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GEOL 1030 Syllabus

Course Syllabus

GEOL 1030 - Survey of Geology with Lab (formerly Geology and Lab)

4 Credit Hours

Course Information

Course Description:

This course is a study of the composition of rocks, minerals, landscape development, earthquakes, the earth's interior and exterior, weathering and erosion, the nature of mountains and their development, and plate tectonics.

Course Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

  • demonstrate knowledge of fundamental earth science principles.
  • define, discuss and classify geological processes that alter the earth's surface
  • identify geological structures
  • classify earth materials
  • relate geology to other sciences and develop an understanding of the scientific method 
Prerequisites & Co-requisites:

None

Course Topics:

This course is divided into five (5) Modules, including the "Getting Started Module," comprised of a total of fourteen (14) Lessons:

Module 1: Introduction
Lesson 1: Introduction to Geology
Module 2: Plate Tectonics, Geologic Time and Earth's History
Lesson 2: Geologic Time and Earth's History
Lesson 3: Plate Tectonics
Module 3: Earth Materials
Lesson 4: Minerals
Lesson 5: Igneous Rocks and Intrusive Activity
Lesson 6: Soils, Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks
Lesson 7: Metamorphism and Metamorphic Rocks
Module 4: Geological Processes
Lesson 8: Deformation and the Continents
Lesson 9: Volcanoes and Volcanism
Lesson 10: Earthquakes and the Earth's Interior
Lesson 11: Weathering and Mass Wasting
Lesson 12: Surface and Ground Water
Lesson 13: Oceans, Sea Floors and Shorelines
Lesson 14: Glaciers and Deserts 
Specific Course Requirements:

This course is divided into four Modules, not including the Getting Started Module, with grouping of Lessons. The 14 Lessons contain the following:

  • Lessons: You must view the lectures, access the resources and outlines, presentations and other available electronic resources used to provide the content for this course. All material is provided through the Content menu.
  • Discussions: There will be a series of discussions for each Lesson. You must actively participate in all discussions, by first responding to the posted discussion topic. This is achieved by commenting or providing information or posting a summation. Next, ask questions and or make comments to other posts, and partake in the discussion. The initial response to the topic is to be posted at least three days before the due date of the discussion. 
  • Reading: The optional textbook and digital lab manual, which is included in the LabPaq, provide a good general introduction to the field of geology. Both cover most of the topics in the class. Thus, they will serve to augment the lessons presented online and provide material for discussion. Additional resources and websites, available in the Course menu, will help you understand the material and study for the quizzes and exams.
  • Laboratory Assignments: The lab exercises provide an additional form of learning the content of the course. The labs help to provide a tactile and visual explanation of the material. Within some labs, you are exposed to geological material that you will be required to identify in quizzes and exams. The lab assignments utilize the LabPaq available from the bookstore. Please view How to Obtain the LabPaq to order. Any completed student lab reports, images, files or certificate of completion will be uploaded into the Assignments menu of the associated lab for grading. Most labs will have questions that you must answer for completion of the lab.  These questions will be presented using the Quizzes tool under the menu above. 
  • Lesson Questions: The questions cover the topics introduced in the Lesson activities, labs, and associated video segments. These Lesson Questions are another opportunity for student learning. The Lesson Questions are found in the Quizzes menu. Lesson Questions are graded but can be taken an unlimited number of times allowing the student to reach the maximum score possible for each Lesson Question assessment.
  • Lesson Quizzes: These quizzes assess your progress on a weekly basis. The quizzes will cover topics introduced in the lectures, labs, associated video segments and Lesson Questions. Quizzes assess your understanding of the material and only offer a single attempt. As the information of the Earth is related, the quizzes will build on themselves. The Lesson Quizzes are found in the Quizzes menu. 
  • Videos and Summaries: Along with the documents are links to videos which will give further supporting material. The concepts presented in the videos will benefit the student in understanding this material.  You are encouraged to type a brief summary of the video segments and keep for your review. You are strongly encouraged to view and summarize all 26 segments (30-minutes each episode). The summary you create will become part of your reading material. These summaries are not graded; they are for your use in learning the material. Once you have accessed the website, you can scroll down to the desired program that you wish to view.
  • Click on the Video On Demand icon to open a new window that will play the desired video.  Your computer system will need to allow Flash to run so you may view the videos. The videos are also available on DVD's. You do not need to buy the DVD's, but you may contact your library to see if copies are available for your convenience, or access TN eCampus Virtual Library to obtain the DVD's through interlibrary loan.  You also may obtain the transcripts for each video. 
  • Software Requirements:  You are strongly encourage to have some type of screen capture or .pdf printer to keep digital copies of documents that you will need to create and submit into the Assignments tool. JAVA, JavaScript, Active-X and other website display should be allowed for links and items within this course.  JAVA often updates its software for securities and thus if an update is available and you have not updated your system then pages/content may not be view-able. 

