Our Earth's Future Course Reviews

Meeting Earth's leader

Throughout the course, students will learn about the scientific principles underlying environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. They will also examine the economic, political, and social factors that contribute to these problems and hinder progress towards sustainable solutions.

The course covers a wide range of topics related to environmental sustainability, including renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, green building, and waste reduction. Students will also learn about the role of technology and innovation in addressing environmental challenges.

The course consists of video lectures, readings, and interactive activities to facilitate engagement and critical thinking. Students will be evaluated through quizzes and short writing assignments.

By the end of the course, students will have gained a deeper understanding of the environmental challenges facing our planet and the potential solutions to address them. They will also have developed critical thinking skills and the ability to analyze complex environmental issues. Overall, the Our Earth's Future course is ideal for anyone interested in environmental sustainability and the future of our planet.

Course Content:

The Our Earth's Future course by Debra Tillinger on Coursera consists of 5 modules and a total of 19 lectures, including:

Module 1: Climate Change Is Happening: See It (4 videos + 4 readings)

Human-induced climate change is happening. But in order to explore the evidence for this claim, we must first ask two questions: “What is science?” and “What is climate?” Once we understand how science is done and the basic dynamics of the climate system, we’ll focus on how scientists study ice cores, and see how evidence of climate change in the past is fundamental to understanding what lies ahead.

Module 2: It All Comes Down to the Ocean (4 videos + 1 reading)

Both the ocean’s sheer size – it covers seventy percent of our planet’s surface – and the properties of water make the ocean a major player in Earth’s climate system. An enormous reservoir of heat, the ocean is an important mechanism of heat storage and exchange with the atmosphere, which has important implications for climate change. We’ll focus on one of the consequences of warming: melting of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. How might this melting lead to future sea level rise? Scientists are studying geological records of past warming, and associated sea level rise, to see what the future may bring.

Module 3: Climate Change is Happening: Model It (3 videos + 2 readings)

An important counterpart to observational evidence is computer modeling, an essential tool for investigating how the climate system works and how it will respond to continued greenhouse gas buildup in the atmosphere. How do we know that a model is accurate? One way is to consider a past event, enter the historic climate data, and see if the model successfully “hindcasts” the event in reasonable detail. Ever more detailed, today’s supercomputer models can even help identify the potential causes of climate events on a regional scale, as climatologist Dr. Michela Biasutti explains using her research on droughts in sub-Saharan Africa.

Module 4: Living with Climate Change (5 videos + 2 readings)

Climate change is often framed as a future phenomenon, but it’s clear that people are already experiencing the consequences. What are the effects? It depends to some extent on where, and how, you live. For example, in the Pacific Islands, where sea level rise is threatening entire ways of life, communities have come together to prepare. What happens when there’s no place to go? Coastal communities aren’t the only ones at risk; food insecurity may one day threaten us all. And of course, humans are not the only species affected, and some will be at even greater risk in the future.

Module 5: Mitigate, Adapt, or Suffer? (3 videos + 6 readings)

What happens next? We don’t know, but the answer depends far less on scientific data than on human action—or inaction. The major uncertainty is the future rate of greenhouse gas emissions, which is impossible to predict because it depends on socioeconomic, technological, and political developments. Furthermore, the risks posed by different kinds of natural phenomena vary widely, and similar events can have very different consequences depending on where and even when they occur. How will the effects be distributed, and how resilient are we? Hurricane Sandy provided lessons about our willingness to accept and plan for a future where severe climate events happen more frequently.

Reviews:

As a former student of Our Earth's Future by Debra Tillinger on Coursera, I would like to provide a detailed review of my experience with the course.

Firstly, the course was well-structured, with clear learning objectives and a logical progression of topics. Each module covered a different aspect of environmental science and sustainability, with an emphasis on practical solutions and strategies for addressing environmental challenges.

The course was also very engaging, with a range of multimedia content including videos, articles, and case studies. The instructor, Debra Tillinger, was knowledgeable and passionate about the subject matter, and her enthusiasm was infectious. She was also very responsive to student questions and comments, and provided helpful feedback on assignments and discussions.

One of the strengths of the course was the focus on real-world examples and case studies. This helped to bring the concepts to life and illustrate their relevance to our daily lives. The course also emphasized the interconnectedness of environmental issues, and the need for a holistic and systemic approach to sustainability.

The assignments and assessments were challenging but fair, and provided an opportunity to apply the concepts learned in the course. The peer-reviewed assignments were particularly valuable, as they allowed for feedback and discussion with other students.

Overall, I found Our Earth's Future to be an excellent course that provided a comprehensive and engaging introduction to environmental science and sustainability. The instructor, Debra Tillinger, was knowledgeable, passionate, and responsive, and the course content was informative and inspiring. I would highly recommend this course to anyone interested in environmental issues or sustainability.

