Image by Judson Moore

Humanities 131.01
N

Cultural Connections W E
Spring 2017
Class meets Tuesday and Thursdays
in JM 201, 1:00–2:44pm S

Austin VanKirk
Office: BW 248
Hours in office: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 12:00–1:00pm
English Dept. Phone: (517) 796-8582
Email: vankirkaustind@jccmi.edu
(this is the best way to reach me)

Stuff You’ll Need for the Course

Textbooks:
• Discovering the Humanities, 3rd Edition, ISBN-13: 9780134611211 — It’s also available as an

 
eText; you will need the access card that contains the access code, available for purchase from the
book store.
• Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe, ISBN 10: 0385474547 — also avaliable online for free in many
places, including the online virtual library (https://archive.org/details/thingsfallapart00ache_ldx).

Other Stuff
• An open mind about what “counts” as art, culture, and what makes a human
• A computer with reliable Internet access as well as access to a printer and Microsoft Word
• Notebook and writing utensils
• Finally, you must be able to access your previous work at all times during class (flash drive, cloud-
hosted documents, hard copy, etc.)
• Curiosity, and if you can muster it, creativity
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Understanding the Course
Course Description: Humanities 131 Cultural Connections: This interdisciplinary course examines
contemporary issues, their human and technological components, and their historical precedents through
art, music, literature, and philosophy.

In this course, we will be thinking heavily about where we, as individuals, exist within the humanities
cycle. I believe you will come to find that humans and our cultures are two sides of the same kind, simul-
taneously influencing one another. Amid this constant back and forth, where do we fall?

Classroom Experience: This is not an independent study. We will learn together and from one
another. Since this course is all about, and in fact privileges, the ideals associated with interconnectedness,
your unique perspective in the classroom is invaluable. While we will have in-class activites and watch
video (clips), the largest portion of this class will be disucsion-based. To that end, come to class prepared
to talk about the readings, including your take-aways and perspective. This class will only be as good as we
make it. Remember: A good class is made mostly by its students, not the instructor.

We will discuss many new and different ideas in this class. I expect—and in fact, insist—that we approach
all of these respectfully. Allow me to define “respectfully.” By this I mean we approach unfamiliar top-
ics with curiosity yet without prejudice. We will simultaneously compare (historical) cultures to modern
understandings while saying “it is what it is.” Please also keep in mind that we are introducing ourselves to
these cultures and, sometimes, engaging in them—not “studying” or “examining” them. Like I mentioned
previously, we will actually do more “examining” of ourselves.

General Education Outcome: The course goals and objectives incorporate specific General Edu-
cation Outcomes (GEOs) established by the JCC Board of Trustees, administration, and faculty. These goals
are in concert with four-year colleges, universities, and reflect input from the professional communities we
serve. GEOs guarantee students achieve goals necessary for graduation credit, transferability, and profes-
sional skills needed in many certification programs. The GEOs and course objectives addressed in this class
include the following:

GEO 6: Understand aesthetic experience and artistic creativity

Outcomes
Meaning and Understanding
Analysis and Interpretation
Engagement
Evaluation
Approach
GEO 7: Understand and respect the diversity and
interdependence of the world’s peoples and cultures
Identity Awareness
Cultural Awareness
Diversity Appreciation
Cultural Sensitivity
The Student
• Uses visual, musical, or literary vocabulary to identify works of art and
• Organizes by basic historic and cultural influences
• Identifies methods of analysis and interpretation of works of art
• Uses genre-specific language to support critical reflection
• When prompted, engages in discussions of the creative, cultural, and historical contexts
within which an artist works
• Identifies the aesthetic standards used to make critical judgments in various artistic fields
• Approaches works of creative expression with a combination of resistance and interest,
disinterest and interest expressed in formal discussion or writing
• Identifies characteristics, values, and hallmarks of the groups to which one belongs
• Identifies characteristics, values, and hallmarks of the groups other than one’s own
• Articulates benefits of interacting with individuals of from groups other than one’s own
• Defines various institutional systems and personal barriers that inhibit diversity such as
racism, sexism, classism, ethnocentrism, privilege, etc.
• Classifies behaviors and structures that promote diversity and encourage global thinking
• Recognizes the ways in which, historically, cultures have mutually informed and en-
riched each other
• Utilizes vocabulary, behaviors, and practices that are culturally appropriate
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Evaluations
This course uses a contract to determine your
grade for the quarter. What does that mean?
Well, think of it this way. Let’s say I hired you
on a contractual basis. To get paid (in other
words, earn a grade) you have to meet the
terms of the contract. If you don’t meet the
stipulations of the contract—let’s say you’re
continually late to the job, don’t show up for
work, or do work that doesn’t meet my expec-
tations—your pay would be reduced (receive a
lower grade) or even get fired (fail the course).
Conversely, if you do all that is asked of in the
contract and then some, you might receive a
bonus (a higher grade). Everyone begins the
class with 80 points (80%)—a 3.0 on a 4.0
scale. By following the contract (see below), Image by Pedro Lastra

