GEOG 2 - Cultural GeographyA. Saxe

GEOG 2 – Cultural Geography

Distance Education, Spring 2008

INSTRUCTOR: Anne Saxe
EMAIL:
TEXTBOOK WEBSITE:
To obtain class materials:
If you aren’t sure how to login, please visit
REQUIRED TEXT:
  • Jordan-Bychkov, T., Domosh, M., et al. 2006.The Human Mosaic: A Thematic Introduction to Cultural Geography, Tenth Edition, W.H. Freeman and Company, New York, NY. ISBN: 0-7167-6384-2.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Introduction to social and political elements of geography and a survey of major cultural patterns.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1)Define the concept of culture from a geographic perspective and apply the perspective to the study of culture and cultural groups.
2)Understand the concept of diffusion and the factors that affect and influence the rate and extent of diffusion.
3)Explain how the different traits within cultures influence one another.
4)Provide an explanation for variations in the appearances of different cultural landscapes.
5)Evaluate the interaction of cultures with their physical environment.
6)Understand culture regions - how and why places are alike and different and how cultures perceive places and identify with them. / DATES TO BE AWARE OF:
Drop with refund by Tuesday, 2/12/08
Elect CR/NC by Thursday, 3/6/08
Drop without ‘W’ grade by Thursday, 3/6/08
Drop with ‘W’ grade by Thursday, 4/17/08
GRADING POLICY:
The points you earn on the three exams, various assignments, and the culture project will determine your overall course grade. Your final grade for the course is computed by calculating your total accumulated points for the semester, and it will be based on the following grading scale: 0-59%=F; 60-69%=D; 70-79%=C; 80-89%=B; 90-100%=A.
TO RECORD EXAM AND ASSIGNMENT GRADES AND DATES:
Points EarnedPoints Possible
Chapter Quizzes______160 (6 quizzes x 25 points, 1 syllabus quiz x 10 points)
Assignments______150 (3 assignments X 50 points)
Discussion Participation______100 (10 discussions x 10 points)
TOTAL ======/410
ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY:
Academic dishonesty (i.e., cheating during exams, copying another student’s homework, plagiarism, etc.) is not acceptable in any course at SaddlebackCollege. Violating the rules carries significant consequences (e.g., a failing grade in the course, review and sanction by the Dean, etc.) and will not be tolerated. The instructor will also file an “Academic Dishonesty Report” against any student proven to have cheated or plagiarized.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND ASSESSMENT

1.Class Participation – An essential element of this class is participation in discussions with both your classmates and the instructor. Over the course of the semester, you will be expected to respond to various questions posed by the instructor in class Discussion Boards. In any given Discussion Board, after responding to the instructor’s question, you must then reply at least once to the posted responses from your classmates, for a minimum total of two postings per discussion (Please see the “discussion guidelines” section on page 5). The posted question will be located in the DISCUSSION BOARD link. Discussions will begin on Tuesdays and close the following Monday at 11:00 p.m. However, please note that in order for discussion to occur, students must post their first entry (a direct response to the instructor’s original question) by that Friday at 5:00 p.m. to receive credit for the first post. Any responses or replies posted after 11:00 p.m. on the Sunday it is due will NOT be counted for credit. Samples of appropriate discussion board posts and a grading rubric are available under the “Assignments” link.

2.Reading and Assignments – Students are expected to read the assigned text and review the corresponding online lectures. The lectures for each week will be available Tuesday mornings. Any required assignments will also be posted on Tuesday and must be submitted by 11:00 p.m. on the following Monday unless otherwise specified. There will be three major assignments worth 50 points each. Any assignments turned in after 11:00 p.m. on the Monday it is due will NOT be counted for creditunless there is an extreme emergency that can be verified in official written form (doctor’s note, etc.)!

3.Chapter quizzes and final exam – Quizzes are of equal weight (25 points each). Quizzes will consist of map identification, multiple choice, matching, true/false, and application questions. Quizzes for each week become available on Tuesday and must be taken by 11:00 p.m. on the Monday of the scheduled week. Students have 1 hour to complete each quiz. NO MAKE-UP EXAMS WILL BE GIVEN other than for extreme emergencies that can be verified in official written form (doctor’s note, etc.)!

COMMUNICATION

  1. The best method of contact for the instructor is via email. Please allow 24-48 hours for a response. If you do not receive a response from me within 48 hours, please resend your email or ask for a confirmation that I’ve received your email.
  2. This is a college level class, and ALL WRITING ASSIGNMENTS (emails included) should contain proper spelling, punctuation, professionalism, etc.
  3. Avoid sending frivolous emails to the instructor, i.e. emails asking for information that is already provided in the syllabus or on Blackboard. Such emails will generally be ignored. Examples of frivolous questions include: What is the assignment this week?, When is the assignment due?, and What chapters will be included on the first quiz?
  4. Use size12 font and black ink text. While the use of multiple text fonts and colors provides variety, it can also be distracting and difficult to read.
  5. ALL students are required to access their email and Blackboard on at least a weekly basis (preferably several times per week). This is the instructor’s sole means of communicating with you! If you use an alternate email address (yahoo, gmail, etc.) please set up your Saddleback email to forward emails to the alternate address. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain any information that the instructor emails to the student or posts on Blackboard. When sending the instructor an email, include your first and last name in the subject line, especially if your email is sent from a non-Saddleback email address.
Assignment Submission/Feedback

