COURSE GUIDELINES for

 

ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY ONLINE

 

Hello, and welcome to Environmental Geology Online.  If you are reading this, you have successfully logged onto ETUDES.  Good work.

 

I'm Phil Farquharson, your instructor.  I'm very much looking forward to working with you in this course.  I hope you like the course and learn a lot about Environmental Geology—one of the most interesting and important fields of modern science. 

 

Anyone living in California knows that natural earth processes often create dangerous and disastrous hazards for people.  Many people also understand—at least in a general way—that the Earth provides us with nearly all of the resources that make human civilization possible.  Environmental Geology is the study of how geologic processes affect our lives (in both positive and negative ways).  To appreciate the importance of this subject, consider these statistics: 

- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) estimates that the U.S. suffers average annual losses of $4.4 billion from earthquakes.

- The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates that flooding in the U.S. causes an average $4.5 billion in damage and 100 deaths annually.

- The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that landslides cause 25-50 deaths and $1.0 billion in losses annually.

 

If you are concerned about our society and its future, and interested in the close and complex relationship that our society has with the planet beneath our feet, then Environmental Geology will be a great learning experience for you. 

 

This message explains how this course will work and gives important rules and guidelines.  Please read everything below carefully.  It is important that everyone follow the guidelines so that we have a well-structured, educational and fun course with minimal logistical hassles. 

 

"LATE-START" COURSE

 

This semester, GEOL120 is a “late-start” course, meaning that it begins two weeks after the regular start of the semester.  This means that the workload for the course is slightly compressed (i.e. you will be doing the work of a 16-week course in 14 weeks).  One way that we will do this is to have work due during Spring Break (the week of March 28th to April 3rd ).  Therefore, if you make travel plans for that time, plan ahead and submit your work for that week early. 

 

TEXTBOOK

 

If you have not already done so, you must buy the required textbook right away.  You will need it for your first chapter quiz, which is due soon (see the Course Schedule for the deadline).  The textbook is Geology and the Environment (5th edition, 2008) by B.W. Pipkin, D.D. Trent, R. Hazlett and P. Bierman (ISBN = 0495113050 or 9780495113058).  The quizzes and assignments are based on the most recent (5th) edition.  If you use the older 4th edition, you will be able to answer most of the quiz questions, but you will end up missing some because the quizzes are based on the most recent addition.  You can buy the text at the college bookstore or through online vendors. 

 

COURSE SCHEDULE

 

If you have not already, go soon to the Course Schedule link in the Modules’ and print out the Course Schedule.  The Course Schedule lists all the dates and deadlines for all your work this semester—very important! 

 

ONLINE EDUCATION & YOUR COMMITMENT TO THIS CLASS

 

There are some distinct advantages to online education, as well as some real disadvantages.  Many people find the online learning format to be sort of “lonely,” with little opportunity for one-on-one interaction either with the instructor or with other students.  Of course, the major advantage of online work is that you have nearly complete control over your schedule and learning experience.  This course has no in-class meetings, but there are strict deadlines for work you must submit every week.  You need to keep track of deadlines and stay on top of the workload without being prompted. 

 

Please be aware that this course will probably require more reading, more writing, more self-discipline, and more independent motivation from you than most traditional classroom-based science courses!  You must be prepared to give the course the same or greater weekly time commitment required of regular classroom-based courses.  You also need to make sure that your hardware and software function properly throughout the semester, because problems with your computer, or internet access, are not accepted as excuses for missing deadlines (see below). 

 

POLICY on DEADLINES and LATE WORK

 

Nearly every assignment, quiz, and exam will be available for you two full weeks before it is due.  This is plenty of time for you to complete the work by each deadline.  I will never prompt you about deadlines.  The deadline for every piece of work is listed on the Course Schedule. 

 

Please understand the following policies on late work, and please do not request exceptions to these policies. 