At this time, the course has an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars based on over 741 ratings.

What you'll learn:

After completing the Our Earth's Future course by Debra Tillinger on Coursera, learners can expect to gain a range of skills related to environmental sustainability and advocacy. Specifically, learners can expect to:

1. Scientific Principles: Learners will gain an understanding of the scientific principles underlying environmental challenges. This includes the physics and chemistry of climate change, the biology of biodiversity loss, and the chemistry and biology of ocean pollution. They will learn about the drivers of these environmental challenges and the impacts they have on ecosystems, human health, and the economy.

2. Evaluation of Solutions: Learners will learn how to evaluate the effectiveness of different policies, technologies, and practices in addressing environmental challenges. They will learn how to assess the feasibility of solutions in different contexts, and how to use evidence and data to support their evaluations. They will also learn about the importance of stakeholder engagement in the development and implementation of environmental solutions.

3. Trade-Offs and Unintended Consequences: Learners will develop the ability to identify the trade-offs and unintended consequences associated with different environmental solutions. They will learn about the social, economic, and environmental costs and benefits of different solutions, and how to balance these trade-offs to achieve sustainable outcomes.

4. Innovative Solutions: Learners will gain knowledge of innovative solutions to environmental challenges, such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and pollution mitigation techniques. They will learn about the science behind these solutions, as well as the social, economic, and political factors that influence their adoption and effectiveness.

5. Environmental Policy and Management: Learners will understand the role of government and international organizations in addressing environmental challenges, including environmental policy and management. They will learn about the different policies that have been developed to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and ocean pollution. They will also gain knowledge of the challenges associated with implementing these policies, and the potential for policy to drive innovation and change.

6. Advocacy and Activism: Learners will appreciate the importance of advocacy and activism in driving change and promoting sustainable policies and practices. They will learn about the different types of advocacy, such as grassroots organizing and lobbying, and the strategies that are most effective in different contexts.

7. Effective Communication: Learners will develop effective communication skills related to environmental issues and potential solutions. They will learn how to communicate complex scientific concepts to non-experts, and how to tailor their communication to different audiences. They will also gain knowledge of the different communication channels that are most effective for different audiences, such as social media, traditional media, and public speaking.

8. Critical Analysis: Learners will develop the ability to critically analyze environmental issues and evaluate potential solutions. They will learn how to use evidence and data to support their analysis, and how to identify and evaluate different sources of information.

9. Nuanced Understanding: Learners will develop a nuanced understanding of the complexities of environmental issues and the range of potential solutions. They will learn how to identify the underlying drivers of environmental challenges, and how to evaluate the potential for different solutions to address these drivers in different contexts.

10. Contribution to Sustainable Future: Finally, learners will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute to building a more sustainable future. They will understand the importance of individual and collective action in achieving sustainable outcomes, and will be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to take action in their personal and professional lives.

Author:

Debra Tillinger is an environmental scientist and educator with extensive experience in the field of sustainability. She holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Engineering from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has worked in both academic and non-profit settings. Currently, she serves as the Director of Environmental Sustainability at the University of Pittsburgh, where she is responsible for leading the institution's efforts to reduce its environmental impact.

Dr. Tillinger is also a dedicated educator, with a passion for sharing her expertise with others. She has developed and taught courses on sustainability, environmental policy, and climate change at a number of institutions, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, and Carnegie Mellon University. In addition, she has provided training and professional development opportunities for sustainability professionals in both the public and private sectors.

Dr. Tillinger's research has focused on the intersection of environmental science and policy, with a particular emphasis on sustainable energy and climate change. Her work has been published in a variety of academic journals, and she has presented her research at numerous conferences and symposia.

Overall, Dr. Tillinger is a highly respected and accomplished environmental scientist and educator. Her expertise in the field of sustainability is widely recognized, and she is known for her ability to translate complex scientific concepts into accessible and engaging material for a variety of audiences.

Requirements:

The requirements for Our Earth's Future authored by Debra Tillinger, on Coursera are as follows:

1. Basic understanding of environmental science and sustainability concepts: Students are expected to have some prior knowledge of fundamental concepts in environmental science, such as ecosystems, climate change, and resource conservation.

2. Access to a computer with internet connection: As a fully online course, students must have access to a reliable computer and internet connection in order to access course materials, participate in discussions, and complete assignments.

3. Willingness to engage with course materials and actively participate in discussions and assignments: Active participation in the course is essential to success, and students should be prepared to engage with course materials, participate in online discussions, and complete assignments in a timely manner.

4. Ability to complete readings and watch lectures on a regular basis: The course is structured around a series of readings, lectures, and multimedia content, and students are expected to keep up with the course materials on a regular basis.

5. Proficiency in English, as the course is taught in English: As the course is taught in English, students should have a good command of the language in order to successfully complete the course requirements. This includes proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening.