Introduction to Oceanography
Cynthia M. Lampe
Ventura College,
a Two Year College
.Summary
Oceanography is a broad interdisciplinary field that focuses on the processes and interrelationships of geology, chemistry, geography, geophysics, meteorology, and biology. Topics include: a history of oceanographic research, the role of tectonic plates in oceans, features of the seafloor, the chemistry of seawater, movement of ocean waters, coastal environments, atmospheric/oceanic interactions and marine biology.
Course Size:
31-70
Course Context:
This is an introductory course with no prerequisites and does not serve as a prerequisite for other courses. Most students (80%) take this course as a general education requirement, 10% of students are environmental sciences or oceanography majors, and 10% of students are life-long learners.
Course Goals:
Students will be able to:
- Analyze and apply the plate tectonic theory to the origin and features of the ocean basins.
- Analyze and interpret marine sediments with respect to ocean depth, temperature and latitudinal location.
- Interpret graphs of temperature, salinity, density, and chemistry of ocean water with depth.
- Employ the terminology of oceanographers and evaluate current events such as tsunamis, hurricanes, and tides.
- Evaluate and interpret coastal landforms with respect to ocean currents and wave action.
- Analyze and predict the outcome of stabilization techniques along the shoreline.
How course activities and course structure help students achieve these goals:
Goals are achieved and assessed via:
- lectures
- class discussions
- field trip
- assignments
- exams
Assessment
Assignments are designed to pretest the student's knowledge and understanding of the material. After they are graded and returned we have a class discussion a week before the exam to correct any misconceptions. Understanding of why or how something occurs is emphasized rather than rote memorization. Exams are a combination of multiple choice, label-the-diagram, fill-in-the-blank, and short answer.
Syllabus:
Introduction to Oceanography Syllabus (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 321kB May30 13)
