HIS 232.I50: Development of the U.S. from the Civil War
ONLINE COURSE SYLLABUS
FL 2013
Credit hours: 3
Semester: FL 2013
Section: 232.I50
Location: Online
Instructor: Larissa Nemoianu
Office: JM 145
E-mail:
Phone: 517-796-8542
Office Hours:Mondays / 10:00 / AM / – / 11:00 / AM
1:00 / PM / – / 3:30 / PM
Tuesdays / 12:00
3: 00 / PM
PM / _
_ / 1:00
3:30 / PM
PM
Wednesdays / 10:00 / AM / – / 11:00 / AM
1:00 / PM / – / 3:30 / PM
Thursday / 12:00
3: 00 / PM
PM / _
_ / 1:00
3:30 / PM
PM
Other hours by appointment
Required:
America, A narrative History, by George Brown Tindall and David Emory Shi, brief ninth edition, Norton, volume 2
Very helpful: the book web site for assignments, practice tests, sources, etc.
http://www.wwnorton.com/college/history/america9/brief/ch/17/studyplan.aspx
Very Important:
If you want to finish the class earlier you can, I will open the exams early for you, and all you need to do is to give me a call!
You can not finish the class later.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
American History 232 is a one-semester college level course. This class puts into perspective the major economic, political, diplomatic, and social developments impacting the United States from Reconstruction into the third quarter of the twentieth century.
INTRODUCTION:
History 232 is an introductory level course that provides insight into the growth and development of the United States from the Civil War. The course treats the politics, religion, economics, science and philosophy through most of the twentieth century. Emphasis is placed on analyzing the historical events of the United States and gaining perspective on their relationship to the present.
You will be expected to devote considerable time to the reading and written assignments, observe the time lines incorporated in the syllabus and other course documents, and maintain civility and decorum in all communication with the instructor and students in the class. All work turned in for credit must be your own.
The principle course objectives include comprehension of the events of American history through the middle of the twentieth century, the critical and analytical evaluation of those events, and the improvement of writing skills as a tool to express ideas. Your written work must be in your own words.
Online classes require discipline and independence. You are responsible for your learning. I am available to assist you and to provide guidance. To succeed you must maintain a schedule and complete assignments on time. As in a traditional classroom, there are penalties for late or incomplete assignments.
This course will contribute to the following Associate Degree Outcomes:
ADO 5 Understanding human behavior and social systems
Students will learn to:
* Recognize factors that determine and govern human behavior. Distinguish between individual and external factors.
* Understand the methods of analysis and interpretation used by historians to explain events and the role of personality in history
* Understand the connection between the economic, social, and political systems in the entire human history (specific in US history)
* Understand two social and political systems (British and American) and the limitation of each
* Characterize the evolution of the "American character" by analyzing the combination of influences, such as various traditions, environmental conditions, and opportunities.
ADO 7: Critical Thinking
Students will learn to:
* Recognizes need for questions and for questioning.
* Distinguishes between fact, opinion and inference in reading primary and secondary sources.
* Identifies the nature of bias in both primary and secondary historical sources.
* Recognizes how the context of information can be manipulated to impact conclusions.
THIS IS NOT A SELF-PACED CLASS
STUDENT REQUIREMENTS:
My evaluation of your work will be based on your effort and on your abilities demonstrated throughout the class. The class calendar, my methods of teaching, the evaluation criteria, could change depending on the class effort and direction
Each student will spend at least 9 hours per week preparing for class.
1. Read the "Learning Goals" at the beginning of each chapter. (The goals summarize the key points in the course and provide a guide for studying the information for the examination questions.)
2. Read the outlines and power points for each chapter
3. Read the textbook chapter at least twice. The first time scan the chapter topics reading the major points, and then the second time, concentrate on trying to understand the information, which will require asking yourself questions about what you are reading.
4. Paraphrase the definitions for each term and concept.
5. Answer discussion questions
6. Take the examinations.
7. Upload in time the 4 written assignments
Learn to become an Active Reader. Don't just read and answer questions. It's important that you take notes while you are reading. If you have a question about something you've read, write it down. Go back through the material and find the answer. You might even have questions about concepts in the chapters that aren't answered to your satisfaction. Post those on the bulletin board to get feedback from the other class members.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES:
Various learning activities will be used to accomplish the course goals. Text and computer online readings are used to introduce materials, methods, and concepts.
1. Read the chapters in the textbook.
2. Read the outline on the book web
3. Participate in class discussion.
4. Read the four documents assigned and complete the worksheets.
5. Take examinations.
EVALUATION
Students can accumulate 500 points:
420 from the exams
40 from the assignments
40 points from class discussions
GRADING POLICY:
You are responsible to check your grades weekly; if the grades are not posted, or if you see a mistake, call or email me immediately.
The grade you earn in the course will be based on the average grade you receive on all graded work.
The grades are not negotiable: each student is responsible for the grades he/she earns and for checking weekly on Jet Net the posted points. If a student finds a mistake, or thinks that he/she did not get credit for a discussion etc, he/she should contact me immediately.
Grading Scale:
The exam with the lowest grade will be dropped
4.0 / 450 to 5003.5 / 425 to 449
3.0 / 400 to 424
2.5 / 350 to 399
2.0 / 300 to 349
1.5 / 250 to 299
1.0 / 200 to 249
0.5 / 150 to 199
0.0 / under 150
EXAMINATIONS
8 exams are worth 60 points each. Again: The exam with the lowest grade will be dropped.
