Lewis A. Armstrong,
Assistant Professor
Classroom: 113 Hardin Administration Building
Tuesday, 6:30 P.M. - 9:20 P.M.
E-mail: armstrongl@nicanor.acu.edu |
Technical Services Librarian, ACU
Brown Library,
Office Phone: 674-2345
Ref Desk 3 P.M. - 5 P.M Wednesday and
7-11 P.M. every other Thursday during the semester.
(H) 672-4571 | 1034
Chriswood, Abilene, TX 79601 |
Texts and Materials:
Rubenstein, James M., Student Guide to An Introduction to
Human Geography, Sixth Edition, 1998. (online) http://www.prenhall.com/rubenstein
Rubenstein, James M., An Introduction to Human Geography, Fifth
Edition, 1996.
Nunley, Robert, Student Guide,1996
Using Netscape Composer, (online) http://www.acu.edu/~armstrongl/geography/net.html
(1-5-99)
Geography for Life, National Standards, 1994.
Electronic Resources for Geography, http://www.acu.edu/~armstrongl/geography/geog.htm
(1-5-99)
PC Disks for the following will be provided:
1. A Netscape page with icons and backgrounds.
2. Web site list for evaluations.
3. Cemetery Excel Worksheet for data input and graph creation.
Three ring notebook with all class materials and handouts.
Audience:
This course satisfies a geography course requirement for elementary
education majors and as the second geography course for secondary education
majors seeking social studies certification. The course satisfies
degree plan requirements (either for geography or history) for students
majoring in other subject areas.
Supporting Material:
Handouts, videos, viewgraphs, Internet, and geographic information
systems.
Course Description:
This is an advanced-level undergraduate course examining historical
and cultural geography of the world from the basis of the National Standards
for Geography. Course content includes identification and discussion
of how history has influenced settlement patterns, how cultures have influenced
the development of nations, and how the physical landscape influenced the
human mosiac. Successful completion of the course includes integration
and application of multiple forms of high technology: E-mail communications,
Internet searching, web site analysis, using Electronic Journals, Listserv
subscription, Power Point Presentations, Excel generated graphs, and Web
Page preparation.
Objectives and Tasks:
1. Content Objectives
Use Geography to explain the relationship of historical events and
geographic patterns of humankind.
Determine variations in culture within different societies.
Explain how settlement patterns were influenced by physical factors.
2. Educational Objectives
By the end of this course, you will be able to apply the eighteen National
Standards for Geography and the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
(TEKS) in geographic education.
3. Tasks to Support the Objectives
Evaluate two Internet sites for geographic information.
Conduct analysis of a country using two electronic sources.
Complete a cultural focused field work exercise using a local cemetery.
Submit a query to a discussion list for authoritative information.
Participate in learning groups and complete group activities.
Complete education projects and research papers based on the content
objectives.
Use multiple forms of high technology related to geography.
Learning Groups:
Students will participate in learning group (Called Geographic Achievement
Teams) activities to facilitate learning the course material. The
professor will determine the members for the groups. Group activities
including use of the national standards for geography. Learning groups
will normally operate for the last two periods of class each week, the
first period to analyze a study subject area and create presentation using
Power Point and the second period to lead discussions of findings about
the subject area and offer two representative examination questions.
Collaborative examination participation is planned for examinations.
Each group will complete a field work exercise.
Attendence:
Since the class meets for three hours, to miss a class constitutes
three absences. Five unexcused absences is a basis for dismissal from the
course. If a student needs to be excused for a reasonable purpose,
unless totally impossible, call and/or leave a message at x2345, call the
professor at home at 672-4571, or send an e-mail to armstrongl@nicanor.acu.edu
Communications:
Students will have an e-mail account to facilitate class communication
and to establish a personal home page if they want to put it on the ACU
server. E-mail is essential for students to subscribe to geography
related discussion lists and, on one occasion, query the list and exchange
information with the professor.
Research Projects or Papers:
A major Education Project or Research Paper is required during the
course. Before beginning the project or paper, approval of the selected
topic in a 250-300 word abstract must be prepared. It must be approved
by the professor before starting the project or paper. The Abstract
will be submitted in printed copy and on a PC floppy disk. Drafts
of your lesson plan or your research paper must be submitted for review
before they are made Netscape ready.
