GENERAL EDUCATION COURSE PROPOSAL
WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY
SOCIAL SCIENCE
Area: SOCIAL SCIENCE
Date: _10/10/2011_____________________________
College: __Social and Behavioral Sciences___________________________
Department: __Geography_____________________
Catalog Abbreviation: ____GEOG SS/DV 1300_____________
Catalog Title: ___Places and Peoples of the World_______________________________
Course Number: ____1300_________________
Credit Hours: __3___
Substantive: ______
New: ______
Revised: ______
Renewal __X___
Effective Date ____________
Course description as you want it to appear in the catalog:
The study of different places, countries, and regions of the world.
Addresses topics relating to natural environment, ethnic diversity,
and regional differences in subjects related to culture, gender, age,
class, social structure, spatial organization, and economic activities.
Current social conditions within the world's major culture realms
are analyzed and compared.
SOCIAL SCIENCE GENERAL EDUCATION MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Social Science general education area is twofold: 1. to provide students with a basic understanding of humans and their behavior within their environments; and 2. to assist students in their efforts to contribute to society in their particular professions and as responsible citizens of their various communities.
Course Title:___Places and Peoples of the World_______________________________
Department:____Geography__________________
SOCIAL SCIENCE LEARNING OUTCOMES
All courses proposed for inclusion in the social science breadth category must address at least two of the skill criteria listed below. (Mark all that apply.)
_X_. Written, oral, or graphic communication
____ Abstract logic or reasoning
____ Use of information technology
____ Use of library or other research sources
_X_ Critical thinking, cognitive learning, and individual or group problem solving
____ Collaborative group problem solving
Justification:
Students taking Geography 1300 gain written communication skills through the process of writing term papers, essays and other writing assignments. Class discussions and small group discussions are pivotal to developing skills in oral communication and critical thinking. Graphic communication is practiced through extensive use of maps and graphic display of geographic data. Though the latter is certainly not unique to geography classes, it is the main tool by which students of geography learn about the spatial perspective in the social sciences (see further discussion below).
SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1More specifically, students develop critical thinking skills as they learn of the major spatial patters, both natural and cultural, in the world. This includes the ways in which historical, social, cultural, and natural forces have contributed to the human spatial patterns that exist today. Geography 1300 tests student learning through exams that require students to think critically in spatial terms and to be able to see patterning in the landscape and to interpret similar patterns that have cause and effect relationships. This might include such things as similar map patterns showing income levels and education levels, or ethnic groups and prevalence of certain diseases, or education levels and birthrates. There are hundreds of spatial patterns that students learn and how to compare and interpret them. Some assignments make use of field observations that can be mapped and interpreted. Other assignments make use of news of world events and census data that can help explain current conditions. Students are taught how to see spatial patterning in various landscapes and to explain how these patterns were formed.
A student completing a social science general education course should be able to accomplish three of the following five outcomes. (Mark all that apply.)
__X__ 1. Describe a social science approach to studying and understanding human behavior.
_____ 2. Describe basic assumptions about humans and their behaviors from a social science perspective.
_____ 3. Explain the basic elements and operation of a sociocultural system.
__X_ 4. Explain the interactions between individuals and their sociocultural and/or natural environments.
__X__ 5. Apply a social science perspective to a particular issue and identify factors impacting change (past or present).
Justification:
SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Places and Peoples of the World (GEOG 1300) introduces important themes in the discipline of geography by exploring the political, economic, social, cultural (i.e., human behavior) and natural environmental patterns and processes that shape the world amidst a whirlwind of global change. The main objective of the course is to assist students in developing a basic degree of “geographical literacy” and to expand students’ perceptions of cultural diversity. Geographical literacy goes beyond memorized knowledge of countries, capitals and cultures; it demands an understanding of our place in the world, and of the processes which link us to other people in other places. The course provides a survey of the globe from Europe, the post-Soviet region, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, China to the Pacific Rim in an effort to better understand the increasing interconnectedness of the world, and to investigate issues of cultural diversity throughout the world. In fact, an understanding that globalization is making practically everyone around the world more connected to everyone else is an overarching learning objective for the course. Put simply, we cannot afford to ignore the fact that there is a world beyond the United States. As such, it is important to know where places are in the world (particularly in relation to other places) and to know something of the character of those places. But geographers also examine how and why places came to be the way they are, how they are related to other places, and how the political, economic, cultural, and environmental patterns, events, and processes shape both local and global change. As suggested above, another course objective is to foster a greater sense of the interconnections (past and present) between places and peoples around the world. Geographers investigate these sociological, economic and environmental phenomena from a spatial perspective, aided by cartographic presentation and interpretation (see #2 below).
More specifically, SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Geography 1300 addresses both the structure of complex landscapes and societies and the historical and social forces that produce change over time. Students are taught to appreciate the effect of scale on such processes as group cohesion through which individuals are integrated into smaller and larger social groups and to take account of the internal processes of differentiation which enable various forms of stratification and specialization throughout space and time to occur. An understanding of the ways in which identities emerge from such things as kinship, occupation, caste, religion, language, dialect, nationality, and ethnicity are an essential part of learning about sociocultural systems. Developing an appreciation of how these various societal forces work can be important to understanding how human societies develop and evolve. Understanding the ways in which group cohesion is present at many different levels of scale and connected through many different measures of distance and nearness is necessary in explaining how local, regional, national, supra-national, and world spatial and hierarchical entities operate and affect each other.
An example of an activity that assesses an understanding of basic social science principles or perspectives might involve students reading and discussing how particular spatial units interact with each other throughout the world, how these units came to the conditions that they exhibit today, and how the form of these interactions might change in the future.
COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING
1. Has this proposal been discussed with and approved by the department?
Yes, unanimously approved.
2. List those general education courses in other departments with similar subject matter and explain how this course differs.
Anthropology course: SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1ANTH SS/DV2010 People and Cultures of the World
History course: HIST SS/DV1510 World History from 1500 C.E. to the Present
Though similar to GEOG 1300, ANTH 2010 and HIST 1510 do not involve the spatial perspective that sets the discipline of geography apart from other social science perspectives, e.g., history uses a temporal perspective.
To specifically serve geography instructors, a publication entitled Guidelines for Geographic Education was published in 1984 and its contents became known popularly as the "Five Themes of Geography." These themes are: location, place, human-environment interactions, movement, and regions. The themes establish the basis for an approach to understanding social and behavioral phenomena from a spatial perspective that is, in many ways, unique to geography.
LOCATION: "Where are we?" is the question that the theme Location answers. Location may be absolute or it may be relative. These locations, whether relative or absolute, may be of people or places. An absolute location is based upon latitude and longitude (a global location) or a street address (local location). Relative locations are described by landmarks, time, direction or distance from one place to another and may associate a particular place with another.
PLACE: What kind of place is it? What do you think of when you imagine China? Japan? Russia? Saudi Arabia? Places have both human and physical characteristics, as well as images. Physical characteristics may include mountains, rivers, soils, and other physiographic features. Places have human characteristics also. These characteristics are derived from the ideas and actions of people that result in changes to the environment, such as buildings, roads, clothing, and food or dietary needs and habits. The image people have of a place is based on their experiences, both intellectual and emotional. People's descriptions of a place reveal their values, attitudes, and perceptions.
HUMAN/ENVIRONMENTAL INTERACTION: How do humans and the environment affect each other? We change the environment and then sometimes nature changes it back; for example, floods in the mid-West, hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and earthquakes and mudslides in California. There are three key concepts to human/environmental interaction: humans adapt to the environment, modify the environment, and depend on the environment. All places on Earth have advantages and disadvantages for human settlement. One person's advantage may be another person's disadvantage. How do humans and their environments interact?
MOVEMENT: The movement of people, the import and export of goods, and mass communication have all played major roles in shaping our world. People everywhere interact. They travel from place to place and they communicate. We live in a global village and global economy. People interact with each other through movement. Humans occupy places unevenly on Earth because of the environment but also because we are social beings. We interact with each other through travel, trade, information flows (e.g., E-Mail) and political events.
