Introduction/Background
The ocean is a mysterious and beautiful part of our planet. Without the ocean we would not exist. Every single animal and plant inside it is just as important as every animal and plant on land. I know that warm water rises while cold waters sink. I feel a little comfortable about explaining the theory of plate tectonics and how it relates to the formation of undersea floor structures, but I only know how the shifting and cracking caused by the moving plates will form new undersea structures. I most definitely can not reconstruct and analyze the major circulation patterns of the dominant ocean and atmospheric circulation systems, I would not know where to begin. I am almost sure the formation of tides is caused because of the gravitational pull of the moon, but I still need to find out what their effects are upon oceanic coastal processes. Another topic I need to learn more about is the major physical properties of the oceans and evaluate how they affect the marine life communities.
Goals and Objectives
My SMART goal is to obtain useful knowledge and experience from this course. I will know that I have reached my goal if I can comfortably talk about the student learning outcomes and topics from this class. In order to reach it, I will take the following actions: spend several hours studying a week, complete all assignments on time and with the best effort, use techniques I have learned throughout the class to help me as I go, and have fun learning. I plan to accomplish my goal by the end of the semester. If this class were graded, my realistic goal overall would be a high B to a low A. I know I am capable of achieving good grades and I must work hard and push forward to do so.
Methods
My goals are in no way impossible. However, the will not just be accomplished if I take it easy this semester. I will need to work hard with lots of effort on all the assignments and discussions. It will be very important for me to come to class everyday and participate with groups and communicate with the professor. Some ways to assess my own growth in this class are to see how much of the student learning outcomes I understand. Another way is to determine how much I am enjoying the learning process and the class as a whole. The whole ungrading aspect of the course is going to be strange for me. I have never even heard of anything like it before. I am used to relying on seeing a grade for my assignments, but I think receiving feedback may be more beneficial and less stressful then a percentage. Even though it will take some getting used to, I am always open to try new things.