GEOG 120:  World Regional Geography

Introduction

Welcome to Geography 120, a look at the physical and cultural geography of the world’s realms. This course is designed to:

• introduce you to the fundamental concepts of geography
• demonstrate the relevance of geography
• acquaint you with the physical and cultural characteristics of the world's realms
• explore the concept of economic development and factors in global disparities
• examine the relationship between the physical environment and human culture.

[top]

Required Text

The textbook and supplemental student guide can be purchased through the Higher Grounds bookstore at The Friday Center either online or by printing out a book order form.  Any additional readings will be found on the Web.

• de Blij and Muller, Concepts and Regions in Geography, 2nd edition (2004), ISBN 0-471-64991-0

[top]

Course Requirements

The course involves a combination of reading, discussion, and research. In a typical week, you will do the following activities:

• Read the assigned pages in the textbook and articles on the Web.
• Read the lesson material and the supplemental notes.
• Post an entry to the discussion forum and respond to at least one entry by another student.
• For some lessons, complete the application exercise.

For more details, read the brief descriptions of course requirements below.

Required Readings

In addition to the de Blij and Muller textbook, you will be responsible for information in the Web links listed under "Reading Assignment" at the beginning of each lesson.

Each lesson ends with a section titled "Interesting Web Sites" that provides additional information. You will not be tested on this material; however, these links can be useful in researching your discussion forum entries.

Discussion Forum

You will make a total of ten posts/responses to the discussion forum during the semester based on your research of the Web, newspapers, and other sources. These "mini-essays" (minimum length--200 words) allow you to explore some aspect of each of the world’s realms in more detail. Entries are usually due by midnight Eastern Time on Wednesday, although some dates have been changed to accommodate holidays. Due dates are posted at the beginning of each lesson. You may choose two weeks to "take a vacation" from posting to the discussion forum. Postings and responses should be made during the same weeks, not split up. Be sure to keep track of how many posts you have made. Note: Everyone should make a posting the first week to provide classmates with an introduction. Only ten postings will count toward your grade. Additional postings will not be counted as extra credit.

After reading the entries of your classmates, respond to at least one with your own comments or questions on the subject. Follow-ups are due by Friday at midnight, Eastern Time.

Your grade for the discussion forum will be based on the following criteria (points: eight maximum for original entry; two maximum for response to another student's posting):

• Did you submit the required entries on time?
• Did you respond to at least one entry each week?
• Did you cite sources of information?
• Did your writing show thought and effort?
• Did your response show independent thinking, introduce a different opinion or perspective?
• Did you include sources other than the textbook?

Click here for a guide to citing information from the Web.

[top]

Application Exercises

Several lessons include exercises that apply geographic concepts to global issues. Most exercises utilize information from the Web or from the textbook appendix. Answers should be submitted to me via e-mail by midnight, Eastern Time, usually on Sunday. You must submit all application exercises, even during the weeks you choose not to participate in the discussion forums. Please do not send attachments. All application exercises and exam answers should be cut and pasted directly into your e-mail messages.

Map Projects

Two of the application exercises are mapping projects that use the blank maps found on the textbook companion Web site. Maps should be mailed to me for grading.

Each map is worth 20 points. Please pay attention to the appearance of the final product. Each map should have a title that explains what is being mapped and a legend that explains what the colors on the map mean.

Exams

We will have a midterm exam and a final exam, each worth 100 points. Due to the volume of information in each chapter, the tests will NOT be cumulative. Exams will have fill-in-the-blank and short-essay questions. Both the midterm and the final exams will be available as links from the Schedule section of this home page on the scheduled dates. The exams will be posted on Blackboard at 9 am (Eastern Time) and answers are due by midnight of the same day. You will be expected to abide by the University's Honor Code and must take the exams without using the textbook or any supplemental materials unless otherwise instructed.

Exam dates are not flexible. You may not take exams earlier than the scheduled date. You may not turn in an exam past midnight on the scheduled date without prior permission. If you miss an exam due to an emergency, you must contact me as soon as possible and provide documentation.

