Introduction to Earth Science - Online
Mary Beck
, mbeck2@valenciacc.edu
Valencia Community College
a Two Year College
.Summary
This is an online course using on online text with built in active learning exercises. Student work includes both individual and group assignments and projects and students are expected to participate in course discussion board.The course is delivered using WebCT management tools.
15-30
Course Context:
This is an online course with no prerequisites. This course is not a prerequisite for other courses and most students who take this course use it to meet science requirements for an Associates Degree.
Course Goals:
1. Students will be able to develop assessment criteria and to use criteria to evaluate risks associated with geologic and atmospheric hazards.
2. Students will be able to recognize earth science processes, to interpret associated factors, and to predict probable outcomes, enabling students to develop position statements and/or action plans addressing earth science-related issues and problems.
2. Students will be able to recognize earth science processes, to interpret associated factors, and to predict probable outcomes, enabling students to develop position statements and/or action plans addressing earth science-related issues and problems.
How course activities and course structure help students achieve these goals:
Students will develop and use evaluation rubrics to assess hazards, evaluate management or mediation needs and practices, to predict probable outcomes and to develop position statements and/or action plans. Students will complete activities that involve using real time data to recognize and interpret geologic and meteorologic information and to predict outcomes.
Skills Goals
1. quantitative abilities
2. working in groups
2. working in groups
How course activities and course structure help students achieve these goals:
Student assignments and activities include computations and plotting of data. Students will be working in small groups (3-4) other students and with larger groups on the discussion board.
Assessment
Students will research a topic not covered in the online text, (sinkholes in central Florida) and complete an evaluation rubric, use this rubric to rank sinkhole potential, and will predict sinkhole activity in the Orlando area.
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