Valencia College
Valencia College
Introduction to Humanities
Fall 2017
HUM 2250 – CRN 15434
ONLINE FORMAT
Quizzes are online
Dr. Keefe
Contact Information / Course Access / Textbooks /Blackboard email is preferred. In our class, click the Messages tab. Create a new message and select “Jennifer Keefe (Instructor)” as the “To.” In an emergency you may email me at but Blackboard mail is preferred.
Office Hours: I answer emails within 24-36 hours (Monday-Friday). My office is at Osceola Campus, building 3, 3-19F. Please call or email before coming.
If you send me a phone number and time to call you via Blackboard messages we can also talk by phone. You can also call my office at (407) 582-4823. / Prerequisites:None
Course Access: at learn.valenciacollege.edu. Make sure you are using Mozilla Firefox for your web browser and not Safari or Internet Explorer. Firefox can be found by doing a google search for “Mozilla Firefox download.” You will not see all the elements of the class in any other web browser.
Once you are in Firefox, find the Blackboard online course system at learn.valenciacollege.edu you will log in with your Atlas username and password. / Fiero, Gloria Landmarks in Humanities, Fourth Edition. You MUST have the Valencia version of the book
THE REQUIRED TEXTS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE CAMPUS BOOKSTORE
Other Readings: will be posted to the learning modules on our Online Courses page.
***IMPORTANT NOTE: Think of this syllabus as a contract. You are agreeing to complete the planned assignments and tests online. I am agreeing to provide you with a positive learning environment and the tools you need to understand the lessons we are covering. REFER BACK to this syllabus throughout the semester to know what you should be working on and what my expectations are***
This course is a basic introduction to the Humanities. We will look at core concepts of how the arts, civilization, and society interact. The Course Catalog states that the class focuses on central concepts, historical development, and fundamental nature of philosophy, architecture, music, religion and art. Concepts from such disciplines are integrated with contemporary American culture.
Through this course, you will also strengthen your reading, English language, note taking, essay writing, and time management skills. It is my hope you will also have a clearer view of the difference between fact and opinion.
Valencia Student Core Competencies:Valencia's Student Core Competencies are complex abilities that are essential to lifelong success. These general competencies can be applied in many contexts and must be developed over a lifetime. They specify how learning can be expressed and assessed in practice. They enable students and faculty to set learning goals and assess learning within and across the many disciplines of human inquiry. For more information, go to www.valenciacollege.edu.
The core competencies include: /
Think – Think clearly, critically, and creatively. Analyze, synthesize, integrate and evaluate in many domains of human inquiry.
Value - Make reasonable value judgments and responsible commitments.
Communicate - Communicate with different audiences using varied means.
Act - Act purposefully, respectfully, and responsibly.
My Philosophy: Some of us learn by reading. Others learn by listening. Most of us learn by doing. My philosophy is that the best way for me to reach the greatest number of you is to combine online lectures with discussion groups, projects, individual “field trips” (online), and textbook readings to make the class both informative and interesting. Like all things, if you come into the class with a positive attitude, you will come out of it with more than if you come into it believing you “have” to do this.
Attendance Policy: You are expected to do the online work because you do not have to come to class. You are expected to complete assignments on time, or by the end of the late grace period (24 hours past the due date listed on the syllabus). Please do not email me missed assignments.
Anyone who does not log into the class for 8 consecutive days to check messages and announcements and submit assignments will be contacted by the professor. If you fail to reply in the time designated in the email you may be withdrawn from the class at the Professor’s discretion.
Time Commitment: You should expect to spend an “average” of six to eight hours a week on course-related activities. I strongly recommend that during the first week of a two-week Module you open each of the assignments due the second week and get a sense of what I am looking for from them before you read. This will help you in formulating your answers to those questions.
MISSED ASSIGNMENTS DO HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON YOUR GRADE, SO PLEASE WITHDRAW YOURSELF IF YOU DO NOT PLAN TO CONTINUE WITH THE CLASS.
IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM THAT PREVENTS YOU FROM ACCESSING THE CLASS, TALK TO ME FIRST – DO NOT JUST DISAPPEAR. IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE ONLINE COURSE SYSTEM, CONTACT THE SYSTEM TECH SUPPORT AT or (407) 582-5600. You must get a trouble ticket number in order to be allowed to make up assignments. Contact Blackboard Help with any technical issue, including Lockdown Browser issues. You may want to cc me on any emails you exchange with them.
There are deadlines for each of the Learning Modules in the class, and if you don’t complete a module/assignment I will not reopen it unless there is a documented problem with the Valencia Online Course system (i.e. a system failure or a problem for which you called the Help Desk on your own and got a Trouble Ticket number, which you need to provide to me.) I encourage you to set aside a specific day and time each week to concentrate on this class. All deadlines are outlined in the Course Schedule, which is part of the syllabus.
Course Requirements:
Throughout the Class: Do not use www.wikipedia.com or about.com or similar sources, including Cliff’s Notes or Sparknotes, as a source for information as I do not consider them to be reliable. Buy the book, read the book, and do the online interactive activities and readings.
Do not plagiarize in this class. Do not simply look things up on the Internet and write an assignment from them.
Quizzes: Assessments are handled via biweekly quizzes that are due when the modules close. Each module is a two-week experience and I strongly discourage you from waiting until the Sunday night before he work is due to complete it. If you have a problem with the quizzes I cannot guarantee I will be getting online and able to help you on Sunday night. Quiz formats may include, but are not limited to: multiple choice, matching, and short answer. All tests are timed by the online course system but you will have to keep track of your own test time and make sure you submit the test on time. Tests submitted more than five minutes past the limit will receive a minimum 10 point score deduction.
The Online Assignments- Each Module corresponds to a particular chapter, or part of a chapter, in the textbook, with the exception of the Start Here module. For each chapter-related Module, there will be an exercise for you to complete BEFORE you read the textbook. I would recommend completing that one the day the Module opens and then doing the reading before completing the rest of the work. Each assignment has a specific due date and Modules do close on time. All assignments open on Mondays at 9:00 a.m. EST. The assignments close the week after they open. The last module closes at 9: 00 am on Monday, December 11th, with comments due on your classmates’ projects by December 13th at 9am.
All assignments should be answered in complete sentences, unless otherwise specified. Most can be answered in a short paragraph. I recommend you keep a copy of all assignment responses for the class. That said, please do not upload every assignment as a Word document.
Within the online assignment modules you will also encounter Discussions with your peers. These Discussions are mandatory for the class. Please post an appropriate number of posts and replies (usually one of each) by the due date. I do take points off for late discussion posts. Your “parent” post should offer a meaningful reply to the question, explaining your response in a minimum of 100 words. Your “reply” to a classmate should offer insight into why you agree or disagree with their ideas. Do not simply state “I agree.” Your reply should explain your agreement/disagreement in detail and be at least 50 words. Instructions on how to create a post and reply are in the first discussion in the Start Here module.
Photography Project: You will complete the Photography Project in three parts. Directions are in the bottom of the module that opens September 25th and will be posted in the announcements and in the Photography module. Part 1 is the Powerpoint itself. The second part is the written statement. Part 3 involves viewing and discussing your classmates’ work.
Assignment Policy: **If you are unable to complete a Module during the allotted time, and you notify me before the Module closes of a valid emergency situation, an exception may be possible.
Special Dates /Keep track of important dates for the College, including exam sessions and vacations at http://www.valenciacollege.edu/calendar/ or on the Valencia College website at www.valenciacollege.edu.
Classes begin - August 28, 2017
College Closed – September 4, October 10, November 22-26
Drop Deadline – September 5th, 11:59pm
No Show Reporting Period – September 6-15 - If you have not completed the Start Here module or posted anything to the first learning module, on The Humanities and Art by September 11th, I will drop you from the class. If you post something and decide not to stay, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTACT ME AND TO WITHDRAW.
