Geography 102D: World Regional Geography
Thursday, March 11, 2010
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Instructor: Kerry Lyste |
Office Hours: see my homepage /home/klyste/index.html |
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Office: Grey Wolf Hall 350 |
e-mail: klyste@everettcc.edu |
Phone: |
By signing, you agree that you have read this syllabus and understand and agree to follow all classroom and evaluation policies. You will not be handed back any graded work until I have received a signed copy of this syllabus.
Course Syllabus - WINTER 2010
Course Goals/ Learning Objectives:
First of all, you
will notice the date above - this is a dynamic syllabus, subject to
change throughout the quarter, as necessary. While you can expect very little
change in this syllabus, the linked schedule will be updated periodically, and
I will change the date on the course schedule when I do so. You will be
expected to review the course schedule regularly for additional readings, web
materials, updates, and announcements.
This course
examines cultural geographic processes (adaptation, diffusion, colonization,
imperialism, and representation) and cultural phenomena (human practices,
attitudes, values, and behaviors) as they relate to people's relationship with
their environment. It is designed to view humans from an environmental perspective
that explores human spatial behavior as adaptations to evolving ecosystems. A
wide range of cultural topics will be covered from a spatial lens, which is not
just concerned with the location of cultural activities, but the reasons for
spatial patterns, as well as the underlying factors, or meaning of these
patterns.
The group process
is a core element of this class, and the inclusion of everyone's perspective is
a key instructional tool. The class will be split between discussion group
format, lecture, and film presentations.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will know
and understand:
Materials:
Classroom Policies:
It is an expectation
that you act and be treated as adults in this class. Many of these expectations
are laid out in the student handbook, available in several locations on campus.
Your ethical behavior in regards to the completion of coursework should be of
the highest caliber, and your treatment of other students and staff should be
of utmost respect. It is also expected that you will possess the skills
necessary to function efficiently in the classroom. If you require help in
regards to language difficulties, comprehension, reading, writing, taking
notes, and conducting research online and in the EVCC library, the college has
many award winning programs and tools at your disposal. Please do not hesitate
to ask if you feel you have any skills that you need to address, and I may
point out help for deficiencies as they come up.
This quarter we
travel the world in just 3 months! This class takes a detailed look at the
diversity of cultural systems on the planet, and how they relate to the
environment. Apply concepts independently of the context you learn them (this
is referred to as critical thinking), and you can expect to do very well in
this class. It will be necessary for you to think analytically and apply
concepts outside of the box (or books) that you learn them in. Geography is a
science, but not static in any sense - just as the world is constantly
changing, so is Geography. To be content to regurgitate or memorize information
is not the essence of what geography is about. It is living and breathing.
In terms of study
skills, you will need to take good notes on lectures, videos, and group
presentations - you will be able to use these notes on the Midterm and Final.
You will find it important to treat videos like a guest lecturer. Videos used
in class will be primarily online streaming videos from Learner.org and are 15
or 30 minutes in length. In regards to the course text, interact with the
reading by highlighting key phrases and jotting notes in the margins. Also, you
will find study groups to be a powerful learning tool, which will be reinforced
by weekly group assignments. Also, there will be homework in this class - you
should expect to spend a good amount of time researching and writing your group
projects for your weekly assignments, as well as studying for tests and writing
the final paper.
When class starts I
expect your attention! Please either turn your cell phones off, or on vibrate.
If you must converse (e.g.: cell phone), leave the classroom. While I
understand the importance of your being notified in case of emergency,
responsible cell phone etiquette must be followed, or they will be barred from
the classroom. During tests, all cell phones must be turned off.
Your presence in
class and punctuality arriving to class are expectations and not pleasant
surprises. If you must unavoidably miss a class you will be expected to know
the material covered. Special arrangements for a test or assignment will need
to be made in person, in advance, and confirmed by e-mail. Absence due
to illness will need to be confirmed by a doctor to make up a test. You
are responsible for knowing what is happening in the course and for your
grades. Also, assignments must be submitted in person, in class, unless special
arrangements have been made with me.
Please, no
conversations while I am lecturing. It disrupts our classroom environment. If
you are unable to comply with this courtesy you will be warned the first time
it occurs, and be asked to leave if it happens again. If this behavior
continues, you will be withdrawn from the class. If you have questions about
expectations of your conduct, I would again advise you to consult the EVCC
Student Handbook.
It is assumed that
you will complete a week’s assigned reading prior the start of the week.
The weekly assignments should reflect this assumption. This process will allow
you to be actively involved, rather than passively involved in the learning
process.
