Frederick Community College

GG 102 – Cultural Geography Online

Spring Semester 2010

Instructor Information:

Name: Corwin Parker	Office: H-230
E-mail: cparker@frederick.edu	Phone Number: (301) 624-2837
Office Hours: ONLINE	Campus Mail Box Number: 105

Course Information:

Credits: 3	Last Day to Drop: April 9, 2010
Prerequisites: EN52, ESL 99	Co-requisites: None
Meeting Day(s): ONLINE	Meeting Time(s): ONLINE

Course Description:

Studies man in his regional settings, with emphasis on the interrelationships of physical and cultural phenomena.

Core Learning Outcomes. Students completing this course will be able to:

1. (Goal I) Demonstrate college-level communication skills by

· writing and speaking effective, organized, clear, and grammatically correct English appropriate for a specific subject, purpose, and audience (1)

· understanding and interpreting texts on issues related to geography, the environment, and/or human society and the ongoing relationship among these factors (2)

2. ( Goal II) Demonstrate critical thinking skills by

· evaluating evidence by differentiating among facts, opinions, and inferences (4)

· generating and evaluating alternative solutions to problems (5)

· researching, analyzing, comparing, synthesizing, and drawing inferences from readings and other research materials in order to make valid judgments and rational decisions (6)

3. (Goal III) Display general knowledge and historical awareness by

· demonstrating a general knowledge of history, culture, society, and of relationships among various disciplines of study to explain how cultural regions change over time (8)

· displaying historical awareness and demonstrating an understanding of contemporary issues within their historical and cultural context through comparing and contrasting the distribution, growth rates, and characteristics of human populations in terms of settlement patterns and the location of natural and economic resources as well as analyzing the causes and impact of human migration in both historical and contemporary terms (10)

4. (Goal VII) Understand and be able to interpret social and educational values by

· identifying and evaluating moral issues and conflicts with respect to this field of study (22)

· displaying academic honesty and adhering to professional standards in the field of geography (23)

5. (Goal X) Value the emergence of a multicultural society by

· acknowledging a plurality of cultural and pesonal values and by demonstrating respect for the right of others to express their viewpoints (30)

· examining a global issue/event from multiple perspectives (31)

· recognizing the importance of language in understanding cultural differences (32)

Additional Outcomes:

In addition to the above, the students will demonstrate geographic literacy by being able to:

• Locate the countries of planet earth as delineated by their political geography.
• Identify the basic economic zones throughout the world, and their human populations.
• Use maps to identify and locate local, regional, and national features and landmarks.

Instructional Methods:

Classroom activities and assignments, discussion, internet websites; map reading, drawing, and interpretation exercises; homework assignments.

Required Text(s) for Course:

Jordan-Bychkov, Terry G. and Mona Domosh. The Human Mosaic – A Thematic Introduction to Cultural geography, 10^th Ed. New York: W. H Freeman and Company, 2005

Pearce, Margaret W. Exploring Human Geography with Maps. W. H Freeman and Company, 2003

Electronic atlas available online at Google Earth

Evaluation Methods:

Graded Items	Final Grade Scale – Points will be added up for all assignments and calculated on a scale of 1000 even if maximum points exceed 1000
· Exams (3) – 200 points each · Articles and “worksheets” – 100 points · Tourism brochure – 100 points · Assignments – 100 points · Essay – 100 points · Discussion Boards– 100 points	900-1000	A
	800-899	B
	700-799	C
	600-699	D
	Below 600	F

Assignments and Exams:

Many posted assignments are for practice only. The assignments that must be turned in will be noted on the syllabus and students may be reminded on Blackboard “Announcements”. All assignments will be due on Monday at 5 p.m. of every given week on the syllabus. No late assignments will be accepted NO EXCEPTIONS! Should you have a DOCUMENTED medical emergency, notify the instructor immediately and WELL BEFORE (at least two days) the due date to arrange a new due date. Computer problems are not a valid excuse!

If it is necessary to miss an exam, you will be allowed to take a make-up exam ONLY if you have a valid, EMERGENCY excuse and have notified your instructor BEFORE the exam. If you want to make up an exam, it is your responsibility to schedule your make-up exam with the instructor. Failure to follow this procedure will result in NO MAKE-UP EXAM!!! Note: Make-ups will be essay format!

