HIS 141: Human Origins of Global Society
Spring 2019, Sections L01 & L02
Instructor: Heather Bennett
Course Description & Objectives 4
If you do not have an internet-capable device 7
Focus on expertise, not grades. 8
So, how will final grades be determined in the class? 9
Good ways to show participation 11
Distractions from participation 11
Participation & Learning Essays 12
Project: History of the World in 100+ Topics 12
Not Plagiarism: Respect for Other Creators 15
Accessibility Resources For Students With Disabilities 16
UB Statement Of Principle On Academic Honesty 17
Instructor: Heather Bennett
Email: hb24@buffalo.edu
Google Drive Sharing: helloworldciv111@gmail.com
Please Note: The website currently contains the content for Fall 2018. It will be updated for the Spring 2019 syllabus no later than 20 January 2019.
L01: Tuesday/Thursday 8:30-10:00 am
L02: Tuesday/Thursday 3:30-5:00 pm
Location: Classroom or UB Offices, Block C, Level 8
L01: Tuesday/Thursday 10:00-11:30 am
L02: Tuesday/Thursday 3:30-5:00 pm
Please refer to the electronic signboard.
This is a course in global history that explores the history of humanity from 10,000 BCE to 1500 CE. Through a combination of lectures, group discussions, activities, and individual research, we’ll explore:
I’ve structured the class meetings and project with three objectives in mind:
There is no assigned textbook for this class.
All readings, videos, activities, and instructions for the course will be distributed through the class website: helloworldciv.com.
All web pages are publicly available, but some of the videos and readings will require your UBIT username and password.
Preparations for class, class activities, impromptu research, and course assignments all require access to the web. This could be a smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
If you are in possession of one or all of these things, you are encouraged to use your personal device(s) for the course.
Students who do not currently possess an internet-ready device do not need to purchase one. We will work something out, such as borrowing a spare device from a peer or professor for the class or only using devices for group activities. Please come see me or email me after the first class if this is the case for you.
We’ll use Google Drive to compile and collect many assignments and materials this semester.
You will, therefore, need access to a Google-run email account. This can be EITHER your UB Mail account (ending in @buffalo.edu) or another Gmail account (ending in @gmail.com).
I will collect preferred emails at the start of the semester.
Individual, active engagement. Willingness to dialogue, question, and reexamine perspectives. Consistent and thoughtful completion of all course assessments.
Assessments may change over the course of the semester based on student feedback and/or professor evaluation of the usefulness and effectiveness of an assignment.
All changes to the assessments will be reflected here in the syllabus, on the course website helloworldciv.com, and announced in class or via email.
The goal of this course is to build students’ expertise. This will be accomplished through the use of “formative feedback.” Comments on assessments will encourage you to continue your best practices and help you identify areas that need improvement as well as strategies for how to do so.
Comments will not, however, be accompanied by a grade. You will receive a minimal, summary assessment (strong/satisfactory/needs work) on assessments, but no numeric or letter grade.
I will provide comments, encouragement, and suggestions four times this semester:
This policy is inspired by and in agreement with educational scholar Jesse Stommel’s arguments for ungrading. (See “Why I don’t grade” and “How to Ungrade”.)
First, numeric scores and letter grades are always subjective (because instructors are human) and not terribly meaningful (what on earth is the difference between a B+ and an A-??).
Second, they decimate motivation. (Think about what it feels like to receive a terrible grade when you really gave it your all.)
Third, grades do not define a person’s worth - but our emphasis on grading seems to suggest that they do. This policy is an effort to actually challenge that perception.
Students will suggest the letter grade they deserve and justify their selection by detailing what they have learned in the course, how they contributed to the class, and what aspects of their knowledge or skills still need improvement. This will be accomplished in assessment, “Participation & Learning Essay.”
As the instructor, I do reserve the right to adjust the suggested grades, but will do so for only three reasons:
Incomplete Grades: Under certain circumstances (e.g. extended hospitalization), students may apply for a grade of Incomplete. See the UB catalog for details of the Incomplete grade policy and requirements at:
https://catalog.buffalo.edu/policies/explanation.html
Request for an Incomplete grade must be made prior to the end of the semester. Approval is not automatic, must be supported by robust relevant documentation, and is at the discretion of the instructor.