Textbooks, Supplementary Materials, Hardware and Software Requirements

Required Textbooks:

Please visit the Virtual Bookstore to obtain textbook information for this course. Move your cursor over the "Books" link in the navigation bar and select "Textbooks & Course Materials." Select your Program, Term, Department, and Course; then select "Submit."

Supplementary Materials:

Supplementary Materials: Strongly encouraged but not required is the textbook: GEOL, 2nd Edition,by Wicander and Monroe. 

Required Textbooks: Hands-On Learning custom LabPaq is required for this course. The LabPaq is customized to this course and must be ordered specifically as described to ensure the proper LabPaq.  Detailed instructions are found in the Course Content, Getting Started, Guides and How-to's, "How to Obtain the LabPaq".

Briefly, go to www.holscience.com (opens in new window) and select the Student order prompt. Select "YES" that you have a log-in and password. When prompted, use the Login: C004739 (those are zeroes and not the letter "O") and Password: labpaq Then select the LabPaq listed.

You may also visit the Virtual Bookstore to obtain the LabPaq for this course. Move your cursor over the "Books" link in the navigation bar and select "Textbooks & Course Materials." Select your Program, Term, Department, and Course; then select "Submit."

 

 

Strongly encouraged but not required is the textbook: GEOL, 2nd Edition, by Wicander and Monroe, Brooks/Cole ISBN-10: 1133108695 

You are strongly encouraged to have some type of screen capture or .pdf printer to keep digital copies of documents that you will need to create and submit into the Dropbox.  PDFCreator is a good application to use.

Hardware and Software Requirements:

Minimum hardware requirements can be found here.

Minimum software requirements can be found here.

Common applications you might need:

Web Resources:

Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab (for APA, MLA, or Chicago style)

The Writing Center Online Writer's Handbook

Student Resources:
  • Technical support information can be found on the TN eCampus Help Desk page.
  • Smarthinking virtual tutoring is available FREE of charge. to access Smarthinking, visit the course homepage and select Smarthinking under Course Resources. You also view sample sessions to see what Smarthinking offers and how it works.
  • Information on other student issues or concerns can be located on the TN eCampus Student Resources page.

Instructor Information

Please see "Instructor Information" in the Getting Started Module for instructor contact information, virtual office hours, and other communication information. You can expect to receive a response from the instructor within 24-48 hours unless notified of extenuating circumstances.

Participation, Assessments, & Grading

Testing Procedures:
  • This course has Lesson Content that is accessed through the Table of Content under the Course menu. 
  • This course has Lesson Questions that can be accessed via the Quizzes menu or through the Table of Content under the Content menu. Students are allowed to re-assess their knowledge of each lesson repeatedly. The Lesson Questions are open so that the student may learn from their mistakes and improve their score.
  • This course has Lesson Quizzes that can be accessed via the Quizzes menu or through the Table of Content under the Content menu. Students are allowed one attempt and encouraged to not take the assessment until having completed/reviewed all other activities in the lesson. The Lessons Quizzes are open for a given time which keeps the students on a scheduled progression through the course.
  • This course has ONE PROCTORED exam, the Comprehensive Final. The exam is accessed via the Quizzes menu or through the Table of Content under the Content menu. Students are required to schedule with an approved testing facility a testing time during the time the exam is open. The Proctored Comprehensive Final exam is required.  Failure to take the Proctored Comprehensive Final exam will automatically result in a course grade of "F" regardless of the points obtained in the course from other assessments. Please go to http://www.tnecampus.info/stepsobtaining-proctor (opens in new window)  to find and schedule your proctor exam.
  • This course has Discussions which encourages participation among your peers and to discuss the topic of the Lesson.  These Discussions can be accessed via Discussion menu or through the Table of Content under the Content menu.  Please see the rubric under grading procedure as how points are awarded for Discussion posts.
Grading Procedures:

Please see Grading Rubric for Discussion for details.  Most other items are automatically scored via the assessment tool of eLearn. Failure to take the Proctored Comprehensive Final exam will automatically result in a course grade of "F" regardless of the points obtained in the course from other assessments.

DescriptionPoints
Proctored Comprehensive Final Exam, 1 @ 218 points each218 points
14 Lesson Quizzes, @ 15 points each210 points
13 Lab Assignments, @ 16 points each 208 points
14 Discussion, @ 14 points each196 points
14 Lesson Questions, @ 12 points each168 points
Total Points1,000 points

 

Grading Scale:

Please see Grading Rubric for Discussion for details.  Most other items are automatically scored via the assessment tool of eLearn. Failure to take the Proctored Comprehensive Final exam will automatically result in a course grade of "F" regardless of the points obtained in the course from other assessments.

900-1000 PointsA
800-899 PointsB
700-799 PointsC
600-699 PointsD
under 600 PointsF

 

 

 

Assignments and Projects:

The Lesson Activities, Lesson Questions, Lesson Quizzes. Exams and some Lab Assignments are automatically graded by the computer. At the end of the Lesson Activities a Certificate of Completion for the interactive presentation is provided with your score for the Activity; you are strongly suggested to print a digital copy for your records in case the grade recorded in the grade book does not match the score on the certificate. The grade book, Grades tool under Evaluation menu above, should record the highest score from your attempts.

For some Lab Assignments, to receive a grade you must post the Certificate of Completion or lab report in the appropriate Dropbox for grading. For those with a Certificate of Completion, the score reported on the certificate will be the score recorded into the grade book. For Lab Assignments that require a lab report to be completed (a downloadable student report form is provided with the Lab Assignment) the rubric below will be utilized to assess the report.

Please refer to the "How To/Guide" in the "Getting Started" to see how to generate a Certificate of Completion: How to complete an activity/lab with a Completion Certificate 

DescriptionPoints
Final Exam @ 210 points210 Points
Midterm Exam @ 170 points170 Points
14 Discussions @ 10 points each140 Points
14 Lesson Activities @ 10 points each140 Points
14 Lesson Quizzes @ 10 points each140 Points
13 Lab Assignments @ 10 points each130 Points
14 Lesson Questions @ 5 points each70 Points
Total Points1000 Points

 

Class Participation:

It is important that you submit the Lab Safety Agreement into its dropbox before starting any labs. Therefore, the remaining labs and their associated drop boxes are invisible until this is completed. The Lab Safety Agreement can be found in the Course Content under the Getting Started Module under Lab Safety Agreement.

It is also important that you review ALL material provided in the course.  To ensure that you have reviewed the material in the Getting Started Module, there is a "Getting Started Quiz."  This quiz covers information that is presented in the module and is EXTRA CREDIT, however Lesson 1 Quiz and ALL the Lesson Questions are invisible until this is completed  The Getting Started Quiz can be found in Content under the Getting Started Module under "Getting Started Quiz." or the Quizzes menu .

 

Regular submission of Lesson Activities, Lesson Questions, Lab Assignments and active postings in Discussions reflect participation in the course. Discussion posts and Lesson Quizzes have due dates reflecting the period the lesson the student should be working on and will close at the end of the week. Lab Assignments, Lesson Activities and Lesson Question will close at the time of the Midterm for Lessons I through Lesson 7, while Lesson 8 through 14 will close at the time of the Final. See Grading Procedure above on awarding of points for the Discussions and Lab Assignments. 

