Comments on course outline
I have posted comments throughout your outline—these are just thoughts or questions about the course organization and teaching elements.
Putting cult anth in perspective and framework for class:
will you introduce anthropology and the 4 field approach or just cultural anth?
will you introduce anthropology as relevant today and possible careers in cult anth?
Will you have an applied section or will you incorporate examples using the Conformity and conflict reader?''Italic text I. What is culture?
a. definitions
II. What are the major concepts in cultural anthropology?
a. cultural relativism
b. holism
c. ethnocentrism
d. worldview
e. naive realism
f. values, norms, roles
III. What is language?
a. definition
b. verbal communication
c. non-verbal communication
d. Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis
e. Sociolinguistics
Critical discourse analysis
Language change, extinction, and revitalization
IV. How does culture impact identity
a. gender
b. race (?)
V. What methodologies are used by cultural anthropologists?
a. participant observation
b. interviews
c. questionnaires
What about multidisciplinary approach and digital anth? Ethics and human subjects? Participant observation vs. collaborative research Safety in the field
VI. What theories are used in cultural anthropology?
a. Unilineal Evolution
b. Historical Particularism
c. Materialism and Neomaterialism
d. Neoevolution
e. Postmodernism
f. Structuralism
g. Functionalsim
h. Symbolic Anthropology
Unit 2: Social Institutions
I. How do people get what they need to eat?
a. Subsistence strategies
b. Economic systems
II. How do people organize themselves?
a. Marriage
b. Family
households
c. Kinship
social groups ?? gangs etc.
social stratification
o status, etc. o race and racism o gender and sexism
III. How do people get things done?
a. Political Organization
conflict and inequality
IV. How do people care for themselves?
a. Health care
b. Death and dying
Culture and fertility: reproduction, infanticide/abortion, sex trafficking at family, state and global level.
Social inequality and poverty
V. What (HOW) do people interpret the world around them?
a. Belief systems
Expressive culture: art, music, sports—etc.
Unit 3: Globalization and Modern Development
I. What is globalization, modernization and development?
II. What is the history of globalization?
a. Legacy of European Colonialism
b. Decolonization and WWII
c. United Nations and Bretton Woods Institutions
d. World Trade Organization
III. Neocolonialism
IV. Anti-globalization movement
Migration, displaced persons, immigrants
Human rights…//global and local
Cultural heritage development
I don't usually lecture on the other sub-disciplines mainly because it's always seemed ridiculous to me to cover that in every single anthropology class--it always seems rather redundant and tedious, but I'm not necessarily against adding it since I know many people do cover it.
Careers in anthropology --good suggestion; I've only done it anecdotally in the past. Applied anth is covered through the C&C readings.
I like the suggestions for the language section; One thing that is not noted in the syllabus is in class activities which can be used to cover such things as language and gender, social status, etc.
Race is covered in C&C readings.
Many of the things in the methodology section are covered in C&C readings; what specifically are you referring to when you say "digital anth"?
I usually cover social groups in the first unit when I talk about sub-cultures. Social stratification is brought into the mix during both the subsistence, economy and political organization sections. I've never done it as a separate topic.
Based on time constraints, I dropped expressive culture. I mention it when we first talk about social institutions, but simply tell students that we don't have time to cover it all in 11 weeks. Happy to add a section in, although I think I'll add it as optional.
Open Course Library Project Subject Matter Expert Course Design Review The OCL Instructional Design team and Faculty Course Developer would like to draw on your subject knowledge and experience in the discipline to offer honest, constructive feedback, based on the questions below.
Reviewer comments (Teri L. Tucker)
Positives: 1. First, Kudos on putting this together! This is simply fantastic and I think it is a great start for the open course project in Anthropology.
2. I think a major strength of this course design is the author’s voice and teaching strategy. The teaching strategy is clearly defined and reflected in the course organization. The course provides an overview of the key elements of cultural anthropology but uses cultural relativism as the unifying theme. This enables the content to be “streamlined” thus providing a strong focus for the course.
3. The assessments unambiguously correspond to the course outcomes.
4. The assessments are interesting, unique, and varied and are an asset for the course.
Thoughts/questions
1. Is this finished? There seems to be some “flow” problems where one page has a “next” page listed at the bottom, but it is not linked in the UNIT overview page.
2. A paragraph written to overview or introduce the units might be beneficial-- especially for your online students to anchor the subject matter since there is no textbook (just the Conformity and Conflict reader).
