Syllabus for ANT-101-OL

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Introduction to Anthropology studies culture as the expression of human values, behavior, and social organization in its unique and varied forms throughout the world, past and present. The course attempts to document that diversity and to demonstrate the inherent logic of each culture in the light of the problems people need to solve and the environments to which they must adapt.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES

In presenting the concept of culture from the perspective of anthropologists (i.e., as the adaptive mechanism that provides for survival of the human species), the course provides you with the means to recognize and appreciate (1) the underlying similarities as well as the wide range and variability of human cultures and (2) the number of valid "cultural solutions" to living on Earth.

After successfully completing all course assignments, you should be able to:

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COURSE MATERIALS

You will need the following materials to complete the work of the course. These materials are available from the textbook supplier, MBS Direct.

Telecourse Student Guide

Telecourse Student Guide for Faces of Culture, 10th ed., by Richard T. Searles and Valerie Lynch Lee (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning for Coast Learning Systems, 2008; ISBN-10: 0-495-50521-8)

Textbook

Cultural Anthropology: The Human Challenge, 12th ed., by William A. Haviland et al. (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2008; ISBN-10: 0-495-09561-3)

Video Programs

Faces of Culture, Coast Community College District (26 half-hour video programs)

Note: The video programs are being offered via streaming video technology through this course site. Each study assignment includes the necessary links for accessing the video stream, using either Windows Media™ Player or RealPlayer_®.

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COURSE STRUCTURE

Introduction to Anthropology is a three-credit online course based on the telecourse Faces of Culture. The course consists of six assignment modules covering twenty-six Study Guide lessons and their associated video programs and textbook reading. Each module includes one or more study assignments, an online discussion (except in Module 6), and a written assignment. The course also requires you to take both a proctored midterm examination and an unproctored, online final examination.

Each lesson in the Telecourse Student Guide begins with a list of activities and reading assignments to be completed before and after viewing each video program. Other lesson components include an Overview that discusses the main points of each lesson; Learning Objectives that state what you should learn from reading the textbook assignment, completing the activities in the Telecourse Student Guide, and viewing the video program; and Self-Test questions that allow you to check your comprehension and mastery of the material. Additional learning resources, including glossaries, links, and tutorial quizzes, may be found at the textbook's companion Web site. A link to this Web site is provided in each study assignment.

For the course's assignment modules (reading and viewing, online discussions, and written assignments), go to the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site. (See also the course Calendar.)

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ONLINE DISCUSSIONS

In addition to an ungraded but required discussion in module 1 titled "Introductions," Introduction to Anthropology has five (5) graded online discussions. All discussions take place on the class Discussion Board.

The Discussion Board also includes a "Class Lounge," which you can use throughout the semester to converse, post comments, ask questions, and share information about course-related topics and issues.

Communication among fellow students and with the mentor is a critical component of online learning. Participation in online discussions involves two distinct activities: an initial response to a posted question (discussion thread) and at least two subsequent comments on classmates' responses.

Meaningful participation is relevant to the content, adds value, and advances the discussion. Comments such as "I agree" and "ditto" are not considered value-adding participation. Therefore, when you agree or disagree with a classmate, the reading, or your mentor, state and support your agreement or disagreement. You will be evaluated on the quality and quantity of your participation. Responses and comments should be properly proofread and edited, professional, and respectful.

For additional information on online discussions, see Online Discussions in the Online Student Handbook.

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WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS

Introduction to Anthropology requires you to submit six (6) written assignments to the mentor for evaluation and grading.

The written assignments are based on associated lessons in the Telecourse Student Guide, video programs, and chapters in the textbook. They consist of two or three essay questions, depending on the number of lessons and chapters covered within each assignment module.

Take the time to familiarize yourself with the written assignment questions before you begin each lesson. Conversely, be sure to complete all relevant readings and viewing before answering the questions. Before you begin to write, you might find it helpful to outline your answers, listing points you wish to make and the examples that support your ideas.

Do not copy answers from the texts. Creative thinking and your own wording are important aspects of an effective answer. When you have completed an assignment, proofread your answers for correct grammar, spelling, etc., and be certain you have answered the questions completely.

Prepare your written assignments using whatever word processing program you have on your computer. Include your name at the top of the paper, as well as the course name and code and the semester and year in which you are enrolled.

Before submitting your first assignment, check with your mentor to determine whether your word processing software is compatible with your mentor's software. If so, you can submit your work as you prepared it. If not, save your assignment as a rich-text (.rtf) file, using the Save As command of your software program. Rich text retains basic formatting and can be read by any other word processing program.

When satisfied that your assignment represents your best work, submit it to your mentor by means of the

>>View/Complete Assignment

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EXAMINATIONS

You are required to take two examinations: a proctored midterm examination and an online final examination. Consult the course Calendar for the timing of these exams.

Midterm Examination
The midterm is a closed-book, proctored exam. It is two hours long and covers all reading and assignments from modules 1, 2, and 3 of the course. The exam consists of matching questions or IDs, short-answer questions, and essays.

