PACS 3000 COMMUNITY & PUBLIC SERVICE

Transcription

1 PACS 3000 COMMUNITY & PUBLIC SERVICE PATHWAYS TO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT Wednesdays 6:00 8:50 pm Gateway Instructor: Brenda McCoy, Ph.D. Office: Chilton Hall, 263C Phone: (940) Brenda.McCoy@unt.edu Office Hours: By appointment only A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it s the only thing that ever has. ~ Margaret Mead We make the road by walking ~ Margaret Wheatley Required Reading Singer, Peter. (2010). The Life You Can Save: Acting Now to End World Poverty. Random House: New York. Bradbury, Ray. (1953). Fahrenheit 451. Ballentine Publishing: New York. Other readings and videos as assigned Course Overview There are many definitions of civic engagement. In its broadest sense, it is involvement, investment, and/or a sense of responsibility to something beyond individual interest typically in a group, an issue affecting a group, or some social context. In this course we will explore trends in participation in different facets of group life. We will also investigate some of the factors which affect individual willingness to participate in various forms of group life and explore common objections to personal giving and altruism. Finally, we will examine the value of social resources or social capital. Interest and involvement with others necessarily entails staying informed about what is happening to others in your community as well those in larger social contexts (city, state, nation, and world). In this course we will discuss a specific problem facing the world today. By analyzing this problem, students will learn about different tools and strategies that individual citizens can use to promote positive change. The ultimate goal of this course is to help students gain a deeper understanding of themselves, societal issues, and the role that they can play to positively impact their communities. PACS 3000 Community & Public Service Fall

2 Course Objectives Having successfully completed the course, students will be able to: 1. Understand the value of social capital and its role in group life; 2. Understand the importance of civic engagement in the promotion of democratic society; groups; 3. Understand the differences between personal and social obligations; 4. Evaluate the assumptions behind the root causes of social problems while exploring potential solutions. Exam and Assignments Reading Quizzes: Students must do the reading in this class in order to successfully complete the course. At the end of the reading assignments, you will be required to complete a multiple choice quiz on Blackboard. Ten quizzes will be administered on Blackboard and will be worth 10 points each. You may take each of the ten quizzes three times to achieve the highest score; however, you will be required to wait at least one hour before trying again. Please note that quizzes will be timed based on the number of questions and you will not be able to go backward to return to a question. Students who fail to complete the quizzes during the assigned time period will receive a zero. Please note that no make up quizzes on Blackboard will be given. One additional quiz will be administered in class. This quiz will be unannounced and may be given either earlier or later in the semester. It may occur during a week that a quiz is being administered online. Exams: There will be a total of three exams worth 100 points each. Exams will cover material from the assigned readings, quizzes, lectures, videos, films and class discussions and will consist of multiple choice, short answer, and/or essay questions. Exams will generally take about 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete. Please note that class will resume after exams. Social Connection Exercise: Civic engagement requires establishing connections with others. Students will be required to meet and have brief conversations with classmates and collect information. More information on this exercise will be provided in class and posted on Blackboard. Reflection Assignment: Identifying how and why we behave, and why we have certain beliefs can be a daunting task. Students will be required to reflect on their own attitudes, beliefs, and behavior patterns and submit a short paper worth 50 points. Specific instructions for each paper will be provided in class and posted on Blackboard. Service Learning: Students will be required to complete a group project intended to address some aspect of a social problem and complete service learning hours associated with their group project. Each student must devote a minimum of 8 hours of documented effort in service learning associated with their group project outside of class. This effort will involve schedule coordination with group members. The service learning project will be peer reviewed. At the end of the semester, students will have an opportunity to rate the contributions of their fellow group members. That feedback will be taken into consideration by the instructor and individual grades will be adjusted accordingly. PACS 3000 Community & Public Service Fall

3 Instructions on the group project, service learning component and the peer rating system will be provided in class and posted on Blackboard. Grade Calculation Final grades will be determined through the use of a point system. The maximum value of each exam and assignment along with the range of points associated with each letter grade are listed in the tables below. Throughout the term, students may keep up with their point totals by reviewing their grades on Blackboard. Point Percent Letter Assignment Value of Grade Grade Point Range Exam 100 points each) % A points Reading Quizzes 10 points each) % B points Social Connection Exercise 50 8% C points Reflection Paper 50 8% D points Service Learning Project % F less than 366 points Total % Attendance Active participation with others is a core theme of civic engagement and is a key requirement of this course. Absences not only cause students to miss the material presented and discussed in class, but also tend to disrupt group activities. Students will be allowed one unexcused absence without penalty. Thereafter, 10 points will be deducted from the student s grade for each unexcused absence. University approved absences will be considered excused. University excused absences include those necessitated by university sponsored events, or an illness which results in some form of visit to a medical doctor. Such absences require written documentation (e.g., indication of illness by a medical doctor) which must be provided within three days of return to classes. For more information on university approved absences, please consult the undergraduate catalog. Student absences which do not qualify as university excused may be excused by the instructor on a case by case basis. Additional Course Policies and Procedures Blackboard: Copies of the syllabus, assignments and scores on exams, quizzes and the service learning project will be posted on Blackboard. Make up policy: Students who miss an exam will be allowed to take a make up only in cases university approved absence or one approved in advance by the instructor. Students are typically given seven full days to complete the reading assignments and associated quizzes. Irrespective of the circumstances, students who miss quizzes will not be allowed to make them up. PACS 3000 Community & Public Service Fall

