Frederick Community College

GG 102 – Cultural Geography

Fall 2007

Instructor Information:

Name: Jennifer Dotson	Office: B101
E-mail: jdotson@frederick.edu	Phone Number: 301-846-2507
Office Hours: via email	Campus Mail Box Number: 381

Course Information:

Credits: 3	Last Day to Drop: Nov. 5, 2007
Prerequisites: None	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 from National Geographic-available at bookstore.

Evaluation Methods:

Graded Items	Final Grade Scale
· Exams (3) · Weekly Geography Assignments · Map Workbook exercises · Participation in discussions online · Each graded item will be scored in points.	96-100	A+
	90-95	A
	80-89	B
	70-79	C
	60-69	D
	Below 60	F

Assignments:

Many assignments are for practice only. The assignments that must be turned in will be noted on the syllabus and in the Announcements section of the Blackboard site. Required turn-in assignments include weekly forum discussions. Refer to the syllabus for guidance on deadlines. No late assignments will be accepted without a doctor’s note. Should you have a family emergency or other issue, 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.

Make Up Exams:

If it is necessary to miss an exam, you will be allowed to take a make-up exam ONLY if you have a valid 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!!!

Progress Report:

Students will be provided a progress report at week six via email.

Attendance Policy:

Students in this class are expected to attend each week. Blackboard enables the instructor to check if students have read materials and downloaded practice assignments. You are expected to complete the practice assignments, though they are not turned in for a grade. All material presented in the course could appear on the exams.

The majority of students will find that class attendance is required in order to complete course work satisfactorily. Excused absences include illness (with doctor's note), emergencies, religious holidays, and official College functions. However, because this is an online course, you should plan ahead, manage your time wisely, and complete assignments in a timely manner.

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 is vital and you must check it 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 the main source of information. Students should be sure they have access to their accounts prior to the course starting. 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 GG102-1.

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. Class resources in Blackboard include announcements, course syllabus, web links, and assignments.

Class Participation:

Class participation is an integral part of successfully completing this course. Discussion forums will be the main way you will communicate with other students. Count on making the discussion forums a major part of your course instruction.

Frederick Community College

GG 102 – Cultural Geography – Fall 2007

TOPICAL OUTLINE

NOTE: Content in Italics refers to assignment, quizzes, or discussions

Week	Week of	Subject	Activities	Textbook	Workbook
1	Aug. 27	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 different maps	Ch. 1	Ch.1
2	Sept. 3	Folk and Popular Culture Cultural Regions and a Sense of Place Diffusion and Communication Cultural Ecology and Cultural Landscapes	Parallel Worlds Folk and popular culture CHESTNUT ARTICLE-TURN IN QUESTION SHEET-DUE SEPT. 10 •Maps applied •Maps Lab-Appalachia and Sea Islands	Ch. 2	Ch. 2
3	Sept. 10	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. CHESTNUT ARTICLE QUESTIONS DUE •Maps Applied •Optional Video & Worksheet •Maps Lab-A closer look at Middle East	Ch. 3	Ch. 3
4	Sept. 17	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	Sept. 24	EXAM 1: Chapters 1-4	Exam 1-Take the exam anytime from Sept. 22, 6 am-Sept. 26, 10 pm at home.
6	Oct. 1	Homelands and ghettos Ethnic regions	Learn the particulars of homelands and ghettos in cities. •Maps Lab-Comparing Historic Cities Around the World	Ch. 5	Ch. 5
7	Oct. 8	Political Geography: A divided World Regions and borders Political diffusion and migration Culture and politics	Human migration. Why people live where they do? •Maps Applied •Maps Lab-Projections & How They Work ESSAY DUE OCT. 15-TOPIC OF YOUR CHOICE RELATING TO CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY	Ch. 6	Ch. 6
8	Oct. 15	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 •ESSAY DUE •Maps Applied •Maps Lab-Geography of Disease •Optional Video/Worksheet •Tracking the Bird Flu	Ch. 7	Ch. 7
9	Oct. 22	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? ASSIGNMENT DUE OCT. 29.	Ch. 8	Ch. 8
10	Oct. 29	EXAM 2: Chapters 5-8	• FOOD ASSIGNMENT DUE