College of the Redwoods
SELECTED TOPICS CURRICULUM PROPOSAL
1.
Division: Math, Science, and Engineering
2.
Course ID and Number: GEOL 99
3.
Course Title: Field Studies in Geology
4.
Discipline(s): (Select from CCC System Office Minimum Qualification for Faculty [copy following web
address and paste into web browser http://www.cccco.edu/divisions/esed/aa_ir/psmq/min_qual/min_quals%20_revApr406.pdf]
Course may fit more than one discipline; identify all that apply): Earth Science
5.
New
Change to existing course
(Indicate changes on "Summary of Curriculum Changes" form)
Replacing existing course
6.
(Course to be inactivated)
Provide explanation and justification for addition/change/deletion:
GEOL 9 - a regularly-taught course written in 1986 and never updated - has very
recently been inactivated to make way for this new course whose outcomes are similar
to old GEOL 9. This new course, just like now-inactivated GEOL 9, is repeatable since
it contains topics that may vary each time the course is offered. For that reason, this
new course needs to be enumerated as 99, not 9.
7.
List any special materials, equipment, tools, etc. that students must purchase:
8.
This course will have an instructional materials fee. No
Fee: $
Submitted by:
M. Renner and D. Bazard
Division Chair: Tony Sartori
Yes
Tel. Ext. 2340
Date: Sep. 20, 2007
Review Date: 09/20/07
CURRICULUM COMMITTEE USE ONLY
Approved by Curriculum Committee: No
Board of Trustees Approval Date: 11/6/07
Yes
Date: 9/28/07
Selected Topics Courses Form (rev. 9.5.06)
Revised and approved: February 11, 2005/Academic Senate: March 2, 2005
Page 1 of 6
SUMMARY OF CURRICULUM CHANGES
FOR AN EXISTING COURSE
FEATURES
Catalog Description
(Please include text of
old catalog description.)
Grading Standard
NEW
OLD
Select
Select
Total Units
Lecture Units
Lab Units
Prerequisites
Corequisites
Recommended
Preparation
Maximum Class Size
Repeatability—
Maximum Enrollments
Other
If any of the listed features have been modified in the new proposal, indicate the "old" (current) information and
proposed changes.
Selected Topics Courses Form (rev. 9.5.06)
Revised and approved: February 11, 2005/Academic Senate: March 2, 2005
Page 2 of 6
College of the Redwoods
SELECTED TOPICS COURSE OUTLINE
DATE: Sep. 20, 2007
COURSE ID AND NUMBER: GEOL 99
FORMER ID AND NUMBER (if previously offered):
COURSE TITLE: Field Studies in Geology
Is this the first time this course has been offered?
The second time?
The third time?
As “GEOL 9”, this course has been offered many, many times (including this semester).
FIRST TERM NEW OR REVISED COURSE MAY BE OFFERED: Spring 2008
TOTAL UNITS: variable: 0.5, 1.0 or 2 Lecture Units: var. 0.33, 0.67 or 1.33 Lab Units: var. 0.17,
0.33 or 0.67
TOTAL HOURS: var. 15, 30 or 60 Lecture Hours: var. 6, 12 or 24 Lab Hours: var. 9, 18 or 36
MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE: 24
GRADING STANDARD
Grade-CR/NC Option
Is this course repeatable for additional credit units?: No
Yes
how many total enrollments?
4
DESCRIPTION OF SELECTED TOPIC
Clearly state the scope of the course, its level, and what kinds of student goals the course is designed to fulfill.
Activities in this introductory field course revolve around hands-on studies of selected
outcrops which demonstrate specific features of particular interest and salience to the
geosciences. Although the course emphasizes hands-on field studies, it also contains
lecture components that can occur on location and/or in a classroom. The course
learning outcomes and the course assessment methods (see next page) are the same
regardless of which topic is selected for a given class. Different outcrops can illustrate
different geologic topics, which in turn provide students with valuably different ways of
learning the outcomes. Because of this the course can be taught in various ways
depending on the selected locales, and can be repeatable.
PREREQUISITES
No
Yes
Course(s):
Rationale for Prerequisite:
Describe representative skills without which the student would be highly unlikely to succeed .
COREQUISITES
No
Yes
Rationale for Corequisite:
Course(s):
Selected Topics Courses Form (rev. 9.5.06)
Revised and approved: February 11, 2005/Academic Senate: March 2, 2005
Page 3 of 6
RECOMMENDED PREPARATION
No
Yes
Course(s):
Rationale for Recommended Preparation:
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
What should the student be able to do as a result of taking this course? State some of the objectives in terms of
specific, measurable student accomplishments.
1. Record and interpret field evidence through the use of field notes, drawings, reports
and/or use of geologic equipment.
2. Apply classification systems to identify rocks and/or samples collected during the
field studies, or to identify landforms or other geologic features observed in the field.
REPRESENTATIVE LEARNING ACTIVITIES
What will students be doing (e.g., listening to lectures, participating in discussions and/or group activities, attending
a field trip)? Relate the activities directly to the Course Learning Outcomes.
1. Listening to instructor presentations (in a classroom and/or in the field) on geologic
principles and phenomena.
2. Providing detailed descriptions of rocks gathered in the field.
3. Reading descriptions of regional geologic settings, then providing opinions of
geologic history at specific outcrops.