* An Education Project (See Handout A-1) is intended for K - 12 education
majors. The project is to be a lesson plan and attachments for a school
classroom. It must include Internet generated geography related information
and a worksheet for students.
* A Research Paper (See Handout A-2) must have at least eight (8) but
not be more than ten (10) double spaced, typed pages and include footnotes
and a bibliography, using MLA style. At least 2 Internet sources
must be used in addition to books and journal articles. Use the MLA format
for all sources including electronic sources.
* Both Educational Projects and Research Papers will incorporate at
least two or more of the National Standards for Geography.
Education Projects will also incorporate two or more of the Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
* Both Education Projects and Research Papers are to be published on
a PC using Word 97 and submitted in printed copy and saved on a
personal PC floppy disk. Once they are graded, they will be
given back for correction and resubmission in Netscape format. Spell
check and grammar check must be used.
* Education Projects and Research Papers will be published on a Web
site for Historical and Cultural Geography 354, Spring 1999. Students
will be given instruction on using the editor on Netscape Communicator
and are provided a floppy disk with a list of websites to access public
domain images, icons and backgrounds.
Web Assignments:
Web Site Assignments:
* Critically evaluate two geography related Internet sites based on
prescribed criteria and using a prescribed form to provide information
about the site and to rate it's usefulness. The form is to be completed
in neat hand-written format. All web sites are on a Netscape document
on floppy disk provided to each student. (Handout
B)
* Analyze and compare information for a country (Handout
C) using the CIA
Factbook and National Geographic's Map
Machine for that country using a form that may be completed in neat
hand-written format.
Personal Homepage: (Handout D) (Also see Using
Netscape Composer) students will create a personal homepage on
a PC floppy disk. To be included are background, icons and a scanned
photo. Students will be provided information on publishing their
page on the web if they desire.
Cemetery Exercise [Field Work]: (Handout E)
Each Geographic Achievement Team will complete a field work exercise
using Cedar Hill Cemetery in Abilene. Teams will prepare a map of
the grave sites selected, a rubbing and a three page double spaced report
accompanied with three Excel generated graphs.
Article Reviews: (Handout F)
Using an established report format, critically review three geography
related journal articles. One of the three reviews will be an article
from the Electronic Journal (For ACU users only) -- Journal
of Historical Geography. A second will be chapter from A
Decade of Reform in Geographic Education: Inventory and Prospect (910.7
D291) at the Library's Reserve/Circulation Desk. The
third item will be a geography module assigned from the Virtual Geography
(UT) Department Module. Prepare the reviews using
a PC using Word 95 or Word 97 and using both spelling and grammar checks.
Discussion List Query: (Handout
G)
Each student will subscribe to at least two discussion lists by the
third class of the semester.
After monitoring the postings for five weeks send a query on
one of the lists regarding a specific question or some information regarding
the topic of your Education Project or Research Paper.
When you query a discussion (Handout H) furnish a copy your query to
the instructor as a COPY FURNISHED (armstrongl@nicanor.acu.edu) on the
query.
Academic Success:
* Two Examinations and the Final Examination total 35% of the grade.
Examination I (10%)
Examination II (10%)
Final Examination (35/65 Ratio)
(15%)
* Homework assignments are 25% of the grade.
Web Site Analysis (5%)
Create a Personal Homepage (5%)
Country Analysis using Electronic Sources
(5%)
Cemetery Exercise (GAT Activity) (5%)
Listserv Query (5%)
* Article Reviews are 10% of the grade.
* Research Paper/Education Project (including the Abstract) is 25%
of the grade.
* Learning group participation and presentations are 5% of the grade.
Grade Scale: (90-100 = A) (80-89 = B) (70-79
= C) (60-69 = D) (Less than 60 is an F)
Created 6-28-98
At the Virtual
Geography Department Project June 26 - July 4, 1998
Revised 1-10-99
Return to Electronic
Resources for Geography
Lewis A. Armstrong
Abilene Christian University
Abilene, Texas 79699
armstrongl@nicanor.acu.edu
The URL of this page is http://www.acu.edu/~armstrongl/geography/syllabus99.htm