- Required pre/corequisite: you have completed or are co-enrolled in the Oceanography 1 lecture.
- Advisory: Completion of Geometry and Algebra 2 and completion of or concurrent enrollment in college-level English.
Why?
You will need to be able to read and understand the lab manual, assignments, quizzes, and discussions; complete labs based on instructions provided in the lab manual and CANVAS; and communicate effectively during quizzes and exams in written form.
You will need to solve critical thinking and computational problems involving exponents, inequalities, linear equations with fractions, unit conversion, basic geometry, graphing (interpreting linear, exponential, and logarithmic graphs), and ratios.
If you choose to stay in the class, and your math or communication/prereading skills are weak, you will likely need to put in more time than other students to be successful. Please take advantage of the discussion board and office hours for Q&A.
To participate fully in this class, be sure you have sufficient technology access:
- Internet, browser, and computer sufficient for watching online videos and reviewing resources each week
- Chrome browser is recommended for use with CANVAS.
- Be sure you regularly update your browser.
- Cell phones are good for access to some course materials, but for taking quizzes, a desktop or laptop will be much better. And for some labs, software that's required is available only on desktops or laptops.
- CANVAS access and familiarity
- Camera or scanner (or phone) -- This class requires you to complete your work in the workbook and then take photos and upload those photos. The fastest and simplest way to do so is to first turn the photos into a PDF (or you can use a PHOTO/SCAN phone app to convert directly to PDF). The reason for the PDF is to keep file sizes low, when phone photos can be so large. Your photos will need to be clear and high enough resolution for me to read. (Instructions: Creating PDFs and combining into one file.)
- Zoom Video Conferencing -- Office Hours will happen through ZOOM.
- Online videos: Some of the videos are quite large files, as they are high-definition and filled with real footage of live sites. If these videos freeze on you, it's probably because your internet download speeds are slower than the playback speed. (You are playing the video faster than your internet can download the file.) What to do? Some options:
- Open the link, but don't hit play until your computer has had time to download the entire video.
- Download the video and play it from your computer directly (right-click on the link for Video Only and then choose Save As -- you can have your own copy of these videos forever.
- Watch the videos in a location where download speeds are faster.
If you anticipate any problem with the above requirements, contact me right away to see if I can assist.
All course content and assignments are in the required lab manual AND outlined in CANVAS modules. To be successful in this class, you need to access content through these different methods:
- Use CANVAS to:
- Access and watch video tutorials.
- Review additional web resources (tips, FAQs, instructions) to assist with weekly content.
- Review additional resources to help each week
- Review class syllabus, policies, calendar, and due-date schedule.
- Turn in completed assignments.
- Complete weekly quizzes and exams
- Review keys and grades.
- Engage in discussion with your fellow students.
- Use your Oceanography 1 Lab Manual to:
- Complete weekly labs
- Review and practice labs ( in preparation for quizzes).
- **Do not let cost be an issue in getting this lab manual. Reach out to me ASAP if you anticipate any delay or difficulty in getting the manual. And, until then, use the online PDF to prevent falling behind.
The point of labs is to learn a set of lab skills. Please use pencil so you can easily erase mistakes and correct later with key.
Each lab is broken into two parts so you can get maximum feedback along the way. Access key, instructor, and discussion board to get help. For a science lab especially, completing the labs is where you build the skills that are assessed on quizzes. Quiz questions come exactly from labs and ask you to complete the work without referencing your resources under a time limit. So use the assignments to practice sufficiently and prepare yourself for the quizzes.
After completion of your assignment, take photos of each page (high enough resolution I can complete read it), combine those photos into a single PDF file, and upload it to CANVAS. (Instructions for generating a PDF.)
Late Policy
- Late assignments are not accepted.
- Two of your lowest assignments grades will be dropped for the semester to handle emergencies.
Weekly quizzes and the final exam cover the material from the labs. These assessments are your opportunity, on your own, to demonstrate your mastery of lab material. To do well, be sure to practice each week’s lab so you can successfully repeat the skills on your own, with no notes. To practice, be sure to review and redo the original labs enough to feel comfortable.
