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Syllabus for FIL-110-OL

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

American Cinema: For over a century, audiences around the world have learned about America by watching American motion pictures. American Cinema is an introduction to the history and language of this most influential art-form. Filmmaking involves both art and industry, and a deeper understanding of each creates a savvy and critical viewer. As with any artistic creation, film is a reflection of society; a reaction to change, and an expression of our relationship to the world around us. In this course, you’ll study the significance of the invention of the motion picture camera, the rise of the studio caste system, and the production of popular genres like the western, the comedy, the combat film, and the musical. Even a casual movie-goer’s experience is deepened by a greater understanding of and appreciation for the technical and social makeup of American cinema.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES

By successfully completing the learning activities of the course, you should be able to:

  • gain a working knowledge of American film history from the silent cinema to present day.


  • recognize and use the basic technological and critical language of motion pictures.


  • identify the relationship between film technology and art.


  • describe the role Hollywood film plays in American popular culture.


  • explain the fundamental economics of the film industry.


  • discuss the role of genre in American film history, and recognize the connection between some of the most popular genres and American cultural and social tensions.


  • challenge your role as a passive spectator by increasing your ability to interact with films through critical thinking, writing, and discussion.

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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.


Textbook

American Cinema/American Culture, 3rd ed., by John Belton (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009). ISBN: 978-0-07-338615-7

Study Guide

American Cinema/American Culture, 3rd ed., by Ed Sikov (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009). ISBN: 978-0-07-726547-2

Videos

American Cinema, (10 one-hour and 3 half-hour programs on 6 video tapes or DVDs). Click here for free VOD (Video on Demand) at www.learner.org.

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COURSE STRUCTURE

American Cinema is a three-credit, online course consisting of six modules. Each module is built around one or more chapters in your textbook together. At the end of each module, you will complete a written assignment. You are required to participate in five online discussions. You will take a proctored midterm examination and submit a final project.

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

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ONLINE PARTICIPATION

American Cinema has five (5) graded online discussions, each focusing on a different topic. There is also an ungraded but required discussion in Module 1 titled "Introductions." All class discussions take place on the class Discussion Board.

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 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

American Cinema has six (6) written assignments. Each written assignment consists of one essay question. You are required to write a 500 – 1000 word essay on the topic covered in each module. Note that Written Assignment 4 also has a second part that is related to your final project. See that assignment for details.

Take the time to familiarize yourself with the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site, and read through the written assignment questions. Your answers to the assignment questions should be well developed and convey your understanding of the course materials. Formulate responses in your own words (do not merely copy answers from your reading materials), citing text materials where appropriate and in an appropriate manner.

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

link provided at the bottom of the respective assignment page. Use the Browse button within this link to locate and submit your assignment file.

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MIDTERM EXAMINATION

You are required to take a proctored midterm examination. Consult the course Calendar for the timing of this exam.

The midterm is a closed-book, proctored exam. It is two hours long and covers all reading and assignments from Modules 1–3 of the course. The examination consists of ten (10) definition questions, ten (10) true/false and multiple-choice questions, and four (4) essay questions.

You may take the examination only during the designated exam week, at an approved location, and with an approved proctor. In this regard, you need to schedule your exam and submit your "Proctor Request Form" with the necessary documentation 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).

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.

For more information on scheduling a proctored examination, see the section Examinations and Proctors in the Online Student Handbook.

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FINAL PROJECT

American Cinema requires you to produce a final project due at the end of the semester. For details about this requirement, see the Final Project area of the course Web site.

NOTE: In order to complete the final project, you must have access to one of the following films:

  1. Citizen Kane
  2. Casablanca
  3. The Godfather (Part I)
  4. Gone with the Wind
  5. Lawrence of Arabia

Since these films are considered classics, they should be relatively easy to acquire. For details on ways to obtain these films, consult the Final Project area of the course Web site.

For details regarding the due date see the course Calendar.

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GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

Written Assignments (6) 30 percent
Online Discussions (5) 20 percent
Midterm Examination 30 percent
Final Project 20 percent


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


A = 93–100 C+ = 78–79
A– = 90–92 C = 73–77
B+ = 88–89 C– = 70–72
B = 83–87 D = 60–69
B– = 80–82 F = Below 60


Note: 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, projects, papers, etc.). You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted.

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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 your midterm exam 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 and in this document. Then complete the "Proctor Request Form" and submit it to the Office of Test Administration (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 examination. 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. Find out how you can obtain a copy of the film you intend to write about in your final project well before it is due. Consult the Final Project area of the course Web site for suggestions on obtaining films.


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

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Syllabus Index

This document contains the following main sections:

Course Description

Course Objectives

Course Materials

Course Structure

Online Participation

Written Assignments

Midterm Examination

Final Project

Grading and Evaluation

Strategies for Success


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