Syllabi for Ms Mendez
Ethnodrama: Activating Research
Professor Aixa Méndez Class day and time: T- R 10:00-11:15 amendez9@valenciacollege.edu Office hours: TBD
Emergency (only) phone: 321-662-6314
Texts are welcome
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Ethnodrama –Activating Research: Developing a script from researched and selected preexisting historical data, court cases, and print or media artifacts, with added field notes, journal entries, interviews, and discussions.
This course is designed to introduce techniques in researching information that will lead to the writing of an Ethnodrama script. Students will do extensive research, will conduct interviews, and will write field notes, and a journal, thus enhancing the cognitive elements of education such as reading, writing, and inferring ideas from data. In addition, the students will practice listening skills in a collaborative manner. The students will be ready to use all research, interviews, field notes, journal entries, analyzed court cases, and media to create an Ethnodrama script. By the end of the semester the students will activate the research conducted during the course of the semester and showcase it as a staged verbatim, or readers’ theatre.
No book is required for this course; however. We will read court cases, historical data, news media, other plays, and other material as it is deemed important. Each student is responsible for researching and reading documents that are necessary for the creation of the Ethnodrama. Performance date to be determined.
Course Objectives:
By the end of the course the students will…
?Understand the cooperative nature of the creative work.
?Develop/increase research skills.
?Know how to differentiate truthful sources from non-reliable information.
?Learn how to deconstruct a current issue/s as presented in the news.
?Know how to search and analyze court case(s).
?Learn how to write compelling interviews.
?Learn/practice how to synthesize information.
?Know how to take captivating notes to write a journal.
?Know how to create a script based on researched and selected material.
?Develop/increase oratorical and leadership skills.
?Activate research.
?Stage a play
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
You are expected to attend all class meetings of all courses for which you are registered. Regular attendance and regular class participation are significant factors that promote success in college. For online courses, attendance is determined by consistently logging in and accessing the course content and completing courses in accordance with the syllabus.
You are expected to know the professor’s specific attendance policy as stated in the syllabus for each professor’s course. In the event of absence from a classroom course or the inability to participate in an online or hybrid/mixed-mode course, you should contact your professor as soon as possible to indicate the reason and to inquire whether make-up work is possible. (Make-up work is offered solely at the discretion of your professor.)
“No Show” Status
Class attendance is required beginning with the first-class meeting. If you do not attend the first-class meeting, you may be withdrawn from the class as a “no show.” Students who are not actively participating in an online class and/or do not submit the first assignment by the scheduled due date must be withdrawn by the instructor at the end of the first week as a "no show". If you are withdrawn as a “no show,” you will be financially responsible for the class and a final grade of “WN” will appear on your transcript for the course.
Excessive absences
If your absences in a class become excessive, as stated in the course syllabus, your professor may contact you, indicating that further absence may result in your withdrawal from the course. (See Course Attempts & Course Withdrawal.) Your professor can withdraw you from a course for excessive absences without your permission or prior notification of excessive absences.
NOTE: Punctual attendance in class -as for rehearsal calls -is mandatory.
THE FOLLOWING ARE CONSIDERED EXCUSED ABSENCES:
• .illness that is documented by a doctor’s note,
•.death or serious illness in the immediate family, and
•.the observance of religious holyday. In such cases you must give notice in writing and hand it in to the instructor no later than two weeks before the date in question. The note must include the dates and names of any religious holyday that you must observe during the course of the semester.
CLASSROOM CONDUCT:
Students must follow the university standards for personal and academic conduct as outlined in the College Policy:6Hx28: 8-03 Student Code of Conduct. Students are apprised when they are accepted at the university that they must be aware of and follow these policies of conduct. Violations of student academic behavior standards are outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.
Students are expected to behave in a courteous, respectful, and responsible manner at all times in order to maintain a productive learning environment. Disruptive behavior in any form will not be tolerated and may be cause for dismissal from the class, removal from the course, or grade penalties. Pagers, cell phones, electronic devices of any kind (unless allow by the professor to be use in the course), excessive talking, tardiness, leaving early, or sleeping will not be allowed in class. Bullying in any way or form is strictly prohibited.
