Welcome everyone to Geology of National Parks.  Although studying parks online isn't as exciting as actually visiting them, having a background in park geology will certainly make your visits more interesting and informative. I hope that after this course you will make an effort to travel and experience these great national resources.  If you want to get a taste of the areas we'll cover view America's National Treasures, Our National Parks.  We will study many, but not all of these parks.  There just isn't enough time in the semester.  However, at the end of the course you will have the ability to independently explore and understand the geology of those parks not covered.

I will be asking everyone to briefly introduce themselves, so it's only appropriate to tell you a little about myself.  I entered the field of geology because I enjoy the outdoors.  As a child I'd spend every summer roaming the woods around our farm in New Hampshire, and as an adult I spent my summers either mapping geology in the north woods of Maine or looking for gold in Alaska.  (Never found any.)   Lately I've been exploring the national parks. Those that I find most intriguing are in the Desert Southwest where the geology is "big" and not obscured by vegetation. The Rockies are nice also. The image below was recently taken while I was hiking in a park out west.  Can you guess which park I'm in?  Hint: I'm on the Continental Divide and just survived a very scarely lightening and hail storm.

The format of this course is organized into sections (A, B, C, etc). Each is followed by an online quiz, which you can take more than once.  If you diligently explore the content posted for each park and participate in discussions you will do well.  Participation in discussions and exercises is as important as quiz grades.  For course details read over the Syllabus, and the Introduction outlining how the course is organized.

Although most of the course is accessible on the Internet, I will administer this course entirely through myWebCourses (AKA webct). The myWebCourses website has the login window and information needed to obtain technical help. You must have a Salem State email account.  Once you have obtained your account go immediately the National Parks webct site for further instructions. If you are having any problems accessing myWebCourses call technical support (day: 978-542-2036 or night: 1-800-569-6505) immediately and send me an email informing me of the problem.

Please Check out the Minimum Requirements for taking an online course and Salem State. Make sure that you have the proper hardware and software installed to take this course.

Start the course by opening the GSL110 01 link on your myWebCourses home page. (Make sure you pass the browser check. Popup windows must be activated and Java installed. ) Read the Instructions at the bottom of the front page, and complete the readings and survey in the Intro Organizer.  Once completed your good to go.  Review the course schedule and begin the course.

Prof. Lindley S. Hanson (Ph.D.)
Department of Geological Sciences
Salem State College
Office: 978-542-6701
email: lhanson@salemstate.edu

myWebCourses Helplines

Days 8:30am - 5:00pm
Call the SSC I.T. Helpdesk 978-542-2036
Evenings 5:00pm - 8:30am
Call 1-800-569-6505