Course credit
2 credit hours
Course description
Emphasis on relationships and interactions of physical, biological, technological and cultural components of environment. Study of selected interdisciplinary problems. Elaborates on student's previous university experience and develops environmental literacy.
Delivery
This course is available in a web-based format, utilizing web pages and WebCT, a computer conferencing program. WebCT requires Internet access and a web browser — no additional software is required. Students may need access to someone who can assist with computer set-up.
This course is available in a print-based format. Mail completed assignments to the GIS Office. We will forward them to the instructor for grading.
Prerequisites
This distance learning course is limited to students admitted to the Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) degree program.
Instructor
Rećayi Pecen, Associate Professor & Coordinator, Electrical & Information Engineering Technology
I am a faculty member teaching a number of classes both in Electrical and Information Engineering Technology and Environmental programs in the College of Natural Sciences at UNI. As an engineer and environmentalist activist, I strongly believe that we must preserve our natural resources and leave those valuable bounties to our future generations as we find them.
I am originally from Istanbul, Turkey “spelled as T ü rkiye in Turkish alphabet.” I attended Istanbul Technical University, and received my BS degree in Electrical Power Engineering in 1986. I continued to graduate school while working as a teaching and research assistant at Istanbul Technical University. I received my MS degree in Control and Computer Engineering in 1990. In 1991, I was awarded a scholarship for graduate studies in the USA, and traveled to my new home in Boulder, Colorado, for a masters in Electrical Engineering. I received my MS in Electrical Engineering in December 1993 and moved to Laramie, Wyoming, for doctoral studies in Electrical Engineering. During my 3 ½ year stay at the University of Wyoming, I worked as a teaching and research assistant. I received my Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering in 1997. Then, I worked one year as an assistant professor at South Dakota State University, in the Electrical Engineering Department. I moved to Cedar Falls, Iowa, in July 1998, and began working as an assistant professor in the Industrial Technology Department, College of Natural Sciences at the University of Northern Iowa.
I love teaching and doing research with my undergraduate and graduate students in the area of clean energy technologies. Some of my senior design projects and research grants with undergraduate and graduate students include: solar electric boat development for clean energy technologies in Iowa lakes and rivers, solar/wind hybrid power generation for remote farms, hydrogen fuel cell applications, solar powered outdoor digital display, and design and installation of a hydro and wind power station in Hickory Hills Park in La Porte City, Iowa. I have been taking my solar boat team members to Buffalo, NY since 2001 for the annual international solar boat championship. My other research area includes: Electrical Power Systems and Control, Power Electronics, Power Quality and Renewable Energy (Wind/Solar/Fuel-Cell) Applications in grid connected power systems, State Estimation, Transient Stability Analysis, AC/DC Power System Interactions, Applications of Signals, and Neural Networks in Power Systems. My wife, Oznur, and I have two boys. Furkan (10 year old) was born in Boulder, Colorado, and Fatih (7 year old) was born in Laramie, Wyoming.
Evaluation
9 assignments, 1 project, 1 exam
Organization
Since this is a guided independent study, your organized schedule covering assignments — read and study articles, lecture notes, answer questions, and prepare short essays — will be very important for you to complete the class successfully on time. You may include your experiences, ideas, theories, and facts relevant to the topic when you answer questions in the assignments and write essays.
Course Objectives
Written Assignments
The course is divided into 10 written assignments in the following structure:
You are welcome to call and talk to instructor if you need.
You must successfully complete all assignments, one project, and one final exam to pass the class.
When you answer questions and write short essays, you may reference and consult with assigned readings, personal experience, observations, and factual information about environment, technology, and society in general.
Action, as well as knowledge is necessary to accomplish a goal. Therefore you will complete an ETS class project to be submitted at the end of the class before taking final exam. Professionalism, style, accuracy, evidence of preparation, outcomes, and recommendations will be important for the projects.
Nine of the assignments require both a short essay and a questionnaire based on ideas covered in the assignment article. Each will be graded on the quality of thinking reflected by the paper and how well that thinking is communicated in standard written English.
ETS Project
Please see Assignment 10 for format and other details for the ETS project.
Final Exam
You will be given a Final Exam consisting of objective and subjective questions in multiple choices, in true/false format, brief answers, and short essay format. The Final Exam is comprehensive covering all the assignments. All assignments must be completed and received by instructor before the exam may be taken. The Final Exam must be taken under the direct supervision of an approved proctor.
Grading
Point System
The course grade will be based on the following requirements.
Final Exam 100 pts
ETS “Capstone” Project 75 pts
Written Assignments (Essays and Written Questions, Subjective in nature) 225 pts
Total 400 pts
Grading Scale:
Total percent earned in the class will be converted into a letter grade on the following scale:
93 - 100 % = A
90 - 92 % = A-
87 - 89% = B+
83 - 86 % = B
80 - 82 % =B-
77 - 79 % = C+
73 - 76 % = C
70 - 72 % = C-
67 - 69 % = D+
63 - 66 % = D
60 - 62 % = D-
< 60% = F
Textbook
Required Textbook
Annual Editions - Environment 04/05 by Allen, J.L (23rd Edition), Univ. of Wyoming, 2004, Dushkin/McGraw-Hill Publishing, ISBN: 0-07-286147-9
Optional Reference
Environment by Linda R. Berg, George B. Johnson, P. Raven, Linda Berg and Elizabeth Reeder, Apr 2003, Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated, ISBN 0471444529.
To enroll
ONLINE
GIS enrollment information
IN PERSON
UNI Continuing Education
2637 Hudson Road (corner of 27th St. and Hudson Rd.)
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0223
Campus map (Look for Building 31)
For more information
Cindy Klodt, Guided Independent Study
UNI Continuing Education
319-273-2123 or 800-772-1746
ContinuingEd@uni.edu