GEO-1010-VO01 - Introduction to Geography Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings. Synonym: 205251 Location: Online - Meets Online Credits: 3 (45 hours) Day/Times: Meets online Semester Dates: 05-25-2021 to 08-16-2021 Last day to drop without a grade: 06-14-2021 - Refund Policy Last day to withdraw (W grade): 07-12-2021 - Refund Policy Faculty: Steven Farrow | View Faculty Credentials This course has started, please contact the offering academic center about registration This section meets the following General Education Requirement(s): Global Perspective/Sustainability Human Behavior Note Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program page, and your academic advisor. Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement. Course Description: This introductory course examines the four traditions of geography: the earth science tradition, the culture-environment tradition, the locational tradition, and the area analysis tradition. Topics include landforms, weather and climate, the human impact on the environment, world cultures, populations, spatial interactions, political geography, economic geography, and urban geography. Essential Objectives: The successful student will be able to: 1. Explain geomorphological processes involved in formation of the world's major physical features including oceans, mountain ranges, deserts, and rivers. 2. Describe the complex interrelationships that exist between these geographical phenomena, weather patterns, and biological communities. 3. Examine the influence of geographical features on the patterns and dynamics of human settlement and cultural adaptation. 4. Explore historical, social, and economic uses that human populations have made of natural resources and the impact these activities have had upon the natural landscape and overall well-being of the earth. 5. Examine the influence of culture, politics, and economics on human spatial interaction. 6. Use various types of maps (e.g., physical, political, thematic, socio-cultural) to illustrate and interpret important natural and human geographical features and the interaction of these over time and place. 7. Examine how geography has played a role in cultural and environmental diversity at the local, regional and global level. 8. Apply research and statistical analysis to interpretation of geographical information. Additional Pre-Assignments/Instructor Notes/Comments:  The main goal in this course is to provide each student with a clearer view of the world we live in. Please be sure you have access to reliable, hi-speed Internet for every week of the course. Your computer systems should support Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Power Point, et al. — available through the VSC) and Google Chrome. Please be sure you can download and use Google Chrome applications. Finally, access electronically or in print to a quality atlas of the world would be beneficial. Please make sure you are ready for an online class by consulting with your adviser and taking this short assessment: http://ccv.edu/find/center-for-online-learning/ready-online-learning/ . Finally, this summer course is only 12 weeks and so will be intensive — especially weeks 3, 5, and 10. Methods: · Post at least three times in discussions — the first one before the end of the day on Thursday, allowing your classmates time to reply. · Complete all online assignments. · Read the textbook chapter each per week and complete the text-based quizzes. Read two chapters in weeks 3 and 10. · Complete the midterm exam, classwork, and discussions. · Complete the final project. · Complete the final exam on the chapters, assignments, and posts since the midterm. For the first few weeks there will be a variety of introductory activities. Try to spread-out the workload. Consider the textbook requirements, reading, quizzes, etc.. For each lesson there are usually redundant sets of instructions. Regardless, if things do not seem to be clear please do not hesitate to ask questions of me early on and anytime during this course. Email or Canvas Messaging are usually best. Follow the calendar and recognize that there is meant to be a "flow" to the lessons. Complete lessons as indicated and in a timely manner. The quizzes and exams do require reading from the text and prior classwork completion. I recognize we all have busy lives and schedules outside of this course, so this is even more of a reason to stay tuned-in. If there are any questions, do not hesitate to ask. Any work completed early in the week is always helpful as well. I reserve the right to edit the course description, syllabus, and calendar as the course progresses, should our class situation (or world events) warrant. Discussions are the heart of our class meeting times. I am expecting timely and substantive posts to the discussion. I will ask that you post three times in each discussion — once before the end of the day on Thursday and then at least twice more — for three (or more) total. The first post should also be substantial — well-thought, well-written, and research based (the text, Internet sources, quotes, and illustrations). There is a scoring rubric included below. All of your responses should demonstrate your own thinking and a high level of analysis. You are expected to go beyond simple replies such as, “Yes, I agree.” To be clear, all of the discussions are required. Your quality discussions with other students will benefit everyone. It creates a set of class meetings and discussions. If you find questions to be forced or insufficient, just like me, you can change the tone, tenor, or direction of the discourse. Post your own question or advance the discussion with a new thread. In each discussion please remember to “post early and often!” (There will be two discussions during weeks 3, 5, and 10). I believe that assessments like the quizzes on textbook chapters can be a very useful teaching tool. The quiz format in this course utilizes this premise. Assessments are valuable teaching tools and should be seen as such. This is an entirely online course. Both the students and the instructor are responsible for securing access to the internet for the full semester. What this means is that computer issues, internet outages, and the like will not excuse you from any due dates. We should all expect to utilize problem solving skills, CCV computer labs, local libraries, etc. Finally, I must add a word about completing the online quizzes, classwork, the project, and exams. It is expected that you will use all of your own resources including the textbook, your own notes and previous work, your own knowledge, and only those resources. You are expected to complete the quizzes, exams, and final project on your own (with assistance from the instructor and other college resources, i.e. tutorial services, college writing centers, et. al.). Evaluation Criteria: Please remember the course runs from Tuesday through Monday at 12:00 midnight. The week must be completed before the end of the day on Monday to be considered submitted on time. However, in order to receive full credit and allow time for your peers to comment in the Discussions, please make your original post by the end of the day on Thursday. Further, this course requires