Assignment #4: Inorganic and Organic Nutrients

From Table 1-1, Elements in the Six Classes of Nutrients, note that carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are present in the organic nutrients.  Proteins have those (C, H, O) plus nitrogen—they are nitrogenous compounds because the amino acid portion of proteins has an amine group (-NH₂).

For a quick and easy assignment (especially compared to #3), (a) pick a specific nutrient, (b)tell us if it is inorganic or organic, (c) find the nutrient’s chemical structure and email it to me.  I will add it (I don’t think blogger will let you add it in a reply, but if you could that would be better), and (d) list 3 foods that are good sources of the nutrient.

Assignment #3: Nutrition as a science

See Ch 1, pages 12-17.  NOTE, Nutrition is a science, and it is studied in the same manner as any scientific endeavor.  Thus, the scientific method still applies.



Several of you have noted you want to be able to determine if a particular diet (fad or otherwise) is beneficial or harmful.  How would you apply the scientific method to this problem? 



To think more deeply about these concepts, each of you must pick a diet.  It can be any type of diet (weight loss, muscle gain, “the bean only” diet, etc).  Each diet can only be used ONCE.  So, once someone has used one, it can’t be evaluated again.  There are tons available on the internet, but, magazines are loaded with them—especially the Women’s World type of magazines. 



In your blog post, list the name of the diet and the general requirements of the diet.

Then, propose and describe each of the following that would be used to evaluate the diet:

1.      An epidemiological study

2.     A laboratory-based study

3.     A human intervention or clinical trial

Your goal is to describe 3 distinct research studies you would do to evaluate the chosen diet. Be sure to use the glossary of research terms in the text and use these terms correctly.

Assignment #2: The Shadowing Experience

Life in the real world requires more that enduring yet another PowerPoint. 



At some point, you will actually be required to DO something.  Regardless of the class or discipline, an important Confucius quote applies: 



"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand."



This is why you will be required to go beyond a typical lecture (or on-line) format in this course.

One of the course goals is to begin to develop an understanding of the difficulties in managing the nutritional needs and food safety issues in institutional settings;  this would include places such as schools, hospitals, long-term care facilities, etc.  Developing an understanding of the challenges in maintaining food safety is another major objective of the course. 



To this end, each of you is required to log a minimum of 8 hours in an institutional setting or commercial food production facility.  A restaurant doesn't qualify.  The BC Cafeteria does.  If at all possible, choose a place that employs a Registered Dietician.  I don't recommend following the dietician all day unless they are active in the food preparation process; however, having a dietician to interview would be fantastic.  Nursing homes can be a good choice; the same could be said about your local elementary school.  A hospital can provide a variety of opportunities--from patient care to running the cafeteria for staff and visitors. 



Each of these places has unique, and massive, challenges they must face each day! Challenges can include:  government regulations and requirements, financial limitations, supply/demand, and customer preferences. 



From your experience, take detailed notes.   This will be the journal portion of the assignment. From this, and from reflections through the course, you will likely add to those notes.  During the last week of the course (although you should work on it all along), you will write a final reflection paper about your shadowing experience. 



For your SECOND ASSIGNMENT, post where you will do your field experience and why you chose that location.  Due Tuesday 1/10/17 at noon.

Assignment #1: Why am I here?

Welcome to BC's Human Nutrition course blog.

"Why am I here?" is the first question you must address as a comment to the post, and if there is something more personal you wish to share, please email those comments to me privately. Any thing you share privately will remain private.



So, why ARE you? Why this course? Why now?

You answer doesn't matter, as long as you are honest and give me a decent, thoughtful answer. [Even if your answer is "it's a Bio course and I needed the credits and I wanted to do it in my PJs].



I am here because YOU are here.  Having nutritional challenges of my own (celiac disease, a zillion allergies, living on the 'food island' of Bethany College) I hope I can bring some unique perspectives to you as you study the basics of human nutrition.  However, how each of you participates will determine the route and manner in which we study the material.

I've taught several online courses, and, although I do like them, I will certainly miss having the opportunity to meet you daily, in person.

Remember the course will require you to take the final in person.  I'm hoping that could happen the last Friday of Jterm.  Please email me feedback on that subject.  At some point, I need for us all to meet as a group ONCE in person--and this could happen the Friday of the final, or another date that works for all (even if it's during the 1st week of regular classes); I prefer for the meeting to be at the course's end. 



What are your goals for the course?

What are your nutritional challenges? 

Nutritional challenges of those around you (family, etc)?

Without doing ANY research, what are your current thoughts about nutrition in general?

How do you think it affects human health, the community in which you live (school and home--2 separate communities), and the world in which we live?

 This is just a 'what I think now' type of question. Don't give a brief, sketchy answer--but you should only post what you think, not based on any research.

Concerning the on-line format, address:

1. Have you taken an online course before?

2. If so, what was the format/style? Did you like the format? Did you learn in that course? How would you improve the course?

3. What are your concerns about the online format? (or course in general)

4. How would you like this course to proceed? If you have suggestions from the beginning, let me know now and I'll do my best.

Concerning something you'd like to know:

1. List 5 things you want to learn in the class.

2. List 3 human diseases or issues of human health you think are related to diet (no research necessary--it's OK to be wrong)

3. Which animal has a digestive system closest to the human? (again, don't cheat and do research--just make a guess and tell me why you chose that animal)