Environmental Disaster Education: Incorporation Into the University Curriculum

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Table of Contents

Information about the article
Summary of the article
Introduction
Background information
Aim of the course (part 3 of the article)
Description of the course
Evaluation
Conclusion
Reference

Information about the article

Generally, this paper is about the effects of environmental disaster especially to mankind. The aim of writing the article is to emphasize the need for incorporating environmental disaster into university curriculum. Most universities seem to lack courses that are related to environmental calamities. It would be very essential if universities recognize and realize the need to incorporate environmental disasters into their curriculum. Writing this paper is intended to reach several readers like students, lectures, professors and the general public. If these people read this article, they would be more sensitized with environmental disasters that are deadly.

Other than this, it would lead to more discussion on how environmental issues can be included into the curriculum. Writing this text is also to represent the perspective of a student who is concerned with the effects of environmental calamities. What has not been written is the role of governments in managing such tragedies within a country. The government ought to take responsibilities of dealing with similar tragedies before they affect citizens.

Summary of the article

Categorically, chemical and nuclear accidents have greatly affected millions of people in the past years. Examples of cal amities that have pretentiously affected people include the Chernobyl and Bhopal disasters. By doing this, it would be easier to solve future environmental disaster that usually occurs instantly. This is because students would be able to have intensive research and come up with measures that address calamities. Due to complexity of environmental disaster, it is more appropriate for students to integrate in their various courses. As a way of including calamities into the curriculum, Alabama University is currently working on an environmental project.

Introduction

For several years, environmental disasters continue to cause threat to nature and mankind in particular. Considerably there is a wide range of environmental disasters that require immediate attention from respective professionals (Becker, 2000, Para, 1). Chemicals and nuclear catastrophes are major factors that contribute to environmental disasters. Dealing with chemical and nuclear accidents is generally characterized by too much complexity.

Drastic measures must therefore be applied in order to suppress or eradicate these factors that affect the environment (Becker, 2000, Para, 1). Without radical actions, adverse effects may impound on the environment leading to more health complications to human beings.

Tackling nuclear accidents and chemicals require a lot of preparation, prevention and effective response. It also calls for diverse knowledge in order to manage the intricate nature of nuclear accidents and chemicals. Unfortunately, such incorporation is not given much consideration at the university level. This has led to limited opportunities for upcoming professionals who major in collective models of environmental accidents (Becker, 2000, Para, 1). As a way of promoting integration, the University of Alabama, USA, has initiated an environmental project.

In line with enrollment and curriculum, the project aims at bringing different disciplines together. The objective of this paper is to address and summarize the article of environmental disaster in respect to chemical and nuclear accidents. In order to achieve this, the paper will address the topic, background of environmental disaster, aim of the course, description of the course and its evaluation.

Background information

Substantially, environmental disasters are typically caused by either natural calamities or human activities. Moreover, there are very many kinds of environmental disasters which may be caused by flooding, eruptions, soil erosions, industrial chemicals and technological effects. Naturally, disasters occur without any notification. Depending on the type of disaster, it is always important to approach the problem with immediate effect. Solving a particular crisis may however be very difficult if correct measures are not applied (Becker, 2000, Para, 2). Because of this reason, there is the need for universities to incorporate courses on environmental accidents in the curriculum.

In so doing, the universities should stress on integration of diverse professions and disciplines. This will enable the institutions of higher learning to examine and utilize the experiences of these scholars, who will bring various ideas regarding the study of environmental dangers. Over the years, chemicals and nuclear accidents have greatly caused environmental dangers to mankind. Apparently, efforts to solve chemical and nuclear accidents have always proved to be difficult. This is due to the intricate nature of chemical and nuclear accidents which require a more profound approach. To achieve this, it is necessary for various professions and disciplines to work together.

Another environmental disaster was the 1986 Chernobyl crisis which also led to the death of very many people. Chernobyl was a massive nuclear accident that also led to cancerous diseases such as thyroid cancer to children (Becker, 2000, Para, 4). As a result of the Chernobyl disaster, many families were affected either directly or indirectly. After the disaster, some people were forced to vacate the regions which had been affected. Clearly, the Chernobyl and Bhopal disasters are indications why environmental crisis must be dealt with at university level. Mercilessly, millions of people killed while several other people were seriously injured.

