Archive:England

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2025 Note: Most of the original content from these pages is from 2011. It is being condensed here for record keeping.

2011 Earlham College England Program

This is the wiki for the program. Program related materials and the bulk of the Earlham course materials (Science, Technology and Society) are located here. Other on-line resources for the program are:

Who we are: Eva Marengo Sanchez, Sandra Ngeseyan, Ben Smith, Krystnell Storr, Spencer Smith, Emily Van Cise, Johanna Wilcox, Ivan Babic, Gillian Bateyunga, Lily Cutler, Bill Greene, McKayla Heller, Vivian Bateyunga, Andrew Fitz Gibbon (program assistant), Charlie Peck (program leader)

London Resources

Calendar

Excursions

January

February

March

April

Science, Technology and Society

Class

Labs

Other

Mashups

Science, Technology and Society - Syllabus

  • CS-282, England Program, Spring 2011
  • Charlie Peck, charliep at cs dot earlham dot edu
  • Andrew Fitz Gibbon (teaching assistant), fitz at cs dot earlham dot edu

Overview

There is a long history of advances in science and technology shaping the development of human societies. The pace of change driven by technological and scientific advances continues to increase, to the point where those advances are now the defining feature of modern life. This course will examine some of the major milestones of science and discovery and their effects on human societies.

We'll consider the principle discoveries and developments in a wide range of natural science and allied disciplines over the past 300 years or so. As part of this we'll examine the changes those developments and discoveries engendered in society. With this historical context we'll then consider what scientific and technological developments the (relatively near) future may bring and what their effects on human society might be. We'll also look at how society drives science and scientific discovery through Citizen Science projects.

England was the location of many of the important scientific advances we'll examine, London is also one of the places with a concentration of people that think and write about the future of science, technology and society.

The bulk of the work for this course will be reading, discussion, labs, and writing assignments. There will be some lectures but not large quantities of them. This is a four credit course, we'll meet twice a week for 2 hours each plus about four field trips. Some of the other trips we'll take during the program will include small components of material related to this class as well. Science and technology are all around us, we'll leverage that during this class.

This course fulfills the non--lab Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning general education requirements.

Materials

There are two texts for this course:

  • Robert Hazen and James Trefil, Science Matters , Anchor; Reprint edition (June 2, 2009), ISBN-13: 978-0307454584
  • Rudi Volti, Society and Technological Change , Worth Publishers; Sixth Edition edition (March 6, 2009), ISBN-13: 978-1429221214

I expect that you will have acquired these books before arriving in London in January. Both are readily available from e.g. Amazon. Be sure you have the correct editions of both texts.

We'll also read articles or chapters written by some of the following people:

  • Alvin Toffler
  • Richard Dawkins
  • Rachel Carson
  • Bill Bryson
  • Malcolm Gladwell
  • Ray Kurzweil
  • Howard Rheingold

I will provide you with copies of these at the appropriate times.

Field Trips

As part of this course we'll visit a number of places related to the history of science and technology in England. Darwin's home, the site of the first mashup, and the Royal Observatory in Greenwich among them. These trips will be done in the context of our readings and labs, e.g. when we visit Greenwich we'll work on a lab that incorporates the measurement of time and distance, building on Harrison's work to develop a method for determining longitude.

Assignments

There will be four types of assignments for this class: readings, exercises, labs, and writing.

Readings

We'll have regular reading assignments from the texts and from the other sources listed above. We'll discuss those readings as part of our class meetings and during our field trips.

Exercises

Periodically we will work on exercises related to the readings, most of these will require you to learn about particular scientific or technological concepts and demonstrate a basic understanding of them.

Labs

In order to learn how science is practiced and the strengths and weaknesses of the scientific method this course will incorporate a number of labs. Given that we'll have somewhat limited facilities and equipment these will typically involve using fairly basic tools, but as you will see it is possible to do a significant amount of science without sophisticated laboratories and instruments.

Journals

Each week I'll ask a question or two about the material we're covering and ask you to respond in an on--line journal. I'll provide you with a web--based mechanism for these journals so that it's easy for you to write them and for me to read them without the hassle of printing them on paper.

Term paper

During the second half of the semester each of you will choose a topic, either from a list I provide or of your own choosing (vetted by me), to research and write a 8--10 page paper about. I will give you a fair amount of latitude when choosing a topic as long as it's within the bounds of the material we are covering for the course. This will be a survey paper, which assumes a lay audience.

Evaluation

Your grade for this class will be determined using the following rubric:

  1. Exercises - 25%
  2. Labs - 25%
  3. Journal - 15%
  4. Term paper - 20%
  5. Class participation - 15%

My definition of class participation is showing-up, doing the work, and actively engaging your fellow students and myself in the enterprise of learning.

