Western civilization (history 2311.xxxx and history 2312.xxxx),
summer, 200x
instructor: Dr. Enger, 124 Gibbs Building TVCC,
phone: 903-675-6244
E-mail: enger@tvcc.edu However, please
connect by using the e-mail feature built into the course on the homepage.
Western Civilization is a traditional
survey in the liberal arts curriculum which does a broad sweep stretching from
the earliest moment that civilization emerged up to the 1500's in the first
course (2311) and from the 1500's to the present in the second course
(2312). The Western civ
class is like a traditional one in that there are lectures and a textbook. However, the difference is that you do not
come to class three hours a week but rather invest that time in working on the
course. The study guide outlines the
whole course--the things which students take their notes over from the lectures
and the chapters. [You read the text and
lectures, taking notes on the study guide as you go. Review several times
before taking tests, on which the questions will examine the material from the
study guide. When you can shut your eyes
and remember the person, thing, or event, you are ready for the test.]
The text for the course is Mark Kishlansky et al., Civilization in the West (sixth
edition,
Western civilization is about what
happened to people in the past. You want
to focus your notes on what the people did, what events happened to them, what
other things that concerned them were.
There are four tests, each covering two topics and the related reading
and lectures assigned, that will determine your grade (see chart below). Each exam will usually contain 70 multiple
choice questions that will examine student mastery of the material. You also e-mail your notes before the test,
and they can make up the other 30 points on the test. 90% is an A, 80% is a B, 70% is a C, 60% is a
D, and below that is an F. Tests are
taken without the use of the text or notes (yours or mine).
Tests are taken at the college
testing center. These folks are pretty
friendly to students and will be open, I think, most days and some nights. Check beforehand and sign up to take the
tests during the dates and at the times noted below. Your written work over the unit that you are
taking a test on is to be e-mailed before the exam and is due then and will not
be accepted for credit afterward. This
requires and rewards student work on the study guide, the lectures, and the
book.
You may get this syllabus at http://www.tvcc.edu/Depts/dist.learning/dist_ed_syllabi.htm. You may log into the course at http://www.tvcc.edu/Depts/dist.learning,
using your last name and the first initial of your first name plus the last
four digits of your social security number (all lower case and no spaces). Your password is made up of the last four
digits of your social security number.
Or, go to www.tvcc.edu,
move mouse to current students—then distance learning—then webCT
and click, click on http:courses.tvcc.edu, click log in, put in name and
password and click, click 2311 or 2312. For study guide and lecture notes, click on course content. You may have problems with a pop-up blocker
when you click on the links on the table of contents. Mine works only when I hold the control key
down for a second or so when I click.
Otherwise, go to syllabus, highlight syllabus file, click on browse,
click on which file that you want.
You may also get the lecture notes
and study guide at www.tvcc.edu
(move mouse to faculty, click on faculty pages, click on Enger, click on 2311
or 2312, copy files to disk. If it demands my password, just delete
that. It doesn’t really mean it. The identities are underlined, and the
lecture notes will be quite helpful.
Between looking at those notes, the book, and the questions, you may
spot a few dates at odds, a few names spelled variously. Just be brave, for it is not going to hurt
you.
|
test dates (both 2311 & 2312) |
2311 |
2312 |
|
xxxxxxxxxx |
Beginning of Civilization (10pp.)* |
The Age of Expansion (14pp.)* |
|
9AM-8PM M-Th
and 9AM-3PM F |
Greek Civilization (7pp.) |
The Age of Absolutism (11pp.) |
|
|
|
|
|
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx |
Roman Civilization (7pp.) |
Enlightenment (5pp.) |
|
9AM-8PM M-Th
and 9AM-3PM F |
|
Revolution (12pp.) |
|
|
|
|
|
xxxxxxxxxx |
Medieval Civilization I (10pp.) |
Industrial Revolution (6pp.) |
|
9AM-8PM M-Th
and 9AM-3PM F |
Medieval Civilization II (10pp.) |
Nationalism (8pp.) |
|
|
|
|
|
xxxxxxxxx |
Renaissance (3pp.) |
War and Peace (8pp.) |
|
9AM-8PM M-Th
and 9AM-3PM F |
Reformation (3pp.) |
WW II, Cold War, & After (8pp.) |
*Tells how many lecture pages to print for the
topic. There’s little reason to print
the endnotes.
How do you do it? Study in the early morning, at night, on weekends—whenever
you decide to, but work steadily at this course. Fill out the study guide and then review it
several times. Go over it until you can
shut your eyes and remember what the person did, thing was, or event that
happened. Hopefully, you like to read,
will be interested, and will not suffer severe depression. Maybe, Western civ
may be more than a requirement and can broaden horizons and make you think that
you would like to read more or travel to those places.
The deadline for all work is xxxx
xx, 200x, and no work will be accepted afterward. If you can not complete the course by then,
you should drop the course by xxx. x, 200x, the last day to drop and receive a W.
The learning objectives or outcomes expected in
students taking Western civilization include demonstrating understanding of:
(1) the key people, events, and ideas in several past
cultures and where to find out more about them; (2) the unique differences and
shared features among these cultures; and (3) the background that shaped present
societies (the shared experience, the conventional wisdom). While taking responsibility for learning,
developing skills, and managing the work, students will learn a body of
knowledge as they develop reading, writing, and thinking skills.