Courses
Wayne State University
College of Urban, Labor, and
Metropolitan Affairs
Department of Interdisciplinary
Studies
Times' Harvest
courses, Winter 2001
(
http://www.is.wayne.edu/drbowen/thw05)
 Times'
Harvest Advanced Seminar (online)
ISP 3360, Section 010, Call Number 25265, 4
credits
Times'
Harvest Advanced Directed Study (online)
a) ISP 3340, Section 010, Call Number 25785, 2
credits
b) ISP 3340, Section 011, Call Number 25786, 4
credits |
Instructor
|
David R.
Bowen
2311 A/AB
Wayne State University
Detroit, MI 48202 |
Daytime
tel: (313) 577-1498
Evening tel: (248) 549-8518
FAX: (313) 577-8585
Home Page:
http://www.is.wayne.edu/drbowen
Email: d.r.bowen@wayne.edu
At Ford: 313-390-2155 |
Last updated: 4/15/05
Link to Instructor's web site (David Bowen)
Welcome to the web site for...
Times' Harvest
– an online course
With an optional attached Directed Study
Announcements:
- 4/4/05. Fourth class on April 15, 6 - 8 PM in 122 Cohn.
- 3/10/05. For the unchat session on 3/11 6 - 8 PM, I will be doing this
from my campus office, so for telephone help, call me at 313-577-1498.
- 3/7/05. 2/28 notice used to say 6 - 7, not 6 - 8. This was always wrong.
Also, Agenda 3 is on the course web site. You should have it printed out and
beside you during the March 11 online meeting.
- 2/28/05: March 11 class meeting is online over the web using "unchat" 6 -
8 PM. There are links to unchat below. See the class notes for February 25 for
information on using unchat. See also my email from February 22 for logging in
to unchat (emails are on email page, see link below). There are three unchat
practice sessions - attend one of them at least for long enough to see how it
works:
- Monday February 28 6 - 7 PM
- Friday March 4 6 - 7 PM
- Saturday March 5 - 11 AM - Noon
Your unchat Username: first space last, for example "david bowen" (without
the quotes) for me
Your unchat Password: your AccessID, for example "aa2012" (without the quotes)
for me
Don't have PowerPoint?: see link to Word file with unchat directions below
under "Notes for Class #2"
- 2/11/05: Second class on February 25, 6 - 8 PM in 122 Cohn. Also, see the
links to unchat in "Online tools"
- 1/23/05: Web page on possible third books under Information About the
Class and Participants
- 1/22/05: Changed "Making up a missed class."
- 1/19/05: Added a link to the web server monitor, which reports on the
status of this web server and the Moodle server (also Blackboard)
- 1/10/05: Added contact information to both syllabi: cell phone number
(248-417-5794 but usually not on) and AIM screen name (WSU web guy).
- 1/8/05: I have added (1) a page containing all of the emails I have sent,
and (2) a page on making up missing one of the required classes. These are
both under "Policies, assignments, course meetings.
- 1/7/05: I have changed the section "Online Tools." Watch for an email from
me about assignments using Moodle. I have also posted the web page "Using Moodle"
under "Policies, assignments, course meetings."
- The first class meeting for this course is during the second week of
classes, on Friday January 21, 6 - 8 PM in 223 State Hall. There is a lot to
accomplish, so be on time. You are, however, expected to have started work
before the first class, by buying the textbooks, starting the reading, and
doing some work on line. See the syllabus for ISP 3360 and, if you are taking
this also, ISP 3340. There are links below.
- There may be slight changes in the syllabi for both courses, up until the
start of classes on Monday, January 10. These changes will not affect
the textbooks or the reading assignments. Any changes will only affect the
online tools that we will be using.
- During the first class on Friday, January 21, I will be taking pictures
for an online class photo album. Having your picture online is voluntary, not
required, but be prepared.
Sections for the course web site:
Policies, assignments, course
meetings
Online tools
- Moodle (an online
course system, like Blackboard, but I think Moodle is better). We will use
Moodle for:
- Course information form
- Weekly report form
- Computer conference (called a Forum in Moodle)
- Online grade reports
- Turning in assignments, and File Test (testing that our computer files are
compatible)
-
straight to Times' Harvest on Moodle
- Unchat
-
Unchat (if you don't have Flash installed in your web browser)
- Web server monitor (monitors
this web server, the Moodle server, and Blackboard)
Information about the class and
participants
Lectures and further information
from other sources
Course descriptions
The Time’s Harvest workshop course (AGS 3360) examines ideas about the historical
stages of human society and about its future. The interplay between science, technology
and society is central to this analysis. People who analyze the possibilities for the
future of human society are called futurists. Some futurists see a society in decline and
predict a disastrous future, while others see a fundamentally new society developing into
a desirable future. Students in this course will develop their own views. In the
Time’s Harvest attached Directed Study (AGS 3340) students will apply the analysis
from the workshop course to novels about the future, to their personal lives, and to
recent developments in the United States and elsewhere. The primary assignments will be
reading, writing and online discussion. The writing assignments will involve close and
accurate reading, as well as putting together ideas from different parts of a given book,
and from different books as well. Writing assignments will also require applying the ideas
from the readings to your own life, and supplying concrete detail.
Both AGS 3360 and AGS 3340 are both primarily online. We will use email
for assignments, and the World Wide Web for course materials and computer
conferencing.
Part of the course goals is to incorporate as many elements of the
changes expected for the future as can be managed. The elements that I have planned are
(but add your own suggestions!):
- Online nature of the course
- Use of email in submitting and returning course work
- Online discussions using the computer conference
- Being able to start early and end late, to the extent allowed by University policies
- Team component of grade (AGS 3340 only)
- Encouraging "online personalities" through class photo album, "introduce
yourself" topic on computer conference, and online
citizenship component of course grade
- Online grade reports available
- Incorporating student writing in the course materials
- Following the Wired Style Guide for online terms (e.g. treating new terms as
having now become normal. An example is email instead of e-mail)
- "You are here" features
For AGS 3360, there will be several class meetings during the beginning of the
semester, and an additional class meeting at the end of the semester. For specific dates,
see the Assignment Schedule (link above). For AGS 3340 there will be two additional class
meetings; a midterm exam, and a final exam, both on campus.
Participants should be aware from the start that online courses (at least with current
methods) make new demands on all concerned, and that failure to recognize and adapt to
this can lead to failure to complete the course in a satisfactory manner. (Taking an online class.)
Times' Harvest Flier
General information
Funny Stuff
