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COLLEGE OF
MOUNT ST. JOSEPH
IDS100 (Section
F9) Foundations Seminar
COURSE SYLLABUS
S109
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COURSE
TITLE: |
IDS100
Foundations Seminar |
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PREREQUISITES |
None |
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INSTRUCTOR |
Paul
Jenkins
Director, Library Services |
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CLASS
TIME |
Tuesday,
Thursday 12:45-2:00pm
CL 117 |
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OFFICE
HOURS |
By
appointment |
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TELEPHONE |
513-244-4351 513-244-4355(FAX)
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E-MAIL
ADDRESS |
paul_jenkins@mail.msj.edu
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REQUIRED BOOKS &
SUPPLIES
Drew, Alan.
Gardens of Water. New York: Random House, 2008.
There will be other
short readings—both on-line and hardcopy—throughout the course which
will be supplied by the instructors.
You should regard
your laptop as a resource, too, and always bring it with you to
class unless told otherwise by your instructor.
Course Description:
IDS 100 is an introductory course designed to
orient students to college-level study and life, to survey the
various ways of thinking and knowing among the liberal arts and
sciences, and to introduce them to interdisciplinarity in
problem-solving.
IDS100 COURSE
OBJECTIVES
What does social
responsibility mean, and how does an educated person act in a
socially responsible manner?
In this course,
we will begin seeking answers to this complex question by looking at
the diversity of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the college level. We
will discuss how these disciplines vary in their viewpoints on the
world and their approaches to this and other problems, with special
attention given to the value of interdisciplinarity when confronting
such issues.
We will also
devote our attention to the nature of college-level study. In
particular, we will include the college’s expectations for good
writing, strategies for successful collaborative learning,
evaluation and effective use of electronic and print media, and
services available on campus to aid you in your studies.
We will focus our
effort in such a way so that when you finish this course:
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You can demonstrate how
current issues have a direct relationship on you, other people,
and the environment.
-
You can describe your
ethical or moral responsibilities related to these current
issues.
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You can identify your
concerns and dilemmas when making a decision about these ethical
or moral responsibilities.
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You can demonstrate how
your viewpoints and those of others are influenced by social,
cultural, religious, and spiritual experiences.
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You can adapt your
communication skills to a specific audience, and responsibly use
standard college-level written, oral and visual conventions to
do so.
-
You can distinguish among
categories of information and support your thinking with
appropriate evidence.
TEACHING METHODOLOGY/COURSE REQUIREMENTS
There is no one
class format which will predominate during our meetings. Sometimes
a traditional lecture format will be used; sometimes we will hold
discussions; sometimes we will do a video presentation or even a
short trip outside the classroom. Most of the time, you can expect
some combination of all these. Sometimes you and your classmates
will actually be the ones leading the class, and that means coming
to class prepared and being actively engaged in all class matters.
Attendance is extremely important!
If you need special
accommodation due to a documented learning disability or physical
impairment, please see the instructor.
METHOD OF EVALUATION/ TESTING CRITERIA AND VALUE
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Grading
Scale: |
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A |
|
= |
90 |
-
|
100 |
|
Papers (including Pre-assignment) |
45% |
|
|
B |
|
= |
80 |
- |
89 |
|
Class
Participation |
20% |
|
|
C |
|
= |
70 |
- |
79 |
|
Final paper |
35% |
|
|
D |
|
= |
60 |
- |
69 |
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|
|
|
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F |
|
= |
0 |
|
59 |
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MSJ Undergraduate
Learning Outcomes and Performance Indicators (LO/PIs):
The purpose of the
undergraduate Core Curriculum at the Mount is to provide you with a
broad range of learning experiences in addition to studies specific
to your academic major. Our hope is that these experiences will
create in you a habit of mind conducive to a lifetime of informed
learning in a diverse society. This Foundations Seminar is the
first step in that process. By the time you graduate, you will have
completed a variety of studies allowing you to demonstrate your
learning in all the areas below. These areas also correspond to the
categories in your e-portfolio into which you will put examples of
your work.
Communication
Write and speak effectively:
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Speak using language appropriate to the audience;
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Write using language appropriate to the audience;
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Document sources properly;
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Construct a message that is relevant to its purpose.
Critical Thinking
Develop an appropriate response to a problem or question:
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Describe the ambiguous nature of an issue;
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Distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information;
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Utilize data to evaluate a problem or question;
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Support a position with appropriate evidence.
Sociocultural Relationships
Understand the nature of human cultures:
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Describe the influence of cultural diversity within a society;
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Identify bias within a culture;
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Explain how religious values influence a society;
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Describe causes of cultural change.
