Course structure

Participation

This course applies an activity based learning model which relies heavily on your active participation in the classroom. You are expected to complete the assigned readings, watch the assigned videos, and come prepared to engage the class in meaningful conversation and activities. You are encouraged to use your knowledge and experiences to build, test, and modify your concepts through dialogues with the instructor and fellow students. Much of your learning will occur as you prepare for and participation in discussions about the course material. The course material has been carefully chosen to bring the real world into the class discussion while also illustrating fundamental concepts.

Preparation for class

Complete all of the assigned reading. There will be no study guides created by the instructor.  Instead, week by week, students are strongly encouraged to create their own study guide which they will use during both in-class discussions and in preparation for exams.  Please download the following document:

 

 

This document includes links to each of your weekly readings.  As you complete your readings add your own personal notes to this document.  In addition, answer the following questions:

• What are three key points you took away from each assigned reading?
• What are three important details?
• A few fill in the blank questions to be filled in as you complete the readings.

As we begin discussing topics in class, students will be called upon at random to share what they have captured in their study guide.  In addition, shortly before each exam, students will work on activities where they will share information from their study guides (no pictures permitted) with classmates and discuss what they took away from each of the assigned readings.

Class

Class will be a mixture of class discussions and class activities.  Do not expect to be taught the material in the assigned readings.  We will assume that you have completed the assigned readings and are prepared to discuss the readings intelligently.  Through this discussion you will gain a deeper and more meaningful understanding of the core concepts.  If you do not complete the assigned readings you will have trouble following along with the class discussion;  you will not get as much out of class and you may find the exams more challenging. In-class activities provide the core of our activity based learning model.  These activities are designed to be completed in 50 minutes or less and help a student develop a more genuine understanding of the class materials. Each activity has a corresponding worksheet.  Each student must hand in a completed worksheet to receive credit for completing the activity. Worksheets are graded based on displaying due diligence. If the student hands in a completed worksheet and has clearly been engaged in the activity they receive full credit. If a student is absent from class, does not hand in a worksheet or clearly had not done their due diligence, they receive zero credit for the activity.