HELP 2019-20 Syllabus [ARCHIVED CATALOG] Print this Page Facebook this Page (opens a new window) Tweet this Page (opens a new window) Add to Portfolio (opens a new window)

LBS 1000 - Exploration of the Arts and Sciences-Online (4)

The readings, short videos, and quizzes introduce the primary ideas and questions for students to attend to and invite close engagement with the course material.

The forum discussions and activities are the main venue for interaction between students and constitute one kind of virtual classroom.  They provide students an opportunity to work both independently and collaboratively on a variety of key issues related to the course, all with the purpose of leading toward student success. Students are expected to post and/or reply (depending on the particular instructions of a given forum) to every forum listed in Moodle.  Forums are normally due every week before Sunday, 11:55pm, and graded following the course rubric, and original manner.

The intellectual autobiography assignment asks students to “tell their story” in brief form related to primary events, people, ideas, and interests, including identifying a central “problem” or issue that they find most compelling or most in need of being addressed by study and action through one or more disciplines or majors.

The mid-semester exam is a multiple choice exam designed to measure students’ knowledge base primarily from the readings, videos, and primary ideas/questions from the course prior to the mid-semester. Topics may include knowledge of the historical events and/or philosophical ideas of European or American culture and, also, knowledge of how Western ideas or institutions have evolved over time.  

The “exemplar sharing” asks students to identify and present what they take to be a particularly interesting image, story, or idea of a spirit, god, or alien. Sharing image, story, or idea may take place through video, audio, or another media form that effectively communicates to an online, academic audience.

The research project is intended to challenge students to identify/discuss particular interdisciplinary areas and/or particular disciplines, including majors; to identify/discuss cultural/societal pressures that caused need for interdisciplinary programs; and to connect these cultural changes/needs to the development of those programs through a clear, quality explanation.

The creative/integrative project is a project of the student’s choice, proposed by the student, approved by the instructor, that attempts to employ a creative medium or genre in relation to the course material or attempts to integrate various elements of the course material or related material into a single work that can be submitted through Moodle.

The e-portfolio brings together the various projects from the course into one digital site that is easily accessible to the student and to the instructor. These projects include two to three (2-3) of the following: a final version of the Intellectual Biography; Exemplar Sharing final version; Research Project final version; and/or Creative/Integrative Project - final version.

The timing of the course activities and projects are mostly asynchronous – that is, some activities such as possibly a live chat or live virtual office hours (not required) are done together (with 2 or more people) at the same time, while all other activities are completed individually and at different times. Please note that the course does keep to a weekly schedule with specific due dates. 

Regular access is needed (at least 2-3 times weekly) to the course website in Moodle and to an Oakland University student e-mail account.  Students also are encouraged to contact the instructor to schedule an appointment for a meeting during office hours (virtual, in-person, or by phone) or to contact the instructor directly if there are
questions or concerns related to the course and course work.  The instructor encourages individual meetings to discuss the status of student works in-progress, to trouble-shoot and problem-solve, and to address any questions or concerns, especially related to the main assignments.

If a student sends a text or e-mail to the instructor, a reply normally is made within twenty-four (24) hours or one (1) business day Monday - Thursday and within forty-eight (48) hours or two days Friday - Sunday, though often the 3Syllabus, Liberal Studies (LBS 1000) online, Winter 2020 reply may be within a shorter span of time. If a student does not receive a reply within this amount of time, the instructor may not have received the original text or e-mail, and the student then should attempt to re-contact the instructor by e-mail, phone, or in person.

All projects and course work are due on or before their assigned due dates.  Late projects and course work normally will NOT be accepted unless prior arrangements have been made with the instructor.  Prior arrangements may be made in advance of the due date for large scale assignments only (40 or more point assignments).  A student may contact the instructor by e-mail and requesting more time.  Usually these requests for additional time on large
assignments are granted.

Particular concerns for an online course: Online courses sometimes are perceived to require less time than traditional classroom courses, but, in fact, they often require the same amount or more time than traditional courses.  Because there are fewer face to face meetings and discussion, more is expected in online postings and writing than
would be otherwise.  In particular, the forum assignments are especially important.  Students are expected both to post – and to reply to – discussion threads within the forums.  Student postings/replies in the forums will be graded based upon their substance and quality and, also, on the measure of respect and civility they offer to their classmates.  Vitriolic rants, outbursts, name-calling and other behavior that is unacceptable in a traditional classroom is likewise unacceptable in this online course.

An online course may also be perceived to offer more freedom than a traditional course and, in many respects, that perception is correct.  However, while an online course may offer more independence, it also may require more attention to the assignments and due dates in Moodle than might be had in a traditional classroom.  Students are required to read weekly and keep closely to the schedule of quizzes, forum postings and replies, activities, and assignments.

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