Course Syllabus

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GEW 4401 - German Cities as Cultural Centers

3 CREDIT HOURS

Student-Instructor Meetings: Biweekly on Wednesday 9th/10th periods (4:05- 6:00 pm). Dates indicated in syllabus. Thirty-minute slots for individual groups will be arranged.

INSTRUCTOR: Will Hasty, Büro: Dauer 263a; Tel: 352-273-3780.

OFFICE HOURS: Donnerstag  6. und 7. Stunde, oder nach Vereinbarung.

Dauer 263a; wenn Sie es im voraus per Anruf oder Email mit mir regeln, kann ich Sie auch online treffen.

COURSE WEBSITE: https://ufl.instructure.com/, then navigate to GEW4401

Course Description

For much of the course description in German, watch the "Einführung zum Kurs".

This course is web-based and offered in a distance-learning format. There are no classroom meetings. The course provides instructional and practice materials in various forms that allow students to learn on their own. However, thanks to the collaborative tools in Canvas, students will do a considerable part of their course work in groups. These groups have weekly assignments and meet bi-weekly with their instructor for short feedback sessions. Therefore, students have to keep the two periods indicated in the Registrar’s course listing page free for the meetings with the instructor.

Teaching Methods

By using a variety of teaching and learning tools in the Canvas course management system, students will be provided with the necessary information and opportunities to expand their cultural knowledge and practice their language skills in modules focusing on corresponding cultural and grammatical topics. The materials and tools help students to particularly to consolidate and further develop speaking and comprehension skills. Cultural learning takes place through the use of authentic German Web materials and materials prepared by the course designer.

Honor Code

As a result of completing the registration form at the University of Florida, every student has signed the following statement: “I understand that the University of Florida expects its students to be honest in all their academic work. I agree to this commitment to academic honesty and understand that my failure to comply with this commitment may result in disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from the University.”

The instructors of this course fully support the intent of the above statement and will not tolerate academic dishonesty. We, the members of the University of Florida Community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honesty and integrity.

Participation

GEW 4401 (in the Spring semester 2019) is a 3 credit course. You must set aside at least 12 hours per week for this course. You will find that spending a couple of hours each day will be much more effective than spending 12 hours the day before the quiz or test. In order to be successful in this course all students must participate fully in all the course activities that are set forth in the module pages each week. For the most part, instructions are provided and these should be self-explanatory.

All assignments are listed in the course calendar by week with specific availability and due dates. You may access this through the Syllabus tab in Canvas.

Course Components

Weekly Introduction Videos

Each week is introduced with a short lecture presentation that will briefly discuss the content of the work in that week and, as needed, place it in the broader context of the course.

Grammar Review Materials/B1-B2 Assessment Review Materials and Assessments/Quizzes

Grammar review materials on some of the Lesson Topics pages help you prepare for the grammar quizzes that are given in modules 1-4. You will be able to take each grammar quiz twice and you will receive the higher of the two scores.

Also, on other Lesson Topic pages, materials on which you will be tested in the weekly B1 assessments (which in any given week will be either a listening comprehension, reading, or writing assessment) is provided in advance so you have a chance to study it in advance and look up any vocabulary you may not know. Because you are able to review the specific materials on which you will be tested in advance, you will take the graded B1 assessments only once.

Midterm and Final Exam

The midterm and final exams will be proctored and available for a specified time. Students are responsible to start these tests at a time that allows them to finish them within their due date and time.

Further details will be provided on exam format and content in the form of course announcements.

Group Activities

Cooperative learning is an essential component in the concept of this course. Each student will be assigned to a small group. Every week there are group assignments that account for 45% of your total grade. Effective group work is essential. 

Instructor Meetings

Your group will meet biweekly with your instructor during a time frame specified by the registrar's office for the section you are in. 

Assessment Taking Instructions

  • Read the directions thoroughly!
  • Spell accurately! You will not receive credit for incorrectly spelled words.
  • Recheck answers before submission for typos.

Any technical difficulties with exams, assignments, quizzes, etc. must have a Help Desk ticket number if you plan to request an extension. The extension request must be submitted within 24 hours of the technical difficulty.

Grade Breakdown

See the Undergraduate Catalog for general UF Grading Policies (Links to an external site.)

Grades for this course will be based on the following:

Assignment

Percentage

Fragen zu den Einführungen

5%

Fragen zu den Durchgängen

5%

Schriftlche Fragen zu den Städten

5%

Fragen zu den Videos

10%

GER Übungen

5%

Voicethreads

10%

Virtuelle Reisen/Präsentationen

20%

Gruppen/Instructor Meetings

10%

Midterm Examen

15%

Final Examen

15%

 

Grading Scale

A

100-93

(4.0)

A-

92-90

(3.67)

B+

89-87

(3.33)

B

86-83

(3.0)

B-

82-80

(2.67)

C+

79-77

(2.33)

C

76-73

(2.0)

C-

72-70

(1.67)

D+

69-67

(1.33)

D

63-66

(1.0)

D-

62-60

(0.67)

E

59-

(0)

Late Work

As a rule, unless a student has a medical excuse or a confirmed family emergency with documentation from the Dean of Students Office, late assignments, quizzes and tests will not be accepted.

Any technical difficulties with assignments must have a Helpdesk ticket number if you plan to request an extension. The extension request MUST be submitted within 24 hours of the technical difficulty. Details on how to contact the Helpdesk are on the Start Here: Contact and Help page.

Contact and Help

Instructor:

Aaron Watkins

Where do I go for help:

It depends on what type of help you need. Please read the three sections below on course questions, personal questions, and technical questions.

Course Questions

  1. DO NOT e-mail your instructor with general course questions. If you have a question about the course, check in the Start Here section first.
  2. If you can't find the answer to your question there, check the Course Questions Discussion Board to see if anyone else had the same question.
  3. If your question has not already been asked, post the question to the Course Questions Discussion Board.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties, follow the instructions for Technical Help below.

If you have a personal question, follow the instructions for Personal Questions below.

Please allow 24 hours for a response. Questions posted over the weekend will not receive a response until the beginning of the following week.

Personal Questions

Questions of a private nature should be e-mailed to the course instructor using the Inbox tool in Canvas. In all cases, please allow 24 hours for a response. Questions posted over the weekend will not receive a response until Monday.

Examples:

  • I think there is an error in my grade for the oral assignment in Kapitel 2 Week 3 (be sure to explain exactly why you think there is an error and provide documentation)
  • I have a family emergency and will not be able to complete my work in time for the due dates next week (in such a case, be sure to contact the Dean of Students)
  • I am behind in the course and I would like to know how I may catch up (in such a case, your instructor may ask you to come in for a meeting, or in the case of a distance student, talk on the telephone)

Please allow 24 hours for a response. Questions posted over the weekend will not receive a response until the beginning of the following week.

Technical Help

In the event that you have technical difficulties with Canvas, please contact the UF Help Desk at learning-support@ufl.edu, or (352) 392-4357 - select option 2. Walk-ins are also welcome on the ground floor of the Hub if you are on campus. Alternately, you may file a support ticket (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. with the Help Desk. If your technical difficulties will cause you to miss a due date, you MUST report the problem to the Help Desk. Include the ticket number that you are given in an e-mail to the instructor to explain the late assignment, quiz, or test.

Types of questions that should be directed to the Help Desk:

  1. I can't log into Canvas
  2. I have clicked on the "submit" button for my quiz and nothing is happening
  3. I can't upload an assignment
  4. Canvas has given me an error message and I can't submit my assignment.

Late work that involves technical difficulties with e-Learning MUST be accompanied by a ticket number from the Help Desk. Make ups due to technical difficulties will be handled by your instructor, not the Help Desk.

 

UF Policies & Services

UF Student Computing Requirements (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

UF Online Student Handbook (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Academic Honesty/Honor Code

As a result of completing the registration form at the University of Florida, every student has signed the following statement:

“We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honesty and integrity by abiding by the Honor Code.”

On all work submitted for credit by students at the University of Florida, the following pledge is either required or implied:

"On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid in doing this assignment."

The instructors of this course fully support the intent of the above statement and will not tolerate academic dishonesty, such as plagiarism, cheating and prohibited collaboration.

All students enrolled in this class are expected to follow the University of Florida Honor Code (excerpt above).

Students with Disabilities

Students requesting classroom accommodations must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The DOS will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the course coordinator, when requesting accommodation. You should contact your instructor and the Disability Resource Center as early in the semester as possible. Complete instructions for requesting accommodation can be found here: http://www.distance.ufl.edu/drc (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..

Disability Resource Center
001 Building 0020 (Reid Hall)
(352) 392-8565
accessuf@dso.ufl.edu
http://www.dso.ufl.edu/drc/ (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Campus Helping Resources

Students experiencing crises or personal problems that interfere with their general well-being are encouraged to utilize the university’s counseling resources. The Counseling & Wellness Center provide confidential counseling services at no cost for currently enrolled students. Resources are available on campus for students having personal problems or lacking clear career or academic goals, which interfere with their academic performance.

Should you have any complaints with your experience in this course please visit http://www.distance.ufl.edu/student-complaints (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. to submit a complaint

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due