BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY FALL 2009
COURSE SYLLABUS
ANTH102: INTRODUCTION TO CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
ONLINE SECTION 4037
Kendall House, Ph.D
Instructor
Welcome to the new semester! Please treat this syllabus as your first reading assignment. It is filled with information that you really need to know. If you have any questions regarding anything discussed here please contact me.
I am not
employed as a full-time faculty member at Boise State. This matters to you
because it means I am usually working off campus. I cannot be on
campus outside my scheduled times. However, we can work around that through
email and chat.
1
EMAIL ME at khouse@boisestate.edu.
My policy is to answer every single email that you send so long as you
identify yourself. Please always include your name and class: I will not
respond to anonymous emails. Remember I am teaching multiple sections so
let me know your section (e.g., “8:40 class”). I will usually reply within 24 hours
unless I have notified the class otherwise.
2
GOOGLE CHAT: Our campus email system has a chat function. I
will have my chat open during my regular office hours, Monday and Wednesday
9:45 – 10:30 am. If a student is visiting me in the office, my setting will
say busy and I will not reply until I am free. If you want to chat at a
different time we will have to arrange for it via email.
3
VISIT FACE TO FACE: If you wish to talk in person, come to
the anthropology adjunct office in the Hemingway Center (see the map – it is just east of the
library, just west of the SUB). The adjunct office is downstairs. I will be
there from 9:45 – 10:30 am on Monday and Wednesday only.
To go directly to the different segments
of the syllabus, simply click on the links below. To return to this menu, click
on the Return to Menu link at the end of each
segment. Use the hyperlinks
in this syllabus to navigate.
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This course is conducted entirely online with our activities centering on our Blackboard website. You will read selections from books offline, and you may initially compose your written assignments on a pad of paper, but otherwise all activities will be completed and submitted online. Other than my very limited campus office hours, there is no face-to-face component to this course. You can complete the entire course without ever setting foot on the Boise State campus.
Expect to interact! You should expect to interact more frequently and extensively with other students than would normally be the case in a large introductory face-to-face (F2F) class. You will also be producing more material that can be viewed by other students than would normally be the case, particularly in your discussion contributions and in your cultural scene Blog (see course learning activities ).
Expect to stay busy! Note that there are no major exams. Instead, there are ongoing assignments every week over the length of the semester: quizzes to take, and comments to make on the discussion boards and Blog. You will have to keep at it each week. Expect to visit the Blackboard website several times distributed over the length of each week, particularly during discussion weeks.
Note that this course does not teach Internet skills except incidentally (see the skills section). Students enrolling in a fully online course are expected to possess sufficient skills to utilize the materials. However, Boise State does offer students training and support for using Blackboard. Do NOT take this online class if you are not comfortable in an online environment.
Lastly, it is important to realize
that online courses take at least as much time as F2F classes. You can save
time in terms of travel. And you will have more flexibility over the time of
day you participate. But plan on investing at least 8-10 hours a week in this
class if you want to do well, just like a regular F2F class. And during
discussion weeks, plan to spend at least 90 minutes participating in online
discussions.
This class will consist of a few basic learning activities, which will repeat in predictable patterns each week this semester (I have worked to make the mechanics of the course as straightforward and predictable as possible! Let me know if you have any suggestions on clarifications).
At the start of each week (generally on Wednesday mornings) I will post the new assignments (Assignments folder on Blackboard) indicating what needs to be accomplished that week. You will note there are separate tabs on our website for Quizzes, Small Group Discussions, and the Blog. These tabs allow you to access portions of the assignments without proceeding through the assignments tabs again. But you will want to begin by carefully studying your work for the week. So start each week by clicking on Assignments!
Regular participation is essential! To perform adequately, you will need to log in to the Blackboard website several times each week to complete these assignments. You can read ahead, but you cannot participate ahead of the rest of the class except within the weekly schedule. In addition, if you fall behind and do not participate by the deadlines, your opportunity to participate will be voided. Hence, ability and willingness to maintain excellent, punctual participation over the length of the semester is a basic expectation. You will need to be able and willing to access our Blackboard site several times weekly, distributed over the length of the week. Every week there will be work to complete. While you can work on these at times of your choosing, there are limits to this. You cannot work ahead of the class as a whole, nor can you fall behind. You will have some flexibility regarding the days of the week and the times of day that you do your work, but you will need to participate in the course on an ongoing, regular basis.
If you know now that you cannot participate in this class each week of the coming term, please consider withdrawing. Discussions and assignments will have deadlines, and it is important not to fall behind.
What happens if your life gets messed up and you miss participating for one week? I have built some flexibility into the course, for details click here. But as in a face to face class, prolonged absence, for whatever reason, may make it advisable to withdraw. If you miss more than two weeks, it will be a problem. This holds for any class you enroll in, whether online or not. For further discussion of your options click here or send me an email.
What if I miss a deadline on an assignment? I may make singular exceptions for unusual cases, but in general you should expect a zero if you fail to complete an assignment on time. What if I repeatedly miss deadlines (more than once)? If you manage to miss participating in discussions, completing quizzes, and submitting assignments repeatedly (more than twice), you may end up failing the course. Blaming your problems on technical issues will work only if they are demonstrable and system wide. The best way to avoid missed deadlines is to do your work ahead of time, before the last minute. This way, if technical problems do arise, they can be overcome without missing the assignment.