Ethics
Understand ethical responsibility from the perspective of duty,
consequences, or virtue:
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Define your personal ethical responsibilities;
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Describe your professional ethical responsibilities;
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Explain how Catholic teaching emphasizes social justice and social
responsibility;
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Illustrate how values inform our ethical decisions.
Interdisciplinarity
Solve a problem by integrating the perspectives of multiple
disciplines:
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State the views of multiple disciplines on an issue;
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Compare views from multiple disciplines;
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Create a solution to a problem by integrating the perspectives of
multiple disciplines.
Definition of
Interdisciplinarity
Interdisciplinary studies (IDS) may be defined as a process of
answering a question, solving a problem, or addressing a topic that
is too broad or complex to be dealt with adequately by a single
discipline or profession… IDS draws on disciplinary perspectives
and integrates their insights through construction of a more
comprehensive perspective. (Klein & Newell, “Advancing
Interdisciplinary Studies,” in Gaff & Ratcliff, Handbook of the
Undergraduate Curriculum.) Note to students: if you are still
reading this syllabus, draw a triangle near your signature at its
end.
Citizenship
Recognize your responsibility to the community and the world:
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Define your responsibilities as a citizen of the local community;
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Define your responsibilities as a citizen of the global community;
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Describe the relationship between community and world issues;
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Evaluate your own involvement as a citizen.
OTHER COURSE
INFORMATION
Course Assignments
Assignments are
expected to be free of errors in spelling and grammar, and printed
in standard 12-point font. There are no make-up or extra credit
assignments in this class.
We will ask you to
place at least 2 course assignments into your e-portfolio. You will
be provided with an ePortfolio account and trained on how to develop
your e-portfolio during the semester.
Classroom
Etiquette
Out of respect for
your fellow students, all cell phones, beepers, pagers, etc. must
remain off while class is in session except in case of emergency
with prior notification of the instructor. Other than for
specific in-class assignments designated by the instructor, laptops
must remain off. At no time is instant messaging, texting, etc.
acceptable in class.
Course
Communication
The instructor will
communicate with you via your MSJ email account. Please check it
regularly!
Late Assignments
Assignments will be
collected at the beginning of class. Any assignment not turned in
at that time will be considered late. Late assignments will be
penalized 10% and will only be accepted one class meeting after the
assignment due date.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected
to attend all classes. One week’s worth of
absences (i.e. three absences for a MWF class, two for a TR
class, and one for a regular evening or accelerated class) will
result in a lowering of the final grade.
Academic Honesty
Please refer to the
relevant section on this subject in the current undergraduate
catalog - (http://www.msj.edu/academics/courses/coursecat/undg0607/acad_policies/responsibility).
You should already
know that plagiarism, cheating, or dishonesty are all unacceptable
in any class. If anything of the sort occurs in this class, the
student(s) involved will be dealt with to the full extent of college
policy.
Although you may ask
another student to help you solve a problem with your assignment,
you are not allowed to work together and turn in the same assignment
for credit. If students submit the same assignment, each student
will receive zero credit.
Plagiarism.
Plagiarism involves using someone else’s ideas without acknowledging
the source. In writing papers we often use and synthesize others’
ideas. One key to avoiding plagiarism is to acknowledge the
author(s). Acknowledging author(s) in the text of a paper or essay
and then listing references at the end of the paper is usually
sufficient. Format or style in referencing can vary -- the important
thing is to acknowledge the ideas of others and thus not mislead.
See
http://inside.msj.edu/departments/library/help/basics/citemanuals/
for help using APA, MLA, and other citation manuals.
Instructor
availability
Please contact me by
email any time you have questions or problems, or call my office
(244-4351). I frequently check my email. My goal is to reply to
email messages within 24 hours.
Some Grading
Definitions
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What Makes an “A” Paper? |
What Makes a “B” Paper? |
What Makes a “C” Paper? |
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Argument is well organized and
shows true insight. |
Argument is generally well
organized. |
Argument is not well organized. |
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Paper is analytical, not merely
descriptive. |
Treatment is solid, but not
necessarily striking. |
Paper is mostly descriptive
instead of analytical |
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Writing is clear, sometimes even
inventive. |
Writing is usually clear. |
Writing is not clear.
|
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There are no or very few
mechanical errors. |
Includes some mechanical errors. |
There are many mechanical errors. |
See also the Guide for Improving
Writing on pages 10-12 of this syllabus.
