GOVERNMENT 2302
AMERICAN and TEXAS CONSTITUTIONS

INTERNET

Instructor: Jordan Berry:  Contact through WEBCT e-mail. 

 

Logging into you WEBCT course

Go to http://courses.tvcc.edu/. Click on “Login into my WEBCT”. Your user name is your last name first initial and last four Social Security numbers (doej1234). Your password is your last four Social Security numbers.

Scope and Emphasis

Do people need government? If so, why? What desirable goals—if any—can government achieve that individuals cannot achieve by themselves? What is the U.S. and Texas’s government’s record in furthering these goals? This course grapples with these questions while surveying the broad and complex subject of American and Texas government and politics. This is difficult to do in one semester, especially when students vary greatly in their understanding of national, state and local politics. I will try to make the subject clear to those with little preparation while challenging those who already know a good deal about American politics. In this course, you will analyze politics in the U.S. using five major concepts: freedom, order, equality, majoritarian democracy, and pluralist democracy. These concepts form the core of our main text: The Challenge of Democracy. We will attempt to analyze Texas politics using the same concepts.

Reading Assignments

The weekly reading assignments in your texts will be substantial (averaging about 50 pages a week) but not overwhelming. Assigned readings will are referenced in your syllabus. It is essential, therefore, that you read the assigned material in advance of the tests. Those who do not will be wasting their time and tuition money. The readings, study guides and any additional material posted will figure prominently in the course’s exams.

Texts

TEXAS EDITION (BOTH BOOKS COMBINED, could save you some money, order from TVCC bookstore; 903.675.6223). Kenneth Janda, Jeffrey Berry, and Jerry Goldman, The Challenge of Democracy, Special Eighth Edition with Texas Politics. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2005) ISBN: O-618-61089-8

Separate books:

Kenneth Janda, Jeffrey Berry, and Jerry Goldman, The Challenge of Democracy, 8th ed. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2005) ISBN: O-618-37244-X

Lyle C. Brown, Joyce A. Langenegger, Sonia R. Garcia and Ted A. Lewis, Practicing Texas Politics, A Brief Survey, 8th ed. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2005) ISBN: 0-618-43743-6

Participation

Students should post to the discussion board if they have a question or problem with the course that other students might help them answer. All communication about the course will be within the course shell.

Testing

1. Absolutely no home testing. Tests must be proctored. Proctors will have a password that will allow you to begin testing.

2. You cannot directly sign in to the exam. Click the title of the exam. The proctor password must be entered before you can begin the exam. After the password has been entered by the proctor, click “begin exam”.

3. TVCC students may test at Terrell (LRC), Palestine (LRC), or Athens (Testing Centeror at night, in the LRC)

4. VCT students must test at their testing centers. Proctor passwords will be sent to the listed testing contact. If your home college has branch campuses, proctor passwords will be sent to all listed testing contacts.

Missed Exam

Students are expected to take exams as scheduled. Usually you will have several days to take an exam before the expiration of the deadline. Only under the most extraordinary circumstances will missed exams be made up.

Approaches to Learning

The Challenge of Democracy 8ed. is a general textbook about government and politics in the United States. While it does not argue any particular ideological position, it specifically analyzes politics along two ideological dimensions of value conflicts: between the values of freedom and order on the one hand, and between freedom and equality on the other. The book also invites students to evaluate government in terms of two models of democracy: majoritarianism and pluralism. Its aim is to get you to think about what values government ought to pursue and the ways that government should decide how to pursue those values.

Practicing Texas Politics 8ed (brief) is a traditional structural look at Texasgovernment. We will use it in conjunction with the American government book.

Methods of Evaluation

Your grade will be based on your performance on the 5 unit examinations (80%) and the assigned essays (20%).There are 5 listed essays, choose 4 to write about.

Study Guides and Practice Tests

Study guides and practice tests are available within the WEBCT course shell.

OUTCOMES and OBJECTIVES

COORDINATING BOARD CORE CURRICULUM EXEMPLARY OBJECTIVES (OUTCOMES) FOR SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

The objective of a social and behavioral science component of a core curriculum is to increase students' knowledge of how social and behavioral scientists discover, describe, and explain the behaviors and interactions among individuals, groups, institutions, events, and ideas. Such knowledge will better equip students to understand themselves and the roles they play in addressing the issues facing humanity. The exemplary objectives for this course are:

1. To comprehend the origins and evolution of U.S.and Texaspolitical systems, with a focus on the growth of political institutions

2. To analyze the effects of historical, social, political, economic, cultural, and global forces on the area under study.

3. To understand the evolution and current role of the U.S. in the world.

Assessment: Satisfactory completion of these objectives (1, 2, and 3) will be demonstrated by the students earning a grade of 70 or more on the unit exams covering these topics.

4. To analyze, critically assess, and develop creative solutions to public policy problems.

5. To recognize and assume one's responsibility as a citizen in a democratic society by learning to think for oneself, by engaging in public discourse, and by obtaining information through the news media and other appropriate information sources about politics and public policy.

Assessment: Satisfactory completion of objectives 4 and 5 will be demonstrated by the students receiving a passing grade on short essays covering areas of civic responsibility

Course Objectives*

The course content includes, but is not limited to, the following objectives:

United StatesGovernment

1. Acquire a general knowledge of the nature, scope and purpose of American government.

2. Understand the structure and organization of the national government.

3. Appreciate the responsibilities of the Congress, the presidency, the federal courts, and the bureaucracy in policy development and implementation.

4. Understand the relationship between government and individual right and liberties

TexasGovernment

1. Acquire a general knowledge of the nature, scope and purpose of Texasgovernment.

2. Understand the structure and organization of Texas' government.

3. Appreciate the responsibilities of the state legislature, the governor, state courts, and the bureaucracy in policy development and implementation.

4. Acquire an understanding of the problems facing cities and counties.

5. Understand the relationship between government and individual rights and liberties

* More specific learning objectives for each lesson are listed in the individual study guides.

GOVERNMENT 2302
UNITS

PART IV: INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT

UNIT 1: CONGRESS AND THE LEGISLATURE.
JANDA; CHAPTER 11
BROWN: CHAPTER 6
EXAM;…...............................

UNIT II: THE EXECUTIVES.
JANDA; CHAPTERS 12 and 13
BROWN: CHAPTER 7 and 8 pages 275 - 277.
EXAM…...................................

UNIT III: THE JUDICIARY.
JANDA, CHAPTER 14
BROWN CHAPTER 9
EXAM;…..........................

PART V: MAKING PUBLIC POLICY

UNIT IV: PUBLIC POLICY.
JANDA; CHAPTERS. 17 and 19.
BROWN; CHAPTER 8, pages 277 - 285.
EXAM;…..........................................

Unit IV.2; ECONOMICS AND GLOBAL POLICY
JANDA; CHAPTERS 18 and 20.
BROWN; CHAPTER 8 pages 285 - 316

Exam: .......................................................