ANTH 200 – Cultural Anthropology
Spring 2010, Kaua‘i Community College
Class Schedule:
MW Live and Distance Class
Online/Live Schedule link:
TR Live and Distance Class:
Online/Live Schedule link
Class will be held live and online. The internet/online class is
held through distance learning laulima and the Professor's "vroom"
or Virtual Classroom, in addition to an on-campus classroom.
Class Vroom:
To enter your classvroom, go to laulima and see the tab entitled
"Class Vroom." Follow the link and the directions to enter the
Vroom and we will see you there!!!
Instructor: Dr. Nan Marie Greer
Office: online vroom or skype (see dr.nan.marie.greer)
SSCI 105
Office Hours: Tuesday 12:30-1:30
Wednesday 9-10
-other times by mutually agreed upon appointment
Email: nangreer@hawaii.edu
Class Credit Hours: 3.0
Pre-requisite: Qualified for ENG 100
Course Description
Culture has been defined as a system of ideas (knowledge, values, beliefs, plans) learned in society which guides behavior in specific environments. This course offers an introduction to cultural anthropology, the field which makes cutlure as its main object of study. It covers the basic concepts used for analyzing patterns of cultural behavior. Students will learn about various anthropological theories, methods, and practices, in addition to ethical issues encountered in anthropological fieldwork. Students will delve into the following subfields of cultural anthropology: economic anthorpology, ecological and environmental anthropology, political anthropology, medical anthropology, and development anthropology, among others. Students will use cultural analysis to analyze and understand human behavior and society. Specific emphasis will also be placed on cultural adaptation and change.
This course is either a LIVE lecture course or a HYBRIDIZED-DISTANCE learning course. The DISTANCE course involves live lectures with cyber-interaction between professor and students using by skype (www.skype.com) and elluminate (www.elluminate.com). Submission of written assignments is via the UH-KCC laulima system, in addition to virtual written discussions between students and professor on laulima.
Intended Student Learning Outcomes
1) Learn basic concepts for analyzing cultural behavior.
2) Develop an understanding and respect for cultures other than your own, limiting your own ethnocentrism.
3) Recognize cultural similarities and universals, in addition to cultural variation.
4) Improve critical thinking skills, and knowledge and use of scientific methods (research questions, variables, hypotheses, research instruments, sampling, etc.).
These outcomes will be demonstrated through class participation, discussion papers, a research essay, and exams.
Required Text
Kottak, Conrad Phillip (2011) Cultural Anthropology, 14th Edition
Available at the College Bookstore (245-8273) online: http://www.bookstore.hawaii.edu
Additional required readings are found on the ANTH 200 laulima site
Course Requirements and Evaluation
Participation and Attendance: Students are expected to be actively engaged in class; coming to class prepared, paying attention and contributing to discussions. Your grade depends in part on the quality of your involvement in class, which includes regular attendance in the professor’s classroom or vroom (elluminate virtual classroom), the ability to discuss concepts during the lectures and online in the laulima distance learning system (see “discussion” tab) - evidence you are keeping up with the reading. Participation will be worth 100 points (20%) of your total grade.
Readings: Students are expected to have read the assigned readings before coming to class for the new week, and should be prepared to discuss the readings in class.
Discussion Papers: Students are expected to write 10 short discussion papers both summarizing (or comparing) the readings and providing at least 2 questions or discussion points relating to the reading. Each discussion paper should be between 150 and 200 words –with a 12 point font size. (This is ONLY one page.) Discussion papers must be submitted online via laulima at the beginning of class on Mondays/Tuesdays, according to the class schedule. Late papers cannot be entered into the system, will not be graded and will receive 0 points. Each discussion paper is worth 10 points, for a total of 100 points (20% of your grade). If students have difficulty in writing papers, they may be emailed to the professor at least two days before class on Mondays/Tuesdays, to get some editing help from the professor (one can also go to the learning center for help).