REGION: A region is the basic unit of study in geography. A region is an area that displays a coherent unity in terms of the government, language, or possibly the landform or situation. Regions are human constructs that can be mapped and analyzed. There are three basic types of regions. Formal regions are those defined by governmental or administrative boundaries (i. e., United States, Birmingham, Brazil). These regional boundaries are not open to dispute, therefore physical regions fall under this category (i. e., The Rockies, the Great Lakes States). Functional regions are those defined by a function (i. e., United Airlines Service area or a newspaper service area). If the function ceases to exists, the region no longer exists. Vernacular regions are those loosely defined by people's perception (i. e., The South, The Middle East).
3. If the proposed new general education course affects course requirements or enrollments in other
departments, list the departments and programs involved and attach comments from each. N.A.
4. Attach a course syllabus. Include the number of contact hours per week and the format of these hours (e.g., lecture, lab, field trip, etc.). See attached sample syllabus.
New Courses Only:
5. Discuss how you will assess student learning outcomes associated with this course.
GEOG 1300 is not a “new course.”
Current General Education Courses and Existing Courses Seeking General Education Status:
6. Discuss how you have assessed the applicable or identified student learning outcomes associated with this course.
Beginning in fall semester, 2006, Geography faculty members teaching GEOG 1300 included test questions in their exams that were used to assess learning outcomes #1, 4 and 5. It was decided that the faculty would gather results every 2 years; hence, assessment data/exam results were gathered during fall semesters in 2006, 2008 and again in 2010. The first outcome is clearly defined as follows: Students should be able to describe a social science approach to studying and understanding human behavior. Outcome #4: Explain the interactions between individuals and their sociocultural and/or natural environments. Outcome #5: Apply a social science perspective to a particular issue and identify factors impacting change (past or present).
The table below shows a steady improvement in the test scores giving some indication that outcomes are increasingly being met. However, test results are not entirely reliable regarding effective assessment (see limitations below). Appendix B displays exam questions used to assess respective outcomes.
SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1SS Gen. Ed. Assessment Results for Outcomes #1, 4 and 5 GEOG SS/DV1300 Places & Peoples of the World
|
Semester of assessment |
Number of student respondents |
Percentage* of correct responses Outcome #1 |
Percentage* of correct responses Outcome #4 |
Percentage* of correct responses Outcome #5 |
|
Fall, 2006 |
57 |
78 |
72 |
75 |
|
Fall, 2008 |
55 |
81 |
74 |
75 |
|
Fall, 2010 |
62 |
86 |
82 |
78 |
* Average % score for all test items answered correctly; See Appendix B for sample test questions
Evaluation/Limitations of Assessment Process for Outcomes #1, 4 and 5:
Similar to the SS Gen. Ed. Assessment committee, Geography faculty noted the challenge of measuring the validity of the results and cautioned that some test questions were far more difficult than others. As a result, the average percentage of students answering the test items correctly gives a somewhat narrow measure of actual learning involving the social science approach to studying and understanding human behavior (Learning Outcome #1), explanation of the interactions between individuals and their sociocultural and/or natural environments (Learning Outcome #4), and application of a social science perspective to a particular issue and identification of factors impacting change (Learning Outcome #5). The time and resources for conducting pre- and post-test instruments for different courses was decidedly beyond the scope of the assessment. Assessment of the 3 outcomes will be continued during fall semester, 2012, and eventually Chi Tester results can be standardized to provide feedback from multiple sections of GEOG 1300.
7. How has this assessment information been used to improve student learning?
Faculty members who teach Geography 1300 continue to adjust and improve lecture materials to better assess outcomes #1, 4 and 5 noted above. Exam items and writing assignments used to evaluate understanding of specific learning objectives are continually reviewed and periodically discussed in faculty meetings. Course evaluations are also used to provide feedback for faculty members who then make adjustments to their course content and process. More specifically, learning associated with Objective #5 has involved the addition of classroom learning focused upon the impacts of globalization. There is a wide variety of media options that can be accessed to enhance the classroom experience, e.g., “Hearing Voices” series on KUED, New York Times article series on global change, etc.
