Exploring Marine Careers
MAST 31 (online)
MONTEREY PENINSULA COLLEGE — Fall 2007
Instructor: Capt. Tora Johnson, B.S., M.Phil.
E-mail: tjohnson@mpc.edu
Your instructor:
Tora Johnson is the course instructor—you can call me Tora. If you need to contact me, please feel free call me between 8am and 6pm (Pacific) any day of the week or send me an e-mail any time. If you need a meeting with me, please send an email and we can set up a mutually convenient appointment to talk on the phone or meet for an online chat.
Getting help:
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions about the course. For technical help you can contact Bruce Wilder at the MPC Instructional Technology & Development Office at bwilder@mpc.edu or call (831) 646-3074. Because I live in Maine, I will not be visiting the campus during the semester. So, if you absolutely need to meet with a real person about the course at some point during the semester, feel free to contact Deidre Sullivan with MPC’s MATE Program at deidres@marinetech.org. She is an expert in marine careers and can probably help you with any general questions you may have. You’ll meet her if you attend the optional orientation meeting.
Class times and place:
This course takes place entirely online, and there are no set class meetings. You may work your way through the readings and assignments at your own convenience, as long as you meet the weekly assignment deadlines. You may want to make appointments with your instructor or with your classmates to discuss course materials or get answers to questions, and you can have real-time conversations in the course’s online chat room.
Who should take this course?
The Ocean Careers course is designed for people who are interested in pursuing education and employment in a marine science or technology field. This course will help you to…
* Explore and evaluate the job opportunities available in marine science and technology
* Decide which ocean careers might be right for you
* Determine what skills and education you need to pursue your career goals
* Create a plan to acquire the skills and education you need
* Learn more from people working in fields that interest you
* Develop a resume geared toward target employers
* Search for and identify job openings in your chosen field
* Begin contacting potential employers to learn more about their hiring needs and priorities
* Conduct an informational interview with a potential employer
Things you’ll need:
Required text: All the course materials are provided online on the course Moodle site and on the companion OceanCareers.com website. To complete assignments for the course you may need to access additional resources online or at your local library.
Computer skills: You should be able to…
* browse and search the web,
* download programs from the web and install them,
* use e-mail. (including attaching documents and reading attachments),
* use word processing skills,
* work independently,
* type, read, and write with proficiency,
* and follow instructions and communicate when you need help.
Computer requirements:
* Word processing program in which you can open or create and save Microsoft Word documents.
* Computer using Windows 95 or higher or Macintosh/Apple computer using OS 7.0 or higher.
* Connection to the Internet using a 28.8 Kbps modem (56k or higher strongly recommended.) 56k dial-up connections are typically available from AOL, MSN, Earthlink or other providers for a monthly fee.
* E-mail capable of sending attachments.
* An Internet browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher, Mozilla Firefox 1.6 or higher, Netscape Navigator 7.0 or higher, or SeaMonkey 1.0.6 or higher. Do not use the AOL browser. We strongly recommend that you download and install the most up-to-date version of your Internet browser.
What topics and activities are covered in this course?
An introduction to the occupations available in marine-related industries and career opportunities in these fields. Emphasis on the general and technical skills, knowledge, and abilities employers find most valuable. Self-assessment and career planning are key elements of the course. This course will be offered on-line only.
What is the Attendance Policy?
I will not grade you on how often you visit the course website or for how long. Instead I will assess your participation in the course through your active participation in weekly discussion forums and completion of your assignments and projects.
What is the Drop Policy?
If you stop participating in the course, it is your responsibility to complete the drop class paperwork. Your failure to officially drop the class may result in a course grade of “F.” Drop forms are available from the MPC Admissions and Records Office. For more information, see the MPC schedule for important dates.
How will your knowledge and skills be evaluated?
You will be graded on the following:
Assignments on material presented in chapters: 26 @ 10 pts each = 260 pts/ ~54%
Section projects: 2 @ 20 pts. each = 40 pts/ ~8%
Participation in the online discussion forum: 13 @ 10 pts each = 130 pts/ ~27%
Final Project: 1 @ 50 pts. each = 50 pts/ ~10%
Total: 480 pts/ 100%
The final grade will be calculated as a percentage of the total points possible. Letter grades will follow these percentages: 100<A<90; 89<B<80; 79<C<70; 69<D<60; F<59. A computer spreadsheet will round your average to a whole number. If you take this class as Credit/No Credit you will need to earn 70% or 336 of the total 480 possible points to get credit.
Outline of material covered in this class
Section 1: Introduction to Ocean Careers
Chapter 1: What is an ocean career? What would an ocean career have to offer me?
Chapter 2: What are my personal goals and preferences? What do I have to offer a potential employer?
Section 2: Exploring ocean careers
Chapter 3: Working on ships or in the shipping industry.
Chapter 4: Working in an ocean science related job.
Chapter 5: Designing, building, or maintaining equipment, ships or structures.
Chapter 6: Protecting the marine environment.
Chapter 7: Working with animals.
Chapter 8: Working in law enforcement, regulation, national security, or defense.
Chapter 9: Teaching or sharing information with others.
Chapter 10: Working with seagoing transportation of cargo and passengers.
Chapter 11: Careers in energy or mineral research, exploration, and extraction.
Section 3: Preparing for an ocean career
Chapter 11: What skills and education will I need in order to pursue that career? How can I get those skills and education?
Chapter 12: Entering the workforce
Course Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of this course students will be able to:
* Describe the breadth of the marine science and technology field.
* Search periodicals and the Internet for information on the state of the marine economy and be able to describe general economic trends.
* Compare and contrast science and technology career tracks.
* Search for and find three job openings locally and three job openings nationally.
* Describe requirements (education, skills and experience) for three or more desirable jobs.
* Create a simple profile of a career and branch of technology.
* Conduct an information interview with a potential employer or colleague.
* Produce a well-written and formatted resume, cover letter, and thank you letter.
* State a career that matches their goals and interests and produce an action plan (up to five years) on how to pursue that career.
* Complete multi-media assignments investigating specific ocean careers, conducting self-assessment activities, and planning and preparing for an ocean career.
Assessment- You can use this chart to keep track of your grades.