your participation and contributions. For that reason your “presence” in the different Canvas discussions is paramount to your success in this course. Expect the amount of work to be serious, but not overwhelming. You will be reading and writing every week and should work to stay current (or perhaps even ahead) of the reading in order to be successful. All assignments are outlined below, so you may plan around any significant busy times in your personal schedule. Please complete the online quizzes, project, and exams on your own using only your own resources (textbook, notes, your own knowledge and information). Finally, I will need to be firm with deadlines – for both your benefit and mine. However, since we are all adults with busy personal lives, in an emergency, an email before the work is due is more likely to result in a positive outcome for both of us. Make-up work will then be arranged and completed with the instructor. Late or incomplete work will be marked down or graded for completion only — at the instructor's discretion. Three absences will result in an unsatisfactory grade for this course. I will try to visit my classroom every day. I will try to reply to emails, messages, and discussions within 48 hours of your writing. I will post grades at the week's end. I will grade discussions and other assignments after all students have submitted work or at the end of the school week. I will post those grades as soon as possible thereafter. Quizzes and exams are graded immediately upon completion. Grade weighting: · Assignments: 24% · Posts to Discussions: 24% · Textbook Quizzes: 22% · Midterm: 10% · Final Project Choice: 10% · Final Exam: 10% Discussion grading rubric: 98+ points - The original post was submitted early-on and two or more responses were completed within the week, allowing ample time for others to reply. You are the leader. This discussion is a response to the question(s) posed by the instructor or other students in each week's discussion prompt. It includes evidence that shows all readings / viewing are complete and that support those ideas. You may have included new questions or new threads. The use of extra resources from research is evident (quotes, illustrations, maps, charts--all cited). This is a superior post. 88+ points - The original post was submitted on time and at least two responses were completed within the week, allowing others sufficient time to reply. This discussion post responds to the questions posed by the instructor in the week's discussion prompt, information from other students. It includes evidence that all readings / viewing are complete, and utilizes outside resources. The post was very good. 80+ points - The original post was submitted and responses were completed within the week, but later (insufficient response time was allowed). The contributions were more brief than what the topic prompted. This discussion post responds to the prompt and includes some evidence that all readings/viewing are complete, however, responses are little more than attempts to agree or disagree. The post may not have used outside resources. The post was sufficient only. 78 points - This is the maximum possible score if there is only one additional response after the original post in a discussion. 70+ points - The original post is late or has fewer than the required responses submitted within the week. There was not enough response time allowed. There was no focus on the readings, research, or other posts. There is an attempt to participate, but not enough attention to composition, thought, or analysis was given. No outside resources were utilized. The post was substandard. 68 points -This the maximum possible score if there are no additional responses after the original post in a discussion. 60+ points- Nominal participation, incomplete, late responses, and/or poorly written with little or no analysis. No outside resources were utilized. The post was poorly completed. 0-59 points - Irrelevant to the topic; poor work, little participation, no outside resources were used, and/or the post was not completed. Grading Criteria: A- to A+ (90% or higher): For work to receive an "A" it must clearly be excellent work. The student will demonstrate very good comprehension, insight, excellent thinking, and attention to detail. It will also demonstrate full understanding of the topics or issues addressed. In addition, an "A" grade reflects a student's ability to clearly and thoughtfully articulate his or her learning. An “A+” is exceptional or outstanding work. B- to B+ (80-89%): For any work to receive a "B" it must be very good work. It must demonstrate comprehension, very good thinking, and detail. In addition, a "B" grade reflects a student's ability to clearly articulate his or her learning. C- to C+ (70-79%): For any work to receive a "C," it must meet the expectations of the assignment. It must demonstrate comprehension, good thinking, and some details. In addition, a "C" grade reflects a student's ability to adequately articulate his or her learning. D- to D+ (60-69%): For any work to receive a "D" it must meet the minimum expectations of the assignment. It demonstrates minimal comprehension, critical thinking, and attention to detail. In addition, a "D" grade may reflect a student's difficulty in articulating his or her learning. F (less than 60%): Work that receives an "F" grade does not meet the expectations or objectives of the assignment. It demonstrates consistent problems with comprehension, organization, critical thinking, and supporting details. In addition, an "F" grade reflects a student's inability to articulate his or her learning. There was little or no completion of assignments. Students are strongly urged to discuss this grade with their instructor and adviser. P: Is equivalent to D (+/-) or better and therefore course will not count as credit for specific program requirements or competence area requirements. NP: Indicates a failure to meet course objectives and/or failure to meet grading criteria for successful completion as described in the instructor's course description. Late work is handled in each case. Please know that as a rule I do not accept late work beyond a week of the due date. If you have a personal emergency please contact me by email. Attendance Policy: You must recognize that online courses are different. Your "presence" is required, demands your participation, and your full contribution. Students are expected to participate in all classes in a timely manner. Class sessions begin on Tuesday and run through Monday at midnight. Classwork is an important aspect of this course and not completing assignments will dramatically affect your grade in this course. Your participation will determine your attendance in class that week. The Thursday and following Tuesday deadlines are firm--for you and your classmate’s benefit as well as mine. Stay current with reading, quizzes, projects and all deadlines--it is difficult once you fall behind. The course runs continuously for 12 weeks. In accordance with CCV policy, a student failing to complete work from more than three (3) classes will result in a non-satisfactory grade. Contact Faculty: Email: Steven Farrow

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