 

1. I do not accept late work except in cases of a documented personal emergency.  “Documented” means you need to provide written verification of a legitimate personal emergency, signed and dated by a doctor or emergency medical technician, to get an extension on a deadline. 

 

2. Problems with your personal computer or internet connection are not accepted excuses for missing a deadline.  If you experience computer problems, you must get to another computer to submit your work by the deadline.  So this means: plan ahead and submit your work well before each deadline.  If you submit work close to a deadline (like sending in your work at 10:55pm for an 11:00pm deadline), you take your chances on running into problems, missing the deadline, and losing credit for your work.  ETUDES will not allow you to turn in an assignment, quiz, or exam after the deadline has passed. 

 

3. I never accept work sent by email.  I only accept work submitted through the ETUDES website. 

 

WEEKLY WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

 

This class has weekly writing assignments.  Each assignment is related in some way to the concurrent reading in the textbook.  Assignments typically involve visiting geologic internet sites or reading geologic articles.  Some of these assignments will ask you to comment on work that other students have written, so that we can have a bit of class discussion—always a challenge in an online course!  The Course Schedule lists the weekly writing assignments and their due dates.  Assignments will always be due on SUNDAYS by 11:00pm.  Each assignment will generally be available for two weeks before the due date, and you can submit the assignment at any time during that period.  Weekly assignments are located in the “Tasks, Tests and Surveys” area of ETUDES.  See the Course Schedule for the due dates of all writing assignments. 

 

TWO of your WRITING ASSIGNMENTS are 30-POINT REPORTS

 

Most of your weekly writing assignments are worth 15 points.  However, two of the assignments are more substantial, and are worth 30 points each. 

 

1. Report on “An Inconvenient Truth”:  The first of these 30-point assignments requires you to report on the award-winning film “An Inconvenient Truth,” featuring former vice-president Al Gore and his campaign to educate people about global warming—probably the most serious environmental issue facing our society.  You will need to either buy the dvd or rent it at your local video store to complete this assignment. 

 

2. Research Project: This can take one of two forms: 

 

Term Paper:  you have the option of writing a 30-point term paper instead.  For more information, see the Term Paper Option link in the Classroom. 

 

Geo-photo Project: This involves photographing and explaining at least ten environmental geology challenges in your surroundings, in scientifically accurate terms, with valid references, and submitting the project to the class web site.  For more information, see the Geo-photo Project Option link in the Classroom.

 

WEEKLY QUIZZES

 

This class has regular weekly quizzes, based on the textbook chapter reading assignments.  Most quizzes are worth 15 points, and consist of about 15 multiple-choice questions.  Most weeks of the semester, you will complete one chapter reading assignment from the textbook and take the associated multiple-choice quiz.  In some weeks, you may be reading two chapters and taking two quizzes. 

 

The Course Schedule lists the weekly quizzes and their due dates.  Quizzes will always be due on SUNDAYS by 11:00pm—the same deadline as the weekly writing assignments.  Each quiz will usually be available for two weeks before the due date, and you can submit the quiz at any time during that period.  Weekly quizzes are located in the “Tests” area of ETUDES. 

 

FINAL EXAM

 

The last week of the semester is set aside for you to complete a comprehensive Final Exam.  The final is an open-book essay exam (i.e. not multiple-choice, like the weekly quizzes).  The exam will consist of about six big essay questions, and the amount of writing will be equal to or greater than that of a typical college term paper.  There will not be any additional assignment or quiz due during the week of the exam.  The Final is located in the “Tasks, Tests and Surveys” area of ETUDES below the chapter quizzes.  (Scroll down below the quizzes to see the link.) 

 

GRADING

 

Your work in the course comprises 11 writing assignments (including the report on “An Inconvenient Truth” and the Research Project), 16 quizzes, and 1 Final Exam.  The Course Schedule lists the point values of each piece of work.

 

All the work together comes out about 465 points total.  The total number of points you earn by the end of the course will be divided by 465 to come up with a percentage.  Your grade will be based on this percentage using the scale below.  This scale may be adjusted slightly in your favor at the end of the semester, but generally by no more than 1% to 2%.

