Geography 101: Introduction to Geography, (Online).

 

Semester: Fall 2007 Online Distance Learning

Instructor: Jeff Sherman

Credit Hours: 3

CRN: 3170

Department: Social Sciences

Course Location: Distance Learning - None

Meeting Time (days/hours): Distance Learning 24/7. Since this is a distance learning course, you are expected to log on weekly at your convenience to complete assignments quizzes and participate
in the discussion board.

Scope of Course: An introductory study of geography concerned with the basic patterns of physical environment and their relationship to man. Focus is upon not only where people and activities are located on the Earth's surface and the reasons for the location but also upon geography as a social science, emphasizing the relevance of geographic concepts to human problems and conditions. As such the course's use of physical geographic concepts will help students to better understand human behavior. A topical approach is used. Included are analyses of why languages, religions, and ethnicities are arranged as they are in the World and an examination of the significance of the locations of important economic activities, including agriculture, manufacturing, and services. Course will examine political geography topics and issues with the backdrop of an increasingly interconnected diverse global society.

 

Textbook - Which can be purchased at the MXCC Bookstore
Introduction to Human Geography, Eighth Edition James M. Rubenstein

Office Hours: Upon arrangement

Office Telephone: (860) 678-7170

Email: wavestrategy@yahoo.com. There is an internal email built into the course. Please use that email once you have access to the course.
Use the above email in an emergency.

Attendance Policy: You are required to log on weekly and perform tasks and
assignments according to the syllabus. I will not accept any late assignments, quizzes, midterms, finals, discussion board postings, and etc. unless permission is granted ahead of time.

Class Cancellation Policy: Non applicable


Note to potential students

As you contemplate taking an online course, bear in mind that such a course requires

- the capacity to do a lot of careful reading and writing (online, everything happens in print), good time management skills, and - enough responsibility to follow a syllabus and complete assignments independently. Most people who choose online courses have these capacities, and do very well indeed. Almost everyone would agree that an online course involves more work (although not inordinately more) than a classroom course, but that it also creates a different and potentially more stimulating and productive way of learning.

Online learning also strikes some people as "lonely." You yourself will be the best judge about the importance of "emotional" considerations in learning and whether you need the physical presence of others to feel comfortable enough to learn effectively. And, allied to the comment above about reading, online learning can be risky if you have difficulty reading, processing, and following instructions. Once again, you will be the best judge in this matter.

In terms of “computer" factors you should have:

- regular access to your own computer (it will be difficult to succeed here by logging on once a week from the library)

- you should be able to navigate the course web site on your own and discover what's there

- you should be able to type well enough so that typing itself isn't a hindrance to your performance

- you should know how to copy and paste

- you should know how to create email attachments (these last two are basic skills that can be learned quickly before the course even begins. Directions on how to do this with the internal e-mail that comes with your course is provided as well)

I post this here to encourage you to make an informed choice.

 

Term Paper

25 % of your final grade

 

You are to write a 5 to 8 page research paper on a topic related to World Geography.

You are to use a minimum of four references.
At least three of these references must be non-internet references.

In other words:

If you use 4 references only one can be from the internet.
If you use 5 references only two can be from the internet.
If you use 6 references only three can be from the internet.
Anything over 6 references can have unlimited internet references as long as you have 3 non-internet references.

You are to provide the instructor with a one page outline of your research paper. DUE: Week of Midterm.

The instructor will review it and send it back to you with approval for your research project.

You may submit your outline earlier if you wish. Included in your research paper should be a bibliography and footnotes.

Use correct grammar, punctuation and full sentences.
Put your best effort into it as this counts for a good part of your final grade.

Your research paper is due Sunday, December 9.

 

Evaluation/Grading Policy

Evaluation (exams, papers, projects, etc. and percentages towards final grades.)

1.       Participation in On-line Bulletin Board 15% of final grade
In order to receive full credit for the discussion board, you must log on weekly
and respond to the current question as well as interact with your classmates.
You must respond to at least two other postings in order to receive full credit.
You will be graded on how completely you answer the assigned discussion
question and by the quality of your responses to the other postings. No credit
will be given should you log on after one week.


