Fred
Glennon, Ph.D.
(Courses)
Professor (RH 216)
Department of Religious Studies
Le Moyne College
Syracuse, New York 13214
(315)445-4343
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THE 237
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ACTIVITY OPTIONS
PARTICIPATION (Worth 15%-25% of final grade). One of the assumptions I make is that students
learn best in cooperation with others. However, students do not always have the
opportunity or the ability to do it. One of my goals is to enable students to
work collaboratively with others by providing such opportunities. That is why
the basic pedagogy in this class is cooperative learning: students working in
various groups to teach and learn from one another. To pull this off, it is
imperative that students be present and participate actively in their groups. The
Participation Activity is one way of providing incentive to do so.
I also believe that students ought to be rewarded
for effort as well as ability. Students often complain that, no matter how hard
they work on an assignment, they can get no higher than a C or a B. This leaves
them disappointed and frustrated. Through your participation in this class, you
have the opportunity to make an A for 15-25% of your grade. That is because the
Participation Activity grade measures the effort you put into the class.
The student's grade for this activity will be
determined by class attendance, preparation, group participation, homework, and
successful completion of assessment activities.
·
Attendance is critical if cooperative learning
is to take place. Each student should expect to attend all classes. (But
because students want to know how many classes they can miss, students who miss
more than 4 classes will receive a D for this portion of their grade, and can
expect repercussions on the other aspects of their participation grade. Students
who miss more than 6 classes can expect no higher than C on their participation
grade. Students who miss more than
8 classes will receive an F for the course.)
·
The preparation portion of the participation
grade will come from assigned readings and successful completion of option A or
option B below:
§ Option A: Completion of reading summaries
during the semester (see Blackboard under Course
Materials for format or click here). Reading summaries are a
method of stating concisely what a particular reading is all about. The
format calls for you to summarize the central thesis of the article in 2-3
sentences and to list a few key ideas that you think illustrate that
thesis. It also provides you an opportunity to identify ideas or concepts
with which you had difficulty and to communicate to the professor ideas or
concepts you would like more fully discussed in class. These should be
turned in each week at the end of Friday's class (2 per week for 10
weeks). If completed electronically, they should be submitted before
class. Late reading summaries
will not be accepted. The grade will be determined on the basis of
the percentage of reading summaries completed.
§ Option B: Completion of a reading
journal during the semester (see Blackboard under
Course Materials for format or click here). Reading journals are
similar to reading summaries in that they are based upon the readings for each
class. The primary difference between them is that, instead of merely
describing a particular text, you engage in a dialogue with that text. On
one side of the journal entry, you will note the ideas, assertions, and
arguments you find most meaningful and/or controversial in the text. On
the other side you will discuss why you found them so meaningful and/or
controversial and your response to them. Here again, these should be
turned in each week at the end of Friday's class (2 entries per week for 10
weeks). If completed electronically, they should be submitted before
class. Late reading journals
will not be accepted. The grade will be determined on the percentage
of the reading journal entries completed.
·
The final portion of the participation grade
will come from completion of assessment exercises (completion of learning
covenant, case analysis, mid-term class evaluation, and completion of a final
self-assessment). The purpose of these exercises will be to assess student
learning of course materials. They are not graded. (See Blackboard folder
on Assessment Activities for guidelines for each.).
FINAL
ETHICAL REFLECTION PAPER (Worth 15-25% of course grade). This activity will take place in lieu of a
final exam and will be done in home groups. Further information on the content
of this activity, guidelines for writing this paper, and the evaluation
criteria will be distributed at a later time.
LIBRARY RESEARCH PAPER (Worth 0-25% of course grade). This activity is a traditional
research (term) paper. You are to
select a topic of interest to you which is also related to the course topic,
research it thoroughly, and generate a well-written and well-organized research
paper. There are no length requirements, as the length will vary depending upon
the nature and scope of the topic selected. But a paper in the range of 7-10
pages is average. This is to be a good research effort (at least 5
bibliographic sources). To aid you in this process, you may submit an outline
and/or a first draft for comment and review.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content
(information and comprehension). How clear and appropriate is the thesis
or research question that holds the entire paper together? How focused,
informative, and comprehensive is the paper developed? How well is
the topic understood? Have all the relevant questions/issues been
addressed? Have counter-arguments (if appropriate) been presented
and dealt with? Are there insights and points which go beyond the obvious?
- Organization
(clarity, transition, and flow). Is there a logical progression and development
of ideas? How clearly are the ideas expressed? How effective
is the transition between ideas? How effective is the introduction
and conclusion?
- Sources
(variety/credibility of resources). Are there a variety of references
used? How relevant, accurate, and credible is the information used
from those sources? How well does the information support the thesis
or research question being explored?
