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Image by Alexander Tidd / PACOM 2011

This course will examine how natural disasters are documented. Events that have a profound effect on a community leave their mark in many ways. The recent earthquake in northern Japan resulted in copious technical reports on tsunamis and radiation hazards, as well as those on the earthquake. Numerous cameras including those providing security and those from witnesses, recorded the event. Memorials to those lost are in place across the landscape. Responses, stories, biographies, and travelogues from survivors and relief workers have been recorded. In this class students will work to find, review, and critique these sources and contrast them to others created in relation to similar events. Projects will work to help explain the events from multiple points of view and why the coverage of events may differ from points around the globe.

Instructor Bio:

Dean Walton has a strong interest in the outside world. He spent many years collecting field data in remote areas of the eastern United States and used geographic information systems (GIS) to document ecological issues. His graduate background includes a Masters of Library Science and a Ph.D. in the area of pharmacology/toxicology where he researched organophosphates. He is a past EMT with the Fairfax County, Virginia Volunteer Fire Department, a 4-year volunteer educator for the National Capital Poison Center, and a past test "victim" for the Virginia State paramedic test. He trained in areas of cave rescue and spent a year participating in monthly ham radio-related search and rescue exercises. More recently, he completed the ARRL Emergency Communications course with the local Eugene Ham Radio Association and holds current FEMA ICS 100, 200, and 700 course certificates. He previously taught a freshman seminar on researching natural disasters, has given several recent seminars on disaster responses. He is a science librarian at the University.

Katrina to Fukushima Syllabus

Instructor: Dean Walton
Office Location: UO Science Library
Phone: 541-346-2871

Tuesday/Thursday 2:00-3:50 p.m.
Science Library B90-CD

LEARNING GOALS

Abstract Learning Goals

To become familiar with the basic terms used in the scientific research of natural disasters and the political ramifications of preparing for, and responding to disasters
To become familiar with the types of documents and datasets created in preparation for, response to, and evaluation of the response to natural disasters
To identify the faults and strength of these documents by comparison with similar documents from other disasters

Applied Learning Goals

Find, review and annotate international sources (regarding natural disasters).
Create and produce data visualizations based on critiqued data sets.
Review, rank and rate sources based on set criteria
Create interactive compiled resources on natural disasters
Present collated information sources into short presentations (Pecha kucha style)

Reading Sources:

Most content will come from multiple internet sources. However, readings will also come from two books on reserve at the Science Library:

Natural hazards and disasters / Donald Hyndman & David Hyndman
Visualize this / Nathan Yau

Content:

Disasters will be studied in paired or group situations. Here are the basic groups:

1. Tohoku, Japan (03/11/201l) and Banda Aceh (12/26/2004) earthquakes and tsunamis
2. Hurricane Katrina (USA 2005) and Super-cyclone Nargis in Burma (SE Asia 2008)
3. West African floods (2007-2010), Bangkok, & Philippine flash flooding (2011)
4. Christchurch (2/22/2011) and Haiti (1/12/2010) Earthquakes
5. 4/25/2011 central and southeast USA and August 2006 Western Europe tornado swarms
6. East African and Mexican droughts (Current multiyear events).
7. Kashmir, Pakistan (10/08/2005) and Sichuan, China (5/12/2008) earthquakes
8. SARS, AIDS and other diseases.
Class time will include lectures, searching and viewing multimedia sources, and student presentations.

In-class lab time: Lab will cover the use of computers and databases to fulfill the needs of the class: Graphing in Excel, Google Earth (or ArcGIS), and advanced Google Searching,

Products for the course

Students will create and provide several short presentations based on several type of documentation of a disaster and create and provide presentations based on the demographics of disaster constituents.

There is a glut of information available on the internet. Videos documenting all sorts of issues relating to natural disasters are also abundant. However, services like Youtube and Vimeo provide few ways to sort the content of their hosted videos. For example videos can be sorted by how often they are viewed, a single popularity rating, or by time of update. In one assignment students will pick one of several types of documentation from the class derived list including video, review a set of them, and then derive criteria that would support the research of the selected documentation.

