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Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/University of Texas at Arlington/Human Geography (Spring 2019)

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Course name
Human Geography
Institution
University of Texas at Arlington
Instructor
Andrew Milson
Wikipedia Expert
Shalor (Wiki Ed)
Subject
Geography
Course dates
2019-01-14 00:00:00 UTC – 2019-05-17 23:59:59 UTC
Approximate number of student editors
45


This course is an introduction to human geography. We study topics such as population, historical geography, political geography, economic geography, social and cultural geography, and urban geography. Students will apply their knowledge of these topics as they edit a "Geography of ..." article for a specific country.

Timeline

Week 1

Course meetings
Monday, 14 January 2019   |   Wednesday, 16 January 2019   |   Friday, 18 January 2019
Milestones

You should have a Wikipedia account no later than Wednesday, January 16th.

Milestones

Select one of the countries from the list of articles available for the class and assign it to yourself by Friday, January 18th.

Week 2

Course meetings
Wednesday, 23 January 2019   |   Friday, 25 January 2019
Milestones

These training modules will teach you how to edit a Wikipedia page and will make you familiar with Wikipedia policies and procedures.  All training exercises must be completed by February 11th.

Milestones

Part 1: Population - DUE February 13th - 11:59pm

Population Geography is the first section that you will add to your Wikipedia article.  We will read about this topic in the second and third weeks of class.  To successfully complete Part 1, your Wikipedia article section on Population Geography should answer as many of the following questions as possible:

  • What is the total population of your country?
  • Which areas of the country are more densely populated than others?
  • What is the arithmetic population density versus the physiological population density and what does the difference mean?
  • What is the rate of natural increase and what does that number mean? 
  • What are the birth rates and death rates - and what do those numbers mean?
  • What is the fertility rate and what does that mean?
  • What are the rates of infant mortality and life expectancy - and what do those numbers say about the country?
  • How do the various current rates of natural increase, fertility, infant  mortaliy, and life expectancy compare with 10, 20, 30, etc. years ago and what does that say about the trajectory of the population in that country?
  • What does the population pyramid for your country look like and what does it mean that the country has that demographic structure?
  • What issues does the country face related to migration and immigration?
  • What are the things that draw migrants to the country (or specific places within the country)?
  • What factors push people to leave the country?
  • Do some segments of the population have restrictions on their travel or freedom to migrate?
  • Do other countries (like the U.S.) allow people from that country to visit? 

Week 3

Course meetings
Monday, 28 January 2019   |   Wednesday, 30 January 2019   |   Friday, 1 February 2019
Milestones

Week 4

Course meetings
Monday, 4 February 2019   |   Wednesday, 6 February 2019   |   Friday, 8 February 2019
Milestones

Week 5

Course meetings
Monday, 11 February 2019   |   Wednesday, 13 February 2019   |   Friday, 15 February 2019
Milestones

By February 11 - all training modules must be completed

By February 13 (11:59pm) - Part 1 on Population Geography must be posted to the mainspace of the Wikipedia article that you are editing.

 

Week 6

Course meetings
Monday, 18 February 2019   |   Wednesday, 20 February 2019   |   Friday, 22 February 2019
Milestones

Part 2: Social/Cultural Geography OR Political Geography

DUE: March 22nd 11:59pm

For Part 2 of the Wikipedia Project you will choose EITHER Social/Cultural Geography OR Political Geography.  You will create a new section on the Wikipedia article and answer as many of the questions below as possible:

Social/Cultural Geography

  • What are the religions, languages, races/ethnicities/nationalities that are present in your country?
  • In what way do different cultural groups shape the landscape (architectural styles, art work, etc)?
  • Are LGBT persons given equal rights in the country?
  • What elements of folk cultures are present? 
  • How has popular culture influenced this country (either pop culture created here and diffused elsewhere or pop culture that came from someplace else - like the U.S. - and has become popular here)? 
  • Have there been recent incidents in the news about clashes between cultural groups - racism, sexism, religious or linguistic groups, oppression of minorities, lack of equality for groups based on culture or identity?
  • Are there geographies of music, sports, and/or drugs that are unique to this country?

