COURSE SYLLABUS FOR POS 2041 (U.S. GOVERNMENT)
Spring Term, 2008 (Winter Park Campus) –Jan 7 – Feb 28, 2008
CRN 24614 (Thursday 7:00 - 9:45PM – WebCT Enhanced)
Jan 7, 2008
(W) 407-905-5500 X-2257*
(H) 407-886-0332 * (e-mail: wsymolon@atlas.valenciacollege.edu or tuntavern@cfl.rr.com)*
*Available for office hours anytime by appointment
Text: American Government, Continuity & Change 2008 Ed. By O’Connor & Sabato
Prerequisites/Corequisites: None
Course Description: POS 2041, U.S. Government: Analysis of the organization, structure, and operational dynamics of the U.S. national government, both past and present, and an examination of the U.S. Constitution, including principles and theories supporting it. This course includes learning activity designed to ensure competence in the basic use of computers.
Course Requirements:
There will be three in-class assessments on dates to be scheduled in advance (see attached calendar) plus two internet-based activities that are described below. Exams will cover the textbook, WebCt assignments, and classroom lectures that will augment text material, not paraphrase it. This is a participatory class, meaning that your attendance and engagement in discussion are critical to mastering the subject. Prior reading of the text is essential.
Each student will select an essay topic of choice relating to this class. A 5 to 7 page paper will be prepared for submission one week before the final exam. Independent reading beyond the textbook must be used in addition to any internet material you may find. Papers will be typed, double-spaced, and contain a bibliography and MLA citations. Submit printed papers, not by e-mail, on Thu. 2/21/08.
During the course, each student may complete two short essays (one page length) for extra credit dealing with a newspaper or magazine editorial or commentary related to a current political topic. Topics may be from the international, national, or local level and will be presented orally in class for further discussion. Students will present both sides of the chosen topic and present their own views with supporting rationale. These papers are due when the oral presentations are given. Class presentations will be woven into the schedule as you make choices about topics. Dates for these will be scheduled in advance according to student and instructor agreement.
A specific computer-based learning activity is required. To demonstrate competence with the basic use of computers the College’s U.S. Government (POS 2041) course is designed to include a formal computer-based learning activity. For this particular course the following assignments, assessment, and percentage of final grade protocols have been established:
a. Students will be assigned an internet-based research assignment to identify and analyze the philosophical foundations that led to the development of the U.S. Constitution. These will be discussed in class and followed by a debate over the Federalist vs. Anti-Federalist positions on the Constitution. Upon reflection of these activities, students will e-mail to me individual essays explaining their understanding of the opposing arguments. I will grade the essays and inform you of the results by e-mail reply.
b. Students will have a choice of these two web site assignments: from Chapt. 5, Civil Liberties go to www.aclu.org or from Chapter 19, Foreign Policy go to www.foreignpolicy-infocus.org. Students will inform me of their choice (after we have covered these chapters in class) and I will assign a current topic contained on the web site. Students will complete the assignment and e-mail their response to me. This assignment will require a critical analysis of the topic contained on the web site and a written essay response to include the student’s opinion of the subject.
--Method of Assessment: Students will have one week from the date of assignment to complete a response and e-mail it to me. I will grade the response based on depth of analysis, originality of thought, and essay completeness to include grammar and spelling. Late responses will be penalized by a letter-grade reduction of score. I will e-mail my grade and assessment of your work back to you.
--Grade Impact: This assignment will be averaged in with your other homework assignments to count as one additional test as part of your final grade.
Independent Assignments: Relating this course to the “real world” is what makes it interesting and meaningful. Your daily reading of news periodicals, viewing substantive TV programs such as “Meet the Press,” and reading about our politics, history, and culture will greatly enhance your learning experience. Anything you do in this regard and bring to class for discussion will be of benefit to you and, most likely, contribute to grade improvement.
Attendance: This class being WebCT enhanced is intense and will require regular and timely attendance to class sessions each Thursday. Every session will include an on-line assignment in preparation for the following week. Class participation is part of your final grade and is, of course, impossible without your presence and diligence in completing assigned work, both in class and on-line. Any class missed will be extremely difficult to make up because of the volume of material to be covered.
Withdrawal Policy: The withdrawal deadline (with a 'W' grade) for this class is Friday, Feb 8, 2008. Since you paid for this course and are responsible adults, I will not drop you for missing class. I will reemphasize, however, that you cannot do well in this class without participating. Also read the school withdrawal policy statement attached to this syllabus.
Grading: I will use the traditional grading scale: A=90-100, B=80-89, etc. All tests will be equally weighted. Your essay paper will count as one test. Any extra credit current event essays will be averaged to count as one test. All homework assignments and the computer-based learning activity described above will also be averaged together to count as one test. Academic honesty is certainly expected of all students. Please be aware of VCC Policy 6Hx28:10-16 on Academic Honesty, a copy of which is attached.
