CORE 1010 Exploring Big Questions

Filming Difference (Spring 201)

Chris Faulk, Instructor

Office: Waleed (HUSS) P091     E-mail: cfaulk@aucegypt.edu

Office hours:                      UW 12:15-13:30 & by appointment

RHET 1010-06                UW 10:00-11:15          Jameel C114

Course Description

Introduction

This course is an introduction to the issues of difference in film and, in particular, to the close analysis of movies for those issues. It alternates between explanation of specific elements of film (editing, mise-en scene, and narrative, for example) and discussion of the ways in which movies implicitly reflect and subtly influence cultural attitudes and values about difference (such as gender, race, and class).

The fundamental goal of the course is to train you to watch movies more thoughtfully, carefully, and critically—to teach you to hold them at arm’s length and to think about what they may be doing besides “entertaining“ you. This involves learning how movies are put together. It involves discussing how they mobilize viewers’ attitudes and assumptions. And, above all, it involves practice: doing lots of analysis, through formal and informal assignments, and by engaging in class discussions.

Course Description

Through an extensive examination of films, including documentary, avant-garde, international art cinema, classic and contemporary, this course is part of the Core Pathways to knowledge which asks students to focus a critical lens on race, gender and class differences. Through comparative reading of films from different eras and countries, students develop skills to turn their in-depth analyses into interpretations and explore theoretical issues related to cultural differences. Within this structure, the course is designed to aid you in the development of a capstone project that builds upon your understanding how film can illuminate how complex the human experience is.

Key Questions

• How do films express cultural differences and to what extent does this representation follow traditional concepts of culture?
• How is the interconnectedness of cultures articulated and how far does this relate to current notions of interculturalism and transculturalism?
• How can the themes and images create a positive transcultural resonance within an international classroom comprised of diverse nationalities and cultural backgrounds?
• What (cultural) assumptions are made in the film? What biases? What might the audience be learning or accepting about our world by watching the film that might in fact not be true, accurate or fair?

Learning Outcomes

Attitudes

This course will foster the following attitudes:

• Enthusiastic engagement with content material and evolving concepts underlying the theme that will continue throughout university.
• A widening world-view that encompasses the world and human-kind both historically and culturally.
• A sense of responsibility and accountability as active agents of our destinies in a challenging world.
• Self expression in one’s own unique voice, both oral and written.
• Recognition of the moral imperatives in the pursuit of knowledge.

Knowledge

At the end of this course students will be able to:

• Understand the political, social, historical, and cultural underpinnings of indigeneity as a  contemporary category of analysis, including the power relations between indigenous groups and  hegemonic states and among indigenous communities.
• Identify and learn about the major issues and challenges indigenous communities face today in  their struggle to maintain their land base and their cultural and linguistic identities.
• Recognize the varied, specific, and complex relationships between indigenous communities and  the land they claim as their own
• Develop an understanding of the cultural, political, and historical contexts film is redefining human nature in the 21st century.
• Construct an approach to defining one’s own potential as a global citizen and one’s responsibility in responding to hardships and creating positive change.
• Develop skills to examine the historical and cultural heritage of the human civilization: conventions, genres, types, archetypes, patterns, and basic terms common to many cultures.
• Develop a vocabulary for discussing various approaches to definitions, typology, symbolism.
• Recognize the role of filmmaking and the retelling of stories in the development of current perspectives about the human spirit.

Skills

At the end of this course, each student will be able to:

• Participate in discussions that explore complex and conflicting concepts of film depicting many aspects of human existence (i.e. moral courage, leadership, civic duty, moral imperatives) as demonstrated through note-taking, referencing texts, summaries, posting commentaries on course website and personal narratives.
• Participate effectively and appropriately in a university classroom.
• Identify key concepts relevant to multi-modal texts/expressions demonstrated in reflection writing and group presentations.
• Identify key questions addressed in film and literary texts as well as other artistic genres and how effectively a filmmaker or author addresses the question(s) s/he is attempting to answer demonstrated by reflection papers and group presentations.
• Use PowerPoint or other software to enhance a presentation demonstrated by group presentations of readings.
• Give a short oral presentation and/or lead a class discussion on part of a text demonstrated by individual and group presentations.
• Read a variety of texts critically demonstrated by group presentation, reflection papers and class discussion.
• Write brief commentaries linked to a film, reading, or lecture demonstrated by reflective writings.
• Participate in collaborative teamwork demonstrated through commitment to schedules/equitable distribution of roles and self-assessment for group presentation.

