The curriculum of GE127 is designed to accomplish, simultaneously, several objectives.  Most obvious is an increasing understanding of, and sophistication in, geological problem-solving.  Less obvious, but equally important, is the development of individual and group skills in oral and written communication. 
 
After the class, you should have an emerging sophistication in:

• Deep time and how it is understood;
• Precious metals, their origination, exploration & extraction, and economics;
• The history and variety of life on Earth;
• Precious gemstones, their origination, exploration & extraction, and economics;
• The emergence of Man;
• The history of Earth from an African perspective.

You should demonstrate an increasing ability in:

• Written and oral communication; and
• Constructive critical thinking and argumentation
• The discovery, evaluation, and use of appropriate learning resources
• Working cooperatively in groups and the development of leadership under such conditions.
  

 

General: Deep Time Africa is taught using a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach.  The PBL approach involves the following:

• You are presented with a problem.  Working in randomly selected, but permanent groups, you organize your ideas and previous knowledge related to the problem and attempt to define the broad nature of the problem.
• Through discussion, you pose questions (called “learning issues”) that delineate aspects of the problems that you don’t understand.  Learning issues are recorded and used to generate and focus discussion.  You will need to define what you (as an individual and a group) do and do not know.
• You rank the learning issues in order of importance and decide which questions will be followed up by the whole group and which can be assigned to individuals, who later teach the rest of the group.
• When you reconvene (in class, or outside of it), you explore previous learning issues, integrating the new knowledge into the context of the problem.
• You present and define your solution to the problem, and reflect on what you have learned in the process of addressing the problem.

 

The course consists of 4 problem sets.  The class will be divided into randomly selected, but permanent groups.  The work will be divided into Group Activities and Individual Activities.

Group Activities:

• Work through the problem;
• Give a 10 to 12-minute PowerPoint presentation explaining and defending the group’s solution to the problem.  One member of the group (The Presenter) is expected to take the lead in presenting the material.  The role of Presenter  will be rotated throughout the semester.  Although it is the Presenter’s job to explain the group’s approach to solving the problem, all groups members are expected to be able to explain and defend the solutions presented.  I will listen to and evaluate the presentations based upon the criteria outlined in the Presentation Rubric.  A set of Presentation Guidelines can be downloaded.
  
• Produce a synthesis paper (8 pages, double-spaced) that introduces the problem,  describes the approach, and presents the solution.  You should think of this paper as you would a research or term paper; it should be a full write-up of the complete solution to the particular problem, including up-to-date references regarding what is known about the relevant aspects of the particular problem that was posed.  The synthesis paper should summarize the approach, assumptions, solution(s), and sources of information used by the group in addressing the problem.  The form of this paper must exactly follow the directions (Synthesis Paper Guidelines).
• • One member of the group (the Synthesizer) is expected to take the lead in putting together the paper based upon group discussions, input from individual group members, and feedback from group presentations.  The role of Synthesizer will rotate within the group with each project.  The synthesis paper will be due in class one week after the group presentation. In the case of Thanksgiving holiday break, all papers are due no later than Monday, 19 November.
  • I will read and evaluate the Synthesis Paper based upon the criteria outlined in the Synthesis Paper Rubric.  The group either can accept the grade or have a Reviser – a group member different from the Synthesizer – edit the paper within one week after it is returned to improve the grade.  Your final grade for this work will be an average of the original and the revision.  All group members receive the same grade for the synthesis paper adjusted by an Evaluation Factor.
    

Individual Activities:

• Create a quiz consisting of five short-answer questions and provide a concise answer to each question (minimum of 2 and a maximum of 3 double-spaced pages).  The purpose of each quiz is to allow you to reflect on what you have learned during the solution of a problem.  The questions should test understanding of the concepts learned during the process of problem solving.  Quizzes are due the class period after the group presentations are finished.  A Guideline for Quizzes can be downloaded. I will read and evaluate the Quiz based upon the criteria outlined in the Quiz Rubric.  You may either accept the grade, or make revisions by the next class period to improve the grade.  Your final grade for this work will be an average of the original and the revision you submit.
• Provide an evaluation of the other members’ contributions to the group for that problem.  The scores from each group member will be averaged to generate an evaluation factor (ranging from 0.5 – 1.05).  The final grade for the synthesis paper and presentation will be arrived at by multiplying those grades by the evaluation factor (as determined by the other members of the group).
  

At the end of each project, each person will be expected to participate in a class “debriefing” session, in which the various groups’ interpretations and solutions to the problems are compared and contrasted, and publicly discussed. You will be individually graded for participation in the discussion.

The Group Dynamic: Among the goals of this class is building skills in working together, assuming the leadership role in, and responsibility for, a project, and equitably apportioning tasks.  Occasionally it comes to pass that one member consistently does not pull his/her weight in the projects and, thus, relies upon the efforts of the rest of the group.  Such a person could obviously let a group down by taking responsibility for work and then not carrying it out.  Two solutions are available for this problem (both to be implemented at my discretion):

1. The Synthesizer or Presenter alone receives credit for what is submitted; the rest of the group is given a specified length of time to revise the work and present it as representative of their group.  This option can only occur once;
2. The group may elect to “vote a member off the island” (e.g., to expel a group member).  This can only occur (a) by unanimous vote; (b) after the completion of the 2nd problem set; and (c) with my prior approval.  The person voted out of the group must then fend for him/herself for the rest of the course and is responsible for completion of the problem sets, presentations, and synthesis papers him/herself.  This is obviously not a decision to be taken lightly.
   

 

Attendance: It's your money. But, Colby's attendance policy mandates that you attend all classes. If you are unable to attend a lecture session due to illness, either call (5807) or e-mail and let me know.  Absence from class does not excuse you from completion of the project assignments.  You may not be absent  on a presentation day unless your absence is due to an emergency (e.g., family death, critical injury, etc.).

Late Work: Late work will not be accepted.

Make-up Policy: There will be no make ups in the course.  In case of legitimate conflicts, you must notify me at least one week in advance.  In the case of accidents, family deaths, or grave illness, you need to notify me within a week of the scheduled due date.