So, what should you expect to learn by the time you complete this course? Core courses serve both to widen your horizons beyond any single discipline, and develop your general skills as a scholar. By the end of this course, you should minimally be able to do the following:
1. List, define and critically compare the basic methods that anthropologists use to study human cultures using concrete examples.
2. List, define, and critically compare key methodological and theoretical differences between humanistic and scientific approaches to conceptualizing and studying culture.
3. Summarize and discuss how human cultures vary along key dimensions such as food systems, language, religion, and social and political organization.
4. Make critical comparisons between your own culture and those of other peoples we have studied during this course.
5. Discuss and give examples of how globalization relates to cultural differences and the basic environmental and political challenges we face in the coming century.
In the course of learning the content of this course, you will also develop your general skills, including:
1. Organizing and analyzing information derived from diverse sources including readings, websites, and direct observations.
2. Critically evaluating and contrasting opposing intellectual perspectives
3. Observing and analyzing events in the world around you from a cultural perspective
4. Composing a critical, analytical, academic essay.
There are three required books and one required online film. You will need them to do well. This is most easily accomplished if you own personal copies. If you plan to purchase them at the campus bookstore, purchase them early, because the bookstore returns books to the publishers and they will not be available later in the semester.
You may also be able to order your books from online
bookstores. Wherever you find them, it is your responsibility to have these
books at hand. Not having books will not excuse you from any assignments in
any fashion, and I do not have extra copies on hand to lend.
1. Peoples, James & Garrick Bailey 2009 Humanity:
Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
8th edition. ISBN 9780495508748
This is the main text for the class. You can also purchase this book as an e-Book chapter by chapter or in its entirety from iChapters.com at substantial savings (note that an e-Book cannot be resold at the end of the semester).
2. Lee, Richard B
2003 The Dobe Ju/’hoansi 3rd edition ISBN 0155063332 OR the 1993 2nd edition ISBN
0030322847
(the title of this book is pronounced Doe – bee zoot – wah – zee). I have to order the newer, 3rd edition, but you can use the older 2nd edition equally well, and it is very inexpensive online. A new chapter has been added to the 3rd edition, but otherwise the content is identical.
3. Lansing, J. Stephen 1995 The Balinese ISBN 0155002406
There is only one edition of this book. I recommend checking for an inexpensive copy online.
4. Lansing, Stephen 2007 A Perfect Order: A Thousand Years in Bali ASIN B001KW0KNO DVD Film
For the 5th and final module of the course, you will need to view this film. It can be downloaded for 7 days via Amazon for $1.99. (I have also indicated sites in the websites tab where you can view this film for free.
Because this course is delivered over the Internet access to an up-to-date computer with a Pentium processor and broadband Internet connection is strongly recommended. In addition, you will minimally need the following software: Adobe Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, an audio / video player, Microsoft Word or compatible, and Microsoft Excel or compatible. Other software plug-ins and downloads may prove necessary to view media files. Usually, sites requiring additional software will provide links allowing you to download it.
You will need to establish and use an account at Blackboard to access the course site. This will automatically be provided upon your enrollment.
Computer competence and Internet skills are also needed: minimally, this includes the ability to surf or browse the Internet and send email, and utilize common word processing, spreadsheet, video, audio, and other software. If you have never used the Internet an online course is not a good choice. Get some experience, and then come back. As noted above, this course does not teach Internet skills except incidentally. Students enrolling in a fully online course are expected to possess sufficient skills to utilize the materials. However, Boise State does offer students training and support for using Blackboard. Do NOT take this online class if you are not comfortable in an online environment. You can find technical assistance by email or by calling (208) 426-2583. For more information and links visit Blackboard at B.S.U.
Your grade in this class will be
distributed over four learning activities: class
discussions, a cultural scene Blog, quizzes, and formal essays.
Here is the way it breaks down:
During 11 weeks you will take quizzes (the point value of all quizzes combined will be 10 points weekly. Your final grade will drop your lowest week, leaving 100 points total potential points.
During six weeks you will make Blog entries (30 points each, or 150 points total, based on your five best entries)
During six weeks you will participate in small group discussions (30 points each, 150 points total, based on your five best discussions)
During four weeks you will prepare two essays (100 points each, 200 points total)
During the first week of class I
will post grading rubrics for the Blog and discussions in the Syllabus folder.
As part of your essay assignments I will post grading rubrics for your essays
in this folder as well.
Notice that your grade will be
based on activities that you undertake rather than exams. Indeed,
there will be no exams, only quizzes.
Grades for the course as a whole
will be based on the following scale:
600-580 = A+
579-561 = A
560-540 = A-
____________________________________________________________
539-520 = B+
519-500 = B
499-480 = B-
____________________________________________________________
479-460 = C+
459-430 = C
429-400 = C-
____________________________________________________________
399-330 = D
____________________________________________________________
329 and below = F
Campus Climate: The Importance of Being
Polite and Respectful
Boise State is a
learning community based on mutual respect. Please review the Statement of
Shared Values at Boise State University. Remember that the same behavioral
expectations that hold in a face-to-face classroom also hold in an online
environment. It is very important to treat your classmates with respect and
consideration.
