INTERDISCIPLINARY PROBLEM SOLVING

    Office Hours: Any time on E-mail 24/7; in person by appointment.

                   °Oakland Center closes when the WSU main campus closes.
                   °Call 313-577-5345 or listen to major radio stations for WSU closings.
                   ° Call 248-553-3545 or 313-577-3592 for Oakland Center information.

What’s the Meeting Schedule?         

What texts are we using?         

What is this course all about and how does it work?        

What are the electronic policies of this course?        

What is a portfolio?         

What are the requirements and grading policies?        

What do we do from week to week?         

PART I: SEMINAR I    

•    Week 1: September 9 
•    Week 2: September 16 
•    Week 3: September 23 
•    Week 4: September 30 

PART II: INTERNET I     

•   Week 5: (October 4-10) 
•   Week 6: (October 11-17) 
•   Week 7: (October 18-24) 
•   Week 8: (October 25-31) 

Part III: SEMINAR II     

•   Week 9: November 4 
•   Week 10: November 11 
•   Week 11: November 18 

PART IV: INTERNET II

•   Week 12 (November 22-28) 
•   Week 13 (November 29-December 5) 

PART V: CONCLUSION

•   Week 14: Final f2f Seminar Format in class on December 9 
•   Week 15: Final Internet Work (December 13-19) 
•   Finals Week: Final Paper Due December 23 

This combined section of Interdisciplinary Core Seminar and Topics in Interdisciplinary Studies has three major goals:

1. To explore concepts of disciplinarity and integration at an intermediate level
2. To gain experience in interdisciplinary problem solving through a specific case study
3. To gain greater sophistication in reading and writing skills and strategies.

The case study for this particular section is "Interdisciplinary Problem Solving". The focus is on the process of studying and solving an interdisciplinary problem of the student’s choice. If desired, students may do seed work for the Senior Essay or Masters thesis. The course has two overlapping formats -- Seminar and Internet collaborative.

What is the Seminar Format?

The seminar format is a traditional face-to-face (f2f) mode of learning centered on readings, discussions, f2f meetings of Internet collaboratives, and meetings with guests. This format satisfies the need for personal interaction at three points. In the beginning, we get organized, establish working definitions, and form the collaboratives. At mid-point, we refine research strategies and our understanding of interdisciplinary problem solving, while moving forward on individual projects. At the end-point, we evaluate our common learning and discuss how to articulate the value of interdisciplinarity to others, including employers and graduate schools.

What is an Internet Collaborative?

Collaborative work is one of the hallmarks of interdisciplinary problem solving. Students will also be members of collaborative workgroups organized around common interests, providing them with a small peer group of "partners." Each collaborative will not exceed four students, and I will be an additional fifth member of each group. Groupwork will consist of weekly postings.

Where do Internet Collaboratives meet?

The collaboratives work in cyberspace. Our "classroom" is the ISP WebBoard, part of the ISP computer conferencing system. That is where computer conferences for ISP classes take place. As you will see when you enter the WebBoard, we have our own site (Interdisciplinary Problem Solving/Klein/99). On that site, there will be two meeting "rooms":

1. a general conference for optional discussion of any topics by members of our class, and
2. a designated workplace for your personal collaborative.

I’ll post news to the general conference occasionally, and we do have one early assignment on the general conference. Typically, though, you’re free to post messages about anything that’s on your minds. Your collaborative’s "room" is the place to post most designated Internet assignments.

What level of electronic literacy do I need?

Not much. The minimum requirement of electronic literacy is the ability to send an E-mail message and to access the World Wide Web. We will do Dry Run assignments during the month of September, so everyone is up to electronic snuff by the time we start the Internet I phase of the course. An electronic needs assessment the first week of class will help determine your readiness level. The attached instructions on accessing out class site on the WebBoard will help you during initial attempts.

What if I have technical problems?

The rule for online courses is that if something can go wrong, it will. The WSU server may go down. The WebBoard or our class conference site may crash. Any partner, including me, may become temporarily disconnected from E-mail. Or, your computer may explode. My first advice is: don't panic. Problems can usually be fixed in short order. My second advice is: be prepared. If computer problems originate with your system, you are still responsible for all assignments. Determine a back-up plan now, whether it’s your work computer, a friend’s or family member's computer, or campus or Oakland Center computers. In emergencies, there is always snail-mail and f2f exchange.

If the CLL server goes down (which means the WebBoard and our class site will be inaccessible) and I know about it, I'll contact all of you by Email or, if that’s not possible, by telephone. If you become aware of the problem first, please contact me immediately. If WSU’s system is down for less than 48 hours, you are still required to post all your web assignments for the week. If it is down for 48 hours or more, then we go to E-mail backup. I will contact everyone individually by Email or telephone if severe problems necessitate changes to our schedule of assignments. We may encounter some down time in late September when a new web server is installed, but I’ll keep you posted.

