CUSP 101/107: Discovery Core I (The Human Place in Nature)/Autumn 2007

Course Syllabus

Prof. Michael Goldberg
mgoldberg@uwb.edu
Office Hours: Mondays 2-4, Thursdays 12;30-1:30 and by appt.
UWB-1 Room 119 Office phone: 425-352-5362
faculty home page: http://faculty.washington.edu/mlg/
Course page: http://faculty.washington.edu/mlg//courses/107A07

Course Description
Learning Goals/Skills Outcomes of the Course
Assignments
Consideration
Class Communication
Academic Dishonesty
Students with Disabilities
Required Books and Reserve Readings
Class Schedule

Guest Instructors:
Sarah Leadley, Head, Reference and Instructional Services, UWB/CCC Library (leadley@u.washington.edu; 425-352-5387)
Charles Jackels, Professor and Director, Computer Systems and Software
David Stokes, Associate Professor, Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences (Environmental Science)
Kevin Laverty, Associate Professor, Business (Management)

Students are responsible for all information on this syllabus, including information linked to web sites. 

Course Description

As student in a Discovery Core course, you should be prepared to think critically and imaginatively, to take intellectual risks, to do some creative exploring. We will spend a substantial amount of time building the skills, abilities and habits of mind necessary for you to succeed as an undergraduate and beyond—as a citizen and worker and human being. Because this Discovery Core is also a composition course, you will be writing every week. The great advantage of combining your Discovery Core with a composition course is that you will be able to integrate the skills-building feature of the Discovery Core with the writing instruction. This will allow you to integrate a variety of intellectual capacities creating a synergistic effect that will position you well for your classes in the future. Throughout the process, I will provide you with a variety of tools and documents to support your learning.

As a composition course, you will be asked to complete one assignment a week. You will receive in-depth comments on each assignment, including a scoring rubric attached to specific criteria that will help you pinpoint your areas of strengths and weakness. You will also create a weekly learning plan that identifies steps you will take to improve. You will be graded using a portfolio process which will gauge your overall learning experience, emphasizing your command of learning outcomes at the end of the course. Several times during the course, you will be asked to reflect on the progress you have made thus far, and the end of the course, the progress you hope to make as you continue your educational career. This approach lessens the penalty on students who come to the course with less preparation but who are able to work hard and meet the course standards by the end. At the same time, you will find that you need to apply yourself to all of the assignments, since they get progressively more challenging while building on the skills and lessons (including learning from mistakes) in earlier assignments.

As a "hybrid" or "blended" course (the term is interchangable—I prefer "hybrid"), half of your "official" class time (what the credit hour is attached to) is spent online. This means that you should expect to spend roughly four hours a week online, sometimes more and sometimes less, NOT COUNTING THE WRITING ASSIGNMENTS. Most of this time will be spent reading other postings and responding informally, although these assignments will have specific criteria and will be graded (see Assignments below). The hybrid approach enables you to have a more flexible schedule and to communicate in an environment where you can take the time to consider your responses (as opposed to the classroom). However, it does create an effect which educators like to describe as "no back of the room." That is, you can't hide in an online classroom. Your lack of preparation will show. At the same time, because I can provide constant feedback in this environment, it is often easier to improve one's performance online than in class discussion. Also, the informal writing you do online will support your work in the Composition course: research has demonstrated that effective informal writing assignments improve student performance on formal assignments. Finally, research has also demonstrated that combining in-class and online discussion strengthens the learning community and increases peer learning opportunities.

All Discovery Cores are 10 credits—twice the amount of normal courses. As a 10-credit course, you are in effect taking two courses at one time. If you think of CUSP 101/107 as two courses, it is very manageable. (The 107 component has reading assignments but few formal writing assignments; the 101 component's reading is limited to sections from the New McGraw-Hill Handbook.) But if you think of it as only one course, it will seem overwhelming. During the second week, we will discuss time management and generate study schedules for the course.

Our specific area of inquiry for this course is "the human place in nature." We will be considering how people consider themselves both a part of nature and totally separate from it, and the impact of this contradictory understanding. We will be looking specifically at the problem of human (especially American) consumption, and we will be considering ways in which individuals can change their relationship with the environment, and to what degree these individual actions can have a meaningful impact. In our group research projects (which will culminate in a poster session), we will examine the trade-offs and contradictions in specific actions (biofuels, "industrial organic," hybrid SUVs, "green" mansions, etc.). In order to create a public space for our writing and to chronicle our work and discoveries, we will make use of two class blogs (students will not need to use their real names when posting.) One class blog will contain at least one revised writing assignment from each student as well as their individual report on changing environmental practices. The second blog will chronicle our different attempts to change our relationship with the earth in a positive way, applying the critical insights from the course and inviting others outside the course to share their experiences. To help us apply different disciplinary perspectives to our explorations, we will be visiting by three professors from different programs at UWB. You will also have a chance to discuss their work and their perspectives on their programs.

Learning Goals: Composition (CUSP 101)

1. Identify, comprehend and describe the major components of a wide variety of texts, especially scholarly sources.
2. Use the entire writing process to create effective prose for the appropriate context.
3. Write with care and precision while also taking appropriate intellectual risks.
4. Produce complex, persuasive argument within a scholarly context
5. Develop knowledge of the rhetorical conventions of different types of writing (with a special emphasis on academic writing), ranging from structure and paragraphing to tone and mechanics.
6. Create, apply and transmit knowledge responsibly and ethically.

Learning Goals: Individual & Society (CUSP 107)

1. Acquire basic skills for success as an undergraduate and beyond, including time management, comprehension and vocabulary improvement, critical note-taking, information literacy, an understanding of campus resources, an initial consideration of career choices, and an understanding of the expectations and standards of university-level academic work.
2. Gain an understanding of the complex relationship between humans and nature and the way it impacts our lives and the diverse communities around the globe.
3. Gain the capacities needed to identify and analyze interdisciplinary problems using disciplinary approaches and methods.
4. Gain cooperative learning skills in an academic environment.
5. Learn to use asynchronous communication tools like blogs and web discussion boards in an academic setting.
6. Spark an excitement for intellectual exploration and communication that will carry over to your future work as an undergraduate and beyond.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT

CUSP 101 (Composition)
Composition Portfolio
A.  Every week, I will post a new assignment and discuss it in class. In most cases, the assignment will be connected to some form of online activity, which will be assessed separately as "Participation"—see below. Most of these assignments will be shorter essays. Two, a research report and an argumentative analytical essay, will be more substantial. You will submit your assignments to me via the Assignments section on the Blackboard course site (you may also be posting a copy to the Web Discussion group). You will receive my comments and scores after each assignment via Blackboard, which you should include in your Blackboard e-Portfolio (this will be explained on Tuesday, October 2). You will then complete a Writing Improvement Form that will allow you to respond to the assessment and identify three areas of intended improvement. Two of your assignments will be self-reflections essays, in which you will review my assessments and your responses to them. (If this sounds a bit confusing, don't worry--each assignment contains a "Steps to Take" section that lays out specific instructions.)

At the end of the quarter, I will review your portfolio and provide you with a final grade. Your grade will be based on your strengths and weaknesses that you demonstrate at the end of the course and your ability to use the portfolio process effectively. This system provides you with the opportunity to learn from your mistakes without being penalized for them, and to receive a grade based on what you know and can do when your leave the course rather than when you entered. For those students who are used to always measuring their progress by a specific number or letter grade, this process can be uncomfortable. However, its effectiveness has been proven by extensive research. Still, if at any time you would like to get a better sense of the specific level of your progress at any time in the course, please set up an appointment with me.

Late and Missed Assignments: Late assignments (anything a minute after the stated deadline) are docked .2 per day on the UW 4.0 scale. (Plan on turning your essay in before the last minute, because of the possibility of technical problems.) This means that if your final portfolio grade is 3.5, and you have had two late assignments , then your final grade will be 3.1. Any assignment that is later than 24 hours may not be turned in, and receives a 0, which equates to losing .4 points on the 4.0 scale. These are substantial penalties. While my grading process is very generous in supporting continued improvement, it is relatively punitive about late and missing work. This is because the course uses the writing as the basis for class discussion, which depends on timely completion to be successful. Further, a missed assignment means one less chance to learn from your mistakes. Finally, because you are constantly writing, being late on essays just generates greater pressure on your next assignment. Plan to complete every assignment on time.

Basic Formatting Requirements for All Composition Assignments

• Provide Your Name, Course Number and Name, Instructor, and Date at the top left corner in separate lines, flush left at the top. (Do not use the Header area.)
• Double space everything except the heading information material.
• Provide an appropriate title (see NMHH, 5d).placing it between the heading information and the main text and in the center of the page. Each word of the title should be capitalized except for articles and prepositions.
• Use one (and only one) appropriate 12 point font (Times, Times New Roman, Courier, etc.), with 1 or 1.25 inch margins on the side, and 1 inch margins top and bottom. Do not alter space between the letters.
• If the assignment requires a word limit, provide the word count at the end of the essay (use the word count feature of your word processing program).
• Provide page numbers in the header, flush right.
• Indent each paragraph 1/2 inch and do not provide a space between paragraphs unless you are indicating a major break in the essay (usually not done in essays of less than five pages).
• Provide all citation information as required by the assignment, both within the text and at the end. Double space the end citations.
• If the hard copy of the assignment is to be turned in, use one staple in the upper-left corner. Do not use any kind of cover.

