Home — Syllabus: Expectations — Syllabus: Grades and Schedule — Syllabus: Campus Resources — Assignment Files — D2L
2023-12-19, 10:36 *All Grades Submitted8
A note on final grades
- I own all the grades so I can change your grade anytime. That is to say, please do not call in the middle of the night fearing a grade will be permanently on your record. Once final grades are submitted I must fill out a digital form to change it, and I can change it 5 minutes, 5 weeks, or 5 years after it’s been submitted.
- Data errors are easy to fix and I welcome your emails.
- Technical errors (google ate my homework) will involve a longer discussion that goes beyond when grades are due.
- Your class citizenship grades are based on your participation, the honesty in your reflections, and respectful behavior towards everyone in this class, including me. Good citizens show up and make their communities better places. If you did that, you will score well.
- I am willing to discuss individual assignments, but not the final course grade. Please consider your communication carefully when asking for regrading.
- Grades are a measure of your performance on a set number of tasks over the course of four months. Grades are not a measure of intelligence, effort, ability, or my afinity for you. Grades reflect what you turned in, and only that.
2023-12-14, 13:48 Final Projects and Desserts Graded
The desserts where the highlight of this round. Thank you for identifying the best and most challenging aspects of this class.
2023-12-13, 13:23 Now grading
I’ve created a single page for updates on what assignment and class I am grading. I’ll update it daily.
2023-12-07, 10:52 1st Drafts reviewed
The majority of the drafts have strong content and don’t need major steering. Paying attention to the criteria for the assignment is the best guidance I can offer, though I wrote more comments in student drafts that were out of scope. Good luck with your revisions.
The easiest way to improve your draft is show it to a friend and have them give you two suggestions to make it clearer. The Normandale Writing Center can also do this during their walk in appointments.
2023-11-30, 17:09 I graded the Desserts first this week
Delightful as always.
Change in syllabus notice
I’m losing patience with students using generative AI for their work. Effective immediately, if you use Generative AI on your final project, for any part of it, you will fail the class.
I have a process for helping students learn how to quote and cite appropriately after they’ve failed to quote and cite appropriately or used an AI disclosure, but it is lengthy for everyone. Plagiarism (which is what using Ai without disclosure is) is doubly hurtful: the plagiarising student deprives themselves of a learning opportunity and that student deprives their classmates of more meaningful engagement with their teacher because the teacher has to devote more time to addressing the plagiarism.
Your words, your analysis, your intellectual production is far superior to Ai generated material, and you benefit by doing the actual writing. Please recognize and honor your worth as a thinker and writer. You deserve better than the trecherous temptation these billionaire-enriching algorithms offer.
2023-11-29, 10:00 Spring Registration
Continue your historical journey by registering for one of Normandale’s spring history courses! Sharpen your analytical skills and foster a global perspective through different cultures and time periods with a well-rounded historical education that prepares you for success in any field.
Normandale’s history courses are stand-alone and can be taken at any time. This means you can take World Civilization 2 or United States History 2 (HIST 1102; HIST 1112) without first having taken World 1 (1101) or U.S. 1 (1111). You can also take one of our three-credit specialization courses.
Spots available for:
- History of World Civilization 2 – online and in-person
- United States History 1 – online and in-person
- United States History 2 – online and in-person
- Family: Sex/Gender/Power: A Cross-Cultural, Historical Perspective – online
- Black History and Civil Rights in the United States – in-person
2023-11-26, 19:22 CLASS CANCELLED FOR MONDAY_ 2023-11-27
A number of family concerns have kept me from addressing our class in the way I wish. So, I’m cancelling our face-to-face class. I will be working in my office (C3050) if you have questions, or you can call me a 952-358-8 nine eleven.
2023-11-17, 16:29 Reviewing podcasts
I’ve reviewing podcasts and it takes longer than regular assignments to listen to them. So, please be patient as I work through the 100 (3 sections) I have. I’ve complete one class and have two more, including this section.
2023-11-16, 14:43 Numerical Literacy Readings and Work Posted
2023-11-02, 16:10 Computers and Words 2nd Plate and Dessert Graded
The Voyant analyses were less than deep, which I expected. The biggest opportunity for improvement was just to treat the texts as historical documents. Most students asked religious questions about the texts.
The Desserts continue to offer a useful picture of your lives as learners, for which I’m grateful.
2023-10-19, 21:50 Change of plans
I am moving our podcasting 2-week module back, and moving our words and computers module to next week.
Words and computers includes both training on AI and on distant reading.
NOTE: I’ve altered the appetizer this week. Instead of you usual find a source and pair it, I’ve given your five questions about the readings to answer.
My world 2 class got the privileged grading position this week, so I’m now working on this week’s work from World 1 and Minnesota.
