OCEANOGRAPHY TELECOURSE

PHS 123 T, T2 and T3AA

FALL 2008

Instructor: Brian Scheidt

Office # AS 212B

Office Phone (voicemail): 573-518-2314

Office Hours Monday Wednesday and Friday 10:00-10:50

                    Monday and Wednesday 12:00-12:50

                    Tuesday and Thursday  9:00-9:25 or by appointment

e-mail BSCHEIDT@MINERALAREA.edu

 Dept. Chair Nancy Peterson

Welcome to Oceanography Telecourse! For those that have not taken a telecourse before the format is similar to a traditional class except you will be watching videos instead of a traditional classroom lectures and the tests will be taken by the deadlines in the learning centers. THE 7 TESTS HAVE TO BE TAKEN AT THE TESTING CENTERS.  Before taking each test complete the study guide practice tests (the answers are in the back of the book). You may work ahead and complete the tests well before the deadlines, so don't wait until the last minute. There are no makeup exams in this course.  Because I realize that emergencies occur, I will not count your lowest test score (or the test that you missed).

I will be posting grades to your MAC email address.

I MUST RECEIVE PERMISSION FROM STUDENTS TO POST AND EMAIL GRADES. At the bottom of this page is a form for you to sign, using a posting number (not your SSN), so that I may legally post your grades. Remember this number so that you may check your grades. The day you purchase your books and check out the VCD / videos at the LRC you must also PRINT AND SIGN this permission to post. There will be an envelope outside my office to place these signed forms. You may also mail these to me at MAC. (Mineral Area College Attn. Brian Scheidt PO Box 1000 Park Hills, MO 63601)

Finally, I urge all of you to check out the VCD / cassettes for this telecourse as soon as possible. I also recommend that you check that all 26 lessons are included. When you return theses VCD/ cassettes at the end of the semester, please let the library personnel know of any problems with the discs/ tapes.

ANYONE WISHING TO TAKE TESTS AT OFF CAMPUS SITES MUST CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY (By the end of the first week of class) SO I CAN GET THE TESTS TO THE REGIONAL CENTERS!

I hope your experience with INTRODUCTON TO OCEANOGRAPHY will be enjoyable, rewarding, and meaningful. By successfully completing the assignments and using the available teaming resources, you can complete the course and earn three units of college credit.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This is a course covering all areas of oceanographic study. The primary emphasis is physical oceanography, i.e. waves, tides, currents, shoreline ocean basins, ocean sediments, and properties of salt water. A portion of the course covers marine ecology and marine life. A student completing this course should have an increased awareness of the water mass that covers over 70% of the earth's surface and human's interactions with the environment are constantly emphasized.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

Introductory Oceanography, using the Intelecom THE ENDLESS VOYAGE Telecourse, is designed to help you:

1. Explain the origin, structure, and evolution of the ocean and all its components

 2. Understand the structure and processes involved in creating the seafloor.

 3. Explain the causes and influence of waves and tides as well as their effect on the coast.

 4. Identify the life in the oceans and their dependence on each other to create marine communities

 5. Ascertain the forces that humans have on the oceans and the environmental impact that result from this.

COURSE MATERIALS

Textbook: Garrison, Tom, Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science, 5 or 6th Edition, Thomson Learning Inc., 2005 2007

Study Guide: Billeter, Paul A., The Endless Voyage Study Guide, 2nd or 3rd Ed. Thomson Learning Inc., 2005 2007

Video Lessons: THE ENDLESS VOYAGE: INTRODUCTION TO OCEANOGRAPHY , Intelecom Intelegent Telecommunications , Pasadena , CA

VIDEO PROGRAMS:

Video programs for student check-out will be available at the Mineral Area College Learning Resource Center (MAC LRC). A MAC ID is necessary for checking out the series of video tapes or 13VCDs containing the 26 programs. These must be returned in order to prevent a hold on your grade and future enrollment.

STUDY AND TESTING SCHEDULE FOR FALL 2008

ASSESSMENT:

There will be seven tests, 100 points each, during the semester.