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What Defines “A” Participation? |
What Defines “B” Participation? |
What Defines “C” Participation? |
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Contribute at least once per
class. Do not miss more than 2 classes. |
Contribute at least once per
week. |
Attend class regularly but do not
actively participate. |
Class Schedule
Note: the instructor reserves the
right to amend and revise this schedule based on convenience,
unforeseen events, scheduling difficulties, or whimsy.
8/26 I will present an introduction to the
course. We will go over the course syllabus. I will ask class
members to give each other words of advice. HAND IN PRE-ASSIGNMENT.
8/28 We will discuss Gardens of Water.
9/2 Janna Hoglund from the library will
discuss cultural differences between her native Russia and America.
Watch, then discuss “Strange Fruit” video in class. LOPI link:
Sociocultural Relationships/Interdisciplinarity.
9/4 Susan Brogden, Director of the
Learning Center, will give a presentation. We will discuss
plagiarism and copyright issues. HAND IN PAPER ON “STRANGE FRUIT.”
9/9 Sr. Judith Metz will take us on a
tour of the Sr. of Charity Mother House. In preparation for 9/11
class, read the articles: “The Same People” by Anna Quindlen, and
“Are Gay Relationships Different?” by John Cloud. These are
available on electronic reserve at the MSJ library.
http://reserves.msj.edu/ The password for this class is
dickens.
9/11 We will discuss dating and marriage,
including same sex marriage, interracial marriage, etc. . LOPI
link: Sociocultural Relationships. HAND IN PAPER ON WHAT YOU LEARNED
ON THE SR OF CHARITY TOUR. Also, for the 9/18 presentation by Linda
Pruss, complete the Studywell health assessment at this URL:
http://inside.msj.edu/campus/wellness/health/assessment/index.asp
The assessment takes about 10-15 minutes and is completed and
submitted on line. Please assign random ID numbers with your name
for students to use in place of their names so the information
remains anonymous.(For example: Hunter 1-26; Bessler 1-20; Brinks
1-12; etc).
9/16 Karl Zuelke, Director of the Writing
Center, will give a presentation. I will also contribute some
thoughts on writing. We will do an in-class writing exercise.
9/18 Linda Pruss, Student Health Services
Coordinator, will give a presentation. We will also discuss mental
health and how to cope with stress. HAND IN PAPER ABOUT EITHER ONE
OF YOUR PARENTS.
9/23 We will listen to and discuss a number
of protest songs. LOPI link: Interdisciplinarity/Sociocultural
Relationships.
9/25 We will discuss animal rights and our
individual diets. We will watch “Meet Your Meat.” LOPI link:
Ethics/Citizenship. HAND IN PAPER ON ONE OF THE ASSIGNED PROTEST
SONGS.
9/30 Irene Richardson will discuss the
advising process.
10/2 We will watch and discuss “Bowling for
Columbine.” HAND IN PAPER ON VOLUNTEERISM.
10/7 We will meet at MSJ President Tony
Aretz’s residence on Delhi Road.
10/8 Alan Drew, author of Gardens of
Water, will be on campus to address the freshman class. Attendance
at his talk is mandatory.
10/9 Rick Sacksteder, a counselor, will
discuss the Wellness Center. In preparation for 10/14, read “The
Glass Half Empty” by Anna Quindlen on ereserves. HAND IN PAPER ON
YOUR THOUGHTS ON AMERICAN VIOLENCE.
10/14 We will discuss the issue of women’s
rights. LOPI link: Citizenship/Sociocultural Relationships.
10/16 We will discuss whether or not the
media is too powerful. Is the media biased? We will also discuss
the most memorable event we’ve seen on TV. LOPI link:
Communication/Critical Thinking. HAND IN PAPER ON HILLARY CLINTON.
10/21 The Coordinator of Campus Activities
and Leadership, will give a presentation. Note: this position is
vacant as of 8/2008. We may have another topic for this class.
10/23 We will discuss a number of famous
paintings or other artworks. LOPI link: Communication. HAND IN
PAPER ON HOW EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES BENEFIT ONE’S EDUCATION.
10/28 We will discuss ethical dilemmas and
address questions such as: Is library filtering of public PCs
acceptable? Is torturing suspected terrorists acceptable? Should
libraries contain books which argue that the Holocaust never
happened? LOPI link: Ethics/Critical Thinking.
10/30 Obama or McCain? We will discuss the
candidates for the office of President of the United States. In
preparation for 11/4, read “The Wounded Cormorant” by Liam
O’Flaherty, and “Action Will Be Taken” by Heinrich Böll.
Both are on ereserves. HAND IN “DESCRIBE YOUR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS TO
AN ALIEN” PAPER.
11/4 We will discuss two short stories: “The
Wounded Cormorant” by Liam O’Flaherty, and “Action Will Be Taken” by
Heinrich Böll. LOPI link:
Sociocultural Relationships/Communication.
11/6 This is Homelessness Awareness Week.
We will watch a DVD, “Homeless in America” in class. LOPI link:
Citizenship/Sociocultural Relationships. HAND IN YOUR SHORT STORY.
11/11 Sr. Mary Bookser, Service Learning
Coordinator, will give a presentation. We will watch and discuss
“Homer the Heretic”, a Simpsons episode.
11/13 Kim Hunter, Director of Instructional
Technology, will give a presentation on True Outcomes, the
electronic portfolio you will use at MSJ. HAND IN PAPER ON
AMERICA’S DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL.
11/18 Larisa Wright, Coordinator of
Multicultural Affairs, will give a presentation. Afterwards we will
discuss various aspects of multiculturalism.
11/20 Tricia Bacon, Career Services
Coordinator, will give a presentation on Career and Experiential
Education. Afterwards we will discuss what you hope to get our of
your career. HAND IN PAPER ON THE PROS AND CONS OF THE INTERNET.
11/25 Joe O’Neil, Coordinator of Student
Technology and Media Services, will give a presentation on computer
etiquette.
11/27 Thanksgiving break—no class.
12/2 We will watch and discuss “Supersize
Me.” HAND IN THE PAPER YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO REWRITE.
12/4 Jan Hirst, Cooperative Education
Coordinator, will give a presentation.
ASSIGNED PAPERS
Note: ALL PAPERS ARE TO BE ATTACHED
TO EMAILS ADDRESSED TO ME
paul_jenkins@mail.msj.edu
#1 Strange Fruit. Reaction paper. What did
you find most compelling about the video we watched? What did you
learn from it? Length= 500-600 words. Due on 9/4. LOPI link:
Communication/Sociocultural Relationships/Interdisciplinarity.
#2 What I Learned from the Motherhouse Tour.
Reaction paper. What did you learn about the College that you
didn’t previously know. Length=500-600 words. Due on 9/11. LOPI
link: Citizenship.
#3 Write a biographical description of your
mother or father. Length=500-600 words. Due on 9/18. LOPI link:
Communication.
#4 Protest Song Analysis. Analyze one of the
protest songs we listened to in class. Was it effective? How did
the musical accompaniment accent the song’s message? Length=500-600
words. Due on 9/25. LOPI link: Communication/Sociocultural
Relationships.
#5 Why is Volunteerism important to any
society? Opinion paper. Length=500-600 words. Due on 10/2. LOPI
link: Citizenship.
#6 Why Is America Such a Violent Society?
Opinion paper. Statistics indicate that America’s crime rate is
higher than most other Western nations. Speculate why you think
this may be. Length=500-600 words. Due on 10/9. LOPI link:
Sociocultural Relationships.
#7 Obama over Clinton—did the fact that Obama
was chosen as the Democratic nominee indicate that Americans are
apparently comfortable with having an African-American president,
but still uncomfortable with having a female president? Opinion
paper. Length=500-600 words. Due on 10/16. LOPI link:
Citizenship.
#8 Why are Extracurricular Activities Important
on a College Campus (or Why They Aren’t). Opinion paper.
Length=500-600 words. Due on 10/23. LOPI link: Citizenship.
#9 Describe your religious beliefs to an alien
(from another planet). Length=600-700 words. Due on 10/30. LOPI
link: Communication/Citizenship.
#10 Write a short story describing any aspect
of work. It can be in the 1st or 3rd person.
It can be entirely fictional, or it can be autobiographical. Be
sure to Include a conflict in the story—don’t simply describe an
experience at work. Length=700-1,000 words. Due on 11/6.
LOPI link: Communication.
#11 How should America solve its dependence on
foreign oil? Opinion paper. Length=500-600 words. Due on 11/13.
LOPI link: Communication/Critical Thinking.
#12 Has The Internet Has Been Good For
Society, or Detrimental to Society? Opinion paper. Length=500-600
words. Due on 11/20. LOPI link: Communication/Critical
Thinking/Sociocultural Relationships.
#13 Rewrite one of your papers handed in
earlier in the semester. It should be approximately the same length
as the original. Due on 12/2.
Final Paper
Choose one of the following topics, or come up with
your own (instructor approval required): capital punishment,
steroid abuse, euthanasia, abortion, genetic engineering.
