Class Structure and Participation

You are expected to be an active part of the learning process. In the first part of each class session, we’ll discuss the first set of readings, followed by a related in-class activity. We will take a brief break between topics. In the second part of each class session, we’ll discuss the second set of readings, followed again by a related in-class activity.

Preparation for class

Carefully read the assigned material prior to each class. You may find it helpful to take notes on the major points of each reading, noting how the readings for that session relate to each other.

Most Thursdays there will be a short pre-class quiz, taken online and due BEFORE the start of class (check the course schedule). The quiz will cover all readings to be discussed that week. Links to the quizzes will be published weekly, on Thursdays after each class, through a post to our class Community Site, and will be due the following Thursday before your next class.

You must complete the quiz by yourself before the start of class. It is “open book” – you can use the readings to take the quiz.

Participation during class

Students are expected to come to classes prepared, having read the assignments PRIOR to each Thursday class. We will typically start each session with “opening” questions about the assigned readings. Students called on to answer should be able to summarize the key issues, opportunities, and challenges in the reading. All students should be prepared to be answer these questions. While you’re not expected to say something in every single class meeting, simply showing up for class does not qualify as participation.

Participation between classes

To keep you engaged and thinking about the material between classes, you will respond to a weekly discussion question posted to the class site. Leave an answer to the question as a comment. There will be two types of weekly discussion questions:

• Questions where you reflect on the material and give your opinion or relate it to your own experiences. You can also respond to other students’ comments, as long as you also add your own insight to the discussion.
• Questions where you share an interesting article with the rest of the class that ties into the course material with an explanation of why you found it interesting.

You are expected to contribute something to each week’s discussion.