Course Syllabus

History 5: Western civilization Since 1500              
Fall 2012

Instructor:
Dale Crandall-Bear
Campus Phone: 707-864-7000, ext. 4483
Office/Hours:  Room 721; MWF: 10:00 to 11:50 am. & 1:00 to 2:00 pm.
E-mail: Dale.Crandall-Bear@solano.edu

Required Texts:

• Sherman & Salisbury, Background Readings in History 5 (Boston: McGraw Hill, 2009).
• Dale Crandall-Bear, ed., Exploring Western Civilization: Documents & Study Guides for History 5, 1st edition, CD-ROM (Sacramento: Tillerman Press, 2012).
• Plus supplementary articles and documents distributed in class.

Student Learning Outcomes

In this course students will learn to:

• Understand the significant developments in world history since 1500, including political, economic and cultural aspects.
• Interrogate and analyze primary historical evidence, including textual documents, artifacts and visual images.
• Present interpretations and analysis of historical events and issues by assessing secondary and primary historical evidence, including identification of multiple perspectives, quotation of sources, and evaluation of arguments.

Course Organization and Assignments:

This course is organized into four units. Each unit lasts about three weeks. During the first part of each unit, students will complete the background reading in the survey text. The rest of the unit is spent exploring original historical sources and discussing these with your fellow students in Seminar Meetings. 

The final course grade will be based on cumulative scores from the Evidence Reports, Seminar Meetings, Midterm and Multimedia Essays and Final Exam.

Evidence Reports
These are short-answer reports in which you can present your knowledge and interpretations of the historical sources explored in each unit. There is one Evidence Report in each unit.

Seminar Meetings
These class discussions will be the main way you interact with your fellow students during the semester. There will a Seminar Meeting at the end of each of the four units. More information on how to participate in seminar meetings will be presented at the beginning of the course.

Midterm Essay
In this assignment, you will be able to present your analysis and interpretations of the historical evidence in a brief essay. Topics are given out in advance, so you can think about your approach to the essay as you study the sources. The material covered in the Midterm Essay is drawn from the Evidence Reports and Seminar discussions.

Multimedia Essay
You have the option of exploring history through the art of cinema. You can choose from a list of films from Africa, Asia, Latin America or the Middle East and explore how the film presents the historical past.

Final Exam
A one-hour Final Exam at the end of the course will review essential themes and ideas from the class. The format will be similar to an Evidence Report.

Grading System:
The final course grade will be based on the following point system:

Evidence Reports (7 @ 50 pts. each)                    350 points
Seminar Meetings (4 @ 55 pts. each)                   220 points
Midterm Essay                                                     165 points
Multimedia Essay                                                 165 points
Final Exam                                                            100 points

Total Points Possible                                          1000 points

Grading Scale:
90% - 100% =  A
80% - 89%   =  B
70% - 79%   =  C
60% - 69%   =  D
59% & less   =  F

Attendance and Participation:
Regular attendance is the responsibility of the student and is essential to optimal performance in this course.  Each student is allowed 3 absences during the semester without penalty.  Each absence thereafter will result in the deduction of 8 points from the 50 points in the "Attendance" category listed in the scoring system above.  Excessive absences may result in a student being dropped from the class.  Late arrivals and early departures will be noted by the instructor and will count as one-half of an absence.

Make-up Policy:
Submitting assignments after the scheduled due date should be avoided if possible, since it will result in a reduced grade.  In the interest of fairness to everyone, the following policy has been developed:

First Make-up:                                                 Second Make-up:
1 day to 1 week late    10% deduction           1 day to 1week late       20% deduction
2 weeks late                 20% deduction          2 weeks late                   30% deduction
3 weeks late                 30% deduction          3 weeks late                   40% deduction
4+ weeks late               no make-up               4+ weeks late                 no make-up


On Responsibility and Professionalism:
As instructor, I strive to create a relaxed but professional atmosphere in the classroom in order to enhance the learning experience and the exchange of ideas. Since I am a product of the 1960s, I don't put a lot of stress on formality (you may call me "Dale"), but I do rely on all of you to assist me in creating an optimal learning environment for our classroom.  Since this is a college course, students are expected to arrive in class on time (late arrivals are exceptionally disruptive and rude), take responsibility for completing assignments on time, contribute their fair share to seminar groups, and otherwise refrain from disruptive behavior (i.e., excessive chatting, cell phones or other distractions).  Together, we can create a space in this college where the pure joy of learning can flourish.  Above all, have fun, exercise your mind, and enjoy the study of history!