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About the Course
The Honors First-year sequence is a sequence of four three-credit courses over two semesters, in which students explore a significant topic while making connections between ideas, disciplines, world views, and ways of engaging. The sequence as a whole emphasizes inquiry, integrity, inclusion, interdisciplinarity, innovation, and internationalization. All sections, regardless of topic, have the same Student Learning Objectives:
After successful completion of the course the students will be able to...
- Identify information relevant to the focus and content of the course.
- Express orally and in writing the key themes and ideas reflected in the course content.
- Demonstrate some understanding of how different types of inequalities and power structures, both at local and global scales, occur and are reflected in or revealed by the content of the course.
- Discuss contributions, histories, and narratives made by members of marginalized communities in relation to the focus and content of the course.
- Demonstrate the skills needed to function in a diverse global community (including inquiry, integrity, inclusion, Interdisciplinarity, innovation, internationalization, and critical thinking).
- Write effectively for multiple purposes and audiences.
- Use a mix of basic and advanced strategies to cultivate information literacy, analytic, and synthesis skills.
This section, “East Asia in the World,” explores the circulation of peoples, culture, and ideas throughout East Asia, from ancient connections between the regions of China, Korea, and Japan to contemporary interactions in a globalized world. The classes adopt a truly interdisciplinary approach, including both the “high culture” of history, literature, philosophy, and art; as well as the “lived culture” of food, family, school, and work. Rather than taking a chronological approach, the course explores common themes through which we can see the culture of the past informing the worldviews of the present. All sections feature readings in primary and secondary sources, full-class discussion, individual and group projects, student presentations, and written essays. Classes will also include group excursions to museums, restaurants, and marketplaces, exploring the many ways in which East Asian culture circulates in our own Michigan communities.
In the 152 section of the sequence we will be reenacting key moments in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean history using the Reacting to the Past (RTTP) pedagogy. Each student will be assigned a role as a historical figure and role-play critical intellectual debates. Each student will adopt the viewpoint and agendas of their role as they approach the central questions being dealt with and, in order to do well, you will need to not only understand the general historical context but also your character's specific role within that context. You will need to apply critical thinking and problem solving skills to move forward both your own individual goals and those of your faction. It is not necessary for you to achieve those goals or for your faction to "win" in order to do well in the class; it is more important to act in accord with what your character and faction "would do" in the historical context.
Course Materials & Technology Requirements
There are two required texts for this course, available at the LakerStore. They are:
- The Analects by Confucius, Penguin Classics edition translated by D. C. Lau
- Confucianism and the Succession Crisis of the Wanli Emperor 1587, 3rd ed. by Daniel Gardner & Mark C. Carnes
Both of these books may also be available used through various online resellers, but if you plan to acquire them in this way make sure you have the correct edition as we need to be consistent with page numbers, etc. They will be used in our first RTTP game, which we will begin playing in the second week of classes so you will need to have acquired them by then. All other materials for the course will be made available on Blackboard, which is also where you will be viewing the detailed course schedule, submitting all assignments, checking your grades, etc. Becoming familiar with Blackboard and checking it regularly is critical to your success in the course
Course Workload
For face-to-face courses, Grand Valley expects that students will need to spend approximately two hours outside of class for every hour spent in it. HNR 152 is a 3-credit class, which means that you can expect to do about 6 hours of total preparation and other work outside of class per week. This includes all time spent reading and preparing for class, completing assignments, writing essays, etc. If you find that you are spending considerably more time than this or if you feel like you are falling behind, please let the instuctors know as soon as possible so we can help you get back on track.
Course Assignments & Activities
The expectations for all assignments will be made clear on the course Blackboard site and, while these will not be "graded" in the conventional sense, active engagement with materials and completion of assignments is critical to your success in this course
Attendance & Participation
Regular attendance and active participation are vital for success in any class, but in an RTTP game your presence has a direct impact on your classmates' ability to succeed as well. You will be spending a great deal of time outside of class, both preparing on your own and collaborating with classmates in your faction, and the game cannot progress without you doing your part. If you must miss class it is your obligation to make sure your fellow students have what they need to continue in your absence. Illness is unavoidable and you SHOULD NOT come to class sick, but if circumstances force you to miss a significant amount of class, speak with the instructor as soon as possible.
For the same reason, completing your work on time is not only important for your own grade, but also affects your classmates' ability to do well. If you fail to do your work on time and are not prepared for class, neither you nor your classmates will be able to participate fully. If you do find that you are struggling to get all the things done and need more time, please talk with the instructor as soon as possible.
Assessment
Your grade for the course will be assessed as follows:
| RTTP Session 1: China |
30% |
| RTTP Session 2: Japan |
30% |
| RTTP Session 3: Korea |
30% |
| Final Self-Reflection |
10% |
Point values for individual assignments within each section are specified on Blackboard. These may include written assignments, oral presentations, participation grades, etc. and will be specific to the needs of the individual session, but each session will culminate with a self-reflection in which you assess your own performance in that section of the class. These individual self-assessments will inform your Final Self-Reflection, which will take the place of a Final Exam for the course. Throughout the course, grades for individual assignments will be posted to Blackboard. Make a habit of checking your grades there regularly to make sure the grades recorded there reflect what you think they should be. If you ever have a question or concern about an individual grade, please let the instructor know as soon as possible.
Academic Integrity
You will be held to the policies of academic honesty as explained in the GVSU Catalog and Student Code, Appendix A (www.gvsu.edu/studentcode). At a minimum, this means that you will do original work and will not take or receive the efforts of another person on any test or assignment. If you are at all uncertain about how to use sources to support your thinking, do not hesitate to ask us.
Supplemental Writing Skills
Completion of this course counts as the equivalent of WRT 150, helping fulfill the university SWS requirement which involves writing at least 2000 words. In this class, the majority of this writing will be either written from the point of view of your role or reflecting on your experience. in both cases, you will be given explicit direction about the content of your writing, in some cases following an explicit rubric. Regardless of what you choose to do with your life after college, effective writing may be the single most important skill you take with you.
Cmpus Resources
Undergraduate Research: For more information on undergraduate research and the prestigious GVSU Undergraduate Research Scholars Designation, see the Office of Undergraduate Research (OURS)
The Writing Center (https://www.gvsu.edu/wc/undergraduate-student-support-65.htm): The Writing Center allows you to make an appointment to discuss any stage of the writing process (brainstorming, outline, drafts, etc.).
The Knowledge Market (https://www.gvsu.edu/library/km/): The library offers a variety of services to help you with research, writing, speech preparation and presentation for any of your classes.
If any issue prevents you from fulfilling your scholarly potential, get support! Anxiety? Talk to the pros at the GVSU Counseling Center (STU 204, 331-3215). If you have a disability for which special arrangements may be needed, these must be organized under the aegis of Disabilities Support Resources (STU 200, 331-3880) during the first week of the semester. Please do not hesitate to communicate with your instructors regarding these issues.
Fire and Emergency Statement
Please immediately proceed to the nearest exit during a fire alarm. Do not use elevators.
This course is subject to the GVSU policies listed at http://www.gvsu.edu/coursepolicies/ |