Required Materials

Texts

• A variety of readings on the elements of film, specific films and film genres, and issues of difference will be assigned throughout the term. Expect to read an article or two each week for discussion in class and for weekly responses. All readings will be posted on our course website. Please download and print each reading as it is assigned and bring it with you for use in class.
• There will also be a film assignment for each week, which should be viewed at least once - ideally more than that.

Materials

• A free account at Copy.com to back up your work and share it with me and others as needed in the course. Always back up your work, and always have it available to you on campus! Computer crashes, lost files, etc. are no excuse for being late with assignments. Please use my link above to open your account - it will earn you double the free amount of space, more than enough for all of your work at AUC. You are required to have all work in this course uploaded to your Copy account and securely shared with me.
• A free account at Turnitin.com to submit all formal work in the course. Details for joining our course will be given on our course site. You are required to have all formal writing in this course uploaded to Turnitin.
• Stapler and staples and firm binder clips for all printed work [This is particularly important - trust me, you don't your work shuffled out of existence: Sandstorms often appear in my office, and unattached pages can disappear.]

Course Content Disclaimer

In this course, students may be required to read text or view materials that they may consider offensive. The ideas expressed in any given text do not necessarily reflect the views of the instructor, the Rhetoric and Composition Department, or The American University in Cairo. Course materials are selected for their historical and/or cultural relevance, or as an example of stylistic and/or rhetorical strategies and techniques. They are meant to be examined in the context of intellectual inquiry of the sort encountered at the university level.

Assignments and Grading

Letter Grades & Percentages

Grades for all work will be assigned points, which will be converted into letter grades using the following percentages. These percentages come from the Department of Rhetoric and Composition. Note that, in the end, grades are not rounded up or down. Also note that there is no 'D-' grade in CORE or RHET 1010 classes at AUC.

Assignments

• Project 1: Film Analysis (20%)
• Project 2: Film Analysis (20%)
• Critical Responses (20%)
• Presentation (20%)
• Group Activities & Class Participation (20%)

Some Thoughts on Grading Formal Projects

Here is an brief description of what each letter grade may mean to give you a little better idea about what messages are contained in the letter grades attached to your essays. Please bear in mind that this is a brief description; there may be other reasons, having to do specifically with your paper, for the grade it received. Please talk with me about your grade and how it fits the paper to which it is attached. There's no substitute for conversation about a paper—grades can't really tell you much about what's good and what's lacking in a particular essay.

F: Unacceptable. Near-failure to communicate despite a good-faith effort to do so. The work exists, but it is often incoherent or incomprehensible and is couched in language that fails to communicate its subject and controlling ideas. It could consist of understandable sentences that do not connect or make up a whole; it may also lack any controlling idea.

Low F: The work was not handed in, was incomplete in some way, did something unrelated to the assignment, or was an obvious attempt to hand in something—anything—without doing the necessary work involved. 

D: Barely acceptable. ‘C’ level work (see below), but in the end is unacceptable, usually because of significant problems with delivery, comprehensibility, and correctness.

Note: There is no 'D-' grade in AUC's CORE or RHET 1010 classes.

C: Acceptable but not distinguished. The product begins to communicate some recognizable idea, but it doesn't surprise, doesn't invite the audience to more than passing thought. It proposes to argue something that is obvious or is vaguely defined. It doesn't consider opposing evidence, doesn't make subtle distinctions, is predictable and safe.