GENERAL EDUCATION COURSE APPROVAL PAGE
Approval Sequence:
________________________________________
Department Chair/Date
_________________________________________
Dean of College/Date
_________________________________________
University Curriculum Committee/Date
Passed by Faculty Senate_____________________________Date
Effective Date__________________________
Appendix A: Sample syllabus for SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Places and Peoples of the World (Geography 1300)
SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1(3 credit hours, meets 2.5 hr.s/week for lecture)
Course Description/Objectives:
Places and Peoples of the World introduces important themes in the discipline of geography by exploring the political, economic, social, cultural and environmental patterns and processes that shape the whirlwind of global change. The main objectives of the course are to
1) develop a basic degree of geographical literacy; and 2) to expand our perceptions of cultural diversity. "Geographical literacy" goes beyond memorized knowledge of countries, capitals and cultures; it demands an understanding of our place in the world, and of the processes which link us to other people in other places. We will survey the globe from Europe, the post-Soviet region, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, China and to the Pacific Rim in an effort to better understand the increasing interconnectedness of the world (objective 3: understand globalization), and to investigate issues of cultural diversity throughout the world. These 3 specific objectives are consistent with the skills and learning outcomes associated with WSU Social Science general education (see below).
Mission statement: The mission of the Social Science general education area is two-fold: 1‑ to provide students with a basic understanding of humans and their behavior within their environments; and 2 ‑ to assist students in their efforts to contribute to society in their particular professions and as responsible citizens of their various communities.
Skills: We will emphasize the following two skill sets in this class:
Learning outcomes: Social sciences general education classes must accomplish three out of five student learning outcomes. The five possible learning outcomes are listed below, with the three for this class listed in bold.
· Describe a social science approach to studying and understanding human behavior.
For more information on general education, see http://weber.edu/AcademicAffairs/gened.html
Text: de Blij, H.J. and Muller, P.O. (eds.). 2010. Geography: Realms, Regions and Concepts, Fourteenth Edition. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc. (Older editions may suffice.)
Atlas: Smith, D. 2003. The State of the World Atlas, 7th Edition. New York, N. Y.: Penguin Books.
Exams: There will be 4 exams given during the course, one every three-four weeks. All 4 exams are on Chi Tester in the WSU Testing Centers, and consist of multiple choice and mapping questions. Exam scores may be curved to reflect average class performance. Exam content will focus primarily on material covered in class, though some questions will be generated from text readings and the maps in the atlas.
Global Field Trip Paper: Since the course surveys the world in one semester, there is no way to thoroughly discuss every place or culture in the world. Therefore, you are asked to write a short 4-5 page paper about any place in the world (outside of the U.S.) of your choosing. Papers must include the following: Where and why there? 1.) Briefly discuss where the place is (include and make reference to a map), and briefly describe the physical geography, 2) discuss who the people are inhabiting the place, and most importantly, 3) discuss some of the greatest problems or challenges facing the people and place. Explain why the issue is a problem in this particular place. (Item # 3 should make up the bulk of your paper.) 4) In conclusion, explain why you chose this place, what makes it a unique or interesting place (compare the place to other places), and finally how does it relate to you in the context of globalization. You must use references and include a bibliography. All information, including maps, that is not common knowledge must be referenced either by footnote or in-text citation. Any form of plagiarism will result in your failing the course.
Additionally, you are strongly encouraged to complete basic outline maps in order to remember various physical features, countries, assorted major cities and important regions.
Please note: "Any student requiring accommodations or services due to a disability must contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in room 181 of the Student Service Center. SSD can also arrange to provide course materials (including this syllabus) in alternative formats if necessary."
Grading: Grades will be calculated as follows, with some discretion based on class participation.
In fairness to those who complete work on time, assignments turned in late will be penalized.
