Orientation for Online Courses – Physical Geography Instru.docx

Orientation for Online Courses – Physical Geography
Instructor: Anne Saxe, Saddleback College
Welcome to online education!!! For many of you, online
instruction is a convenient way to pursue your
education due to the flexibility this type of learning provides.
Distance education classes, however, are
NOT easier or less intensive than traditional instruction. That’s
a fact worth noting: Students should expect
to allow for the usual three hours of class time and three hours
of homework per week that accompany a 3-
unit course (it may be slightly more, slightly less depending on
the type of student you are).
To login to the class, you will need to access Blackboard at
http://socccd.blackboard.com. If for some
reason you cannot login or you don’t know your username and
password, please visit
http://www.saddleback.edu/de/student-technical-support/ for
help.
The default page on Blackboard is the class announcements.

Please check the announcements and your
email at least once a week! If you prefer to use an email
address that is different from your Saddleback
email, then you will need to change your personal settings in
MySite to have your email forwarded to
whatever account you prefer to use. I send emails to students
and post announcements on Blackboard
frequently, so it is VERY important that you check your email
and Blackboard regularly and that your email
address is correct.
Please take some time to become familiar with the course
syllabus. Page 4 of your syllabus is the course
calendar. This is your guide to all the required readings,
lectures, assignments and exams for the
class. The course runs on a weekly cycle starting each Tuesday
morning and ending each Monday at 11:59
p.m. Students are strongly encouraged to complete assignments
well in advance of the Monday 11:59 p.m.
deadline to ensure that their work is received on time. You will
notice on the syllabus that I do not accept
late work unless a student’s inability to complete the
coursework can be documented. Because students
have a week to complete the weekly assignments, technical

problems, sudden illnesses and travel are not
valid excuses for missing deadlines! Therefore, please cover
your bases and give yourself plenty of time.
The course calendar shows that during week 1 you are
responsible for reading the course syllabus. It is
extremely important that you read the syllabus thoroughly as it
includes all the course requirements,
expectations and proper “net”iquette. The syllabus also
includes information regarding communicating with
me, how/when your grades are posted, how to properly submit
assignments (very important so you don’t
lose points!) and how to navigate through Blackboard.
Now back to page 4, the course calendar, and your first week’s
assignments. In addition to reading the
course syllabus, you are also assigned to read chapters 1 and 2
in the textbook this week. I know it’s a lot of
reading, but we have to move quickly in a short summer class!
After reading these materials, you are
responsible for completing a syllabus quiz and the chapter 1 and
2 review. To access the syllabus quiz,
click on the “Exams/Assignments” button in Blackboard.
Follow the link to the syllabus quiz folder, and

then click on the quiz. Immediately after you complete the
syllabus quiz, you should see a grade recorded
in Blackboard. If you do NOT see a numeric score in the
gradebook immediately after you submit the
quiz, then it is very important that you notify me right away.
Follow the same steps to access the
chapter 1 and 2 review.
Once you have completed the syllabus quiz and the chapter 1
and 2 review, you are finished with week 1!
You are welcome to email me with any questions you may have,
unless the questions may be answered with
the information included in the syllabus. You should hear back
from me within 24-48 hours.
I sincerely hope you enjoy your online learning experience.
Have a great summer session!
http://socccd.blackboard.com/
http://www.saddleback.edu/de/student-technical-support/
A. Saxe GEOG 1
1
Physical Geography (GEOG 1) – Summer 2014

Ticket Number 12185
Instructor: Anne Saxe Email: [email protected]
Course Access: To access the course, login to Blackboard at
https://socccd.blackboard.com. If you
aren’t sure how to login, please visit
http://www.saddleback.edu/de/student-technical-support/.
Required Textbook
tion.
Darrel Hess, © 2014| Prentice Hall |
ISBN-10: 1269144375 | ISBN-13: 9781269144377; OR
Second California Edition. Darrel
Hess, © 2011| Prentice Hall | ISBN-10: 0558585973 | ISBN-13:
9780558585976
Course Description and Prerequisites/Corequisites
A study of the basic physical elements of geography: Earth-sun
relationships, climate, landforms, soils,
water and natural vegetation, and their integrated patterns of
world distribution. Students are
encouraged (though not required) to enroll in the Physical
Geography Lab class (GEOG 1L)
concurrently with taking this lecture course.

