ONLINE GLY1001L SYLLABUS

Instructor:  C Bright

E-mail:  cbright@fccj.edu

Distance Learning Webpage:  http://www.distancelearning.org/

Text: Earth Science Laboratory Manual, Ula L. Moody, Pearson Publishing, ISBN: 0-8087-2620-X Third Edition Required

Classroom Collection of Rocks and Minerals.  SB10937N (Nasco Science) Required.

Glass Plate and porcelain streak plate (suggested) may be purchased at cashier desk, Follett’s Bookstore, South Campus, FCCJ.

Vinegar will (sometimes) work as HCl or obtain 10%HCl

FLORIDA COMMUNITY COLLEGE AT JACKSONVILLE

SYLLABUS

ESC 1000L—EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE LAB

1 CREDIT HOUR

CATALOG COURSE DESCRIPTION

This is a lab course designed to supplement GLY 1001. Students will learn to identify rocks and minerals, interpret geologic maps and explore the concepts of oceanography, earth dynamics and astronomy.

REQUIRED TEXTS AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

1. Lab Book: Ula L. Moody, Pearson Publishing, ISBN: 0-8087-2620-

2. Rock and Mineral Kit: Classroom Collection of Rocks and Minerals.  SB10937N (Nasco Science) Required.

 3.  Glass Plate and porcelain streak plate may be purchased at cashier desk, Follett’s Bookstore, South Campus, FCCJ. If it is not, try Ward’s natural Science or Nasco Science.

3. 8% HCl (optional): Wards Scientific Item # 970 V 4100 Laboratory, Solution, 8%, 3 mL Bottle

4. Ruler/measuring implement

5. Yard/Meter stick (Lab 14)

6. Color Pencils (Lab 7)

7. Scientific Calculator

8.  Protractor (Lab 10)

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon completion of this course, learners will be able to:

1.  Explain and apply major concepts in earth and space science including identification of rocks and minerals, interpretation of geologic maps, concepts in oceanography, earth dynamics and astronomy.

2.  Demonstrate knowledge of scientific method.

3.  Communicate scientific ideas through oral and written assignments.

4.  Interpret scientific models such as formulas, graphs, tables and schematics, draw inferences from them and recognize their limitations.

5.  Demonstrate proper laboratory technique including safety in the use and care of laboratory equipment and materials.

ONLINE DELIVERY SYSTEM (COURSE PLATFORM)

This course is delivered in the Blackboard online course platform.

TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS

a. a computer with personal access to the Internet (e.g., computer with a modem or cable modem connection)
b. an FCCJ e-mail account
c. web-browser software – at least Internet Explorer 5.0, Netscape 4.7, Firefox, or another software package
d. Windows 2000 operating system or higher (or MAC OS 9 or higher)
e. virus-checking software
f. plug-ins including

g. Additional hardware including speakers and microphone (FCCJ suggestion, microphone not necessarily need for this course)

ACCESSIBILITY

This course has been designed to meet the requirements contained in the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 508. If you require specific accommodations to complete this course, notify your instructor. FCCJ students should also contact Services for Students with Disabilities at http://www.fccj.edu/resources/disabilities/index.html.

FIRST WEEK

You will introduce themselves by posting brief bio on the Discussion Board (commonly referred to as the DB or BB). In addition, you will make a homepage. (Student homepages are created/edited by choosing “Make Homepage”.) During week one you will also take a bonus quiz over the syllabus and do at least one lab.  You will also take part in an Earth and Space Science Discussion. If you have not turned in two labs and the bonus quiz by day 9 you will be dropped. All work is due on Friday at 9 pm of the week it is due.  If you can only work on weekends please work 1 week ahead.

LEARNING COMMUNITIES

People learn through interactions with each other, with the instructor and with written, auditory, and visual learning materials. To facilitate interactive learning among learners and between learners and faculty, a major goal of this course is to encourage the development of learning communities—i.e., help learners and faculty get to know and better understand each other. Towards this end, learners are asked to introduce themselves by posting a brief bio (homepage) and a community area has been created on the DB where you should post a brief bio and chat with each other.   If you would like to join a group, please e-mail your instructor and one will be created for you.

DISCUSSION

There will be 10 discussions throughout the course. They will be worth 20 points each. Two discussions will be on a specific topic. In addition, 8 discussions (weekly discussion) will be questions lead by the students, the week you are assigned to ask a question you will be given points for asking a question. Each student should ask a question related to Earth and Space Science.  You can use this discussion area to explore the areas of Earth and Space science you are interested in.  Please post your questions early in the week. Any additional weeks of discussion will be considered bonus, however, you are expected to participate in them.

