Participation

Attendance

You are expected to attend class every day, arrive on time, and participate in an informed and consistent manner.  Lecture notes will not be available online so it is imperative that you attend class.  If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to check on announcements made while you were away.

Participation

In order for this class to be productive you will need to come to class each and every day prepared to discuss the material.  This requires more than simply doing the reading (WHICH IS ESSENTIAL), but arriving at class with a readiness to discuss the issues for that day.  Despite the size of this class, it is my hope that we can have engaging and productive conversations.  In an effort to facilitate dialog and to encourage collective interaction, I am requiring that you purchase a clicker for this class.  Your daily participation and contributions/participation via the clicker will be the primary basis of your participation grade.  However, participation extends beyond clickers and being engaged within the class.

Recognizing that silence is not always a result of a lack of interest or preparation, I envision participation along many lines.  Participating in class not only consists of talking, but also includes listening (please do not talk while others are speaking), interacting with your peers, and contributing to our classroom energy (body language, being engaged – no newspapers, no playing “rock, paper scissors,” or cell phones).

There are three additional ways to enhance your participation grade and contribution to class:

□   You can participate in online discussions, comment on the course blog or otherwise engage our learning community

□   You can e-mail me comments or questions prior to class

□   You can hand me a note at the beginning of class that asks specific questions (or relays comments) about readings, a previous lecture or film – I will do my best to incorporate into that day’s class

□   You can also enhance participation grade by reading the daily newspapers in print or online and bringing the class’s attention to relevant articles/developments

Participation Portion of grades based on following:

85-100 Points:              Active participant in class in all regards; enhances and invigorates the  class; active and successful with student response device

70-84.99 Points:             Participates and contributes regularly; does not push class conversations in new directions but often contributes

55-69.99 Points:             Contributes on occasions but does so at basic level; engaged, but not active

40-54.99 Points:             Rarely contributes, but present; shows limited effort and interest in class

25-39.99  Points:             Does not contribute, but physically present for most part; brings little energy and generally demonstrates little interest or effort within class

0-24.99  Points:             Detracts from overall success of class because of disinterest, use of cell phone in class, sleeping during class, disengagement, negative attitude,

rudeness, non or   disruptive/destructive participation, etc.