Progress Report:

Official Grades will be available at two points during the semester. Students can be provided a progress report at week six via email. Final Grades will be available at the end of semester.

Attendance Policy:

Students in this class are expected to log each week. Your attendance will be checked through your submission of assignments. Plan ahead, manage your time wisely, and complete assignments in a timely manner. Remember that computer problems are not a valid excuse for late assignments.

Academic Honesty:

Each student is expected to perform his/her own academic work. Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty are considered extremely serious offenses. The student is personally responsible for understanding the various forms of academic dishonesty as they are explained in the "Student Code of Conduct" in the Student Handbook. Ignorance of any requirement for academic honesty will not constitute an excuse from disciplinary proceedings. Any form of cheating will be considered grounds for failure of the course.

Modification of Schedule:

The instructor reserves the right to adjust the assignments or schedule. This may also change the date(s) of one or more of the exams. Any affected assignment due dates may also be adjusted. In the event the schedule is adjusted, the student will remain responsible for all the assignments listed in this syllabus and online. Email and Blackboard announcements are vital and you must check them in order to be updated on any and all changes to the syllabus and assignment deadlines.

Blackboard Online Resources:

Frederick Community College has adopted the web-based Blackboard learning environment to support regular classes, and for online courses. This course has a dedicated Blackboard resource available to students registered in this course and will serve as a supplementary source of information. Students should be sure they have access to their accounts. Students may access FCC’s Blackboard from anywhere in the world, using a computer with a current web browser such as Internet Explorer 6.X or Netscape 6.X, or higher. The URL is http://frederick.blackboard.com. This course ID is GG102-ONL1. Students are required to have a valid e-mail address and it must be the one listed in the school’s database. You can change your email address in the database. Emails will only be sent to the email address listed in the class database. Not receiving email at an email address other than the one listed in the course database is not an excuse to miss assignments. Class resources in Blackboard include announcements, course syllabus, web links, and assignments. Students will have access to the lectures and assignments each week.

Class Participation:

Class participation is an integral part of successfully completing this course. Therefore, the instructor may collect reports or other work, and Blackboard log-in statistics at his or her discretion to determine a class participation portion of the grade. To be able to contribute productively to class discussions and other interactions, the student will be expected to read the assigned material and view the corresponding video lessons and use the online study guide each week of the course prior to class. Please read the chapters and complete other required readings so you may participate intelligently in the online discussions. Non-referenced discussions or those without the minimum number of postings will not be graded, no exceptions!

Students With Disabilities:

FCC provides reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified students with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) and amendments. Students with disabilities who are in need of accommodations must contact the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office at 301-846-2408 (A Building, Room 106A) in order to request and apply for services. The SSD office will require appropriate documentation of a disability. Questions related to accommodations or services can be directed to the SSD office. Additional information related to services can be viewed at the following FCC web page: http://www.frederick.edu/student_services/disability.aspx.

If you currently receive services from the SSD office, please submit your Student Success Plan to me and make an appointment with me to discuss your accommodations and needs in class. I will hold any information you share with me in strict confidence unless you give me permission to do otherwise.

Frederick Community College

GG 102 – Cultural Geography – Spring 2010

TOPICAL OUTLINE

NOTE: Content in Italics refers to assignments. Content in bold refers to reminder due dates.

