INTRODUCTION
Welcome to World Issues. This course is designed to introduce you to some of the major issues affecting our planet today. There is plenty of opportunity to take from this course any number of benefits, from increasing your knowledge of world issues such as population and the environment to thinking critically about the world and its problems. At the same time, you will be improving upon your geography skills and preparing for post-secondary education.
This course will explore numerous case studies and examples, which when combined, will provide the "big picture" surrounding the global issues of today. It is a course which will challenge your views and opinions - do not be afraid to examine them closely and make changes based on the new information and opinions you are introduced to. This course will change the way you look at the world. Lastly, this course will teach you the importance of asking questions - all our answers will be questioned!
AIMS & OBJECTIVES
Students will:
understand and articulate the complexity of these issues and the wide variety of solutions that people of many political, economic and social backgrounds have proposed;
become conversant of the political world, specifically the locations of countries, their relationships to one another, and their systems of government;
develop the following academic skills:
the use of university library resources,
the critical reading of source materials,
the preparation of formal geographic reports,
the participation in conferences and complex group work;
understand and differentiate between bias, opinion and fact in discussing world issues.
UNITS OF STUDY
2. Population and Migration
3. Food
4. Environment and Energy
5. Industrialization and Geopolitics
6. Independent Study
EVALUATION
Tests 16%
Quizzes 4%
Independent Study 25%
process - 10
product - 10
seminar - 5
NGO Portfolio 5%
Final Exam 25%
Unit Assignments
There will be numerous assignments in each unit, any of which may be used in the creation of tests, quizzes and the exam. Due Dates for work to be marked will be decided when the assignment is given. Any work submitted after it has been marked will be penalized 50%.
Any assignment submitted for marking may be re-submitted to increase the mark. The due date for all such work is the end of the term. You can receive up to half of the marks not earned on the first effort.
Tests and Quizzes
All quizzes will be announced, and their content will be made clear. The course schedule does not necessarily indicate all quizzes. Missed quizzes result in a mark of 0, and cannot be made up.
There will be five unit tests. Any test missed due to illness must be written the first block back. Tests may be re-written, which can add up to half of the marks not earned on the original test. The requirements for each test will be explained when the test is returned. The lowest test score will be dropped at the end of the course.
Independent Study and Seminar
Each student is required to complete an independent study, the format of which will be decided upon by the student, with the teacher's approval. See the Independent Study handout for details.
The seminar will take the form of a conference, lasting four to five periods, in which students will have to work collectively to develop a global trade agreement. Enough direction will be given to outline the goals of the seminar, however the majority of decisions will be made without teacher input. This will be a class effort, and your success will be determined by your co-operative effort.
NGO Portfolio
Each student will complete a portfolio focusing on a NGO of his or her choosing. It will be worth 5% of your final mark. See the NGO Portfolio page for complete details.
Participation
The participation mark is based on daily effort and co-operation in class. Each student will receive a mark out of 10, subjectively determined, which is then affected by attendance as follows:
- after 3 absences, each class missed results in 1 mark lost
- each late results in ½ mark lost
Excused absences are for prolonged illness only - a doctor's note is required.