Plagiarism-whereby another’s work is deliberately used or appropriated without any indication of the source thereby attempting to convey the impression that such work is the student’s own. Any student failing to properly credit ideas or materials taken from another source has plagiarized.
Cheating-whereby non-permissible written, visual, or oral assistance including that obtained from another student is utilized on exams, course assignments, or projects. The unauthorized possession or use of examination or course related material shall also constitute cheating. A student who has assisted another in any of the aforementioned breach of standards shall be considered equally culpable.
Grading:
Your grade will be based on academic standards such as aforementioned: attendance, punctuality, participation and commitment to your craft and others. Some examples, but not limited are:
?Meeting all assignment deadlines.
?Attendance and punctuality.
?Professional conduct in the classroom
?Level of research performed (historical data, news, court cases, case studies).
?Interviews made
?Notes on the field
?Journal.
?Organization of data.
?Collaborative writing.
?Willingness and consistency when rehearsing outside of scheduled class time.
•NOTE:
Your first unexcused absence will lower your final grade by one grade, two by two, and your third unexcused absence may result in a failure of the course. Missing class for participating in a show or participating in any UCF activity is NOT a valid excuse, unless it is approved.
GRADING SCALE:
94-100: A 250 -240 points 90-92.9: A-239-229 points
88-89.9: B+ 228 –208cpoints 83-87.9: B 207-197 points 80-82.9: B-196-186 points
78-79.9: C+ 185-175 points 73-77.9: C 174-164 points 70-72.9: C-163-155 points
68-69.9: D+ 152-142 points 63-67.9: D 141-131 points 60-62.9: D-130-120 points
61-0: F: 119 –0 points
POINTS (250):
Attendance 30 points Level of Research 30 points Overall participation30 points Collaboration 20 points Ethical behavior 20 points Research (10 points each topic) 40 points Historical Data10 points News and case studies 10 points Court Cases (at least 2)10 pointsInterviews10 pointsJournal10 points Reading (10 points each play)40 points Final script collaboration30 points
SCHOLARSHIP AND INTEGRITY:
Course assignments and tests are designed to have educational value; the process of preparing for and completing these exercises will help improve your skills and knowledge. Material presented to satisfy course requirements is therefore expected to be the result of your own original scholarly efforts. I seek to prevent unethical behavior and when necessary respond to infringements of academic integrity. All forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited at Valencia College. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, acts or attempted acts of plagiarism, cheating, furnishing false information, forgery, alteration or misuse of documents, misconduct during a testing situation, facilitating academic dishonesty, and misuse of identification with intent to
defraud or deceive.
Students may be subject to both the Student Code of Conduct and academic sanctions as determined in the academic judgment of the professor in cases where there is a combination of alleged violations of academic and non-academic regulations.
Any student determined by the professor to have been responsible for engaging in an act of academic dishonesty shall be subject to a range of academic penalties (apart from any sanctions that may be imposed pursuant to the Code) as determined by the professor which may include, but not be limited to, one or more of the following: loss of credit for an assignment, examination, or project; a reduction in the course grade; or a grade of "F" in the course.
If you are having trouble completing or handling the assignments in this course, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible. I want to be accessible to you when you need me.
COMMUNITY:
It is my goal that this class be an accessible and welcoming experience for all students, including those with disabilities that may impact learning in this class. If, as currently designed, this course poses barriers to effectively participating or demonstrating learning in this course, please meet with me (with or without a Student Accessibility Services (SAS) accommodation letter) to discuss options or adjustments. You may also contact the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD). OSD is committed to the fulfillment of equal educational opportunity, autonomy, and full inclusion for students with disabilities. You are welcome to talk to me at any point in the semester about course design concerns, but it is always best if we can talk at least one week prior to the need for any modifications. If needed, you may call the College wide TTY: 407-582-1222.
More information to each particular campus can be found in ttps://valenciacollege.edu/office-for-students-with-disabilities/default.cfm