ASSESSMENT TASKS
How will students show evidence of achieving the Course Learning Outcomes? Indicate which assessments (if any)
are required for all sections.
Representative assessment tasks:
1. In-field activities that demonstrate student understanding of earth processes and the
formation of earth materials.
2. Compilation of field observations (data) into a field book to be used for subsequent
analyses.
3. Project (could be a poster) that demonstrates an ability to analyze scientific
information.
Required assessments for all sections – to include but not limited to:
COURSE CONTENT
To justify repeatability, describe course content and list texts for two representative selected topics, demonstrating
clearly that each will provide significantly different content.
Representative Topic #1
Course Title: Field Geology of Franciscan Complex of Northern California
Themes: What themes, if any, are threaded throughout the learning experiences in this course?
1. Geology of the Pacific margin is principally influenced by processes of convergence
and accretion.
2. Field data are difficult to interpret due to structural modification and metamorphism.
Selected Topics Courses Form (rev. 9.5.06)
Revised and approved: February 11, 2005/Academic Senate: March 2, 2005
Page 4 of 6
Concepts: What concepts do students need to understand to demonstrate course outcomes?
1. Role of careful, objective data gathering.
2. Value of generating multiple working hypotheses.
3. Earth changes throughout geologic time.
Issues: What primary issues or problems, if any, must students understand to achieve course outcomes (including
such issues as gender, diversity, multi-culturalism, and class)?
1. The role of geologic time in issues of geologic processes and products.
2. The nature of scientific uncertainty.
Skills: What skills must students master to demonstrate course outcomes?
1. Read and understand assignments.
2. Observe, describe and classify rock specimens.
3. Record field observations in a systematic manner in a field note book.
Examples of Appropriate Texts or Other Readings: Title, Author, and Date are required.
Author Alt,
D. and Hyndman, D Title Roadside Geology of Northern and Central California Date 2000
Author McPhee,
J. Title Assembling California Date 1994
Representative Topic #2
Course Title: Field Geology of South-Central Oregon / North-Central California
Themes: What themes, if any, are threaded throughout the learning experiences in this course?
1. Geology of region is principally influenced by repeated volcanism and block faulting.
2. Stratigraphic studies aid in unraveling structural relationships.
Concepts: What concepts do students need to understand to demonstrate course outcomes?
1. Role of careful, objective data gathering.
2. Value of generating multiple working hypotheses.
3. Earth changes throughout geologic time.
Issues: What primary issues or problems, if any, must students understand to achieve course outcomes (including
such issues as gender, diversity, multi-culturalism, and class)?
1. The role of geologic time in issues of geologic processes and products.
2. The role of scientific uncertainty.
Skills: What skills must students master to demonstrate course outcomes?
1. Read and understand assignments.
2. Observe, describe and classify rock specimens.
3. Record field observations in a systematic manner in a field note book.
Examples of Appropriate Texts or Other Readings: Title, Author, and Date are required.
Author Orr,
E. and Orr, N. Title Geology of Oregon, 5th ed. Date 2000
Author Alt,
D. and Hyndman, D. Title Roadside Geology of Oregon Date 1978
Other Appropriate Readings:
Selected Topics Courses Form (rev. 9.5.06)
Revised and approved: February 11, 2005/Academic Senate: March 2, 2005
Page 5 of 6
FOR VPAA USE ONLY
PROGRAM AND COURSE NUMBER GEOL-99
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
1. Department: SCI Science
2. Subject: Geology
16. CoRequisite Course: None
Course No: 99
17. CoRequisite Noncourse: None
3. Credit Type: D Credit Degree Applicable
18. Maximum Class Size: 24
4. Min/Maximum Units: .05 to 2.0 variable units
19. Repeat/Retake: R3 May enroll 4 times for credit
5. Course Level: E Not Occupational
20. Count Retakes for Credit:
yes
no
6. Academic Level: UG Undergraduate
21. Only Pass/No Pass:
yes
no
7. Grade Scheme: UG Undergraduate
22. Allow Pass/No Pass:
yes
no
8. Short Title: Field Studies in Geology
23. VATEA Funded Course:
yes
no
9. Long Title: Field Studies in Geology
24. Accounting Method: W Weekly Census
10. National ID (CIP): 40.0601
25. Disability Status: N Not a Special Class
11. Local ID (TOPS): 191400
26. Billing Method: T-Term
12. Course Types:
 Level One Basic Skills: NBS Not Basic Skills
27. Billing Period: R-Reporting Term
28. Billing Credits: 05 - 2.0



Level Two Work Experience:
NWE Not Coop Work Experience
29. Purpose: A Liberal Arts Sciences
Level Three:
30. Articulation No. (CAN):
Placeholder for GE OR
DOES NOT APPLY
31. Articulation Seq. (CAN):
Level Four: If GE : Choose One:
32. Transfer Status: B Transfers to CSU only
13. Instructional Method: Choose One:
33. Equates to another course?
course number.
14. Lec TLUs: .5-2.0 Contact Hours: 6-24
Lab TLUs: .6 - 1.11 Contact Hours: 9-36
Lecture/Lab TLUs: 1.1 - 3.11 Contact Hours: 15-60
15. Prerequisite: None
Particular Comments for Printed Schedule.
.
Selected Topics Courses Form (rev. 9.5.06)
Revised and approved: February 11, 2005/Academic Senate: March 2, 2005
Page 6 of 6