- Presentation
(grammar, spelling, vocabulary). Are the grammar and spelling
correct? Are there a variety of proper sentence and paragraph
structures employed? Is the vocabulary accurately and effectively
used?
- Documentation
(appropriate sources and formatting). How complete and correct is
the documentation?
ORIGINAL
RESEARCH PAPER (Worth 0-25% of total course grade). This activity is to be a small, but well-done,
original research project. It can
either duplicate a research project already done by a previous scholar or it
may be completely original. It might include something like administering a questionnaire,
doing intensive interviews, conducting an experiment, writing up a
participant/observation research project, collecting and analyzing
self-generated data, or the like. For most original research projects, it
should begin with a review of the appropriate literature. After conducting the
research it should be written up as would be done for any research paper.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content
(information and comprehension). How clear and appropriate is the thesis
or research question that holds the entire paper together? How focused,
informative, and comprehensive is the paper developed? How well is
the topic understood? Have all the relevant questions/issues been
addressed? Have counter-arguments (if appropriate) been presented
and dealt with? Are there insights and points which go beyond the obvious?
- Organization
(clarity, transition, and flow). Is there a logical progression and
development of ideas? How clearly are the ideas expressed? How
effective is the transition between ideas? How effective is the
introduction and conclusion?
- Sources
(variety/credibility of resources). Are there a variety of references
used? How relevant, accurate, and credible is the information used
from those sources? How well does the information support the thesis
or research question being explored?
- Presentation
(grammar, spelling, vocabulary). Are the grammar and spelling
correct? Are there a variety of proper sentence and paragraph
structures employed? Is the vocabulary accurately and effectively
used?
- Documentation
(appropriate sources and formatting). How complete and correct is
the documentation?
BOOK
REVIEW ESSAY (Worth 0-25% of course grade). This activity is a formal paper written critiquing
several books on, generally, the same topic. Most
book review essays review anywhere from two
to five books (but this is
not a hard-and-fast rule). The book review essay attempts to integrate the
books while critiquing them around a common theme; the emphasis is on analysis,
not description. The books may be
selected from the references provided in the texts or chosen on your own.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content (information and comprehension). How clear and appropriate
is the thesis or theme that holds the critique together? How focused,
informative, and comprehensive is the paper developed? How well and
accurately are the books understood? Does the analysis come up
with points which are more than descriptive and which lead to further
insights? Do the points made in the critique go beyond the obvious?
- Organization (clarity, transition, and flow). Is there a
logical progression and development of ideas? How clearly are the
ideas expressed? How effective is the transition between
ideas? How effective is the introduction and conclusion?
- Sources (variety/credibility of resources). Are there at least two
books used? How relevant, accurate, and credible is the information
used from those books? How well does the information support the
thesis or theme being explored?
- Presentation (grammar, spelling, vocabulary). Are the grammar
and spelling correct? Are there a variety of proper sentence and
paragraph structures employed? Is the vocabulary accurately and
effectively used?
- Documentation (appropriate sources and formatting). How
complete and correct is the documentation about the books used?
LECTURE (Worth 0-25% of course grade). Le Moyne College brings a variety of scholars
and others to campus each semester who often address ethical themes or
issues. Some already on the schedule include:
Speaker
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Topic
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Date, Time, Place
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Rev. Raymond B. Kemp
Dolores R. Leckey
Thomas J. Reese, S.J.
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The
Future of the Church: Woodstock
Forum on Sources of Hope
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Thursday, Sep. 8, 7:30pm, Panasci
Family Chapel
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Moustafa Bayoumi
Brooklyn College
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How Does It Feel To be a Problem? Young Arab and
Muslim Americans 10 years after 9/11
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Thursday, Sep. 22, 4:00pm, Grewen
Auditorium
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Fay Botham, Ph.D.
Hobart and William Smith
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'The
Purity of the White Woman': Race, Gender and Religion in American Anti-Miscegenation
Law and the Future of Gay Marriage
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Thursday, Sep. 29, 4:00pm, Reilley
Room
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Jen Marlowe
Author and Activist
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The Hour of Sunlight: One Palestinian’s Journey from Prisoner to
Peacemaker
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Thursday, Oct. 27, 7:00pm, Grewen
Auditorium
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This activity requires that you attend a
lecture and discussion and write a reaction/analysis to the ideas presented. If
you complete this activity, you should attend the ENTIRE event. Thus, you
should arrive on time to attend the entire presentation and question session.
You should participate if possible. You will write an analysis of the
presentation and question session. Here again, the analysis should be critical,
not merely descriptive.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content (information and comprehension). How clear and appropriate
is the analytical framework that holds the entire together? How focused,
informative, and comprehensive is the paper developed? How well is
the lecture understood? How well does the paper make
connections between the various components of the lecture? Does the
critique of the lecture accurately interpret the presentation or are there
distortions which seriously weaken the critique? Do the points made
in the critique go beyond the obvious?
