SS-120 Introduction to Geography

Course title:

SS 120 Introduction to Geography

Campus: 

National, Chuuk, Yap, Kosrae  

Initiator:

Marvey Elias 

Date:

November 26, 2018

Course description: This course introduces students to the field of geography and is structured around the major research traditions of the discipline that include: physical geography, culture and environment study (human geography), the locational tradition and area analysis. FSM geographical related issues that include, but are not limited to, global warming, exclusive economic zone, and alternative energy sources are  also explored.

Hours per Week

No.  Of Weeks

Total Hours 

Semester Credits

Lecture

          3

x

16

x

48 

=

3

Laboratory 

x

x

=

Workshop 

x

x

=

Total    Semester 

Credits

3

PSLO#

                             Program

4.1

Demonstrate a fundamental knowledge of world geography. 

General Education Elective

[X ]    

1. Effective oral communication: capacity to deliver prepared, purposeful presentations designed to increase knowledge, to foster understanding, or to promote change in the listeners’ attitudes, values, beliefs, or behaviors.

[X ]      

2. Effective written communication: development and expression of ideas in writing through work in many genres and styles, utilizing different writing technologies, and mixing texts, data, and images through iterative experiences across the curriculum.

[X]

3. Critical thinking: a habit of mind characterized by the comprehensive exploration of issues, ideas, artifacts, and events before accepting or formulating an opinion or conclusion.

[X]

4. Problem solving: capacity to design, evaluate, and implement a strategy to answer an open-ended question or achieve a desired goal.

[X]

5. Intercultural knowledge and competence: a set of cognitive, affective, and behavioral skills and characteristics that support effective and appropriate interaction in a variety of cultural contexts.

 [   ]

6. Information literacy: the ability to know when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively and responsibly use and share that information for the problem at hand.

[     ]    

7. Foundations and skills for life-long learning: purposeful learning activity, undertaken on an ongoing basis with the aim of improving knowledge, skills, and competence.

[     ]    

8. Quantitative Reasoning: ability to reason and solve quantitative problems from a wide array of authentic contexts and everyday life situations; comprehends and can create sophisticated arguments supported by quantitative evidence and can clearly communicate those arguments in a variety of formats.

CSLO (General) 1: Define and describe geographic terms and key concepts, describe types and features of maps, and describe other basic cartographic tools.

Student Learning Outcome (specific)

ISLO

PSLO

Assessment Strategies

1.1 Define and explain the geographic concepts.

1,2

1,2

Define and explain geographic concepts on an objective test.

1.2 Describe the evolution of the geography.

1,2

1,2

Objective Test.

1.3 Read scales and line symbols, 

describe direction, geographic grid, and types of maps.

1, 2

1,2

Worksheet (to be scored by checklist)

Objective test.

1.4 Describe basic cartographic instruments that include, but are not limited to, remote sensing, geographic information system, and global positioning system.

1,2

1,2

Objective test.

CSLO (General) 2: Describe the major components of physical geography. 

Student Learning Outcome (specific)

ISLO

PSLO

Assessment Strategies

2.1 Define weather and climate and describe variables that constitute weather and regional climates. 

1,2,5

2,3

Objective test.

2.2 Describe the  Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming, its relationship to Sea Level Rise, and its impact in the FSM.

1,2,5

2,3

Objective test.

2.3 Describe earth materials, movements of the plates, tectonic forces, and the gradational processes.

1,2,5

2,3

Objective test.

2.4 Describe the two general types of natural resources, its subtypes and explore other alternative energy sources that is/are suitable to complement/substitute the current and predominant energy source used in the FSM.

1,2,5

2,3,

Objective test.

CSLO (General) 3: Describe the different subfields of human geography and area analysis

Student Learning Outcome (Specific)

ISLO

PSLO

Assessment Strategies

3.1 Describe the basic components and the subsystems of culture. Describe other dominant characteristics of culture such as language, religion, gender, ethnicity, and other aspects of diversity.

1,2,3

2,3,

 
 Objective test.

3.2 Describe the national political systems, challenges to the state, form of alliances, regional and multilateral organizations,  the United Convention on the Law of the Sea, and write an essay on the  importance of the FSM Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

1,2,3

2,3,4

Objective test.

Essay on the importance of the FSM EEZ using a scoring rubric.

3.3 Describe key population and demographic concepts, perform basic demographic calculations, and describe other theoretical concepts.

2, 3, 4

2,3, 4

Objective test.

3.4 Describe Economic Geography, classification of economic activities, economic systems, patterns of trade, world manufacturing patterns & trends, and services in world trade.

2, 3

2,3

Objective test.

CSLO (General) 4: Demonstrate knowledge on human impact on the environment and contemporary environmental, social, and economic challenges facing the FSM.

Student Learning Outcome (Specific)

ISLO

PSLO

Assessment Strategies

4.1 Describe human impact on our environment, which include impact on air and in particular, water, and landform.  Emphasis is on human pollution on air, water, and landforms.

1,2,3,5

2,3,4

Objective test

4.2 Illustrate knowledge on FSM environment, social, political, and economic challenges.  Examples are but not limited to Global Warming and Sea Level Rise, and Exclusive Economic Zone.

1,*2,3,5

3,4

Research Presentation (Power point) scored with a rubric.