Based on collected data, students (in groups) will create data visualizations on the results or data from the results and discuss the visualization with class.

Students will search for information on international disasters in the language of the area that was impacted. The students will create a thesaurus of terms, do the search, and create bibliography of resources.

Assignments
1. Documentation search and original data visualization
2. Video review and criteria report
3. Paper/project: Will be viewable and posted to Blackboard.

Exams
Mid-term: covers terminology but not specifics of any particular event.
Final

Calendar

  1. Banda Aceh/Tohoku (Reading assignment: xxxxx)
2.                   lecture / lab stakeholders and documents                                                                                 5
3.                   lecture (class and gender) / lab searching for differences                                                             5
4.       Video Analysis Presentations (Group project)                                                                                      10
5. Hurricane Katrina / Super-Cyclone Nargis (Reading assignment: xxxxx)
6.                   lecture / lab - data visualization                                                                                                  5
7.       Pecha Kucha (Group project)                                                                                                            10
8. West African (2007-2010), Bangkok, and Philippine floods and flash flooding (12/16, 2011)
9.                   lecture / lab                                                                                                                                5
10. Port au Prince & Christchurch earthquakes (Reading assignment: xxxxx)
11.                   lecture / lab Zotero / Mendeley                                                                                                5
12.                   lecture / lab Google Earth /ArcExplorer                                                                                 5
13.       Google Earth Bibliography (Group project)                                                                                       10
14. 4/25/2011 USA and August 2006 European Tornado swarms (Reading assignment: xxxxx)
15.                         lecture / lab Foreign language thesaurus international searching                                        5
16.       Short Paper (Individual project)                                                                                                        10
17. East African and Mexican Droughts (Current multi-year events)
18.                   lecture / lab                                                                                                                          5
19. Sichuan and Kashmir earthquakes (Reading assignment: xxxxx)
20.       Pecha Kucha (Group project)                                                                                                            10

Note: All presentations will compare and contrast the two or 3 associated events. Students will critique presentations using a standardized form.

Grades
You may choose to receive a letter grade or pass/no pass in this course. Check on the deadline for changing your grading option. The UO catalog state: Those selecting the pass/no pass option must earn the equivalent of a C- or better in order to receive credit. Grades will be posted on DuckWeb at the end of the term. Points earned for assignments, quizzes, participation, and final project count toward the final grade, which will be determined as follows:

Assignments: points possible
Mid-term: points possible
Class participation: points possible
Final Project: points possible
Total possible points:

A - 90% or better (Passing)
B - 80-89% (Passing)
C - 70-79% (Passing)
D - 60-69% (Passing)
F - 0-59% (Failing on a Pass/Fail scale)
A plus (+) or minus (-) may be appended to your grade if you are within 3 points of the next letter grade. For example: for participation, assignments, and your final project you earn 88 points, your final grade for the course will be a B+. Similarly, if you were to earn 93 points, your final grade would be an A-.

Academic Integrity & Conduct Code
All work submitted for grades in this course must be your own. Misconduct in class, as well as cheating, are treated seriously and noted on student disciplinary records. For definitions of these terms, see the Policy on Academic Integrity. For the consequences of academic dishonesty, see The Student Judicial Process: Sanctions. If you have questions regarding the requirements, please consult with the instructor as early in the term as possible.

Classroom Policies
Please turn off cell phones or set them to buzz. If it rings you get dinged 1 point off of your final grade.
Group work on assignments is permitted and encouraged
Part of your grade comes from class participation. Your fellow classmates depend on you for your input on course discussions.

Accommodation for Disabilities
Anyone with a documented disability needing accommodations in this course should make arrangements to meet with the instructor early in the term. Disabilities must be documented and verified by the counselor for students with disabilities.

Resources:

Data Visualization Sites:

http://support.google.com/fusiontables/?hl=en

http://www.wordle.net/

http://visual.ly/twitter

http://visual.ly/

http://creately.com/

http://www.tagxedo.com/

http://vizualize.me/

http://www.statsilk.com/

http://www.gunn.co.nz/map/

http://www-958.ibm.com/software/data/cognos/manyeyes/