InTeGrate Modules and Courses >Regulating Carbon Emissions > Assessment
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These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The materials are free and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
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Initial Publication Date: May 30, 2017

Assessment of Module Goals

Summative Assessment

As a culminating assignment, students will demonstrate their integrated understanding of the scientific, economic, and legal aspects of the climate change challenge by writing an Op-Ed piece emphasizing the importance of regulating carbon emissions. This assignment uses a Role, Audience, Format and Topic (RAFT) approach to encourage students to critically interpret and analyze the interests of diverse audiences embedded in a social network and write to a target audience with the intention of persuading them to adopt a specific position. Students will be assigned a Role, such as scientist, economist, political advisor, industry lobbyist, coal mining community leader, and international humantarian aid worker, and asked to write an Op-Ed for a target newspaper (Format) to persuade political leaders and/or the public (Audience) to support federal policy action on the grand challenge of climate change (Topic).

Op-Ed Writing Assignment (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 90kB Nov8 16) which includes a grading rubric and is available on the Student Materials page. For instructors only, here are some Potential Roles, Audiences, and Formats (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 112kB Sep1 16) that students can be assigned. The Summative Assessment is introduced in Unit 7.

Unit Assessments

The module is made up of 7 units, each with 1-3 Learning Goals. Some of the Unit Learning Goals are assessed by the Summative Assessment described above. Others are assessed with in-class activities and the major mid-module webDICE homework assignment (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 327kB Oct23 16) given in Unit 3. Assessments relevant to each individual unit are given below.

Unit 1: The Learning Goals for this unit are informally assessed with the in-class

and formally assessed with the summative assessment, Op-Ed writing assignment (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 90kB Nov8 16), described above.

Unit 2: The Learning Goal for this unit is assessed with the in-class feedbacks activity (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 103kB Nov7 16) and its [file 104774 grading rubric'] and example

. It is also assessed in the webDICE Assignment (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 327kB Oct23 16) that is introduced in the Unit 3.

Unit 3: The Learning Goals for this unit are assessed with the webDICE Assignment (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 327kB Oct23 16) and its

.

Unit 4: The first Learning Goal for this unit can be assessed by collecting the social cost of carbon T-chart activity in Part 1 (see Unit 4 Lecture Notes (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 151kB May12 17)). The second Learning Goal is assessed with Op-Ed writing assignment (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 90kB Nov8 16) described above.

Unit 5: Learning Goal 1 is assessed informally through the SWOT activity in Part 1 (see Unit 5 Lecture Notes (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 148kB May13 17)) and formally with Op-Ed writing assignment (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 90kB Nov8 16) described above. Learning Goals 2 & 3 are assessed with the CBA Assignment (Acrobat (PDF) 128kB May13 17).

Unit 6: Learning Goal is assessed informally through game play and discussion and formally with the Op-Ed writing assignment (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 90kB Nov8 16) described above.

Unit 7: Learning goals for this final review and synthesis unit are assessed with the the summative assessment, Op-Ed writing assignment (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 90kB Nov8 16), described above.


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These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
Explore the Collection »