Calendar Information
Course Number KIN 180
Course Title: Introduction to
Ergonomics
Credit Hours: 3 Vector 3/1/0 (3 hours lecture and 1
hour tutorial per week)
Course Description (for Calendar)
Intended for students with a potential interest in ergonomics or human factors. The course surveys the design of work, the workplace environment, information systems, and consumer products. Topics include musculoskeletal disorders, manual materials handling, workplace design, organization of work, design of human/machine interfaces, environmental ergonomics, industrial design, and legal and social issues.
(Attach a course outline to this proposal. The course
outline should show what topics will be covered, what reading will
be required/recommended, and how the final grade will be
determined.)
Prerequisites: Grade 12 Biology or Physics,
Grade 12 Math
We considered having other pre-reqs such as Kin 142 Introduction to
Kinesiology, a course that is required of all Kines majors and
minors. However, Kin 180 is designed as a survey course. It will be
possible, for example, to introduce students to risk factors for
musculoskeletal disorders without the anatomy or biomechanics that
are covered in Kin 142. Also, we want this course to be accessible
to non-Kinesiology students (e.g., communications, psychology,
engineering) so that they can sample the field of ergonomics/human
factors, which may interest them enough that they will go on to
take other courses in this stream.
Corequisites: None
Special Instructions: None
Course(s) to be dropped if this course is
approved: None
Rationale for Introduction of this Course: This course
will be a required course for the Ergonomics Stream in the
Kinesiology program. It will lay a foundation of knowledge that
will be built upon in higher-level courses. Kin 180 will also cover
topics (history of ergonomics; legal, ethical, social issues) that
are not taught elsewhere and that a student must have taken to
become a certified professional ergonomist. Currently, many
Kinesiology students do not encounter ergonomics courses until
their ultimate or penultimate year in the program, at which time it
is difficult for them to complete the Ergonomics Stream before they
graduate. Therefore, another motivation for the proposed new course
Kin 180 is to expose students to the field earlier in their
program. It is also anticipated that this course will attract
students from other disciplines (communications, engineering,
psychology) who may have a general interest in the field of
ergonomics. Probable enrollment: 60-80
students
Scheduling and
Registration Information
This course would first be offered in Fall 2004. Thereafter it
would be offered annually in the Fall semester.
Which of your present CFL faculty have the expertise to offer this course? Will the course be taught by sessional or limited term instructors? (CFL means current full-time faculty.)
Anne-Kristina Arnold (a professional ergonomist that the School recently hired as a half-time Lecturer). Stephen Brown, Tony Leyland, Christine MacKenzie, and Jim Morrison are CFL who could also teach this course.
Are there any proposed student fees associated with this course other than tuition fees?
No
Does this course duplicate the content of previously approved courses to such an extent that students should not receive credit for both course?
No
Resources: Provide details on how existing instructional resources will be redistributed to accommodate this new course. For instance, will another course be eliminated or will the frequency of offering of other courses be reduced; are there changes in pedagogical style or class size that allow for this additional course offering?
This course will lay the foundation of knowledge required for understanding of material currently presented in upper level courses. This course will then eliminate duplication in introductory materials in upper level courses and allow those courses for focus on more in-depth material.
Does this course require specialized space or equipment not readily available in the department or university, and if so, how will these resources be provided?
No
Does this course require computing resources (e.g. hardware, software, network wiring, use of computer laboratory space), and if so, how will these resources be provided?
No
Approval
Date:
(Department Chair) (Dean) (Chair, SCUS)
PROPOSED COURSE OUTLINE FOR KIN 180
First Offering: Fall 2004
Objectives:
This course is intended for students with a potential interest in ergonomics or human factors. The course surveys the design of work, the workplace environment, information systems, and consumer products. Topics include musculoskeletal disorders, manual materials handling, workplace design, organization of work, design of human/machine interfaces, environmental ergonomics, industrial design, and legal and social issues.
It will enable the student to understand how the application of ergonomic principles can create safer, healthier, more productive, and more satisfying environments.
Prerequisites:
Grade 12 Biology or Physics, Grade 12 Math
Recommended Text Book: Introduction to Ergonomics. R.S. Bridger, Taylor and Francis, 2003 (ISBN 0-415-27378-1)
Supporting Texts
(1) Ergonomics for Beginners. J. Dul & B. Weerdmeester, Taylor & Francis, 2001 (ISBN 0-748-40825-8)
(2) Evaluation of Human Work. J.R. Wilson and E.N. Corlett, Taylor & Francis, 1995 (ISBN 0-748-40084-2)
Grading:
Topics:
The course includes reading assignments, analysis of a workstation and practical work.
The content of the course will be roughly broken down into the following division:
Topics will include: