South Dakota State University College of General Studies GS 362 Interdisciplinary Inquiry and Integration (2 credits) Section S01D (online delivery) Spring 2012 Syllabus

Professor: Kathie Erdman, Ed.D. Office: Medary Commons 122 (upper level), Brookings, SD USA Office Hours: Tuesday & Thursdays, 9:00 – 11:00 am (Central Time). Other times may be arranged as needed. Please call 605-688-4153 to arrange alternative meeting times. E-mail: Please use D2L mail to correspond regarding the course. Skype name: kathie.erdman Phone: 605-688-4153 (appointments), 605-688-6296 (direct line) Home Phone: 605-428-7128

Required Texts: You may order the required textbooks from the SDSU bookstore at http://www.sdstatebookstore.com or call 800-985-8771. Books are also available at other online booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble or publisher’s websites.

1. Repko, A. F. (2012). Interdisciplinary Research: Process and Theory (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing. ISBN: 978-1-4129-8877-3 2. American Psychological Association. (2009). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. ISBN: 978-1-4338-0561-5 (second printing or later)

Course Description: This course builds on the foundational knowledge base of GS 262, Foundations of Interdisciplinary Studies through application and integration of interdisciplinary insights into complex problem solving. Students will develop critical research and writing skills.

Prerequisites: GS 262, Foundations of Interdisciplinary Studies, is a required prerequisite. Completion of Engl 201, Composition II, is strongly encouraged prior to enrolling.

Technical Requirements: Students must have internet access several times each week to participate in the course and conduct required research of academic library materials. The course requires viewing content and using various communication tools in D2L. Students will be required to participate in web conferencing or travel to campus for the proposal presentation and consults. Students will need a webcam if using web conferencing for the proposal presentation. Assignments will be submitted in Word or RTF file format. Content will be posted in html, PDF or Word format.

Student Learning Outcomes: 1. Learners will utilize formal APA and oral communication styles. 2. Learners will apply interdisciplinary research methods through case study analysis and independent research. 3. Learners will evaluate and synthesize disciplinary insights in a problem-based research review. 4. Learners will practice interdisciplinary research methods in the development of a problem statement, literature review, and data collection methodology to explore a complex problem. (Data collection, reporting of results, and conclusions will be developed in GS 492 Capstone).

IDEA Objectives (used with Standardized Teaching Evaluations): Essential Objectives 1. IDEA #8. Developing skill in expressing myself orally or in writing. [link to SLO ] 2. IDEA #9. Learning how to find and use resources for answering questions or solving problems. [link to SLO ] Important Objectives 3. IDEA # 4. Developing specific skills, competencies, and points of view needed by professionals in the field most closely related to this course. [link to SLO] 4. IDEA #11. Learning to analyze and critically evaluate ideas, arguments, and points of view. [link to SLO ]

Instructional Methods: This course meets in D2L from January 12 to May 6. The class format includes readings from required texts and supplemental materials, discussions, extensive writing assignments, group and individual homework assignments. Students should expect to spend 12- 15 hours per week on this class including the reading, online discussions, research, writing, and consultation sessions. Most work can be done any time by the stated deadline. However, students are required to schedule an individual consultation with the instructor and present the final proposal to a panel of GS faculty which will be scheduled at a specific time. Students must have a web cam if presenting via web conferencing.

Participation Policy: A significant portion of your grade is for participation in online discussions and in submitting regular drafts of your proposal sections. To this end, it is important that you log in at least three times each week to prepare adequately for interactions and other assignments. Discussion posts run on a Tuesday/Friday cycle where initial thoughts are due Tuesday and a response to the group is due Friday. All other assignments are due Sunday unless otherwise noted to accommodate holidays. Rubrics are provided for assignments in the dropbox. The discussion grading rubric is posted in the Getting Started widget on the course homepage.

Suggested Navigation and Time Management: See the course schedule for a summary of due dates. Specific requirements each week are posted in the course Content. Always review the news on the homepage then click on content to get started each week. The weekly content modules outline the readings and preparation work and will link you directly to the related discussions and assignments.

No later Take these actions than Friday Look ahead at the next two week’s content modules to note the work required. Define your time-management strategy to ensure you can complete required work on time. Monday Actively read the required chapter(s) and supplemental readings provided in D2L Content. Annotate the readings to enhance comprehension and recall. Tuesday Post your initial thoughts to the discussion blog and continue working on activities assigned in D2L Content and Dropbox. Friday Post a follow up/reaction to the discussion blog, continue working on activities or assignments, contact the professor as needed for clarification. Sunday Submit activities and/or assignments to the drop box, look ahead to the next week.

