Introduction to Oceanography
ESC130.910 (Self-Paced Open-Entry)
Spring 2015
Instructor:
Email:
Voice Mail:
Office:
Karl Schulze
kschulze@waubonsee.edu
630-466-7900 ext. 2562
SCI 228
Office Hours: Mondays 10:45-11:45 a.m.
Tuesdays 8:00-9:30 a.m.
Wednesdays: 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Thursdays: 8:00-9:30 a.m.
Required course materials:
►Textbook: Essentials of Oceanography, 11th ed. by Trujillo and Thurman, 2014,
Prentice Education.
►Videos: The Endless Voyage – Contact Online Learning to borrow a copy
Optional course materials: A textbook study guide is available at www.mygeoscienceplace.com.
You will be required to register for the publisher’s website. All textbooks sold by the WCC
Bookstore contain a new access code which you will use to access the website. Each access code
is specific to one student, so if you purchased a used book through an alternative source and the
code has already been used (scratched off), you will need to choose the “Buy Access” button to
buy a code. Instructions on how to log in to this site can be found on the screen.
Course Description: This course is designed to provide an introduction to oceanography by
highlighting several components of the marine environment. The course emphasizes plate
tectonics, oceanic circulation, the properties of seawater, waves and tidal action, coastal features
and landforms, and oceanic habitats and their biota. Lesser emphasis is placed on marine
sedimentation, the physiography of the ocean floor and general marine productivity.
Course Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
1. demonstrate a general knowledge of oceanographic terms and processes;
2. explain the processes of continental drift and sea-floor spreading in relation to the Theory
of Plate Tectonics;
3. identify the features of the world’s ocean basins;
4. describe the relationship between oceanography and other earth sciences;
5. understand the basic properties of seawater, such as its chemical and physical
characteristics;
6. demonstrate a general knowledge of oceanic circulation patterns;
7. describe wave and tidal action in terms of their causes and influences upon the coastal
environment;
8. identify characteristics of coastal degradational and depositional landforms;
9. assess the human impact on coastal environments;
10. describe global patterns of marine productivity;
11. identify ocean habitats and their ecologies;
12. identify the importance of coastal habitats, such as estuaries, salt marshes, and mangrove
swamps.
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General Student Outcomes (Waubonsee’s TOP MEASURE)
All college courses provide evidence to support the measurement of the general student
outcomes listed in the TOP MEASURE:
Managing Human Interaction: the ability to make and navigate relationships
Expanding Knowledge: the ability to build on one’s own knowledge base
Adapting Concepts: the ability to build upon a concept
Shaping the Future: the ability to use knowledge for change
Utilizing Facts: the ability to apply a fact to a new situation
Reflecting: the ability to think about one’s own thinking and learning
Exploring: the ability to search for the purpose of discovery
Grading Criteria
Exams: Four (4) exams are required to complete this course. You must take all of the exams
after the start date and before the end date – no exceptions. Each exam will be 100 questions and
worth 25% of your final grade. Exam content is based on assigned readings and videos.
Grading scale and point distribution:
A: 90%-100%
B: 80%-89%
C: 70%-79%
D: 60% - 69%
F: Below 60%
Course Policies
Exams: The exams will all be offered online through the Blackboard course website. You can
access this website directly by going to https://waubonsee.blackboard.com. The exams are not
timed, and you may stop the exam at any point and resume it later from the same point that you
left.
Access to the exams will end at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, May 15, 2015.
Communication policy: Your instructor will contact you as required to notify you of any news
or issues regarding this course. However, your instructor will use your Waubonsee email to
contact you, rather than your personal email addresses. You must regularly check your
Waubonsee email.
Attendance policy: This course does not meet. However, it is expected that each student will
visit MyWcc and the course Blackboard page at least once before midterm to verify that you are
actively participating in the course.
Late work/make-up policy: No exams taken after the deadline will be accepted.
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Withdrawals: It is college policy that if you have not attended class, as of midterm, I am
required to drop you from this course and you will receive a W grade (considered a withdrawal
on your transcript). The last day to drop this course is April 27, 2015. Please refer to the
following link for other important college dates:
http://www.waubonsee.edu/admission/dates/academicCalendar/index.php
Americans with Disabilities Act: I wish to fully include persons with disabilities in the course.
Please inform me or the Access Center for Students with Disabilities if you need any special
accommodations in the curriculum, instruction, or assessments of this course to enable you to
fully participate. I will maintain the confidentiality of the information you share with me.
Academic Integrity Statement: Waubonsee Community College believes that all members of
the community (students, faculty, staff, and administrators) have a responsibility to participate in
learning with honesty, respect, and integrity. We must commit to engage in learning both in and
out of the classroom, value each member in our learning community, demonstrate original
thought, and help foster ethical, open, safe learning environments for all. For more information,
please visit Waubonsee’s Academic Integrity Resources.
Cheating/Plagiarism Policy: Waubonsee firmly upholds sound principles of academic integrity
and responsibility. Plagiarism and cheating are serious infractions of academic integrity, and, as
such, are considered breaches of the Code of Student Conduct. If a student has violated this
policy, they will be referred to the Student Conduct Board for possible disciplinary action, and
they may receive an F for the course at the discretion of the instructor.
The instructor reserves the right to adjust this course syllabus as needed. Revisions to
course policies will be communicated via college email.
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Resources
The following links are useful resources available to you as a student at Waubonsee Community
College:
Access Center for Students with Disabilities:
http://www.waubonsee.edu/learning/academicSupport/access/
Career Services Center: http://www.waubonsee.edu/experience/services/career/
Center for Learning Assessment: http://www.waubonsee.edu/learning/success/assessment/
Counseling: http://www.waubonsee.edu/experience/services/counseling/
Emergency Preparedness and Safety Guide:
http://www.waubonsee.edu/downloads/pdf/safety/Emergency_Preparedness_and_Safety_Guide.
pdf
Financial Aid: http://www.waubonsee.edu/admission/financialAid/index.php
Student Handbook (includes Student Code of
Conduct): http://www.waubonsee.edu/downloads/studentHandbook.pdf
Todd Library: https://library.waubonsee.edu/
Tutoring and Study Skills (Learning Enhancement Center):
http://www.waubonsee.edu/learning/success/learning/
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Course Sequence
Topics
Chapters
Video Lessons
Chemical/Physical Oceanography
1, 5, 6, & 16
EXAM ONE
EXAM ONE
9 - Going to Extremes
10 - Something in the Air
7 - It’s in the Water
8 - Beneath the Surface
1 - Water Planet
2 - First Steps
EXAM ONE
Physical Oceanography
7, 8, & 9
EXAM TWO
EXAM TWO
Geological Oceanography
1, 2, 3, 4, 10, & 11
EXAM THREE
EXAM THREE
Biological Oceanography
12, 13, 14, & 15
EXAM FOUR
EXAM FOUR
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13 - Surf’s Up
14 - Look Out Below
15 - Ebb and Flow
16 - On the Coast
11 - Going with the Flow
12 - Deep Connections
EXAM TWO
3 - Making the Pieces Fit
4 - World in Motion
5 - Over the Edge
6 - Ocean’s Memory
EXAM THREE
22 - Life Goes On
23 - Living Together
24 - Treasure Trove
25 - Dirty Water
26 - Hands On
EXAM FOUR
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