ENGLISH 160, SECTION 3: FIRST-YEAR ROUNDTABLE
THE “ANIMAL HOUSE” OF “HIGHER LEARNING”:
THE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE THROUGH FILM
SPRING 2008
Instructor: Prof. Joe Hardenbrook
Office: Staley Library Room 104
Tel: 217-424-3692
E-mail: jhardenbrook@millikin.edu
Office Hours: MWF 3-4pm, T/Th 9-10am, or by appointment.
Text: None required. Instructor may provide handouts.
Course Description:
As a second-semester freshman with growing college familiarity you will be provided with the opportunity to view and analyze college life as portrayed in film while examining your own experiences through in-class discussions, online response postings, and written reflection. Five themes/films will be discussed:
Choosing/Attending College (Accepted, 2006)
College Lifestyle and Activities (Animal House, 1978)
Student Identity (Where the Boys Are, 1960)
Diversity (Higher Learning, 1995)
Teaching and Learning (The Paper Chase, 1973)
Course Objectives:
By the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1. Analyze and interpret each film according to its prescribed theme.
2. Recognize similarities and differences in how college life is portrayed in films and compare these situations with their own experiences.
3. Synthesize course content through written reflection.
4. Learn the techniques of participating in and leading in-person and online discussions.
Course Assignments:
1. In-Class Discussion will be held on Wednesdays from 2:00-2:50pm on the following dates: Jan. 16, Jan. 30, Feb. 20, March 12, Apr. 9, and Apr. 30. The in-class discussions will examine each movie and the topics related to college life. Each of the five in-class discussions is worth 7 points for 35 points total. Attendance is required, as is participation in the discussion. If you do not attend, you will not receive points.
2. Online Discussion will be held during the weeks in which the class does not meet for in-class discussions or movies. The online discussion will be facilitated through the Moodle course management system and will focus on your perceptions and experiences of college life. For each online discussion, the student will be required to post an initial response to the instructor’s question, and provide at least one reply to a fellow student’s response. The responses must be submitted to Moodle by 11:59pm on the day that they are due. In the online discussion, students are expected to conduct themselves in a collegial and professional manner. For each of the five online discussions, the response to the instructor’s question is worth 5 points, and the reply to a fellow student is worth 2 points, for 35 points total.
3. Reflection Paper: After viewing the films and participating in the discussions, you will have analyzed ways in which college life has been portrayed through film. At the end of the semester (your first-year), you will reflect on how accurate you feel these films portray college life, using the five themes discussed in class. Specific instructions for this paper will be provided in April. You will be required to submit your paper to Turnitin, the plagiarism prevention system. The Reflection Paper is 3-6 pages and worth 30 points total.
If you need assistance, please visit the Writing Center (Staley Library Room 203), call 6353, or visit their website: http://www.millikin.edu/wcenter/.
Grading:
The points used to compute your grade will be based on the following:
In-Class Discussion: 35 points
Online Discussion: 35 points
Reflection Paper: 30 points
100 points total
Rubrics for the above assignments will be posted on the course Moodle page.
The final grade will be computed as follows:
A 100 – 93 points
C 76 – 73 points
C- 72 – 70 points
D+ 69 – 67 points
D 66 – 63 points
D- 62 – 60 points
C+ 79 – 77 points
F 59 – 0 points
Course Policies:
1. All grades, class information, online discussion, and announcements will be available using Moodle, the course management system. To access Moodle, go to the MU homepage (http://www.millikin.edu/) and select “Moodle” from the “Quick Links” menu. You will be required to set up your profile in Moodle.
2. Attendance is required for the 5 in-class discussions. If you do not attend, you will not receive points for that discussion. For those with rare and extreme circumstances, please notify the instructor.
3. Attendance is strongly encouraged, but not required for the film viewings. However, those in attendance will sign-in and your attendance may be taken into account if your grade is on the borderline.
4. Cell phones must be turned off, or on the “silent” mode, during class and film viewings. If there are special circumstances, please discuss it with the instructor before class begins.
5. Late postings to the online discussion (those received after the 11:59pm posting time) will result in a loss of 1 point per posting.
6. Courtesy is expected.
7. Students who want or need assistance are urged to see the instructor after class, during office hours or via e-mail.
If you do not view the film(s) during the scheduled Wednesday evening viewing times, it is your responsibility to obtain/borrow a copy and watch it independently before the in-class discussion. You have several options for locating the films. There is no guarantee that any of these places will have all of the films, so please plan accordingly:
1. Staley Library, Millikin University: The videos shown in class will be available on reserve at the library. To check them out, stop by the Circulation Desk. Don’t forget that other students in your class (or your professor) may have these movies checked out, so do not wait until the last minute.
2. Decatur Public Library, located at 130 N. Franklin St. downtown. Go to the DPL web site (http://www.decatur.lib.il.us/) and click on “Search our Catalog.” Make sure to have your Millikin ID and driver’s license when you check-out movies from DPL.
3. VideoBusters, located in RTUC.
4. Chain Store Rentals: There are several: Blockbuster Video, 141 E. Pershing Rd., Decatur, Tel: 875-0339; Family Video, 1935 N. Water, Decatur, Tel: 877-2766; Hollywood Video, 2800 N. Water St., Decatur, Tel.: 876-1045.
5. Netflix: Go to http://www.netflix.com/ and sign up for an account. Different plans are available, some for as low as $4.99 per month.
Academic Honesty Policy:
All students are expected to uphold professional standards for academic honesty and integrity in their research, writing, and related performances. Academic honesty is the standard we expect from all students. Read the Student Handbook for further details about offenses involving academic integrity at: http://www.millikin.edu/handbook/judicial_system.asp . Staley Library also hosts a web site on Preventing Plagiarism, which includes the complete university policy. It is located at: http://www.millikin.edu/staley/research/prevent_plagiarism.asp. Visit and carefully read the Preventing Plagiarism web site.
The Faculty has the right and the responsibility to hold students to high ethical standards in conduct and in works performed, as befits a scholar at the university. Faculty members have the responsibility to investigate all suspected breaches of academic integrity that arise in their courses. They will make the determination as to whether the student violated the Academic Integrity Policy. Should the faculty member determine that the violation was intentional and egregious, he or she will decide the consequences, taking into account the severity and circumstances surrounding the violation, and will inform the student in writing, forwarding a copy of the letter to the Registrar and to the Dean of Student Development.
This letter will be destroyed when the student graduates from the University unless a second breach of integrity occurs, or unless the first instance is of sufficient magnitude to result in failure of the course, with an attendant XF grade recorded in the transcript. If an XF is assigned for the course, the faculty letter of explanation becomes a permanent part of the student’s record. If a second violation occurs subsequent to the first breach of integrity, the Dean of Student Development will begin disciplinary and judicial processes of the University, as outlined in the Student Handbook.
If a student receives an XF for a course due to academic dishonesty, this remains as a permanent grade and cannot be removed from the transcript. However, students may repeat the course for credit toward graduation. Some programs and majors have more explicit ethical standards, which supersede this Policy, and violation of which may result in dismissal from some programs or majors within the University. If you have difficulty with any assignment in this course, please see me rather than consider academic dishonesty.
Disability Accommodation Policy:
Please address any special needs or special accommodations with me at the beginning of the semester or as soon as you become aware of your needs. If you are seeking classroom accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, you should submit your documentation to the Office of Academic Development at Millikin University, currently located in Staley Library 014.
Course Schedule:
* Note: Course schedule subject to change at the instructor’s discretion.
Setting the Scene
Wed., January 16 2:00-2:50PM: Course introduction, Meet n’ greet,
Go over syllabus, Moodle set-up
Why College?
Wed., January 23 7:00PM: First Film Showing
Accepted (2006, Steve Pink)
Wed., January 30 2:00-2:50PM: First In-Class Discussion
Wed., February 6 Online discussion to be completed by 11:59pm on Feb. 6
College Lifestyles & Activities
Wed., February 13 7:00PM: Second Film Showing
Wed., February 20 2:00-2:50PM: Second In-Class Discussion
Wed., February 27 Online discussion to be completed by 11:59pm on Feb. 27
Your College Identity
Wed., March 5 7:00PM: Third Film Showing
Wed., March 12 2:00-2:50PM: Third In-Class Discussion
Wed., March 19 NO CLASS/ACTIVITIES: SPRING BREAK!
Wed., March 26 Online discussion to be completed by 11:59pm on Mar. 26
Diversity in College: New Experiences
Wed., April 2 7:00PM: Fourth Film Showing
Wed., April 9 2:00-2:50PM: Fourth In-Class Discussion
Wed., April 16 Online discussion to be completed by 11:59pm on Apr. 16
In the Classroom: Teaching & Learning
Wed., April 23 7:00PM: Fifth Film Showing
Wed., April 30 2:00-2:50PM: Fifth In-Class Discussion
Wed., May 7 Online discussion to be completed by 11:59pm on May 7
Now Showing!: Your Reflection Paper
Tue., May 13 Reflection Paper to be submitted via Moodle by 11:59pm on May 13
* This course draws heavily on themes discussed in: Seyforth, S.C., & Golde, C.M. (2001). Beyond the Paper Chase: Using Movies to Help Students Get More Out of College. About Campus, 6 (4): 2-9.
jh, 1/3/2008