GEOGRAPHY 202-505
Geography of the Global Village

Spring 2008 ----- Dr. Erik Prout
Texas A&M University

madulain
GRADE POINT

Evaluation:

Possible points

Mean points

Your points

Midterm exam one (2/7)

250

201.78

 

Midterm exam two (2/28)

250

189.48

 

Midterm exam three (3/27)

250

191.10

 

Final exam (5/7)

250

196.50

 

Total Points

=1000

(=778.86)

 


Grade Cut-offs: A – 89% -- B – 79% -- C – 70% -- D – 58% -- Fail

Grade Distribution: 28 As, 67 Bs, 36 Cs, 10 Ds, 11 F/Q/Ws

E-LEARNING (old WebCT) grades are posted here.

Office Hours: set times and by appointment
• Mondays & Thursdays 3:00-5:00
• Office: CSA 301-C (Teague Research Center – “Annex” behind O&M)
PHONE # 979-458-3379 (Department/message 979-845-7141);     
INTERNET: http://geog.tamu.edu/~prout
Class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:45-2:00

 

GTA: Mr. Minsung Kim 

–        Office: O&M 805 

–        Hours: W 10:00-12:00

 

SCHEDULE:

{Introduction to World Regional Geography}

Week 1

         Introduction to course; Handout Syllabi (9/1)         

         Geography, Regions and Maps                              Atlas i-xii, 1, 66, 245-262

Week 2

         Globalization, 5 textbook themes,                           Chapters 1-2

         Metageography: myth of continents

{Americas}

Week 3

         Americas & Western Hemisphere

         Middle America                                                   Ch. 4

Week 4

         South America                                                     Ch. 5

• MIDTERM ONE                (2/7)                                                                          250

{Africa and Middle East}

Week 5

         Old World / Eastern Hemisphere

         Africa                                                                  Ch. 6

Week 6

         NA/SWA                                                            Ch. 7

 

Week 7

• MIDTERM TWO               (2/28)                                                                        250

{Europe and Russia}

Week 8

         Europe                                                                 Ch. 8

Week 9 – Spring Break

         -no class-

Week 10                                                                       Ch. 9

         Russia & Continental Asia

Week 11

• MIDTERM THREE           (3/27)                                                                        250

{Asia: East, South, & Southeast}

Week 12

         South Asia                                                           Ch. 12

Week 13

         East Asia                                                             Ch. 11

Week 14

         AAG (no class)

Week 15

         Southeast Asia                                                     Ch. 13

Weeks 16-17 redefined days, final exams, graduation

         Special office hours: TBA

• FINAL EXAM                     Wed. (5/7) 8:00-10:00                                             250

                 

 

Statement:

            Geography 202 is an introductory course in world regional geography that surveys the human and physical diversity of our planet. Planet Earth is the home of all humanity, and therefore it is essential to understand both cultures and ecologies that mediate our existence and how we construct our worlds. Geographers often focus on the human—environment relationships, which includes many elements such as the building of a house, planting of crops, the design of a city, and the organization of society. When geographers look at the world, they see peoples (anthropogenic differences), unique examples (places), similarities (regions), and patterns (spatial variations). In addition, globalization is changing the world and our relationships with other people, places and perhaps the planet.

            The purpose of this course is to discuss the regions of the world emphasizing the unfamiliar meanwhile introducing geographical concepts such as location, core-periphery and diffusion. The successful outcome of this course, which is my goal, is to (1) increase your knowledge of the cultural, regional, and ecological contexts of the world, (2) facilitate your understanding of global diversity and globalization, (3) develop your proficiency in map skills as well as international place-names, & (4) convey the importance of intellectual pursuits that construct geographical ideas.

 

Requirements:

            There are no prerequisites for this course, so there is no presumption of prior geographical study. I assume all university students are capable and willing to learn, and I will help you become a better student if you ask. You must take responsibility for your learning by attending lectures, completing assignments, reading textbooks, and above all else evaluating your own learning and trying to improve. One feature of a geography course that differs from other university courses is the need to use atlases and maps; be prepared for memorization of geographical features and their locations on maps (such as cities, rivers, regions, and examples from course lectures).