3. When your online students read your assignments, do they have a clear idea of how to complete the assignment? Do they email you asking for clarification? Sometimes I was confused and wanted to see an example of what you expected.
4. I was expecting a bit more open source content. You provide a lot of your own lectures and rely heavily on the Dennis O'Neil tutorials from Palomar College. Fine, but there are a lot of credible, authentic, and eclectic sources out there which would help provide depth, breadth and richness. This may be subjective and a product of personal preference—as the sources you used are excellent….
5. As a matter of personal opinion, I think it would be beneficial if the names of the organization/authors of the websites were listed along with the link to the content material on the UNIT homepages.
6. For the online course, the online content is so bared bones and the assignments are topically/thematically focused— where are students getting the big picture, cross-comparative, and holistic perspective? Is this in your final culture assessment? Do you think some of the “richness” is lost in thematic approach vs a narrative ethnographic approach? .
7. By “streamlining” the course content are you worried that some instructors will not use the course? For example, instructors that must teach to a strict diversity requirement?
8. Where is your “examine the links between sexuality, roles, division of labor, status and gender” page?
9. I was unable to open any of the articles from the ”Student Choice: What are some of the issues of globalization?”
1. Learning Objectives - The learning objectives are appropriately designed for the level of the course (2.5) 1. What does my discipline traditionally teach at this level?
• anchoring of anthropology and sub disciplines-- brief historical foundations and placement of cultural anthropology in academia and in the real world.—what anth is and what it is not—how it is different from other fields (sociology, etc.) How anth is unique. How anth is applied.
• Basic theoretical approaches used in Cultural anthropology • awareness of cultural diversity and the basic human rights of all people • awareness of the influence of culturally biased assumptions on perception and behavior and draw justifiable inferences about other cultures without stereotyping or ethnocentric bias • knowledge and understanding of the multiple expressions of diversity as related to different cultural experiences such as race, age, ability, class, sex, gender, sexual orientation, and/or religion • analyze global economic, racial, social, political, and environmental issues from multiple perspectives • articulate an understanding of interconnected local and global concerns • An introduction to anthropological terms and concepts such as cultural relativism, enculturation, culture, microcultures, biocultural approach, ethnocentrism, fieldwork, globalization, ethics, ethnography, ethnology, holism, modes of production, economics and cultural ecology, family and kinship systems, religion and magic, culture change and adaptation, language and communication, legal and political systems, real-world value—application of cultural relativism to personal life, human rights, international migration, indigenous knowledge, etc • comparing and contrasting the structures of social relationships and belief systems that operate in different cultural settings • The race concept • The limits and problems of the culture concept • Develop critical thinking skills • How to find, retrieve, critically evaluate, and cite popular and scholastic source material in cultural anthropology • Communicate in a clear, organized, and supported manner. • listen to and understand individuals and respond respectfully to their points of view • Be responsible citizens of our society and the global community.
2. Does this curriculum adequately prepare students for subsequent courses in their discipline? Yes. 3. If it’s a survey-level course, does this course provide an accurate introduction or overview of the discipline -- This is not a survey course. It is an introduction course. 4. Will this curriculum be acceptable to receiving institutions? (university transfer) Yes 2. Assessment & Measurement - The types of assessments selected measure the stated learning objectives and are consistent with course activities and resources. (3.1) 1. Are the types of assessments (exams, essays, projects, graded homework) appropriate for the content that is covered, and appropriate for the discipline? yes 2. Do the assessments allow instructors to accurately measure of student learning and achievement of stated learning objectives? I would have to see examples of student assessments to be certain. I have some concerns regarding this… 3. Will students be able to successfully complete the assessments if they’ve successfully completed learning activities and course materials? I believe so. 3. Course Resources & Materials - The instructional materials contribute to the achievement of the stated course and module/unit learning objectives (4.1) 1. Does the textbook and other course materials (slide presentations, websites, lecture notes, etc.) support the learning objectives? yes 2. Will the textbook, lectures, and other course materials allow students to successfully learn the content of the course? yes 4. Course Resources & Materials - The instructional materials have sufficient breadth, depth, and currency for the student to learn the subject. (4.3) 1. Does the textbook and other course materials offer meaningful content from my discipline? Yes 2. Is the amount of detail and explanation provided by course materials appropriate for this level of course? Personally, I think there could be more open source material used in the course. There are many wonderful, authentic, and varied resources available that would provide richness and depth to the online student’s experience. 3. Does the textbook and other course materials represent current thinking and practice in my discipline?Yes,