- Organization (clarity, transition, and flow). Is there a
logical progression and development of ideas? How clearly are the
ideas expressed? How well does the analysis illustrate the ideas
drawn from the lecture? How effective is the transition between
ideas? How effective is the introduction and
conclusion?
- Presentation (grammar, spelling, vocabulary). Are the grammar
and spelling correct? Are there a variety of proper sentence and
paragraph structures employed? Is the vocabulary accurately and
effectively used?
CLASS
PRESENTATION/LEAD DISCUSSION (Worth 0-25% of grade). This activity might include a lecture on a selected
topic, a lecture-discussion, or the leading of a class discussion or activity
of some sort. It would be up to you to decide the topic, get approval from the
professor, and, working in conjunction with the professor, select the most
appropriate time during the semester when it would be presented.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content (information and comprehension). How clear and appropriate
is the topic that holds the presentation together? How focused,
informative, and comprehensive is the presentation made? How well is
the topic understood?
- Organization (clarity, transition, and flow). How well
(smoothly and as planned) did the presentation go? Is there a
logical progression and development of ideas in the presentation?
How clearly are the ideas expressed? How effective is the transition
between ideas? How effective is the introduction and
conclusion?
- Sources (variety/credibility of resources). Are there a variety of
sources used to make the presentation? How relevant, accurate, and
credible is the information used from those sources? How well does
the information support the topic being explored?
- Ability to interest and involve the audience (impact). How
effective were you in engaging the students in the presentation (i.e. how
many were involved and how intense were they)? How well did you
prepare students for the topic (i.e. provide readings ahead of
time)? How effective were you in enabling students to gain insight
into the topic?
ANALYSIS
OF SOCIAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATION (Worth 0-25% of grade). This activity requires that the student select a
religious organization that works for social justice (e.g. food banks, Catholic
Social Services, environmental groups, jail ministry/advocacy group, etc.).
Talk with folks in the Campus Ministry office for possibilities. Arrange a
visit to the organization to find out the mission and purpose of the
organization, the population it serves or issues it addresses, and how they go
about their work. In particular, focus on the values or beliefs that motivate
their work. Then make a report on the organization which is not merely
descriptive but analytical in that the report shows the connectedness between
mission, beliefs/values, and organization. Moreover, you should include a
critique of the organization from your perspective. This report can be written,
but may use other media as well (such as photographs, videotape, etc.)
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content
(information and comprehension). How clear and appropriate is the
analytical framework that holds the entire paper together? How focused,
informative, and comprehensive is the paper developed? Is the
organization understood well or are there major distortions which
seriously weaken the report? How well does the report make
connections between the beliefs/values the organization professes and the
work they do? Does the
report make points about the organization that go beyond the obvious?
- Organization
(clarity, transition, and flow). Is there a logical progression and
development of ideas? How clearly are the ideas expressed? How
well does the report show the mission and work of the organization in
question? How effective is the transition between ideas? How
effective is the introduction and conclusion?
- Sources
(variety/credibility of resources). Are there a variety of materials from
the organization used? How relevant, accurate, and credible is the
information used from those sources? How well does the information
support the analysis being developed?
- Presentation
(grammar, spelling, vocabulary). Are the grammar and spelling
correct? Are there a variety of proper sentence and paragraph
structures employed? Is the vocabulary accurately and effectively
used?
- Documentation
(appropriate sources and formatting). How complete and correct is
the documentation about the organization?
SOCIAL
JUSTICE ACTION (Worth 0-25% of course grade). This activity calls for analyzing a social justice problem
and taking appropriate action to try to address it. During the course, we will look
at a variety of social issues that result in injustice for some group or
groups. You may become aware of such a problem locally (on campus or in
Syracuse area) or globally (national or international). The focus of this
activity is on what your awareness of the problem is and the actions you take
to address it. (For example, a previous student focused on the problem of
affordable housing. Her action was to work with Habitat for Humanity during her
Spring Break.) The final grade would be based upon a formal written report
which explains what was done and why it was done. This is not merely action,
but it is informed action, so it has a research component, a strategic component,
and an action component. Your final report should detail what you did, what you
found, why you did what you did (religious/ethical reasoning), what the impact
of your action was, what you learned from the experience, etc.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content (information, comprehension, and analysis). How clear
and appropriate is the social justice action? How focused,
informative, and comprehensive is the project developed? How well is
the social justice issue understood? How strong is the analysis of
the social justice issue? How strong is the logical relationship
between the research, moral reasoning, and the action?
- Organization (clarity, transition, flow). How
well-thought-out and executed was the project? How clearly are the
issue, research, and action expressed? How effective is the
transition between the research, strategic, and action components of the
project? How effective is the introduction and
conclusion?
