Course Information |
Course Description: |
| This course, a three credit-hour class on the web, is the second half of a two-semester survey of world history. It partially fulfills the world history requirement for the colleges and universities within the Tennessee Board of Regents system, as well as a number of other private and public colleges and universities inside and outside the state. It covers the history of the world from the sixteenth century. The units are topical in nature and are organized in a chronological format. Class will be conducted entirely online with the exception of the two text books which students will purchase. Online facilities for this class will include a discussion and announcements bulletin board, email, the class syllabus, powerpoint lectures, outline of readings, and study sheets. Students will submit all course work through email or online. |
Course Objectives: |
| Students will demonstrate the ability to:
-Analyze historical facts and interpretations concerning human history since 1500.
-Analyze and compare political, geographic, economic, social, cultural, religious, and intellectual institutions, structures and processes across the range of historical periods and cultures in human history since 1500.
-Recognize and articulate the diversity of human experience across the range of historical periods and the complexities of cultures and societies in human history since 1500.
-Draw on historical perspectives from human history since 1500 to evaluate contemporary problems and issues.
-Analyze the contributions to the contemporary world of past cultures and societies in human history from 1500. |
Prerequisites and Corequisites: |
| Satisfactory completion of DSPW 0800 and DSPR 0800 or appropriate entrance exam scores. Students are required to read and write at a level to be expected from a college freshman. |
| Course Topics: |
| CLASS INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS MODERN HISTORY?
CRYSTALLIZATION OF THE ATLANTICAND THE PACIFIC WORLDS
THE STAGNATION AND DECLINE OF THE MUSLIM ASIAN LAND EMPIRES
EAST ASIAN INSULARITY
THE TRANSFORMATION OF EUROPE: THE REFORMATION, ABSOLUTISM AND CONSTITUTIONALISM,
THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION, AND THE ENLIGHTENMENT
THE AMERICAN AND FRENCH REVOLUTIONS, 1750-1850
INDUSTRIALIZATION AND THE WEST
NATIONALISM AND LIBERALISM IN THE WEST
IMPERIALISM IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
THE GREAT WAR
THE SECOND WORLD WAR AND THE HOLOCAUST
THE COLD WAR
THE TRIUMPHS AND CHALLENGES OF DECOLONIZATION
A NEW WORLD: THE EMERGENCE OF A GLOBAL CIVILIZATION |
Textbooks, Supplementary Materials, Hardware and Software Requirements |
| Required Textbooks: |
Information about required texts is available at the Virtual Bookstore: http://rodp.bkstr.com/ |
| Hardware Requirements: |
486 Pentium class computer (recommended), 8Mb RAM (16 Mb or more recommended), 28K modem (56K recommended). |
| Software Requirements: |
| No specific software is required but the links to the printer friendly outlines do require Adobe Acrobat Reader. To obtain a current version of Acrobat Reader, visit the following website: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html |
Instructor Information |
| Please see the separate page inside the course to find instructor contact information as well as a statement of virtual office hours and other communication information. |
Assessment and Grading |
| Assessments: |
| Learning outcomes will be assessed through the following methods. There will be fourteen multiple-choice question quizzes and three tests. The three tests will consist of multiple-choice questions and a choice of an essay question. The exams will cover material from the online materials and the readings. Each of these tests will cover primarily the material in that particular third of the course. The final exam will consist of the third test, and a comprehensive essay test covering all the material in the course.
Each of the three term tests will consist of five terms. You will write a paragraph about each term, defining it and explaining its significance. In the essay section of the tests you will write on one of two essay questions that I will choose at the time of each test. The two essay questions on each test will be taken from a list of five to six questions provided to you on the course web site. In your essay, I expect you to provide information from both the online lectures and the required readings. You will not be allowed to use any books, notes, calculators, computers, or other aids in any of the tests. Study sheets for the exams will be available on the web site.