Week	Date	Subject	Activities	Human Mosaic	Exploring…with Maps
1	1/25	Class Introduction and general Information. Syllabus, policies and class resources. Topical Outline: Global awareness Cultural Geography Human Beginnings; the Origins of Culture Geographic Tools	Syllabus and topical outline. Blackboard Online Grading policy and methods Additional Readings Textbook and Lab overviews: Five Themes Read & Understand Course Policies Lecture and discussion •Maps Applied •Maps Lab-a look at physical elements and why people live where they do.	Ch. 1	Ch.1
2	2/1	Folk and Popular Culture Cultural Regions and a Sense of Place Diffusion and Communication Cultural Ecology and Cultural Landscapes	CHESTNUT ARTICLE-TURN IN QUESTION SHEET-DUE TODAY Parallel Worlds Folk and popular culture • Worksheet •Maps applied •Maps Lab-Appalachia and Sea Islands •Essay topic chosen	Ch. 2	Ch. 2
3	2/8	The Geography of Religion Spaces and Places of Faith Main World Religions Religious Diffusion Cultural Interaction Religious landscapes	Paganism and nature-based religions. Other religions over the world Regional comparisons. •Maps Applied • Worksheet •Maps Lab-A closer look at Middle East	Ch. 7	Ch. 7
4	2/15	The Geography of Languages Dialects Linguistic Diffusion Socio-economic issues	The dynamics and evolution of the English language and other languages in the US; US English dialects; Language; Linguistic regions; vernacular dialects •Word Game Exercise •Maps Applied	Ch. 4	Ch. 4
5	2/22	EXAM 1: Chapters 1,2,7&4	Exam 1-Exam will be 1 hour.	Ch. 5	Ch. 5
6	2/22	Homelands and ghettos Ethnic regions	Learn the particulars of homelands and ghettos in cities. Week 6 Progress Report	Ch. 5	Ch. 5
7	3/1	Political Geography: A divided World Regions & borders, Political diffusion & migration, Culture and politics	ESSAY DUE TODAY Human migration. Why people live where they do? •Maps Applied •Maps Lab-Projections	Ch. 6	Ch. 6
8	3/8	Geodemography: the peopling of the Earth Demographic regions and the population explosion Human settlements and change	Human populations vs. populations of other species; Human fertility and population trends •Maps Applied •Maps Lab-Geography of Disease • Worksheet •Tracking the Bird Flu	Ch. 3	Ch. 3
9	3/15	Agricultural Geography Food from the Good Earth Agricultural regions The origins of agriculture Food and the environment	Food production as a major factor in human history; agro-industry and bioengineering • Maps Applied •Maps Lab-Remote Sensing/Data Collex. •WHERE IS MY FOOD FROM?-HW	Ch. 8	Ch. 8
10	3/29	* EXAM 2: Chapters 5,6,3&8	*Exam 2- Exam will be 1 hour. Exam may be taken in the testing center on campus. Students will be notified if the test is to be taken on campus.	Ch. 9	Ch. 9
11	4/12	Industries: how we use our resources. Origins of the Industrial Revolution Industry and the environment	• FOOD ASSIGNMENT DUE Geography as a determinant of industrial development; Major shift in global industries continued • Maps Lab-Industrial Revolution Around the World	Ch. 9	Ch. 9
12	4/19	Urbanization: the city in time and space The evolution of urbanism The ecology of urbanism	The city as a cultural center; our cities, our legacy; suburbia and the megalopolis. •Maps Applied •Maps Lab-Cities Through Time • Tourism Brochure-HW	Ch. 10	Ch. 10
13	4/26	Inside the city: cultural mosaic Urban culture regions Suburbanization and decentralization Urban ecology Cultural interaction and urban models	Mapping urban populations; maps and urban planning; Analyzing your community with maps and census data • Worksheet	Ch. 11	Ch. 11
14	5/3	One world or many? The cultural geography of the future; Cultural ecology Uniqueness in culture vs. globalization Cultural Geography: a review of the Five Themes Culture and global awareness	•TOURISM BROCHURE DUE Trends towards globalization; technology and global culture Developing multi-cultural and global awareness; Cultural geography and our future	Ch. 12	Ch. 12
15	5/10	FINAL EXAM: chpts 9-12	Exam 3- Exam will be 1 hour.

Accessing the GG102 Blackboard Resource Site

There are two ways to find the Login Page illustrated below:

1. Go to FCC’s Home page, www.frederick.edu , click on Distance Learning in the left navigation menu; click on Blackboard Direct; OR
2. Type the following URL directly into your browser: http://frederick.blackboard.com

The following web page will appear.

3. Click on the Login button
4. Enter your Blackboard User ID and your password.

FCC Student User IDs follow now the following convention: a "w" followed by the STUDENT USER ID NUMBER (Example: w1234567).

Initial, TEMPORARY passwords consist of the LAST FOUR digits of that Student ID Number (Example: 4567).  It is mandatory that students change their password immediately after first successful login, by clicking on the "Personal Information" link.  A password composed of a combination of letters and numbers is recommended for better security. (Example only, DO NOT USE THIS ONE: myhouse9876).