- The content on quizzes comes from the week's labs (numbers and objects changed, but questions the same -- no surprises!). Final exam questions come from the labs from throughout the semester.
- Quizzes and Exams are timed because I want you to complete it without consulting your notes or books or the internet. Please be sure you've practiced sufficiently before you get started so you can complete the assessment confidently and in the time provided. While it is not an honor code violation to consult your notes or workbook, you will find it very difficult to do so and still complete the quiz on time. I advise you to prepare and take them as though they were in a classroom and no materials were allowed. You will not have time to look up answers or teach yourself material from the week's material (that was what the assignments themselves were all about). If you need extra time to look things up, then you haven't learned enough of the material ahead of time, so please study well and ahead of time. The time given for each quiz is based on how long it takes students in person to complete the same quiz with no outside materials to access. Typically it will be 20 minutes.
If you need extra time (not to look things up, but to just process the questions), you have to register with DSPS and send me your extra time accommodation ASAP.
Late Policy
- Late assignments are not accepted.
- Two of your lowest assignments grades will be dropped for the semester to handle emergencies.
What should I do if my computer fails during a quiz or exam?
If your computer fails, restart your computer, log back into the class Canvas site, and resume taking the quiz (note, however, that the quiz timer will NOT restart). If you cannot resume the quiz or exam within a reasonably short time, contact me ASAP.
3 virtual field trips take place during the semester -- to Ocean Beach, the Aquarium of the Bay, and Tide pools. You are HIGHLY encouraged to go on a self-guided field trip to the same locations after the virtual field trips.
Stay participating, and don't get dropped!
Especially in a science class, it is very tough to succeed if you miss even one week. Each week's content assumes mastery of the material from the previous week. If you don't have the time for this class, it might not be the right semester for you.
To stay enrolled in this class, you will have to maintain your participation, which means keeping up with weekly assignments and quizzes. If you have two weeks of missed assignments or you've missed two quizzes in a row, I will have to drop you from the class. I cannot keep students enrolled just for financial aid or student visa status, so if you want to stay enrolled, maintain active participation and please reach out right away if you are encountering any attendance difficulties, so we can collaboratively figure out the best option for you.
The college provides online tutoring (Links to an external site.) for most classes.
See Support for Students for more information on how to get help during class from me, your instructor, your fellow students, counselors, and other student support services.
For students who are registered with Disabled Student Programs and Services or who would like to register, please be sure to visit the DSPS website. If you have paperwork, please submit it to me as soon as possible so I can assist with accommodations.
Honesty is essential to your education. The on-line environment transfers the responsibility to be honest directly to the hands of the students. The rigor to which you apply to your school work will be noticed by your instructor and rewarded to you overtime.
You are encouraged to work with other students -- learning can be greatly improved by collaboration. Collaboration is encouraged for all assignments. But what does that mean? If you are working closely with friends or fellow students, it means each of you working first on your own and bringing your best work together to compare and discuss, and then putting answers down in your assignment that reflect your own thinking and words.
Be absolutely sure that your answers are your own and in your own words. Copying of homework in whole or in part will be considered an act of academic dishonesty. Any identical submissions will be given a 0, so be careful and reach out to me right away if you have any questions or concerns.
Also, remember that quizzes are individual effort only. Any indication that students have collaborated on a quiz will result in a 0 on that quiz for all parties.
Please avoid any indication of cheating by writing your answers in your own word and submitting your own work. See these links on Plagiarism:
Students who register in CCSF classes are required to abide by the CCSF Student Code of Conduct. . Violation of the code is basis for referral to the Student Conduct Coordinator or dismissal from class or from the College. See the Office of Student Affairs.
Communication with students will take place on Canvas. I will post weekly announcements describing the assignments that need to be completed, so make sure you have you announcements notification set to arrive at your inbox.
I will respond to emails on a timely manner (within 48hrs, except weekends and holidays). Assignments will be graded and written, audio or video feedback will be provided within 2 weeks of completion. The best way to contact me is via email, however, I am also available by appointment for video conference calls through zoom. Further, the last question of the weekly quiz asks for your feedback on the week and each assignment you submit has a space for assignment comments.