Course Syllabus

---Note: This course code has changed from HS 310 to OSH 310. You may occasionally see references to the old course code or title.

We are excited to have you here and hope you enjoy your time as you expand and apply new knowledge. In scheduling your time, reserve 9–12 hours each week to be successful in this 3-credit course.

Course Description

This course is an introduction to the field of environmental health. Environmental health comprises those aspects of human health, including quality of life, that are determined by physical, biological, social, and psychosocial factors in the environment. This course provides a concise knowledge base of how environmental factors such as air, water, and food impact the health of people and the community at large. You will learn how to identify, measure, control, or reduce potential human exposures to environmental factors. This class is not about how you can save or protect the environment, but how to protect humans from environmental factors.

Course Outcomes

You will have successfully completed this course when you:

  • Understand various ways in which our surroundings affect our health.
  • Know the major laws governing environmental health in the U.S. and the government agencies responsible for administering the provisions of those laws.
  • Understand the complex nature of some of the major environmental health problems we are facing, the drivers of those problems, opposing views on the issue, including gospel-based views, and the roles of community members and various environmental health professionals in solving those problems.
  • Assess hazards in the environment on a basic level and be able to mitigate, or make recommendations to mitigate, those hazards.
  • Analyze the complex nature of our environment and how its components are interrelated.
  • Develop a sense of stewardship over the earth and its resources.

Learning Model Architecture

Prepare

As you complete preparation activities, you will prime your mind to learn and to teach others. In this course, you will prepare to learn and teach by considering the Foundation material as the paradigm for the lesson. After studying the Foundation material, you will then be ready for the Readings which consist of articles, documents, or websites to read; videos to watch; and audio clips to listen to. The Relevance information will help you make meaningful connections between your life and the lesson content. The last element of the Prepare step of the Learning Model is the Comprehension Quiz, which will allow you the opportunity to demonstrate the completion of your lesson preparation.

Teach One Another

Teaching your classmates gives you, a prepared student, the opportunity to act for yourself and to develop a deeper understanding of the course materials. Along with teaching your classmates in formal arenas such as discussion board activities, Application Activity observations, and other group activities such as the environmental survey simulation you will complete in Week 10, look for informal means of teaching one another as you interact with your classmates.

Ponder/Prove

You will extend and help solidify your learning by pondering and proving new knowledge. One means of doing this is through a variety of field activities in which you will combine lesson principles with real-world application. Some of the application activities will also have a Teach One Another component and some will not. You will complete at least one Application Activity in Weeks 02–13. You will also prove your learning by completing unit exams in Weeks 04, 07, 11, and 14.

Prerequisites

None

Course Materials

There is not a physical textbook for this course; all content is contained in the lessons.

Technology Requirements

Mozilla Firefox is the recommended internet browser for any I-Learn course. Videos, readings, and course functionality will work best when you use Firefox.

It is assumed that you either have your own computer or you have consistent access to a computer. You need to have the appropriate permissions on your computer to download lesson content, access websites, and update and/or download the software as needed along with consistent, reliable access to an internet connection. Most computers are equipped with a built-in microphone and webcam. If you do not already have an internal microphone and webcam, you will need to purchase these items. Some external webcams have a built-in microphone. Either way, you need video and audio capabilities. Inexpensive equipment purchased through your local computer store or an online retailer will be sufficient for this course.

You will use Microsoft Word and Excel in this course. If you do not yet have the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) on your computer, you may use this free download to obtain the software. Note: The free download is only for BYU-I students.

Vimeo.com is a free video-hosting website. In this course, you will use the video capabilities on your computer or your phone to record presentations, upload your video to Vimeo, and submit the video with your instructor by providing your video's URL and password. You will learn how to upload and share your videos at a later time by using the tutorials and FAQ found at Vimeo.com during a course activity in Week 03. Vimeo also offers additional helpful features, such as email support and mobile apps, for both Android and Apple mobile devices, accessed through the Vimeo website.

Later in the semester, you need a means of communicating with your group during Week 10 and may find it helpful to informally communicate with your classmates at other times during the semester. You may contact them by phone; however, it will be more cost-effective to use video chat technology such as SkypeGoogle Hangouts, or other video chat capabilities.

How to Navigate this Course

Begin each week by reading the Weekly Introduction page to learn important information about the week's lesson. Next, take notes as you study the Foundation information, followed by the Readings, and then the Relevance. Review your notes, and then complete the Comprehension Quiz. Although these items aren't due until the middle of the week, you should begin them early in the week because they will take you many hours to complete. In some lessons, you will also have a discussion board post. You should check the Calendar for the due dates. Keep yourself updated on due dates weekly. Check the individual Weekly Introduction page for specific details.

During the second half of each week, the lessons focus on applying your new knowledge. You will have application assignments due by the beginning of the following week. Similar to the mid-week due date, even though this deadline has also been extended to allow flexibility in your schedule, you should begin the application activities as soon as the Foundation, Readings, Relevance, and Comprehension Quiz are complete to allow you sufficient time to be thoughtful and gain as much knowledge and experience as possible as you apply your learning.

Note: Each week's lesson opens prior to the week it is assigned. If you complete the current week's lesson early and would like to get started on next week's lesson, you may do so.

