Course Syllabus
Class Info
Mixed Mode
Class time: Tuesdays 6:00-7:15pm TCH 103
Dr. Sharon Woodill
Interdisciplinary Studies Program
Office: Suite 239, Trevor Colbourn Hall
Office Hours: Tuesdays 3-4 or online by appointment
407-823-0144
Course Description
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisite(s): ENC 1102, Junior standing, Interdisciplinary Studies major, or C.I. Corequisite(s): None. Prerequisite(s) or Corequisite(s): None.
From Catalog: Interdisciplinary study essentials, including basic concepts and methodological tools, to synthesize material from disparate fields and apply them to academic plans and career goals.
UGST-INTERDISC
Additional Info: This course will delve into interdisciplinary studies essentials including basic concepts and methodological tools to synthesize material from disparate fields and apply them to academic plans and career goals. The objective of this course is to introduce and cultivate key competencies essential to interdisciplinarity.
Interdisciplinary Studies Mission Statement
Students graduating with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies will be able to integrate the knowledge and modes of thinking of multiple disciplines to create new explanations of phenomena, solutions to problems, insights into issues, and products that would be unlikely (if not impossible) from a single discipline. These students will have strong communication, critical thinking, leadership, and analytical skills and a commitment to global and local citizenship and involvement.
Outcomes
- To develop a strong knowledge base in the theories and methods of interdisciplinarity. Students will demonstrate achievement of this outcome through the successful completion of quizzes and in-class assignments based primarily on information from the text and supplemental materials provided in class.
- To cultivate personal development as an interdisciplinarian. Achievement of this outcome will be demonstrated through the successful completion of a serious of short written assignments designed to encourage students to compile and reflect on their intellectual autobiography, including their academic accomplishments and future goals.
- To develop capacity for undertaking creative interdisciplinary academic endeavors with strong critical thinking and communication skills. Almost every class will involve an investigation and analysis of a real-life complex issue. Students will develop the capacity for creative interdisciplinary academic endeavors and critical thinking through active participation in in-class discussions and activities designed to explore real-life complex issues from multiple perspectives and contexts. Achievement of this outcome will be demonstrated through the completion of weekly participation assignments and a final synthesis project.
Course Requirements
This course is fully mixed mode. Course participation is still mandatory, however. Course assignments must be completed on time, and all readings must be completed before completing assignments. Active participation is required in all online discussions, assignments, modules, and activities.
- Objojobo Practice Modules - 5 (5 points each) 25 pointsThis portion of the course introduces notes and concepts that will be important to your mastery of the terms, concepts, and ideas surrounding interdisciplinary studies. These modules should be completed before proceeding to the quizzes or assignments and give you a chance to hone your skills before attempting the work of the course.
Reading Quizzes-3 (100 points each) 300 points
This portion of the course is based on the textbook Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies. Occasionally, additional readings may be assigned. These quizzes will cover key concepts from the required readings.
-
Short Written Assignments- 475 points
Most weeks will require a short assignment that covers key concepts covered in notes/videos/short written text.
-
Synthesis Assignment (Final Assignment) 200
Students will utilize their interdisciplinary knowledge, skills, and personal/professional backgrounds to address a complex problem. This is an individual assignment with possible group-work components. This assignment contains two parts, and is meant as an alternative to a final exam.
There is no final exam for this course.
Required Text
Repko, Allen F., Rick Szostak, and Michelle Phillips Buchberger. Introduction to interdisciplinary studies. Sage Publications, 2016. 2nd edition
Adobe Spark (free) https://spark.adobe.com/home/
Schedule: Click here
Grading
You must earn a grade of "C" (73) or better to receive course credit.
| Letter Grade | Percent |
|---|---|
| A | 93-100 |
| A- | 90-92.9 |
| B+ | 87-89.9 |
| B | 83 – 86.9 |
| B- | 80 – 82.9 |
| C+ | 77 – 79.9 |
| C | 73 – 76.9 |
| C- | 70 – 72.9 |
| D+ | 67 – 69.9 |
| D | 63 – 66.9 |
| D- | 60 – 62.9 |
| F | 59.9 - 0 |
Deadlines
Webcourses date stamps all of your work, including discussion postings and quizzes, and all assignments have specified date/time deadlines.
