MET 4109 Climate Studies (Online) Fall 2012 (4 credits)

Transcription

1 MET 4109 Climate Studies (Online) Fall 2012 (4 credits) COURSE DESCRIPTION: Information will be provided on the climate system, the scientific principles that govern climate, its variability and change with implications for society and risk management strategies aimed at countering negative impacts of global climate change. Sustainability of the environment and possible alteration due to climate change will also be studied in this course. Emphasis will be placed on recent climatic events. Climate Studies is developed from course materials developed and approved by the American Meteorological Society (AMS). EXPECTED OUTCOMES: The learning goals in this course address the knowledge and reasoning skills essential for students to be proficient in climate science and participate as climate science literate citizens as students will 1) know, use, and interpret scientific explanations of the natural world, 2) generate and evaluate scientific evidence and explanations, 3) understand the nature and development of scientific knowledge, and 4) participate productively in scientific practices and discourse. Investigations engage participants in observation, prediction, data analysis, inference, and critical thinking. Application of information-age technology enables participants to develop their ability to retrieve and analyze real-world data and share interpretations. Students will also study policy implication and sustainability methods due to climate alterations throughout the world. ASSIGNMENT INFO No course material will be accepted after the deadline dates indicated in this syllabus, but early submissions are acceptable and advised. The deadlines are outlined below. There are 2 types of assignments in this course, those that are real time where you will go onto the given web page for the assignment; data and related information for these will require you to complete it within the week posted. The second type of assignment is SELF-PACED and those which are made available at the beginning of the semester August 27th, 2012 at 12:05 AM and while there are deadlines, you can complete these very early on in the course. The last required thing you complete as part of this course is Test 2. You will submit all assignments through the Blackboard system. The last date and time for submitting materials for this course is 11:55 PM on Sunday, December 9th. It will not be possible to submit anything after that point in time, or any of the other deadlines outlined below. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO COMPLETE THE MATERIALS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS COURSE. COURSE OVERVIEW/CONTENT AND SCOPE: The text contains fifteen chapters, which cover the following topics. You will be responsible for covering the chapters 1-2 and 6-15 in this course. There is extra credit offered which can involve either chapter 3, 4, or 5 (see page 10). Ch. 1: Ch. 2: Ch. 3: Ch. 4: Climate Science for Today's World Monitoring Earth's Climate System Planetary Energy Budget in Earth's Climate System Thermal Response of the Climate System

2 Ch. 5: Ch. 6: Ch. 7: Ch. 8: Ch. 9: Ch. 10: Ch. 11: Ch. 12: Ch. 13: Ch. 14: Ch. 15: Water in Earth's Climate System Global Atmospheric Circulation Atmospheric Circulation and Regional Climates Climate and Air/Sea Interactions The Climate Record: Paleoclimates Instrument-based Climate Record and Climatology Severe Weather Natural Causes of Climate Change Anthropogenic Climate Change and the Future Climate Classification Responding to Climate Change Climate Change and Public Policy The Climate Studies Textbook and Investigations Manual Textbook: Climate Studies: Introduction to Climate Science (Fourth Edition) by Joseph M. Moran; Textbook and Investigations Manual are available from the USF bookstore Title: Climate Studies Student Package Academic Year and Summer 2013 ISBN: Publisher: American Meteorological Society 2011 American Meteorological Society ACCOMPANYING WEB SITE: In addition to the textbook, the American Meteorological Society provides web access to certain features which include: a) Current climate studies investigations b) Weekly climate news, study information, COMET modules, and much more The link to the accompanying website can be obtained below or The site will request a Login ID: LOGIN ID and Password: PASSWORD SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: In addition to the textbook, materials related to the class may also come from the internet or via handouts distributed through the course Blackboard site. PRE/CO-REQUISITES: GEO 2200 Physical Geography or MET 4012C Meteorology or MET 2060 Weather Studies online (currently being proposed). SUBMISSION DEADLINES: The submission deadlines for this Course are as follows:

3 Week of August 27 Read over the Syllabus September 2 (11:55 PM) Extra Credit Syllabus quiz due Week of September 3 No assignment due this week. Instead start Unit 1, familiarize yourself with the coursework, and it is suggested to get ahead in the course work Week of September 10 Climate Science for Today s World (Ch. 1) September 16 (11:55 PM) Unit 1 investigations and quiz due Week of September 17 Monitoring Earth s Climate System (Ch. 2) September 23 (11:55 PM) Unit 2 investigation, WEB assignment, and quiz due Week of September 24 Global Atmospheric Circulation (Ch. 6) September 30 (11:55 PM) Unit 6 investigations and quiz due Week of October 1 Atmospheric Circulation and Regional Climate (Ch. 7) October 7 (11:55 PM) Unit 7 investigation, WEB assignment, and quiz due Week of October 8 Climate and Air/Sea Interactions (Ch. 8) October 14 (11:55 PM) Unit 8 investigations and quiz due Week of October 15 The Climate Record: Paleoclimates (Ch. 9) October 21 (11:55 PM) Unit 9 investigation, WEB assignment, quiz due, and Test #1 due as well Week of October 22 Instrument-based Climate Record and Climatology Severe Weather (Ch. 10) October 28 (11:55 PM) Unit 10 investigations and quiz due Week of October 29 Natural Causes of Climate Change (Ch. 11) November 4 (11:55 PM) Unit 11 investigation, WEB assignment, and quiz due Week of November 5 Anthropogenic Climate Change and the Future (Ch. 12) November 11 (11:55 PM) Unit 12 investigations and quiz due Week of November 12 Climate Classification (Ch. 13) November 18 (11:55 PM) Unit 13 investigation, WEB assignment, and quiz due Week of November 19 Thanksgiving Week: no unit due this week, enjoy your holiday! Week of November 26 Responding to Climate Change (Ch. 14) December 2 (11:55 PM) Unit 14 investigations and quiz due Week of December 3 Climate Change and Public Policy (Ch. 15) December 8 (11:55 PM) Course Ends: Unit 15 investigation, WEB assignment, quiz due, ALL extra credit due, and Test #2 NO FIRST DAY MANDATORY ATTENDANCE: There are no formal class meetings for this course. This course is conducted entirely online. Since there is no first day attendance policy, if you wish to drop this class during the first week of class, you must do so via OASIS. We encourage you to communicate with the instructor/ta if you have questions regarding comprehending the material BEFORE you complete a quiz/test or assignment. ACADEMIC HONESTY All work in this course must be completed by the individual student. No credit will be given for any duplicated or plagiarized work, or on quizzes, tests or investigations on which a student has violated course policies. Students who turn in work that is in violation of these requirements will

4 be subject to review by the University's Policies on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism and may result in failure of this course. No copies of course materials from this class may be used for purposes of sale. Under no circumstances can you post or share answers to the investigations, quizzes, or tests, with other students. INSTRUCTOR/TA CONTACT INFO: Instructor: Jennifer M. Collins, Department of Geography, Environment and Planning Instructor s Office: NES 316 Office Hours: Tuesday 10-11am, Thursday 10-11am, and by appointment. Additional hours will be posted on Blackboard *Times are subject to change e.g. if a meeting pops up; I will repost my hours, if they happen to change. Also, I would recommend sending me an before stopping in (preferably the night before so we can schedule a time). SYLLABUS: This syllabus is subject to change, and any changes will be transmitted to you via your USF e- mail account. WHAT EXACTLY DO I HAVE TO DO IN THIS COURSE? 1. Read your textbook chapters related to the unit. 2. View the power points 3. View the videos when provided in the units 4. Take 12 unit quizzes based on material in the textbook 5. For units 1, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14, complete 2 investigations per unit. There is an investigation A and B for each chapter found in the Investigations Manual or on the website. The website considers current climate exercises that week. Based on instructions in Blackboard, you will know which investigations to do. The instruction will have you either: compete investigations A and B from the manual, A and B from the AMS website, or one investigation from the manual and one from the website, 6. For units 2, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15 complete 1 investigation per unit (to be assigned on Blackboard), along with additional questions posted on Blackboard. These questions will be directed towards material on the AMS webpage including: current climate news, climate data, drought monitor and the IPCC report. These will be referred to as WEB questions. 7. Complete Test 1 and Test OPTIONAL: Consider doing the extra credit assignment options (details on page 10) *More information on the course content is found below. Quizzes There will be 12 quizzes during the semester, one quiz per textbook unit which will consist of 10 questions worth 1 point per question (for a chapter quiz total of 10 points). So there will be a total of 120 points available via the course quizzes. The sources for the materials on the quizzes are the textbook readings. You are allowed fifteen minutes to complete each quiz, and you can only take each quiz one time so make sure you are prepared!

