Contact Information

Principles of Geography

This is a three semester hour course covering world regional geography.  We will explore the differences and similarities of the various world regions, focusing on how the location is influenced by and influences the people who live in that locale.

Note, this is an Internet course.  Internet courses are not for all students.  It requires a great deal of self discipline and self motivation.  To do well in the class, it is necessary for the student to work on the course material on a regular basis.  Though there are no classes to attend, this class does require that you participate all through the course.  If you wait to the end to try to do it all, you will not succeed as I will set strict deadlines on when things are due.

Text World Regions In Global Context: Peoples, Places, and Environments. 2nd Edition. Marston, Knox, and Liverman. Pearson a Division of Prentice Hall. ISBN 013-144975-3

WebCT Access We are using the WebCT software to communicate with each other.  It is important that you get on WebCT and become familiar with it as soon as possible.  I will send email through it, there are mandatory discussion rooms (bulletin boards), homework is only available through WebCT, tests will be on WebCT and your paper must be submitted through WebCT. 

Access to WebCT can be done through the link on my home page at TVCC.  Go to Courses selection.  Pick Geography WebCT link.  Alternately you can go through the TVCC home page to Prospective Students to Distance Learning to WebCT.  Your user id is your lastname first letter of firstname and last 4 digits of SSN (eg., mine would be hainzet1234 all lower case).  Your password is last 4 digits of your SSN (1234).  I suggest you change the password to something only you know after initial logon to avoid anyone else getting access to your account.

As soon as you know you are taking the class, send an email to me at the above address, so that I can send you instructions for getting started.  Your subject should state that you are taking Geography in the Spring.

Grades

• A - 90-100
• B - 80-89.9
• C - 70-79.9
• D - 60-69.9
• F - Below 60

Daily Work Notes

Prior to the first test, I will provide you access to a sample test so you can become familiar with the format and mechanism for taking tests.  This sample test will not be used in your grade, but I strongly advise you to do it to make sure the interface works properly and you know what to expect on the first real test.

The details of this project will be provided later in WebCt, but in general you will be required to design a trip to some country or sub-region of the World.  Your virtual trip's focus needs to be related to learning about the geography of the sub-region or the country.  I am specifically not looking for a high school level travelogue.  This project is to design an effort to do regional geography research.

Exam Notes

The exams will be multiple choice with one or more essay questions.  The exams must be proctored.  That is, you will be unable to do them from home, but must get to the testing center at your college or another appropriate site that must be approved by me.

Approximately 70% of the grade on exams will come from the book  Approximately 30% will come from the discussion rooms in the WebCT site.  The essay question will require that you understand the material in the book as well as the material in the discussion rooms.

Tentative Class Schedule