Professor’s Oceanography Class Welcome Message

 

 

 

 

Hello everyone and welcome to Chaffey College’s ESC-5 Introductory Oceanography purely online course!

 

My name is Ray Rector, your oceanography online instructor for this course.

 

Congratulations for signing up for this online introductory oceanography course here at Chaffey College this summer session – you picked a great program!  This is a modestly challenging 3-unit, college-level, physical oceanography and marine biology course that runs over a condensed 6-week period (June 10th to July 28th).  This course is purely online and asynchronous, with no mandatory set meeting days or times.

 

This course covers most physical and biological aspects of the ocean and is especially suited for students who want to complete their physical science GE with an emphasis on the ocean, and is required if you want to take the oceanography lab.    Additionally, this course is for anyone who wants to learn all the important aspects of our truly amazing ocean.  You will learn many things about the ocean: its origin and chemical make-up, plate tectonic theory, seafloors and marine sediments, currents and waves, wind and storms, beaches, sea life, and how the ocean is literally the life blood of the planet.   Finally, this course is also about ocean awareness, and how our ocean is under siege by pollutants, overfishing, habitat destruction and undesirable climate change.

 

Here’s how this fully asynchronous online course works:

 

1) Course Online Access: You access this course through Canvas at the following URL:  https://canvas.chaffey.edu

 

2) Professor’s Role: The instructor (that’s me!) is the course content presenter and facilitator, discussion leader, and learning outcome assessor.  I am here to make sure that you can access all the course content, that you understand how to successfully complete all the course activities, help you with any learning issues you might experience, and finally, grade your assignments and tests.   You and I primarily communicate via discussion board, Zoom, and email me using the “Inbox” link found on the main Dashboard Canvas page.  You can also reach me at my college email address at ray.rector@chaffey.edu

 

3) Coursework and Learning Assessments: The student (that is you!) uses this online classroom platform (Canvas) to learn introductory oceanography and successfully (hopefully) get college credit for doing it.  To successfully complete this course, you must successfully complete a several writing assignments, post on discussion board forum every week, take a set of quizzes and a final exam, and go on a virtual fieldtrip.

 

4) Course Study Materials: The information (course content) you need to learn in this course comes from four primary sources: a) your textbook, b) instructor lectures and PowerPoint slides, c) Endless Voyage oceanography video documentary series, and d) a series of short YouTube Ocean topic tutorial videos. 

 

5) Oceanography Canvas Course Layout: Navigating through our Canvas course site is somewhat simple.  When you log into our Canvas course, you’ll notice that there is a menu on the left side of the course page, where all components of the course are listed.  This menu has several linked categories that include the following: “Home”; "Announcements”; "Assignments"; “Discussion"; "Quizzes; and “Grades”.

 

Here are some details for each Canvas menu item:

 

a) The “Home” link is where you will find all the various course components listed/expanded to view.  The “Home” page also has important logistical documents and information, such as my instructor welcome message and video links, and the course syllabus and schedule.  Other useful items are also there and include assignment and test-taking tips, plagiarism info, a link to my personal educational website, and Canvas help links.

 

b) The “Announcement” is where you find my weekly update message concerning current course activities and due dates. 

 

c) Means of communication between course participants is done from the "Discussion" link.  Note that "Email" messaging is done outside the course page, but within the general Canvas Dashboard site under the “Inbox” Icon.

d) Assessment components (graded class activities) of this course are found under the "Assignments", “Discussion”, and “Quizzes” sections. 

e) Required research/writing assignments are found in the “Assignments” and “Discussion Board” links.   You access writing assignment instructions and submit your assignment response from the “Assignments” or “Discussion” portal, depending on the assignment.

f) Quizzes and Exams are taken via the “Quizzes” link.   You get three untimed attempts on taking quizzes.  You get one timed attempt taking an exam.

g) You have access to your grades in the course through the “Grades” link.

h)  The “Discussion” link includes several different forums, including graded forums.  This where students can hold public or private discussions concerning course work every week – primarily students discussing oceanography with fellow students – and for raising any sorts of questions, comments and concerns about this course or anything in general. 

