Course Information


Course Description:


This course introduces the study of human culture. It focuses on human adaptation and diversity, as well as the development and variety of economic, political, religious, family and expressive institutions.

Course Objectives:


In this course we will explore the diversity of human culture and organization. We will use a basic text to investigate various aspects of human society. While we will encounter the "exotic" and different, I hope we will also uncover some of the universals and common threads of human existence by looking at our own culture in new ways.
Prerequisites and Co-requisites:
 
All developmental courses in reading and writing/composition must be completed. The Virtual Library tutorial on line must be completed.
Course Topics:

1. What is Anthropology?
2. The Concept of Culture
3. Methods in Cultural Anthropology
4. Language and Communication
5. Making a Living
6. Economics
7. Marriage and the Family

8. Kinship and Descent
9. Sex and Gender
10. Social Stratification
11 Political Organization and Social Control
12. Supernatural Beliefs
13. Art
14. Culture Change and Globalization
Specific Course Requirements:

In this course the student must be able to use D2L, email and have access to MSWord for transmitting written assignments to the instructor. Timing for due dates is Central Time. Students in other time zones must allow for the difference in order to meet deadlines. Tests are timed for 75 minutes. Students should keep in mind that while some servers are slower than others there is no extra time allowed for taking the test.

Textbooks, Supplementary Materials, Hardware and Software Requirements

 
Required Textbooks:
Please visit the RODP Virtual Bookstore regarding textbook information for this course.
Supplementary Materials:

Your instructor will inform you of supplementary materials when the course begins.

Hardware Requirements:

The minimum requirements can be found at http://www.tn.regentsdegrees.org/students/hardware_software.htm.
 
There are no other specific hardware requirements for this course.
Software Requirements:

The minimum requirements can be found at http://www.rodp.org/students/hardware_software.htm.
 
Specific software requirements for this course include a word processing application that can read and write .doc (Microsoft Word) files.

Instructor Information


Please see the separate page inside the course to find instructor contact information as well as a statement of virtual office hours and other communication information.

Assessment and Grading

 
Testing Procedures:


There are two tests in this course. The tests will be taken online and will be accessible at announced times. The times will be limited and only one access can be made. If the server or internet connection being used is slow the student must plan for that delay in completing the test. Students with disabilities should contact the Disability Services Office ahead of time for the necessary accommodations.

Discussions, Exercises, Interview and Essay:

Students must contribute and respond to the postings of other students on a weekly basis during the semester. Please, read the topic "How to Participate in the Discussions" for further details. Also, students must submit weekly exercises during the semester. Review the topic "How to Submit the Exercises" for further details. One interview with a foreigner and one three-part comparative essay will be required. You will find the full description of this assignments in the Module "Getting Started."  Due dates are listed on the Calendar.
Grading Procedure:


Letter grades are based on accumulated points. In this course there are two tests graded for 100 points each (200 points). Each discussion participation is worth 15 points. Total discussion points are 225. Each exercise is worth 5 points (except exercise 5,8, and 13 which are worth 10 points each). Total exercise points are 90. There is one interview to be conducted that will be graded for 75 points. There is one comparative cultures essay that will be graded for 160 points. The essay has three parts and each must be completed by the due dates.  The total number of points for the semester letter grade will be 750 points.

Grading Scale:

750 - 675 points...A
674 - 600 points...B
599 - 525 points...C
524 - 450 points...D
449 or fewer points ...F

Assignments and Participation

 

Schedule and Assignments:        

You may also find these due dates on the Calendar.
 		 Due Dates of Course Work      
Module: Post/Exercise Essay Test Interview
Begin Course
Module 1
What is Anthropology?

