HIST 1 - Western Civilization to 1600
Instructor:
Chris Rutkowski
Email Instructor
Course Description
Origin and development of civilization in the Mediterranean and its expansion into Europe - the Near East, Greece, Rome and the Middle Ages, Renaissance and the Reformation.
To take this class, you must have daily access to a computer with an Internet connection, an email account, and experience using a web browser. You will also need to update your email address in CLASS-Web when you register.
Check the college catalog for CSU/UC transferability and to see if this course meets AA/AS degree requirements.
This class begins Aug 20 and ends Dec 23.
On-Campus Meetings
There are no required on-campus meetings for this class. You can attend an OPTIONAL, on-campus orientation to Online Learning on either Aug. 13 from 7-8:30 p.m. in Room 2420, Aug. 14 from 1-2:30 p.m. in Room 2420, and Aug. 21 from 7-8:30 p.m. in Room 2420. Learn more about these orientations, which are NOT course-specific.
How This Class Operates
Assignments are due each week by 11:55 p.m. on Thursday. This includes posting in weekly discussion boards in response to weekly reading assignments, quizzes, and exams.
Class Activities
Weekly class discussion via messageboard on the assigned reading. This entails your "class participation". There will be several quizzes (though not every week), a research paper, and two exams.
Class Project(s)
There is a research paper, and also an optional extra-credit film review assignment.
How Students are Graded
60% of your grade is from the two tests (midterm & final), and the research paper. Your best of these three is 30% of your grade, your worst is 10%, and the middle is 20%.
30% is participation and 2 Research Skills assignments. You must actively learn and discuss in this class to succeed.
10% is quizzes. There will be 5 of them.
Up to +5% can be earned with the extra-credit film review assignment.
Succeeding in an Online Course
Students who succeed in online courses tend to be independent, self-motivated learners with good computer skills. If you are a procrastinator who relies heavily on the instructor for motivation, can't use a computer too well, have taken less than 21 units of college credit in your lifetime, and/or have a grade-point-average under 2.0, you should probably consider enrolling in a face-to-face course instead.
Also, don't enroll in this class if you believe the myth that learning online requires less effort than learning face-to-face. This course covers the same content and has similar activities as the face-to-face version of the course; only the method of delivery changes.
LPC offers a tutorial called "Succeeding in an online course" that will not only tell you if you are a good fit for online learning, but it also offers many strategies -- among other pertinent information -- that will help you succeed online. Please complete the tutorial.
Blackboard
This course will use the Blackboard course management system as its virtual classroom. To learn how to log in to Blackboard, go to the Blackboard Login Procedures page. Once you enroll, you will not be able to log in until the first day of class.