Basic Submission Guidelines

• Submit the computer file using Word (.doc) or Rich Text Format (.rtf)
• Label the computer file LastnameFirstInitialComp[number of assignment).doc or .rtf. For example, if I were to submit Composition Assignment 4, I would label my file GoldbergMComp4.doc).
• Log on to the Blackboard class site and click on "Assignments."
• Click the appropriate assignment.
• You must add at least one word of comment for the file to be sent (don't ask me why). "Here it is" or some such thing will do.
• Attach your properly named file by clicking "choose file" on the Attach Local File line.
• To submit the file, choose "Submit" (NOT "Save," which simply saves the page for later use).

CUSP 107 (Individual and Society)

In-class collaborative learning (20%)
The format of the class emphasizes collaboration between students and with the professor .  On the most basic level of course contribution, you should come to class on time and stay for the duration, having read the assignment and having given it some thought in preparation for participating in discussion.  Your engaged presence in class will have a central place in your overall assessment.  It is not possible to remain silent but do excellent written work and still receive a strong final grade, any more than it is possible to contribute in class but refrain from writing.  Guidelines for assessing in- class collaborative learning may be found by clicking here. Students may miss two classes with in-class participation without penalty (and thus do not require an explanation to the professor). Students who miss more than two classes will lose .1 on the 4.0 scale off their in-class collaborative learning grade. This penalty reflects a "minimum participation" requirement (that is, you can't participate if you don't show up). Students who attend all of the sessions will receive a .4 bonus. (Some of the above language has been adapted from Prof. Ron Krabill's BIS 300 syllabus.)

Online collaborative learning (30%)
Online discussions require a certain degree of care in the writing without being overly burdened by the concerns of formal writing. However, we are always striving for precision in conveying our thoughts, so if you use a colloquial expression, make sure the meaning is going to be clear to your readers. Each late comment loses .1 on your final collaborative learning score; comments can be up to two days late. Each missed comment loses .3 on the overall score. For assessment criteria, CLICK HERE.

Participation Preparation (20%)
Reading journal: All students will keep a reading journal in which they record their critical responses to the readings, using the questions and prompts in Chapter 7b of the New McGraw-Hill Handbook as a guide. However, where the NMHH suggests using annotation in the text, I will ask you to provide more extensive annotations in your reading journal. In general, this method has been demonstrated to be more effective than only annotating the text for most critical readers, especially those just starting to develop critical reading skills. You should also include a one-paragraph summary for each article or chapter. Finally, include an vocabulary word and its definition that you hadn't previously known. I will review your journals in class on Thursday, Oct. 11 and provide you with feedback to let you know if you are meeting the basic criteria.
Comprehension quizzes/discussion prompts: At the beginning of most classes, you will complete a quiz testing your comprehension skills of the assigned readings. These will be designed to help prompt class discussion. Careful note taking is the best preparation for these quizzes. You may drop up to three quiz scores.

Small group collaborative learning (30% of grade)
You will be placed in small research/writing groups in the fourth week of the class.  We will use these for our group project and for our writing workshops. You will assess  your own and your group members' contribution to your collaborative learning efforts at the end of the class, which will become part of your grade.  I will also use the examples of your individual work within the group context to assess your performance.  This assessment will also include your group's overall performance in final your group project.

Other Guidelines:
(Adapted from Dr. David-Goldstein-Shirley's web site: faculty.washington.edu/davidgs/ are marked with an * )

*Consideration: Be considerate of your instructors and classmates. Please turn off cell phones, pagers, and watch alarms before entering a classroom. Also, be aware that entering a classroom after class has started distracts your instructor and your classmates. If you must do it, please try to enter through a back door, if possible. That probably will distract your instructor (for which you should later apologize), but at least it will reduce the disruption you cause your classmates.

*If you need to drop: You and I both invest a significant amount of time and effort having you in this course, so it is unfortunate when students do not complete a course that they began. Sometimes, however, students need to drop a course for good reasons. If that should become the case, I ask, as a favor, that you send me an e-mail message notifying me. Of course, I hope everyone who starts the course can complete it, so your work and time and mine are put to good use!

Laptop and handheld device policy: You are welcome to bring your laptops and handheld devices to class for note taking. You may not access the Internet during class time for any reason without my consent (which might pertain to a specific assignment in class). Violation of this policy will result in your loss of the privilege of bringing your laptop or handheld device to class for the remainder of the term.

*Class Communication: This course requires the use of e-mail and the World Wide Web, with which we will assist you if necessary. You must obtain a UW Net ID (for using various UW services); I also recommend obtaining a UWB NT account (for using UWB campus computers). Go to <http://www.bothell.washington.edu/library/newstudent.html> for instructions for obtaining a UW Net ID and a UWB NT account. Remember your passwords!

