Geology 102 Syllabus

Geology 102 Syllabus

Historical Geology

Spring 2014

Section WWP, Online

Instructor: Adam Beyer

Phone: 985-448-4254

E-mail: - I will respond to emails within 24 hours.

Office: Beauregard Hall, 164

Office Hours: Monday 8:30 - 11:30, Tuesday 9-10 and 12-1, Wednesday 8:30-11:30, Thursday 9-10 and 12-1

*By appointment

Office Location: South end of Beauregard Hall

Department Phone Number: 985-448-4502

Course Description: 3-3-0. Prerequisite: GEOL 101. A survey of the origin and development of life on earth as revealed by the fossil record. (40.0601)

Prerequisites: GEOL 101

Required Text/Materials:

• Textbook: The Earth Through Time, 10th Edition, Author: Levin, Harold L.
• Powerpoints: Lecture powerpoints posted on Moodle

Student Outcome Objectives: Geology 102 is a Core Curriculum course that fulfills three hours of general education requirements in the area of the natural sciences. The goal is for students to be able to comprehend and apply the basic principles of science and methods of scientific inquiry. The student will understand the processes occurring on Earth both now and in the past, be able to classify rocks and minerals on a basic level, understand the importance of the fossil record with regard to geologic history, be able to identify landscape features and associate them with known processes, and have a sound understanding of the geologic time scale and respective major events.

Course Content: Grades will be based off of:

• Assignments: Assignments will cover material and chapter readings posted on Moodle. Assignment point values will vary throughout the semester; it is your responsibility to be aware of assignment point values, due dates, and your own grades. These are mandatory and will count toward your final grade. Assignments will be posted on Moodle.

• Exams: Exams will cover material posted on Moodle as well as material covered in the textbook. You will need to read the textbook. If you have questions regarding the reading, feel free to stop by my office hours or send me an email. Exams will be given online with a time limit. Exam dates are in this syllabus; exam TIMES will be announced closer to the exam date in order to accommodate students with time conflicts. Please see me EARLY if you have any conflicts on these dates.

Grading Procedure: Grades will be determined by a flat point system, i.e. dividing your current points in the class by the total points possible at that time.

Current Points / Total Points = Percentage in Course

Grading Scale:

100-90 = A

89-80 = B

79-70 = C

69-60 = D

< 60 = F

Tentative Schedule:

"Lecture" Schedule: "Lecture" schedule is posted above in addition to exams. Some topics may require more/less time for learning to occur, but I do not anticipate changing this schedule too much. This will be updated and posted on Moodle as the semester progresses, and announcements regarding class changes will be posted on Moodle.

Make-up Work: EXAMS ONLY! Make-up exams will be available to students ONLY with valid emergencies AND proper documentation as long as I am contacted within 24 hours of an exam start time. Make-up work will not be given for homework as this is online-based. Students will have a time period to complete online assignments.

Computer technical issues, work-related conflicts, personal travel, etc. are not valid excuses.

Extra Credit: I may offer extra credit opportunities. At the end of the semester, these points will be added to your point total.

Academic Honesty Policy: See Code of Student Conduct handbook for full procedures. Cheating in any form will not be tolerated. Penalties for academic dishonesty fall under the discretion of the course instructor.

Attendance Policy: The Bulletin states: Class attendance is regarded as an obligation and as a privilege, and all students are expected to be punctual and to attend all classes in which they are enrolled. Failure to do so may jeopardize a student's scholastic standing and may lead to suspension from the university.

*Keeping up with the posted readings and powerpoints is necessary to do well in this course. This is the "attendance" aspect of this class.

Drop Date: The final date for automatic W when dropping a course or resigning from the university: November 5, 2013 (full semester classes).

Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA): Students with documented disability are entitled to classroom accommodations under the ADA. To receive accommodations, contact the Office of Disability Services at (985) 448 - 4430. Additional information can be found at: www.nicholls.edu/disability

Academic Grievances: The proper procedure for filing grade appeals or grievances related to academic matters is listed in Section 5 of the Code of Student Conduct and the following link:

http://www.nicholls.edu/documents/student_life/code_of_conduct.pdf

Continued Learning following an Extreme Emergency:

Students are responsible for:

• Reading regular notifications on the NSU website;
• Knowing how to use and access Moodle (or university-designated electronic delivery system);
• Being familiar with emergency guidelines;
• Evacuating textbooks and other course materials;
• Knowing their Moodle (or designated system) student login and password;
• Contacting faculty regarding intentions for completing the course;

Faculty is responsible for:

• Their development in the use of Blackboard (or designated software);
• Having a plan for continuing their courses using only Blackboard and e-mail;
• Continuing their course in whatever way suits the completion of the course best, and being creative in the continuation of these courses;
• Making adjustments or compensations to a student’s progress in special programs with labs, clinical sequences or the like only in the immediate semester following the emergency.

Moodle: The preferred browser is Mozilla Firefox. Moodle can be accessed from the Nicholls website. Enter your username and password. Your username is the first part of your Nicholls email address before the @. Your password is your N-number; you must use a capital N.

Technical Problems: If you are having problems with the technology involved in this course, you can e-mail me or

Library: The Library Home Page has a link to a specific webpage dedicated to distance education students. This webpage contains tutorials on accessing the library from home, finding and using electronic books, using the electronic research databases, emailing a reference librarian, and other useful information. This page also offers a direct contact with a reference librarian through e-mail or telephone: http://www.nicholls.edu/library/

Counseling: Nicholls Counseling Center provides professional assistance for students dealing with a range of mental health, wellness, and adjustment issues through individual, couple, and group counseling; consultation; and various forms of outreach, you can go to the following website: http://www.nicholls.edu/counseling/

Tutoring: Questions concerning academic tutoring can be sent to: . This e-mail is usually staffed during normal business hours. In addition, and have tutoring available for students.

Assistance with Studying and Assignments:

· The Tutoring Center at 143 Peltier Hall. Call 985-448-4100, email: , or visit http://www.nicholls.edu/academic-enhancement/

· The Writing Center at 144 Peltier Hall. Call 985-448-4100, email: , or visit http://www.nicholls.edu/academic-enhancement/

· Online Tutoring through Moodle. Look for the Brainfuse log-in link on the home page, http://moodle2.nicholls.edu/moodle/