 The test questions will be similar to the questions in the study guide. 

STUDY ALL THE QUESTIONS IN THE STUDY GUIDE. 

IF YOU CAN ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, YOU WILL DO WELL ON THE TESTS.

The grading for the course will be as follows:

A 90-100 % 

B 80-89

C 70-79

 D 60-69

 F < 60

Aside from returning your syllabus in on time, there is no additional extra credit available (Please do not ask at the end of the semester if there is any extra credit, the answer is no.)

TEST SCHEDULE:

 The test must be taken before indicated, in the MAC Learning Center , on the second floor of the library or at the regional learning centers(Perryville, Potosi, Fredericktown.)

The tests may be taken any time before the deadline indicated. Be sure and check the hours of the learning center. (Please contact me if you would like to take a test more than two weeks ahead of time).

SPECIAL NEEDS:

If you have special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act and need any test or course materials provided in an alternative format, notify your instructor immediately. Reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate your special needs. Special Needs Services is located in AS 103, 518-2152. If you are a handicapped person and cannot attend the on-site examinations, please contact the instructor to make special arrangements.

DISHONESTY POLICY

If any student conducts themselves inappropriately as indicated by the board policy manual (cheating, plagiarism, forgery, etc.) the student will receive a failing grade in the class and the student may additionally have the case be submitted to the Committee on Student Conduct and Welfare.

WITHDRAWAL FROM THE TELECOURSE:

Please call me if you encounter problems - academic or personal - that might make you consider withdrawing from this course. I am here to help you succeed. If you must withdraw, you must complete & ADD/DROP form . Before you drop the course, please consider how that action might effect any financial aid you have received.

-----------------PLEASE READ & TURN IN THESE PAGES-----------------------

PERMISSION TO POST GRADES FOR PHS123

LETTER OF AGREEMENT:

( Bring this sheet to Brian Scheidt's office, Faculty Office AS212B 2 nd floor )

This document is a letter of agreement between me, your telecourse instructor, and you, the student. It is intended to help you complete the course successfully by letting me know that you understand the course requirements as you begin the course.

Your first assignment is to read the attached Telecourse Handbook / Study Guide and to complete and return this letter of agreement during the first week of the semester.

- I have completed student registration which includes any necessary vehicle registration.

- I have purchased the Textbook and the Telecourse Student Guide and have a copy of this Telecourse Handbook / Study Guide 

- I have ( or will ) obtained a set of the 26 video/VCD lessons from the library. 

- I have noted all course objectives, requirements, and policies as outlined in the course overview section. 

- I will attempt to complete all tests successfully and within the scheduled times, and understand the consequences of being late in taking a test. 

- If I am unclear of any of the material in the syllabus or requirements, I will meet with the instructor during the first week of the semester to turn in this agreement. (If you do not have any questions you may drop off the material in the instructors mailbox or in the envelope outside the instructors office. 

- I will call whenever I have questions about course requirements or my ability to meet them successfully. 

- I have reviewed the test schedule and am aware of the test dates. 

- I am aware that the tests can be completed early but must be completed before the end of the day indicated on the test schedule. 

- The lowest ( or missed ) test grade will be replaced by the 7 th test grade. 

(This will compensate for any inadvertent difficulty in meeting a test schedule or a "bad day") 

(Test 7 must be taken, no matter how well you did on Test 1- Test 6) 

- Anyone missing two tests early in the semester may be dropped for attendance reasons. (However, no drops are allowed after the drop deadline.)

FALL 08

Please complete the following information.

________________________________ ____________________________

(PRINT NAME)                                      (SIGN NAME)

___________________________________

(6 digit posting number)

This is a number that you will choose and used to check your grade

_____________________________________

MAC email address

Name: ____________________________________

Mailing Address: ___________________________________________

City, State, Zip: ___________________________________________

Home Phone: ____________________________________ Best time to call:

Work/Alternate Phone: _______________________________ Best time to call:

Return to Brian Scheidt (If returned by Friday Aug 22, 3 extra credit points will be added to test 1).

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