If you require any
kind of special arrangements, do not hesitate to ask. I will do whatever I can
to help you do well in the class and have an enjoyable experience. There are
also many resources (such as tutoring, the writing center, etc.) that are
available to you through
Cheating on a test
will earn an automatic "F" grade for obvious reasons. You should also
be aware that expulsion is a possibility in such circumstances. Plagiarism will
have similar results - if it is not your work, it is not your grade. I am
committed to your academic growth, but can only be of assistance with you
engaged in the learning process. Taking what seems to be the easy way out is a
short-term solution to a long-term problem. Work with me if you are having
difficulties - my office is open to you, and I welcome your presence.
This is a fun class. Geography is what happens outside the classroom, and yet what you learn inside will allow you to interpret your world in a different way. You will see and examine cultures and people you never realized existed. Hopefully your world will be expanded a little. To me, traveling is one of the most enjoyable experiences - and that is what we will be doing in this class: traveling to different parts of the world and examining their cultural constructs.
Grading:
On the third day of class you will be expected to
hand in the first page of this syllabus. You will need to sign your name and
will be credited 2 extra credit points for this assignment. I will keep the
first page of the syllabus on file. By signing the syllabus, you are signing a
contract, that you have read this syllabus, and agree to fulfill its terms. If the you do not hand in the syllabus on the third day of
class, you will still be expected to do so, to receive credit for assignments
that you turn in (you will not receive extra credit for syllabuses turned in
late).
ON the first school day of each week, you will need
to come prepared to take a map quiz on the week’s region. You will need to know
both physical and cultural features. You will need to locate 20 features and
each map quiz will be worth a total of 10 points. Make up quizzes will only
be given if you have arranged an excused absence before, and only after you
have missed more than one map quiz. An additional map quiz on Oceania will
be given on the day of the final exam for those who have missed a map quiz.
There will be 2 kinds of weekly exercises that will
be assigned the week previous. They will take place on Fridays. The first week of class you will be organized
in teams. One week your team will present a topic in one of the 5 core areas
(which you will be assigned). You must be present on the week your team
presents to receive credit (unless prior arrangements have been made). Every other week, we will do a discussion
group assignment. All of the weekly exercises will usually involve a modest
amount of research either online, or at a library. You will need to come
prepared on Friday to discuss what you have learned and found out from these
exercises. You will be able to utilize a group workspace in ANGEL to organize
these assignments. There will be 10 weekly exercises worth a total of 100
points
Also, there will be 10 weekly quizzes that will be
on ANGEL. The weekly quizzes will be on
the assigned reading, and eight will count towards a total of 80 points (your 2
lowest scores will not count). Also, you will get 2 opportunities to take the
quiz for that week, and your highest score will count. The quizzes will have
different questions each time you take them, and will be multiple-choice. You
will have 20 minutes to answer 10 questions (worth 1 point each). Generally, the
quiz will be released on Thursday, and you have until midnight Sunday to
complete it.
There will be a Midterm and a Final exam each worth
35 points each, for a total of 70 points. These will be in-class essay
assignments on the videos and discussion in the first and second half of class.
You will be able to use your notes, but not the text. Any notes will need to be
synthesized by you, and not photocopied or printed from an online source.
The last component of your grade will be a final
essay. The essay will need to be type-written, in 12 point font, with 1.5
spacing, with sources cited and maps showing your topic. It should compare two
countries from the Carribean and Oceania, and be a
minimum of 5 pages in length. It should also address what you have learned in
class, and especially the cultural diversity your study areas derive from the
regions they reside in. The grading breakdown for the paper will be up to 10
points for each of the 5 core areas of:
Geopolitics, Economics and Social Development, Population and
Settlement, and the environment of your study areas. The final essay will be
worth up to 50 points, and will be due on Tuesday, of week 10.
In general, you can expect materials handed back
within 1 week of when I receive them (not accounting for times of unusually
heavy volume such as Midterms, etc.). Your grades will be posted on Blackboard.
You can access Blackboard from the Student Favorites dropdown menu on the
Everett Community College homepage. Instructions how to sign will appear when
you load the link.
If you fail to complete any
assignment/s worth up 10% of your grade, it will be up to my discretion to
assess that you have failed to meet the minimum requirements of the class at
the end of the quarter. Therefore, your grade will be a
maximum of 400 points, which will then be calculated on a 4.0 scale, with
letter grades assigned accordingly. The breakdown is as follows:
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Map Quizzes |
100 points |
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Weekly Exercises – Presentations/ Discussion Groups |
100 points |
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Weekly Quizzes (on ANGEL) |
80 points |
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Midterm Exam |
35 points |
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Final Exam |
35 points |
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Final Essay |
50 points |
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Total |
400 points |