You must be comfortable using a computer and the Internet. Primary communication is by email and within online discussion areas. You will learn course material from your textbook, course web pages, lab assignments, online discussions, and internet resources.

It is hoped that this course will provide you with information to form wise decisions for managing the environment, as well as a heightened awareness of the beauty and function of natural systems. GPH 111 is a general survey course and assumes no previous background. It is a four credit laboratory science class which is transferable to the state university system. A single grade for lecture and lab will be awarded.

Required Course Materials and Technology
*Textbooks:
1) Tom L. McKnight and Darrel Hess, 2008: Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation. Ninth Edition. Prentice Hall Publishers (website: http://wps.prenhall.com/esm_mcknight_physgeo_8). This link is to the resources for the 8th edition of this book. If you've purchased a new textbook, you will have an access code inside that will permit you to use the student resources (MyGeographyPlace) for the 9th edition. Please purchase your textbook and atlas by the first week of the semester.
2) Goode's World Atlas, 21st edition (paperback). This atlas is packaged with the textbook in the campus bookstore. You will need to use this specific atlas as questions will be tailored to information found in this atlas.
3) Username and password for Blackboard (Enterprise ID). These are different than your palette username and password which you use for your student email account. The course is in Blackboard. Within Blackboard, you will find Online Topic Modules which contain my 'Supplementary lecture notes'. These are found within each week's learning unit. These are important materials for you to read and study. 'Supplementary' does not mean 'less important'. I've put these notes together to help you focus on the most important materials from each topic. Make sure that you know these very well and that you also read your textbook.
4) You will need to install Google Earth Mapping Software on your home computer. There are four labs plus and introductory exercise that require the use of this program. Google Earth is a free program and can be downloaded by going to: http://earth.google.com/

Google Earth is also installed on school computers (GCC campus computers in the High Tech Centers) for your use.

*Online classes require good computer skills and proper technical requirements. Check the page: online_geog.html to see if your computer has the required hardware set-up (if working at home). There are also software plug-ins that will be required so that you can view course materials. These plug-ins (Adobe Acrobat Reader, Powerpoint viewer, latest version of Java) are free downloads and links are provided for your convenience at online_plugins.html.
* Online classes also require the student to possess certain characteristics to be successful. If your technology skills are weak, you might consider taking the "face-to-face" version of this course.

Required On-Campus Activities
There are no required in-class meetings, however, you will need to come to campus to take exams (taken at High Tech Center 1, HT1-143). The hours of operation for the computerized testing room (HT1-143) can be found at the following link: http://www.gc.maricopa.edu/calendar/testing/. Note that these hours do not match those of the computer pits. Always refer to this link when planning your trip to campus to take an exam.

Lab Exercises and Quizzes
Lab exercises will help reinforce the basic concepts within this course. Each exercise is scheduled to coordinate with the week in which you learn about a particular topic. There will be a few occasions in which the lab exercise is on an unrelated, yet important geographic topic. I will always post information on the lab to help you with math problems and general procedures/skills. Lab exercises are not submitted or graded. You will be required to take an online lab quiz to assess your mastery of the week's materials. You will not have to come to campus for weekly lab quizzes as they are in Blackboard within each week's learning unit. The lab exercise and quiz must be completed within the week they are assigned. After the posted due date (at 11:55 pm), the quiz will expire and become unavailable. It is very important that you do not launch the quiz until you are ready to complete it, start to finish. You are allowed only one attempt at a quiz and it must be completed the first time it is launched...so don't decide to "check it out"! If you do, you will be stuck taking it right then and there. Also, make sure that you DO NOT leave the quiz screen once you begin. If you do, you will be locked out and will not be able to get back in. Have all of your reference materials with you when you begin the quiz.

Again, when you are ready to take a quiz, make sure that you have all of your materials with you. You may use your textbook, atlas, notes, lab exercise, and instructional materials to help you answer the questions. Have a calculator at hand also. All questions are based on work done in the week's exercise. If you completed the lab and understood everything, you should get a perfect score on the quiz.

Course Attendance
You must login within the first three days of the start of the online class. If you do not login and have not contacted me, you will be dropped. During the course, our 'week' begins on Monday at 12:01 a.m. MST (mountain standard time = the time in Phoenix, AZ) and work must be completed by the following Sunday night at midnight MST . It is your responsibility to attend class (online) at least 3 times per week. If you do not login to the course for more than seven days (including weekends) without contacting me, your login will be disabled and you will be dropped.

In order to succeed in this class, you will have to login regularly (3-4 times per week, preferably every day), read the textbook and all class materials keeping up with the class schedule. You are responsible for the content of all published announcements so check in often. This is a survey course with a tremendous amount of information. Please make sure to set aside a regular time to study for this course. You will need to spread out your studying over the week rather than trying to learn it all in a day or two each week. Pay attention to all deadlines for graded quizzes, assignments and exams. Quizzes and exams will expire and be unavailable after the published due dates.