Assignments

Week 01 and Week 14 have unique assignments. In Weeks 02–13 you will encounter the following types of assignments:

Beginning to middle of the week

  • Foundation: The Foundation material is the first document in each lesson of this course and as such, it should be read first. By studying the Foundation first, you will have the proper context and framework for the rest of the lesson material.
  • Readings: In each week, there is a Readings page which contains the bulk of the study material for that week. In addition to articles and documents to read, the lesson material is also presented through videos and audio clips. Due to the academic nature of the articles and documents used in the Readings, it is important to decrease your casual reading rate to a reading rate conducive to deeper study. Take notes as you learn the material and then review your notes to help you solidify your learning.
  • Relevance: The Relevance information will help you make connections between the lesson material and its importance in your own life.
  • Comprehension Quiz: After studying the Foundation, Readings, and Relevance in each lesson, you will be prepared to complete the Comprehension Quiz. You will complete each quiz on your own without notes, lesson materials, other resources, or other individuals. The quizzes allow you the opportunity to demonstrate basic concept mastery of the new material from that lesson. Each Comprehension Quiz is worth 20 points.
  • In some lessons, you will have an initial post on an Application Activity discussion board due on Wednesday. Check the individual Weekly Introduction pages for more details.

 

Nearing the end of the week

  • Application Activities: Each lesson includes at least one Application Activity. The activities are varied and include field activities, discussion boards, debates, and case studies. The two most common types of application activities are field activities and discussion boards. In a field activity, you will apply your learning of lesson topics through the completion of a real-world learning experience. The experiences vary, should challenge you, and should be interesting. Take full advantage of these learning opportunities. Some field activities incorporate a discussion board and some do not. Application Activities vary from 10 to 20 points depending upon the level of difficulty.
  • Exams: You will take an exam at the end of Week 04, Week 07, Week 11, and Week 14. The exams will open on Friday and are due by Saturday. The first three exams are worth 100 points each. The last exam is just a bit shorter, so it is worth 60 points. The last exam is not a comprehensive final; it is simply the last exam.

Week 10: Environmental Health Survey

Week 10 does not follow the standard lesson format for this course. Instead, you will conduct a simulation of an actual environmental health survey to investigate a mysterious illness and identify the major causes and controls or recommendations. You will have the opportunity to practice interview skills, conduct mock environmental testing, and enlist the help of an expert consultant. At the end of the lesson, you will produce a report worth 55 points.

Environmental health professionals often work in groups. Therefore, you will work in a small group of about 3 students to complete the survey. During this lesson, you will need to work closely with your group. Your group will decide how and when to meet. It is recommended that you meet synchronously; however, you can choose to work asynchronously. Please allow extra room in your schedule during this assignment to successfully work with your group to complete this exciting simulation.

Grading

Some assignments are auto-graded by the computer and others will be graded by your instructor. You can expect that your instructor will provide feedback and grade your work within one week of the due date.

Assignment categories are as follows:

Category Points
Week 01 and Week 14 Activities (varies) 54
Quizzes (10 at 20 points, 1 at 10 points) 210
Application Activities - including the Health Survey (varies) 300
Exams (3 at 100 points, 1 at 60 points) 360
Total Points 924

Don't expect your final grade to be rounded up. You have all semester to earn your grade; therefore, do not email your instructor at the end of the semester asking to round up your grade. Your grade will be determined by dividing the number of points you earn out of the total possible points for the course and multiplying by 100. That percentage will determine your final letter grade using the grading scale listed below.

Letter Grade Percentage Range
A 100% – 93%
A- 92.9% – 90%
B+ 89.99% – 87%
B 86.99% – 83%
B- 82.99% – 80%
C+ 79.99% – 77%
C 76.99% – 73%
C- 72.99% – 70%
D+ 69.99% – 67%
D 66.99% – 63%
D- 62.99% – 60%
F 59.99% and below

Late Work Policy

It is expected that you will submit work on time. Doing so demonstrates professionalism and consideration for your classmates and instructor. Each instructor for this course establishes his or her own late work policy. Your instructor will notify you of their late work policy.

Additional Information

Honor Code

Following the Honor Code is of great importance as you strive to be a disciple of Christ. Academic honesty and integrity is expected of all BYU-I students. To copy another's work from the Internet, a book, or from any other source and claiming it to be your own work, is plagiarism. Read the official definitions of plagiarism and cheating from the Academic Honesty portion of the Honor Code. Each case of plagiarism or cheating will be dealt with by the instructor. When working on a group project, you have the responsibility to assure that others in the group do not plagiarize. Any academic dishonesty issue will be referred to the BYU-I Dean of Students, if necessary. Even though you are taking this course online, BYU-Idaho's Dress and Grooming standards still apply. By adhering to the Honor Code you will create a learning environment, "consistent with the ideals and principles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." (Honor Code webpage)

Tutoring

Tutoring options for online students are available through the Academic Support Centers. There are tutors available to help you with your writing questions and there might be course-specific tutoring available. Check the Academic Support Centers for more details.

University Policies

Students with Disabilities

Brigham Young University-Idaho is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere that accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. If you have a disability and require accommodations, please contact the Disability Services Office at (208) 496-9210 or visit their website and follow the Steps for Receiving Accommodations. Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with students and instructors by the Disability Services Office.

This course may require synchronous meetings. If you are currently registered with the Disability Services Office and need an interpreter or transcriber for these meetings, please contact the deaf and hard of hearing coordinator at (208) 496-9219.

Other University Policies

Student Honor and Other Policies

Please read through the document called University Policies. It gives important information about the following topics:

  • Student Honor
    • Academic Honesty
    • Student Conduct
      • Sexual Harassment
  • Student with Disabilities
  • Complaints and Grievances
  • Copyright Notice

Go to the Student Resources module to review further resources and information.

Disclaimer

This syllabus and the course schedule may be changed at any time prior to or during the semester as the need arises based upon circumstances. Any changes will be available to view on the course documents.

Course Summary:

Date Details Due