Late Policy: Late assignments will not be accepted. Manage your deadlines by reading the weekly course content and planning other obligations accordingly. Please contact the professor if you have any questions about deadlines or expectations. Required Sessions: Sign up for your preferred times during the first two weeks of class.

Research Proposal Presentation. Students must attend one meeting to present their proposal during finals week. This presentation is similar to the final research presentation and exit interview which is required in GS 479 Capstone. Group presentation times will be established early in the semester. Students will have the option to attend in person or via webconferencing.

Individual Proposal Consultation. Students must complete an individual consultation with the instructor to review the final draft of the research proposal prior to the final presentation. Consults may be done via phone, Skype or Elluminate.

Course Requirements and Assignments: Assignment Points Possible Online Discussions 110 Study Guides 220 Formative Writing: Problem Statement 10 Proposal Ch. 1-Draft 30 Annotated Bibliography 50 Proposal Ch. 3-Draft 30 Research Proposal Draft 100 Proposal Presentation 100 Consultation 50 Final Research Proposal 200 Total 900

Grading Scale 810 - 900 A 720 - 809 B 630 - 719 C 540 - 629 D Below 540 F

Expectations for Writing: This course requires extensive research and writing. While the same rubric is used throughout the course, the points attached and the nature of the feedback provided will grow with each assignment. It is assumed you will use the feedback provided to continually improve your writing and research skills throughout the semester. To this end, students are encouraged to seek individual consultations as needed. Two individual consults are required.

All written assignments should follow the format prescribed in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th Ed. This includes discussion blogs as well as formal reports.

Turnaround time for grading: I believe feedback is essential for student learning and that students need feedback (not just a grade) in order to improve their thinking and writing skills. Therefore, students can expect prompt feedback on their work. The timeline will vary depending upon the assignment. Generally, discussion grades will be posted by Tuesday following the discussion week. For larger writing assignments (due on Sundays), feedback will be posted no later than Thursday the following week. Expect a lot of feedback on your writing. Students are encouraged to seek additional consults on their work before submitting it or even after feedback is provided.

Policy on Incompletes: The grade of “I” (incomplete) is given at the sole discretion of the instructor. Students may request an incomplete grade in recognition of the fact that an exceptional circumstance prevented them from completing all the work in that course by semester’s end. The instructor will work with a student requesting an incomplete only if the student has satisfactorily completed a major part of the work at the time of the exceptional circumstance. Exceptional circumstances are those situations that are not a foreseeable part of living such as injury accidents, sudden prolonged illness, etc. Requests for Incompletes must be accompanied by documentation of the circumstance. If an Incomplete is deemed appropriate, a mutually-agreeable completion contract will be drafted between the instructor and the student. Students are allowed one semester to complete the course work.

Dropping/Withdrawals: Sometimes a change in circumstances prohibits a student from continuing as expected in a course. It is advisable to visit with the professor and your academic advisor before dropping this required course. If dropping this course is deemed necessary, the student is responsible for completing the process on WebAdvisor. Those dropping all courses (withdrawing from the entire semester) must contact Donna Arter in the Records & Registration Office.

Academic Integrity: Students are expected to maintain high standards of academic integrity in all work for this course. If it is determined that a student has engaged in any form of academic dishonesty, an individual consultation will be scheduled with the instructor and the college dean/assistant to the dean. Penalties for academic dishonesty may include receiving a zero for the assignment, an “F” in the course or other penalty imposed by SDSU’s student conduct committee as appropriate to the nature of the offense. Academic integrity includes ethical behaviors such as doing your own work, avoiding plagiarism, refusing to allow others to use your work, and engaging in proper netiquette for a classroom experience.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: If you feel like you may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability, contact the Office of Disability Services in a timely manner to discuss your specific needs. You can reach Disability Services by phone at 605- 688-4504 (voice) or 605-688-4986 (TTD), or stop by the Wintrode Student Success Center, Room 125. Ms. Nancy Crooks will assist with coordinating reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.

Academic Freedom and Responsibility Policy Statement: Students are responsible for learning the content of any course of study in which they are enrolled. Under Board of Regents and University policy, student academic performance shall be evaluated solely on an academic basis and students should be free to take reasoned exception to the data or views offered in any course of study. Students who believe that an academic evaluation is unrelated to academic standards but is related instead to judgment of their personal opinion or conduct should first contact the instructor of the course. If a student remains unsatisfied, the student may contact the department head and/or college which offers the class to initiate a review of the evaluation.