Probably, the victims of Chernobyl and Bhopal would have escaped the tragedies if there were prior measures to manage environmental disaster. Unfortunately, nothing could be done to save people from dying. It is for this reason why environmental disasters must be emphasized at university level. At least this way, integration of different discipline can help control the effects of environmental disaster (Becker, 2000, Para, 4).

Including environmental disaster course in the university curriculum is also important because it provides more knowledge to legislative issues. In this case, there are some specific laws which must be used when a chemical or nuclear accident occur. Interpreting the laws may require specialist who have more knowledge on environmental disaster. Integrating law with other disciplines at the university would be effective as it would give student more understanding of disaster management. Dealing with some nuclear accidents can also be difficult without the help of particular institutions, agencies and legislative issues (Becker, 2000, Para, 4).

Disaster agencies are normally involved in sorting out a particular chemical or nuclear accident. Thus, such agencies are very essential because they have more knowledge and experience of dealing with disasters.

Aim of the course (part 3 of the article)

The course objective is to give students a clear insight of roles performed by various disciplines. As such, the students are able to comprehend the importance of integrating different professions together. The course also aims at exposing students to many challenges from various disciplines. Other than this, the course aims at bringing students together and regardless of their ethnic backgrounds. This makes them more familiar with each others language as they interact. Having known many languages, the students would communicate much better with one another (Becker, 2000, Para, 5).

Description of the course

Generally, the enrollment of environmental disaster is based on interdisciplinary. The course therefore approaches environmental crisis in a dynamic and intricate manner. According to the course, the students are supposed to analyze the character and level of environmental disasters. In this case, the students examine environmental disasters from a worldwide perspective. Part f the course involves training students about Red Cross emergency services. With this, the students acquire the necessary skills of managing environmental disasters. The course also deals with the effects of chemical and nuclear releases to communities (Becker, 2000, Para, 6).

Apart from this, the course is committed to electrical and print information which is normally introduced to students. Finally, the course targets issues that are related with management of environmental accidents.

Evaluation

With the establishment of the team projects, participants are supposed to work together. This is not only meant to bring companionship in a team, but it is also a chance for the team members to motivate one another. In every team, there are quite a number of members who represent a variety of disciplines and professions. Therefore, this ensures that the project benefits from a wealth of experience from the team members. Through the project, participants can apply what they gained from the project (Becker, 2000, Para, 7).

Apparently, the project has only three ways in which it can be evaluated. The first way of evaluation is by checking if it has succeeded in attaining connections within the university level. Secondly, the project can be evaluated by getting opinions from students who are given a chance provide their own ratings. Lastly, the project can be assessed through questionnaire which is usually given to participant at the end of the course (Becker, 2000, Para, 7).

Conclusion

Due to increased cases of environmental accidents, it was a brilliant idea for Alabama University to incorporate the course into its curriculum. By integrating various disciplines together, the university will be able to manage environmental disasters. The students would stand better chance of getting more knowledge and skills when they integrate with one another (Becker, 2000, Para, 8). Ideally, it would be effective to manage chemical and nuclear accidents at grass root levels.

In this case, disaster management should be taught to students who are pursuing their university education. Extensive knowledge is essential when approaching the problem of chemical and nuclear accidents. Students from diverse fields like chemist, nurses and physicists can always integrate to solve a particular disaster. In this respect, the University of Alabama is steadily incorporating environmental disaster within the school curriculum (Becker, 2000, Para, 3).

As such, the school has initiated a project that deals with environmental disaster. The project is based on curriculum and enrollment as it cuts across different disciplines. Other than this, the project involves students who work together to study a wide range of environmental issues. Part of their work includes examination of scientific problems, dealing with environmental accidents and examining psychological issues.

The students also use a collective disciplinary group which deals with policy issues. Thus, the students have formed a team based on collective discipline approach. Apart from the students, environmental disaster is also gaining support from communities and organizations such as emergency management. Basically, there is great need for universities to incorporate environmental disaster into the curriculum.

Reference

Becker, S., 2000. Environmental disaster education at the university level: An integrative approach. Safety Science, 35 (1), pp. 95-104.

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