Syllabus
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User Name and Password
You must use a user name and password after the first week of class. Without these words you will not be able to access the course materials. The format of your username and password are clearly posted on the main page of your course. If you still need assistance with your username and password please go to this page and read the instructions: http://www.bcconline.com/orient/password.htm, to receive further assistance.
In the box below please type, I understand that after the first week of class I must use my assigned user name and password to access all HIST 2B course materials including lecture notes and discussions. Furthermore, I understand that the format of your username and password are clearly posted on the main page of your course.
Contact Information
Instructor: Ramon Vasconcellos MA, MBA Phone: 760-252-2411, ext. 7329 Email: rvasconcellos@bcconline.com
In the box below type: I know how to contact my instructor.
Course Description
This course analyzes the political, economic and social development of the United States since the end of the Civil War. Foreign policy and America’s part in the international arena of the twentieth century are also studied, debated, critiqued.
Textbook
Tindall, George Brown & David E. Shi. America, A Narrative History, 6th ed. Vol. II (W.W. Norton & Co. New York, London. 2004)
Supplemental Texts
Brook Thomas, author, Plessy v. Ferguson, A Brief History with Documents
Larry Madaras, author, Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in 20th Century American History
In the box below please type, I have my textbook for HIST 2B or I will have it by the end of the first week of class.
Course Objectives
An understanding of the importance of Presidential and Radical Reconstruction proposals for post war unification.
The significance of Progressivism, its evolution, and how the movement shaped the political debate of the early twentieth century.
An awareness of the post World War I debate over isolationism and how it influenced U.S. public opinion toward European and Asiatic conflicts of the 1930’s.
Understanding the evolutionary path of social reform leading to a more inclusive society for previously marginalized individuals in U.S. history.
Student Learning Outcomes
Analyze the motivations, personalities, achievements and failures of major historical personages since the end of the Civil War.
Review and discuss important historical problems and decide on possible solutions and alternatives since the end of the Civil War.
Evaluate the lessons of history since the end of the Civil War and how they serve to instruct and inspire future generations. Instruct by providing examples of what to avoid and what to emulate. Inspire by giving models of achievement and virtue.
In the box below type the course objective or Student Learning Outcome that interests you most from the lists above as well as one reason why you took this course.
Grading
Mid Term: 20%
Term Paper: 30%
Final Exam: 40%
Participation: 10%
Mid Term and Final Exams
The mid term examination is open book
When answering the identification questions ("ID’s") address the following in your response: WHO or WHAT the term, expression, person, "treaty," or event represents and, most importantly, the significance. When discussing the ramifications (significance) of an event in history, you are describing outcomes resulting from actions taken. For example, the "Battle of Saratoga" in the American Revolution had a pivotal role in the War for Independence. If asked to describe this event on an exam, you would address when it took place, who fought, the importance (i.e. significance) not just in terms of which side was victorious, but the outcome and its relationship to American history.
The essay portion of the exam requires you to thoroughly analyze a topic and either present an argument in its defense, or explain an organization, event, law, economic policy, etc. For example: "Did the progressive legislation of the early twentieth century have a positive effect on society, business…?"; "What political parties promoted the demonetization of silver, and why?"; "Who founded the NAACP, why, and what’s this organizations role in contemporary society?" or, "Explain both domestic and international events contributing to the Great Depression"
Term Paper
The function of a written project allows the student to become accustomed to both primary (original documents) and secondary (books, monographs, theses, and dissertations) sources pertaining to historical inquiry. History is a lot more "exciting" when you begin to "dig" for information which can either supplement what you learned in class, or lead to a "discovery" of something both new to you and the instructor. Sometimes, just satisfying your own curiosity may lead to undiscovered events, topics, people, etc. that you can share with your fellow classmates. Perhaps one day you decide to engage in genealogical research on your family tree; having some level of research skill will help you in that regard. Consequently, you will embark on a 10 page, double spaced, footnoted (or you may use endnotes), research topic of your choosing.