Research Essay: There will be one research essay. Late essays (those handed in after the start of class when the paper is due) will receive automatic point reductions (and can only be submitted via email, not on the laulima system). The research essay will be broken into three parts: the Prospectus (worth 10 points), the Outline (worth 15 points), and the Final Essay (worth 75 points). The essay itself will be 10 pages, double spaced with a 12 point font size and one-inch margins on all sides with a minimum of 5 sources. Written work that does not meet college-level writing standards will be returned to you ungraded, with a mandatory referral to the Writing Lab, in the Learning Center. You will be required to revise your essay with the help of a tutor in the Writing Lab and then resubmit your essay (accompanied by the ungraded draft) in order to receive a grade. The research essay overall is worth 100 points (20% of the course grade).
Films: Films are an important part of this course, as they provide links to weekly topics in a rich medium of sights and sounds. Films are considered as texts and will be drawn upon for exams – this means that students are expected to take notes on the films and discussions about the films, films will be held in a classroom to be announced (TBA) then they will be put on reserve in the Library for those who may have missed the showing.
Exams: The mid-term and final exam will each be worth 100 points (each being 20% of your final grade). Both exams will be in the format of short-answer, true-false, identification, and multiple-choice. They will test your knowledge of concepts, terminology, class discussions, and other important points in readings, and lectures. The class before each exam will be a review session entailing a “mock exam.”
Extra Credit: There will be opportunities for extra credit points toward the final grade. See the class schedule for such opportunies.
Grading
Kaua‘i Community College grading policies, also found in the 2006-2007 Catalogue, are as follows:
Grade GPA points
A Excellent Achievement 4.0
B Above Average Achievement 3.0
C Average Achievement 2.0
D Minimal Passing Achievement 1.0
F Failure 0
I Incomplete 0
W Withdrawal 0
N No Grade Assigned 0
Incomplete: A grade of incomplete indicates that the quality of work was satisfactory, but an essential requirement of the course has not been completed. An Incomplete must be made up within the first 12 weeks of the following semester or the grade will be converted to the grade indicated by the instructor at the time the “I” was awarded.
No Grade Assigned: No grade assigned indicates that the student has either not completed the requirements of the course or has not reached a level of accomplishment within a specified time period which will allow for an evaluation.
Grades are based on cumulative points and not on a curve (see below for grade scale). Points are distributed according to the following assignments:
Participation 100 points
Discussion Papers 100 points
Resesarch Essay 100 points
Midterm Exam 100 points
Final Exam 100 points
TOTAL 500 points
Grading Scale
500 – 451 points A
450 – 401 points B
400 – 351 points C
350 – 301 points D
300 points or fewer F
Library
The Library is an excellent source for anthropological information!!! Library hours during the Spring Semester are Mondays through Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. For further information call the Circulation Desk at 245-8322, and/or the Reference Desk at 245-8253.
Learning Center
The Learning Center is a place where students can obtain tutoring and instruction on various subjects. The Writing Lab, located in the Learning Center, helps students to refine and master college writing skills. Tutors help students with all phases of writing, such as: brainstorming, pre-writing, outlining, writing effective statements, organizing papers, drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading. Please visit the Writing Lab early for assistance on writing assignments (not 2 days before the assignment is due).
Disabilities
If you need special accommodation because of a disability or other issue, please see Dr. Greer. Additional information is available from the Disability Services Counselor at the Campus Center, Room 206; Telephone: 245-8314.
Communication with the Instructor
When communicating with the instructor via email, please start the subject line with
Anth 200....
Classroom Courtesy
We are all responsible for creating a friendly, relaxed, and productive classroom atmosphere. That requires listening respectfully to everyone, phrasing comments constructively and politely, turning off cell phones, coming to class on time, and refraining from distractive behavior. *** How well you practice these common courtesies will be reflected in the participation portion of your grade***
Academic Honesty
The academic community regards academic dishonesty as an extremely serious matter. Students caught cheating on exams, papers, or other assignments, including plagiarism, will be considered in violation of Kaua‘i Community College’s Policies and Procedures. They will receive a grade of zero on the assignment and the incident will be reported in conformance with university policy.
Plagiarism is defined as using any text or phrase taken from another source, including the internet, that is NOT in quotes, with the original work cited.
In the interest of effective learning, this syllabus is subject to change.
Please let me know if you have any questions, I’ll be glad to answer them.