Assignments, quizzes and discussion board questions will be available each week on Tuesday. All required assignments for that week must be completed and submitted by 11:00 p.m. on that Monday. For example, the materials for week 1 will be available on Tuesday, 2/4 and must be completed and submitted by 11:00 p.m. on Monday, 2/11 (with the exception of the first response on the discussion board – that must be completed by 5:00 p.m. Friday). Grades will be posted on Blackboard one week after the assignment due date on Tuesday, e.g. grades for week one (due by Monday, February11th) will be available on Blackboard by Tuesday, February19th. Grades may possibly be posted earlier, but it is not guaranteed.

It is highly recommended that you give yourself plenty of time to complete the necessary assignments and quizzes. Waiting until 10:30 p.m. on the Monday evening something is due to start a quiz or assignment or post onto Blackboard increases the likelihood that your work will not arrive electronically by 11:00 p.m., and I do not accept late work (that includes work turned in at 11:01 p.m.!). If your computer crashes or some other glitch occurs at the last minute, it will be too late for me to help you.

Online Etiquette

Please use online etiquette in your communications. Treat the instructor and your fellow classmates with respect, kindness and courtesy. Obnoxious, rude or disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated in this class just as it would not be acceptable in a traditional classroom. You have the right to disagree with each other and/or with the instructor as long as you disagree in a productive, non-threatening or non-abusive manner. The instructor reserves the right to drop students who do not conform to this policy.

Points to Consider:

  1. Choose your words carefully as people cannot hear your tone or see your facial expressions

while communicating.

  1. Using all capital letters when communicating comes across as shouting and is not appropriate

for online discussion.

  1. Do not use instant messaging abbreviations as they are not appropriate, e.g. “LOL”, “Tx”, “How

R U 2day?”. And please, capitalize your i’s!

STUDENT SERVICES

General Student Service Information is available at the Saddleback College Website. General, academic, and service information can be obtained by accessing the Counseling Division and Financial Aid Websites. Individual and small group counseling information such as academic planning and review of transcripts is available by appointment. All other student services are available on campus during normal business hours.

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

This course meets the requirements set forth in the accessibility checklist and universal design grid provided by Special Services. The Web pages, video presentations, textbooks and class materials used in this course are accessible to students with disabilities. If you have questions on how to make accommodations please contact Special Services – Mike Sauter.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Week / Required Chapter AND Lecture Note Readings / Assignments – (Note: For the purposes of this class ONLY, each week starts on Tuesday)
1
2/5 - 2/11 / Syllabus /
  • Discussion Board #1 – Introductions (1st post by 5:00 p.m. Friday)
  • Syllabus Quiz

2
2/12 – 2/18 / Cultural Geography (Chapter 1) /
  • Discussion Board #2 - Defining OC Culture (1st post by 5:00 p.m. Friday)

3
2/19 – 2/25 / Culture (Chapter 2) – Spotlight on Maori Culture /
  • Discussion Board #3 – TBA (1st post by 5:00 p.m. Friday)
  • Quiz #1 – Chapters 1 & 2

4
2/26-3/3 / Geography of Religion (Ch 3) – Spotlight on Islam /
  • Discussion Board #4 - Religious Fundamentalism (1st post by 5:00 p.m. Friday)
  • Assignment #1 – Sacred Place (Due Monday, 3/31 by 11:00 p.m.)

5
3/4 - 3/10 / Geolinguistics (Chapter 4) /
  • Discussion Board #5 - “Lost Language” (1st post by 5:00 p.m. Friday)
  • Quiz #2 – Chapter 3 & 4

6
3/11 – 3/17 /

Ethnic Geography (Chapter 5)

/
  • Discussion Board #6 – American? (1st post by 5:00 p.m. Friday)

7
3/18 – 3/24 / Spring Break – NO CLASS /
  • No homework (work on Assign. 1) – enjoy your spring break!!!

8
3/25 – 3/31 / Political Geography (Chapter 6) /
  • Discussion Board #7 – Presidential Election (1st post by 5:00 p.m. Friday)
  • Assignment #1 Due 11:00 p.m. on 3/31!

9
4/1 – 4/7 /

Political Geography (cont’d.) - Spotlight on Israel

/
  • Assignment #2 – Video Review (Due Monday, 4/21 by 11:00 p.m.)
  • Quiz #3 – Chapters 5 & 6

10
4/8 – 4/14 / Geodemography (Chapter 7) /
  • Discussion Board #8 – Population Pyramid(1st post by 5:00 p.m. Friday)
  • Assignment #4

11
4/15 – 4/21 / Ag Geog (Ch 8) - Spotlight on Nomadic Herding /
  • Quiz #4 – Chapters 7 & 8
  • Assignment #2 Due by 11:00 p.m. 4/21!

