IS 3002 - Globalization and the International System-Online (4)

This course explores how globalization is shaping the contemporary world. We will examine the economic, political, social, and cultural aspects of globalization. We will also consider the costs and benefits of globalization. 

GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: 

IS 3002 satisfies the university general education requirement in the knowledge applications integration area. The prerequisite for knowledge applications is completion of the general education requirement in the global perspective knowledge exploration area. 

E-Mail: riha2@oakland.edu

Office: 1026 Human Health Building

Office Hours: By Appointment 

• accurate understanding of the potential advantages and disadvantages of globalization 

• knowledge of the impact of globalization on students’ own lives and on individuals in other countries 

The Globalization Reader (5th edition). Frank J. Lechner and John Boli (eds.). Wiley Blackwell. I will also provide additional materials on Moodle. 

– PARTICIPATION: Full participation in all elements of the course is required. 

– MOODLE: Moodle is Oakland University’s online course management system. It is your responsibility to know how to use Moodle to participate in this course. You must log into our Moodle course page regularly. 

This means clicking on our course number (IS 3002) on your Dashboard page (your main Moodle page – the one that shows up when you first log into Moodle) and checking individual modules on our course page for their contents. You may not simply look at your Dashboard page to see which quizzes are currently due. Students have missed a lot of course content and many points trying to do this! If you are new to Moodle or online learning, please see e-Learning’s “Online Student Orientation” for a Moodle tutorial: http://www2.oakland.edu/elis/SO_index.cfm 

– INTERNET SERVICE/COMPUTER: You must have a reliable computer and Internet service to participate in this course. If for any reason your Internet service is not working properly, you will still be responsible for meeting assignment deadlines. I urge you to develop a backup plan at the start of the course in case your Internet service or computer stops working. You will need to figure out where you can go to make your postings by the deadlines (your office, your neighbor’s house, the public library, OU campus, Kinko’s, etc.). 

– COMPUTER REQUIREMENT: I STRONGLY URGE you to use a laptop or desktop rather than your cell phone to work on the module quizzes and the final paper. You need a full-size screen to read and answer quiz questions correctly and to formulate answers for short answer and essay questions. Students who use their phone to work on the quizzes miss points because their answers tend to be misspelled, incomplete, and overly brief. 

– PERSONAL TRIPS/EVENTS: Some students take trips or attend events during the time that classes are in session at OU. If you have a trip or event planned, you will still need to make your postings by the deadlines. Note that it is not possible to work ahead beyond the modules that I have opened, so please be aware that you need to make your postings within the time frame that I have set out for each module. 

– DUE DATES: Postings are always due in Moodle by 11:55 pm on the date indicated. You will receive no credit for late postings! Always check our Moodle page to find out what is due and when it is due. This is the key “survival mechanism” for online classes. 

– E-MAIL COMMUNICATION: I regularly contact the class by e-mail. Since OU business is conducted through your OU e-mail account, I will contact you at that account. If you do not use your OU account, you need to forward your e-mail to your usual e-mail address so that you do not miss out on communication from me. 

– CHEATING/COLLABORATION WITH OTHER STUDENTS: You must do all of the work in this course individually. The graded items in this course are not group projects. You must formulate your answers for all of the graded items by yourself, without the help or input of anyone else. Any evidence of collaboration with other individuals will be treated as cheating and will be penalized accordingly. See the “Statement on Academic Honesty” at the end of the syllabus for more information about what constitutes cheating. 

GRADE DETERMINATION: 

1. MODULE QUIZZES There are 13 major modules in the course that last 1 week each. Each module will minimally consist of a reading and one or more quizzes on the reading and other materials in the module. The quizzes contain a variety of question types, including multiple choice, matching, short answer, essay, short research question, etc. Quizzes have a varying number of total points. 

2. ESSAYS You will write essays on topics of interest in the area of globalization. I will ask you to conduct an interview, watch a video online, or read an article. You will then write an essay responding to questions I pose about the topic of interest. Essays are worth 10 points each. 

3. DISCUSSION FORUMS You will participate in discussion forums on topics relating to our module themes. I will ask you to watch a video online or read an article and then describe your opinion of the issue. You will make your posting in a discussion forum. Discussion forums are worth 5 points. 

4. FINAL PAPER: FILM ANALYSIS I will ask you to watch a film that reflects the themes we learn about in the course. There are specific questions that I want you to answer for your analytical paper that will be posted on Moodle. I will also give you instructions for obtaining the film. The final paper is worth 75 points. 

5. FINAL GRADE Your final grade will be based on the total number of points you accumulate from the four components of the course (quizzes, essays, forums, and final paper). I reserve the right to consider other factors in calculating your final grade, such as having a poor attitude in the course, lack of civility in communicating online with class members, missing assignments, etc. Your final grade will be based on the grading scale below. For example, if your final course percentage in Moodle is 82%, you will receive a grade of B- as your final grade for the course. 

Grading Scale 

Corresponding Final Course Percentages A 95%-100% A- 90%-94% B+ 87%-89% B 83%-86% B- 80%-82% C+ 77%-79% C 73%-76% C- 70%-72% D+ 67%-69% D 60%-66% F 0%-59% 

6. SCHEDULE Readings other than those listed below will be provided in the relevant module. The final paper will be due during finals week on the date listed below. 

Week 1, Module 0, 1/6-1/12 Introduction to Course Mechanics 

Week 2, Module 1, 1/13-1/19 English as a Global Language 

Week 3, Module 2, 1/20-1/27 Debating Globalization (Deadline extended to Monday, 1/27 due to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday on 1/20) 

Week 4, Module 3, 1/27-2/2 Explaining Globalization 

Week 5, Module 4, 2/3-2/9 Experiencing Globalization – Part 1 

Week 6, Module 5, 2/10-2/16 Experiencing Globalization – Part 2 

Week 7, Module 6, 2/17-3/2 Globalization and the World Economy 

—— Winter Break 2/22-3/1