Also, make sure that your UW e-mail account is switched on, which you can do at MyUW, located at <http://myuw.washington.edu>.

This course uses the online courseware called Blackboard.  You will need to enroll in the Blackboard area set up for this course (CLICK HERE) no later than the SUNDAY of the first week of classes for the quarter. Online instructions for enrolling in Blackboard are available at <http://www.bothell.washington.edu/faculty/mgoldberg/students/blackboard.html>.  When you sign up, make sure you input an email address that you check most days, as I will use it to communicate to you about your postings.

Starting with the second class meeting (first week of classes), you are required to check your UW e-mail account at least once a week (i.e., do not let more than seven days pass without checking) and to read all messages except the ones marked "Opt." in the subject line, which are optional. Note that you can check University e-mail accounts anywhere you have access to the World Wide Web, including public libraries, by using MyUW <http://myuw.washington.edu>.

Important: Although it is possible to forward your UW mail to other accounts, it is not recommended by UW Computing and Communications because the messages may be filtered (read as Spam). New warning of forwarding UW email!!

UMail: Students may use this form to email me about suggestions for the course. Students may choose to do this anonymously. (The message appears in my email inbox folder as "anonymous student" and cannot be traced.) Students may also use this to make any additional points about class discussion that they weren't able to make during class. As appropriate, I will respond to signed messages directly to the student, and unsigned messages via Blackboard, email or in class. For more information about the "UMAIL" teaching tool, visit the UW Catalyst Tools/Examples page. To send an anonymous message CLICK HERE.

Please consider these requirements to be an investment in class communication. With a little extra effort at the beginning of the course, we can improve our ability to communicate with one another throughout the course. Communication is crucial to collaborative learning.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY OF ANY KIND WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN THIS CLASS.  It is your responsibility to be knowledgeable about this topic. (You will find a link to a fuller explanation on the UWB Student Affairs site) Academic dishonesty covers a range of behaviors—please become knowledgeable about this topic, as "I didn't know" is not an acceptable defense.  Please be aware that there are numerous ways to detect plagiarism beyond the instructor actually identifying the source of the plagiarism. Plagiarism wastes my time and yours, and is conscious choice by the student that the learning process in this course holds no value for him or her.  If you are experiencing any kind of difficulty in completing an assignment, PLEASE see me as soon as possible. This and all other UWB courses are now guided by the campus-wide policy on academic dishonesty.  All confirmed cases of plagiarism will result, at a minimum, in a failure of the entire assessed grade for the assignment and a letter to the Vice- Chancellor, as prescribed by the new UWB Guidelines.  For this course, the grade failure will accrue to the entire portfolio assignment.

Students with Disabilities
Accommodations : The University of Washington is committed to providing equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodations, please contact Disability Support Services at least ten days prior to the event at 425.352.5307, TDD 425.352.5303, FAX 425.352.5455, or email dss@uwb.edu .   Please contact the UWB Disabilities Coordinator with questions regarding access issues (425.352.5307, TTY 425-352-5303, or email rlundborg@umb.edu )

Accommodations are not "extra help"—they are actions taken to provide people with disabilities an educational environment similar to those who enjoy the benefits of a system designed to cater to the needs of the non-disabled majority.

REQUIRED BOOKS:
William Cronon, ed. Uncommon Ground: Rethinking the Human Place in Nature
Elizabeth Kolbert, Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Nature, Man, and Climate Change
Elaine Maimon, et al, The New McGraw-Hill Handbook (NMHH). NOTE: All Exercises in the book are optional.

All readings are available in the Campus University Bookstore. All first-year students should have received a free copy of Kolbert's book.

Reserve Readings
Readings marked with an asterisk in the schedule below have been place "on reserve" electronically at the Campus Library's E-Res site. To access the site, you will be asked to input your UW Net ID and password. The E-Res system is used in the place of Course Paks, which require students to pay royalty fees on most readings with enforceable copyright protection along with the cost of the paper. E-Res is intended to save the student money and improve access, although it does mean the inconvenience of printing out the readings and binding them on your own. If you have a laptop or handheld device, on the assigned discussion day you may bring the reading to class in that form; otherwise, you should print out the reading and bring it to class. (Remember, though, that unless you have a PDF annotation program like Adobe Acrobat, you will not be able to make annotations on the computer copy, thus making note-taking even more important.)

USING THE CLASS SCHEDULE: READINGS, ASSIGNMENTS, AND WORKSHOPS/GUEST LECTURERS
The Class Schedule is intended to help you organize your work more efficiently by putting together all of the date-specific course requirements in one place. The readings contain links to the E-Res site. We will always review the day's assignment in class (the composition assignments will be discussed on Tuesday). The assignment links go to individual web pages for each assignment. You can also access the Master Assignments page to view all of the assignments in one place.

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