| Geography 1000 |
Fundamentals of World Regional Geography |
| Dr. Michael Peterson |
DSC 264 (through 260); 554-4805 |
FAQ
The course is closed. Can I still add the class?
Usually. See me for a signature.
The Web part of the course scares me. How proficient with computers do I need to be?
All you need to know is how to use a web browser (Explorer or Firefox) and a word processing program (Word). Most of you probably already have experience with both types of programs. If not, you will need to learn how to use them anyway.
Do I need to have my own computer and Internet connection?
No! The students that usually have the most problems with the assignments are those that are working at home and alone on their own computers. The computers in the university labs are kept up-to-date and consultants are available to answer questions. The consultants can be very helpful with general questions on the use of Explorer or Word.
If you have your own computer and have an Internet connection through an internet service provider (ISP), I still encourage you to learn how to use the computers in the labs. You may need to look at a file while you are on campus. Also, if you have a problem with an assignment, I can show you how it works on the computers in the lab in the Durham Science Center but not on your computer at home.
Can I use an HTML editing program for the assignment?
Sure, if you can find a good one. Programs like Dreamweaver and GoLive create much cleaner code than Word.
What do I do if I need to leave class early?
Make every effort to schedule your appointments so they don't conflict with class. All I ask is that you find a seat on the aisle near the rear of the classroom so that you don' t disturb other students when you leave. Again, be considerate to others in class.
Do I need to tell you if I will miss class?
This is a courtesy that I appreciate. I don't take attendance but I appreciate if you inform me in person that you won't be able to attend a class. I can at least give you an idea of what you will miss.
Can I get lecture notes if I miss class?
All of the lecture materials that I can make available are on the web page.
I am a student athlete. How do I get your signature on my student athlete progress form?
Your coach is very interested in how you are doing. If you want the confidentiality of your grades respected, see me and we'll set up another way of monitoring your progress.
If you simply need a signature, see me during my office hours or after class.
What if I suffer from a case of "academic suicide by professor?"
"Suicide by cop" describes a condition in which a mentally unstable person finds a way to have a policeperson kill them. "Academic suicide by professor" is a similar condition in which a student chronically misses classes, does not study, does not complete the assignments, and ultimately fails the course. Don't do it. Life with an education will be better than life without.
How do you get to travel so much?
I enjoy traveling and living in other places. I grew up in Wisconsin in a town called River Falls, near the border with Minnesota (now the summer training camp for the Kansas City Chiefs). My father worked in Germany on three different occasions for nine months when I was growing up. I attended a German school for parts of 4th, 7th, and 10th grades. As a result, I can still speak German. After I graduated from High School in River Falls, I got a job working at the Olympics in Munich, Germany, in 1972. I received my bachelors degree at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, my masters degree at Boston University (two years), and my Ph.D. at the State University of New York at Buffalo (three years). After my Ph.D. I worked at the University of Zürich in Switzerland for a year before coming here. Since being at UNOmaha, I have taken 1/2 year guest professorship appointments at the University of Washington in Seattle (1985) and the University of Hawaii (1995). A six-week ambassadorship program sponsored by Rotary International brought me to Argentina and Uruguay in 1988. I received a one-year Fulbright professorship to the Free University in Berlin, Germany, in 1990-91 and a one-semester Fulbright to the Technical University Vienna during the Spring Semester of 1999. I also attend international meetings once every two years and have been to such places as Budapest, Hungary; Cologne, Germany; Madrid and Barcelona, Spain; Tangier, Morocco; and Stockholm, Sweden, Guangzhou, China, Beijing, China. I spent the summer of 1998 in Australia, both traveling and serving as a Visiting Fellow at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. I have taught at the University of Applied Science in Munich for two week periods in 1999, 2000, and 2001. In 2000, I presented a workshop on Maps and the Internet in Sweden. I spent three weeks traveling through China in the summer of 2001. I was a visiting professor at Carleton, University in Ottawa, Canada, for 7 months during 2004. In 2005, I visited Spain and Portugal, and then Australia and New Zealand. In the Fall of 2006, I took a three month trip to Japan, S. Korea, China, Thailand, Singapore, and New Zealand. In 2007, I traveled to Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Estonia, Sweden, and Brazil.
