Feedback on Journal Entry 1 - build up on critical thinking

Dear students,

Entry 1 is about asking questions in this module, especially with the first 2 lectures that has passed. Now, while we are in our Help! Indonesia lesson series, please do take the time to 'level up' your critical thinking abilities. I believe critical thinking can be nurtured over time but you need to be more self-aware than what I am seeing in your 1st journal entry.

How can you be a more critical thinker? Here are some ways in brief:

1. Use “Wasted” Time.
2. A Problem A Day.
3. Internalize Intellectual Standards.
4. Keep An Intellectual Journal.
5. Reshape Your Character.
6. Deal with Your Ego.
7. Redefine the Way You See Things.
8. Get in touch with your emotions.
9. Analyze group influences on your life.

Please go to http://www.criticalthinking.org/articles/sts-ct-everyday-life.cfm and read up there. A critical thinker needs to start thinking before you can train yourself to be more critical.

Ask questions that will create new knowledge and understandings.

Help! Indonesia Project

Where do you get resource maps to show the extent of seismic activities in Indonesia for your in-class project? Look out for this:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/research/hazmaps/products_data/images/SEASIA-SeismicHazards_Sep07.pdf

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/research/hazmaps/products_data/images/WIndoSH.pdf

Assessment Rubrics for Help! Indonesia Project

Dear Litho students,

Please note the assessment rubrics for each watch centre aka groups.

Criterion:
Organization of information
Verbal techniques/ Presentation style
Design of presentation
Subject knowledge as demonstrated in presentation
Subject Knowledge and articulation as demonstrated in Q&A.

1 - Poor
2 - Average
3 - Good
4 - Very Good
5 - Excellent

Watch Centre that wins full funding: extra 6 points, partial funding: 3 points.

Regards,
Mrs Lim

It is possible to have an excellent presentation and 'score' full points, please do a good job regardless though.

Mount Saint Helen

This is a useful video on the history of mount saint helen. Look in particular how mafic/acidic lava erupts and build up in the caldera of Saint Helen. The lava solidifies very fast and erupts mostly as cooling rock when it is pushed up to the surface. Mount Saint Helen is found in the Cascade Range on the North American plate.

Help Indonesia PBL lesson series

Dear class,

Here are some resources for our Volcanoes lessons.

USGS: http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/Indonesia/framework.html

USGS Map of Indonesia volcanoes:
http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/Indonesia/Maps/map_indonesia_volcanoes.html

Merapi Volcano Observatory:
http://www.vsi.esdm.go.id/mvo/

Decade Volcanoes Map:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/01/volcano-culture/decade-volcano-map-interactive

The Lusi volcano:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/01/volcano-culture/drowning-in-mud-text

Comments on Lusi from other sources:
http://geology.about.com/b/2008/05/28/watch-lusi-collapse.htm

USGS: Plate boundaries

Check out the USGS resources on plate boundaries! Good revision page to keep as a bookmark for the earnest physical geographer!

Link: http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html

yorrike.com's take on continental drift / plate tectonics

Neal Adams' argument

Yorrike's argument

2 video clips for points of discussions during the lesson on continental drift theory in GE4102/3102.

Neal Adams's argument that Earth is growing. Okay, I am biased against this guy quite abit. Yorrike is one guy who is arguing to debunk Neal's 'growing earth' theory.


Link: http://www.yorrike.com/pangea


Here's what we do in class:

Points of discussion:
1. What is Neal's argument on pangea?
2. What evidences did Yorrike draw to debunk Neal?
3. Do you have other evidences you think you have to debunk either party's arguments?

Pay attention to each other in class! We will have a Neal vs. Yorrike debate in class!


One side of the class willbe pro-Neal while the other can be pro-Yorrike. Do research now while you can.