Professor:  Barbara E. McDade, Ph.D.
Email: bmcdade@geog.ufl.edu
Class Time: Monday     Wednesday     Friday   -    Period 9 (4:05-4:55pm)
Class Room: CSE Building - Room A101 (Lower level of CSE)
My Office: Turlington Hall 3133         Phone: 352-392-0494 ext. 222        FAX: 352-392-8855
My Office Hours:     Monday 2-3pm         Wednesday 10am-Noon     Friday:  2-4pm

Graduate Teaching Assistant:   Mr. Saemi Ledermann     Email:   slederma@geog.ufl.edu
Undergraduate Teacher Assistant:  Ms. Arti Kochhar        Email:  

GEA 3600 Course Description

This course presents the Geography of Africa from an economic development perspective. We will look at dynamic issues facing contemporary African societies and the challenges that the people and nations of this vast Continent are working to resolve. You will learn "the names of all of the countries and where they are located" as well as environmental and resource issues, historical impacts on development, cultural aspects, peoples, societies, rural and urban organization, industrialization and trade, and prospects for the future.

3 Credits in General Education Requirements (GER): Social Science, International/Deversity, Gordon Rule (6CC)
.
Required Text:
GEA 3600 (Section 8561) Course Book. Available at Custom Copies, 309 NW 13th Street.Ph. 352-375-2707.

Additional Resource Materials: Videos, guest lecturers, internet sites, etc. are scheduled throughout the semester.

WEB CT-Vista:  GEA 3600 will use the University of Florida's Online Course Management System, Web C(ourse)T(ools)-CE.  If you are registered for this course, you are already in the GEA 3600 WebCT class roster.  Features or "tools" available of GEA 3600 Web CT:  online exams, posting of grades and scores for exams, quizzes, and assignments; course calendar, announcements and updates posted regularly by Dr. McDade; internal class communication (email) system; instructions for assignments.  For GEA 3600 Web CT, go to the following website and logon using your Gatorlink username and password: http://lss.at.ufl.edu/
 
 

PLEASE NOTE:  Points & Grading Legend to Reflect 10pt for Commentary/ New Due Date for Web Report is April 18.

Basis for Grading	Total 105 points	Due Dates
2 Map Quizzes  10 points each	20 points	Jan. 21, Friday Jan. 28, Friday
1 Written Commentary       (See link to Instructions below)	10 points	Last Name A-K:  February 16 Last Name L-Y:  February 23
2 Multiple Choice Exams  20 points each	40 points	Exam 1:  March 13-14 Exam 2:  April  25-26 Take exams online in GEA 3600 WebCT
Africa Impressions Essay	10 points	Last Name A-K:  March 25, Friday Last Name L-Y:  April 1, Friday
African Issues Web Research Report**	20 points	All Groups, Due online:  April 18, Monday. (Note this change)
Class Attendance:   You must be present at least 8 of 10 attendance days to receive 5 points. Partial points will not be given.	5 points	Attendance will be taken on 10 class days randomly selected during the semester.

• Map Quizzes are taken in class during regular class period.
• Topic for the commentary will be based on the course lectures from the preceding weeks.  This will allow you to evaluate/review/comment on the topic from the relevant lecture presentations.
• Instructions for Written Commentary:
• Exams 1 and 2 are taken online at GEA 3600 WebCT.
• African Issues Web Research Report is a group project.  I will assign you a country and topic for the Web Report.  You may select your group of 3 members. You will turn in this report by posting it online. Instructions will be provided.
• Workshops on How to Create a Web Page (HTML) Report  will be scheduled in early March. 

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Week 1:  Jan. 5-7
Orientation to Class, Syllabus, Requirements
Lecture:  "Africa & The USA: Mutual Interests"

Week 2:  Jan. 10-14
Section 1: Introduction/Overview of Geography & Development in Africa
Section 2:  The Physical Environment & Development

Week 3:  Jan. 17-21
NO CLASS:  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, Monday, Jan. 17
Section 2:  The Physical Environment & Development, continued
Friday, January 21: Map Quiz #1 (in-class)

Week 4:  Jan. 24-28
Section 3:  Human Intervention & The Environment
Friday, January 28: Map Quiz #2 (in-class)

Week 5:  Jan. 31-Feb. 4
Section 4:  History & Development in Africa: Ancient to Pre-Colonial Periods

Week 6:  Feb. 7-11
Section 4:  History & Development in Africa:  Medieval to Modern
NO CLASS: Friday, Feb. 11

Week 7:  Feb. 14-18
Section 5: Geopolitics in Africa
Wednesday, February 16: Written Commentary Due (Last Names A-K).
NO CLASS: Friday, Feb. 18

Week 8:  Feb. 21-25
Section 5: Geopolitics in Africa
Section 6:  Population Change & Distribution
Wednesday, February 23: Written Commentary Due (Last Names L-Y).

Week 9:
NO CLASSES:  SPRING BREAK (February 26-March 5)

Week 10:  March 7-11
Section 6:  Population Change & Distribution, continued
March 13-15: Exam #1 in WebCT online.
    Covers Dr. McDade's Lectures, Guest Lectures, Sections 1-6, Videos, etc.

Week 11:  March 14-18
Section 7: Cultural Geography: Diversity & Confluence

Week 12: March 21-25
Section 7: Cultural Geography: Diversity & Confluence, continued
Friday, March 25: Africa Impressions Essay (Last Names A-K)
Week 13: March 28-April 1
Section 8: Gendered Geography & Development
Section 9: Geography of Healthcare in Africa
Friday, April 1: Africa Impressions Essay (Last Names L-Y)

Week 14: April 4-8
Section  10: Rural Development
Section 11: Urban Development

Week 15: April 11-15
Section 11; Urban Development, continued
Section 12:  Industrialization, Business & Commerce
 

Week 16: April 18 & 20
Section 12, Industrialization, Business & Commerce
  Monday, April 18:: Africa Issues Web Research Reports, All Groups Due Online.
LAST CLASS DAY is Wednesday, April 20.

FINAL EXAM WEEK:
Exam #2 Final: Online at GEA 3600 WebCT: Exam will be available Noon April 25 to April 26 Midnight.
    Covers Dr. McDade's Lectures, Guest Lectures, Sections 7-12, Videos, etc.