On-Line Geoscience Courses

Although the vast majority of Internet-based resources are designed as supplements and compliments to formal classroom instruction, there are several wholly on-line courses. If the production of such a course is your goal, you should take the time to go through as many examples as you can.

1. Environmental Problem Solving
   Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis." In this course, you will develop skills that will make you more comfortable in recognizing problems that can be solved (the meaning of "solved" will become clear) and in making sense of the quantitative information that we are flooded with in the media. Environmental problems are used as sources of material for the quantitative analyses because they are both important and interesting. "

2. the Earth - Atlantic Canada Perspective
   St. Mary's University. "Our course "The Earth: Atlantic Canada Perspective" will lead you to an understanding of the Earth and the processes which affect it, using examples drawn from Atlantic Canada. We will trace Earth history through rock and fossil records. We will examine the processes of plate tectonics and how they have affected the Atlantic region through geologic time. We will introduce you to the methods used in the recognition and interpretation of surface features of the Earth, and the materials of which it is made."

3. The Earth and its Neighbors in Space
   California State University @ Sacremento. "Scientific method and discovery in the study of stars, planets, weather, rivers, glaciers, oceans, rocks, volcanoes, earthquakes, landslides, mountains, drifting continents, the earth in time."

4. Environmental Problems
   Indiana University Purdue University at Indianaopolis. "This course provides experience in addressing some of the kinds of problems that arise in studies of the environment. Particular attention is given to developing skills in evaluating scientific articles; specifically, the relevance of the information in an article, the credibility of the author, and the accuracy and usefulness of the quantitative information provided. The kinds of problems considered in this course will vary from semester to semester, but will be chosen from a list that includes Global Warming, Tropical Rain Forests, Acid Rain, Air Pollution, Water Pollution, Solid Waste Disposal, Appropriate Use of Land, and The Ability of Regulations to Protect the Environment. Three to four of such topics will be covered each semester.

5. Oceanography
   U. Houston. In the fall semester the instructor will teach one formal lecture section of the lecture and laboratory and one Internet-based section of lecture and laboratory. Data gathered during the semester may help address the issue of the value added by the Internet to the creation of a learning environment.

6. Gems and Precious Stones
   University of Wisconsin at Madison. "This site provides an integrated body of information about gems and gemstones. Materials cover general topics central to gemology, mineralogy, and geology; with lectures and visual materials covering diamonds and diamond simulants, rubies, sapphires, varieties of beryl (e.g., emerald), and other precious and semi-precious stones (18 lectures, links to sites providing supporting information, hundreds of images and diagrams)."

There are more than 1,400 course resources in the FileMaker Pro Database

January 15, 2001

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