Letter Grade | Interpretation |
A | Outstanding Engagement in the Course |
A- | Outstanding Engagement in the Course |
B+ | Excellent Engagement in the Course |
B | Excellent Engagement in the Course |
B- | Average Engagement in the Course |
C+ | Average Engagement in the Course |
C | Fair Engagement in the Course |
C- | Fair Engagement in the Course |
D+ | Some Difficulty Engaging in the Course |
D | Some Difficulty Engaging in the Course |
F | Insufficient Engagement in the Course |
FX | Failure for nonattendance |
“Assessment” does not equal “grade.” Instead, assessment here means “consideration, analysis, appraisal, and evaluation.” The thing being assessed is what you have learned in the course and the effort you have put in — not your worth as a human being or your innate intelligence.
You are expected to be present and on time for every class. You are expected to stay for the entire 90 minutes of the class. Classes start at 8:30 am (L01) or 3:30 pm (L02), depending on which section you’re in.
I take attendance by snapping a photo with my phone five minutes after the start time. This helps me accurately record who is present and lets me learn names quickly.
For most classes this semester, you’ll read a primary source that will be discussed in class. The primary sources are all available on helloworldciv.com.
For half of the classes (8 total), you will also prepare for class by responding to the first two discussion questions for each primary source. These questions consistently ask you to:
The purpose of this activity is to ensure that at least half the class at any time can bring a good understanding of the reading to the discussion.
All work should be your own. You may use outside sources (summaries of or commentary on a source; additional research), but you’ll need to cite it somehow if you do (e.g., provide the link to your info).
I encourage you though to just give it your best shot. Mistakes and misunderstandings are in fact very useful as they help me (your professor) understand what wasn’t clear in the reading.
The sources you respond to will be determined by which reading group I randomly assign you to at the start of class (A or B). Pre-class preparation is due by the start of class. You will submit your pre-class prep via a Google Form linked/embedded below the discussion questions listed.
When I provide feedback on your Engagement & Learning Essays, I’ll also provide feedback about your Pre-Class Responses. Again, these aren’t graded and there isn’t a concrete penalty for not submitting the responses (or submitting them late). However, consistently missing the responses or completing them only after the discussion could impact your overall grade in the course.
During the semester, I will ask you to complete two essays detailing what you’ve learned in the class so far, how you’re participating in the class, and how you hope to improve your work in the course.
The essays should be approximately 1000-1200 words in length. Your essay should demonstrate what you have learned in the course and how you have engaged with the class content and activities. To complete your essay, please answer the following questions:
You may answer the first three questions in whatever order you want. Feel free to combine and rearrange them. Ideally, your essays will include:
Remember, this is not graded. There’s nothing to be gained by flattering yourself or by being too harsh. This is an exercise in self-assessment and self-awareness.
Creativity is encouraged. This means you’re free to experiment with how you complete your essays. Want to include GIFs or images? Go for it. Want to send me a video essay and transcript? That sounds excellent. I could even see doing this as an Instagram story (though we’d need to talk about the requirements of this.) The sky’s the limit really.
The first essay is due on Sunday, 17 March at 11:59 pm.
The second essay is due on Tuesday, 23 April at 11:59 pm. This second essay has the same requirements as the first but should also include a statement of the grade you’ve selected for the semester.
Please compose your essays as Google Docs (or another file shareable via Google Drive) and submit the essays by sharing your files with helloworldciv111@gmail.com.
This is a group project. Groups will be randomly assigned in order to prevent the exclusion of any members of the class. The group size will be 4-5 students per group.
The purpose of this project is to expand students’ knowledge of the course content and provide students an opportunity to practice the sourcing, observation, and analysis skills gained through our primary source discussions.
For this project, each group will:
The first draft of your resources list and introduction is due on Thursday, 28 March by the start of class (this is our first peer review session). Things can still be in-progress for the first draft, but your peers and I (Heather) should be able to get a clear sense of the direction of your project.
The second draft of your resources/introduction is due on Tuesday, 16 April by the start of class (this is our second peer review session).