Exams: 50 pt.s each 200 pt.s 90-100% = A- to A
Global field trip paper: 50 pt.s 80-89% = B- to B+
Total points possible: 250 pt.s 70-79% = C- to C+ and so forth down the scale
Tentative Class Schedule
Lecture Topics: Assigned readings: Atlas maps:
Week: (page #s)
1-2 Introduction: What is geography? Intro. Chapter & 9-15, 22-23, 36-37,
Natural resources; geography of Appendices A & B 40-41, 54-55, 114-119
development, sustainability
3 Western and Eastern Europe: Chapter 1 43-47, 52-53,
4 Unification and fragmentation; globalization 64-67,74-75, 112-113
Post-Soviet Russia: Chapter 2
Ethnicity and territoriality; conflict and transition
Exam 1
5 Central and South America: Chapters 4 & 5 28-31, 38-39
History of cultural clash; agriculture
6-7 Middle East and Central Asia: Chapter 7 24-25, 32-33, 50-51,
Economic geography of oil; religion and 58-59, 62-63, 72-73
restructuring
Exam 2
8-9 North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa: Chapters 6 & 7 26-27, 48-49, 60-61,
Margins of the world-system; medical geography 70-71, 78-79, 90-97
104-105, 110-111
10 South Asia: Demographic challenges Chapter 8 18-21
Exam 3
11 Southeast Asia: Chapter 10 86-89, 108-109
Newly Industrialized Countries;
geography of development
Term paper rough drafts due Monday, March28
12-13 China: Political change; Chapter 9 80-85
human rights
Term paper final drafts due Wednesday, April 6
14 The Pacific Rim (Japan-Australia): Chapters 11 & 12
Economic development; colonialism; eco-tourism
Exam 4 (final) Must be taken no later than Thursday, April 21
Lecture outline notes, exam review sheets, and this syllabus are available online at www.weber.edu.
Appendix B: Sample Exam Questions for Assessment (Listed by Outcome)
Outcome #1. Describe a social science approach to studying and understanding human behavior.
1. Geography is united by a _________ perspective, common to all of its subfields (e.g., cultural, economic and physical geography).
a. temporal b. institutional c. spatial d. functional e. theoretical
2. Which of the following academic disciplines might be incorporated, used, or drawn from in the study of geography?
a.) history b.) geology c.) political science d.) economics e.) all of the above
Outcome #4. Explain the interactions between individuals and their sociocultural and/or natural environments.
1. In terms of physical geography, the world’s great population clusters are related to (think about the regions of the world we have studied and where population settlement is the greatest in each of those regions):
a. climate b. soil fertility c. coastal access d. river systems
e. all of the above
2. What was the Green Revolution?
a. A science based approach to agriculture which greatly increased crop yields through high-yielding varieties of plants.
b. An approach to agriculture which polluted the environment with pesticides.
c. An approach to agriculture which benefited rich farmers much more than poor farmers.
d. All of the above
e. Both (b) and (c).
3. Which of the following is not a reason for tropical deforestation in Latin America?
a. new “frontier” settlements to alleviate population pressures
b. globalization of international wood products commerce
c. the world’s growing appetite for beef
d. scarce timber resources in the northwestern U.S.
e. the expansion of coca leaf production for cocaine production
4. Which of the following has NOT been a factor contributing to deforestation in the Caribbean?
a. need for fuel
b. population growth
c. sugarcane plantations
d. subsistence agriculture
e. none of the above; all have contributed to deforestation in the region
5. Which of the following is NOT correct regarding tourism in the Caribbean?
a. It is an important contributor to the economy of the region.
b. It has been costly for countries to provide the infrastructure needed to support the industry.
c. The majority of profits made through tourism does not remain in (and so does not benefit) the
region
d. Very few people in the region are employed in the tourist industry.
e. It can help to encourage environmental protection in the region, by protecting natural
resources that serve as attractions for tourists.
