorance are insufficient excuses for plagiarizing - which is cheating. Please don't use someone else's words as your own! You have been warned. 

If you are using your own work from another class, it will not be accepted. All material submitted for this course must be new, original work written by you.

Learning Activities

1. Learning Activities:

Learning activities in this course principally involve learning how to critically read scientific, applied scientific and social science literature to understand concepts and factual infomration and to be able to write about those topics in your own words in weekly homework assignments and on the comprehensive exam. Students will also learn how to analyze environmental health case studies and apply theoretical concepts involved in environmental health to real-life environmental health issues.

2. Learning Activity Plan and Rationale:

The rationale for this class is to teach environmental health concepts and vocabulary for the first seven weeks of the class and thereafter provide interesting environmental health case studies where students will have the opportunity to apply these concepts and terms within the context of contemporary environmental health issues.

Course Technology

1. Tools Employed:

  1. APA Style Guides and Tutorials.
    2.

2. Case Study Analysis Rubrics:

Students will learn how to use a Case Study Rubric to evaluate a series of environmental health case studies.

3. Technological Objectives:

Students will learn how to research environmental health issues using online and digital tools as well as learn how to communicate their findings to the instructor and to others.

Learner Support

1. Technical support through Canvas

If you have any difficulty whatsoever in using Canvas, particularly in regard to submitting your homework as an attachment using Canvas email, please contact the Canvas Help Desk staff at:

Canvas Support

Phone: (239) 590-7100
E-mail: itsprt@fgcu.edu

Available Hours for Support

Mon-Thur:

8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Friday:

8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Saturday:

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Sunday:

Closed

2. Writing Support Via the Writing Center

The Writing Center offers free one-on-one sessions with trained writing consultants from a variety of backgrounds. We provide writing strategies and feedback at every stage of the writing process for all types of writing in all disciplines. We also offer handouts and workshops for FGCU students and faculty that are geared toward helping individuals develop effective long-term writing strategies.

Please note: The Writing Center is open on days classes are in session. Final walk-in sessions begin thirty minutes before closing.  If you arrive thirty minutes before closing and all Writing Consultants are assisting students, you will need to return the next day. The hours of operation for the Writing Center are Monday - Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Walk-ins and appointments are also available The Center is located at Library West 202, (239) 590-7141

3. Counseling support via The Community Counseling Center:

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is the main source of mental health support and psycho-therapeutic services on campus

Our center is fully accredited and most of our services are covered for students who are enrolled in the current semester and/or who have already paid health fees for the current academic term.  Unfortunately, we cannot provide services for students who are not enrolled in the current semester, alumni, faculty or staff.  The one exception is for students who are taking one semester off between two enrolled semesters.  In that case, the student can pay a Health Bridge fee ($54) to bridge the gap in services between two enrolled semesters. A Health Bridge is required for students to be seen for one semester following the last semester in which they were enrolled (for example, during the summer following a spring semester in which they were enrolled). The fee can be paid at Student Health or visit the CAPS office to pick up the appropriate forms for payment at the registrar's office.

Visit CAPS any weekday between 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on the second floor of Howard Hall, and be sure to bring your student ID card. To schedule an appointment or reach out for help call CAPS help line: 239-745-EARS (3277)

4. Student Learning Accommodations:

Adaptive Services provides accommodations and services for students registered with our office. The following list is not inclusive and other accommodations and services may be provided according to individual need.

  • Note takers
  • Tutoring
  • Extended time on tests (Standard: Time and ½)
  • Minimal distraction testing environment
  • Readers/Scribes for tests
  • Books in alternate format
  • Adaptive technologies i.e. Dragon, JAWS, Kurzweil, Zoomtext
  • Recording of lectures
  • Instruction in study strategies
  • Sign Language Interpreters

The assigned case manager determines what accommodations an individual will receive based on documentation provided and conversations with the individual. Other accommodations may be considered based on the individual's past experiences and the benefits from such an accommodation.

It is the individual's responsibility to notify their case manager if there are any problems with the services, such as mechanical problems, being serviced in the classroom, etc. It is the case manager's responsibility to make sure that the accommodation is secure, or available, at the appropriate times.

It is not the responsibility of the case manager, or Adaptive Services, to make sure that the individual is using their accommodations. The accommodations that are offered are not the "magic trick" to success. They are available in order to supplement the individual's strengths and aid in combating the individual's weaknesses. Adaptive Services is not responsible for academic failure when the individual does not take advantage of the services that are offered.

Reasonable Accommodation

A reasonable accommodation is an accommodation that does not pose a burden or threat, either financially or physically, to the institution or the parties involved. In addition, it is an accommodation that will not alter the fundamental nature and/or requirements of the program or institution. The case manager will determine what accommodations and services will be deemed as "unreasonable".

Course Substitution

Course substitutions for mathematics or foreign language course requirements are available as a reasonable accommodation. Students who are registered with Adaptive Services and who have a documented disability supporting a course substitution accommodation are eligible to petition the course substitution committee. Students who are granted a substitution may choose from an approved list of courses to fulfill the required general education mathematics or foreign language requirements.

You can find Adaptive Services at:

The Wellness Building
Phone: 239-590-7956
Fax: 239-590-7975
Email:adaptive@fgcu.edu

 

 
Note: Course assignments and schedule, course objectives, and grading weights and criteria may change as circumstances dictate and at the discretion of the instructor.