you are guranteed to keep that 3.0. By not

meeting the terms of the contract, you have
something to lose and nothing to gain.

HUM 131.01 Contract: Below are the stipulations of the contract. Adhere to these stipulations and
you will most likely receive a 3.0 (80 percent) in the course.

• Meet due dates for all assignments, fulfilling all the stipulations that I put forth in each assignment. (If
you don’t understand a stipulation, ask me about it.)
• Complete all out-of-class informal, low-stakes assignments to the stipulations I posit in those assign-
ments (e.g. drafts, discussion board posts, design plans, etc). These are on our schedule.
• Make substantive revisions in accordance with the feedback you get from me and your peers. You are
required to revise and, often, explain those revisions in reflections.
• Prepare for and attend conferences with me to discuss your work as scheduled.
• Attend and participate in all classes.
• Meet expectations for all projects and, after substanital revisions, compile them into a portfolio.

Expectations: In addition to the

Grading Scale Grade Distribution above stipulations, I also expect that
throuhgout the course you will dem-
4.0 = 92–100 pts. onstrate what you’ve learned in terms
of the General Education Outcomes
3.5 = 86–91 6 and & (see above for details) with
a moderate degree of success. I also
3.0 = 80–85 Timeliness expect everyone to regularly par-
40% ticipate and submit work on time. In
2.5 = 75–79 other words, I believe everyone in the
class is capable of achieving at least
2.0 = 70–74 a 3.0 grade. To help everyone at least
achieve a 3.0 grade, I evaluate differ-
1.5 = 66–69 ently. You do not receive a grade until
Cultural Creations,
the end of the semester. Rather, I in-
1.0 = 60–65 Cultural Event, dicate whether you Exceed, Meet, or
Final Portfolio Fail to Meet Expectations. This class
0.5 = 55–59 60% is worth 100 points, a combination
of timeliness and the projects (which
0.0 = 00–54 includes the final). The chart on this
page illustrates this.
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Exceeds, Meets, Fails—What Do These Look Like?
If you meet expectations, it means you did the project adequately. It also means you met the criteria in
an acceptable way.

If you fail to meet expectations, you did not meet one or more of the criteria items. Neglecting even one
of the criteria items results in this kind of evaluation.

Each project, in addition to the regular criteria, has a short list of “exceptional” criteria. Meeting all of
these will allow you to achieve this evaluation, and a higher final grade.

These are the only possible evaluations. There is little room for gray area.

HQV: Jackson Community College requires four formal progress and grading reports to be filed for
each student in each of their classes. Referred to as HQVs, these reports are entered into your e-services
transcript and serve as a record of your progress, indicate the need for interventions that can help you be
more successful, and can save you from unnecessary education debt.
The dates for recording HUM 131 HQV grades are below.

• May 30
• June 12
•        July 9

The first three reports will indicate your progress in the class with a letter.
V = Verification of current class success
Q = Verification that you have quit the class or have been dropped from the class
H = Verification that you need help in the class and will be contacted by a representative from
The Center for Student Success.