1. On-line Bulletin Board 15% of final grade

2. Weekly On-line Quizzes and assignments 20% of final grade

3. Midterm Exam 15% of final grade

4. Final Exam 25% of final grade

5. Term Paper 25% of final grade
See details above

 

ADA Accommodation Statement:

"Students with physical or learning disabilities who may require accommodations are
encouraged to contact the counseling office. After disclosing the nature of the disability,
students are urged to discuss their needs with individual instructors. This should be done
at the beginning of each semester. Instructors, in conjunction with appropriate college
officials, will provide assistance and/or accommodations to those students who have
completed this process."

Academic Ethics and Classroom Behavior:

"At Middlesex Community College we expect the highest standards of academic honesty.
Academic dishonesty is prohibited in accordance with the Board of Trustees' Proscribed
Conduct Policy in Section 5.2.1 of the Board of Trustees' Policy Manual. This policy prohibits cheating on examinations, unauthorized collaboration on assignments, unauthorized access to examinations or course materials, plagiarism, and other proscribed activities. Plagiarism is defined as the use of another's idea(s) or phrase(s) and representing that/those idea(s) as your own, either intentionally or unintentionally." (Board of Trustee" Policy 5.2.1)

Weekly Schedule


Week 1 (Session 1) Chapter 1 (8/28-9/2). Thinking geographically. How geographers describe where things are and why each point on Earth is unique and how are they similar.

 

Week 2 (Session 2) Chapter 2 (9/3-9/9): Examining world population and diversity. Where is the world’s population distributed and in which regions will populations increase greatest. Why might the world face an overpopulation problem and how can human culture and technology confront this issue.

 

Week 3 (Session 3) Chapter 3 (9/10-9/16): World migration patterns and their affect on population distribution and world cultural diversity.

 

Week 4 (Session 4) Chapter 4 (9/17-9/23): Examine world popular culture in an increasingly more interconnected global society. Class will look how popular culture is diffused among diverse world cultures and their impact on societies.

  

Week 5 (Session 5) Chapter 5 (9/24-9/30): Examine world’s heterogeneous collection of languages as an example of cultural diversity. How certain languages, in particular are related to others and how local languages continue to be preserved. 

 

Week 6 (Session 6) Chapter 6 (10/1-10/7): World religion and how religions get diffused across geographic regions and how it may conflict with the spread of others. Why do territorial conflicts arise among religious groups? 

 

Week 7 (Session 7) Chapter 7 (10/8-10/14): Ethnicity and how diverse cultures interact in an increasing interconnected global society. Key issues covered include, ethnic discrimination, affirmative action and concept of nationality.

Week 8 (Session 8) Chapter 8 (10/15-10/21): Nations and nation states. Examine traditional wars between states and the 21st Century reality of terrorist attacks launched by groups and individuals who are not tied to traditional national boundaries.

 

Week 9: (Session 9) Chapter 8 (10/22-10/28), (continued) Nations and nation states. Examine traditional wars between states and the 21st Century reality of terrorist attacks launched by groups and individuals who are not tied to traditional national boundaries.

 

Week 10 (Session 10) Chapter 9 (10/29-11/4): Explore why levels of development vary among countries. Differences in how more and less developed countries are geographically distributed and how levels of development vary among ethnicity and gender. 

Week 11 (Session 11) Chapter 10 (11/5-11/11): Examine how and where did agriculture originate and contrasts between highly mechanized and productive farms of developed countries and those of  “Third World” nations/regions.

 

Midterm Exam on Chapters 1-12. Date to be announced.

 

Week 12 (Session 12) Chapter 11 (11/12-11/18): Industry. Examine where industry is distributed and where and why it is expanding.

Thanksgiving Break: 11/19-11/25

 

Week 13 (Session 13) Chapter 12 (11/26-12/2): Service economy/industry. Origination of service economy and how services are distributed in society. Concentration of service industries among different cities and regions.

 
Week 14 (Session 14) Chapter 13 (12/3-12/9): Urban distribution patterns and distribution of various ethnic and economic sectors within urban sectors. Also explore distinctive problems associated with modern inner city and urban areas.

 

Week 15 (Session 15) Chapter 14 (12/10-12/16): Resource issues. Explore timely topics of energy and natural resource depletion in addition to ecological issues. Examine conservation and alternative energy possibilities.

.

Research Papers Due December 9th.

Final Exam, date to be announced.