Welcome to GOL 111 - Oceanography offered by the Extended Learning Institute of Northern Virginia Community College. In this course you will receive an introduction to the principles of physical, chemical, and geological oceanography. What you learn in this course will benefit you by instilling an understanding and appreciation for the world oceans and processes as well as the Earth's environment.

You will be required to complete a variety of lab assignments. You will be able to complete these on your own and they will not require any specialized equipment or visits to campus, however, the use of a calculator and some basic math skills will be needed. You will be required to submit your lab results electronically and that may require scanning any handwritten charts or notes before submitting your project online.

If you successfully complete this course, you will be able to:

• describe the scientific method and how it has been used in scientific inquiry
• describe the way in which major scientific discoveries impact society and modify social behavior
• define and apply terminology used in the field of the marine sciences
• describe how plate tectonics formed the ocean basins, continental land masses, and their geological features
• describe how chemical and physical properties of seawater affect life in the oceans, including pH, salinity, density, and currents
• explain photosynthesis and respiration in the cycle of cellular life and the basis of the oceanic food chain
• discuss the basic differences between the phylogenetic kingdoms
• explain how evolution and natural selection are involved in producing biodiveristy
• explain the basic concepts of marine ecology
• identify the different communities found in the world's oceans and what factors cause their differences and distribution
• list various marine resources and describe their distribution and the factors that affect their availability
• describe the interconnectedness of the ocean ecosystem
• describe how man directly and indirectly impacts the oceans
• use critical thinking skills to evaluate scientific studies and media reports involving the sciences

Your course grade will be determined according to the following points:
 

There are 2 proctored exams in this course. You are expected to take your proctored exams at one of the NVCC campus Testing Centers. Be sure to allow enough time to complete your exam before the Testing Center closes; Testing Centers have specific policies relating to the administration of ELI exams. You will need to take a photo ID, your NovaConnect Empl ID number, and the appropriate Exam Pass when you go to the Testing Center.  

For Testing Center locations, hours of operation and policies, click here.

For information on taking proctored exams outside of the metropolitan area, click here.

I am here to help you succeed in this course. Occasionally questions or problems may arise. Here is how to contact me when they do:

E-mail : trowland@nvcc.edu

1. Use your web browser to connect to http://www.nvcc.edu/bbstart. Follow the directions to determine your email, Blackboard and VIVA account user names and passwords.
2. Access your email account and make sure you know how to use it; you will be required to use this account for all course-related email.
3. Log on to Blackboard and email at http://nvcc.my.vccs.edu.
4. Click on this course under "My Courses." Review the entire course to make sure you understand what will be required of you. Then start completing the assignments.

Please note that account generation takes approximately one week from the time of your paid registration. If you cannot log on after one week, contact the IT Help Desk. If you can log on to Blackboard, but your course isn't listed, please contact ELI or your instructor.