 

6) Weekly Work Schedule: Your typical work agenda for each week will include the following: a) read a couple chapters in your e-textbook; b) view/study my Power Point lectures slides and watch a couple of the my recorded lectures; c) watch/study several ocean tutorial videos, d) watch several  “Endless Voyage” streaming video series; e) post on the discussion board; f) work on a research assignment; and g) take a couple learning self-assessment quizzes.

 

7) Grading: I personally grade your written assignments and discussion forum posts, whereas the homework quizzes and exams are automatically graded.  Therefore, you get homework and test results back rather fast, whereas your submitted written assignments will take longer for me to grade and get back to you.  Please give me a little patience with getting back your graded written assignments.

 

Important Resources and Must-Read Documents

 

1) Syllabus and Schedule: The course Syllabus - an Important Must-Read Document - is basically the official course contract between me (the instructor) and you (the student).  This is where all the course information and logistics are found. Things like textbook information, enrollment, attendance, and grading policies, are all found in the syllabus.  

 

The syllabus also includes the course  Schedule which is important for keeping your studies on a timely track – things like homework, assignment, and tests due dates are all there.

 

2) Canvas Navigation: Download this document for help with using Canvas and Zooming:    Resources_for_Navigating_Canvas_and_Zoom.pdf

 

 

   3) Course Textbook: This course requires an oceanography textbook that is ABSOLUTELY FREE - an eText  titled  Oceanography 101

 

Chart Description automatically generated                 - Author: MiraCosta College Earth Science Faculty                                       

 

Digital Copy URL: https://www.oercommons.org/courses/oceanography-101-miracosta/view    

 

 

  Textbook Option #2:  You can substitute and/or supplement the MiraCosta e-textbook with another oceanography e-textbook for this course that is also ABSOLUTELY FREE – is titled   “Introduction to Ocean Sciences”

 


                             - 4th Edition and Authored by Segar  

 

A free digital copy of this text is found here:

 https://www.reefimages.com/oceans/SegarOcean4Book.pdf 

 

 

 

Textbook Option #3:   Yet another optional/supplemental textbook (highly recommended) that requires payment is below:

       

This text is titled   “Essentials of Oceanography”, 13th Edition;

 

Authored by Trujillo & Thurman  and Publisher:  Prentice Hall 

 

           13th Edition:  Print ISBN: 9780321814050, 0321814053         

           eText ISBN: 9780133558890, 0133558894

 

The e-text version of the Essentials of Oceanography is modestly inexpensive and handy with electronic devices.   Directions for access to Pearson e-text for Essentials of Oceanography, 13th edition are found below.  This eTextbook is simple to use on computers or iOS and Android mobile devices (even offline). You can take notes and highlights within the e-text; they are added to your virtual notebook, where you can organize them for the way you study.

 

1) Go to:  https://www.pearson.com/en-us/subject-catalog/p/essentials-of-oceanography/P200000006984?view=educator

2) Pick your format option

3) Purchase instant access online or redeem your access code (temporary access is also available). 

 

 

Note here that you are given options on your choice of course textbook so that you find one that is best suited to your reading and study style.   Please make the most of these very valuable learning resources.

 

 

 

7) Contacting me:  Don't be shy when it comes to communicating with me or your fellow students.  Contact me by either email, or on the discussion board.  As a general rule, I can be quickly contacted by email through the Canvas “Inbox” link, or via my personal email at ray.rector@chaffey.edu (I check for messages at least once a day, typically several times). 

 

 

I really believe that you will enjoy this course this 2024 summer session, and that you will learn many interesting and important aspects about our amazing ocean.  Here’s to you having a great learning experience in this course!   Look forward to meeting everyone online during our first week of class.

 

Also, if you have not done so yet, please check out my video class welcome on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgeToPGDIWw&feature=youtu.be

 

 

         Aloha!

 

 

       Ray Rector