History 204B CRN 74971
Instructor: Ben Arrona
Email Address: Benjamin_arrona@cuesta.edu
Office Hours: By appointment on Canvas conferences or via email
INSTRUCTOR INFO AND CONTACT INFORMATION
Welcome to History 204-B CRN 74971. My name is Ben Arrona and I will be your history professor this Fall! I have quite the interesting background. Born and raised in SLO, I attended Cuesta College and earned an AA in criminal justice and an AA in general studies. Soon after completing my time at Cuesta, I was hired as a probation officer here in SLO County. While working for the probation department, I earned my undergraduate in criminal justice administration at Columbia College. From there I attended Cal Poly SLO and earned a MA in history. After Cal Poly I attended Columbia University in New York City and earned a MA in Islamic studies. After Columbia University I started a PhD program at Rutgers University in New Jersey. After only 6 months at Rutgers, I moved back to SLO for family reasons. I have been teaching at Cuesta College since 2016 and have taught American history (before and after the Civil War), World History, and the history of Western Civilization. This fall I will be attending Oxford University in England where I will be finishing my PhD in history. If you have questions regarding this course, it is best to contact me at Benjamin_arrona@cuesta.edu. Please include HST 204B in the email subject. I am pretty good at returning email promptly and I will respond as soon as I possibly can which is usually within 24 hours.
CLASS OPENS/ ACCESSING CANVAS
For Fall 2020, we will be using Canvas learning management system. Prior to the Monday classes start 8/17/2020, you will receive an email to your my.Cuesta.edu address providing you with a reminder that class will be starting and log in procedures for Canvas, the learning management system (LMS) used to deliver course content. You can access Canvas by logging into MyCuesta, then clicking on the Resources Tab, then clicking on Canvas in the Online Learning Channel, or by typing the Canvas address (https://cuesta.instructure.com/) into your browser address bar. Do not bookmark / favorite the canvas site after your login, or you will get an error message next time you try to log in. You must access the canvas log in directly.
If you are not familiar with logging into canvas, please refer to the Canvas Quick Reference Guide. Once logged into Canvas you will be directed on where to get started. Be sure to read all the direction on the course home page.
If you are having difficulty logging into Canvas after [Enter Date] and need assistance please email me or technical support at this email address: support@instructure.com
REGULAR EFFECTIVE CONTACT POLICY
Regular and Effective Instructor Contact will be met through weekly instructor initiated threaded discussion forums; weekly announcements to students; timely and effective feedback on student assignments; email, phone or messaging to individuals; and virtual office hours.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
204B surveys the history of Western Civilization from the Renaissance to contemporary times. It emphasizes the interplay of social, political, cultural, and intellectual forces that have served to define Western Civilization; how these forces impact and shape ethnic, racial, gender, and class relations, and how these influence modern contemporary life. These analyses also emphasize such historical concepts as cause and effect, multiple causation, and historical interpretation.
TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS
The textbook you will be using is Cole, J. et al. Western Civilizations: Their History and Their Culture, Vol.II (current/e) Brief Addition. Norton, (2020). ISBN: 978-0-393-42884-1
Click here https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393419023
Supplemental Materials necessary for the class. Download here:
CLASS LENGTH:
This class begins on Monday, August 17, 2020 and it will end on Friday, December 18, 2020. This class is fully online which means all class activities, including exams, are done online. The schedule is below. Please mark your calendars for the exam dates below. Lectures are via Power Point slides provided each week. Group work via discussion threads will also be part of your grade. I will give a live one hour orientation for the class VIA Canvas on Monday 8/17 @11am. An email will be sent to your MyCuesta email account approximately 15 minutes before the orientation. Follow the directions for access to the conference. Please note the important due dates for Fall 2020 Semester below:
Monday 8/17 Class orientation VIA Canvas conferences
Friday 9/4 Homework 1 due
Friday 9/25 Homework 2 due/Mid Term 1 due
Friday 10/16 Homework 3 due
Friday 11/6 Homework 4 due/Mid Term 2 due
Friday 11/27 Homework 5 Due
Finals week Homework 6 Due/Final Exam- Date TBA
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Demonstrate basic knowledge and understanding of the history of Western Civilization after about 1600.