5 Tests There will be a 60-point Test 1 (based on chapters 1,2,6-9) and a 60-point noncomprehensive Test 2 (based on chapters 10-15) in this course (a total of 120 points). All tests consist of 60 multiple choice questions worth one point each (for a total of 60 points). There will typically be 10 questions per chapter. You are allowed 90-minutes to complete each test, and you can only take each test one time. The sources for the materials on the tests are the textbook chapter readings. Investigation Exercises There will be 18 required Investigation Exercises from chapters 1, 2, 6-15 completed as part of this course with each question worth ½ point (a total of XXX points). You will have 2 Investigations per unit for units 1, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 1 Investigation per unit for units 2, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15. There is an investigation A and B for each chapter found in the Investigations Manual and online. You will be given instructions for each investigation if you should use your manual or the course website. The Investigations should be completed after you have read the chapter and viewed the power point. You will use your investigation manual or the website to find the questions, but submit your answers online through the appropriate Blackboard link. These exercises are not timed and can only be submitted one time. Once you hit the submit button you can never return to that exercise. WEB questions There will be 6 WEB questions for units 2, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15. These will require you to explore through the different links on the AMS website and answer questions on various parts such as the current climate news, climate data, drought monitor and the IPCC report. Questions based on the previous material will be posted on Blackboard. GUIDELINES FOR COMPLETING QUIZZES, TESTS, INVESTIGATION EXERCISES, WEB QUESTIONS AND COMPUTER/BLACKBOARD REQUIREMENTS: USF You must have a USF address that you can check via myusf. It is vital that you maintain an active USF account and that you check it often. Your USF is the only way I have to communicate with you! We cannot add your personal to Blackboard; however, you can forward your USF to your personal account. Follow the instructions on myusf. Some s sent to the class will also be posted on the Announcements page on Blackboard. Please DO NOT use the Blackboard message system to communicate with your instructor. Use of Blackboard myusf: We will use Blackboard (myusf, for taking tests and quizzes; submitting assignments; posting messages; posting grades; communication; and other vital information. Students must activate their NetID in order to use Blackboard. For more information about getting your NetID activated, please visit myusf at To take a quiz, test, or complete an investigation, login to the course site in Blackboard, click on the Units link from the menu on the main page, and click on the folder for the appropriate unit. Make sure you are opening the correct unit! Within the unit folder is the link to the quiz and Investigation which you must complete on-line for each unit. Units 9 and 15 also contain a link to the tests. Always check to make sure you are entering the correct unit: otherwise, you may try