Disabilities

Please let me know as early in the semester as possible if there are any adaptations or accommodations you require, if there is any emergency medical information I should know about, or if you might need special arrangements in the case the building needs to be evacuated, etc . The Earlham policy is:

  • Any student with a documented disability (e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact Academic Support Services and the instructor at the beginning of each semester. Accommodation arrangements must be made during the first-two weeks of the semester.

It is important to follow this procedure.

Assignments

Due Friday 25 February
  1. Write-up due, Lab 2: Holy Pigeon P#$! Batman, it's Penelope Poison!.
Due Sunday 20 February
  1. Data collection for Lab 2: Holy Pigeon P#$! Batman, it's Penelope Poison!, 11:00 - 19:00 (with dinner at the flat).
Due Saturday 19 February
  1. All previously assigned questions, journal entries, etc. are due by the end of the day. This is your last chance to catch-up on the work for the first part of the semester.
Due Friday 18 February
  1. Read chapter 10 (Astronomy) and chapter 11 (The Cosmos) in Science Matters.
  2. Develop at least 3 questions about concepts, technologies, etc. that didn't stick from the reading in chapters 10 and 11. Post these to your wiki journal in an entry titled Astronomy and the Cosmos.
Due Thursday 17 February
  1. Write-up a critique of the Technology and Sustainability lecture you attended on Wednesday evening. Content, structure, etc. are all fair game. Post this in your wiki journal in an entry titled Technology and Sustainability Talk.
Due Tuesday 15 February
  1. Following our visit to Kew Gardens, consider the following questions and write-up your response in a wiki journal entry titled Science at Kew:
    • What science do they do at Kew? What evidence of scientific underpinnings did you find in the displays? Why is it important to society, that is why should society support the work Kew does? What are the principle near-term and long-term benefits that are likely to accrue from their work? Another way to ask this question is who benefits from their research and why? (Hint, they provide good information about these topics in their exhibits and on-line materials.)
  2. Bonus question (5 points) - Identify as many places as you can at Kew where you encounter the Fibonacci sequence (Wikipedia). List these in a wiki journal entry tittled Fibonacci at Kew. There is a very nice bit done by the BBC on the Fibonacci sequence here.
Due Monday 14 February
  1. Write a short review of Greenland and post it in your journal on the wiki. Consider the accuracy of the information presented and the effectiveness of that medium, and that particular play, as a tools for shaping public opinion about climate change, clearly label this entry Greenland Review.
  2. Reflect on what you learned over the past couple of weeks about climate change and consider the questions below. Write-up your thoughts about all this in your journal on the wiki, clearly label this entry Reflections on Climate Change.
    • What do you believe the take-away message to be?
    • Which of the modalities did you find most effective at communicating that message: reading, museum, or theatre? Why?
    • What's different about the message here in England than what you hear in your home country about climate change? Different than at Earlham?
Due Friday 11 February
  1. Greenland at the National Theatre, see the page for the details.
  2. Before the play listen to a segment from This American Life about climate change and public opinion about it. This segment is embedded in a show called Kid Politics, the segment you should listen to is Act 2, Climates Change, People Don't, begins at 24:27.
Due Tuesday 8 February
  1. Read chapter 4 (The Atom) in Science Matters.
  2. Develop at least 3 questions written or emailed to me before class about concepts, technologies, etc. that didn't stick from the reading in chapter 4.
Due Monday 7 February
  1. Teach yourself a couple of new MediaWiki formatting commands. Using the edit link (at the top of the page) to view the source of say a Wikipedia page that does something you think is cool is a great way to learn how to use the markup language. Just press the Cancel link (at the bottom of the page) when you are done.
  2. Consider your first experience at Atmosphere in light of the questions listed below. Write-up your thoughts in your journal on the wiki, clearly label this entry Atmosphere I. This entry should reflect some of your new found skills from item 1. above.
    • Which specific aspects of climate change did the designers of atmosphere choose to focus on?
    • How well sourced was the science and technology discussed in the kiosks?
    • What was the most surprising thing you learned?
    • Which of the interactive kiosks did you find most engaging? Why?
    • Which of the interactive kiosks did you find least engaging? Why?
Due Saturday 5 February
  1. Write-up due, Lab 1: Where Am I?. Send me email when it's done so I know when I can review it.
Due Tuesday 1 February
  1. Read chapter 14 (Earth Cycles) and chapter 19 (Ecosystems) in Science Matters. Come to class on Tuesday with 3 or more written or emailed to me before class questions about the material.
Due Monday 31 January
  1. Start work on the write-up for Lab 1: Where Am I?, come to class with questions, etc.
Saturday 29 January
  1. Greenwich excursion, field work for Lab 1: Where Am I?
Due Friday 28 January
  1. First written responses in your wiki-based journal due, the question to address is:

In your view what are the three most important challenges facing society in the near term (say 50 years)? Why are each of these so important? What does science have to offer for each? What does technology have to offer for each? Your entry should clearly address which are science based and which are technology based. You can describe both science and technology approaches for each of the problems you identify.