C+: An "average" paper but could be one of two very different things. Type one is an extremely competent version of ‘C’ level work—i.e., a smoothly presented and competently executed presentation of piece of writing that is still obvious and safe. Type two is far better than type one. It is an attempt to carry out a truly intriguing idea or design which gets into serious trouble and doesn't work. The communicator had a great intention, which is detectable, but was unsuccessful in its "execution" and got all tangled up. This type may be ‘A’ level work in its early form.

B: Good. The communicator has something interesting to say, shows some individual clarity of perception. A controlling idea is proposed that stimulates the reader's thinking. The structure serves to develop thought.

B-: Minimally good. Two possible types: Type one has something interesting to say, and says it with a decent command. Type two is an attempt to say something far more complicated and intriguing, but it doesn't quite realize fully the ideas it launches.

B+: Very good. Has all the qualities of ‘B’ level work, but more so.

A: Very good. Very good in every aspect and beyond the usual. Makes audience members think in a new way, see something differently, understand the subject from a new angle. Very interesting thinking that is well-executed.

A-: Not quite an A, usually because it isn't as well or fully executed.

Course Policies

Class Ground Rules

This class involves (requires!) participation in discussion and activities. We each have different experiences that influence our perspectives of the world. You may feel uncomfortable or disagree with certain ideas or opinions expressed by others or with certain topics in the class. You may also find that you share perspectives or experiences with others. The classroom should be a lively, interactive, and comfortable place where information is shared, ideas tested, and issues debated.

We (students and instructor) will strive to create an open, respectful, and trusting environment in this course. At minimum, the following rules will be practiced:

• Cell phones and pagers will be turned off before entering the classroom. If you answer a phone or pager during class, you will be asked to leave and will be marked absent for that day.
• Drinks in class are okay, but not food—you may not eat your lunch during class.
• Take care of any physiological needs (such as the toilet!) before coming into the classroom. Do not walk in and out of class, and do not leave before class is dismissed.
• Everyone in class has both a right and an obligation to participate in discussions, and, if called upon, should try to respond.
• Demonstrate respect for ideas, beliefs, and people.
• Avoid making assumptions, generalizations, or stereotypes.
• Recognize that opinions are just that.
• Always listen carefully, with an open mind, to the contributions of others.
• Ask for clarification when you don’t understand a point someone has made.
• If you are offended or hurt by another’s remarks, please let me know (anonymously if you prefer by dropping a note). I will make every attempt to effectively address the issue for all involved.
• Be able to use the course’s Wordpress site, Copy.com, and Turnitin.com to participate in the class (look for documents and files, take questionnaires and quizzes, post and workshop writing, etc.). You are responsible for learning how to navigate our Wordpress site—if you don’t know how, use the tutorials or go to UCAT. You also need to be able to use Turnitin.com and Box.com (turning in drafts, making comments in peer review, etc.). There will be a brief overview in the first week of class, but you must use all our course’s online resources - please click around on them to become literate. All students should sign up for e-mail updates for our Wordpress site. Again, I’ll quickly show you how in class.
• Students with disabilities are encouraged to notify the instructor to ensure that special accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. Please consult AUC's Disabilities Services (P001 Campus Center - extension 3918 or sds@aucegypt.edu) for guidance and the 'Request for Disabilities Services' form.

Punctuality, Attendance & Late Work

If you are not in class shortly after it begins--when attendance is taken--you will be marked ‘late,’ and two 'lates' are counted as one absence. If you are more than twenty minutes late, you will be marked ‘absent’. If you arrive late, please enter the room quietly and do not interrupt or disturb the class. It is your responsibility to tell me at the end of class that you are present or else you will be marked absent. 

You are also responsible for keeping track of your absences, and any student who misses more than 6 classes will automatically fail the course. Each ‘late’ or ‘tardy’ counts as half an absence, so be sure to come to class on time. This is Rhetoric Department policy. This means that if you are tardy or absent beyond six, then you will automatically fail the course, no matter the reason.

• If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to both find out from another student what was discussed and to check our course site for any new announcements or adjustments to the schedule. You are also expected to complete all in-class/out-of-class activities, written work, etc., on time. 
• No missing classes for dental, doctor, or personal appointments. According to the department, no medical excuses can be accepted, even for emergencies. 
• Any student with scheduled extracurricular activities, such as MUN, artistic performances, or sports competitions, should give the instructor at the beginning of the semester a projected schedule of absences related to these commitments. It is the student’s responsibility to arrange for dealing with missed classes in advance of the classes to be missed. To the greatest possible extent, it is also the student’s responsibility to complete in advance those assignments that would be due during the period of absence if to not do so would mean to submit them after the deadline.
• Any absence, no matter the reason, is counted as an absence - there is no such thing as an ‘excused’ absence in this course. This is Rhetoric Department policy.

Finally, you must submit all assignments complete, according to instructions, and on time. Late work will be penalized 5% per day (0-24 hours after the deadline), and any late work (including drafts) will not receive feedback from your instructor (me). No work will be accepted more than six days late. If an assignment has not followed submission instructions (depending on the assignment: hard copy to me in class or conference or soft copy to Turnitin and our shared unit folder on Copy.com), then it will be counted late until it is properly submitted.

The only exception to this policy is for our final course project. For that last work in the course, no late work can be accepted for any reason. If a student misses that deadline, then the work will receive a ‘zero’ grade.

Policies on Submitting Work

In this course, all your work throughout the semester will be submitted through the securely shared folder that you will create on Copy.com. Work needs to be in that folder before it’s deadline. In addition to Copy, some assignments (such as essay drafts, reflection letters, etc.) will need to be uploaded to Turnitin.com before the deadline, too. Finally, from time to time, I will ask for a print copy or two to be brought to class or conference. That is always in addition to online submission to Copy and Turnitin.com. I will always detail how to submit and the deadline to do so on our course schedule, which will be posted on our course site.

If work is not submitted following instructions (Copy, Turnitin, etc.), it will be counted ‘late’ until it is submitted correctly. At minimum, this might mean a delay to receiving a grade. It also could mean late submission penalties to that grade.

Unless otherwise stated, all written work should be in MS Word or pdf format. Pages should be A4, formatted according to MLA (margins, font, spacing, etc.). All sources should also be cited according to MLA.

It is the student’s responsibility to contact me (your instructor) before the deadline if there is any technical problem submitting according to requirements. If necessary, you should e-mail me with your work attached before the deadline.

To best avoid technical problems (computer crashes, AUC server unavailability, etc.) and make your life easier, you should download the Copy app to your computer. Simply save your work in your computer’s Copy folder as you work (clicking ‘save’ often), and your work will periodically sync online to Copy’s cloud storage. You need never fret about going to Copy to submit work - it is already and always there, and I can see when the file was last modified, which gives you a backup timestamp for submission in case there are other technical problems. Students who choose not to do so will lose these benefits, which could result in much recreation of completed work and risk late submission penalties. So, please, use Copy to make all our lives easier!

Contingency Plan

In the event of the suspension of normal university classes, the initial plan will be to continue with the course schedule as long as there is internet accessibility in Egypt.  In case of suspension of classes, please check your email, course website and schedule for distance learning activities and assignments.

Academic Integrity

The ability to effectively summarize, paraphrase and quote is a necessary skill for any writing you will be conducting in this class. Whether you are writing a response paper or a more extensive essay, you must convey this information to your readers in a way they will understand. When you can put someone else’s claims into your own words, you have succeeded in understanding your sources and their key concepts. You can then use these sources to back up your own ideas and your thesis—as long as you have clearly indicated what information is yours and what information is from an outside source using correct MLA documentation. Engaging in these practices will assist you in steering clear of plagiarizing material. Please review the AUC Academic Integrity Policy. In addition, please read thoroughly the website “Critically Analyzing Information Sources,” which will provide you with important information on reviewing sources.

AUC & Rhetoric and Composition Department Policy: 

The Policy at AUC:  At AUC we take plagiarism very seriously. Make sure to carefully read the university’s academic integrity policy, which can be found here:  http://www.aucegypt.edu/academics/integrity/Pages/default.aspx.