Interpret and analyze primary sources, meaning sources produced by participants in the historical events being studied (such as letters, diaries, speeches, documents).
Interpret and analyze secondary sources, meaning sources produced by historians studying the past (such as articles, textbooks, and quotations from book-length historical studies).
Demonstrate an understanding of diverse cultures and political and social structures, and how these vary across time and place.
Demonstrate ability to interpret primary and secondary sources and to compose an argument which uses them, as appropriate for support.
Analyze the concept of the West.
Analyze changes in political, social, and economic organization in the Western World, and explain their historical significance.
Explain the historical significance of major discoveries, inventions, and scientific achievements.
Explain the historical significance in art, architecture, and literature.
THE ONLINE ENVIRONMENT
Because this class is fully online, you must be able to access the internet and have a computer capable of accessing the internet, downloading files, word processing, and the ability to watch and listen to online lectures. Online classes also demand dedication in time to reading posted materials and writing independently and in discussion forums. In many ways it is more than an online class. You will be a part of a community and you need to participate and be a part of the community to be successful. Also because this class is fully online, you will be able to access the class materials and work at your own pace, demanding time management skills and the ability to complete assignments before moving onto the next assignment. Each week will require 8-12 hours of participation to be successful.
EVERYONE LEARNS DIFFERENTLY
We all have different ways of learning. Some are visual learners while others are more auditory and still others may have additional ways they learn. Still others need a little help finding ways of learning. If you need additional assistance please contact me. I’m here to help in that regard. Additionally, you can contact the Cuesta College DSPS office at 805-546-3148 or you can go to their website at http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/dsps/0INFO.HTM Links to an external site.as soon as possible to make necessary arrangements for all needed accommodations.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Cuesta students are encouraged to direct all technical support inquiries to support@my.cuesta.edu. If you are having issues with Canvas, you should contact the Canvas Support Hotline at (877) 921-7680, or click on the help button on the Canvas Navigation to report a problem.
If you are having difficulty viewing the course or logging in, it may be because you are not using the correct url: https://cuesta.instructure.com/ or you are using your phone or using an unsupported browser.
Your learning environment is best accessed from a desktop or laptop computer, using Firefox or Chrome. This may solve your problem! Please review the browser requirements and minimum computer specifications
ACCOMMODATIONS
This course is designed using an accessible Learning Management System, and course materials have been created with ADA compliance in mind. If you have a disability and might need accommodations in this class such as extended time on exams or other resources. Please contact the instructor as soon as possible so that you can receive appropriate accommodations in a timely manner. You should also contact DSPS (Disabled Student Programs & Services) at 805-546-3148
COLLEGE & COURSE POLICIES
Academic Honesty Policy: [Identify your course specific academic honesty policy]. In addition to my course policy, please note all students attending San Luis Obispo County Community College District at any district site and when representing Cuesta College in any off-campus activity, assume an obligation to conduct themselves in an acceptable manner compatible with the Student Code of conduct. Please review the Cuesta College Student Code of conduct at:
Add / Drop Policy: [Identify your course-specific add/drop policy] In addition to my policy, please review the Cuesta policy for drops
Waitlist Policy: [Identify your course-specific waitlist procedures]. In addition to my course specific procedures, please review Cuesta’s waitlist procedure and instructions:
JOIN ME FOR CLASS ORIENTATION!
Once you have logged in and checked out the class on canvas (before the start of the semester), I invite you to join my live class orientation via canvas. On Monday August 17th @ 11am I will be hosting a 60 minute live class orientation on canvas conferences. If you are not familiar with Canvas conferences, don’t worry, you will get an email inviting you to the conference. During the conference I will go over the class syllabus, the assignments, and the lectures, as well as the level of work expected in the class. Can make it on August 17th at 11am? Don’t worry, the orientation will be saved on canvas conferences and you can watch until the end of the month. If you can join, please do, it’s a great opportunity to talk to me via canvas where you will be able to actually speak to me and ask questions as well as type questions. I look forward to teaching all of you World History this summer!
Ben Arrona
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