Discussion Question #1

Hey, I will wait maybe one more day for any more thoughts on the non-credit question I had for you.

Read the following news item: "Game over" for the West
Then, re-read the "world is bumpy" piece.
As you sort out the rush of ideas in your head in response to those pieces, I want us to use these as our launching point to understand the following, which is essentially the set of questions we would want to understand through this course:

1. Why is there a need for trade amongst countries?

2. Are neighboring countries always the most important trading partners for each other?

3. Do countries buying natural gas, for instance, always buy from an exporter who happens to be, well, "next door"?  In other words, what role does distance play?

4. Why are pipelines the preferred transport mode for the commodity (natural gas) in this Russia news? I.e., how come natural gas is not being shipped, or sent across on railroads or trucks?

I want you to think through all these questions.  You don't need to do any additional reading/research for this--all the materials listed in the syllabus for Week 1 will be of use.  All you have to do is engage in critical reading/thinking. 

However, DO NOT provide your thoughts on all of them.  Instead, play by the following rule:

1. The first student to respond can choose to discuss any one of the questions.

2. The second through the fourth student can respond only to the un-addressed questions.

3. All the rest can only add to, or critique the responses from the previous posters.  In other words, you have to continue with the conversation.  This is how we would engage in discussions in the "real" classroom, right?

Typically you need not more than 75 words to provide a meaningful response.  No penalty for longer posts :-)

You can always post any number of rejoinders--again, similar to how in class we might jump in with more than one observation as the discussion picks up.

 

Note: Extra credit if you decide to post a video response, instead of typing out your responses.  Yes, every term I have been waiting for that first student to post a video response to discussion questions :( 

The easiest route for distributing videos is through YouTube.  Email me if you are interested in this, but do not quite know where to begin.

I hope it is clear enough.  If not, bug me.  The deadline?  Responses to Discussion Questions (DQ) will always be due before noon of the Tuesday that follows the Fridays when I will email you the question.  So, in this case, your responses are due before noon on Tuesday, Jan 12th.

The world is bumpy!

Hey, I notice that your intros are trickling in.  I suppose we will soon hear from the rest as well.
My thanks for the kind words from students who have been in my classes before.  Now, the pressure to live up to your expectations .... I shall try.

Here is another way to think about what this course will help us achieve.  At the end of the course, articles like this one will make a lot more sense than they might do now.

So, here is what I would like you to do.  read that article.  Don't worry about anything that comes across as strange abbreviations and technical language.  After you read it, email the class about the following:

1. Is there anything in particular that grabbed your attention?

2. Is there any one specific item there that nags you because you don't quite get what the issue is?

Of course, I will follow-up on your thoughts ....

This is a non-credit Discussion Question, more as a warm-up activity.  So, don't spend way too much time/effort on this ....

BTW, make sure you set aside time to read the class materials, just as you would allocate time to come to class in the real world.  Do not ever forget to do that; you skip out of the readings one week, and it can become way too much a burden to play catch up in the online environment.  Be way more disciplined than you will be in the regular classes.

Welcome to GEOG 418 Online, and intros

Happy new year!

I am back on the saddle, so to say, while still trying to recover from the jet lag and travel aches after almost three weeks in Tanzania.  I am sure I will bug you with anecdotes throughout the term :-)

I have most of the syllabus done.  Click here for all the info related to the class. I will have the blanks (marked as +++) filled before this week ends.

Now, the course home page has relevant links from which you can certainly find out a lot about me.  Let me know if you think there is anything I might add by way of introducing myself.

It appears from the roster that many of you have had classes with me before.  Glad to know that your previous experiences with me as the instructor did not preclude you from yet another interaction; thanks for your vote of confidence.

It will be neat if you can email the class a quick note that includes at least the following info:

• Your name
• Your major/minor
• Your standing (junior/senior ...)
• Why you are taking this course, and what you expect to gain from this experience
  
• Have you ever taken online classes before?  If so, where?
• And, finally, this is optional: if you have taken classes with me before--regular or online--is there anything you want to tell your classmates about me?

It will be best if you simply replied to this email without changing the subject line; that way we can all keep track of the conversations.  In any case, keep in mind that you can email the entire class by addressing the email to geog418@wou.edu

Am sure soon I will start YouTubing video clips, in addition to blogging my notes.  That is right; this email itself is nothing but a blog post.  Pretty much everything that I send your way will be as a posting at the blog: http://geog418.blogspot.com/

Any other questions that you might have at this point?