4 Extra credit: Students may be given opportunities to earn extra credit; however, students should not rely on extra credit as a means of saving their grade. Late assignments: Late assignments will not be accepted. Cell phones: Use of cell phones and/or texting is prohibited during class. Cell phones should be turned off and put away before class begins unless approved in advance by the instructor. If a cell phone is in a student s hand or on his or her desk during an exam, it will be assumed that the student is cheating. Laptop Usage: Students must secure permission from the instructors to use a laptop computer during class. Misuse of a laptop during class will result in loss of that privilege. Classroom conduct: Please make every effort to respect others. Disagreements are allowed and expected, but the focus should be on ideas rather than on the individual who expresses them. Student behavior that interferes with an instructor s ability to conduct a class or other students' opportunity to learn is unacceptable and disruptive and will not be tolerated in any instructional forum at UNT. Students engaging in unacceptable behavior will be directed to leave the classroom and the instructor may refer the student to the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities to consider whether the student's conduct violated the Code of Student Conduct. The university's expectations for student conduct apply to all instructional forums, including university and electronic classroom, labs, discussion groups, field trips, etc. The Code of Student Conduct can be found at Please note that poor classroom etiquette will be reflected in your grade regardless of how well you do on exams, quizzes or other assignments. Students may lose up to a full letter grade for poor conduct in class. University Policy on Scholastic Dishonesty: Academic dishonesty is defined in the UNT Policy on Student Standards for Academic Integrity. Any suspected case of Academic Dishonestly will be handled in accordance with University policy and procedures. Possible academic penalties range from a verbal or written admonition to a grade of F in the course. Further sanctions may apply to incidents involving major violations. You will find the policy and procedures at integrity.htm. If it is determined that a student has cheated on an exam or has committed plagiarism, he or she will automatically fail that exam or assignment and a zero will be entered for the grade. The student will also be reported to UNT s Office for Academic Integrity. Student Requiring Special Accommodation: If you have a condition that requires accommodation in this course, please notify the instructor during the first week of class. Any necessary or appropriate accommodations will be made provided that timely notice is received, and that the arrangement is consistent with recommendations from Disability Services, when applicable. Students who require this type of assistance should contact the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA) at (940) , or at TTY (940) to make appropriate arrangements. Information on the services provided by PACS 3000 Community & Public Service Fall

5 the ODA as well as application procedures is available at Information on UNT s policies related to disability accommodations is available at Please note that disability accommodations are not retroactive. Accommodations will be made only after a disability is officially verified. Problems, Questions, Concerns: I strongly encourage you to talk to me if you are having problems with the course or if you have other concerns. The best way to reach me outside of class is by e mail. Expect delayed response if you leave messages by phone. PACS 3000 Community & Public Service Fall

6 Course Outline The schedule of specific topics and readings is subject to change. Any changes to the syllabus will be announced during lecture and posted on Blackboard. Date Topic Assigned Reading Due Assignments Exams Week 1 8/31 Costs & Benefits of Group Life None Week 2 9/7 Social Capital Social Connection Exercise Fahrenheit 451: Part I Week 3 9/14 Are we there yet? Introduction to Fahrenheit 451 Fahrenheit 451: Part II Social Connection Paper Week 4 9/21 A new look at society today Film Fahrenheit 451: Part III Week 5 9/28 Exam 1 class resumes What is civic engagement? No assignment Exam 1 Week 6 10/5 Week 7 10/12 Media for better or worse Online videos The dark side of social capital Online videos Week 8 10/19 The problem with problems: morals and manageability Million Dollar Murray Singer, Chapters 1 3 Week 9 10/26 Week 10 11/2 Week 11 11/9 Week 12 11/16 Global versus local hunger Singer: Chapters 4 5 Exam 2 class resumes No assignment Exam 2 Solutions to social problems Singer: Chapters 6 7 Voice of the People Online videos Service Learning Project Due Week 13 11/23 Week 14 11/30 Thanksgiving No reading assignment Civic engagement and context: The Case of the Good Samaritan Singer: Chapter 8 10 Darley & Batson From Jerusalem to Jericho Online videos Reflection Paper PACS 3000 Community & Public Service Fall

7 Week 15 12/7 Dialogue toward a new engagement Online videos Peer Evaluation Week 16 12/14 Final Exam Final Exam Online Quiz Schedule Start Start Due Due Activity Date Day Time By: Day Time Online Quiz 1: 8/31 Wed 5:00 pm 9/7 Wed 5:00 pm Online Quiz 2: 9/7 Wed 5:00 pm 9/14 Wed 5:00 pm Online Quiz 3: 9/14 Wed 5:00 pm 9/21 Wed 5:00 pm Online Quiz 4 : 9/28 Wed 5:00 pm 10/5 Wed 5:00 pm Online Quiz 5: 10/5 Wed 5:00 pm 10/12 Wed 5:00 pm Online Quiz 6 : 10/12 Wed 5:00 pm 10/19 Wed 5:00 pm Online Quiz 7: 10/19 Wed 5:00 pm 10/26 Wed 5:00 pm Online Quiz 8: 11/2 Wed 5:00 pm 11/9 Wed 5:00 pm Online Quiz 9: 11/9 Wed 5:00 pm 11/16 Wed 5:00 pm Online Quiz 10: 11/16 Wed 5:00 pm 11/23 Wed 5:00 pm PACS 3000 Community & Public Service Fall