There also will be fifteen online discussion questions, one for each unit of the course. You will participate by responding to these discussion questions with postings. You are required to post at least one response in each of ten of the fifteen unit discussions, for a required total of ten postings. Each posting for each unit discussion should respond to the discussion question and to other students’ postings, unless otherwise specified in individual discussion posting assignments. The length of each posting can be from one sentence to several pages. If you express your points in each of your postings fully and completely, length will take care of itself. |
| Testing Procedures: |
| Students must consult the exam policies page located on the course home page for information regarding testing procedures for all scheduled exams. |
| Evaluation and Grading Procedures: |
| Your course grade will be based on the sum of the ten highest scores for discussion postings in response to fifteen online discussion questions, the sum of the ten highest module quiz scores from fourteen module quizzes, the two highest scores from the three exams, and the score from the comprehensive essay exam. In order to pass the course, you must post responses to ten of the fifteen online discussion questions, take ten of the fourteen module quizzes, take two of the three essay exams, and the comprehensive essay exam, regardless of your scores short of meeting this requirement. See the “Exams” page or the "Calendar" for exam dates.
| Point Distribution: |
|
| Class discussion participation score |
50 points |
|
-Each posting is worth potentially 5 points. |
|
|
-Your score will be based on the scores from your ten highest postings. |
|
| Ten highest module quiz scores (5 pts each) |
50 points |
| Two highest exam scores (50 pts each) |
100 points |
|
| Comprehensive Final Exam |
50 points |
| Total points possible for the course |
250 points |
I also take effort and improvement into account in the assignment of course grades. In the assignment of the semester grade, a student's effort and/or improvement may make up for a shortage of one or two points toward a particular grade. In my evaluation of effort and improvement I consider the completion of optional exams and alternative assignments, improvement in test scores during the semester, and participation in online class discussions. |
| Grading Scale: |
Your course grade will be based on the number of points that you earn in the class.
| 225-250 points |
---A |
| 200-224 points |
---B |
| 175-199 points |
---C |
| 150-174 points |
---D |
| Below 149 points |
---F |
|
Assignments and Participation |
| Policy on Completion of the ReadingAssignments: |
| Completion of the reading assignments is important. You are responsible for all assigned readings in the text, according to the “Reading Assignment Sheet”. These readings will provide necessary background for the lectures. If you are having difficulties keeping up with the class or the reading assignments, please contact me. |
| Class Participation: |
| Students must participate in class discussions through posting responses to the weekly discussion topics and the responses of other students. Students are strongly encouraged to contact the instructor concerning any questions they may have about the course. |
| Punctuality: |
| Students should consult the course calendar page, located on the course home page, for due dates of written assignments and dates for proctored exams. |
| Alternative Assignments: |
| In addition to the work outlined above, there also may be the opportunity for alternative assignments which can be completed to replace the lower scores of one or more of the required exams. However, the scores of alternative assignments cannot be used to take the place of exams not taken. |
| Withdrawal Information: |
| If you decide to drop this class and fail to do so by the deadline, you will receive a grade for the course based on the work you completed, or did not complete. |
Guidelines for Communications |
| Email: |
- Always include a subject line.
- Remember without facial expressions some comments may be taken the wrong way. Be careful in wording your emails. Use of emoticons might be helpful in some cases.
- Use standard fonts.
- Do not send large attachments without permission.
- Special formatting such as centering, audio messages, tables, html, etc. should be avoided unless necessary to complete an assignment or other communication.
- Respect the privacy of other class members.
|
| Discussion Groups: |
- Review the discussion threads thoroughly before entering the discussion. Be a lurker then a discussant.
- Try to maintain threads by using the "Reply" button rather starting a new topic.
- Do not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion group. Be respectful of other’s ideas.
- Be patient and read the comments of other group members thoroughly before entering your remarks.
- Be cooperative with group leaders in completing assigned tasks.
- Be positive and constructive in group discussions.
