Course Syllabus

Spring 2024 | HUM-2010-VO07S - Seminar in Educational Inquiry

Synchronous Class

Synchronous courses are delivered through a combination of online and regularly-scheduled Zoom sessions. In synchronous classes, students must attend Zoom sessions and actively engage with each other and faculty in course activities and discussions.

Faculty

Louis Colasanti
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Collin Lee

General Education Requirements

CCV Seminar in Education 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 our selves. Throughout the semester, students will be 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 the graduation standards of 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 the graduation standards of 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 IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

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 uses one or more textbooks/books/simulations, along with free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials.

Spring 2024 textbook/book details will be available on 2023-11-06. On that date a link will be available below that will take you to eCampus, CCV's bookstore. The information provided there will be specific to this class. Please see this page for more information regarding the purchase of textbooks/books.

HUM-2010-VO07S Link to Textbooks for this course in eCampus.

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

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Methods

• READING [both common-required and student-selected], including...
  • Required Text: Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?, M.J. Sandel
  • On-line handouts & links to files and web sites
  • Newspaper & magazine articles
  • Reference materials, including MLA/APA style guides
  • Student-selected readings for research presentations and final project
• WRITING [both common-required and student-selected], including ...
  • research 'notes & quotes', with MLA/APA citations
    • from weekly common readings, and
    • from weekly final project research
  • notes for participation in discussions and presentations
  • some short 'response' papers or essays on weekly common topics
  • short reflective essays on your experiences related to CCV's Mission & Values
  • a final project portfolio, including ...
    • an argumentative paper of at least 10-12 pages with APA/MLA in-text citations and list of References/Works Cited
    • a final composite reflective essay on CCV's Mission & Values, and
    • a final 'presentation' product {PowerPoint slideshow, video, etc.}
• SPEAKING, including ...
  • participation in round-table class discussions and smaller 'breakout' groups
  • brief highlights from your research, as well as a fuller final presentation on your research project

Evaluation Criteria

See 1.3 Homework + Evaluation Guidelines on Canvas for details:

• No tests or quizzes.
• However, all assignments should be completed in order to increase the likelihood of passing the course and attaining a decent grade.
• The requirements of each assignment are set at B-level work, which, barring overwork on the job, caring for the kids, too many unnecessary distractions, or plain old procrastination, nearly all students should be able to accomplish without too much difficulty.
• Late homework submissions will affect the grade.
• The expectations and goals are not an arbitrary bar for you to clear. If you show commitment to the work and discipline in getting it done, as well as progress toward the goals of the course, you should end up with at least a B, probably better.
• Both at the mid-term and for the final evaluation, students will be required to submit both the letter grade they think they have earned, as well as a brief written evaluation. For the final grade, we have to come to an agreement about what represents a fair and accurate grade.
• NOTE: Grades are determined in equal 4-point increments, from 97-100 for A+, 93-96 for an A, 89-92 for an A- ... etc.

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.

Participation Expectations

from 1.3 Homework Guidelines --

'Attendance' matters --
While there is no set class time for an online course, there are deadlines for submitting work and participating in other aspects of the course. In that light ...

• ‘Perfect attendance’, i.e., timely completion & submission of all assignments and weekly participation in other course activities, will earn a ‘bonus’ of one ‘step’ in your grade.
  • For example, B > B+, B+ > A-, etc.
• One miss, i.e., failing to submit work or participate in class activities for one week, is 'on the house' and will not affect your grade.
  • However, any homework due is still required to be submitted.
• A second 'absence' will lower your grade by one 'step', e.g., from B+ to B.
  • But this can be offset, at least somewhat, by some additional work, usually on the final project.
• A third absence will lower your grade at least a full grade, e.g., from B to C, though you can offset some of the deduction with additional work, usually on the final project.
• Except in extraordinary circumstances, usually because of unforeseen family or medical emergencies, a fourth absence will result in a failing grade.

Class participation --
While the bulk of work will be hands-on, in-class and homework, participation in class activities -- about readings, discussions, presentations, etc. -- is probably the other most significant factor. While it's a given that some people find it easier to 'speak up' than others, everyone is expected to participate as fully as possible.

Missing & Late Work Policy

from 1.3 Homework Guidelines --

• Re-Submitting Work:
  • Homework assignments may be re-submitted once to improve your grade.
  • But in order to take advantage of this opportunity …
    • the original homework must have been submitted on time and
    • it must have shown a good-faith effort to complete all the elements of the assignment.
  • Final point scores for individual assignments that have been re-submitted will usually use the second score.
    • But know that, in case you end up not doing as well on the re-try, the best score of the two submissions will be used.
• Late Submissions:
  • If you miss a deadline for an assignment, you will still be expected to complete the work as soon as possible.
  • Late work will impact final point scores for assignments; but failure to submit a required assignment will have a much greater impact on your grade, and your learning.
  • If there are unexpected circumstances that will prevent you from getting the work in on time, let me know as soon as possible, preferably before the due date, or as soon after that as possible. ...

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
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