6 to take the wrong quiz, or complete the wrong investigations exercise. If you accidentally open the wrong quiz, do not hit the Submit button! If you do, contact the course instructor via immediately! Regarding quizzes and tests: Quiz and test questions are randomly generated from test banks Questions are multiple choice The questions come from the reading assignments (book chapters) Each student will receive a different quiz or test If you are working from a non-usf computer, you should check the compatibility of your computer s browser settings before you start, by using the Browser Check in myusf. Otherwise, you may not be able to view everything we post in Blackboard, and you may also experience communication problems during quizzes, tests and class exercises. Computer problems are not an acceptable reason for failing to complete an investigation, quiz or test. You must take quizzes and tests and complete class investigations from a reliable computer with a reliable internet connection. When you are ready to take your quizzes or tests, you need to plan for 15 minutes (quiz) or 90 minutes (test) of uninterrupted time. Once you click on the link to a quiz or test, you must complete it. You are responsible for managing your time. When taking quizzes and tests, it is important that you are free from interruptions. My cat walked across my keyboard and froze my computer or I had to leave the quiz to go discipline my children or I got a phone call that took longer than I thought are not acceptable reasons for exceeding a quiz or test time limit. The Investigation exercises are not timed, and can only be submitted one time. Once you hit the submit button you can never return to that exercise. If you lose your Blackboard connection for any reason, log back into my USF and re-access what you were working on immediately! As long as you have not hit the submit button, you can open it back up again. However, if you have not been saving your work (by hitting the Save button), you may have to re-enter your answers. Each quiz and test is timed and must be completed all at once and in the time allotted. You cannot log out of a quiz or test and come back to it later. You can do this with the Investigation exercises. For the quizzes and tests once you click on the link to a quiz or test, the timer starts running and keeps running until you hit Submit, even if you ve done nothing, or log out, or lose your internet connection. It is recommended that you take all quizzes and tests, as well as complete all investigations on a computer with high speed internet access. If you do not have high speed internet access, visit your local library or use a computer on the USF campus nearest you. If you exceed the time allowed for a quiz or test, you will not receive credit for it, even if you go over by only 1 second. Time management of quizzes and tests is the student s responsibility. Once you have hit the Submit button, Blackboard can take several minutes to process and score your quiz. This processing time is already built into the total time allowed for each quiz or test. Never wait for the 1 minute warning to be given by Blackboard to submit a quiz or test: you will almost always exceed the time allowed, and Blackboard may

7 not even provide a 1-minute warning if you are using a web browser other than Internet Explorer. Slow response from dial-up internet access will NOT be an acceptable excuse for failing to complete a quiz or test in the time allotted. Quizzes and tests are to be taken without notes, books, web sites, input from other students, or any other outside assistance. Treat each quiz and test as though you were taking it in a regular classroom setting. It will be up to your personal sense of honor and ethics to abide by these rules. Evidence of cheating may result in a grade of FF for the course, which indicates failure due to academic dishonesty, and which remains permanently on your record ( FF grades cannot be removed by grade forgiveness). Please see the Undergraduate Catalog at for more on these policies, especially the sections "Plagiarism," "Cheating" and "Penalties for Academic Dishonesty." You should not use the AOL web browser, or any other web browser that is particular to your internet service provider! The AOL firewalls, in particular, may inhibit communication between Blackboard and your computer, preventing you from completing the quizzes, tests and other exercises. Also, Blackboard features, such as the quiz and test timer, may not work with some internet browsers (such as Opera or Mozilla Firefox). It is best to use Microsoft Internet Explorer as your internet browser to take the quizzes and tests. Please note that Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 8 is not compatible with the current version Blackboard, so please use an earlier version. Computers on campus should all be Blackboard compatible, and any student may use the Library or on-campus computer labs to take quizzes, or complete investigations. Just make sure you confirm the hours they are available. During quizzes and tests do not switch between windows or click on another window, as that may cause your computer to freeze. You should not have any other browser windows open while taking the quizzes or tests. After you have successfully submitted a quiz, test, WEB questions or investigation exercise, you will be taken to a screen that will let you view your score. Click OK after you are directed to this screen and you will see the results of the quiz, test or investigation assignment you just submitted. Next, print out this page (do NOT copy and paste it) to verify that you have completed the quiz, test or investigation exercise. You should then click OK and print out the next screen, which is a copy of the header of your completed quiz, test or investigation exercise, showing your score and the time elapsed for the quizzes and tests. Save these printouts for your records just in case any problems arise with the grade book. Once you have completed a quiz, test, or Investigation exercise you will not be able to access it again. There are no do-overs or second attempts allowed on quizzes, tests, or Investigation exercises once they are submitted. GRADES, GRADING PROCEDURES, AND YOUR BLACKBOARD GRADE BOOK To check your scores at any time, log in to Blackboard at: Click on the link to this course (MET 4109). Click on Tools and then View Grades. Also, after you submit a quiz or assignment, always print out the verification

