Week Ten: Terrorism, Rights, and Torture

Class,

Today we begin a new section on Global Issues and this week we will begin the first chapter in this new section examining chapter seven on terrorism, human rights, and torture.  We move into some key areas of discussion and I will post some extra resources for outside research per a recommendation from the evaluations.  I will try to add them to our course homepage, but may have to settle for D2L Content if I cannot get the links working on blogger. 

A reminder that there is no celebration this week as you are turning in your third paper by Sunday, November 4, and I have published the rubric to help you write your third paper in Content.  I will also see if I can upload it directly to the folder in the dropbox.

You are still responsible to answer the presenter's questions and to evaluate the presenters this week by Sunday, November 4, midnight. 

An Important Change in Response to the Evaluations
When students make suggestions I try to explain why I can or can't do certain things, but if a request is reasonable and doesn't break any of the essential components of the syllabus, i am happy to make changes.  One requested change I saw were concerns about the frequency of postings to so many essays, couldn't we just post to one area and have a more engaging discussion?  I think we can and will make the change for Week Eleven going forward.  To anticipate next week, I will be asking presenters to keep using the same format concluding with two questions.  But instead of posting to each presentation, which is many small responses to several essays, I am going to ask students to pick one question from the presentations that they thought was worth engaging, and ask students to respond with the question they selected in the subject line of their posting.  You will post your selected question and response in a new topic within that week, and the topic will be titled "Post your Discussion here."  You will find it on Discussions, Week Eleven as the last Topic in that forum.  If other students pick the same question, reply to the thread.  If you chose another questions, start a new discussion.  I am going to ask presenters to still reply to five student postings, even if it is not a question from your essay.  The point is for presenters to engage the class and facilitate and extend the discussion.  Students, feel free to reply back to each other and extend the conversation, although you will be critically graded on the initial posting only.  As always, avoid attacks against any person based on non-academic terms, or in other words, have a civil debate. 

Students, when you post you will need to indicate why you chose the question, identify the essayist's central thesis or big idea, and also nuance why you agree or disagree.  Since you are only posting to one question, I will expect better responses that clarify the issue, analyze, the concept, and provide an informed opinion.  Responses should be 150-300 words.  Many are already doing this kind of detailed work in their responses already (I am thinking of Jacob, Niko, Adam, Johnny, Courtney and others who consistently write strong postings exceeding expectations).  Avoid simple opinion, or hasty generalizations that do not display that you have wrestled with the issue or the essays.  Most do consistent work in this class and if you have made it to week ten you deserve to be here!

I will have celebrations the other weeks, but thought taking one week off would not hurt the weights or overall points of students.  I know many students need to demonstrate consistent points, and quizzes (or celebrations) are a great way to do so.  I also heard from many that they weren't that onerous.  I will also add prezi for the weeks going forward to help students prepare for quizzes, these can be found in Content and I think I have found a way to bypass D2L's restrictions on these outside links.  If you cannot access a prezi from week eleven going forward, send me an email on Mondays and I will try and have things taken care of by 5:00 pm Mondays.

I have also clarified the course schedule for the rest of the semester and adding an updated course schedule in Content to help clarify openings of assignments on Mondays and closing on Sundays of that same week.

If I am missing something that you think is important from the mid-semester evaluations, let me know.  I see three of the presenters have their presentations up, great work.  Looking forward to getting past [presentation evaluation results back to presenters today and tomorrow. 

 Be sure and look at the email I sent out to the class on Friday pertaining to the mid-semester evaluation results. 

Class,

Attached are two documents: the mid-semester evaluation results thus far and detailed instructions to help you write your third paper.  From what I gathered, some of key things to change were better instructions, shorter syllabus, and fewer assignments.  In light of these results I am offering the following change for week ten.
No celebration on chapter seven, take a break and turn in your paper, get caughter up.
We will keep the presentations and evaluations the same as students have prepared in advance. 
Use this rubric to help you write your paper without having to wade through that gigantic syllabus.
I will probably offer two more changes but that is enough for this week.  I will be sending out a revised course schedule with clearer dates.  I will also post all these documents on D2L Content for your review.  Enjoy a slightly slower week.

Week Nine

Class,

Today marks the second section on drugs, addiction, and social policy.  We have just three essays this week and two presenters: Shewit and Adam.  The evaluation links are up and I think I see both presentations up as well.  Great work. 

Please note that I have offered a mid-semester evaluation as an extra credit opportunity and the end of this week will be the last chance to take advantage of that opportunity. 

The quiz for chapter six is now available until the end of the week and it will cover the essays from week eight and week nine and the Prezi is also available for your review in the Content section. 

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.  I will be attempting to get all of week six graded and evaluations to presenters. 