Withdrawal Policy
Please refer to the current GCC Student Handbook and catalog for withdrawal policies, procedures and refund dates. If you do not follow the correct procedure for withdrawing, you will receive an "F", which can only be removed by retaking the course. It is your responsibility to drop the course if you intend to do so. Do not rely on the instructor to drop you from the class. If you are having difficulties, please let me know. Please don't just disappear from class. If you wish to drop after the unrestricted withdrawal date, I can drop you...just ask. If you request to be withdrawn and are not passing at the time, you will receive a 'Y'. If you are passing, a grade of 'W' will be recorded. If you do not request to be withdrawn before the final exam period begins, and receive an acknowledgement from me, you will get an "F" in the course. I will not withdraw anyone after the final exam period has begun.

Grading
Grades will be determined by 5 exams, a GEOCOMP exam, a final exam, numerous lab quizzes, and a couple of assignments. The scale below will determine student grades. The distribution does not employ a curve. All exams (not weekly lab quizzes) are closed book, closed notes, closed internet.

You must contact me in advance if you know you are going to be unable to complete an exam during the exam period (1 week). You must provide me with a written note or doctor's note (by email) explaining the 'absence'. The missed exam must be completed within the time period I specify. Do not miss the geocomp or final exam. No makeup will be given. No incomplete grades will be given for the course except under extraordinary conditions.

GRADING RESPONSE TIME: My goal is to have anything that requires my hand grading to be posted within 24 hours of the deadline. Lab quizzes and exams will be graded by computer and should be instantaneous. If I can't make these goals, I'll let you know.

GEOCOMP Exam
The GEOCOMP Exam is a comprehensive examination designed to assess each student's mastery of key competencies in the course. The exam will be administered by computer during Week 16 of the course (this test will be taken in HT1-143 and like all other exams, will be found in Blackboard). You must take this exam within the required time period. There will be no makeup period for this examination. This exam is an extra credit exam worth 50 points toward the final course grade, but it is not optional. There are a few other provisions for extra credit in this course, but this is worth the most total points of any single extra credit opportunity.

WANT MORE PRACTICE WITH CONCEPTS and SOME EXTRA CREDIT?: go to the textbook link (website: http://wps.prenhall.com/esm_mcknight_physgeo_8) or the link in each Topic Learning Module (Unit), select the chapter you are interested in and take the practice quizzes and reviews. I will accept the following four reviews (and no others) for extra credit - you may do all four for each chapter that we are working on ... just hit the links for:

"Multiple-Choice Quiz", "True/False", "Chapter Test", and "Thinking Spatially". (Note: don't answer the essay questions in the "chapter tests").

½point extra credit for each one (not each question). That means 2 pts extra credit per chapter. Keep track of which ones you have sent me so that you send each one only one time! I will update the gradebook to reflect your extra credit. Keep track of your accumulated points to make sure they match - this confirms receipt. You will need to resend them if I don't receive them before the acceptance period is over (see next paragraph).

**Extra credit will only be given for the chapters that we are currently working on (up to the end of each Exam week). After the exam period, no credit will be given. In other words, you can't wait until the end of the semester and then do all of the chapters from the entire semester. Also, you can't race ahead and do all of the extra credit for the entire semester... "to get it over with"!

Resources and Technical Support
In addition to the textbook...there will be the following online study resources:
*Study Guide/Supplemental notes in Course Topic Learning Modules - in Blackboard.
*Practice Quizzes from the textbook website - link found in the Topic Learning Module - in Blackboard.
*Review Questions in the Topic Learning Module - in Blackboard
*Internet - web exploration to relevant web sites for each course topic. Course assignments may or may not use these resources.
*Discussion area for asking questions are in Blackboard and divided into topic units. Post questions within the appropriate topic area.
*Tutoring - Tutors may be available for students who require additional instruction in this course at the Center for Learning (CL). Information concerning scheduling of tutors can be obtained in the Center for Learning.
*The GCC Library provides walk-up and online assistance with reference questions.
*GCC Student Handbook contains answers to many questions and explains college-wide policies related to classes.
*Technical help is available at the student helpdesk at 623.845.HELP (4357) or send an email message to: student-helpdesk@student.gc.maricopa.edu. To work off-campus, help with Gecko, the student server can be found here.

Academic Misconduct
Cheating and plagiarism will be treated as academic misconduct and will be dealt with as described in the current GCC Student Handbook. Students are expected to display courtesy towards each other while online. Students continually and habitually violating these rules are subject to dismissal from the class, which will result in an "F" grade for the course.

Disabled Student Resources
Every reasonable effect will be made to accommodate students with limitations due to documented disabilities. Students who require special assistance and/or accommodations should consult Student Services and the instructor. The Disabled Student Resources Center (623.845.3080) is located in TDS-100 and can be of assistance.

Course Schedule
If any changes to the schedule occur during the semester, you will be notified of these changes in the 'Announcements' section in Blackboard. You will be responsible for the content of any of these announcements.

Each week you will have a textbook reading assignment, a topic learning module (or two) to study, a lab exercise and lab quiz to complete. Separate modules are noted by the + before the name in the schedule below.

Here is the tentative course schedule for this semester. Exam contents are listed in this schedule, but may change slightly. Always refer to the Exam wiki for exam content and study questions.

Items requiring a trip to the GCC Campus are shown in RED lettering (exams).