8 page and a copy of your completed quiz or assignment as per the instructions that appear earlier in this syllabus. Also, always check the grade book in myusf to make sure your score has been recorded. Some additional information about the grade book is found below. 1. When you click on a link to a link to a quiz, test, WEB questions or investigation, only click the link once. This is very important because multiple clicks may lock you out of the assignment. Once you click on the link to a quiz, test or investigation, a padlock symbol (meaning in progress ) automatically appears in your grade book. For quizzes and tests, this means the quiz timer has automatically started and will not stop until you submit the quiz. 2. If you submitted a quiz, test, WEB questions or investigation and still see a padlock symbol, your submittal was not successful. Blackboard thinks you are still working on the quiz or assignment. The padlock symbol does not mean you are locked out of the quiz, test, or Investigation exercise. You must go back in and re-submit it, after first making sure that your answers have been saved. You are never locked out of a quiz, test or investigation until you have successfully submitted it. 3. A! symbol means needs grading, and may appear in the grade book for several reasons. If a! appears in the grade book for a quiz or test, the most common reason is that you exceeded the time allowed for the quiz or test. The instructor will contact you via regarding overtimes. If you have a! for a quiz or test and do not hear from the instructor promptly contact the instructor regarding this matter. If the! symbol appears in the grade book for the investigation contact the TA promptly or the instructor. 4. For unit quizzes, tests, WEB questions and investigations, if you see a score in your grade book, then your work was successfully submitted. 5. If there is nothing recorded in the grade book for a quiz, test, WEB questions or investigation, then you did not access or complete it. Blackboard tracks all of your activity: it simply does not lose quiz, test or assignment scores. If you access a quiz, test or an investigation, that is recorded in Blackboard, and if you complete a quiz, test or investigation, that is also recorded in Blackboard. If you believe you completed a quiz or an assignment but do not see a score or symbol posted in the Blackboard grade book, contact your instructor immediately. Make sure you have printed out a copy of the submission page and the completed quiz or assignment as verification. COURSE GRADING Your grade in this course will be based on the total number of points accumulated by taking the 12 unit quizzes, completing the 18 investigations, 6 unit WEB questions and completing Test 1 and Test 2. Credit will be earned by letter grade (A+ to F). Final letter grades will be determined on an accumulated-points basis, as follows:

9 Final Course Grade - There are a total of XXX points available in this course. There are a total of 120-points (x% of final grade) available via the 12 unit quizzes; a total of x-points (x% of final grade) available for the 6 unit WEB assignments, a total of XXX-points (x% of final grade) available via the 18 investigations; 60-points (11.5% of final grade) via test 1; 60-points (11.5% of final grade) via test 2. Grades for the course will be based upon the following scale: A+ = points % C+ = points % A = points % C = points % A- = points % C- = points % B+ = points % D+ = points % B = points % D = points % B- = points % D- = points % F = 311 points <60% ****Grade cut-offs are final****please DO NOT ASK TO BE PUSHED INTO THE NEXT CATEGORY. YOU CAN DO THE AVAILABLE EXTRA CREDITS TO HELP BOOST YOUR GRADE. DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY, ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING MAKE-UP POLICY: The Department of Geography, Environment and Planning does not allow make-up quizzes, tests or investigation assignments in this course except for students in special circumstances and at the discretion of the faculty member teaching the course. All materials are required to be submitted for the each course deadline by the 11:55 PM deadline on the dates noted. Students who have actively participated in the course, but cannot meet the deadline for all course submissions because of some special circumstance, should contact the course instructor well in advance of the final deadline date. As per departmental policy, documentation and make-ups for a missed quiz, test or assignment must be completed within two weeks of its deadline. Examples of appropriate documentation include doctor s notes, hospital admissions papers, published obituaries, etc. with dates that indicate a student s inability to complete a quiz, test or assignment near its deadline. It is the student s responsibility to contact the instructor and to provide documentation promptly. STUDENT DISABILITY SERVICES STATEMENT Any student with a disability is encouraged to meet with the course instructor privately during the first week of class to discuss accommodations. Students are required to give reasonable notice prior to requesting an accommodation (generally 2 weeks). Each student must bring a current Memorandum of Accommodations from the Office of Students with Disabilities Services (SDS) in SVC 1133, which is prerequisite for receiving accommodations. Accommodated examinations through the SDS office require one week notice. All course documents are available in alternate format if requested in the student's Memorandum of Accommodations. More information can be found at: IMPORTANT TIPS FOR SUCCESS IN THIS COURSE