Course Work
Cultural Creations: We will make ten (10) of these projects throughout this semester. While ten
projects might seem like a lot, these are the smallest projects I’ve ever assigned. Each Cultural Creation
requires you to make connections to its corresponding chapter(s) in the book with a piece of art. For
those of you who doubt your creative abilities: don’t worry! I’m not evaluating you on the basis of the
art’s quality. Rather, I’m more interested in how you identify various course concepts in relationship
to your artwork within a 200-word reflection. Each Cultural Creation will have a set of criteria shared
among all ten Cultural Creation projects with a few project-specific criterion.

Cultural Event Paper: As part of this humanities course, I would like you to attend an event,
performance, museum, or presentation of your choice (acceptable to us) during the months of June, July.
and August. Please do not ask if you can use some event from your past even if it was on May 22nd!
There are several music festivals and events happening this summer in Lansing—totally worth checking
out.

You must receive my approval for the event you wish to write about. You must make sure that you
have evidence of having attended the event (a pamphlet, a ticket stub, etc.)! I will not accept the paper
without it! After you have attended the event, you will write a paper that will address the following:

1) A summary and description of the event, including the printed program if one is available—you must
submit some evidence of attending the particular event.

2) Additional information about the work of art you viewed. If you attend a symphony or visit a mu-
seum, please select one particular piece of music or art work that grabbed your attention and find in-
formation about the artist’s work itself. If you attend a play, or dance concert, you might investigate the
playwright’s, director’s or choreographer’s artistic vision or point of view as represented by the play, film,
or dance you viewed. Two sources are necessary for this research component—the program for the event
does not count as research. Please list the research material you consulted in MLA style. If you are hav-
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ing difficulty finding research material see us; we will be glad to help. Note: Biographical information
about the artist is not relevant here! Your focus should be on the work of art rather than on the artist’s
life.

3) A discussion of the work’s connection to its culture. Show how the work reflects the cultural ideas
and attitudes in which it was produced. Show the work’s connection to its times.

4) Your response to the A) aesthetic qualities and your B) evaluation of the cultural event.

Your typed paper should treat each of these areas. Missing discussion of any of these four areas will
make your paper unacceptable. The paper should be between 1000 and 1500 words. The summary
should consist of no more than the first page. The other three areas should constitute the rest of your
paper.

You may turn this paper in any time after it is assigned, up until August 1. You must submit this before
August 1. There is no opportunity to submit this as late.

Final Portfolio: The Final Portfolio consists of a critical preface and eleven projects: all ten cultural
creations and the cultural event paper, each accompanied by a short introduction explaining the transi-
tion between each project. In other words, they will “fill in the gaps” of information not covered within
the cultural creations. The sum of the Final Portfolio grade is determined by the amount of learning dem-
onstrated in each of the (revised) projects and their introductions, as well as the critical preface. Each is
evaluated individually on a exceed/meets/fails-to-meet basis within its individual criteria.

Attendance and Other Policies

As adults and students, I expect that you are already aware of the responsibilities you have, attending
class and engaging in your own learning included among these. I understand that life happens, and
making it to class isn’t always physically or emoitionally feasible. I do not want to penalize you for
things that happen outside the context of our classroom. However, please make every effort to be in
class. Your individual voice is critical to our learning in this class, believe it or not. Please notify me via
email if you can’t make it to class, otherwise I’ll be concerned for your well being. I don’t require a
detailed description of the reason for your absence. Something as simple as “I won’t be in class because
I’m not feeling well” will suffice.

You are permitted three (3) unexcused absences, no questions asked. After that, I will require some
sort of doctor’s note to excuse the absence. For every unexcused absence after three, your final grade
drops by 0.5 on a 4.0 scale. For example, if you have four (4) unexcused absences, the highest grade
you could receive is a 3.5. I reserve the right to make exceptions to this rule on a case-by-case basis, but
those exceptions will be few and far in between.

Ways to receive an unexcused absence, in addition to not attending class, include the following:
- Arriving to class 15 minutes or more after the start of class time (without advance notification)
- Leaving class 30 minutes or more before the end of class time (without advance notification)
- Using cell phones, computers, or other similar devices for purposes unrelated to class
- Not engaging in class discussion—everyone must contribute!