The final version of your resources/introduction is due on Friday, 3 May by the end of the day (11:59 pm). This is the day of our last class meeting.
All versions of the project should be submitted via Google Docs by sharing with helloworldciv111@gmail.com.
The projects will be collected into a “view only” Google Drive folder so all students may view each other’s hard work and accomplishments.
Following the final review of projects and submission of final grades to UB-SIM, I may request permission to publish your project on Hello World Civ. You are 100% able to say no without any penalty to your grade.
Any and all viewpoints that are expressed respectfully and address the topics of this course will receive attention and a fair grade in this class. If comments are expressed disrespectfully or move too far afield, I reserve the right to end a conversation and/or request a conversation with you following the class.
Please use gender-neutral language and respectful designations for ethnic, racial, and national groups when appropriate. If you are unsure of what the most respectful terminology is, please feel free to ask.
You will find some ideas weird, dismaying, and disagreeable. That's okay. I encourage you to acknowledge that reaction and then move past judgment by taking the time to ask, "Why did they think that? Why was it like that? Why do I think differently?"
Please try not to engage in side conversations (verbal, electronic, or written) once class has begun.
With that in mind, please share freely! All thoughts, questions, and ideas – no matter how tentative, incomplete, or half-formed these might be – are welcome.
If you missed an assignment, do better next time If you said something unkind in discussion or to someone in your blogging group, work to correct it.
If I have done something disrespectful, hurtful, or just plain annoying, you can expect me to apologize, take responsibility, and work toward changing my action or attitude.
There are (at least) two kinds of distraction provided by technology - the escapist kind and the exploring new knowledge kind.
I would ask that you aim for the exploring new knowledge kind in this class. Please avoid using technology to check out of the class. Please do use technology to learn, share, and dig deeper into the course.
Proper use of grammar, spelling, and punctuation is expected in all assignments completed for the class. Since there aren’t any grades, this is a great course to focus on improving your writing skills without the fear of losing points.
If you are unsure of whether or not something is grammatically correct, I encourage you to use the spelling and grammar check tools in your favorite document-creation software, helpful websites like OWL Perdue or GrammarGirl, or a free browser extension like Grammarly.
In this course, we will focus on how to show respect for other creators by conscientiously giving them credit for their work.
This means we’ll actively work on how to restructure and reword content into a true paraphrase that expresses our own ideas.
We’ll use media if and when creators say we can (instead of disrespecting their work by ignoring copyright and stealing it).
We’ll also figure out together how best to note where we found ideas, videos, audio, etc. Sometimes that might mean traditional APA citations - or it might mean something more creative that’s actually useful outside of school.
When we don’t get it right the first time, we’ll go back and fix it.
All of this is similar to what’s required by the UB Academic Integrity policy. We’re just flipping the script so we can think about the benefits of integrity instead of the punishments that could happen if we plagiarise.
Reasonable Accommodation refers broadly to reasonable modifications of policies, practices, and procedures as necessary to ensure that persons with disabilities have the same opportunities as others in all programs, services, and benefits of the University at Buffalo.
Anyone with a disability (including a chronic illness) who needs reasonable accommodations in the SIM-UB Program should refer to the Student Handbook (available online via SIMConnect) for further information, or consult the Resident Director (email: Kevin McKelvey).
Attendance and active participation is expected by all students in every class. Students are expected to be present for the entire duration of each class. Tardiness to or absenting oneself during class will result in a deduction from the attendance and participation portion of the final grade.
Late assignments, if accepted, will be penalized.
Students who are absent from a midterm exam must request a make-up exam from the course instructor; a make up will be given only if there is an appropriate, documented reason for absence from the exam (such as an MC); any disputes regarding the validity of the reason or the documentation may be referred to the student advisor. (Please note: There is no midterm exam in HIS 141.)
Students who are absent from a final exam must formally request a make-up exam in writing to Ms. Katie Fassbinder, Assistant Resident Director, within 24 hours of the original exam. The make-up exam request form can be found in SIMConnect. (Please note: There is no final exam in HIS 141.)