10 A. The first tip for succeeding in this course is to make it a priority. Geography, Environment and Planning may not be your major or even your interest, but if you put this course at the bottom of your priority list, you will have trouble learning the material and your grade will reflect it. The biggest cause for lack of success in this course, or in any online course, is procrastination. Don t try to do all the work for the course in one or two days, or one or two weeks for that matter. Set aside regular time each week, a little each day, to read, watch any videos and complete the investigations, take the quizzes and complete the tests. B. Procrastinating and waiting until the end of the course is a bad strategy. C. A study and preparation strategy for each deadline that works for most students is to: First, read the reading assignment(s) associated with that unit. Second, review the PowerPoint that is associated with that unit. Third, watch any videos provided Forth, take the unit quiz. Fifth, complete the WEB assignment for the appropriate units sixth, complete the investigations Additionally: 5. Once you have completed the materials for units 9 and 15, complete the tests 1 and 2 respectively. 6. Review the reading materials for units 1, 2, 6-9 for Test 1, and units for Test 2, in the same way that you prepared for each unit quiz. EXTRA CREDIT There are two extra credit opportunities throughout the semester, worth a total of 15 points. Note: These are the only two extra credit opportunities, and no other extra credit will be available other than the following: OPPORTUNITY #1) Syllabus Quiz There will be a short quiz on this syllabus, which will be completed on-line using Blackboard. You must complete this quiz by Sunday, September 2nd by 11:55 PM. It will be worth up to 3 points extra credit added to your point total. OPPORTUNITY #2 FOR THIS YOU CAN DO OPTION A OR B, but NOT BOTH FOR EXTRA CREDIT A) Attend at least 2 West Central Florida Chapter American

11 Meteorological Society Meetings and complete a write-up (information for write up on Blackboard) OR B) complete one other chapter investigation from the manual (both A and B) (Units 3, 4, or 5). A) At least 2 West Central Florida Chapter American Meteorological Society Meetings There will be 3 or 4 opportunities to attend an approximately hour long weatherrelated presentation hosted by the West Central Florida Chapter American Meteorological Society. These presentations are usually local to the Tampa/Ruskin/St. Pete area. Meeting times and locations will be posted on Blackboard. It is your responsibility to put your name on the sign in sheet (which the instructor will have at these meetings) and also note under the class column CS for climate studies so we know you are in this class. At these meetings show your TA/Instructor your ID so they can note your attendance. To get the extra credit, you need to come to at least TWO meetings and complete a write up (no credit for just one). It will be worth up to 3 points extra credit added to your point total. B) Complete one other chapter investigation (parts A AND B), from either chapter 3, 4 OR 5. The deadline for this extra credit opportunity is December 9 th at 11:55pm. It will be worth up to 3 points extra credit added to your point total. No make-ups will be allowed for the extra credit opportunities. Once again, no other extra credit will be offered in this course.