- Sources (variety/credibility of resources). Are there a
variety of sources used to research the issue, including resources on
ethical reasoning? How relevant, accurate, and credible is the
information used from those sources? How well does the information
support the social justice action being taken?
- Presentation (grammar, spelling, vocabulary). Are the grammar
and spelling correct? Are there a variety of proper sentence and
paragraph structures employed? Is the vocabulary accurately and
effectively used?
- Documentation (appropriate sources and formatting). How
complete and correct is the documentation?
ENVIRONMENTAL
ACTION (Worth 0-25% of grade). This activity involves analyzing an environmental
problem and taking appropriate action to try to improve it. The final grade
would be based upon a formal written report which explains what was done and
why it was done. This is not merely action, but it is informed action, so it
has a research component, a strategic component, and an action component. Your
final report should detail what you did, what you found, why you did what you did
(religious/ethical reasoning), what the impact of your action was, what you
learned from the experience, etc.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content (information, comprehension, and analysis). How clear
and appropriate is the environmental action? How focused, informative,
and comprehensive is the project developed? How well is the
environmental issue understood? How strong is the analysis of the
issue? How strong is the logical relationship between the research,
moral reasoning, and the action?
- Organization (clarity, transition, flow). How
well-thought-out and executed was the project? How clearly are the
issue, research, and action expressed? How effective is the
transition between the research, strategic, and action components of the
project? How effective is the introduction and
conclusion?
- Sources (variety/credibility of resources). Are there a
variety of sources used to research the issue, including resources on
ethical reasoning? How relevant, accurate, and credible is the
information used from those sources? How well does the information
support the social justice action being taken?
- Presentation (grammar, spelling, vocabulary). Are the grammar
and spelling correct? Are there a variety of proper sentence and
paragraph structures employed? Is the vocabulary accurately and
effectively used?
- Documentation (appropriate sources and formatting). How
complete and correct is the documentation?
WEB SITE EXPLORATION AND ANALYSIS (Worth 0-25% of grade)
This activity requires that students choose
one or more web sites that address the themes discussed in class (sexuality,
justice, economics, sexism, healthcare, the environment, etc.). You must explore the entire site or
sites, not simply one page on the site. The
student will review the materials on that subject present at the web site and
write an analysis (the mission and purpose of the site, the link structure, the
materials, etc.) and evaluation (the appearance and ease of use of the site,
effectiveness in achieving the site's mission and purpose, quality of the
information found there, etc.) of the site (4-5 pages). The student does not
need to supply written copies of the materials reviewed for her/his analysis,
but should make sure the addresses of the sites are clearly indicated. (Note:
note all web sites are of the same quality. It is important that you search out
the best ones for this activity, those that are affiliated with a particular
institution whether it be academic, research, or
advocacy group. Stay away from personal web sites if possible. For suggestions
on possible web sites, see the professor. Good search engines to use in this
activity include Google (http://www.google.com) and Yahoo! Search (http://search.yahoo.com).
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content (information and comprehension). How clear and appropriate
is the thesis or theme that holds the website analysis together? How
focused, informative, and comprehensive is the paper developed? How
well is the topic understood? Have all the relevant
questions/issues been addressed? Have counter-arguments (if appropriate)
been presented and dealt with? Does the analysis come up with points
which are more than descriptive and which lead to further insights? Do the
points made in the analysis go beyond the obvious?
- Organization (clarity, transition, and flow). Is there a
logical progression and development of ideas? How clearly are the
ideas expressed? How effective is the transition between
ideas? How effective is the introduction and
conclusion?
- Sources (variety/credibility of resources). Are there a variety of
web sites or pages on a single web site used? How relevant,
accurate, and credible is the information used from those sources?
How well does the information support the thesis or theme being
explored?
- Presentation (grammar, spelling, vocabulary). Are the grammar
and spelling correct? Are there a variety of proper sentence and
paragraph structures employed? Is the vocabulary accurately and
effectively used?
- Documentation (appropriate sources and formatting). How
complete and correct is the documentation about the web site (s)?
MID-TERM EXAMINATION (Worth 0-25% of grade). This activity will consist of a take-home exam (unless
indicated otherwise). The material from which the essay questions will be
taken consists of assigned readings and class discussions (Click here to
see the 2008 version of this exam.)
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content (information and comprehension). How clear and appropriate
is the answer in addressing the question asked? How focused, informative,
and comprehensive is the essay developed? How well is the subject
matter understood? Does the essay make points which go beyond
the obvious?
- Organization (clarity, transition, and flow). Is there a
logical progression and development of ideas in the answer? How
clearly are the ideas expressed? How effective is the transition
between ideas? How effective is the introduction and
conclusion?
- Sources (variety/credibility of resources). Are there a variety of
references used? How relevant, accurate, and credible is the
information used from those sources? How well does the information
support the question being answered?