12
4/22 – 4/28 /

Industry (Chapter 9)

Urban Geography (Chapter 10) /
  • Quiz #5 – Chapters 9 & 10
  • Assignment #3 – Culture Power Point (Due Monday, 5/19 by 11:00 p.m.)

13
4/29 – 5/5 / Cities (Chapter 11) /
  • Discussion Board #9 – Environmental Impacts (1st post by 5:00 p.m. Friday)

14
5/6 – 5/12 / Globalization (Chapter 12) /

Discussion Board #10 – TBA (1st post by 5:00 p.m. Friday)

  • Quiz #6 – Chapters 11 & 12

15
5/13 – 5/19 / No lectures this week! /
  • Assignment #3 Due 11:00 p.m. 5/19

Discussion Guidelines and “How To’s” for this Online Course

How to Post Responses to the Discussion Board:

  • Click the “Discussion Board” link. Click on the available discussion board forum. Click the title of the discussion forum you want to post to, and then click the thread published by the instructor. Click the “reply” button and type just as though you were sending an email – Type the topic in the subject line, write your message and click “submit”.

Ensure that your messages are respectful, thought-provoking and grammatically correct. Your postings should reflect that you comprehend the course material! Think about the question before you post your response. When you post your message, keep a clear train of thought and keep your message to a 150-200 word paragraph. Refer to the sample posts for clarification.

How to Reply to Classmates on the Discussion Board:

  • Click on the title of the student’s post. Reply in the dialog box and click “submit”.

Respond to students so that the information shared enhances the class’s overall knowledge. This may be achieved by providing weblinks to relevant studies or animations, sharing a personal experience related to the topic and/or conducting further research on a topic and sharing it with another student (e.g. textbook info, info from a documentary, newspaper article, etc.). In cases where students’ opinions differ, remember to respond to disagreement with respect and courtesy! The goal of discussion is to help students learn from one another.

How to Check Grades:

  • Click on the “Grades” button and click on “My Grades”.

How to Obtain Weekly Assignments, Lectures and Quizzes:

  • Click the button for the appropriate section (lectures, assignments, or quizzes).
  • Click on the appropriate folder (e.g., “Assignment 1”).
  • Quizzes will be available on the Tuesday of each week they are due. For example, the Syllabus Quiz will be available the Tuesday of the first week of class in a folder entitled “Syllabus Quiz”. Quizzes may be taken anytime during the week, but each quiz may only be taken once. All quizzes are timed, and you have one hour to complete each quiz. If the quiz freezes up on you, if you have completed the quiz but you see a padlock symbol in Blackboard or if you do not see a score for your quiz immediately after you have completed it, please contact me right away.

How to Submit Assignments to the Instructor (Always save a copy on your hard drive just in case!):

  • Save all assignments as .rtf (rich text format) electronic files. To save as an .rtf, create your assignment in the word processor as you normally would. When you are ready to save, go to “file”, then “save as”, and in the pull-down menu at the bottom of the “save as” options choose .rtf. Assignments must include your first and last name inside the attached document just as if you were turning in a hard copy. When you finish an assignment, upload it into Blackboard and click the “Submit” button. If you have successfully submitted an assignment, a “!” will appear as your temporary grade.

What you should expect from an online course

Online instruction is attractive to students for a variety of reasons: Students sometimes cannot attend traditional classes due to schedule constraints such as work demands, family responsibilities, physical limitations, etc. However, online instruction is not necessarily for everyone. It is important that students recognize that the level of participation, quality and quantity of work, and the amount of time necessary for successful completion of the course is equal to or greater than what you would expect in a traditional class. If you are a self-motivated and self-disciplined student, than you will likely perform well and enjoy the class. On the other hand, if you are not prepared to keep up with assignments, readings and discussions as dictated by the syllabus, you will quickly fall behind and you may wish to reconsider online instruction.

Suggestions for Minimizing Technical Problems – Follow these to reduce your stress and anxiety in the online environment!!!

  1. Download Mozilla at All students should download this program as it helps prevent issues related to specific Internet Explorer problems. Without Mozilla, your chances of having quizzes lock up on you and/or assignments not uploading into Blackboard are greatly increased!
  2. Do NOT use a wireless Internet connection if at all possible! Wireless connections often cut out before assignments can be uploaded or quizzes completed. The student is responsible if a disruption in the wireless connection prevents him/her from being able to complete their assignment, quiz, etc.
  3. ALL ATTACHMENTS MUST BE IN .rtf FORMAT!!! No .doc, .docx, .wps, etc. formats will be accepted!!! Extensions other than .rtf often will not download correctly from Blackboard.
  4. Saddleback’s email is not always reliable. If I do not reply to an email you have sent me (except in the case of frivolous emails asking for information already found in the syllabus), there is a good possibility that the system randomly deleted your email. As mentioned previously, if you do not receive a response from me within 48 hours, please resend your email or ask for a confirmation that I’ve received your email.

1