An example discussion question is modified from a recent discussion in this course: My grandmother lives in an area built over a landfill in Jacksonville, Florida. She gets her water from a well.  Several of her neighbors have developed cancer in the last 5 years.  How can I determine if this is due to the landfill?  How do I find out about the local geology?  What aquifer is the well drilled into and how likely is it that is affected by the landfill?

ASSESSMENTS

There will be sixteen 37.5 point labs during the semester.  Most of these will be taken online and submitted through Blackboard (you will be able to take each of these three times).  Note that each lab should take 2-4 hours.  One lab, which requires you to take real life measurements of the Sun or the Moon, will be done in a word processor or on paper and scanned in.  This should be submitted to your instructor via e-mail.

As I recently updated the labs, I have posted a survey over each lab.  Please fill out the survey if you had trouble with any questions or have a suggestion for improvement.  Be as specific as possible.  I will download the survey every few weeks and update the labs for the next session based on your suggestions.  Note that surveys are ~anonymous, so you may wish to e-mail me any typos (you will receive a bonus point for each one found in the labs).

If you live with another person in this course it is recommended that you work together on the labs. You may do labs in groups, if the lab (or portion of the lab) is in worksheet format you must only submit one lab per group.  However, if the lab (or portion of the lab) is online format each person must submit it individually.  You may not, however, cheat.

There will be two exams worth 100 points each.  The first is over rocks and minerals and is timed.  The second is also timed and over the geomorphology labs in your lab book.  You may only take tests once, and may not work with another person on them.  However, they are open book (you will need to study for them).

GRADING

IMPORTANT COLLEGE DATES

Critical dates for this course are provided through the following link:  http://www.fccj.edu/current/calendar/index.html.

CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES

*Note that Spring break does not count as a week.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. How long will I have to wait for a response from the instructor to my e-mail?

Faculty responds to e-mails within 48 hours.

2. What is proper e-mail etiquette?

E-mail to other learners and the instructor needs to be addressed in a manner appropriate to polite interactions.

3. What will help me succeed in this course?

4. What is an FN grade?

This grade is awarded to students who do not meet the attendance requirement of a course

5. What are “I” grades and when are they used? 

6. What is the FCCJ Code of Ethics?

Consistent with The Code of Ethics of the Education Profession in Florida, 6B-1.06, Principles of Professional conduct for the Education Profession in Florida, an obligation to the learner requires that an individual shall not harass or discriminate against any learner on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, handicapping condition, sexual orientation, or social and family background and shall make reasonable effort to assure that each learner is protected from harassment or discrimination.

7. What about academic dishonesty?

Academic dishonesty, in any form, is expressly prohibited by the rules of the District Board of Trustees of Florida Community College at Jacksonville. Academic dishonesty incorporates the following:

                        a. Cheating which is defined as the giving or taking of any information or material with the intent of wrongfully aiding oneself or another in academic work considered in the determination of a course grade.

                        b. Plagiarism which is defined as the act of stealing or passing off as one’s own work the words, ideas, or conclusions of another as if the work submitted were the product of ones own thinking rather than an idea or product derived from another source. In this regard, FCCJ students and faculty College-wide have access to the use of Turnitin online software, used to detect plagiarism in essays and reports.

                        c. Any other form of inappropriate behavior which may include but is not limited to: falsifying records or data; lying; unauthorized copying, tampering, abusing or otherwise unethically using a computer or other stored information; and, any other act of misconduct which may reasonably be deemed to be a part of this heading.

Any student alleged to have committed any act of academic dishonesty as defined herein, shall be entitled to due process as defined in District Board of Trustees’ Rule 6Hx7-2. 18, prior to the administration of disciplinary action, including suspension and dismissal.

8. May I repeat this course?

Learners repeat a course in an attempt to improve a grade previously earned.  State Board Rule 6A-14.0301 limits such attempts to courses where a “D,” “F,” or “FN” grade was earned. A learner has only three total attempts in any course, including the original grade, repeat grades and withdrawals.  Upon the third attempt in a course, the learner must be given an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F”.

When students repeat a course at Florida Community College, only the last grade earned is calculated in their cumulative grade point average (GPA). However, students with an excessive number of “W” or “FN” grades and students who repeat courses to improve their GPA may jeopardize their admission to programs in the Florida State University System (SUS) or other institutions.

9.  When is work due?

At 9 pm (Eastern Time) on the Friday of the week of which it was assigned.  All late work must be in no later than the Wednesday of the last week of the course.  Note that discussions may not be turned in late.

10.  What do I do if I am stuck?

E-mail your instructor or ask your fellow students on the discussion board (DB or BB).  While you are waiting for a reply move on to the next question or the next lab.

If it is a technological question contact the helpdesk as your instructor is unlikely to be able to help.