The Policy in the Department of Rhetoric and Composition

• In accordance with the AUC’s efforts to promote a culture of academic integrity on campus, the Rhetoric and Composition Department has a strict policy regarding academic dishonesty and to this end requires that all students utilize the resources of Turnitin for all drafts of major assignments (turnitin.com) and promote the AUC Code of Ethics and Students’ Best Practices.
• Consequences of Violations of Academic Integrity by RhetComp Students
• Any violation of academic integrity (plagiarism, cheating, data fabrication, submitting an assignment or part of an assignment written for another course, impersonation, etc.) may automatically result in a grade of “F” for the course in which the offence was committed.
• Procedures for Reporting a Violation of Academic Integrity

1. All violations of academic integrity will be reported first to the Chair/Associate Chair of the Rhetoric & Composition Department.
2. Instructors submit the Academic Integrity Violation Report to the Academic Integrity Committee after it has been approved by the Chair/Associate Chair. After that approval has been received, the instructor will inform you about the failure of the course and the submission of the report and explain why it is being submitted.
3. The instructor will send you an email that notifies you that your case is being reported to the Academic Integrity Committee, with a copy of the report submitted to this committee.
4. A student will not have to appear before the Academic Integrity Committee without having learned from the instructor why this will be required.

• Procedures for Student and Instructor Use of Turnitin

1. Instructors will require students to submit all drafts of major assignments and any other important assignments to Turnitin.com
2. Instructors will carefully check the Turnitin originality report to confirm that any matches are not due to overuse of direct quotes, sloppy but cited paraphrases of the source, or other less than serious causes that might constitute a violation.
3. Images and presentation slides will also be checked for originality and/or proper documentation.

• Institutional Review Board (IRB) (for courses involving research only):  In very rare cases, students may be required to submit their proposals to the university’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) to guarantee that they meet the ethical requirements of research done on or with human subjects.

Drop Policies / Course Completion Policies

      AUC General Drop Policies

• Students can drop the course during the  “Late Registration and Course Changes Period”.  If the course is dropped during this period, it does not appear on the student’s transcript.
• Students can drop the course during the weeks that follow the conclusion of the “Late Registration and Course Changes Period”, until the final drop deadline of the semester, only with DEPARTMENT APPROVAL.  After drop and add the RHET department has the right to decline a drop.  ( http://catalog.aucegypt.edu/content.php?catoid=15&navoid=485&hl=registrar&returnto=search)
• If the course is approved for dropping before the final drop deadline, it remains on the student’s transcript and is assigned a grade of “W.”  If a student fills out the drop request form online and then changes their mind before the final drop deadline, they need to contact their instructor and the instructor will simply reject the drop request on the drop request form.
• After the final drop deadline students cannot drop the course. If a student has an extraordinary case and a need to drop the course after the final drop deadline, they need to speak to the chair of the Department of Rhetoric and Composition, who will refer them to the Dean of Undergraduate Studies.
• All course dropping in the department of Rhetoric and Composition after the drop and add period may not take place without the approval of the department.

      AUC Policies Relating to CORE1010. RHET1010, & RHET1020

• All students, except for those with transfer credits or advanced standing, take RHET1010/CORE1010 (6 credits) in their first semester as freshmen.
• All students should complete their RHET courses before proceeding to Sophomore-level status.
• For the tandem courses RHET1010 and CORE1010, students dropping one course will automatically be dropped from the other. Dropping either course needs departmental permission.
• Students must register for RHET1020 in the semester immediately following successful completion of RHET1010, preferably along with LALT1010, or a hold will be placed on their subsequent registration until the issue is satisfactorily resolved.
• Students retaking the tandem courses CORE 1010/RHET 1010 must enroll in a different theme.
• Students may pass or fail one or both of the tandem courses RHET 1010 and CORE1010, depending on their performance in each course.
• Students may retake each of RHET 1010, CORE 1010 and RHET 1020 up to three times in three consecutive semesters. If the second retake is unsuccessful, students will be placed on probation, and continued study at AUC will be contingent on successful completion of the course, on a third retake, in the following semester.
• For undeclared students, only those who have completed the RHET/CORE 1010 tandem classes, RHET 1020, LALT 1010, and Scientific Thinking, will be eligible to declare a major at AUC.
• Any student who wishes to declare or proceed in his or her major without having completed the Freshman Program requirements according to the terms set out above, will require explicit written approval from the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies. Such approval will be granted only upon acceptance of a signed statement from the student indicating precisely how and when he or she will complete all outstanding Freshman Program requirements. Students who fail to fulfill their stated plans, without sufficient, documented justification, will be placed on probation, leading to dismissal.
• After the release of registration holds, students will not be allowed to drop the Freshman Program courses concerned, following the timelines mentioned above, without the consent of their advisors.