- Presentation (grammar, spelling, vocabulary). Are the grammar
and spelling correct? Are there a variety of proper sentence and
paragraph structures employed? Is the vocabulary accurately and
effectively used?
FILM OR PLAY REVIEW(S) (Worth 0-15 % of grade). This activity recognizes that there are many
films and plays about social issues which have moral and ethical implications
(e.g. Dead Man Walking, Philadelphia, Capitalism: A Love Story, Sicko, John Q, Gattaca, etc.). Unless otherwise specified the review (s) would
take written form. The emphasis would be critical more than descriptive.
A good film review is not simply a discussion
of the film with a personal opinion attached to the end. It is not picking up
an important theme in the film and then spending most of your time discussing
your view on the subject either. Rather, a good film review generally begins
with an interpretation of what you think the central theme (or themes) of the
film is. (To get at this you might ask yourself, "What does the filmmaker
want the viewer (me) to take from this film?") What is the filmmaker
saying about this theme (themes)? You should be able to state this clearly in
one or perhaps two paragraphs. The bulk of the remainder of the review should
then discuss/describe key scenes from the film that illustrate why your
interpretation of the filmmaker’s intent or theme makes sense. You
don’t have to discuss every scene in the film, but you should be sure to
discuss most of the relevant scenes to support your view. You may then discuss
a bit whether or not you think the filmmaker was successful in her/his efforts.
You should then conclude the review with a good summary of your
argument/discussion.
Two film reviews must be done for this
activity to count for 25% of grade.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content (information and comprehension). How clear and appropriate
is the paper in identifying and analyzing the main theme (s) of the
film? How focused, informative, and comprehensive is the analysis
developed? How well is the film and subject matter
understood? How appropriate is the film for this
course? Do the points
made in the critique go beyond the obvious?
- Organization (clarity, transition, and flow). Is there a
logical progression and development of ideas in the paper? How clearly
are the ideas expressed? How effective is the transition between
ideas? How effective is the introduction and
conclusion?
- Sources (variety/credibility of resources). Are there a variety of
scenes referenced in the review? How relevant, accurate, and
credible is the information used from those scenes? How well does
the information from the scenes support the analysis being
developed?
- Presentation (grammar, spelling, vocabulary). Are the grammar
and spelling correct? Are there a variety of proper sentence and
paragraph structures employed? Is the vocabulary accurately and
effectively used?
- Documentation. How complete and correct is the documentation
about the film?
INTEGRATIVE ESSAY OVER REQUIRED TEXTS (Worth 0-25% of grade) This activity, which would be due
toward the conclusion of the semester, calls for you to link each of the texts used in
the course around some integrative/ analytical theme or thesis of your own
devising. Since most of the required readings are essays, you would pick out
key essays that fit your thesis. The emphasis is on analysis rather than mere
description.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content (information and comprehension). How clear and appropriate
is the thesis or theme that holds the paper together? How focused,
informative, and comprehensive is the paper developed? How well are
the texts understood? Does the analysis come up with
points which are more than description and lead us to further insights not
already made in the books? Do the points made in the essay go beyond the
obvious?
- Organization (clarity, transition, and flow). Is there a
logical progression and development of ideas? How clearly are the
ideas expressed? How effective is the transition between
ideas? How effective is the introduction and
conclusion? Are the points made supported by examples,
good reasoning, etc., or are they merely asserted?
- Sources (variety/credibility of resources). Are key parts of the
course texts used? How relevant, accurate, and credible is the
information used from those texts? How well does the information
support the thesis or theme being explored? Does the critique
accurately interpret the authors or are there major distortions which
seriously weaken the essay?
- Presentation (grammar, spelling, vocabulary). Are the grammar
and spelling correct? Are there a variety of proper sentence and
paragraph structures employed? Is the vocabulary accurately and
effectively used?
- Documentation (appropriate sources and formatting). How
complete and correct is the documentation?
COURSE
SYLLABUS (Worth 0-25% of grade). In this activity, using the same materials used in this course
(or other materials if you desire) you are to develop a course syllabus of your
own. The syllabus should be accompanied by an EXTENSIVE and DETAILED
justification statement which explains why you made the decisions you made---as
such, it should include a brief statement of educational philosophy,
explanations at points throughout the syllabus about how the philosophy has
been operationalized, why you selected the books you did,
why you selected the evaluation format you did, why you chose the attendance
policy you did, etc.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content (information and comprehension). How clear and appropriate
is the syllabus in covering all aspects that should be covered in a course
syllabus? How focused, informative, and comprehensive is the justification
statement in providing rationale for developing the syllabus in this way?
Does the justification
statement indicate that considerable thought has been given to the project
and do you come up with responses which reflect such thought? How well does the syllabus
illustrate the educational philosophy?