- Respond in a thoughtful and timely manner.
|
| Chat: |
- Introduce yourself to the other learners in the chat session.
- Be polite. Choose your words carefully. Do not use derogatory statements.
- Be concise in responding to others in the chat session.
- Be prepared to open the chat session at the scheduled time.
- Be constructive in your comments and suggestion
|
| Web Resources: |
|
Library |
| The Tennessee Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in the Regents Degree Program. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading must be included in all courses. |
Students With Disabilities |
| Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with their home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor. |
Syllabus Changes |
| The instructor reserves the left to make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are necessitated during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify students of such changes both by individual email communication and posting both notification and nature of change(s) on the course bulletin board. |
Technical Support |
| Telephone Support: |
If you are having any technical problems with the course,please contact the AskRODP Help Desk by calling
1-866-550-7637(toll free)
or go to the AskRODP website at:
http://askrodp.custhelp.com/ |
THE STAGNATION AND DECLINE OF THE MUSLIM ASIAN LAND EMPIRES
EAST ASIAN INSULARITY
THE TRANSFORMATION OF EUROPE: THE REFORMATION, ABSOLUTISM AND CONSTITUTIONALISM,
THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION, AND THE ENLIGHTENMENT
THE AMERICAN AND FRENCH REVOLUTIONS, 1750-1850
INDUSTRIALIZATION AND THE WEST
NATIONALISM AND LIBERALISM IN THE WEST
IMPERIALISM IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
THE GREAT WAR
THE SECOND WORLD WAR AND THE HOLOCAUST
THE COLD WAR
THE TRIUMPHS AND CHALLENGES OF DECOLONIZATION
A NEW WORLD: THE EMERGENCE OF A GLOBAL CIVILIZATION
|
|
Textbooks, Supplementary Materials, Hardware and Software Requirements
|
|
Required Textbooks:
|
|
|
Hardware Requirements:
|
486 Pentium class computer (recommended), 8Mb RAM (16 Mb or more recommended), 28K modem (56K recommended).
|
|
Software Requirements:
|
|
|
Instructor Information
|
Please see the separate page inside the course to find instructor contact information as well as a statement of virtual office hours and other communication information.
|
|
Assessment and Grading
|
|
Assessments:
|
Learning outcomes will be assessed through the following methods. There will be three term identification tests and three essay tests on the online materials and the readings. Each of these term and essay tests will cover primarily the material in that particular third of the course. The final exam will consist of the third term and essay tests, and a comprehensive essay test covering all the material in the course.
Each of the three term tests will consist of five terms. You will write a paragraph about each term, defining it and explaining its significance. In the essay tests you will write on one of two essay questions that I will choose at the time of each test. The two essay questions on each essay test will be taken from a list of five to six questions provided to you on the course web site. In your term and essay tests I expect you to provide information from both the lectures and the texts. You will not be allowed to use any books, notes, calculators, computers, or other aids in any of the tests. Study sheets for the term identification and essay exams will be available on the web site.
There also will be fifteen online discussion questions, one for each unit of the course. You will participate by responding to these discussion questions with postings. You are required to post at least one comment in each of ten of the fifteen unit discussions, for a required total of ten postings. Each posting for each unit discussion should respond to the discussion question and to other students' postings, unless otherwise specified in individual discussion posting assignments. The length of each posting can be from one sentence to several pages. If you express your points in each of your postings fully and completely, length will take care of itself.
|
|
Testing Procedures:
|
Students must consult the exam policies page located on the course home page for information regarding testing procedures for all scheduled exams.
|
|
Evaluation and Grading Procedures:
|
Your course grade will be based on the sum of the ten highest scores for discussion postings in response to
fifteen online discussion questions, the sum of the ten highest module quiz
scores from fourteen module quizzes, the two highest scores from the three exams, and the score from the comprehensive essay exam. In order to pass the course, you must post responses to ten of the fifteen online discussion questions,
take ten of the fourteen module quizzes, take two of the three essay exams, and the comprehensive essay exam, regardless of your scores short of meeting this requirement. See
the "Exams" page or the "Calendar" for exam dates.