Week Eight

Class,

I have uploaded another Prezi introducting the material for chapter six: Drug Control, Addiction, and Medical Use.  You will find it in the Content tab under Week Eight.  A reminder that the chapter's material is so lengthy I have broken it into two weeks, which means your celebration will not be until the end of Week Nine.  Enjoy the slower pace. 

I have graded the presentations and discussion and evaluations through the end of Week Five.  Presenters, remember I am sending your evaluation results via email so be sure and eheck your mailboxes, which I know everyone is doing three times a week, per the syllabus requirement (cough, cough). 

This week the presenter schedule is as follows:
31.  Szasz: No student presenter
32. Goodin: Ron Wagner
33. Nadelmann: Adam Fairbanks
34. Wilson: Shewit Ghebrezghi

I will have evaluation links up by Monday.  Presenters, have your presentations up by noon on Monday.  Looking forward to the conversation unfolding and as always, let me know how I can help. 

I will also be completing the grading of Week Six and Seven, including your papers which were due at the end of Week Six.  I will be reviewing your mid-semester grades and will contact students via email if I have any academic concerns.  Best to all. 

Clarification

Class,

Update Week Seven: when I teach this class students typically post presentations on time and in an effective manner.  This semester a number of students have been M.I.A. (missing in action) on their presentations and that leaves others students who are working hard to keep up in a precarious place.

I thought I had stipulated already, but could not see it in the syllabus, so let me say here that if a student fails to present on time (the Monday of the week assigned), by noon of that Monday, then students who come to post their discussion responses after that point may post two comments in lieu of two discussion question responses and evaluate the presenter as failing.

For example, if a presentation is supposed to be up by Monday and you come on Tuesday to answer the presenter's questions and one presentation is missing, simply post two observations in that essay topic instead.  Submit an evaluation indicating that the student failed to post a presentation.  If a presenter later posts, you do not have to go back and and respond or evaluate again as that student has missed that opportunity with you.  I realize the asynchronous manner of the online course means it is crucial for students to post on time in order to help student during that week respond and if a student fails to help his/her peers, then students who have done the work and are ready to post should be allowed to do so within that week's time frame.  Remember, you can always post your presentations early, just not late. 

Presenters: I suggest you "pin" your presentation when you compose the thread.  Pinning allows your thread to appear first so other students can find it right away.  When composing your thread you will see a box you can check that say "pin this posting."  Select the box. 

If there are any questions or concerns, contact me via email or by phone and I can help clarify.  If a student thinks s/he skipped an essay because there was no presenter, I will not deduct points for topics that have had that failed to post.  I will deduct points going forward as all students now know the protocol to post two observations and an evaluation.  I want students to engage with every assigned reading as these varying essays often create critical contrasts and allow a fuller scope of the issue to come the fore.

I hope all have been able to find the introductory presentation to the chapter I posted in Content and on the course home page.  Looking forward to grading your papers on power. 

Class,

For the next chapter I have created an introductory presentation using Prezi.  In order to access and play the presentation you can simply click on this link, or you can also find the link in D2L, Content, Week Seven, Pornography, Hate Speech and Censorship Prezi.  Click the play the button to take you through each image.  If the text is small you can zoom in and out.  The celebration is up and available until the end of the week, Sunday, midnight.  Presenters should have their presentations up by Monday noon.  I will have evaluations forms ready as well.  I will also begin grading and giving feedback on your second reflection paper examining power.  Prof. Crapo

Update

Class,

I can see many have already posted for this on liberty, sexual morality, and same-sex marriage.  Looks like the presenters are doing a great job summarizing, analyzing, giving a personal opinion, and offering two questions.  Presenters, make sure you also follow up with those five replies.   

Our presenters for next week are: Eunice Prentice, Nena McAllister-Taylor, Ronald Wagner, and Ryan Curenton.  I currently do not have a presenter for Altman and if that essay interests anyone, let me before Sunday, midnight via email.

I have graded all of week three abortion (discussion, presentations, evaluations).  Student presenters check your email for your evaluation sheets.  Overall, strong work in this section.

I am in process of grading week four euthanasia and am hoping to have the discussions done soon and then get presentation scores and evaluation scores up asap.  I will have the new celebration on chapter five up by Monday morning.

Reminder that your papers on power for your service learning are due this Sunday, at midnight.  I will attach in the content section the rubric i will be using to evaluate these service learning papers going forward.  

I am experimenting with ways to make the class more 'live' and feel more like a platform to understand and comprehend.  I think the strength of the class is the discussion, students sharing and working out their ideas with student presenters.  I think the weakness is that we do not interact much except through evaluation and assessment.  If you have any clever ideas of how we can improve the course, let me know.  I am always looking for student feedback.  Blessings as we move forward.