PhysicalGeology.html

PhysicalGeology.html Physical Geology

Dr. John C. Butler
Room 116 SR I 8:30-10:00 AM, T/TH
Honors Section
Fall Semester, 2001
Office: Room 304 Science Research I
743-3411
jbutler@uh.edu

Over View of the Course
The text for the course is Understanding Earth by Press and Siever, [Third Edition, 1999]. Each student should purchase the text. It is available from most of the Internet Book Stores as well as on campus at the University Center.
I have been teacing physical geology since the fall semester of 1966 (since 1968 at the University of Houston. For many years I taught as I was taught. Face-to-face in a classroom. Many years ago Mark Hopkins taught a course in moral philosophy at Williams College. For many students of that era it was said that the ideal education environment would be Mark Hopkins at one end of a log and a willing student at the other. Note the emphasis on willing. You must assume responsibility for your own learning and do what is necessary in order that you are as successful as you possibly can be.

This is the format that will be followed in this section this semester. Although you will be in a classroom rather than on a log with Mark Hopkins, the setting is similar.
This is an Honors Section although most of you will not be a formal part of the Honors Program. The class is open to everyone who meets the prerequisites and wishes to participate. How does this course differ from other sections? In large part it differs in two important ways from most of the sections of physical geology:

The Internet is used to distribute course materials

There are weekly homework exercises and two longer projects

There will be a number of "surprise quizzes"

The Role of the Internet
I have been developing Internet-based course resources for the past 5 years. A mixture of peer pressure and curiousity encouraged me to offer an online section in spring, 2000. I had never offered an online section nor had I ever taken a course in a setting other than the good old face-to-face mode of presentation.
Most of you probably already are users of the Internet. If you have no prior experience then you should immediately go to the UH Library and find out about their introductory courses. It will not take long to become and effective "user".
This semester I am offering both OnLine and a Face-2-Face sections. When you connect with the home page for the course you will select between the two sections. You are welcome to look at both BUT there are differences in things like when material must be submitted so make sure that you use the appropriate set of resources.
A question that will come up real quick is "do you really expect me to use all of this material .... the text, the CD, the web page, the course home page, the Internet ..... . Of course, I could answer --- Of Course.
Realistically, however, you do have an abundance of material. The critical issue is what works well for you and how effectively you use what is available.
I would begin by at the Internet pages for the chapter. Look at the chapter objectives. In preparing for an examination, return to the chapter objectives.
Each chapter begins with a link to a resource that I feel is pertinent for the content that will be covered. I would probably begin with the power point presentation with some streaming audio. If you missed class this will let you see the same slides as those who attended. Look at the chapter Notes. Most contain self quizzes as part of the notes. It is easy to skip over them but use them if you want to see if you understand the concepts.
Use the text to obtain a more complete explanation. There is a CD that accompanied the text. Try it out. Try the quizes at the end of the Internet pages or at the publishers web site. Part of learning is learning how to learn. Each of you will probably have differences in the environment that you need for real learning to occur.
If you have questons during the course you can contact me at: jbutler@uh.edu

In The Beginning
I urge everyone to purchase their own copy of the Text. The publisher maintains a good web site for the Text. There is a link to the site at the end of each chapter of this resource.
In the back of the book is a copy of a CD that accompanies the text. I urge you to use the CD along with all of the other resources.
A good friend of mine (Warren Huff) teaches a physical geology course at the University of Cincinnati. Warren and I are both curious as to your background in science in general and the earth sciences in particular. He has designed an Internet Review that I urge you to explore. For those with limited Internet experience, this is a good way to begin. This is not a test and there is nothing to hand in. Topics covered in his review are all of current interest. During this course we will touch on all of these.
Once the semester gets started you will be able to keep track of your grades and how you compare with the rest of the class. I will use the last 4 digits of your social security number. If you would rather provide me with a 4 digit code that will be fine. Grade Book
Expectations and Grading Policy
Grades will be based on examinations held on campus (see the reading list for dates and times), homework, and a semester project.

300 points on Examinations

100 points for Homework

60 points for the two longer exercises

40 points for surveys

40 points for the quizzes

540 Total Points
There are three in-class examinations scheduled during the semester and a fourth examination scheduled during the finals period. As noted below, the final is optional.
All home work exercises, the reading assignments, and the semester project are on the Internet. Exercises are due no later than the posted date and you will loose half credit for each day late.
The final project is due no later than November 28, 2000. This will give me time to get the grading done in time to post the grade distribution.
Periodically there will be in-class quizzes. They could come at the beginning of class, in the middle or at the end. Typically they will be 5 points and will be directly related to material that we have been discussing. Prior to the final exam I will post the grade distribution for the class based on all points earned -- tests, homework, the project, quizes and extras. The final on December 7, 2000 is optional. If you take the final it will replace the lowest grade you earned on the first three exams. Each examination is "worth" 100 points.
I find it nearly impossible to make up a "fair" make up exam. If you miss an examination, you will receive a 0.0 and that will be the exam that you get to drop. In that case you would have to take the final. Don't miss two exams!

Each exam is a "final" in the sense that all material covered up to that point is "fair game" although the emphasis will be on material covered since the last examination.
Thus, there will be a total of 550. You must earn a minimum of 275 to pass the course.

Summary
This course is designed to introduce you to the principles of physical geology - how the Earth works. I want you to get in the habit of relating the lecture and supplementary materials to what you read in the newspapers, hear on the radio or see on TV. For example, every Monday the Houston Chronicle publishes the Discovery Page which has one or two short features plus a log of what has been happening - earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, etc. In between looking at the comics, sports scores, or stock prices, get in the habit of scanning the Discovery Page. The articles that appear are written at a level appropriate for the papers that you will submit.
If you are not familiar with "word processing" this would be a good semester to develop that skill. UH offers a number of short courses in computing and I will post these throughout the semester. I would appreciate a typed "essay" but will read a "neat" hand written copy.
Perhaps in the future it will be said that the ideal education environment would be a student at one end of a log and an Internet Service Provider (ISP) at the other!

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