AUC Academic Grievance Policy

•  An explanation of the university’s Student Academic Grievance Policy procedures can be read here: http://www.aucegypt.edu/about/Policies/Documents/Student%20Academic%20Grievance%20Procedures.pdf

Student Responsibilities

• Read, sign, and submit the Memorandum of Understanding. (A copy for you to sign will be handed out in class.)
• Again, submit all assignments complete, according to instructions, and on time. Late work will be penalized 5% per day (0-24 hours after the deadline), and any late drafts will not receive feedback from your instructor (me). The Writing Center (Waleed P114) will then be your only source of guidance as you revise that draft. No work is accepted after five days.
• A fully up-to-date shared folder on Copy.com and uploaded writing to Turnitin.com with each deadline.
• Attend and be prepared for class by reading and completing all assigned work before the class begins.
• Sign up for Wordpress e-mail updates and check your e-mail every day.
• Actively participate in lectures, discussions, and activities.
• Provide and consider constructive evaluations and feedback.
• Cooperate with, support, and be respectful of your colleagues and the instructor.
• Communicate with your instructor concerning any issue or difficulty, preferably before it becomes a significant problem.
• Make a full effort on all assignments, including drafts—do not pick for points. I will do all I can to be fair but you must earn your grades.
• Revise drafts substantially by rethinking and rewriting them thoroughly. Minor adjustments, additions, and rephrasings do not count as a revision. A new draft is exactly that: a new draft built from the previous one.
• Adhere to the university’s academic standards including those governing academic dishonesty, such as cheating, plagiarism (submitting the language, ideas, thoughts or work of another as one’s own, or allowing someone to use your work in this way), or fraud. Serious consequences will result for any violation of academic dishonesty and I will follow established university and Department of Rhetoric and Composition policy.
• Demonstrate ethical behavior.
• Seek help if and when you find yourself struggling:

• If you are having a hard time coping with university work for any reason, or have struggle with tardiness, inadequate work or repeated absences, the Student Mentoring Unit (P001 Campus Center) is a valuable resource.
• Students with disabilities are encouraged to notify the instructor to ensure that special accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. Please consult AUC's Disabilities Services (P001 Campus Center) for guidance and the 'Request for Disabilities Services' form.

• Tutors in the AUC Writing Center can help you with writing and presenting in any of your courses (understanding an assignment, generating ideas, making a plan, researching and citing sources, revising and editing., etc.). Two locations are available: The main center in the Rhetoric and Composition Department (Waleed P112) or the annex in the back of the Library Learning Commons. Simply make an online appointment here: http://pacs.aucegypt.edu/wcconferencing/.

Faculty Responsibilities

• Provide course content that is timely, relevant, and current based on sound research, not hearsay.
• Be on time and prepared for all classes.
• Provide consultation, advising, and/or problem-solving time for students.
• Provide clear instructions regarding assignments and expectations.
• Honor and respect students.
• Provide and consider constructive evaluations and feedback.
• Return major assignments in a timely manner (usually within 1-2 weeks).
• Be available to discuss course questions and concerns in office hours and by e-mail. I will do my best to respond to your email queries within 24 hours, except during weekends and holidays.

Brief Schedule*

A more detailed schedule will be provided as the semester progresses. However, the general progression will be as follows:

*This schedule is tentative. Any changes will be announced in class.