Student Learning Outcomes
SLO #1: Analyze the controls, distribution, and classification of
world climates.
Assessment of SLO #1: 75% of students who take the exam will
correctly answer questions
differentiating world climates.
SLO #2: Describe seasonal Earth-Sun relations and explain
resulting physical phenomena on Earth’s
surface.
correctly answer questions pertaining
to Earth-Sun relationships and differences in daylight and the
seasons.
SLO #3: Describe the Theory of Plate Tectonics, provide
scientific evidence in its support, and explain
its correlation to the creation of landforms.
correctly answer questions asking
about the different types of plate boundaries and the
corresponding landforms that are created.
Important Dates for Summer 2014

If a student wishes to drop or withdraw from the class, it is the
student’s responsibility to follow the
college’s drop or withdrawal procedure.
Drop with Refund by: Friday, 6/6/2014 Drop without 'W' Grade
by Tuesday, 6/10/2014
Elect Pass/No Pass by: Tues., 6/17/2014 Drop with 'W' Grade
by: Monday, 7/7/2014
What You Should Expect from an Online Course
Online instruction is attractive to students for a variety of
reasons: Students sometimes cannot attend
traditional classes due to schedule constraints such as work
demands, family responsibilities, physical
limitations, etc. However, online instruction is not necessarily
for everyone. It is important that
students recognize that the level of participation, quality and
quantity of work, and the amount of time
necessary for successful completion of the course is equal to or
greater than what you would expect in a
traditional class. If you are a self-motivated and self-
disciplined student, than you will likely perform
well and enjoy this class. On the other hand, if you are not
prepared to keep up with assignments,

readings and discussions as outlined in the syllabus, and/or if
you have difficulty independently keeping
track of due dates, you will quickly fall behind and you may
wish to reconsider online instruction.
mailto:[email protected]
https://socccd.blackboard.com/
A. Saxe GEOG 1
2
Student Services
General Student Service Information is available at the
Saddleback College Website. General,
academic, and service information can be obtained by accessing
the Counseling Division and Financial
Aid Websites. Individual and small group counseling
information such as academic planning and
review of transcripts is available by appointment. All other
student services are available on campus
during normal business hours. Counseling services are also
available for students with disabilities. For
further information call Special Programs (949) 582-4885.
The Student Health Center provides students with medical and

mental healthcare and education
designed to support a successful learning experience at
Saddleback College. All students who are
currently enrolled in classes and who have paid the Health Fee
during registration may access the
Student Health Center services with no additional cost. The
Student Health Center is located in SSC-
177 and the phone number is (949) 582-4606.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities, whether physical, learning, or
psychological, who believe that they may need
accommodations in this class, are encouraged to contact
Disabled Students Programs & Services as soon
as possible to ensure that such accommodations are
implemented in a timely manner. Their phone
number is (949) 582-4885. This course meets the requirements
set forth in the accessibility checklist
and universal design grid provided by Special Services. The
Web pages, video presentations, textbooks
and class materials used in this course are accessible to students
with disabilities. Please identify your
accommodation needs to the instructor by the first week of
class.

Academic Honesty
Academic dishonesty (i.e., cheating during exams and quizzes,
copying another student’s homework,
plagiarism, copying and pasting information from the Internet,
etc.) is not acceptable in any course
at Saddleback College. Violating the rules carries significant
consequences (e.g., a failing grade on an
assignment, review and sanction by the Dean, etc.) and will not
be tolerated. The instructor may also
notify the dean and/or file an incident report with Student
Services to report any student proven to have
cheated or plagiarized. For more information, please see the
https://www.saddleback.edu/la/acts-
academic-dishonesty.
Online Etiquette
Please use online etiquette in your communications. Treat the
instructor and your fellow classmates
with respect, kindness and courtesy. Obnoxious, rude or
disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated in
this class just as it would not be acceptable in a traditional
classroom. You have the right to disagree
with each other and/or with the instructor as long as you
disagree in a productive, non-threatening or

