Comparative
Politics - CPO 2002 – Online
Instructor: Heather Roberson, LY 136
Tarpon Springs Campus
(727) 712-5840
Email: roberson.heather@spcollege.edu
The best way to get in
touch with me is via email either through our ANGEL course web site (1st)
or at the address listed above (2nd)
Course Objectives:
This course is a comparative study of
selected countries and political systems. The course will examine forms of
government, institutions, political culture, policymaking processes and
contemporary problems facing various countries around the world. As our course
work progresses, students will acquire the
knowledge of:
Major Learning Outcomes & Course Objectives Stated in
Performance Terms:
Below is a link to SPC’s Curriculum
Standards for CPO 2002. When viewing the
list, please scroll down to #55 and select your course, CPO 2002, to view the
complete document.
http://www.spcollege.edu/central/curriculum/?path=CURRICULUM+CJT-CRW/
Course
Requirements:
A large volume of material is
covered in this course. Students are expected to keep up with the reading and
the corresponding assignments. This includes completing the assigned reading,
reviewing the chapter notes and completing any additional online tasks. In
addition, it is vital that students stay up on current events in order to
facilitate online discussions and enhance your overall learning experience.
The online portion of this course is
your primary source of interaction with the material covered, the instructor
and your fellow classmates. Students are required to maintain frequent online
course activity throughout the semester.
Your online activities will include,
but not be limited to: retrieving scheduled assignments, accessing instructor
notes, participating in online chats with the instructor and fellow students,
utilizing self assessment tools, and downloading assignments for independent
completion. Your online contacts for this course will be monitored and included
as part of your participation grade. A student’s frequency of online activity
is vital to success in this course.
Orientation
We will not be holding an official
orientation meeting for this course. However, students should retrieve
the material found under the "orientation summary" icon. If
there are any questions or concerns as to what is expected of you in this
course they should be brought to the instructor's attention early and addressed
immediately.
Writing Requirements and
Expectations
Students are expected to turn in
their best work in this class. Since the majority of your grade is made
up of the essay projects, college level work and appropriate writing skills are
a necessity for success in this course. Your writing should include in-depth
analysis, critical comparisons and follow scholarly standards.
Cheating and plagiarism are strictly
prohibited and will be dealt with swiftly and according to SPC policy. Please refer to the SPC Academic Honesty
Policy for further information.
Participation Policies:
Weekly participation is essential to
success in this course. Students are expected to view & read the assigned
pages as well as complete the lessons EACH WEEK in order to demonstrate
continuous active participation in this course. In order to maintain active participation in
the course, students must complete web assignments, discussion questions and
essay projects as we progress through the semester.
It is vital for students to keep
current with readings and class activities in order to avoid getting behind in
this course. Your online activity will be monitored and included as part of your
participation grade. Completion of web
exploration assignments and participation on our class discussion board make up
your overall participation grade.
Web
Assignments: There
are 5 web assignments scheduled with corresponding chapters throughout the
semester.
Discussion
Boards: You
are expected to participate in the discussion board - at your convenience AT
LEAST ONCE A WEEK the entire semester.
You can choose a topic, respond with your views or pose another thought
provoking subject for others to read.
If a student ceases to complete the
scheduled assignments and / or essays by the designated due dates in the
course, he or she will be considered non-participating and therefore eligible
for a “WF” at the 60% point in the semester.
If a student’s status changes to non-participating after the 60% drop
date, the student will be awarded a failing grade for the course. You may
withdraw yourself with a “W” by the designated drop date each semester. Students will receive a “WF” for
withdrawals after the voluntary withdrawal deadline.
Overall
Grade Breakdown:
Essay projects/exams 80% Participation 20% = 100%
Grading Scale: 100 – 90 A
89 – 80 B
79 – 70 C
69 – 60
D 59 and below - F
Student Responsibilities and Conduct
Policies:
Students are responsible for all
assignments due and material covered during the semester. It is the
responsibility of the student to remain in contact with the instructor if any
problem of concern arises.
If you are having trouble completing
the obligations of this course, it is up to you to contact the instructor
immediately. If a student neglects to contact the instructor and online
activity by the student has ceased, the instructor may drop a student at any
time without notice. Students are encouraged to remain in contact with me via
email, phone or by setting up an on campus appointment.
Since this course touches on various
political subjects and the sometimes-controversial dynamics of Comparative
Politics and government in general, it is essential for us to maintain a civil
online environment. Whether on the course discussion board, exchanging emails
or during online chats students are expected to show the utmost respect and
courtesy for peers with similar AND differing viewpoints.
If you experience a problem with
another student regarding discussion board postings – please contact me
immediately. Each student is expected to
respect the views of others without attacking the individual. You are expected to be diplomatic in every on
line exchange. Please proof read each of
your messages before you decide to post them, making sure that you are saying
what you would like to say in the manner in which you would like it read.
In addition, it is important to
remember that on line discussion is quite different from face to face
interaction. There are only the written
words and the imagination of the reader as to what was “meant” by certain
phrasings – so please be considerate of others to make sure that your messages
seek to discuss why you have a certain opinion rather than personal
attacks. Again, this is a course about
politics, so there will be many viewpoints that will spark lively discussion in
which academic exchange can take place.
Remember to have fun J
Assignment/
Essay Completion:
ALL
assignments/essays completed through ANGEL must be submitted or completed
within the assignment or essay folder. Emailed
assignments /essays will NOT be graded.
Again, assignments or other files that are emailed will not be accepted
and the student will receive a zero for the task. If you experience a technical problem and it
impedes your ability to submit the assignment/exam properly, it must be
documented and verified by the SPC technology helpdesk (727) 341-HELP. In addition, you must contact me before the
due date/time to let me know your technical problem. Remember, your phone works well if your
internet is out. You will know all due
dates and deadlines well in advance, so you should make sure to plan ample
time, well in advance of the due dates, to be online via your computer or the
college’s computers in order to complete coursework for this class. Only one technical difficulty “mulligan” is
permitted if you contact me by the due/closing date/time AND with proper
documentation and verification of the problem.
Cheating
and plagiarism are strictly prohibited and will be dealt with according to SPC
policies!
SPC Syllabus addendum: Please read through the SPC policies and
deadlines.
http://www.spcollege.edu/central/asa/addendum.htm
OPTIONAL RESOURCES
Tutoring/Study Skills Information:
http://www.spcollege.edu/tsc/info_commons.htm
Technical Support Help Desk: 727-341-4357 http://www.spcollege.edu/helpdesk/
Automated System Check Tool for ANGEL:
http://www.spcollege.edu/Central/utilities/systemCheck/
Accident and Health Insurance information is available in the Business
Office
Counseling: 727-712-5761
International Students: See
Career Development Center: 727-712-5438 http://www.spcollege.edu/webcentral/catalog/current/career_dev_center.htm
Guide to Online Learning: http://www.spcollege.edu/ecampus/help/tips.htm