Late Policy:

All material is open and you are encouraged to move ahead especially since some activities, such as the labs, require extra time to complete. You are required to submit completed work by the designated due dates, as posted in the calendar and schedule of course news item, for full possible credit. Late submissions are not allowed.  Discussion posts and Lesson Quizzes have due dates reflecting the period the lesson the student should be working on and will close at the end of the week.  Lab Assignments and Lesson Question will close at the time of the Comprehensive Final. See the Discussion Rubric on awarding of points for the Discussions.  If you are unable to meet this deadline you must contact your instructor to see if arrangements can be made.

Course Ground Rules

The following two statements (1., 2.) were derived from the TBR System-wide Student Rules document, released January 2012:

RULES OF THE TENNESSEE BOARD OF REGENTS STATE UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM OF TENNESSEE SYSTEMWIDE STUDENT RULES CHAPTER 0240-02-03 STUDENT CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS

Read the document in its entirety here.

1. Standards of Conduct:

  • Students are required to adhere to the same professional, legal and ethical standards of conduct online as on campus. In addition, students should conform to generally accepted standards of "netiquette" while sending e-mail, posting comments to the discussion board, and while participating in other means of communicating online. Specifically, students should refrain from inappropriate and/or offensive language, comments and actions.

2. Review the TN eCampus Academic Integrity/Academic Honesty Policy:

  • In their academic activities, students are expected to maintain high standards of honesty and integrity. Academic dishonesty is prohibited.

Such conduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • an attempt by one or more students to use unauthorized information in the taking of an exam
  • to submit as one's own work, themes, reports, drawings, laboratory notes, computer programs, or other products prepared by another person,
  • or to knowingly assist another student in obtaining or using unauthorized materials.

Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited.

Students guilty of academic misconduct, either directly or indirectly through participation or assistance, are subject to disciplinary action through the regular procedures of the student’s home institution.  Refer to the student handbook provided by your home institution to review the student conduct policy.

In addition to other possible disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed, the instructor has the authority to assign an "F" or zero for an activity or to assign an "F" for the course.

Other Course Rules:

Students are expected to:

  • Participate in all aspects of the course
  • Communicate with other students
  • Learn how to navigate in Brightspace
  • Keep abreast of course announcements
  • Use the assigned course management (Brightspace) email address rather than a personal email address
  • Address technical problems immediately:
  • Observe course netiquette at all times.

Guidelines for Communications

Email:

  • Always include a subject line.
  • Remember without facial expressions some comments may be taken the wrong way. Be careful in wording your emails. Use of emoticons might be helpful in some cases.
  • Use standard fonts.
  • Do not send large attachments without permission.
  • Special formatting such as centering, audio messages, tables, html, etc. should be avoided unless necessary to complete an assignment or other communication.
  • Respect the privacy of other class members

Discussions:

  • Review the discussion threads thoroughly before entering the discussion. Be a lurker then a discussant.
  • Try to maintain threads by using the "Reply" button rather starting a new topic.
  • Do not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion group. Be respectful of other’s ideas.
  • Be patient and read the comments of other group members thoroughly before entering your remarks.
  • Be cooperative with group leaders in completing assigned tasks.
  • Be positive and constructive in group discussions.
  • Respond in a thoughtful and timely manner.

Library

The Tennessee Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in TN eCampus programs and courses. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading will be included within the course modules. To access the Virtual Library, go to the course homepage and select the Virtual Library link under Course Resources.

Students with Disabilities

Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with their home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.

Syllabus Changes

The instructor reserves the right to make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are necessitated during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify students of such changes both by individual email communication and posting both notification and nature of change(s) on the course bulletin board.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this syllabus is for general information purposes only. While we endeavor to keep this information up-to-date and accurate, there may be some discrepancies between this syllabus and the one found in your online course. The syllabus of record is the one found in your online course. Please make sure you read the syllabus in your course at the beginning of the semester. Questions regarding course content should be directed to your instructor.


Last Revised on July 12, 2021