Syllabi

SIS 201 Section Syllabus:

SIS 201: The Making of the 21st Century

Socratic Seminar:

Employ your time in improving yourself by other [people's] writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for.

Through doubt and systematic questioning of another person, one gets to ultimate truth.

TA:   Dan Taninecz Miller
Sections: AE and AI

Email: taninecz@uw.edu

Office Hours: T 9:30-11:30 or by appointment

Office: TA Dungeon Thomson 035F

(Facing the bust of Henry Jackson turn right and walk around behind the building. Walk down the creepy stairs. Turn left, then right, then knock.)

Welcome to SIS 201 Socratic Seminar!

In Socratic style seminars you are asked to engage in active learning. The purpose of a Socratic Seminar is to achieve a deeper understanding about the ideas and values in a text. This is a forum where you can engage in challenging and stimulating debate; raise questions, comments or (informed) opinions that came to your mind during Professor Lucero’s lectures or during your reading. You will be asked to question and examine issues and principles related to a particular content, and articulate different viewpoints. The discussion is not about right answers – it is about the shared goal of reaching a deeper understanding of the issues. You are encouraged to think out loud and to exchange ideas openly while using examples and readings to support your point of view.

My role as TA is to facilitate discussion, clarify lecture and reading material, and be available for questions and comments as they relate to the course. This program requires both analytic and creative rigor with the assumption that deep engagement in media, aesthetic issues, and conceptual approaches can yield communicable insights.

SIS 201 presents specific and unique challenges for each of you as you pursue your academic goals and strive to meet our expectations. For some, the program may seem at times slow or introductory; for others, it may seem exceedingly difficult and obscure. You might find yourself thinking that you’re the only one questioning or frustrated. Do not remain silent and take the opportunity to come to me with questions or requests.

General Expectations:

Respect – Arrive on time; attendance will be taken at the beginning of the class hour. Please do not pack up early. I will do my best to let you out on time, but might have important announcements you could miss if you pack up early.

Written assignments – Please e-submit your papers to the Catalyst dropbox before quiz the day they are due.

Readings – Do them. It's easy to tell when the reading isn't being done, and Jackson School TA's are famous for walking out of such classes in disgust. Knowing the material is necessary to participate in the class discussion. More importantly, the actual content of this class will emerge through reading. This class will require a good bit of reading – plan accordingly and it is totally reasonable.

Participate – Speak up, be bold, express your ideas. This process is integral to the Socratic Seminar. In order to discuss the issues more effectively we will often divide up into small groups to discuss readings together. These groups can then present a perspective to the class to jump start the large group discussion.

I am much more willing to work with you if I know about conflicts/concerns in advance so please inform me about classes you may miss for legitimate reasons one week prior.

Get a calendar and use it. Our work requires that you participate in different groups for different reasons at different times, that you meet deadlines over long and short periods. Sometimes we write things so that we don’t have to say them. Read, listen carefully, and attend class. No one can do it for you.

Questions/Comments – Please use emails for logistical communications and not for questions about the course material or your grades. If you have such questions, please come to my office hours. I may take one or two days to answer your email and I will probably not answer your emails on the weekends/holidays/the day before an exam.

Note: All employees of UW are prohibited from discussing grades via email.

Technology: This seminar is for discussion. As such technology that facilitates discussion is permitted, while technology that is irritating/distracting/frivolous is not. Cell phone use in the classroom is obviously not going to happen. Use of a cell phone in class will affect your participation grade, and I probably won't mention it at the time. During exams you must turn your phone off.

Laptops are increasingly part of any professional or academic environment. As such I am going to trust that your laptop is used for research or note taking. In my class there is an implicit understanding that if you have a laptop out it signifies you are engrossed in our discussion and plan to make at least one significant verbal contribution to the seminar that day. I may call on you, or I may wait for your thoughts to organically bubble forth.

Catalyst: We will be using Catalyst tools heavily. If you run into trouble there is a Catalyst help desk in Odegaard or come to mine or another TA’s office hours.

Assignments and Grading:

Grades will be based on three response papers, participation in section, four quizzes, a final exam, and a research paper. The grade breakdown is as follows:

3 Response papers: 15% (maximum 3 pages each)

Participation in section: 10%

Research Paper: 40%--3% for one paragraph-page statement, 7% for first draft, 30% for final draft

Quizzes: 5%

Final Exam: 30%

Late work is not accepted.

Writing is an essential part of this class and will be graded rigorously. We will spend time in section preparing for your writing assignments. A clear thesis statement will provide the framework for your argument in each paper; papers that are simple summaries of the week’s readings will be returned to you without a grade. Again, I am looking for an argument. Don't worry about whether or not I might agree with the thesis, just argue your point as convincingly as possible. Treat each piece of writing as an act of persuasion: take a stance and convince me of your point of view. Assuming a hostile or disagreeing audience is often helpful for establishing a solid paper. For extra help please see me or visit the Political Science/JSIS/LSJ Writing Center in Gowen 105.

Anyone involved in plagiarism will receive a 0 on the assignment and could be in for more drastic attention should the situation warrant it. You could be asked to leave the course and meet with a dean to discuss your future at the college. If you are ever uncertain about whether something is plagiarism or not, consult a writing tutor or your faculty before submitting it for credit. Specific information about what plagiarism is and how to avoid it in your work maybe found here:

depts.washington.edu/pswrite/Handouts/Plagiarism.pdf

Student Participation:

10% of your course grade is based on participation and performance in section, which will be subjectively determined by me based on your level of participation in discussions and in various class exercises. Participation, and therefore attendance, is integral to your success in this course. When you come to class, you should have all the materials necessary for that day’s work; you should be prepared to participate actively; you should be awake and alert!

Pop quizzes – Few times throughout the quarter over assigned readings – in-class or via catalyst. NY Times assignments -- Every week 2-3 students will present a news piece in comparative perspective and in relation to the lectures.

Readings --Please be prepared for class by having the reading finished and bring readings to class.