1.2 - Course Mechanics and Syllabus

Hello Geographers!

Please make sure to read the Syllabus for this Course and view my video comments on the Syllabus.. Reading this page is not a substitute for reading the Syllabus.

Canvas

If you haven't already done so, I encourage you to go through Units 0.1 and 0.2. They will introduce you to the Canvas platform and to how the different Tools in Canvas work. These Units will be available throughout the semester for you to refer to, should you have any difficulty with Canvas. If you have quick questions you can also try the course Q & A Forum.

Geography 3 Class Structure

This course is an asynchronous, online course. This means that there are no required live class sessions. We will be using the Module or Unit format to move through this Course. Each Unit will include some or all of the following:

an Overview of the Unit which will include your reading assignment for that Unit
Online Content including written text, video lectures by me, and other relevant videos
Assignments
Discussion Activities
Quizzes
A summary of the Unit which will also be a study guide for Unit Exams
A Unit Exam

Due dates for all graded and extra credit, assignments, discussions, quizzes and exams will be clear. I expect you to complete these activities by the due date. Quizzes can not be made up and if you miss the due date for participating in a discussion that can not be extended. I may consider an extension for assignments and exams on a case-by-case basis. Please let me know ASAP if you will have trouble making the deadline for either an assignment or exam.

Types of Assessment

Assignments- There will be a homework assignment for each Unit in this course (Unit 1 does not have an assignment). These assignments will be worth between 15 and 25 points. Some of these assignments you will complete directly on Canvas. Some you will submit a word document. And others you may be required to print out, complete and either scan or take a photo of to turn in. If you do not have a scanner at home, there are free scanning apps for both iPhones and Android phones. iPhones have a built in scanning function that works well.

Discussions- Each Unit, there will be a required discussion activity. Your first discussion activity is the "Beam Me Up Scotty" discussion in this Unit. These discussions will be worth 10 to 15 points. Please contribute in thoughtful, coherent ways to these discussions.

There is also an Extra Credit current events discussion I hope that all of you will take advantage of.

Quizzes - Most Units (this unit is an exception) you will have one or more quizzes that you will be required to take. These will be very brief - 5 to 10 points. They can be taken three times and your best score will be recorded.

Unit Exams- These exams will cover all the material in the Unit including the textbook, video lectures, written online text etc. They will be worth approximately 40 points each. This Unit does not have a Unit exam.

Communication

I may have some optional live, Zoom study sessions for exams .
I will have live, Zoom office hours available. Office hours are optional. If I will be unavailable for office hours or if there is a change in time and day, I will let you know in "Announcements"
I will use announcements to post reminders, change due dates, let you know about changes to my availability for the week, and other urgent messages. Please read them.
I prefer to use the message inbox in Canvas Links to an external site. to communicate. I will, however, check my email regularly and may occasionally use email for announcements.
I may also be contacted at the following phone number, (707) 546-7718. This is a good option if you need to get ahold of me and we are experiencing PG&E blackouts or some other disruption to communication.

The Days and Times of these live Zoom sessions will depend, in part, on the answers to the class availability survey. Please complete it!

Textbooks

The Textbook for this class is particularly helpful for providing useful graphics and definitions used in this class. Please purchase the textbook and atlas for this class. Even if you have another Atlas at home you will need the course Atlas. Maps are both art and science. Cartographers have to make decisions about what to include and what not to include on every map. Two different atlases will likely show different information. We all need to be on the same page so please buy the class Atlas.

Textbook: "Globalization and Diversity: Geography of a Changing World ", 6th Edition;

ISBN-13: 978-0134898391