The exams are made up of multiple-choices questions.
The exams are online and are not open book; no books and notes are allowed. They can be taken any day of the week they are scheduled. The last day is t e Sunday, at 11:59 PM, of the scheduled week; if you have a problem with your computer go to one of the computer labs.No make- up exam is allowed. If you miss an exam, for any reason, it will be the one exam I will drop.
Exams Schedule
Exam 1 : chapters 17 and 18 / 09/23 to 09/29Exam 2: chapters 19 and 20 / 09/30 to 10/06
Exam 3: chapters 21and 22 / 10/07 to 10/13
Exam 4: chapters 23 and 24 / 10/21 to 10/27
Exam 5: chapters 25 and 26 / 10/28 to 11/03
Exam 6: chapters 27 and 28 / 11//04 to 11/10
Exam 7: chapters 29, 30 and 31 / 11/18 to 11/24
Exam 8: chapters 32 and 33 / 12/02 to 12/08
Rules for the class discussions
1. Participate in four online discussions at least three times on each posted topic. Each individual is required to thoughtfully comment (start a new message in the “Discussion” section of Jet Net) on the subject. You must post your statement in the first three days of discussion week (Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday) for 5 points. If you post later your statement will be graded as a reply.
2. React to the opinions of one colleague for 3 points and to the second other student for 2 more points. The replies must be on the discussion subject.
3. Your comments to your colleagues' statements should be more than "I agree", "I disagree"; "Good job!", or something similar.
4. Your statements and your replies are not to be personal opinion. If you start with "I think" I will not read the rest of the posting. You must bring arguments to support your position.
It is expected that you will provide answers that are complete and thoughtful.
Answers should be based on the readings. You may reference information from outside the readings if you choose, but it must be clearly cited. And, please, use proper English in your responses and not codes and language used in instant messaging!
5. If you post your statement and replies on the same day, you will not get credit for your statement.
6. Discussion posted after the due date are not graded.
The topics are in your class schedule and the discussion board will be open at the discussion starting date
Written assignments: there are four (4) written assignments for this class. Each assignment is worth 10 points. The documents for assignments are listed at the end of syllabus.
For each assignment: you will read the document (chosen by me), complete the worksheet for the document, and upload the worksheet in the assignment folder.
I posted a worksheet form under the class syllabus. You will have to save this form on your computer, answer the questions, and upload the completed worksheet on your assignment on your class site.
I will not grade the assignment if you use a different format from the one I posted.
Example:
Assignment 1:
Step 1: read the document
Step 2: read the sample worksheet
Step 3: answer the questions
Step 4: upload your worksheet under the assignment 1 on your Jet Net class site.
For assignment 1 you must upload (as an rtf or word document) under Assignment 1 in week 2. You can upload earlier than the beginning of the week, but not after the due date.
Late assignments will be penalized with 2 points deducted for every late day.
Academic dishonesty (plagiarism* or cheating) will result in a course grade of 0.0.
pla·gia·rize:
transitive senses: to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own: use (another's production) without crediting the source
intransitive senses: to commit literary theft: present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source
If you use information from outside sources (and you will have to do it) you must tell what sources you used, even if you used your own words!!!
GRADING THE ASSIGNMENTS
Again: I will not grade the assignment if you use a different format from the one I posted.
Worksheet for: (the title of the document)
1. Who wrote (something about the author, not only his name) and what type of document is this? (Ex. Newspaper, telegram, map, letter, memorandum, etc.) 3 points
2. For what audience was the document written? 1 point
3. Expression. 2 points
What do you find interesting or important about this document?
Is there a particular phrase or section that you find particularly meaningful or surprising?
4. Connection. 4 points
This is the most important part of your assignment. The answer to this question is proving your understanding of history and the relations between different aspect of a civilization, as well as the connections between civilizations. Your answer should reflect the way you connect the document with the material you study.
The evaluation of your assignments and your contributions to the class discussions of the material is a discretionary matter. It is my judgment call whether or not your assignment responses and comments on the material reflect sufficient effort and insight.
I will check my e-mail every day, including the weekend, so please e-mail me with any questions or concerns. If you do not get an answer from me in 24 hours it will be because I am sick or I have problems with my computer.
Assignments:
Assignment 1: read and complete the worksheet for"Life on Prairie Farms (1893)"
Do not e-mail your worksheet to the publisher; your assignment sheet (the one I posted on your class site) should be uploaded on the Jet Net class site.
Due: October 6, at 11: 55 PM
Assignment 2: read and complete the worksheet for
"The Treason of the Senate" (1906), David Graham Phillips
Do not e-mail your worksheet to the publisher; your assignment sheet (the one I posted on your class site) should be uploaded on the Jet Net class site.
Due: October 20, 2012, at 11:55 PM
Assignment 3: read and complete the worksheet for
" Keep the Consumer Dissatisfied, Charles F. Kettering (1929)
Do not e-mail your worksheet to the publisher; your assignment sheet (the one I posted on your class site) should be uploaded on the Jet Net class site.
Due: November 3, at 11:55 PM
Assignment 4:
read and complete the worksheet for
" Women in War Industries”
Do not e-mail your worksheet to the publisher; your assignment sheet (the one I posted on your class site) should be uploaded on the Jet Net class site.
Due: November 10, at 11:55 PM
"I" (INCOMPLETE) GRADE POLICY: