Hi students!
My name is Jill Lockard and I am excited to serve as your online instructor for Physical Geology Lecture.
I am originally from Canada and moved to Arizona to do my graduate work at Arizona State. I've been in California for 11 years now and am enjoying exploring the geology here.
I'm looking forward to sharing some geology with you, and to get you started here are a couple volcano pictures I took when I was in Italy a few years ago.
Explore the rest of this Welcome Syllabus to learn more about our course before it starts. Tabs are found at the top of the page, or by clicking on the menu icon (three lines) in the upper-left of the screen on mobile devices.
Prof. Lockard
Halfway up Mt. Stromboli
The Island of Vulcano (where the name came from). Check out all the yellow sulfur! That hat was later sacrificed to the volcano gods.
This is a 16-week, fully online course.
You will learn in a community with your peers. This is not a self-paced course. We are in this together!
Your learning will be conducted asynchronously (which means "not live") in Canvas. This class does not meet regularly in Zoom.
By the Thursday of Week 1, you will be expected to login to our course in Canvas and complete the Course Check-in Activity to signal your intent to complete this course.
Each module contains content (including readings, animations, and videos), a study guide that is embedded into Canvas content pages, graded video quizzes, and a content quiz. You will also participate in collaborative (asynchronous) discussions.
I will provide you with a clear, organized course that is designed to ensure you meet our course outcomes in a meaningful manner.
I will offer a variety of multimedia resources and assignment formats to support different learning styles and needs.
I will provide timely grading and meaningful feedback so you always know where you stand and how you can continue to improve. I will also be actively present in your learning.
I will foster a supportive and respectful environment where you feel safe sharing your thoughts and ideas.
While due dates are important for keeping pace, I offer a built-in 48-hour grace period with a small late penalty (15%/day) to help you stay on track without falling too far behind.
I will reach out to you when I sense that you need support.
I will treat you with dignity and respect, and I'll work with you to balance academic expectations with your individual circumstances.
I won't be perfect. I'm human too, and I'll make mistakes. But just like I ask of you, I'll treat those moments as opportunities to reflect, learn, and grow.
You strive to be an active participant in this course and strive to meet due dates.
You will maintain an open line of communication with me so I understand how to support you.
You will contact me, ahead of the deadline if at all possible, if you have a concern with meeting a due date.
You strive to regularly contribute to collaborative activities to ensure other members of the community have ample opportunity to read/listen, reflect, and respond to your ideas.
You will treat your peers with dignity and respect. We are all here to learn!
You will do your best to have patience with technology. There will be hiccups, expect them. We will get through them together.
You will do your own work. We want to hear your ideas, even if they're imperfect. Relying on AI or other shortcuts might seem easier, but it takes away your chance to learn and grow. Trust yourself and your abilities.
You will give yourself grace. Expect to make mistakes, and view them as an opportunity to learn and grow.
If you have a general question about the course, please use the "Ask Here for Help" discussion forum that is posted under the discussion tab on Canvas. Your question will be seen by your peers (and our tutor) and anyone is welcome to answer!
My preferred contact method is through the Canvas Inbox. If you contact me Monday-Friday, I will respond within 24 hours (usually much sooner!).
You may also email me at lockarj@laccd.edu, but you will receive a more timely response through Canvas.