Instructor: Joe Jacoby Office: Boswell Hall, Rm. 227 Phone: 769-3220 email:  joe_jacoby@nic.edu

Office Hours T/Th: 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Tues: 1:30 – 2:30p.m. Wed: 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. or by appointment

3 Credit hours

Required Materials
Victor Frankl Man’s Search for Meaning.

Course Description
This course explores how the humanities, through many varied types of creative works, comment on human experiences and raise questions of value and meaning. Students will learn an approach to understanding a wide variety of works in art, music, literature, and philosophy, based on questions applicable to all genres. Montage provides a good foundation for further humanities study in courses focusing on one particular field such as literature, philosophy, or the arts. It is an ideal course for students who intend to focus on areas other than the humanities, but wish to broaden their education. HUMS101 fulfills an arts and humanities requirement for the A.A. and the A.S. degree.

Course Policies:

Attendance: Discussion is an integral element of this course.  We use a textbook, but you will find that sharing ideas and points of view provide the best learning experiences in the course.  These experiences cannot be “made up”.  Absences will absolutely adversely affect your ability to successfully complete this course.  I do not repeat lecture material, so if you must miss a class, make sure to arrange for someone from the class to take extensive notes for you.

A.     An absence is an absence is an absence. Prearranged college supported activities need to be cleared with your instructor, and such absences do not excuse a student from completing assigned work on time.

B.     Late arrivals and early departures from class are disruptive to all. None of these are excused, and three late arrivals or early departures will be converted into one absence, etc.

·        Five absences are allowed.

·        Six absences= student needs to withdraw or will receive an automatic failure grade.

·        Students with an “A” average and no more than 3 hours of absence by the last day of the semester may be exempt from the final paper.

·        Students with a “B” average and no more than 2 hours of absence by the last day of the semester may be exempt from the final paper.

Late Assignments: Assignments are due on the assigned day at the beginning of class.  Late assignments will be docked half a letter grade for each day late, unless prior arrangements have been made with the instructor.

Papers: All written work must be typed and conform to the MLA format, unless it is done as an in class assignment.  Any papers that are not typed and in the correct format will be returned to you and considered late.  Also, do not turn in first drafts.  Proofread your papers carefully for spelling and grammar errors as well as ensuring that your ideas are communicated clearly.  Your papers must be analytical in nature, based on the issues raised by the IQ questions.  The largest part of your grade will come from you making an argument and backing up your ideas.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is intentionally or unintentionally using another person’s ideas or expressions without acknowledging the source. It also includes quoting sources verbatim without indicating that you are quoting the source. In accordance with NIC’s Student Code of Conduct, students who plagiarize will fail the assignment and possibly the course.  Taking credit for someone else’s effort is an extremely serious academic offense, particularly because it negates any opportunity to learn from the plagiarized assignment.  Do not disrespect your educational effort or yourself as a person by plagiarizing.

Classroom Behavior: Because discussion plays such an important role in this course, all members of the class are expected to contribute.  To this end, treat each other with respect at all times.  Remember, the goal of communication is to create understanding, not agreement.  You may find that you or others have very strong opinions about an issue related to artifacts that are presented as part of this course.  Focus on analysis and respect the various responses of your peers.  Again, try to understand the artifact regardless of your agreement with its style, content, message or purpose. Nobody’s subjective response is wrong.
Any behavior that distracts students from learning or the instructor from teaching will be considered harassment (see student handbook).  A student exhibiting such behavior can be withdrawn from the class by an “instructor initiated withdrawal”.

Note: Some artifacts may be offensive to some people.  I will do my best to present this material sensitively.  Again, try to understand the artifacts.  It is my hope that through gaining understanding, everyone will have a constructive experience.  See me if you have any concerns.

Center for Educational Access:
NIC provides services and accommodations to students who experience barriers in the educational setting due to learning, emotional, physical, mobility, visual or hearing disabilities.  For more information please contact Sharon Daniels-Bullock in the Center for Educational Access in the College Skills Center, Seiter Hall, Rm. 207.  Telephone 769-5947.

Course Requirements and Evaluation

Requirements	Points	Percentage	Your Scores
Outside Event* Analysis Papers 100 pts each	200	20%
Field Trip Analysis Paper3	100	10%
Historical Analysis Paper	150	15%
Context Presentation and accompanying analysis paper	200	20%
Final Writing Assignment	100	10%
Quizzes (5) (IQ papers)	250	25%
Total	1,000 pts	100%

*Dates and events listed on a separate page within this handout.

Your letter grade for the course will be based on a point system.  Points will be assigned to writing assignments, quizzes, and a final paper. They will be evaluated on the following scale:

 

100-94% A	83-80% B-	69-62% D
93-90% A-	79-77% C+	Under 61% F
89-87% B+	76-74% C
86-84% B	70-73% C-

 

Outcomes	Assessment	General Education Ability
At the end of the course, you should be able to	You will show me by	You apply the following abilities
Participate  and interact responsibly with others in course activities by asking questions and contributing insights	Contributing to class conversations Asking questions, offering insights that illustrate that you have thought about and prepared for the assignments Researching a variety of sources for your context presentation and providing relevant and interesting background information Completing class reading and practice work Consistent attendance	Communication
Use critical thinking to determine how specific works in the humanities reveal or reflect human values.	Accurately using information from reading assignments Correctly demonstrating the use of the Inquiry Questions and terminology Willingly exploring your thoughts and those of others Making connections between the human values revealed/reflected in specific works and your own experience.	Critical/Creative Thinking Historical, Cultural, Environmental and Global Awareness

 

 

Outcomes	Assessment	General Education Abilities
Express  your interpretations with supporting evidence both in conversation and in writing	The depth of thought reflected in the exploration of ideas The quality/quantity of support Using the Inquiry Questions, terminology and enough supporting evidence from the work to clarify your interpretation The quality of your writing: Organizing your ideas into coherent and mechanically correct sentences, paragraphs, and essays Submitting your written work in appropriate MLA format	Information literacy Communication Critical Thinking

 

Remember that I am here to help you succeed.  If you have questions or would like assistance, I am a resource for you.  If you come by my office at a time other than my office hours, do not be surprised if I’m not there.  The best way to insure that we meet is to sign up for a time on the schedule sheet on my door.  You are never intruding when you have questions or would benefit from my assistance.

 

I will try to return written assignments a week to 10 days after you turn in the assignment.  If I have yet to return your work after that time, feel free to ask about when your work will be returned.

 

The reverse side also has a reverse side.
-- Japanese Proverb