Political Geography

  • In what ways has the territory of the country been defined as a homeland for a particular group of people? 
  • Are there lingering border disputes with neighbors? 
  • How firm are the borders (can people come and go or are there tight restrictions on entering the country legally)?
  • Are the relationships between this country and any of it's neighbors strained in any way (today or in the past)?
  • Who is the sovereign power in this country (the leaders and structure of the government)? 
  • Are there examples of imperialism or nationalism in the history or present of this country? (Be careful about calling a country imperialist. Instead, explain how/when it engaged in conquest of foreign territories). 
  • Is the country a party to any international or supranational agreements - what are they and what do they mean? 
  • If this is a democratic country, are there maps of election results? 
  • If so, are there spatial patterns in the way people vote (some parts of the country supporting one party over another)? 
  • Are there any regional patterns to party affiliation in the country?
  • What else can be said about the way in which borders, boundaries, territories, national identities, supranational or global connections shape political attitudes in the country?

 

Week 7

Course meetings
Monday, 25 February 2019   |   Wednesday, 27 February 2019   |   Friday, 1 March 2019
Milestones

Week 8

Course meetings
Monday, 4 March 2019   |   Wednesday, 6 March 2019   |   Friday, 8 March 2019
Milestones

Week 9

Course meetings
Monday, 18 March 2019   |   Wednesday, 20 March 2019   |   Friday, 22 March 2019
Milestones

Week 10

Course meetings
Monday, 25 March 2019   |   Wednesday, 27 March 2019   |   Friday, 29 March 2019
Milestones

Part 3: Agriculture, Economic Geography OR Urban Geography

DUE - May 1st 11:59pm

For Part 3, you will select ONE of the topics below and create a section on your Wikipedia Article that answers as many of the questions below as possible.

Agriculture

  • Describe the climate of the country. How does this explain the agricultural products and patterns in the country?
  • What percentage of the country's land use is devoted to agriculture? How does this compare to other countries?
  • How much land is irrigated? How does this compare to other countries?
  • What environmental issues does the country face that might affect agriculture (water pollution, water depletion, soil degradation, deforestation, drought, etc).
  • What are the agricultural products of the country?
  • What percentage of the workforce of the country works in agriculture? How does this compare to other countries?
  • What are the primary agricultural exports of the country (if any)?
  • What are the primary agricultural imports of the country (if any)?
  • Are there any recent news stories about agriculture, agribusiness, environmental effects of agriculture, food, or famine in the country?

Economic Geography and Development

  • What is the most recent GDP per capita figure for the country? What does this number mean? How does it compare to other countries?
  • Is the country a signatory to free trade or economic partnership agreements? If so, which ones?
  • What products does the country import and export?
  • Which countries does the country trade with most frequently?
  • What are the main industries in the country?
  • What percentages of the labor force work in agriculture, industry, and services? What does this say about the country's level of industrialization?
  • Where does the country rank on the Human Development Index? How does it compare to other countries?
  • What are the literary rates in the country? What does this say about the country's level of development?
  • What percentage of the population lives below the poverty line?
  • What percentages of the population have access to improved water and sanitation? What does this say about the country's level of development?
  • Describe the transportation, communication, and energy use and infrastructure of the country. What does this suggest about the level of development in the country?
  • Are there recent news stories about the economy, trade, poverty, deindustrialization, or other economic issues in the country?

Urban Geography

  • What are the most populated cities in the country? Name the cities and their population sizes.
  • Does the country have a "world city"?
  • Where are the major cities located in the country? (along the coast, rivers, north/south/east/west?)
  • What percentage of the population is urban?
  • What is the rate of urbanization in the country?
  • Are there recent news stories about urban issues in the country - rural-urban migration, slums/ghettos, transportation issues, gentrification, suburbanization, urban sprawl, etc?

Week 11

Course meetings
Monday, 1 April 2019   |   Wednesday, 3 April 2019   |   Friday, 5 April 2019
Milestones

Week 12

Course meetings
Monday, 8 April 2019   |   Wednesday, 10 April 2019   |   Friday, 12 April 2019
Milestones

Week 13

Course meetings
Monday, 15 April 2019   |   Wednesday, 17 April 2019   |   Friday, 19 April 2019
Milestones

Week 14

Course meetings
Monday, 22 April 2019   |   Wednesday, 24 April 2019   |   Friday, 26 April 2019
Milestones

Week 15

Course meetings
Monday, 29 April 2019   |   Wednesday, 1 May 2019   |   Friday, 3 May 2019
Milestones
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