Participation

Participation
Throughout this 16-week course, you will work in groups and in teams. Depending on the number of people enrolled, teams will consist of four to six participants. You will be expected to contribute to online discussion sessions "asynchronously." That is, you will be able to log on to the Internet and post your thoughts to the virtual Classroom spaces as your individual schedules permit, but by the specific assignment deadlines. Team discussions will revolve around Earth system science and Earth system science teaching practices. The course will be moderated by a facilitator. Additional support from an Earth scientist will be provided as the course progresses.

After the first three weeks, this course is structured in four, three-week cycles. You will study a new event (deforestation, volcanic eruption, ice shelf disintegration, hurricane) in each of the four cycles. As a participant in this course, you will play a different role during each week of the cycle.

Sphere Study
Weeks 4, 7, 10, 13

Team Assignment: Become experts in the relationship of individual spheres to an Earth event.

Individual Assignment: Write in your journal.

Event Study
Weeks 5, 8, 11, 14

Team Assignment: Synthesize your knowledge of the individual spheres and the event into causal chains.

Individual Assignment: Write in your journal.

Classroom Applications
Weeks 6, 9, 12, 15

Individual Assignments: Develop cooperative activities that engage your students in understanding Earth as a system through analyzing the causes and effects of an event.

Write in your journal.

You will have the option to complete an extra credit Local Event Study at the end of Weeks 6, 9, 12, and 15. At the end of the four, three-week cycles, you will complete an individual final project. All assignments are expected to be submitted by the posted deadlines. Instructions and deadlines for the assignments and rubrics can be accessed from Weeks 4-16 in the Outline.