| Point Distribution: | | | Class discussion participation score | 50 points | | -Each posting is worth potentially 5 points. | | | -Your score will be based on the scores from your ten highest postings. | | | Ten
highest module quiz scores (5 pts each) | 50 points | | Two highest exam scores (50 pts each) | 100
points | | | Comprehensive Final Exam | 50
points | | Total points possible for the course | 250 points |
I also take effort and improvement into account in the assignment of course grades. In the assignment of the semester grade, a student's effort and/or improvement may make up for a shortage of one or two points toward a particular grade. In my evaluation of effort and improvement I consider the completion of optional exams and alternative assignments, improvement in test scores during the semester, and participation in online class discussions.
|
|
Grading Scale:
|
Your course grade will be based on the number of points that you earn in the class. 225-250
points | ---A
| | 200-224 points | ---B
| | 175-199 points | ---C
| | 150-174 points | ---D
| | Below 149 points | ---F |
|
|
Assignments and Participation
|
|
Policy on Completion of the ReadingAssignments:
|
Completion of the reading assignments is important. You are responsible for all assigned readings in the text, according to the "Reading Assignment Sheet". These readings will provide necessary background for the lectures. If you are having difficulties keeping up with the class or the reading assignments, please contact me.
|
|
Class Participation:
|
Students must participate in class discussions through posting responses to the weekly discussion topics and the responses of other students. Students are strongly encouraged to contact the instructor concerning any questions they may have about the course.
|
|
Punctuality:
|
Students should consult the course calendar page, located on the course home page, for due dates of written assignments and dates for proctored exams.
|
|
Alternative Assignments:
|
In addition to the work outlined above, there also may be the opportunity for alternative assignments which can be completed to replace the lower scores of one or more of the required exams. However, the scores of alternative assignments cannot be used to take the place of exams not taken.
|
|
Withdrawal Information:
|
If you decide to drop this class and fail to do so by the deadline, you will receive a grade for the course based on the work you completed, or did not complete.
|
|
Guidelines for Communications
|
|
Email:
|
- Always include a subject line.
- Remember without facial expressions some comments may be taken the wrong way. Be careful in wording your emails. Use of emoticons might be helpful in some cases.
- Use standard fonts.
- Do not send large attachments without permission.
- Special formatting such as centering, audio messages, tables, html, etc. should be avoided unless necessary to complete an assignment or other communication.
- Respect the privacy of other class members.
|
|
Discussion Groups:
|
- Review the discussion threads thoroughly before entering the discussion. Be a lurker then a discussant.
- Try to maintain threads by using the "Reply" button rather starting a new topic.
- Do not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion group. Be respectful of other's ideas.
- Be patient and read the comments of other group members thoroughly before entering your remarks.
- Be cooperative with group leaders in completing assigned tasks.
- Be positive and constructive in group discussions.
- Respond in a thoughtful and timely manner.
|
|
Chat:
|
- Introduce yourself to the other learners in the chat session.
- Be polite. Choose your words carefully. Do not use derogatory statements.
- Be concise in responding to others in the chat session.
- Be prepared to open the chat session at the scheduled time.
- Be constructive in your comments and suggestion
|
|
Web Resources:
|
|
|
|
Library
|
The Tennessee Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in the Regents Degree Program. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading must be included in all courses.
|
|
Students With Disabilities
|
Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with their home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.
|
|
Syllabus Changes
|
The instructor reserves the left to make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are necessitated during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify students of such changes both by individual email communication and posting both notification and nature of change(s) on the course bulletin board.
|
|
Technical Support
|
|
Telephone Support:
|
If you are having any technical problems with the course,please contact the AskRODP Help Desk by calling
1-866-550-7637(toll free)
or go to the AskRODP website at:
http://askrodp.custhelp.com
|