Tip: To unsure safe computing, always make a backup copy of anything you write and post on a floppy disk. Keeping an electronic archive of all your work and responses to partners’ work is crucial.

What is a "posting?"

During the Internet phases, you will post designated assignments twice each week to your collaborative on the WebBoard in order to "attend" class. Failure to post is the equivalent of missing half of one class and is factored into the overall attendance requirement. Regular postings consist of  a • -->Post and a •-->Reply. Lengths of postings vary and are specified in the Weekly Schedule (below). Deadlines will be strictly enforced. You do not have to log-on at fixed times or days, but you must keep up with both Wednesday and Sunday deadlines explained in the schedule. Content of postings centers on (l) your work and (2) your partners’ work. They are of equal importance.

Bear in mind that this class is not necessarily easier than a traditional f2f course. In fact, it may require more of your time. Keeping up is crucial to doing well.

What do we use Email for?

You can use Email to talk with me or any other member of the class privately. Email is for office hours with me or for chatting with others in the class. If you’d like to say something to everyone, use our "general" class conference on the WebBoard. If you have personal concerns, don’t hesitate to contact me via Email, telephone, or a scheduled f2f meeting. (For the latter,  always make an appointment first .)

What is "Internet Citizenship"?

Collaborative spirit is vital to groupwork on the Internet, as it is in the workplace and in everyday life. Talking to only one partner or to me about assignments by Email ("back-channel") means that learning is solitary, not collaborative. That said, it’s ok to talk privately with others about matters outside of class ("off-topic") or to have personal office hours with me on Email.

Within both the Seminar and Internet formats, common courtesies are expected. One of the most important skills we will learn is constructive criticism. Students should feel free to voice a variety of opinions but should do so with respect for all classmates. Inappropriate and hurtful remarks ("flaming") will not be tolerated.

A portfolio is a hard-copy system for organizing every aspect of the course. It aids in the vital process of making connections among reading, writing, and thinking. Always bring your portfolio to each seminar meeting, since we will use them in our f2f meetings.

What materials do I need?

•         a large three-ring binder (preferably with pockets on the inside covers and a "D" ring)
•         a set of dividers with tabs to mark separate sections
•         a plastic pouch to contain a 3-hole punch, pens, post-it notes, stapler, and other tools

How should I organize my portfolio?

What are the requirements in this course?

1. Attendance and regular participation in Seminar and Internet Collaborative (35%)*
2. Synopsis of Part I (10%)
3. Portfolio (10%)
4. Completion of stages of research and writing and the Final Research Paper (45%)

*ISP policy stipulates that any student who misses a total of three class meetings, counting both seminar and Internet formats, is automatically dropped from the course. Any class missed because of late registration counts in this tally. All excuses -- whether illness-, work-, or -family related,are equal.

What is the writing requirement?

Every student in the course, whether taking the course for 3 credits or 4, whether undergraduate or graduate, writes a Synopsis of Part I that must be the equivalent of 3 typed pages. All students taking the course for 4-credits, both undergraduate and graduate, complete a final written essay of 16 pages with a minimum of 20 research sources. All graduate students taking the course for 3 credits write a paper of 13 pages with a minimum of 15 sources. The approximate written total for Internet postings is 10 pages, though individuals may exceed that amount.

What is a "page"?

Not a stupid question. No question is ever stupid. in fact. If you’re uncertain about something, other people probably are as well. Never hesitate to ask. A "page" means approximately 250 printed words, double-spaced, with standard l-inch margins and 12-point font. This explanation is all the more crucial in an electronic format. If you are transmitting electronically, print a hard copy first or do a word-number count to be sure you have the adequate amount.

What criteria do you use in grading written work?

Criteria for grading written work include following all instructions, completion of all assignments (including drafts and final version), quality of organization, evidence of critical thinking, presentation of a clear perspective, accurate use of extensive and appropriate sources, and technical competence in conventions of English grammar and style.

What grades are assigned?

A = Excellent (A equivalent to 4.00 HPA; A- equivalent to 3.67)

B = Good (B+ 3.33 HPA; B 3.00; B- 2.67)

C = Average (C+ 2.33 HPA; C 2.00; C- l.67)

D = Poor (D+ 1.33 HPA; D 1.00; D- 0.67)

E = Not acceptable (E or F = 0.00 HPA)

I = Requirements not completed but at least 50% of coursework submitted. At the end of one year, the University converts an "I" into an "E."

X = A most unpleasant grade: means did not attend or do enough to quality for an "I."

PART II: INTERNET I. Developing Problems 

Part III: SEMINAR II. Refining Definitions and Process  

PART IV: INTERNET II. Drafts and Edits of Papers