INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN NATIONAL GOVERNMENT:

“Your job is to work to make the world a place you want to be in. It is your job to ponder possible solutions, to reach informed opinions, and to act on your convictions. Think? Yes, of course, but also DO!! That is what is really important.

Be governed by your knowledge and proceed” (John Rourke)

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course will introduce you to the national government in the United States. This includes consideration of the Constitution, the political institutions created by it, the influences of citizens and organizations on those institutions, and the policies that emerge from the institutions.

This particular section of the course will be a twelve week hybrid class. This means that students are expected to both attend classes at prescribed dates and times, as well as complete various assignments on line. The course will run twelve weeks as opposed to sixteen, and extra hours are made up by the on line component of the course. There is no way a student can be successful in the course unless he/she completes the online assignments in a satisfactory fashion.

OBJECTIVES:

1)     To explore what relevance national government has to your life. Government has become much larger in recent years and thus has a greater influence over the lives of its citizens. Realized or not, you have a direct and personal stake in how it operates and consequently, this course aims to help you not only understand how essential citizen participation is to democracy, but also, how you as a citizen can impact your government.

2)     To develop analytic skills that will make it possible to critically evaluate governmental actions and actors. To have a meaningful impact upon government you need to be able to peal away the rhetoric and make independent evaluations of the issues challenging us as a society.

3)     To bolster your learning and sense of political efficacy, this course will weave together a variety of teaching methods. They include classroom review of text material, lively and thoughtful debate and discussion (as a class and in small groups), the use of media material when relevant (i.e. video clips etc.), and finally, simulations. I believe that when students are actively involved in the learning process it is a far more meaningful and enjoyable learning environment. Some of simulations we will be doing require outside preparation and consequently, it is imperative that students come to the activity prepared in their role. Ultimately, the success of such an endeavor rests upon the active involvement and preparation of the players (i.e. you, the student).

Associate Degree Outcomes for American National Government (PLS 141):

In conjunction with the above objectives, successful students will specifically:

1.     Demonstrate how the American political system reflects competition between the ideals of equality, democracy and liberty.       ADO 9

2.     Demonstrate the ability to recall, reconstruct and apply text based and spoken information concerning concepts associated with American National Government.         ADO 2

3.     Demonstrate the ability to examine problems related to American politics and employ appropriate critical thinking techniques and skills.     ADO 4

4.     Demonstrate the use of computers and other technologies appropriate to the study of American National Government and related concepts.  ADO 7

MY PHILOSOPHY:

On the first day of class I elaborated upon the fact that I believe the classroom is a collaborative learning environment and that we each bring a set of ideas, beliefs and experiences to the table. I see myself as guiding the learning process but not driving it. I will work to create a safe environment for learning but I ask that in return you offer your insight on the topics presented and even volunteer to initiate discussions that further our study of political science.

Next, I believe deeply in the importance of being an informed citizen. With or without us the world will continue to unfold and I believe that our choices determine whether we are a stakeholder in our nation’s future or merely an observer. If we believe in democracy then we believe, whether we realize it or not, that we are responsible for our future. This is an exciting time to be studying political science  - - I ask that on the first day of class you take me at my word, and on the last day of class, you come to your own understanding as to why this true.

Finally, I am at this college because I care about getting to know my students. If there are times you feel frustrated or concerned about your progress I ask that you talk with me so we can find a way to work through whatever problem you are experiencing. I am interested in your success and so long as you are willing to work, I am willing to do my part to help you learn and achieve.

REQUIREMENTS:

Summary:

I. Quizzes (on line)

II. Discussion Board (on line)

III. In Class Examinations

IV. Active and Consistent Participation

V. Final Examination

Quizzes:

During weeks 2, 6, and 10 you will be asked to log on to Blackboard (“Course Documents”) and take a timed quiz (10 minutes for 10 questions) on the assigned reading material.  These quizzes will be automatically graded and entered into your Blackboard grade book. Specific instructions on how to access the quiz will follow.

You may only take each quiz once and there are no make up quizzes. Click on the quiz in “Course Documents” only when you are ready to take it and submit it because you will be permitted into the system ONCE (per chapter). The quiz will be turned on the Sunday of week 2, 6, and 10 (turn on time: 12 PM - noon). The quiz will be turned off 8 days later (Monday) at 6:30 AM. You may use your notes and the book when taking the quiz but please realize that if you have not already read the chapter and comprehended its contents, you are unlikely to do well on the quiz. In other words, you will NOT have time to look up many answers or read what you have not already read. The text and your notes should REFRESH your memory only.

Practice Quizzes – Do Not Send me These!

Students wanting to take practice quizzes are welcome use the Student Guide to We The People or visit the text book web site at (note: the site is also located in the External Links section of Blackboard):

http://www.wwnorton.com/wtp3e/

From here click on quizzes and follow the prompts. Please DO NOT send these practice quizzes to me. At the end of your practice quiz there will be an option asking you if you want to email your results to your instructor – please DO NOT select this option. The purpose of these quizzes is for you to practice before logging on for the official course quiz. When you are ready to take the real quiz log onto Blackboard and follow the directions on the announcements page.

Discussion Board:

The weeks you are not taking quizzes on line you may be asked to participate in an on line discussion. Again, you will log onto Blackboard and then click on “Discussion Forum.” Once here you will find questions, assignments etc. The purpose of the discussion board is to give you and your peers an opportunity, outside the bounds of the classroom, to more fully explore topics and questions.