- Organization (clarity, transition, and flow). Is there a
logical progression and development of ideas? How clearly are the
ideas expressed? How effective is the transition between
ideas? Are there inconsistencies in what is done in one place in the
syllabus with what is done in another? How effective is the
introduction and conclusion?
- Sources (variety/credibility of resources). Are key elements of the
course syllabus or other sources used in the development of the
syllabus? How relevant, accurate, and credible is the information used
from those sources? How well do the sources support the development
of the syllabus in this form?
- Presentation (grammar, spelling, vocabulary). Are the grammar
and spelling correct? Are there a variety of proper sentence and
paragraph structures employed? Is the vocabulary accurately and
effectively used?
- Documentation (appropriate sources and formatting). How
complete and correct is the documentation?
THOUGHT
PAPERS (Worth 0-25% of grade). This activity consists of short (3-5 pages) typed
papers which are your reactions to things which have been happening in class or
reactions to ideas you have come across elsewhere (e.g. in a book, in
discussions with friends, etc.). The
thoughts should be ORIGINAL and UNIQUE, they should not merely restate what others
have said. These may or may not be distributed to the entire class depending
upon whether you want them to be or not. They should be tightly focused and
should concern themselves with only a single topic; as such, they should be
logical and well-written. A
minimum of three (3) must be submitted and
due dates for each should be given.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content (information and comprehension). How clear and appropriate
is the thesis or issue that holds the entire paper together? How focused,
informative, and comprehensive is the paper developed? How well is
the topic understood?
- Organization (clarity, transition, and flow). Is there a
logical progression and development of ideas? How clearly are the
ideas expressed? How effective is the transition between
ideas? How effective is the introduction and
conclusion?
- Evidence and Insightfulness (credibility of argument). How
effective is the use of evidence to support the points made in the
paper? How well does the paper make points that go beyond the
obvious rather than simply restate some other perspective?
- Presentation (grammar, spelling, vocabulary). Are the grammar
and spelling correct? Are there a variety of proper sentence and
paragraph structures employed? Is the vocabulary accurately and
effectively used?
JOURNAL (Worth 0-25% of grade). This activity consists of developing a journal that
includes at least three entries
per week and should be entries which have been generated by ideas which you
have come across in class, readings, the interactions of those in class, etc.,
and they should reflect broadly on the religious and/or moral dimensions of
human experience. (In other words, don't write about your date on Friday Night
unless you can discuss the religious or moral aspects of it.) The journal
entries may take several different forms---they could be highly analytical,
they could be emotive, they could focus on one problem or issue throughout the
entire semester, etc. Whatever form it takes it must be specified prior to
beginning its writing. The journal will be due twice during the semester; once
around mid-term and once at the conclusion of the semester (unless otherwise
specified). The mid-term evaluation will be returned with comments (no grade).
A grade will be assigned at the conclusion of the semester.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content (insight and reflection). How clear and appropriate are the
entries in the journal? How focused, informative, or reflective are
they? How well do the entries reflect the emotions, ideas,
reflections of the writer?
- Organization (consistency and clarity). Are there an
appropriate number of entries for this activity? Does the journal
reflect a consistent effort or does it appear more thrown together at the
last minute? How clearly are the ideas expressed? How
effective is the organization of the journal?
- Presentation (grammar, writing style). Are the journal
entries legible with minimal errors that detract from the content?
GROUP
PROJECT (Worth 0-25% of grade). This activity includes two or more people in a common
activity. Unless otherwise
specified all participants receive the same grade for the activity. The
activity can be reported orally or in written form (the group decides).
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content (information and comprehension). How clear and appropriate
is the project for the course? How focused, informative, and
comprehensive is the report made? How well is the project understood
and executed? How insightful are are the
observations and conclusions of the project?
- Organization (clarity, transition, and flow). How well
(smoothly and as planned) did the project go? Is there a logical
progression and development of ideas in the project? How clearly are
the ideas expressed? How effective is the transition between
ideas? How effective is the introduction and
conclusion?
- Sources (variety/credibility of resources). Are there a variety of
sources used to develop the project? How relevant, accurate, and
credible is the information used from those sources? How well does the
information support the project being explored?
- Presentation (grammar, spelling, vocabulary). Are the grammar
and spelling correct? Are there a variety of proper sentence and
paragraph structures employed? Is the vocabulary accurately and
effectively used?
- Documentation (appropriate sources and formatting). How
complete and correct is the documentation?
ARTWORK (Worth 0-25% of grade). This activity might include works such as poems,
paintings, cartoons, photographs, videotapes, sculptures, performances, and the
like which you actually create.