 

90-100% (416 points or more)          = A

80-89% (370 points or more)            = B

68-79% (314 points or more)            = C

55-67% (253 points or more)            = D

<55% (less than 253 points)              = F

 

NOTE: If you are taking the class Credit / No Credit, the cut-off for Credit is the same as for a C.  If your goal in the course is simply to get credit or a C, you have the option of stopping once you reach the minimum number of points for a C. 

 

POLICY on TECHNICAL PROBLEMS

 

Problems with servers, email, and internet access may happen.  If the technical problems happen on the college’s end, I will take care of them as quickly as possible and extend the deadlines accordingly.  Mira Costa College has been offering online courses for many years, and so major technical problems with our servers and internet connections are almost unheard of at this point.  We run a tight ship, technologically speaking. 

 

If technical problems come up on your end, you need to take care of them, and still get your work in by each deadline.  As explained above, personal computer/internet problems are not accepted as excuses for late work.  It is your responsibility to make sure that your personal computer and internet access work properly.  Plan ahead and budget your time, so that if you have problems you still have time to get to a different computer (at a friend’s house, on campus, etc.) to submit your work by the deadline. 

 

Finally, please don't ask me technical questions about your personal computer / email / internet system.  I can already tell you my answer—I don’t know what’s wrong with it!  The best I can do is suggest that you check that it’s plugged into the wall.  After that, forget it. 

 

MY COMMITMENT TO YOU

 

Grading & Feedback

 

Nearly all of your weekly assignments, quizzes, and exams will be due on SUNDAYS by 11:00 pm.  I will make every effort to grade your assignments, and provide written comments on your work, within 24 to 48 hours.  Your graded quiz results will be available within 24 hours after the deadline.  Occasionally, my other work commitments mean that it might take a few extra days for me to grade your work.  The Final Exam (which is essay-based) will certainly take me several days to grade.  If you turn your work in early, good for you—congratulations on being so organized!  However, my schedule usually will prevent me from grading your work early.  I usually will grade your work the day after the deadline whether you turn it in early or not. 

 

NOTE: As you will see, one great advantage of ETUDES is that you will be able to check your grades and progress any time you want.  You can do this by clicking on the “View Grade” or “My Scores” options in the “Tasks, Tests and Surveys” areas of ETUDES. 

 

Communication & Accessibility

 

I do not have regularly scheduled online office hours, but I am more-or-less available for you whenever you need to get in touch.  I strongly encourage you to contact me about questions or problems you have on the subject matter.  I am here to help you learn, so please seek me out for anything you need. 

 

The best way to contact me is through the “Messages” option in ETUDES.  You can find me there by last name (FARQUHARSON) on the list.  I will log on to ETUDES four or five times each week to check for messages from you, grade your work, etc.  Depending when you send your message, it may a couple of days for me to respond.  Therefore, make sure you stay enough ahead of the reading, writing assignments and quizzes so that you can contact me with questions well before all deadlines. 

 

It would be best if we do most of our communicating through ETUDES, and you will probably get a faster response from me if you contact me that way than by email.  However, you are welcome to contact me by email [pfarquharson@miracosta.edu].  The least effective way to contact me is by phone, and since I am an Associate Faculty member at MiraCosta College, I do not have a campus phone extension.

 

*****

 

That's all for Course Guidelines. 

 

You should click now on the other links in the “Modules” and find out what information these contain.  Also click on the “Tasks, Tests and Surveys” link, and then click on Introduction to learn about your first assignment (an easy one).  Then click on Orientation Quiz and Chapter 1 Quiz to see your first quizzes.  You will be able to answer most of the questions on the Orientation Quiz based on what you have read above. 

 

I am looking forward to working with you online.  Have a great semester!

 

Sincerely, 

 

Phil Farquharson 

Associate Faculty, Geology and Oceanography

Physical Sciences Department

MiraCosta College