Computer or internet problems are not an excuse for late assignments, so please plan ahead and do not wait until the last minute. It is your responsibility as a student taking a web course to have a reliable Internet service and computer access.
Occasionally during the semester, Webcourses will go down. I receive e-mails from Course Development with the time Webcourses went down and back up. If a significant outage occurs or happens at a time an assignment is due, adjustments will be made to the schedule. [You should note that Webcourses schedules their updates for Sunday mornings and are usually down for a few hours every Sunday morning.]
Assignments that call for attachments need to have the correct document attached by the due date/time in order to earn full credit. Attachments will only be accepted in .doc, .docx, RTF, or power point formats. If I cannot open the assignment I cannot grade the assignment--it will receive a zero. [If you're concerned about your formatting, you can use Open Office for assistance.]
Forgetting to attach is not an excuse for late assignments.
Posting to the wrong discussion forum is not an excuse for late assignments.
Any assignment posted after the due date/time will not automatically earn credit. If time permits (at the discretion of the professor) late assignments may be accepted for a reduced grade up to a maximum of 75% of the original possible grade. Respecting the deadlines for discussions and postings is as important as arriving to class on time, ready to participate. This is especially true in very large classes. In the event of a personal emergency, documentation may be required to accommodate missed work. Respecting the deadlines for discussions and postings is as important as arriving to class on time, ready to participate. This is especially true in very large classes. In the event of a personal/family emergency, documentation may be required if accommodation for missed work is necessary. This course does adhere to university policy including those regarding participation in university activities and religious holidays (See UCF Policy 4.401.1
and Regulation 5.020.)
As of Fall 2014, all faculty members are required to document students' academic activity at the beginning of each course. In order to document that you began this course, please complete the "Are you here?" by August 26. Failure to do so will result in a delay in the disbursement of your financial aid.
Please review or re-read the Academic Honesty section of the Syllabus. Any cheating or dishonesty will be addressed.
Additional Information
Email Etiquette
Please note that I do not respond to aggressive or abusive emails. I also do not respond to emails requesting grade changes unless there has been a grading error.
While I am always happy to clarify, I do not respond to emails requesting me to repeat information that was discussed at length in class.
I am always happy review students' work and provide additional feedback; however, this requires communication throughout the semester. I will not respond to emails begging for special consideration once final grades have been calculated (unless there is an error that needs to be corrected). Please stay on top of your grades throughout the semester and make time to communicate difficulties as they arise.
Academic Integrity
The Center for Academic Integrity (CAI) defines academic integrity as a commitment, even in the face of adversity, to five fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. From these values flow principles of behavior that enable academic communities to translate ideals into action.
UCF Academic Integrity Information
UCF Creed: Integrity, scholarship, community, creativity, and excellence are the core values that guide our conduct, performance, and decisions.
- Integrity: I will practice and defend academic and personal honesty.
- Scholarship: I will cherish and honor learning as a fundamental purpose of my membership in the UCF community.
- Community: I will promote an open and supportive campus environment by respecting the rights and contributions of every individual.
- Creativity: I will use my talents to enrich the human experience.
- Excellence: I will strive toward the highest standards of performance in any endeavor I undertake.
The following definitions of plagiarism and misuse of sources comes from the Council of Writing Program Administrators and has been adopted by UCF’s Department of Writing & Rhetoric.
Plagiarism
In an instructional setting, plagiarism occurs when a writer deliberately uses someone else’s language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge) material without acknowledging its source. This definition applies to texts published in print or on-line, to manuscripts, and to the work of other student writers.