Withdrawal Deadline for "W" grade – November 10th
Final Module Due – 12/11 at 9:00 am
Grading Scale / Grade Composition /
A 1585-1426 / Online Activities = 985 points (various dates)
B 1425-1268 / Quizzes (50 points each, except syllabus quiz, which is 60 points) due at 9am on 9/4, 9/18, 10/2, 10/9, 10/23, 11/6, 11/20, 12/4, 12/13
C 1267-1110 / Photography project = 100 points (12/4) Discussion replies 50 points.
D 1109-950
950 and below F
Academic Honesty: This course is designed to make you a more educated consumer of the arts. Becoming more educated means presenting your own thoughts and ideas, and not the work of others, even if your thoughts are not popular or even if you do not believe they are the right ideas. For many questions, there are no wrong answers. If you are caught cheating on an assignment or quiz, you will receive a zero, which cannot be made up. Plagiarism, and any other form of academic dishonesty, even on an assignment, can earn you a failing grade for the class. The punishment will be based on the severity of the offense.
Other Points Of Interest:
• We are an online class and there will be a lot of online discussions with people you don’t really know and don’t get to meet face to face; therefore, in this class you must be respectful of others’ opinions. Feel free to disagree, but do it in an appropriate way.
If you have a disability or other issue that requires special dispensation, notify me before the second week of class. THIS INCLUDES THE NEED FOR EXTRA TIME TAKING TIMED TESTS. DO NOT ASK ME TO GIVE YOU EXTRA TIME FOR A TEST UNTIL YOU HAVE PROVIDED ME WITH OSD DOCUMENTATION. All requests will be kept in confidence. Students with disabilities who qualify for academic accommodations must provide a letter from the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and discuss specific needs with me before expecting accommodations. OSD determines accommodations based on appropriate documentation of disabilities. Contact them on the Lake Nona Campus or any campus. They can email me your paperwork at .
• Do not forward your Atlas or Blackboard emails to another account as attachments or emails could be lost.
HOMEWORK IN THE SCHEDULE BELOW INDICATES WHAT IS TO BE DONE BEFORE THE DATE LISTED. ALL TIMES LISTED ARE EASTERN STANDARD TIME.
*The course schedule (next page) is subject to change at any time at the Professor’s discretion.
HUM 1020 Fall 2017 Course Schedule
Dates (open-close) / Module Name / Readings / What’s Due / Points /8/28/17-9/4/17 9am
8/28/17-9/11/17 9am / Start Here
——————-
Defining the Humanities & Defining Art / See Start Here Module
——————-
See readings page in module. These readings are online and not in the textbook. / 3 Discussions
1 Assignment
Syllabus Quiz
——————-
Explore Before Reading
Due 9/4
5 Assignments
1 Discussion – due 9/11 at 9am
1 Quiz – due 9/18 at 9am / 140 total
——————-
205 total
9/11/17-9/25/17 9am / Criticizing Art / See readings page in module. These readings are online and not in the textbook.
**You have a choice of how to complete this module. Please only do it one way! / Explore Before Reading
Due 9/18
4 assignments
1 Discussion – due 9/25 at 9am
1 Quiz due 10/2 at 9am
**there is an extra credit assignment in this module / 120 total
9/25/17 – 10/2/17
9am
***THIS IS A ONE WEEK MODULE*** / Early Civilizations / Ch 1 of Fiero Book / Explore Before Reading
3 Assignments
1 Discussion due 10/2 at 9am
1 Quiz – due 10/9 at 9am / 130 total
10/2/17 – 10/16/17
9am / Ancient Greece / Ch 2 of Fiero Book / Explore Before Reading
Due 10/9
4 Assignments
1 Discussion – due 10/16 at 9am