In all cases, supporting documents must be provided and a make-up exam will only be scheduled if there is a valid and appropriate reason for the absence. For example, prior commitments to external activities or events outside of SIM are not considered a valid reason for an absence. For medical cases, students must submit a detailed letter from the doctor, highlighting the date of the medical consultation, the nature and the severity of the illness, and how the illness prevented them from taking the scheduled exam, in addition to a Medical Certificate (MC). A Medical Certificate alone will not be accepted for make-up final exams. Disputes may be referred to the Resident Director.
There will be no make-ups for other course assessments, and students who are absent from such assessments will receive a zero.
The University at Buffalo has a responsibility to promote academic honesty and integrity and to develop procedures to deal effectively with instances of academic dishonesty. Students are responsible for the honest completion and representation of their work, for appropriate citation of sources, and for respect for others’ academic endeavors.
By placing their name on academic work, students certify the originality of all work not otherwise identified by appropriate acknowledgments.
Additionally, students are expected to understand and abide completely by the following guidelines for academic integrity in all UB courses:
Plagiarism, cheating, and other incidents of academic dishonesty will result in an automatic failing grade for the course. Depending on the severity of the violation, your case may also be reported to UB for further investigation and may result in expulsion from the university.
Plagiarism consists of copying work from another source without giving proper citations. You must not copy information from printed materials, internet sources, or from the work of other students. If you are uncertain about how to submit your work correctly, consult the instructor immediately.
Any claim of ignorance of the rules of academic integrity by any student is unacceptable.
See the policy here: Undergraduate Academic Integrity Policy
Please note: There will also be a short video (no more than 30 minutes) assigned for each class to provide context for the topic of the day.
Class Number | Date | Topic | Due | To Read (Tentative) |
1 | 29 January | Introduction & Syllabus | ||
2 | 31 January | Icebreakers & Introduction to History | ||
3 | 12 February | Hominids, Early Humans, Foragers | ||
4 | 14 February | Ancient Egypt | All Students: Pre-Class Response | "The Birth of Hatshepsut" |
5 | 19 February | Ancient Mesopotamia | Group A: Pre-Class Response | "The Epic of Gilgamesh" |
6 | 21 February | Workshop 1: Credibility of Sources | ||
7 | 26 February | Monotheism: An Ancient Anomaly | Group B: Pre-Class Response | Selections from Genesis |
8 | 28 February | Ancient Greece | Group A: Pre-Class Response | Aristophanes, Lysistrata (Act I) |
9 | 5 March | The Persian Empire | Group B: Pre-Class Response | Herodotus, “On the Customs of the Persians” |
10 | 7 March | The Hellenistic World | Group A & Group B: Pre-Class Response | Epicurus, "Letter to Menoeceus" (A); Epictetus, The Enchiridion (B) |
11 | 12 March | India I | Nothing Due | |
12 | 14 March | India II | Participation & Learning Essay 1 | In-class reading |
13 | 19 March | China I | Nothing Due | |
14 | 21 March | China II | Group A & Group B: Pre-Class Response | Daodejing (selections) (A); Analects of Confucius (selections) (B) |
15 | 26 March | The Silk Road | Nothing Due | |
16 | 28 March | Workshop 2: Peer Review 1 | Project: First Draft | |
17 | 2 April | Ancient Rome: Republic to Empire | Group A: Pre-Class Response | Livy, Selections from Histories |
18 | 4 April | Christianity & Rome | Group B: Pre-Class Response | Pliny & Trajan Letters; Clement of Alexandria "To the Newly Baptized" |
19 | 9 April | Fall of Rome | Group A: Pre-Class Response | Tacitus, Germania (selections) |
20 | 11 April | Workshop 3: Peer Review 2 | Project: Second Draft | |
21 | 16 April | Medieval Europe | Group B: Pre-Class Response | Thomas of Celano, Selections First Life of St. Francis |
22 | 18 April | The Mongols | In-Class Reading | TBD |
23 | 23 April | Coastal Africa as Hub of Civilizations | Participation & Learning Essay 2 | In-Class Reading; Ibn Battuta, Travels in Asia and Africa (excerpts) |
24 | 25 April | Southeast Asia | All Students: Pre-Class Response | Artifact Collection investigation |
25 | 30 April | Wrap Up | Project: Final Version |