non-abusive manner. The instructor reserves the right to drop
students who do not conform to this
policy. Points to Consider:
or see your facial expressions
during online communication.
shouting and is not appropriate
for online discussion.
appropriate, e.g. “LOL”, “Thx”,
“How R U 2day?”. And please, capitalize your I’s!
https://www.saddleback.edu/la/acts-academic-dishonesty
https://www.saddleback.edu/la/acts-academic-dishonesty
A. Saxe GEOG 1
3
Course Requirements and Assessment
1. Readings and Online Lectures – Students are expected to read
the assigned text and review the
corresponding online lectures. Lectures for each week become
available Tuesday mornings.
2. Assignments – Assignments covering information from

required readings and online lectures
will be posted on Tuesdays and must be submitted by 11:59
p.m. on the Monday they are due unless
otherwise specified.*
3. One midterm and one final exam – Both the midterm and the
final exam are worth 100 points.
Both exams may consist of multiple choice, matching,
true/false, short answer, and problem-solving
questions. Exams become available on the Tuesday of the week
they are due and must be taken by
11:59 p.m. on the Monday of the scheduled week. Study guides
for both exams will be available one
week before the exam availability date. NO MAKE-UP EXAMS
WILL BE GIVEN*.
* Make-up policy: Make up work (including exams) will not be
accepted other than for extreme
emergencies that can be verified in official written form
(doctor’s note, etc.)! Students requesting to
make up missed work MUST contact me before the assignment
deadline (unless the emergency
prohibits).
It is highly recommended that you give yourself plenty of time
to complete the required

assignments and exams. Waiting until 11:00 p.m. on the
Monday evening something is due to
start an assignment or post onto Blackboard increases the
likelihood that your work will not
arrive electronically by 11:59 p.m., and I do not accept late
work (that includes work turned in at 12
a.m.!). If your computer crashes or some other glitch occurs at
the last minute (including illness), it
will be too late for me to help you.
Grading
The points you earn on the exams, various assignments and
discussion participation will determine your
overall course grade. Final grades for the course are computed
by dividing each student’s total
accumulated points for the semester by the total points possible.
Grades are based on the following
grading scale: 90-100%=A, 80-89%=B, 70-79%=C, 60-69%=D,
0-59%=F. TOTAL POSSIBLE IS
APPROXIMATELY 420 POINTS.
Final grades are determined by dividing the total points a
student earns by the total points possible. The
breakdown is as follows:

Points Possible
Syllabus Quiz 10
Midterm Exam 100
Final Exam 100
Assignments 210 (8 chapter reviews X 25 points + 1
assignment X 10 points)
TOTAL 420
Suggestions for Minimizing Technical Problems
Wireless connections often time out
before assignments can be uploaded or exams completed.
Online Technical Help Center at (949)
582-4363 or by email at [email protected] or visit
http://www.saddleback.edu/de/student-technical-support/.
mailto:[email protected]
A. Saxe GEOG 1

4
COURSE CALENDAR
Week Required Chapter AND Lecture Readings Assignments -
(Note: For the purposes of
this class ONLY, each week starts on
Tuesday
1
(6/3 – 6/9)
Course Syllabus and Online Orientation
Introduction to Earth (Chapter 1)
Portraying Earth (Chapter 2)
Due by 11:59 p.m. Monday, June 9
th
:
er 1 and 2 Review
2
(6/10 – 6/16)
Intro to the Atmosphere (Chapter 3)
Insolation and Temperature (Chapter 4)

th
:
3
(6/17 – 6/23)
Atmospheric Pressure & Wind (Chapter 5)
Atmospheric Moisture (Chapter 6)
Midterm Exam Study guide becomes
available under “Course Info/Docs”
rd
:
4
(6/24 – 6/30)
Atmospheric Disturbances (Chapter 7)
Climate and Climate Change (Chapter 8)