  • You can find your wiki-based journals for this class here
Due Tuesday 25 January
  1. Read the pages listed under Greenwich on the Supplemental Material page
  2. Come to class with any questions you have about what they cover, the implications, etc.
Due Monday 24 January
  1. Read Chapter 2 (Energy) in Science Matters.
  2. Come to class with a written list of questions about concepts, etc. that didn't stick from chapters 1 and 2.
Due Tuesday 17 January
  1. Read Henry Petroski's short article about science and technology which can be found on the Supplemental Material page
Due Monday 16 January
  1. Read the Introduction and Chapter 1 (Knowing) in Science Matters.
Due Tuesday 11 January
  1. If you haven't completed the reading for Monday do so now.
Due Monday 10 January
  1. Read the syllabus and general education rational, come to class with questions, etc.


Lab 1: Where Am I?

Overview

There are lots of interesting and historic places in Greenwich, there are also some places that are fairly ordinary. Working in your lab groups (see below) you will locate one such ordinary place, determine where it is a couple of different ways, measure the shortest distance from that point to the Prime Meridian, and note some additional physical markers.

Figuring-out where you are and how far it is to other things is the first step in mapping the world around us. This lab is designed to give you first-hand experience with some of the tools and processes to do that measuring and mapping.

Once you have completed the data collection in Greenwich you and your lab partners will analyze the data and describe the results in a lab report which will be due next week.

Make sure that at least one person in each lab group brings a laptop with them to Greenwich. It will make some aspects of the lab much easier. If you have a minute to install Google Earth before tomorrow that would be even better.

Lab Groups

Listed below are your scientifically chosen lab groups along with a description of the fairly ordinary place you will need to locate.

  • Red: Lily, Bill, Emily - The steps leading from the sidewalk to the front entrance of the Our Lady Star of the Sea church.
  • Green: Krystnell, Johanna, Spencer - The intersection of May's Buildings Mews and May's Court.
  • Yellow: Mamus, Ivan, Vivian - The distal end of Croom's Hill Grove.
  • Black: Eva, Gillian - The steps leading from the sidewalk into the courtyard of the museum devoted to cooling oneself.
  • Purple: McKayla, Ben - On the sidewalk near the marque of the home of Greenwich's thespians.

Details

Once you have located your spot you will need to:

  1. Determine the latitude at that spot using at least three different tools/methods.
  2. Determine the longitude at that spot using at least three different tools/methods.
  3. Determine the elevation at that spot using at least three different tools/methods.
  4. What is due North of that spot? (E.g. "a house with blue shutters", or "an oncoming car...")
  5. What is due South of that spot?
  6. Determine the minimum distance in meters from that spot to the Prime Meridian using at least two different tools/methods.

Hint: There is a really big, sort of blue/green, local reference point for elevation running alongside Greenwich.

Tools and Methods

There are a number of different ways you can determine latitude, longitude, elevation and distance:

  • A well reasoned and reasonably accurate estimate.
  • Measuring by angle of elevation and distance.
  • Measuring by calibrated human pace.
  • GPS device (I have two to loan for 1 hour time blocks on Saturday when we're in Greenwich)
  • Google Earth

Each of these tools has their own strengths and weaknesses, sources of error, etc. One aspect of this lab is to learn what they are and how to best work with them. At least one person in each group will need to install Google Earth on their laptop.

Note that not all of the tools/methods need to be employed while you are in Greenwich, that is once you have a handle on the spot you could sit at FIE and use Google Earth. All of the other tools/methods require your physical presence at the spot to employ them.

Report

Each group will write-up a lab report in the Lab Notebooks section. There is a very simple template there for each group to start with. Your write-up should include:

  • A description of the task at hand and your approach to the work.
  • A description of the spot you are working from.
  • The measurements as listed under Details above, for each of the tools/methods, organized in tabular form.
  • A discussion of the sources of error associated with each of the tools/methods you employed and the likely range into which the correct answer is likely to fall for each of them.
  • The raw data, that is each value read (at minimum 3 values for each data point) for each tool/method you employ for a given measurement.

Extra Credit: A basic visualization which utilizes an aerial image with a placemark at the spot, labeled with the coordinates, and visual indications of the "zone of error" for each of the tools/methods you employed.

Neatness and organization count, significantly.

Questions

Once you folks begin working on the lab I will be available to answer questions, loan tools, make smart remarks, etc. You can find me at roughly 51.4816 -0.0099, probably drinking coffee.

Lab 2: Holy Pigeon P#$@ Batman, it's Penelope Poison!