Missed Exams: All students are expected to take exams on the scheduled day. A missed exam, however, may be made up within one week, but with a penalty of one letter grade reduction of the earned score.
Extra Credit: Extra credit is of little value if the basic requirements are not met. Life, however, being as complicated as we choose to make it, can be sustained by determination. You will therefore have an option of completing an extra credit assignment by preparing a typed 500 word essay reviewing and critiquing one of the following very excellent books having to do with our nation’s government:
Inventing a Nation, Washington, Adams, Jefferson, by Gore Vidal
What’s So Great About America, by Dinesh D’Souza
The Disuniting of America, Reflections of a Multicultural Society, by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.
Tape Recorders: These are fine tools for your learning. Feel free to tape record any of our classes.
VCC Core Competencies: Think, Value, Communicate, Act (T.V.C.A.) are an established component of the College’s curriculum development and review process.
VCC’s faculty have defined four interrelated competencies (T.V.C.A.) that prepare students for success in their future. These competencies are outlined in the Valencia Catalog, pp. 13-14 or on the Valencia website valenciacollege.edu/competencies/default.asp. In this particular course, through classroom discussion, group work, internet-based learning, and activities, you will further develop your mastery of these core competencies.
Special Needs: Students with disabilities who qualify for academic accommodations must provide a letter from the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and discuss special needs with me, preferably during the first two weeks of class. The Office for Students with Disabilities determines accommodations based on appropriate documentation of disabilities.
Special Instructions:
Information in the course schedule of this syllabus is subject to change based on the flow of the class. The best way to stay up-to-date is to come to class. Late work is accepted with a one letter grade automatic reduction.
If at any time during the course you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or e-mail me at home or work.
Course Outline:
Part I. Introduction and historical perspective (Chapter 1, 2,&3). In this section we will cover the roots of the American democratic experience and set the theme of the course: what is the proper role of government in our lives? We will discuss basic definitions of terms which will be used throughout the semester and conduct our first computer-based learning activity.
First Examination. You will have a review of all material covered before this and all other exams.
Part II. The American political system (Chapters 7 through 10). In this section we will explore in detail the workings of the three branches of government and the impact of our sprawling bureaucracy.
Second Examination. This will be taken during the first class following Chapter 10 and our review.
Part III. The government at work (Chapters 19, 5, 6, 11-16). In this section we will study the foreign policy aspects of government, civil liberties and civil rights, public opinion, political parties, and other political issues. The second computer-based learning activity will occur in this section.
Third Examination. This will be the final exam and will be cumulative. Our final exam is scheduled for Thursday, Feb 28, 2008 on our last day of class from 7:00-9:45 PM.
For your information, all exams in this course will be a combination of multiple choice questions, true and false, short answers, matching, and essay responses. I will cover the chapters in the sequence outlined above and you should note that they do not follow in direct order from the table of contents. Class lectures and discussion will tie this all together and you will find that my exams contain no surprises as long as you attend class. Note: You will have One Week after any test or assignment to make it up.
See the course calendar below.
Good luck, have fun, study, and have a great semester!
W.P. Symolon
VCC U.S. Government (Winter Park Campus)
SpringSession Class Calendar – Jan 7 – Feb 28, 2008
WebCT On-line Tasks to be Assigned Each Week
Week Date Information Covered_______________________________________________
1 1/10 Ch 1. Introduction, course framework, political philosophy, definitions &
concepts, American culture. Constitutional framework, Internet-based
WebCt assignment. for Ch 2, The Constitution & Ch. 3, Federalism.
2 1/17 Begin current events topics. Select essay topics. Lecture & class notes.
Review first three chapters and exam in class. WebCt assignment Ch. 7 & 8.___
3 1/24 Class notes & lecture Ch. 9 & 10. Bureaucracy and the Judiciary roles &
functions. Current events topics. WebCt assignment Ch 19.________________
4 1/31 In class validation of Ch. 7 thru 10. Lecture & notes on Ch 19, Foreign &
Defense policy. Impact of global war on terror. WebCt assignment Ch 5 & 6.__
5 2/7 Class discussion on absolute freedom & fear of gov’t; Bill of Rights.
WebCt assignment for Ch 12; Political parties.____________________________
6 2/14 Role of the party system. Are you Liberal or Conservative? _____________________In class political surveys. WebCt assignment Ch 11. __________________
7 2/21 Chapt. 11. Public Opinion and Mass Media, impact of the media on
politics.
8 2/28 Course review, wrap up, and final exam.________________________________