NOTE: PLEASE SUBMIT A TERM PAPER PROPOSAL TO YOUR INSTRUCTOR BY THE FOURTH WEEK OF CLASS.
TERM PAPERS ARE DUE ONE WEEK BEFORE THE FINAL EXAM
The following is a list of suggestive topics you might want to explore:
Describe the influence of the "Red Scare" on domestic policy in the 1920’s
How did the "New Deal" shape the landscape of American political and economic policy into the 1980’s?
How did the South justify "Jim Crow" and why was "Brown v. Board" a landmark decision?
What justification did the U.S. govt. give for the forced internment of Japanese American citizens and German and Italian aliens during World War II?
What was the "Scopes Monkey Trial" and how did it contribute to cultural regionalism in the 1920’s?
In what ways did integration of blacks and the acceptance of women in defense industries during World War II contribute to later civil rights and feminist movements?
Research the Civil Rights movement of the 1950’s and 60’s explaining the reason for its "schism" resulting in a black liberation theology.
Discuss the "evolution" of America’s role in the Vietnam conflict from the mid 1940’s to April of 1975.
Why the ascendancy of the "new right" since 1968 and what changes have transpired regarding American political ideology?
The positive and negative implications of Radical Reconstruction on both the North and South.
Or you may wish to write a biographical essay on influential "Americans" and their contributions during our period of emphasis (1865 to the present…)
Final Exam
The Final exam is closed book. You will have a list of questions distributed ONE WEEK before the test highlighting various topics discussed since the last mid term. THE EXAM IS NOT COMPREHENSIVE AND WILL ONLY INCLUDE INFORMATION AFTER THE MID TERM.
Participation
Education, especially historical studies, requires that both students and instructors keep abreast of current events. Therefore, we will have WEEKLY discussion questions posted to the Instructors Posting area addressing either some historical event, or contemporary issue related to our studies. Each response is worth 20 points; email your responses to me directly.
Secondly, we will engage in threaded discussions whereby ALL of us (students and instructor) will dialogue on questions relevant to American history. I will post the question, and over the course of the week I invite each of you to participate with your opinions, ideas, etc. This too is part of your participation grade.
In the box below type, "I understand and agree to abide by the grading scale listed above and I agree to complete all work required in this course."
Email Updates
One of the primary methods of contact in an online course is email. Your college is capable of extracting student names and email addresses from our registration system. The purpose of extracting this information is two fold. The information will be used by the instructor to remain in contact with the class in order to provide information necessary for the students' academic success. The information will also be used to send emails to the students from the college administration. The emails sent by the college administration will consist of links to course surveys which will be used to improve our online courses, important announcements for students, and links to college surveys, which will be used to satisfy requirements placed on the college by the California Community College Chancellor's Office. The college will not use this information to advertise any products and will not share student email addresses with any other organization.
In the box below type the following information:
As a student I understand it is my responsibility to ensure my email address is up to date in the registration system, and that failure to do so can seriously impact my ability to successfully complete my courses. Further, I consent to receive email communication from my instructor and from the college administration. This consent will remain in force until it is revoked in writing or I am no longer taking classes with the college. Upon submitting the syllabus, I agree to enter the registration system, check my email address and change it if necessary. I understand a tutorial is available to assist me with this procedure. I also understand I can contact 760-252-2411 x7236 to receive additional assistance if I encounter any difficulties when attempting to change my email address.
ON-LINE INSTRUCTIONS:
YOU MUST FILL OUT THIS SYLLABUS IF YOU INTEND TO TAKE THE COURSE!
It is your responsibility to make sure the instructor has the all the contact information stated at the top of this syllabus by the start of classes!! It is your responsibility to email the instructor if you have any problems or do not understand this syllabus.
It is your responsibility to confirm your enrollment either via the Internet at http://bcregweb.barstow.edu/ or by calling (760)252-2411 x7236 if you are having problems accessing the course material. After you have confirmed your enrollment go to http://www.bcconline.com/orient/ and read the password link. Following this procedure will ensure you are helped in the fastest manner possible.