Misuse of Sources
A student who attempts (even if clumsily) to identify and credit his or her source, but who misuses a specific citation format or incorrectly uses quotation marks or other forms of identifying material taken from other sources, has not plagiarized. Instead, such a student should be considered to have failed to cite and document sources appropriately.
Responses to Academic Dishonesty, Plagiarism, or Cheating
UCF faculty members have a responsibility for your education and the value of a UCF degree, and so seek to prevent unethical behavior and when necessary respond to infringements of academic integrity. Penalties can include a failing grade in an assignment or in the course, suspension or expulsion from the university, and/or a "Z Designation" on a student's official transcript indicating academic dishonesty, where the final grade for this course will be preceded by the letter Z. For more information about the Z Designation, see the UCF Golden Rule Information on Z Grades.
For more information about UCF's Rules of Conduct, see the Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity.
Unauthorized Use of Class Materials
There are many fraudulent websites claiming to offer study aids to students but are actually cheat sites. They encourage students to upload course materials, such as test questions, individual assignments, and examples of graded material. Such materials are the intellectual property of instructors, the university, or publishers and may not be distributed without prior authorization. Students who engage in such activity are in violation of academic conduct standards and may face penalties.
Unauthorized Use of Class Notes
Faculty have reported errors in class notes being sold by third parties, and the errors may be contributing to higher failure rates in some classes. The following is a statement appropriate for distribution to your classes or for inclusion on your syllabus:
Third parties may be selling class notes from this class without my authorization. Please be aware that such class materials may contain errors, which could affect your performance or grade. Use these materials at your own risk.
In-Class Recording Policy
Outside of the notetaking and recording services offered by Student Accessibility Services, the creation of an audio or video recording of all or part of a class for personal use is allowed only with the advance and explicit written consent of the instructor. Such recordings are only acceptable in the context of personal, private studying and notetaking and are not authorized to be shared with anyone without the separate written approval of the instructor.
Course Accessibility Statement
The University of Central Florida is committed to providing access and inclusion for all persons with disabilities. This syllabus is available in alternate formats upon request. Students with disabilities who need specific access in this course, such as accommodations, should contact the professor as soon as possible to discuss various access options. Students should also connect with Student Accessibility Services (Ferrell Commons, 7F, Room 185, sas@ucf.edu, phone (407) 823-2371). Through Student Accessibility Services, a Course Accessibility Letter may be created and sent to professors, which informs faculty of potential access and accommodations that might be reasonable.
Campus Safety Statement
Emergencies on campus are rare, but if one should arise in our class, we will all need to work together. Everyone should be aware of the surroundings and familiar with some basic safety and security concepts.
- In case of an emergency, dial 911 for assistance.
- Every UCF classroom contains an emergency procedure guide posted on a wall near the door. Please make a note of the guide’s physical location and consider reviewing the online version at UCF Emergency Guide.
- Familiarize yourself with evacuation routes from each of your classrooms and have a plan for finding safety in case of an emergency. (Insert class-specific details if appropriate)
- If there is a medical emergency during class, we may need to access a first aid kit or AED (Automated External Defibrillator). To learn where those items are located in this building, see UCF's Guide to Defibrillator Locations (click on link from menu on left). (insert class specific information if appropriate)
- To stay informed about emergency situations, sign up to receive UCF text alerts by going to MY UCF and logging in. Click on “Student Self Service” located on the left side of the screen in the tool bar, scroll down to the blue “Personal Information” heading on your Student Center screen, click on “UCF Alert”, fill out the information, including your e-mail address, cell phone number, and cell phone provider, click “Apply” to save the changes, and then click “OK.”
- If you have a special need related to emergency situations, please speak with me during office hours.
- Consider viewing this video (You CAN Survive an Active Shooter) about how to manage an active shooter situation on campus or elsewhere.
Deployed Active Duty Military Students
If you are a deployed active duty military student and feel that you may need a special accommodation due to that unique status, please contact your instructor to discuss your circumstances.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|