The object of the activity is to convey some religious/ethical ideas, thoughts,
or feelings through the use of symbols which enables you to demonstrate that
you have met one of content course learning objectives 2-6 (see syllabus for
these objectives) or a content learning objective you developed and the
professor approves. (In other words, although the artwork activity may
enable you to develop your artistic abilities or to express your understanding
of religious ideas through a creative medium, it must also demonstrate your
learning in one of the content areas of the course.) Your artwork may be
shared with the class or they may be shared only with the professor. In addition to the piece of artwork
itself, you should attach a brief (2-4) page written statement which explains
the purpose of the artwork, the learning objective you sought to meet, and how
you have attempted to accomplish it. The
artwork can be evaluated by the professor and/or by some other person the
student deems an appropriate judge (for example, an English professor for
poetry).
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content (information and comprehension). Does
the artwork and the written statement that accompanies it demonstrate that
you have learned the content of the learning objective you are seeking to
fulfill? How well does the artwork illustrate the
content? Is the artwork able to provoke thought or to take a
unique perspective?
- Presentation. This refers to the quality of the
artwork. Has the artwork been carefully developed and constructed or
simply thrown together? Does the piece reflect what most people
would consider artwork? How well is it able to interest the viewer
(audience, etc.)?
- Organization (clarity, transition, and flow--refers both to artwork
and to written statement). How well are the ideas expressed in
the artwork and the written statement? Is there a logical
progression and development of ideas? How effective is the
introduction and conclusion?
FILM
PRESENTATION/DISCUSSION LEADERSHIP (Worth 0-25 % of grade). This activity requires that you select a film, arrange to have it
shown at an appropriate time during the semester, and lead a discussion of the
film following its viewing. This may be an academic or relevant popular film. This
activity may be done either in class or outside of class. (In the latter case,
arrangements must be made to have the discussion videotaped.)
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content (information and comprehension). How appropriate is the
film for the course? How clear is the topic
and the purpose that holds the presentation together? How focused,
informative, and comprehensive is the presentation made? How well is
the film and topic understood?
- Organization (clarity, transition, and flow). How well
(smoothly and as planned) did the presentation go? Is there a
logical progression and development of ideas in the presentation?
How clearly are the ideas expressed? How effective is the transition
between ideas? How effective is the introduction and conclusion?
- Sources (variety/credibility of resources). Are there a variety of
sources used to make the presentation? How relevant, accurate, and
credible is the information used from those sources? How well does
the information support the theme in the film being explored?
- Ability to interest and involve the audience (impact). How
effective were you in engaging the students in the presentation (i.e. how
many were involved and how intense were they)? How well did you
prepare students for the film (i.e. provide readings ahead of time)?
How effective were you in enabling students to gain insight into the film?
Caveat: This activity should
be completed no later than two weeks prior to the end of the semester.
GUEST
SPEAKER (Worth 0-25% of grade). This activity allows you to arrange to bring to class
a guest speaker on a particular topic. You would be responsible for setting up
the time and place of the presentation, hosting the speaker, making sure an
honorarium is paid (if appropriate), figuring out at what point the speaker
would best fit into the structure of the course, introducing the speaker to the
class, and, in general, be in charge of working out all the details associated
with bringing a speaker into class. You will also be responsible for writing a
3-5 page analysis/reflection on what the guest speaker says and student
response.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content (information and comprehension). How appropriate is the
speaker for the course? How clear is the
topic and the purpose that holds the speaker's presentation together? How
focused, informative, and comprehensive is the presentation made?
How well is the topic understood?
- Organization (clarity, transition, and flow). How well
(smoothly and as planned) did the presentation go? How well did you
work out all the details necessary in advance of the speaker actually
appearing in class? How well did you take charge of the
project? In the analysis/reflection, is there a logical progression
and development of ideas in the presentation? How clearly are the
ideas expressed? How effective is the transition between
ideas? How effective is the introduction and
conclusion?
- Ability to interest and involve the audience (impact). How
effective was the speaker and you in engaging the students in the
presentation (i.e. how many were involved and how intense were
they)? How well did you prepare students for the speaker (i.e.
provide readings ahead of time)? How effective were you in enabling
students to gain insight into the topic?
- Presentation (grammar, spelling, vocabulary of the paper).
Are the grammar and spelling correct? Are there a variety of proper
sentence and paragraph structures employed? Is the vocabulary
accurately and effectively used?
Note: Bringing a speaker to class does not merely
involve asking someone to come to class. To be most effective there needs to be
considerable thought and planning about how to use the expertise of the speaker
most effectively---how to integrate him/her into the course content and format,
etc.
Caveat: This activity MUST be completed no
later than two (2) weeks before the end of the semester.