Welcome post
Virtual Library orientation
Course Content Quiz
Read Chapter 1
Discussion 1
Exercise 1

     
Module 2
The Concept of Culture		 Read Chapter 2
Discussion 2
Exercise 2		      
Module 3
Methods in Cultural Anthropology

Read Chapter 5
Discussion 3 Exercise 3
Work on the Interview

     
Module 4
Language and Communication		 Read Chapter 6
Discussion 4 Exercise 4		     Interview due
Module 5
Making a Living		 Read Chapter 7
Discussion 5 Exercise 5
Work on Essay 1		      
Module 6
Economics		 Read Chapter 8
Discussion 6 Exercise 6		 Essay  Part 1 due    
Module 7
Marriage and the Family

Read Chapter 9
Discussion 7 Exercise 7
Study for Test 1

     
Module 8
Kinship and Descent		 Read Chapter 10
Discussion 8 Exercise 8
Work on Essay 2		   Test 1  
Module 9
Sex and Gender		 Read Chapter 11
Discussion 9 Exercise 9		 Essay Part 2 due    
Module 10
Social Stratification		 Read Chapter 12
Discussion 10 Exercise 10
Work on Essay 3		      
Module 11
Political Organization and Social Control		 Read Chapter 13
Discussion 11 Exercise 11		      
Module 12
Supernatural Beliefs		 Read Chapter 14
Discussion 12 Exercise 12		 Essay Part 3 due    
Module 13
Art		 Read Chapter 15
Discussion 13 Exercise 13		      
Module 14
Culture Change and Globalization		 Read Chapter 16
Discussion 14 Exercise 14
Study for Test 2 		     

Module 15
Wrapping up
 Discussion 15 Exercise 15   Test 2  
 
Class Participation:


Students must sign in on a weekly basis to keep up-to-date with the content of the course. Additionally, students should post questions about the material on the public Discussion board or contact the instructor through private email. Since we are not in a traditional classroom setting where verbal exchanges help to clarify the material of the course, students must indicate where additional help is needed.

Punctuality:

Late assignments will not be graded or credited as contributions. The schedule above indicates the dates when discussions and exercises are to be posted, when the interview and the essay are due and when tests are to be taken. Due dates will also be entered on the Calendar.

It is extremely important that students keep the due dates of all the requirements in mind. Work, travel, or even computer failure are not acceptable excuses for failure to submit work for this course.

Plagiarism:


Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited. According to Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, plagiarism is to "steal and pass of as one's own (the ideas or words of another); to present as one's own an idea or product derived from an existing source." Students who plagiarize or commit any other form of academic dishonesty will receive a zero on the paper and may receive an F in the course. Using information from an Internet page, another student's paper or other assignment, or paraphrasing material from books, journals, and databases are all forms of plagiarism, cheating, and academic dishonesty.

Course Ground Rules

 
  • Familiarity with D2L, email and word processing prior to beginning the course is necessary.
  • Assignments and tests must be completed on time to receive credit.
  • Continued weekly contact between the instructor and student is required.
  • Student to student contact for discussions and group work is required.
  • Emails should be sent through the course addresses.
  • Standard written English and college phrasing are required in all written communication and assignments.
  • Technical difficulties should be reported immediately to the Eduprise Help Desk or to the Help Desk of the college offering the course.

Guidelines for Communications

 
Email:
  • Always include a subject line identifying the project or essay and your name.
  • Writing must be reviewed for grammar and college level expression.
  • Remember that without facial expressions some comments may be taken the wrong way.  Be careful in wording your emails. The instructor has the right to delete inappropriate comments.
  • Use standard fonts.
  • Do not send large attachments without permission.
  • Special formatting such as centering, audio messages, tables, html, etc. should be avoided unless necessary to complete an assignment or other communication.
  • Respect the privacy of other class members
Discussion Groups:
  • Review the discussion threads thoroughly before entering the discussion. Be a "lurker" before becoming a discussant.
  • Be patient and read the comments of other group members thoroughly before entering your remarks. Previous work may be complied and printed for review before new work is posted.
  • Use the "Reply" button rather than starting a new topic. This keeps the ideas within a common frame. When a posting has been made out of the correct thread, the instructor will notify and ask that it be reposted. Usually this can be done by copy and paste. The instructor will delete work that does not comply with instructions.
  • No "flaming."  Do not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion group. Be respectful of others ideas. The subject matter of this course may challenge some existing ideas, so thoughts and feelings should be processed privately before they are posted.
  • Respond in a thoughtful and timely manner.
  • Be positive and constructive in group discussions.

Library


The Tennessee Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in the Regents Degree Program. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading are included in this course.

Students With Disabilities


Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive a verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with their home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.

Syllabus Changes


The instructor reserves the right to make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are necessitated during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify students of such changes both by individual email communication and by posting both a notification and the nature of the changes on the course bulletin board.