essedesignguide.org

• Why is support from university administration important for ESSE?

Any new curriculum requires support from the administration. ESSE is especially challenging for institutions, because the curriculum transcends multiple departments and integrates physical, biological, social, and engineering components.

• Is team teaching necessary for all Earth system science (ESS) courses, given that the faculty resources may not be available?

Team teaching can provide perspectives from multiple departments that are instructive for both faculty and students. If team teaching is not possible, the individual faculty member should strive to incorporate multiple perspectives through informal relationships with other colleagues and institutions.

• Should courses emphasize basic science or policy applications?

Basic science and policy applications are both part of a comprehensive ESS program.

• How can non-science majors learn Earth system science?

Courses can and should be designed for non-science majors as well as for science majors. It is possible to bring non-science majors into contact with the principles of global change, regardless of background, and to provide insights from the perspective of a modern scientific description of the changing global environment and human relationships with it. (See Section: Pathways to STEM Education )