A new course at Vanderbilt University uses Defying Oceans End as a textbook to provide first year students with the opportunity to learn about marine science and current threats to the world’s ocean

DOE: Thank you for taking the time to discuss the course you created last Fall called The Earth’s Oceans in the Global Environment.

Johnston: It’s my pleasure.

Q: Great, so tell us a little about the class.

A: Johnston: The course was offered as a first-year writing seminar through the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. I wanted to design and offer something that not only examined the basic physics, chemistry, geology and biology of the marine environment, but also provided students with a chance to explore some of the critical issues in marine policy that society now faces.

Q: That sounds like a pretty extensive overview.

A: Johnston: There is certainly a lot of information that one could cover in such a course, so I had to think carefully about my goals for the course. What did I want students to come away from the course with? In a nutshell, I wanted to provide an introduction to ocean science and then give students an opportunity to explore pressing marine issues and learn how vital the ocean is to all life on Earth. And I think the course did a pretty good job of making that connection.

Q: So what inspired you to create this course?

A: Johnston: I had a general idea of what I wanted to do in the course, but then I came across Defying Oceans End, and that really helped crystallize my thinking. I was particularly motivated by the two “great truths” about the world’s ocean that have emerged during the last few decades, as articulated by Sylvia Earle in the Preface of the book. First, that the ocean is the cornerstone of Earth’s life support system, and second, that humans are altering basic global processes. I found Earle’s further discussion of the fact that the decade 2004-2014 “may prove to be the most significant for ocean conservation – and for the future of humankind – in the next thousand years” compelling. This was a very important message that I wanted to convey to my students.

Q: Did you give all the lectures?

A: Johnston: Most of them. However, the students had the opportunity to meet and discuss problems dealing with global fisheries reforms with Will Martin, the chairman of the Marine Stewardship Council, and an adjunct professor of law at the Vanderbilt Law School. Professor Martin spoke to the class about many of the legal aspects of fisheries management and presented his thoughts on possible solutions to some of the current challenges. I think the students really got a lot out of his presentation.

Q: What other materials did you incorporate into the course?

A: Johnston: I used 3 other books as texts, including The Oceans (Ellen J. Prager and Sylvia Earle), Mapping the Deep (Robert Kunzig), and Science Magazine’s State of the Planet, 2006-07 (Donald Kennedy, editor). I also brought in a variety of news and perspective type articles, mostly from Science and Nature, almost every week. One great thing about this topic is that it is not hard to find current and relevant news articles to bring to class throughout the semester.

Q: Do you think the students got the message and understand how important the ocean is?

A: Johnston: I am confident that the students made significant gains in their appreciation for the important role that the Earth’s ocean plays in their lives, even here in Nashville, Tennessee, hundreds of miles from the nearest ocean. By and large students came away from the class with an understanding of where the ocean fits into the Earth system, and the importance of positive and negative feedbacks on that system. Of course there was a range of responses to what we as a society can and should do about these issues, but the course certainly succeeded in raising awareness.

Q: Did you get any feedback from the students about the course?

A: Johnston: Quite a bit, all of which I’m considering as I prepare to teach the course again next spring.

Q: Can you give me an example?

A: Johnston: On the last day of class I asked students to write their response to the following question on an index card which I then collected: “What is the most important thing you learned about the Earth’s ocean this semester?” Most of the responses were along the lines of the following:

- “I was amazed to learn how dependent we are on the ocean for sustainable life on this planet.”
- “There are many threats to the ocean’s health and there are ways of solving these problems.”
- “That the environmental concerns concerning the oceans are well founded and far more pressing than most people think. Thanks!”

Q: Sounds like they got it.

A: Johnston: I think so.

Q: What part of the course did the students find most interesting?

A: Johnston: The 5 case studies (chapters 1-5) from Defying Oceans End were a highlight of the course for many students. They worked in teams of 3 to prepare a presentation and then lead class discussion about their topic. Students got really creative, with one group making a 10-minute movie about the importance of seamounts.

Q: Would you mind teaching this class to the world?

A: Johnston: (Professor Johnston smiles and gives a little laugh) I would love to.

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