You may take the examination only during the designated midterm exam period, by choosing one of the following two options:

• Online Proctor Option: If you have a webcam with a microphone and a reliable, high-speed Internet connection, you can take the exam online in the convenience of your home. During the first week of the semester, you will select an appointment through the ProctorU scheduling system. Then, on your selected day and time, you will be monitored by a remote proctor who will communicate with you via your video and audio connection. For further information on scheduling and taking an online proctored examination, see Tests & Quizzes > Midterm Examination.
  
  
• Pen-and-Paper Option: You may choose your own proctor or take the exam at Thomas Edison State College during midterm exam week. You should schedule your exam and submit your "Proctor Request Form" no later than the end of the first week of the semester (see Administrative Forms in the General Information area of the course Web site). For more information on scheduling a pen-and-paper proctored examination, see the Online Student Handbook in General Information.

If you are on a course extension and have not yet taken the midterm exam, you must let your examination proctor know when you plan to take the exam and contact the Office of Test Administration (609-984-1181) two weeks in advance to request that your exam be sent to the proctor.

Final Examination
The final is a closed-book, unproctored, online exam. It is two hours long and covers all reading and assignments from modules 4, 5, and 6 of the course. The exam consists of matching questions, five short essays, and one full essay question for which you will have a choice.

The final exam is taken online in Blackboard. An exam link will be activated and made available to you in the Tests & Quizzes area of the course site at the start of the last week of the semester. You may take the exam at any time during that week, but no later than midnight Saturday (eastern time). If you are on a course extension, you will need to arrange with your mentor a time to reschedule the final exam.

Sample Examination
You will find a sample online examination in the Tests & Quizzes area of this course site. Use this sample exam to familiarize yourself with the online testing setting and format before you take your online exam. Keep in mind the following potential differences between the sample exam and your online exam:

• The content of your exam will match the content of your course; the sample exam has some generic questions on art history, world history, and environmental science.



• Your exam is likely to include only one type or at most several types of questions (such as multiple choice or essays). The sample exam includes all the types that you might encounter in an online assessment at Thomas Edison State College.



• You will be able to enter and take your exam just once—once you have entered the exam you must complete it. The sample exam may be taken as often as you like.



• There will be a penalty for exceeding the time limit in your actual midterm and final exams (see the "Statement about Cheating" below), whereas there is no corresponding penalty with this sample exam.

Statement about Cheating
The final examination in this course is an unproctored exam. That means you will not be supervised while taking the test. You are on your honor not to cheat during the exam. Cheating means:

• Looking up any answer or part of an answer in an unauthorized textbook or on the Internet, or using any other source to find the answer.
• Copying and pasting or in any way copying responses or parts of responses from any other source into your online test. This includes but is not limited to copying and pasting from other documents or spreadsheets, whether written by yourself or anyone else.
• Plagiarizing answers.
• Asking anyone else to assist you by whatever means available while you take the exam.
• Copying any part of the exam to share with other students.
• Telling your mentor that you need another attempt at the exam because your connection to the Internet was interrupted when that is not true.

If there is evidence that you have cheated or plagiarized in your exam, the exam will be declared invalid, and you will fail the course.

Please also note that the exam is time-limited. That means you only have the allotted time in which to complete the exam. If you exceed the time limit on the exam, you will be penalized by having two points deducted for every minute that you exceed the time limit. This may also result in your failing the course.

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GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of D or higher on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, discussion postings, etc.). You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted.

Letter grades for online participation, written assignments, and examinations are based on the following numerical grades:

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STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

First Steps to Success
To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

1. Read carefully the entire Syllabus, making sure that all aspects of the course are clear to you and that you have all the materials required for the course.



2. Take the time to read the entire Online Student Handbook. The Handbook answers many questions about how to proceed through the course, how to schedule exams and arrange for proctors, and how to get the most from your educational experience at Thomas Edison State College.



3. Arrange to take your midterm examination by following the instructions in the Online Student Handbook. Then complete the "Proctor Request Form" and submit it to the Office of Test Administration (OTA). You must make arrangements to take your examination and send in your "Proctor Request Form" to OTA before the end of the first week of the current semester. (See Administrative Forms in the General Information area of the course Web site.)



4. Familiarize yourself with the Blackboard environment—how to navigate it and what the various course areas contain. If you know what to expect as you navigate the course, you can better pace yourself and complete the work on time.



5. If you are not familiar with Web-based learning, or specifically with the Blackboard platform, be sure to review the processes for posting responses online and submitting assignments before class begins.

Study Tips
Consider the following study tips for success:

1. To stay on track throughout the course, begin each week by consulting the course Calendar. The calendar provides an overview of the course and indicates due dates for submitting assignments, posting discussions, and scheduling and taking your examinations. For details on each assignment module and a complete listing of learning activities, go to the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site.



2. Follow the sequence of learning activities outlined at the beginning of each lesson in the Telecourse Student Guide. Use the Telecourse Student Guide as your "road map" through the course.



3. Check the Announcements page and class Discussion Board regularly for new course information.

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