 

--READINGS & RESOURCES: The primary readings for this course will come from a single textbook and its ancillary materials (DVD, atlas, study guide, and mapping workbook that comes packaged with textbook).

(1) You must have access to the textbook, atlas, and DVD!

   (option1A) Purchase the complete Textbook package: Diversity amid Globalization, 3rd edition (2006) by L. Rowntree et. al. ISBN 0-13-614366-0.

   (option 1B) Acquire the textbook (with DVD) and Goode’s World Atlas 21st edition separately. (The isbn for the text/dvd only is 0-13-133046-2).

(2) You will need to acquire four large gray scantrons and  bring one usable scantron to class on evaluation days;

(3) You will need regular access to the internet for communication, and out-of-class learning.

 

--ATTENDANCE: Attendance is an absolute necessity for learning and succeeding in University level courses. While I do not take roll per se, miss class at your own peril! Most evaluation related material will be discussed or emphasized during class time. If you miss a normal lecture period, first, get notes and impressions from fellow students, and then come to office hours if you have any questions. Evaluation day absences will be "excused" only by University Policy! Exam day emergencies require immediate notification (phone call or email) and written verification and/or actual office hour visit in a reasonable amount of time. Alternative and “make-up” evaluations are at my discretion, and they may be essay oriented.

 

Grading:

            I use a total point scheme for grading. Every evaluation or exercise has a set value of points, and the final grade is determined from the total number of points accumulated. There are four scheduled exams equally spaced out during the semester. Each exam is worth 250 points, and each will have 100 questions. Approximately, 25 questions will be map/location questions.

            The final grade is based on the total points and ranking of your points; not the percentage of points, so do not assume that 90/80/70/60 percent will be the thresholds for A/B/C/D. I reserve the right to adjust the thresholds after evaluating the whole class and the point distribution. As a general rule, no unexcused make-ups will be allowed. University policy dictates excused absences for our scheduled evaluation dates.

 

Classroom Policies:

I have high expectations of my students. Because we are in a learning environment, we should set high goals and standards. In return, I commit myself to equally reasonable expectations; here are a few key points.

• Conducive learning environment is foremost: You must minimize the distractions especially unnecessary noise because it interferes with others ability to hear me. Discretely let me know if the screen is out of focus or if my voice is too low. I will try to project my voice and I will pester those who waste our class time.

--- Late arrivals and early departures should be extreme situations; disruptive behavior of any sort is wrong. Let me know if you have a circumstance that necessitates frequent disruptions; take responsibility to sit in the least disruptive seat (exit the rear door).

--- Food & drink are okay with me, but smells, crunches, and wrappers are not; the university policy is to not allow food and tobacco in all lecture halls. Pack your trash out of the room including newspapers; this room is used the rest of the day by other students so leave it clean.

--- Turn off your cell phone (or at least the audible ringer) before you enter the lecture hall. Do not answer your phone inside a lecture hall or any other classroom.

• Academic Integrity Statement: I will not tolerate any form of dishonesty (personal and academic). The Aggie Honor Code is: "An Aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal or tolerate those who do."

   Please refer to the Aggie Honor Code and Honor Council Rules and Procedures on the web at  http://www.tamu.edu/aggiehonor .    As commonly defined, plagiarism consists of passing off as one's own the ideas, words, writings, etc., which belong to another. In accordance with this definition, you are committing plagiarism if you copy the work of another person and turn it in as your own, even if you should have the permission of that person. Plagiarism is one of the worst academic sins, for the plagiarist destroys the trust among colleagues without which research cannot be safely communicated. Simply put, do not do it! On evaluation days, bring ID card and only what is necessary. Instead of devising ways to cheat or plagiarize, devote that time to studying. If you have questions concerning integrity, honesty, and plagiarism, ask me—ask someone.

• Questions: YES, ask questions. Be inquisitive. The best questions start with why, where, or who. If you are curious or unsure, probably others in class are thinking the same thing. I will respond. Please communicate with me; I realize this is a very large lecture section so if you are hesitant to ask questions in front of everyone, at least ask after class or during office hours.