By enrolling for this class, the assumption is that you possess the necessary skills to read at the college level, to enter and perform research on the internet, to email using proper email etiquette and to post to the discussions.
When emailing your instructor: (rvasconcellos@bcconline.com) include your full name. Send all email with the name of the course in the subject line and Lesson No. or the words: problem, question or comment. Many times I receive email with no name in the body of the email. Sign all email with your name as registered at school, or else you will not receive a reply and your assignment will not be graded.
You must explain the problem in the subject line, i.e., HIST 8A, Research 1 -- no research available. Email without an appropriate subject line will be deleted and will not be read. With the current high incidence of viruses and unsolicited email I automatically delete all email without appropriate subject lines.
Remember I do not answer email on the weekends, so 48 hours response time do not include Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. If an email stating problem, help, or question in the subject line is sent on Monday through Thursday you can expect a response within 24-48 hours. If an email stating problem, help, or question in the subject line is sent on the weekends there will be a longer turn around time, but the email will be answered by Tuesday of the following week.
Email assignments will have a one week turnaround time, and you should not expect an answer to a successfully submitted and completed assignment before the end of the one week turnaround time period. Receiving graded assignments or answers to your questions before the above stated timelines have passed does not guarantee that you will receive replies that quickly in the future.
Online classes are NOT conducted via instantaneous transmission. Just as I am giving you an EIGHT day period to complete your work, I am to be given SEVEN days to reply to your assignments. In addition, the above stated timelines apply to ALL students and ALL responses to your questions and concerns.
I appreciate your understanding of the above stated timelines and will respond to ALL questions and concerns about this class within the timeframes stated above.
A posting place at the top of the discussion page indicates the instructor’s message board to you. Be sure to check this each week so that you don’t miss messages and clarifications; remember that sometimes no instructor posting will have been made. Students are not to post in the instructor's posting area. Should you have a concern with your class please email me your question. It is not appropriate for students to post their concerns in the instructor's posting area. Students who post in the instructor's posting area will receive a warning and their posting will be deleted unanswered. Students who ignore the warning and post again to the instructor's posting area will be dropped from the class.
At the conclusion of the class students may find out their grades by going on the Internet at http://bcregweb.barstow.edu/. I do not email or post student grades and will not respond to inquiries about grades at the conclusion of the course.
In the box below type, I understand and agree to abide by the online instructions written above.
IMPORTANT
You will not officially start this course until after you have completed the orientation sessions at http://www.bcconline.com/orient/. No work should be completed until AFTER the you have reviewed the orientation area. The orientation area will answer many frequently asked questions about online instruction and also provides tutorials on common problems students encounter while doing online courses. If you are experiencing technical difficulties and/or need to learn how to use our courseware you should first check the orientation area to see if it answers your technical question. If your technical question is not answered on the website you may then email the webmaster@bcconline.com with your question.
If your question pertains to class materials you should email rvasconcellos@bcconline.com. The webmaster cannot answer course related questions, and Mr. Vasconcellos does not answer technical questions. Remember that you must state your full name, problem, question or concern and your class name in the subject line when asking a question.
In the box below type, I understand there is one meeting for this course (the final). If I am unable to take the final on the main campus, or at Barstow College's Ft. Irwin or Miramar sites, I understand it is my responsibility to find a proctor and completely fill out the proctor from. I understand I must fill out the syllabus in order to complete this course and that completing the online orientation before beginning my course work is mandatory, if I am a first time online student. I realize that I should email the instructor with any class related questions. I also understand that I should first check the orientation area for answers to my technical questions and can email the webmaster@bcconline.com my technical questions ONLY after checking the orientation area for the answer to my question first.
Requirements
There is no prerequisite for this course. However there are several requirements in order to take the class:
An Internet browser to access web pages. Netscape 3.0, Internet Explorer 3.0 or the equivalent is the minimum.
An email address to receive class materials. A free email account such as Yahoo is acceptable.
The ability to structure your own time to do the readings, weekly assignments and be prompt. There are no make-ups. Be sure to schedule the midterm and the final in your personal scheduler. Do not plan to move, get married, go on vacation or any other such activity during these times. The midterms and the final are a significant portion of your grade.
The ability to create and submit college level written materials.
Facility with using email, the discussion groups, the web, and word processing.
If you do not have Internet access you may use the computer lab on campus; be sure to check times available for each lab to coordinate with your schedule.
In the box below type, I understand and have the ability to meet the requirements listed above. Further I have the necessary materials to complete this course
Resources for you
Online classes are administered under the Distance Education division and as such there are no regular class meetings. Sometimes the terminology and/or the breadth of the class may seem to be daunting or overwhelming to you. If so, you may also attend on campus classes when possible for extra reinforcement. Check the spring schedule for time and place. Please identify yourself to the instructor prior to the start of class so that extra credit can be assigned.
In the box below type, I understand I can attend class courses if I need additional help, or that I may contact bctutorial@bcconline.com if I need to have a tutor for this course.
Presentation of Material
There will be weekly online "discussion" sessions. These sessions are required and must be conducted within the time frame provided and noted on the home page of the course (see web page). At the end of the time frame, the instructor will comment; no postings to the discussion group will be permitted after the closing instructor comments are posted. There will be on-line homework pertinent to each lesson/assignment/chapter which you will complete during the one week period allocated to each lesson.
In the box below type, I understand how the materials will be presented and agree to turn in all of my assignments on time. I further realize late postings receive no grade.
Proctor Statement
There will be one on campus meeting for the final exam. If you cannot attend the exam meeting you will have to find a proctor approved by the instructor, for example, a librarian or education officer, and an approved site, such as a library or an education center, to take the exam. Send the instructor the name, location and fax number of the proctor. The computer labs at Barstow College will be proctoring your exam if you come to campus. Proctor information must be received by the end of the third week of class!
You must fill out the student syllabus prior to starting the class materials. Failure to fill out the syllabus form for this class will result in your failing the class, as you will not be able to access the course materials after week one!
You must complete the student orientation requirements, which are located at http://www.bcconline.com/orient/ prior to starting the class materials, if you are a first time instructor. This area was created to help students move through the course website more effectively.
In the box below type, I understand there is one meeting for this course (the final). If I am unable to take the final on the main campus, or at Barstow College's Ft. Irwin or Miramar sites, I understand it is my responsibility to find a proctor with Internet access. I understand I must fill out the syllabus in order to complete this course.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is unacceptable and will result in failure of this course. Plagiarism is claiming the published work, speech, notes, etc. of someone else. When citing materials be sure to footnote.
Generally direct quotations, statistical information, quotations within quotations, require footnoting. Students might want to consult A Manual For Theses, Dissertations…by Kate Turabian for proper footnote techniques.
You may always stop by my office and we can go over how to reference -footnote- essays in detail.J
In the box below type, I understand that plagiarism is unacceptable and will result in failure of this course. Plagiarism is claiming the published work, speech, notes, etc. of someone else. When citing materials I will be sure to footnote.
Disability Statement
If you have a disability which may impact your success in this course, you may contact the Office of Student Support (OSS) to arrange any reasonable accommodations and supports to which you are entitled. It is the responsibility of the student to initiate these procedures. The OSS department can be contacted by calling 760-252-2411 x7225 or 760-252-6759 TTY/TDD or emailing oss@bcconline.com.
In the box below type: I understand that if I have or suspect I have a disability I can contact the OSS program at the number or email address listed above and request reasonable accommodations. Further I realize it is my responsibility to contact the OSS department.
Syllabus Disclaimer
A syllabus is not a contract between instructor and student but rather a guide to course procedures on attendance, requirements, grading and objectives. The instructor reserves the right to amend the syllabus when conflicts, emergencies or situations arise that necessitate a change. Students will be notified of any changes.
In the box below, I understand a syllabus is a general guideline for students to use in planning their time for a particular class. The instructor reserves the right to make modifications to the syllabus with reasonable time allowances for students to adjust to the changes.