th
:
-8
5
(7/1 – 7/7)
Cycles/Patterns in the Biosphere (Chapter 10)
Terrestrial Flora and Fauna (Chapter 11)
Soils (Chapter 12)
Due by 11:59 p.m. Monday, July 7
th
:
6
(7/8 – 7/14)
Introduction to Landform Study (Chapter 13)
The Internal Processes (Chapter 14)
th:

t Activity
7
(7/15 – 7/21)
Weathering & Mass Wasting (Chap 15)
The Fluvial Processes (Chapter 16)
Final Exam Study guide becomes available
under “Course Info/Docs”
st
:
8
(7/22 – 7/26)
The Topography of Arid Lands (Chapter 18)
Coastal Processes and Terrain (Chapter 20)
Due by 11:59 p.m. Saturday, July 26
th

:
-16, 18, 20
Assignment Submission/Feedback
Assignments and exams will be available each week on
Tuesday. All required assignments for that
week must be completed and submitted by 11:59 p.m. the
following Monday. For example, the
materials for week 1 will be available on Tuesday, 6/3 and must
be completed and submitted by 11:59
p.m. on Monday, 6/9. Grades for assignments that require
instructor review will be posted on
Blackboard within one week after the assignment due date on
Monday. Grades will generally be posted
earlier, but it is not guaranteed. Note: The one week grade
posting policy applies only to those materials
that the instructor must grade (e.g. assignments that have short
answer questions). Grades that are
automatically calculated by Blackboard, e.g. assignments that
consist exclusively of multiple
choice questions, should reflect in the Blackboard gradebook
immediately after an

assignment/exam is submitted.
A. Saxe GEOG 1
5
Communication
1. The best method of contact for the instructor is via email.
Please allow 24-48 hours for a
response. If you do not receive a response from me within 48
hours, please resend your
email or ask for a confirmation that I’ve received your email. I
generally do not check my
email on Sundays.
2. This is a college level class, and ALL WRITING
ASSIGNMENTS (emails included) should
contain proper spelling, punctuation, professionalism, etc.
3. Students are welcome and encouraged to email the instructor
when the instructions for an
assignment are unclear and/or for help with concepts that are
challenging. Avoid sending
frivolous emails to the instructor, i.e. emails asking for
information that is already provided in
the syllabus or on Blackboard. Examples of frivolous questions
include: What is the assignment

this week?, When is the assignment due?, What chapters will be
included on the first exam?
4. Use size12 font and black ink text. While the use of multiple
text fonts and colors provides
variety, it can also be distracting and difficult to read.
5. ALL students are required to access their Saddleback email
and Blackboard on at least a
weekly basis (preferably several times per week). This is the
instructor’s sole means of
communicating with you! If you use an alternate email address
(yahoo, gmail, etc.) please set up
your Saddleback email to forward emails to the alternate
address. It is the student’s
responsibility to obtain any information that the instructor
emails to the student. When emailing
the instructor, include your first and last name in the email,
especially if your email is sent from a
non-Saddleback email address. Please also specify which
section of GEOG 1 you are in as I
have multiple classes.
Guidelines and “How To’s” for this Online Course
How to Check Grades: Click on the “My Grades” button.

How to Obtain Weekly Assignments, Lectures and Exams:
assignments, or exams).
Lecture”, Chapter 1 and 2 Review, etc.).
Tuesday of the week they are due. For
example, the Syllabus Quiz will be available the Tuesday of the
first week of class (6/3).
How to Submit Assignments and Exams:
assignments. Generally students may
complete the assignments within Blackboard by simply clicking
the “Submit” button, but
sometimes downloading and uploading of documents and/or
emailing assignments is required.
and assignments in quiz form are
not timed and may be accessed more than once (i.e. you may
enter and exit the assignment as
many times as it is necessary provided the assignment is
submitted by the due date).

the week they are due, but each exam
may only be accessed and taken once.
have completed the
exam/assignment but you do not see a numeric score for your
exam/assignment in the
Blackboard gradebook immediately after you have completed it,
contact me right away
and well in advance of the exam/assignment deadline. Always
check the Blackboard
gradebook after completing an assignment/exam to ensure that a
grade has been posted.

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