Research paper. Length=1,500 words minimum. Explore both sides
of your topic and state your own position on the issue.
Guide for
Improving Writing (revised
8/24/06)
Department of
Humanities, College of Mount St. Joseph, Cincinnati, Ohio
Focus
Purpose/audience
Effective:
Paper stays focused on its purpose and shows awareness of audience.
Adequate:
Paper has firm purpose but may
not affect audience as planned.
Needs work:
Only in a few places does the
paper find its purpose and audience.
Assignment
Effective: Paper
demonstrates mastery of the assigned form of the piece of
writing (e.g., genre, length, use of appropriate
sources).
Adequate:
Paper demonstrates partial
understanding of the demands of the form of the assigned piece of
writing.
Needs work:
Only in a few instances does
the paper meet the requirements of the form of the assigned piece of
writing.
Planning/invention/revision
Effective: Final paper
shows strong evidence of planning in early stages of the writing
process (e.g., prewriting such as notes, lists, brainstorming, and
drafts) and revision throughout.
Adequate:
Final paper shows some
evidence of planning in early stages of the writing process (e.g.,
prewriting such as notes, lists, brainstorming, drafts) and some
revision.
Needs work:
Final paper shows little or no
evidence of planning in early stages of the writing process (e.g.,
prewriting such as notes, lists, brainstorming, and drafts) and no
revision.
Thesis
Effective: Student’s
thesis takes a creative and critical stance toward an arguable and
supportable position.
Adequate:
Student’s thesis is factual but is limited in its potential for
support.
Needs work:
Student’s thesis is vague or
not arguable.
Organization and
development
Development
Effective:
Main points are clearly and fully
developed. The piece includes appropriate supporting details,
such as examples, illustrations, statistics, and testimony.
Paragraph length and development are appropriate to the purpose of
the writing.
Adequate:
Main points are clear but developed
in a limited manner. Supporting details are vague or weak. Some
paragraphs are underdeveloped or padded.
Needs work:
Main points are
underdeveloped, often a series of generalizations with few or
inappropriate supporting details. Paragraphs are frequently
underdeveloped or padded.
Internal
logic/coherence
Effective:
The order of and connection between
ideas are clear to the reader. Students structure paragraphs and
sentences that are appropriate to the aim of the writing and provide
cues to the reader through transitions.
Adequate:
The paper has an obvious structure,
but connections between ideas are not fully developed.
Needs work:
There is no clear structure to
the piece, and connections between ideas are hard to follow.
Style/Voice
Clarity
Effective: Word
choice reflects familiarity with the language of the discipline.
Writer chooses words for precise denotation and
connotation. Writer’s creative and independent voice comes through
within the context of the assignment.
Adequate:
Writer shows some familiarity with
the language of the discipline. Word choices are sometimes imprecise
and inaccurate. Writer’s independent voice occasionally surfaces.
Needs work:
Writer shows little or no
familiarity with the language of the discipline. Word choices are
frequently imprecise or inaccurate. Tone and style are indistinct
from other pieces of writing.
Conciseness
Effective:
Writer uses words and sentence
constructions that convey his/her message.
Adequate:
Writer uses more words than needed to
convey the meaning. Sentence constructions are often repetitive and
blur the writer’s meaning.
Needs work:
Writer has little control over
sentence variety. The writer doesn’t realize that he or she is using
unnecessary words; writer uses too many clichés and colloquialisms
for the particular occasion of writing.
Sentence
structure
Effective:
Writer arranges words effectively.
Sentence structure is clear, and varied in length and structure
according to the writer’s purpose and emphasis.
Adequate:
Writer generally uses words
precisely. The range of words is limited, and diction is sometimes
monotonous. Sentence structure is clear, but not varied in length
and structure according to the writer’s purpose and emphasis.
Needs work:
Writer often misuses or
confuses words. Writer does not yet demonstrate a full understanding
of the basic grammar of the sentence.
Editing and
proofreading
Spelling,
punctuation, and mechanics
Effective:
The paper is mechanically correct
except for minor errors in spelling, punctuation, or formatting.
Adequate:
The paper shows some consistency in
applying conventions of spelling, punctuation, or formatting.
Needs work:
The paper includes frequent
misspellings that could have been avoided by use of a computer spell
check, followed by the writer’s proofing. Frequent punctuation
errors blur the writer’s intent and meaning.
Please sign and
return to me by 9/2.
I have read and understand the syllabus
Name
___________________________________
Date ________________
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