While we are
expected to intellectually engage and challenge one another, and explore ideas
that not everyone will find palatable, it is not acceptable to insult,
intimidate, ridicule or abuse other students (or faculty and staff).
Challenging and questioning ideas and opinions is fine. No one in a university
environment has a right to intellectual isolation. However, name-calling is
never acceptable. Remember that you are in a classroom setting, that you are
not anonymous, and behave accordingly. Both students and instructors can file
complaints regarding inappropriate behavior via the Office of Student Rights
and Responsibilities. Violating conduct expectations can result in your
expulsion from this course or from the university. Please review the Student Conduct
Code at Boise State University.
Because this is an
online course, there are two differences from regular courses that are
important to consider.
The first difference
is that, unlike a live classroom, you can listen to music, talk to friends, or
do what you like as you complete your assignments and participate online.
Because of the Internet, none of this will distract your peers. You can leave your
cell phone on! You can start, stop, and re-start your work!
However, a second
difference is that unacceptable behavior in an online environment is recorded
and materially fixed. Moreover, in online discussions, words can be
misunderstood quite easily. Put some thought into what you are saying before
you write it. Make this your motto: DO NO HARM!
Academic Integrity: The Importance of
Being Honest
No form of academic
dishonesty will be tolerated in this class. In an online environment, you are
largely governed by your own honor, but you should expect any instances of
dishonesty might become known and will have consequences. Do the right thing.
Do your own work, and do not allow others to do your work nor complete the work
of others. Don’t plagiarize: attribute all words and ideas to their sources
(remember that it is very easy for me to Google your written work to see if you
have copied and pasted it from Internet sources). Any material that you have
not created should be referenced to the source where you obtained it. And don’t
misrepresent your circumstances – and this includes claiming technical failures
to excuse a late assignment. I will post further guidelines online.
Any observed
academic dishonesty will be reported to the Office of Student Rights and
Responsibilities. Depending on the circumstances, penalties can include
failing this course, or suspension /
expulsion from the university. Students who observe academic dishonesty on the
part of others should contact their instructor privately, but students as well
as faculty can file complaints for academic dishonesty.
Personal Crisis / Late Withdrawals /
Incompletes
Unfortunately we all
occasionally experience personal or family tragedies or severe illnesses that
interfere with our ability to complete our work. In this online class it is
very important to participate each week, and not fall behind (I have built some
flexibility into the course by dropping some scores – see Grading).
In some instances I may be able to work with you to maintain your
participation. However if life circumstances prevent your participation for
more than two weeks, a withdrawal from the course may be the most reasonable
accommodation. If the last date for withdrawal has passed, you will need to
file a petition for late withdrawal with the Associate
Dean of the College of Social Sciences and Public Affairs. The forms needed
are available from the Office
of the Registrar (click on the link titled “Dropping a class after the
deadline”).
What about an
incomplete? Incomplete
grades are often misunderstood. They apply only to the final weeks of the
course, and are only available to students with passing grades and solid
attendance prior to the final weeks. See the registrar’s
discussion. In general, incompletes are rare events and should be avoided
if possible. An incomplete does not in any way allow you to retake any portion
of the course. It simply defines a deadline for completing the closing
assignments of the course. In my experience, students usually are better off not
taking incompletes. It is very hard to come back to an assignment a month or
more after the course has ended. Much gets forgotten! Incompletes are at my
discretion and are not automatically granted. Contact me.
Students needing
accommodation must work through the Boise State Disability Resource Center. I am very
willing to work with you via Disability Services to arrive at a classroom
setting and practices that work for you. Feel encouraged to visit with me about
anything I can do to help.
When you are online
on our classroom website, you will need to enable cookies and scripts that
track your activities. However, you should also be aware that information you
disclose in an online environment can often escape in unintended ways. Please
review Boise State’s Student
Online Privacy Notice in this regard.
Release of student
information is governed by the
FERPA Act. In compliance with this act, I cannot provide information to you
regarding your grades or performance unless you contact me using your official
Boise State email address. I also cannot provide academic information to your
parents, spouse, employer, or anyone else unless you provide me with a written
release. If you need me to write a letter on your behalf, please provide me
with a written release specifying what you are enabling me to do. Otherwise I
cannot comply.
Instructor’s Right to Revise this
Syllabus
I reserve the right
to modify and revise this syllabus as needed during the semester. All such
revisions will be (1) posted in the Blackboard Announcements and (2)
distributed to your Blackboard linked email account via Blackboard’s email
function.
Printing or Saving this Syllabus
This syllabus is an
ephemeral document. I will be maintain it on Blackboard during the current
academic term. Preserving access to a copy of this syllabus after the current
academic term has expired is the responsibility of the student. If you want to
access this syllabus after this term ends please print and / or save a copy for
yourself now. Why might you want to do this? It is often the case that students
transferring between universities must present a syllabus from their courses to
receive transfer credit.