[top]

Course Grade

Grades for the semester will be based on the following:

Late Policy

All work should be submitted by midnight, Eastern Time, on the due date. For each day that an assignment is overdue, three points will be deducted. Assignments that are more than seven days late will not be accepted. In case of an emergency, please notify me as soon as possible.

[top]

Course Mechanics

Blackboard

Some of your class components (announcements, discussion forums, exams) are accessed through a software package called Blackboard, and you will need to login to Blackboard using a unique identifier known as your UNC Onyen (Only Name You'll Ever Need) and Onyen password.

If you do not already have a UNC Onyen, go to the Onyen Web site and follow the instructions for creating an Onyen. If you have an Onyen but have forgotten it (or the password), you will find help on the Onyen Web site.

There is a link to the Blackboard site in the gray navigation bar at the top of every page in this course. Click on that link, and then use your Onyen to login to Blackboard. Click on the "GEOG 120" link and you will see navigation buttons on the left labeled Announcements, Discussion Forum, and so on.

If you experience problems accessing Blackboard, this is what you should do:

• If you do not already have a UNC Onyen, go to the Onyen Web site and follow the instructions for creating an Onyen.
• If you have an Onyen but have forgotten it (or the password), you will find help on go to the Onyen Web site.
• If you have your Onyen but can't log in to Blackboard, contact Janice Durham at the Friday Center.
• If you can log in to Blackboard but can't find this course listed, contact Janice Durham at the Friday Center.
• If you can't locate an exam or discussion forum in Blackboard, contact the Instructional Designer.
• If you have other technical problems while using Blackboard, contact Blackboard Help (use the Help button in Blackboard, or call 919-962-HELP).

Library Services and E-reserves

Students enrolled in Carolina Courses Online can access online library resources from the UNC Library System by linking to Library Services for Distance Education Students. This site includes information on using general online reference works as well as accessing e-reserves. If you are using an off-campus computer, you will need to consult this page for instructions on how to access the resources. The UNC library staff is available to assist any students who have difficulties accessing online library resources.

E-mail

All communication from your instructor will go to your UNC Onyen e-mail address (the one that appears when you post to the discussion forum). Off-campus users can access their UNC e-mail using Webmail. You can have your e-mail forwarded to a different e-mail address by clicking “Forward e-mail” at the Onyen Web site.

If you use a filter on your e-mail account, you are responsible for ensuring that it does not prevent you from receiving messages from me, the course listserv, or Friday Center staff. Hotmail users should be aware that Hotmail will block messages sent from within Blackboard because Blackboard uses “blind carbon copy” to protect privacy. We recommend that you use your UNC Onyen e-mail account rather than forwarding to Hotmail for this course.

Submitting Assignments

It is extremely important for you to save copies of any work you send to me via e-mail. If I don't receive your work, you must have a duplicate copy, indicating the date sent, to prove that you submitted the assignment on time. It is your responsibility to maintain copies of your sent e-mails, as there is no way to guarantee that any e-mail message will be delivered.

Please check your e-mail software to see how it manages sent and saved messages. Some software automatically deletes messages one month after they have been sent; others only save messages if they are filed in folders; others save messages received but not those sent. You may need to send yourself a copy of your e-mailed assignment at the same time you send it to me, or you may need to print a copy of the e-mail message and any attachments to keep in your paper files. No matter how your system works, make sure you know how to save a copy of all work that you submit to me and that you save the copy for several months beyond the end of the course.

Other Questions

If you have questions regarding the content of the course and your progress, contact me. There is a link to my e-mail address at the top of every lesson page. Please include "CCO GEOG 120" in the subject line of your e-mail.

If you find a problem with this Web site, including bad links, contact the Instructional Designer at the Friday Center.

If you have any questions about enrollment, Onyen, credits, withdrawal and so on, contact the Student Services staff at the Friday Center for Continuing Education (phone 919-962-1134 or 800-862-5669).

[top]

Course Schedule

[top of page]

Lesson 1

Course Author: T. Shawn Mitchell, PhD

© University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Last updated: January 23, 2008
Send comments and questions to fridaycenter@unc.edu