• Communication/Office Hours: I try to return phone calls and emails in a timely manner, but I rarely respond instantaneously. I do my best to keep office hours and will post any last-minute changes on my door. When emailing me, please write out your name and exact course inside the message as well as filling in the subject line. Remember, serious communication should be in person.

• FERPA/grade disclosure: All personal information concerning your performance/grade in this course is covered by federal privacy legislation. No grades or status questions will be addressed over the telephone or by email.

• ADA Statement:  The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities.  Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities.  If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) at Cain Hall, room B118. The phone number is 845-1637.

• Copyrights: All course material is copyrighted. Taping and reproducing of course material for other than personal use will be regarded as copyright infringement and referred to the University lawyers for action. Before tape recording, ask me first. Professional note-takers must be enrolled in this course (university policy) and receive my permission prior to any commercial transaction involving course notes (state law).

 

Observations and Advice

1. Rule of thumb on TIME. For every hour of lecture, you should anticipate 2-3 hours of study time outside of class. Therefore, a three unit lecture implies an average commitment of over ten hours a week. This is why 12-15 units are traditionally called full time because it occupies one’s work week. Obviously, certain weeks require more time than others, but you should be spending a minimum of 1-2 hours reviewing notes and maps each week. Then of course, you need to plan for much more time when tests and due dates come around.

• Many students claim to study a lot, but do they? You probably shouldn’t claim you study enough if you aren’t committing 5 hours, and don’t claim you study hard if you’re not putting in over 10 hours a week. The real question is what sort of learning strategy works for you/ Therefore, only you can determine what is enough study time for you to have effective results.

• Study hard but balance your time with those things that make you happy, healthy, and/or proud to be an Aggie. There are numerous activities to occupy your time—both university excused and pure distraction. Yet, at the end of the semester, I do not judge your spirit; I evaluate your academics (in my class not holistic).

• Time Management: make schedules, set priorities, and take responsibility.

 

2. The essence of an educated person is LITERACY. University studies require a high level of reading and writing. Unfortunately, we cannot read just for pleasure, we need to read difficult things with complicated ideas and technical nuances.  Reading a textbook is a rite of passage—yes they are boring and fact laden—deal with it.

• Read, read, and read. Not all material can be covered and elaborated on during lecture; textbooks and readings are an essential component of higher education. On occasion, students ask me about how to do better on the next test, and when asked, they confess they did not read or read effectively the textbook. There is no excuse for not reading at a university.

• Texas A&M is a top-notch university! A colleague of mine likes to say, A&M is the big leagues. The value of a university degree is related to how difficult it is to obtain; TAMU is a special place with high standards. Not everyone can get here nor can every person succeed here. You are already here, so succeed!

 

3. Student—Faculty & Student INTERACTIONS. The atmosphere on our campus is generally very good: friendly, safe, and pleasant. Nevertheless, students should be aware of how academic rank and distinguished titles work when they interact with faculty. Also a word on student—student relations as they apply in class.

• Titles: “Doctor” is appropriate for anyone with a Ph.D. as well as M.D. (it is a distinguished title that comes with the highest educational degree). Not all instructors have PhD’s but most everyone at TAMU does, so error on the side of using Dr. instead of Mr./Mrs./Ms. etc. “Professor” is a title associated with an appointed position (at a University and usually exclusive to having a doctorate). Some prefer professor over doctor. Know who you are addressing and don’t mistakenly insult them.

• Competition: even though students are evaluated against each other, there is no need to work against one another. By the same token, working together is strongly encouraged as long as it doesn’t cross the line. Two situations concern me. The first situation is when only one student really does the work and the others claim it as their own (falls under TAMU plagiarism). The second is taking advantage of another student for course notes and assistance (borderline harassment). Never loan your notes, instead offer to let them photocopy after class, etc.

• Communication: contacting professors about class should be face-to-face unless he/she announces otherwise. In my opinion, phone and email are good for leaving messages, but they are no substitute or excuse for attendance and office hours. Moreover, I cannot discuss grades over the phone or via e-mail.

• Salutations: “Howdy” is a common and friendly greeting in Aggieland. Not all professors are howdy people, but I personally like it and use it sometimes. When emailing or calling me, Howdy Dr. Prout is a perfectly ok salutation.