The Weekly Discussion (Tuesday)

Each topic in the Course Narrative includes a set of readings, videos, and other media (collectively referred to below as Readings). You are responsible for completing all the Readings before coming to the Weekly Discussion. Please take notes as you work your way through the Readings – including both thoughts prompted by the Readings and questions you have about the Readings. Bring your notes to class on Tuesday. Students will be selected at random to lead class discussions about each Reading. Please be thoroughly prepared so that (1) our time together can be spent productively and (2) you won’t embarrass yourself in front of your peers.

The Weekly Create (Thursday)

Each week you will create a shareable (i.e., relatively brief or small) video, slide presentation, podcast, infographic, essay, or other creative artifact in which you demonstrate your understanding of the key issues highlighted in the week’s Readings and Discussion. Try to create a narrative (tell a story!) that ties ideas, events, and people together in a coherent way. Try to create something interesting. Post your Weekly Create on your blog before class on Thursday. Consider licensing it with a Creative Commons license.

(The Weekly Create is inspired by DS106’s wonderful Daily Create.)

Final Project

Your final project will be an in-class presentation. The presentation should (1) include each of your Weekly Create artifacts and (2) synthesize the things you learned this semester.

Grading

Each day class meets you are eligible for 10 participation points. These will be awarded for your active and informed participation in the Weekly Discussion. You automatically earn 10 points each class unless you are obviously unprepared, in which case you will lose all 10 points.

Each Weekly Create is worth 20 points. 10 points will be deducted for artifacts that are not posted before the beginning of class. We will develop specific grading criteria for each Weekly Create during the Weekly Discussion.

Your final project is worth 40 points. You may expand or revise your Weekly Creates as part of this process.

Your final grade will be calculated by dividing the points you’ve earned by the total points possible and assigning a letter as follows:

A: 100% – 90%
B: 89% – 80%
C: 79% – 70%
D: 69% – 60%
F: 59% – 0%

I expect each of you to earn an A, perfectly and without exception. Don’t be the student who doesn’t.