last updated: 06/05/2006

Geography 417: California for Educators

Syllabus   

 

Instructor: Steve Graves

Meeting Times/Room: Sierra Hall 106  Monday and Wednesday evenings 5PM to 8:45PM 

Office Hours in Sierra Hall 130 B, before and after class...and by appointment.

Dr. Graves' calendar: http://calendar.yahoo.com/sgraves10

Email: steve.graves@csun.edu                                                                                            

Webpage: www.csun.edu/~sg4002/

Office Phone: 677-3517                                                                                               

Department Phone: 677-3532

Course Number: 10461

Course Description: An examination of California, focusing on its political, social, and economic growth, its settlement, its population patterns, resource exploitation, and human-environment interaction. The spatial and temporal variation of these factors is emphasized. (Cross-listed with HIST 417.)

PREREQUISITES: Available to members of Blended Single Subject Credential Program only.

Required Materials:  Phillip Fradkin. The Seven States of California. University of California Press, 1997. (other editions available). ISBN: 0520209427

Classroom Activities: Classroom time will be devoted to lecture and discussion.  If students are prepared to discuss and debate course content, then there will be less lecture and more discussion.  We may also watch videos, welcome guest lecturers, engage in on-line, GIS or other computer-oriented exercises.  Students are also encouraged to suggest learning tools, strategies, or exercises.  I really welcome student input.

Course Schedule:  The course schedule is posted on line.  It is subject to occasional updates and changes.  Please check the course announcements pages regularly.

 Attendance: Attendance is a key component of good grades.  I expect students to attend every class.  You owe it to yourself, or to whomever pays for your education as well as the taxpayers who support your education.  Students with poor attendance habits should not take this course.  If you have medical or personal issues that demand your absence, please contact Dr. Graves before or immediately after the class or assignment you miss.  In certain circumstances, a student must miss an extended period of time, you should arrange to drop the course or make special arrangements with Dr. Graves.

Evaluation: xx  Students will be evaluated by a variety of evaluation tools, including multiple choice exams, writing assignments, quizzes, on-line exercises, etc.  Students will be evaluated on their ability to demonstrate basic knowledge/comprehension of the subject matter as well as the ability to apply critical thinking skills to the subject matter.  You will be asked to evaluate issues, apply knowledge acquired in novel situations and synthesize multiple points.  Listed on the following pages are the intended learning outcomes for this course and the evaluation and assessment tools used in the class to determine your success.

Academic Dishonesty and Cheating

See the following policy http://www.csun.edu/a&r/soc/legalnotices.html#facultypolicy

Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities must register with the Center on Disabilities and complete a services agreement each semester.  Staff within the Center will verify the existence of a disability based on the documentation provided and approve accommodations.  Students who are approved for testing taking accommodations must provide a proctor form to their faculty member signed by a counselor in the Center on Disabilities prior to making testing arrangements.  The Center on Disabilities is located in Bayramian Hall, room 110.  Staff can be reached at (818) 677-2684.

Other campus-wide disclosures are available at: http://www.csun.edu/a&r/disclosures/disclosures.html

Intended Outcomes: In accordance with best teaching practices, intended outcomes for this course are made transparent to students at the beginning of the semester.  These outcomes represent the knowledge and skill set that you will be expected to demonstrate your competence with during the semester.  Assessment and evaluation tools used during the quarter will be designed to determine your success in acquiring these knowledge and skill sets. 

Goal A: Building a Knowledge Base: Students in this course will identify and define key terms and concepts central to California’s History and
                                                                 Geography.

Goal B: Acquiring Knowledge: Students will develop skills for acquiring new knowledge.

Goal C: Problem Solving Skills:  Students will demonstrate their problem solving skills.

Goal D: Communicating Knowledge: Students in this course will be able to communicate ideas by using words, numbers, maps
                                                                    and other graphic devices.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tentative Grading Regime*				Percent
On-line Map Quizzes (2)					05
On-line Text Quizzes (9), participation				10
In Class Map Quizzes (2)					10
Exercises and Writing Assignments (5)				25
In Class Quizzes (10?)					50
*subject to class approved changes.

 Tentative Grade Scale:             A = (90-100%); B = (80-89%); C = (70-79%); D = (60-69%); F = (59% or less)


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If you have questions or comments, please contact me at steve.graves@csun.edu