6. Given the political and economic history of the region, in which area of Europe do environmental conditions tend to be the worst?
a. Benelux countries (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg)
b. Eastern Europe
c. Iberian Peninsula
d. Scandinavia
e. Southern Europe
7. What heavily influenced the surge of immigration to European countries such as Germany in recent years?
a. the collapse of the Soviet Union
b. the releasing of the last German colony in Africa in 1989
c. the expulsion of many foreign-born immigrants from France
d. the environmental disasters that occurred in the Balkans
e. the adoption of the Euro as a common currency among European Union members
Outcome #5. Apply a social science perspective to a particular issue and identify factors impacting change (past or present).
1. Which of the following is a reason why Japan has been so successful in its forest conservation efforts?
a. They have developed wood-free paper.
b. On a per capita basis, the Japanese use fewer wood products as compared to other places.
c. The fertile Japanese soils allow for astounding rates of vegetation re-growth.
d. The Japanese import most of their wood products from other locations around the world.
e. They implemented a sustainable logging program in the 1950s.
2. All of the following are accurate statements about China’s “one child policy” EXCEPT:
a. It developed in the late 1970s out of concern for China’s ability to feed its rapidly increasing population.
b. It has been successful in terms of slowing the rate of population growth in the country.
c. It has not had any negative consequences.
d. It has recently been relaxed slightly.
e. It tended to be implemented/enforced mainly in China’s urban environments.
3. Of the following places in East Asia, which one now has the highest rate of natural increase, likely associated with the high level of poverty found in the country?
a. Taiwan b. North Korea c. Japan d. China e. South Korea
4. Which of the following is NOT an example of the colonial legacy (think of the colonial legacies in the regions of the world we studied)?
a. export economies
b. hearths of civilization
c. religion and language
d. administrative systems
e. land use patterns
5. Similar to the situation in the Tigris and Euphrates Valleys, the Indus Valley suffers from
a. foreign logging companies extracting valuable hardwoods.
b. agricultural soil salinization.
c. a lack of water for irrigation due to upstream dams.
d. water pollution from heavy industry along the river.
e. religious-based territorial conflicts.
6. Given what you know of the tectonic setting for Europe, the earthquake activity that is experienced by Italy and the Balkans is primarily a result of
a. the movement of the North American Plate against the Eurasian Plate.
b. the movement of the African Plate against the Eurasian Plate.
c. the movement of the African Plate against the North American Plate.
d. the movement of Arabian Plate against the Eurasian Plate.
e. the spreading of the mid-Atlantic ridge.
7. The landscape of Europe shows the influence of many different historical periods. Which of the following is an example of the landscape influence of the medieval period?
a. Large-scale civil engineering projects, such as aqueducts or amphitheatres.
b. Extensive transportation infrastructure, especially canals.
c. Walled villages, established in defensive positions, such as the perched villages of France.
d. All of the above are good examples of the European medieval landscape.
e. None of the above is a good example of the European medieval landscape.
8. Which of the following is NOT an example of Europe “coming together” through centripetal forces?
a. the expansion of NATO to include more eastern European countries
b. the European Union
c. the creation of several smaller states out of what used to be the former Yugoslavia
d. the reunification of Germany
e. the establishment of Euroland
9. What was the purpose of Russification (the Soviet policy of resettling Russians into non-Russian portions of the former USSR)?
a. to drain some of the population from Moscow, which had become a primate city
b. to increase Russian dominance in outlying portions of the former USSR
c. to provide laborers to under-populated regions of the former USSR
d. to bring Russian teachers to under-populated regions of the former USSR
e. to establish military outposts for defensive purposes in the former USSR
10. Which of the following are typical consequences of over-urbanization?
a. insufficient job availability in the city
b. lack of adequate housing with decent sanitation and services
c. the creation and/or expansion of favelas (squatter settlements)
d. insufficient transportation infrastructure
e. all of the above are likely consequences of over-urbanization
11. Which of the following is NOT the consequence of the Columbian Exchange?
a. The death of many in the indigenous populations of Latin America due to Old World diseases.
b. The prevalence of the potato and tomato in the foods of various European countries, such as Ireland and Italy, respectively.
c. Horses in Latin America
d. Corn (maize) in Latin America
e. Brazilians of European descent