FIELD TRIP (Worth 0-25% of course grade) This activity may include either a trip
you take by yourself or with others to some place of significance for the course
(Women's Rights museum in Seneca Falls, a Capitol (state or national), a
hospice, etc.) or you might arrange to take the entire class (or all those
willing and able to go). Note: Upon completion of the trip a report (either
written or oral) must be made in which you describe what you did to prepare for
the trip, what you did on the trip, what was learned, etc.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content (information and comprehension). How clear and appropriate
is the field trip for the course? How focused, informative, and
comprehensive is the report made? How well is the field trip
understood and executed? How insightful are are
the observations and conclusions of the report?
- Organization (clarity, transition, and flow). How well
(smoothly and as planned) did the field trip go? Is there a logical
progression and development of ideas in the report? How clearly are
the ideas expressed? How effective is the transition between
ideas? How effective is the introduction and conclusion?
- Sources (variety/credibility of resources). Are there a variety of
sources drawn from the site visited to make the report? How
relevant, accurate, and credible is the information used from those
sources? How well does the information support the report being
made?
- Presentation (grammar, spelling, vocabulary). Are the grammar
and spelling correct? Are there a variety of proper sentence and
paragraph structures employed? Is the vocabulary accurately and
effectively used?
- Documentation (appropriate sources and formatting). How complete
and correct is the documentation?
GAME (Worth 0-25% of total course grade) This activity
asks you to create a game relevant to this course. In addition to the
game itself (which includes directions, appropriate equipment, etc.) there
should be an accompanying written statement which details the purpose of the
game and explains PRECISELY how the purpose is achieved by the game. The
statement should be detailed, thorough, and precise.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Content (information and comprehension). How clear and appropriate
is the game for the course? How focused, informative, and
comprehensive is the game? How insightful is the game in provoking
interest and learning for the players?
- Organization (clarity, transition, and flow). How well is the
game developed? Is there a logical progression between the objective
of the game and directions for playing? How clearly are the
directions expressed? How well does the game accomplish its
stated objectives?
- Sources (variety/credibility of resources). Are there a variety of
sources used to develop the game? How relevant, accurate, and
credible is the information used from those sources? How well does
the information support the purpose and playing of the game?
- Presentation (look and structure). Does the game merely
"imitate" standard games or does it modify them or develop some
new concepts? How appealing is the look of the game? How well
are the game pieces, board, cards, etc., developed? With regard to
the written statement, are the grammar and spelling correct? Are
there a variety of proper sentence and paragraph structures
employed? Is the vocabulary accurately and effectively used?
TEACHING/CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT (Worth 0-25% of course grade) This activity
involves one or more students in assessing the effectiveness of the teaching
and learning processes used in the course. Students will meet bi-weekly
with the professor to discuss what occurred in the previous week’s
classes and what will happen in the weeks ahead. I will provide students with
copies of my objectives and selected activities for each class ahead of time so
that they can write comments as the class proceeds. In particular, students are
to note if the objective for each class was achieved or not and what helped or
hindered its achievement. At our meetings, we will discuss your comments and
make suggestions for how the class might be improved upon and what I need to do
in classes ahead to insure that the material is learned better. In
addition, students should pay attention to the processes that are going on in
class that help or hinder the effectiveness of the class.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Effort. How much time and effort did you put into this
activity? How faithful were you in attendance at meetings? How
well did you understand the overall direction of the class? How
prepared were you for our discussions? How detailed were your
procedural notes and record-keeping?
- Initiative and leadership. How effective were you in taking
initiative in bringing issues that arose in class to the attention of the
professor?
- Insightfulness and creativity. How insightful were your
understandings of what worked and did not work in the class? How
helpful were your suggestions for improvement?
TEACHING ASSISTANT (Worth 0-25% of course grade) Only one student may become an assistant
per course. The teaching assistant helps the professor organize and facilitate
the class. Specific activities will be worked out between the student and the
professor, but one would expect to be prepared to attend virtually every class,
understand the overall direction of the class, understand and be sympathetic to
the covenant and cooperative learning approaches to teaching, read all material
prior to class discussion, lead selected discussions, take attendance, keep procedural
class notes, check homework, consult with the professor on a bi-weekly basis,
etc.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Effort. How much time and effort did you put into this
activity? How faithful were you in attendance? How well did
you understand the overall direction of the class? How prepared were
you for class? How detailed were your procedural notes and
record-keeping?
- Initiative and leadership. How effective were you in taking
initiative in bringing issues that arose in class to the attention of the
professor? How effective were you in making a presentation to the
class? How well did you help classmates understand the direction of
the class?
- Insightfulness and creativity. How insightful were your
understandings of what worked and did not work in the class? How
helpful were your suggestions for improvement?
OTHER (Worth 0-25% of grade). The list of activities I have provided are
meant to be suggestive, but not exhaustive. If you can develop new and unique
activities, I encourage you to do so. However, you must discuss these with me
and you must assist in the development of appropriate evaluation criteria and
restrictions for those activities.