Course Policies:
• Withdraw: After the add/drop period, a student may withdraw from a course in accordance with
the dates published in e-services. I list the timeframes for the different types of withdrawal below.
- June 1: Last day to withdraw with a refund and without a W grade
- June 2: Last day to withdraw without a W grade
- August 7: Last day to drop with a W grade
• Incomplete Policy: In accordance with JCC policy, an Incomplete or “I” grade is only issued to
students who have demonstrated good standing in the class and hold a passing grade at the time of an
extenuating circumstance that precludes completion of the class. Documentation validating the circum-
stance may be required.
• Late Work and Makeup Policies: Please see the “Late Work” section.
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• Academic Honesty Policy: JC has an academic honesty policy, which will be adhered to in this
class. In essence, the policy requires that all work must be done by the student whose name it bears. The
full policy can be accessed at http://www.jccmi.edu/policies/Academics/
• Grounds for Immediate Failure: Plagiarism, whether directly copied or paraphrased, may result
in a failing grade and can be grounds for expulsion from class with cases of plagiarism reported to the
Office of the Academic Dean. Failure is also based upon completion of all assignments, large and small,
and demonstrated comprehension of course concepts. All projects must be completed, revised, and
submitted in the final portfolio to pass Humainties 131.

Conduct, Responsibility, and Organization

Technology: I assume that we all are proficient with word processing software, email, and JetNet. We
will also have the opportunity to learn some more “high-tech” programs, such as InDesign and Photoshop.
If at any time you need to know how to use or do something that we haven’t covered in class, odds are
you already have the tool to find the answer in your pocket, purse, or book bag. The Internet, more or less,
houses all of the information in the world that everyday humans have access to. Likely, the help you need
to use equipment or software can be found online. Further, check the syllabus, schedule, and the host of
other documents you’re equipped with.

Regularly check your email as that is how I will be communicating to you important updates. By this I
mean CHECK YOUR EMAIL EVERY DAY! JetNet is also where you will find the bulk of our course materi-
als for day-to-day work. Reliable access to the Internet is critical to progress in this course.

I do not permit the use of electronic devices in class; please turn phone vibrations and sounds off while in
class. As time allows, there will be a few minutes of break when you are free to text, check social media,
respond to emails, etc. If you use your electronic devices during class, especially for tasks not related to
class work, I’ll mark you as absence since you are not mentally present in the class (as per the attendance
section above). Not only that, it is also discourteous and distracting.

Community Working: We will be working together a lot over this semester. Because of that, we are
going to expect a certain amount of respect from one another. By respect, I mean listening/reading and re-
sponding accordingly to others’ works, asking thoughtful questions, and being conscious of and courteous
toward the community we are creating in our classroom.

Late Projects: Any assignments that you fail to submit or submit without engaging earnestly in the
spirit of the work must be resubmitted until I feel you understand the concept. You’re allowed to have
one late assignment without any negative impact to your grade. Use it wisely. The long and short of it:
Do the work and do it on time.

Image by Christian Joudrey

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Resources
• Writing Help: When opting for help with your writing, bring the following: a copy of the assignment
your draft or work thus far knowledge of specific areas with which you need help
• Writing Fellows: Located in the Atkinson building, breakout room 107, Writing Fellows can help you
on all stages of the writing process including prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and citing sourc-
es-no matter what DC class you are enrolled in. You may drop in during their working hours, gener-
ally 9-4 Monday through Thursday, or set up an appointment in advance. Students may also submit a
draft for review online via the Writing Fellow link in the Student Union on JetNet. Bring or submit a
copy of the assignment requirements, work completed on the assignment so far, and writing related
questions.
• Center for Student Success (CSS) Writing Tutors: located in Bert Walker Hall 125. For more infor-
mation about the CSS go to http://www.jccmi.edu/success/.
• OWL Purdue Website for MLA help – www.owl.english.purdue.edu/resources
• Solution Center (technology help)— (517) 796-8639
o Walk-in: Atkinson Hall, Room 203
o Monday – Thursday: 800 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
• (Dis)Ability Resources: Students may call 517-796-8415 for any special classroom needs, includ-
ing interpreters, special testing arrangements, or any other needs-based services. Further information
can also be found on the JCC website: http://www.jccmi.edu/success. Students with disabilities who
need accommodations in this class should contact Learning Support Services at (517) 796-8415 as
soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.

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Image by Daniel H. Tong

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