Course Syllabus

Summer 2026 | HUM-2010-VO04 - Seminar in Educational Inquiry

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Dave Amsden
View Faculty Credentials

Hiring Coordinator for this course: Collin Lee

General Education Requirements

Seminar in Educational Inquiry

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

Inquiry is the foundation for this interdisciplinary capstone course. It provides a forum for critical thinking about substantive issues, problems, and themes that affect the world, our society, our communities, and ourselves. Throughout the semester, students are challenged to ask critical questions, evaluate evidence, create connections, and present ideas in discussions and writing. This process prepares students for developing and presenting a culminating portfolio through which they demonstrate proficiency in writing and information literacy, as well as make connections to prior learning. Because the final portfolio is essential in demonstrating these proficiencies, students must complete the portfolio with a grade of C- or better in order to pass the course. This course is required for students planning to graduate and should be taken within the year prior to graduation once all competency area requirements have been satisfied. Prerequisite: English Composition and a Research & Writing Intensive course or equivalent skills.

Essential Objectives

1. Explain how questions are framed and knowledge is gained in various disciplines, such as the sciences, humanities, and social sciences.
2. Investigate the philosophical and ethical questions arising from issues pertaining to identity, community, knowledge, truth, change, and responsibility.
3. Demonstrate advanced skills of reading, writing, and critical thinking in both group and individual work.
4. Locate, evaluate, and incorporate appropriate scholarly and professional sources, including primary and secondary evidence as needed, to address an academic research question.
5. Complete a culminating portfolio that includes:
a. A research paper with an arguable thesis that integrates five or more scholarly and professional sources to address an academic research question and demonstrates proficiency in writing and information literacy according to the SEI research paper rubric.
b. A reflective essay that articulates how the student’s educational experience has influenced their understanding of themselves and the world.
c. A presentation related to the content of the paper.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV computer recommendations Support page.

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

This course only uses free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials. For details, see the Canvas Site for this class.

Artificial Intelligence(AI) Policy Statement

CCV recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI tools are widely available and becoming embedded in many online writing and creative applications.

Prohibited: The use of generative AI is not allowed in this course, with the exception of spellcheck, grammar check and similar tools. This course rests in the value of students engaging in the learning process without relying on AI-generated content. Students will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills independently, owning their learning journey from start to finish. If you use these tools, your actions would be considered academically dishonest and a violation of CCV's Academic Integrity Policy.

Methods

How Class Works

Each class week has an associated “module” listed on the “Modules” page. A link to the Modules page is on the left side of our course site. The first item each week is “Notes From Dave.” Reading and reviewing these notes each week is essential for keeping up with work and understanding basic expectations. Please begin each week with "Notes From Dave." Then, check out the expectations for the weekly discussion forum and any assignments that are due. Email me anytime with questions. dave.amsden@ccv.edu.

Teaching & Learning Methods

-Posted "Weekly Notes from Dave"

-Online discussion forums

-Reading, viewing and listening to texts, research materials, and digital resources

-1:1 and group research planning

-Written reflections on course themes

-Scaffolded research assignments, culminating in a 10 page research project

Evaluation Criteria

Your grade for this class is based on the following assignments and expectations.

*Attendance & Respectful Participation, 30 points

*Narrative Reflections, 20 points

*Research Project, 50 points

Attendance

Attendance is determined through participation in the weekly discussion forums. A total of 4 attendance points are available to earn each week. Students must post and reply to classmates as instructed and meet weekly expectations on the discussion forum to be marked present for class and earn all 4 points. Weekly discussion forums have specific guidelines. Students need to follow those guidelines to be marked present.Students cannot pass this class with more than three absences.

Respectful Participation

-support classmates' growth rather than "winning" the discussion

-demonstrate respect for all classmates

-actively and intentionally read classmates' work

-be curious about your classmates and avoid judgement

-discussion forums are for learning, not argument or debate

Narrative Reflections

On three occasions, you will be asked to write a 400-600 word narrative reflection on the assigned course materials. Your narrative reflections should demonstrate a mix of text analysis, critical inquiry, and personal reflection. I will provide a “writing prompt” meant to guide that week’s narrative reflection. Please discuss your own personal experiences as they relate to the readings and course content. At the same time, your reflections need to demonstrate your completion of the weekly readings and activities. You are expected to demonstrate your completion and general understanding of the reading assignments and course content. Please make sure your writing includes some text references, as well as your own personal experiences and analysis of the ideas in the course materials.

Research Paper

You are required to complete a 10 page college-level research paper in this class as a graduation requirement for CCV. The paper is broken down into six graded components. All students must pass the final paper with at least 35/50 on the grading checklist in order to pass the course. Please see "Research Paper Checklist" under Course Resources on our class Canvas site for detailed information.

Research Paper Assignments:

-Research Question,5 points

-Annotated Bibliography: Question, Thesis, & Sources, 10 points

-First Draft, 15 points

-Second Draft, 10 points

-Presentation, 10 points

-Final Paper, 0 points (but must score 35/50 on the checklist to pass the course)

Final Grade Calculations

Students in this course must pass the class with a C- or better and score at least a C- (35/50) on the final research paper in order to pass the class and have it count toward graduation. Students cannot earn credit without a C- grade in both the class and the final research paper. Please review the course description and essential objectives for more details.

Late Work

Assignments submitted late will lose points. Students cannot receive any credit if assignments are submitted more than three days late.

Discussion forums and quizzes cannot be submitted late for credit. Students cannot pass this class with more than three absences. Exceptions may be made at my discretion due to illness or emergency.

Faculty Communication & Contact Information

Please contact me through CCV email: dave.amsden@ccv.edu. If you need something and wish to connect, please use CCV email. Please do not use messaging services, inboxes, posts, assignment comments or other links found within Canvas to communicate with me. Instead, email my CCV email from your CCV email. I will communicate with you through CCV email, as well. Please be sure to check your CCV email often throughout the semester. Here are instructions for finding and using your CCV email: mail.o365.vsc.edu or ccv.edu/mail. Use your CCV username and password to log in. It is essential that students in this class check their CCV email accounts often.

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/student-support/accessibility-services/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity

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