Course Evaluation Plan (Grading)
Course Faculty: Dr. Susan Stans
Office Location: Academic Bldg 2, Rm 207E
Phone Numbers: 941-590-7174 (Office)
Office Hours: Tues and Thur 1:00-3:00 or by appointment
This course is part of the Collegium of Integrated Learning and is required for the B.A. in Liberal Studies. Students and faculty will work together to investigate selected contemporary ecology/environmental issues and problems and how they have developed across time. Individually and in teams, students will develop "integrated histories" of an issue or problem. These "histories" will require building an integrated context by examining issues through the perspectives and methods of knowing in the social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities. Organized in inter- disciplinary ways and problem-based, the course will stress engaged learning. Students will be expected to formulate their own interpretations and responses to the issues. Consequently, success in the course will rely heavily on critical, creative, systematic, and collaborative thinking and the sophisticated use of communication, information, and technological skills. Internet course. Students are required to attend 3 on-campus meeting on Aug. 23, 31, and Dec. 6, from 8 to 10:45 p.m. in BHGIII-205, BHGIII-114 and BHGIII-205 respectively.
See: Syllabus
The distance learning strategy for this course is to have on-line students participate fully in discussion, debate, and critical thinking about issues concerning our ecology and environment in much the same way they would in a face-to-face classroom setting. The course is carefully designed to involve the student in self-learning, research, reasoning, and thinking through a liberal arts perspective. This means that weekly attendance to assignments is critical for full participation. Students will also gain technological skills in building an electronic portfolio or web site, debating through electronic bulletin boards, and e-mail. There will be three compulsory meetings at the university for technical training and final presentation, and one required field trip. These meetings are meant to provide the student with a familiar network of classmates with whom they share information.
My teaching philosophy can be described as emphasizing discovery, interaction, and critical thinking. By discovery, I mean looking for the "Aha! Moment." For me, teaching represents an opportunity to launch a voyage of internal and external discovery by encouraging and challenging the individual to the thrill of life-long learning. Each student holds the potential to find, articulate, and synthesize ideas about the world around her or him. My role is to facilitate, guide, and nurture the curiosity and ability of the students. I encourage critical thinking through exams, essays, and class exercises. Students are taught analysis of text and materials using the scientific process to generate hypothesis, present evidence, and to synthesize their results into projections for the future, implications for the present, and patterning of culture from the past. In debates, I insist that students develop both sides of an argument and in oral debates, switch sides. I consider the ability to think critically to be major in examining old beliefs and stereotypes, which ultimately leads to understanding.
Teaching and learning on the Web requires new skills and attitudes for both the instructor and the students. The tradition of the "sage on the stage" gives way to the "guide on the side" as learning becomes more student-centered and as students become more responsible for their own learning. The transition of learning from instructor-centered to student-centered will be smoother if learners know how to handle and manage their own learning.
Self Direction and Personal Efficacy" provides a series of articles and references with ideas for teachers to offer more student-centered learning and ideas for students to set their own goals. Taking responsibility for your own learning is critical in distance learning. A touchstone of effective learning is that students are in charge of their own learning; essentially, they direct their own learning processes.
- Guidelines for Essay Questions
- Six Guidelines for Taking Essay Exams
- Strategies for Writing Essay Tests
- Cue Words Found in Questions for Essay Tests
- Sample Outline for Essay
- Short Paper Scoring Rubric
1. Smith, Patrick D. A Land Remembered. ISBN: 0-910923-12-4
2. Matthiessen, Peter. Killing Mister Watson ISBN:0-679-73405-8
|
Assigments |
Percentage |
|
Student goals, objectives, and assessment |
7 % |
|
Student Bibliography |
1.5% |
|
11 Weekly short papers |
33 % |
|
Webboard participation. 12 sessions Posting and reply to others |
24% |
|
Mid-term Critique |
10% |
|
Final critique |
10% |
|
A-student exercises |
10.5% |
|
Final class presentation |
1% |
|
Course evaluation |
2% |
|
Field trip |
1% |
|
Total |
100% |
|
Grade |
Percentage |
|
A |
90-100% |
|
B |
80-89% |
|
C |
70-79% |
|
D |
60-69% |
See: Student Grade Sheet
Students may use any acceptable scholarly style such as the Chicago Manual of Style.
When using out side sources, bibliographies must be included and be written in the form listed for class texts:
Grobsmith, Elizabeth S. 1981. Lakota of the Rosebud: A Contemporary Ethnography. Orlando: Harcort
Brace College Publishers.
All direct citations must be noted with parenthesis or paragraph double indent in the following manner
(Grobsmith 1981:18). If not directly quoted, the source of any information that is not general knowledge
must be notated as follows (Grobsmith 1981).
Plagiarism shall consist of three or more words identical to a referenced work that is not in quotations and/or is not referenced as the source of the material. The instructor has been known to check out references on-line or in the library. Any violation of referred work or collaboration with another student shall result in a failing grade.
Subject content shall be developed using a subject/perspective in the following outline:
A. Hypothesis or question
B. Evidence
1. Example
2. Example
C. Synthesis
Was your hypothesis or question correct and why.
What do you think the implications are?
D. Bibliography. Example:
Grobsmith, Elizabeth S. 1981. Lakota of the Rosebud: A Contemporary Ethnography. Orlando: Harcort
Brace College Publishers.
Harold Hunt [pseud.]. 1997. Interview by author. Tape recording. Ft. Myers, Fl., 21 October, 1997.
IMPORTANT: Students using AOL from their homes may experience difficulty using their electronic portfolio from home. Unless you have access to another server at home, I strongly suggest that you copy your assignments to a floppy disk and post your work from the school computers. Please have your FGCU account forwarded to your home computer if you have not done so already. Do this at this URL: http://condor.fgcu.edu/eagle/index.html
Academic Dishonesty/Cheating Policy:
"All students are expected to demonstrate honesty in their academic pursuits. The university policies regarding issues of honesty can be found under the "Student Code of Conduct" on page 11, and under "Policies and Procedures" on pages 18 - 24. of the Student Guidebook . All students are expected to study this document which outlines their responsibilities and consequences for violations of the policy. "
Florida Gulf Coast University, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the university's guiding principles, will provide classroom and academic accommodation to students with documented disabilities. If you need to request accommodation in this class due to a disability, or you suspect that your academic performance is affected by a disability, please see me or contact the Office of Multi Access Services. The Office of Multi Access Services is located in the Student Services building, room 214. The phone number is 590-7925 or TTY 590-7930.