All answers to the forum must be submitted by the following Monday morning at 6:30 AM. I will have your responses graded by 5 PM on the Thursday of that week. I will be looking for answers that reflect thought, careful reading of the text, consideration of other viewpoints and factual insights. This board is not just for OPINIONS. Millions of people have opinions – I want to see answers and responses that are informed and reasoned. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have in this regard.

In Class Examinations:

During weeks 4, 8, and 12 you will be taking in class examinations. These exams will consist of both multiple choice questions and short answer / essay. The content will be drawn from text material (the MC questions will actually be taken from the study guide and text questions appearing at the end of the chapters) and lecture notes. Students are strongly advised to take notes throughout the semester as portions of the class discussion and lecture will appear on these exams. Extensions for these exams will be granted rarely. To inquire about an extension students must contact me by phone, email or in person PRIOR to the start time of the test. 

PLS 141.01 will take exams on the Wednesday of weeks 4 and 8. PLS 141.03 and PLS 141.04 will take exams on the Thursday of week 4 and 8 (note: this is for the first and second exams only – the final exam will be on a different schedule. Please see the calendar for specifics). 

Final Examination:

This exam will be comprehensive and tied to the ADO’s and course objectives. More information to follow.

Participation:

Students are expected to participate in class. To achieve the full point quota, students must display a consistently good attitude towards the class and his/her peers and he/she must offer consistent input during both small group AND large group discussions. 

GRADING SCALE:

Calculating your Grade:

I will enter all your grades in Blackboard’s grade book (see "Student Tools" and then click on "check your grade"). At any point during the semester you can log onto the Blackboard site and calculate your grades by dividing the number of points you have received by the total points possible thus far. After you do this division, multiply the number by 100 to see your grade in terms of a percentage. If you want to know what the percentage means in terms of a point grade, see the below scale.

Example 1:

Say you got 40 points out of 55 on one of your in class examinations. In this case you would do the following:

40 / 55 = .73

.73 (100) = 73%

73 % = 2.0

Grade Point Scale:

Extra Credit:

Extra credit is offered at the discretion of the instructor and will only be considered when a student has completed all other course work to date and this course work, for specified reasons, does not represent the effort and work the student is putting into the course. In short, extra credit is not intended to replace other work in the class, but rather, it is intended for RARE situations that have been discussed with the instructor. So, please feel free to contact me about extra credit towards the end of the semester and only if you have completed 100% of the assignments to date. I also recommend making use of the JCC tutoring system (contact Center for Student Success located in the library in Walker Hall) and contacting me if you grade is not where you would like it to be during the course of the semester.

Plagiarism Policy:

Under NO circumstances are students permitted to plagiarize. If you take more than four words from a textbook or other published material (including web sites) you must use quotation marks and cite the source appropriately (using footnotes/endnotes/parenthetical noting etc. AND a bibliography or works cited page).

Plagiarism is considered academic dishonesty and students whose work is plagiarized will be referred to the Academic Dean and receive a zero for their assignment/paper.

Please consult the below web sites for information regarding proper citations.

American Psychological Association Style Guide

http://webster.commnet.edu/apa/apa_index.htm

Modern Languages Association Style Guide

http://webster.commnet.edu/mla.htm

Incomplete Policy:

According to the JCC Student Handbook, "The incomplete is designed for passing students with extenuating circumstances to allow them to complete the course requirements after the semester or session has ended. You may receive an “I” if, in the opinion of the instructor, your work is sufficient in quality but is lacking in quantity to meet the course objectives specified in the course syllabus. The course objectives must be satisfactorily completed during the next full-length semester or within a shorter period of time as designated by the instructor. If you have not finished the course within the designated time period, the “I” will remain permanently on your transcript. You will then have to register and repeat the course to receive a grade and credit for degree purposes.

The grade of “I” is not awarded to students who did not attend or seldom attended, or to those who simply are not pleased with their final grades. An “I” grade may be changed only upon the written request of the instructor who awarded the Incomplete."

The above is copied from: http://www.jackson.cc.mi.us/Catalog/CATALOG.HTM#Drop

In short, incompletes will be given at the discretion of the instructor. In the very least, to be eligible for an incomplete a student must have completed 2/3 of the required work for the semester and be in “good standing” in the course (2.0 or better).

Student Recommendation Policy:

I am happy to write letters of recommendation for students, however, I need to have taught the student within the last 2 years. In an effort to write a more accurate letter I also ask that students fill out a short form before I write the letter. Again, I am happy to write letters for students

How Do I Access Blackboard?

It will be important that you read through this section very carefully. If you have any technical questions please email: stss@jccmi.edu or call 1-888-522-8744.

Registration questions call 1-888-522-7344 or visit our Student Services web site. Type in the following URL: http://www.jccmi.edu/studentdevelopment

Entering Your Email Address:

Once you have successfully logged onto Blackboard you will need to enter your email address. This is very important! So,

Select PLS 141 out of the list of courses on the screen

Click on “Tools”

Click “Personal Information”

Click “edit personal information”

Enter your email address – click “submit”

PLS 141 Ground Rules:

1. This is a collaborative learning environment which means that EVERYONE must contribute. Group work is not an “activity,” it is not “social hour” and it is not “busy work.” Respect yourself and the people in your group. Don’t dominate the group and don’t free ride.

2. We will NEVER make fun of people or their ideas. If you cannot say something to someone’s face then don’t say it at all.

3. Conflict is good but - - - attack ideas not people. Never make “below the belt” comments.

4. Show respect at all times. This means calling people by their names (I’m Mrs. Timms) and not talking while others are talking (this includes me). I will use formal (lecture) and informal (simulations etc.) teaching methods in this course and expect that students will exhibit appropriate behavior in both settings.