Overview

London is in a pickle, and it is your job to help them out of it. The notorious Penelope Poison has threatened to release a toxic substance into London's water supply, in order to thwart her plan the emergency response people need visualizations which show the water temperature, air temperature and wind speed and direction at a number of water bodies located in central London.

You will all need to show-up at location 1 (see Questions below) before/at 11:00 on Sunday morning. I will be available starting at 9:30 at that location to hand-out instruments, answer questions, etc. At least one person from each group should plan on being there before 11:00. I will be leaving that location at 11:15 sharp so stragglers will need to hope their group waits for them.

There are lots of important details embedded in this lab description, reading it closely and carefully will be worth the time.

Lab Groups

Listed below are your scientifically chosen lab groups:

  • Red: Lily, Bill, Emily, Ben
  • Yellow: Mamus, Ivan, Vivian, Eva
  • Green: Krystnell, Johanna, Spencer, McKayla, Gillian

Details

Just before the Director of Emergency Response (Mr B. Cheese) left town for an undisclosed location he took pictures of the locations that need to be sampled, you can find them at http://cs.earlham.edu/~charliep/EnglandProgram/Lab2. Unfortunately he was in a rush and neglected to label any of the pictures.

  • Identify where each of the 11 images were taken. Remember that digital images often contain more information than meets the eye.
  • At each of those 11 locations record the following:
    1. A picture that duplicates as near as possible the one you were given of that location.
    2. The latitude, longitude and elevation of the location (if you have a GPS in your kit use that, if not use Google Earth).
    3. An estimate of the wind direction and speed at that location when you are there.
    4. The temperature of the water body in the picture at that location.
    5. The air temperature when standing where the image was taken at that location.

Remember to record at least three readings for each parameter at each location. Later you can aggregate each of those groups of three readings into a measurement of that parameter for that location. Think about how to "reset" each instrument so you can record three independent readings of each parameter.

Google Earth is a tool just like the physical ones, when you use it to measure e.g. the latitude/longitude/altitude you should develop and document a procedure for taking three readings just as you are for the other tools.

To measure the wind speed you can estimate it using the Beaufort scale. The wind direction can be determined with a small scrap of paper and a compass or GPS in compass mode.

Measuring the air temperature will depend on which kit you have. The thermocouple and the combination compass/thermometer can take direct readings, the infrared thermometer will require a little cleverness to enable it to measure the air temperature.

Each group must make their own measurements, this will enable the emergency responders to compare the values obtained with different instruments and people to ensure that they react properly. You can share techniques and ideas among your groups but not data.

Each of these tools has their own strengths and weaknesses, sources of error, etc. One aspect of this lab is to learn what they are and how to best work with them. At least one person in each group will need to install Google Earth on their laptop.

Normally you would take air and water samples at each location as well, since Penelope Poison is threatening to act soon you don't have time for that now.

Red Instrument Kit

  • Combination compass/thermometer
  • Uni-T multimeter with point contact temperature probe

Yellow Instrument Kit

  • GPS
  • Maplin thermocouple thermometer
  • Compass

Green Instrument Kit

  • GPS
  • Infrared thermometer
  • Compass

Report

Each group will write-up a lab report in the Lab Notebooks section. Your lab report should include the following elements:

  1. A description of the problem you were given and your approach to solving it.
  2. For each parameter the procedure you followed to obtain the readings and measurement.
  3. A tabular display of each measurement of each parameter at each location.
  4. An analysis of the measurements describing any patterns that are evident and your thoughts about why they might be present.
  5. A small/simple gallery of the images you took at each of the locations with descriptions of the actual place (e.g. Looking North from the South side of the fountain in Bethesda Terrace in Central Park).
  6. An appendix with the readings and measurements for each parameter and each location.
  7. For each of the instruments you used determine the error associated with it. If references are available for the instrument use those values (and document the source), if not make a reasonable estimate and document how you came to it.
  8. A visualization of the data, preferably as an overlay on a map or aerial image of the overall area in question.
  9. A short statement from each group member explaining what they contributed to this lab.

There is a very simple template there for each group to start with, you should not feel bound to the format that's there but you must be sure to address each of the items listed above.

Neatness and organization count, significantly.

Visualization

Each group will create a visualization with the parameters they measured. We'll discuss the different approaches to this over dinner on Sunday and in class on Monday.

Questions

Before you start and once you are working on the lab I will be available to answer questions, etc., here's where to find me when:

  1. Between 09:30 and 11:00 you can find me at roughly 51.510509, -0.127060
  2. Between 11:30 and 14:30 you can find me at roughly 51.502998, -0.165623
  3. After 15:00 you can find me at roughly 51.511393, -0.127091

I won't be checking email or text messages between 11:00 and 15:00 but I will be available for F2F consultation at the locations/times listed above.

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