2023-10-13, 11:51 All grades updated
I’ve reviewed all work through your First Plate for metadata, which was due this Wednesday.
Given where we are in the semester, the standard for historical thinking is higher than when we began, and that is reflected in grades. In general, showing your thinking with examples is the best practice for historical analysis.
I am also seeing increased use of ChatGPT. Please don’t use it. I’ll train you on what it is, but right now it is causing huge harm through plagiarism that results in failed assignments and dismissal from classes. It’s like oxycodone, powerful if used in a supervised and regulated environment but hugely harmful and being pushed by those who want to make money off you.
2023-09-27 Appetizer assessed
Some fascinating articles students found.
Be sure to directly connect your outside source to a specific reference to our readings for the week. That means offering examples and using words like "such as."
2023-09-22 1st Plate and Appetizers now read and assessed
I found some wonderfully thoughtful, and analytically complex responses in both assignments. Don’t forget to apply SIFT to your outside readings for the Appetizers. Sometimes a SIFTed article that doesn’t demonstrate credibility can still be a useful discussion comparison for our readings.
2023-09-21, 8:22 Away from Normandale again today.
I am having continued side effects from the COVID shot, though nothing concerning and the side effects are lessening.
Thus, I will be not working today.
As I cannot support your Assignments in the usual way, I have decided to treat this week’s work as credit no credit.
I’l grade tomorrow and if you’ve made a good faith effort (all the parts of the assignment are there in the usual college-level writing) you’ll get full credit. If it’s not there, or only partly done, no credit.
Many students have written to express how they are struggling in our class emotionally and intellectually. I will try to respond to these emails today.
2023-09-20, 7:25 Class suspended for 24 hours
My family is a bit tired recovering from our COVID shots yetsterday (yay!), so I’m suspending class today.
The regular Wednesday at 10 pm assignment due today (2023-09-20) will be due Thursday (2023-09-21).
I’ll resume regular communication tomorrow.
2023-09-18, 10:56 Academic warning email
If you currently have an F in our class, I’ve submitted your names to our Counseling and Advising department for additional support.
For some of you, you had early difficulties and are now producing regular, credit-worth work. For others, there are continued struggles. I am committed to helping you succeed and passing this class, and inviting your advisor into conversation is part of the commitment.
2023-09-11 Error on my part, benefit to you
I mis-sequenced the assignments for our GIS Module, putting this in the order 2nd plate, dessert, first plate, appetizer rather than how they should be served to you: appetizer, 1st plate, 2nd plate, dessert.
Because of this error, I’m extending the due date for the 2nd plate assignment to Wednesday night at 10 pm to allow us more time to work through this robust tool (StoryMaps) and challenging questions (what is the historical significance of an object).
I’m cleaned up our Syllabus: Schedule and Grades as well (there were a couple typos).
Mea culpa.
2023-08-31, 20:59 1st Plate for Week 3 posted
NOTE: Your Appetizer assignment is still due Monday night.
2023-08-31, 17:05 Tired- updates coming tonight
Sorry, there’s been some one-on-one students issues that have required my attention today – which are vital and worth the time – so my assessing of your work is running a bit behind.
I’ll have the 1st plate up for next week tonight.
2023-08-25, 16:38 2 minute video on links and next week’s work
Have a great weekend: I hope you find the video useful.
2023-08-25, 13:21 FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
- What about tests, like a midterm or final?
- A. There are no tests. I designed this class around 32 assignments that worth 2-3% of your total grade. That means each week you learn a little and earn a little (grade). There are no tests. You do have a final project, and it follows the same steps (apptetizer, 1st plate, 2nd plate, dessert) that our regular weeks do and should be just 10% more work than a regular 2 week group of assignments.
- Is there something due every week?
- A. Yes. Every Monday and Wednesday, unless otherwise noted in the syllabus, there is something due.
- My family scheduled a vacation, my sports team is travelling to Florida, my sister is getting married: can I have an extension?
A. No. There is no late work. I drop two weeks worth of grades with a 12% grade. The exceptions are for deployment and hospitalization. If hopitalized, please wait until you are better to contact me, no need for bedside chats- history is full of dead people, they can wait until you’re home.
- Why are the assignments called "Appetizer," "1st Plate," "2nd Plate," and "Dessert."
A. We’re using food (and flood) as a theme, so using food metaphors made sense to me. Also, calling the assignments pre-work, 1st project, 2nd project, and reflection bored me.
2023-08-23, 15:19 Multifactor authentication
Rather than use a text message to authenticate your StarID login, you can use an app. Students report this is easier as it does not require cell or wifi coverage. Instruction for how to set up your MFA app are at the following site.
2023-08-23 Appetizer 1
Thanks to all who have done the Appetizer Get-to-know-you form under Syllabus: Schedule and Grades. This form is how I start the class for you, so if you haven’t filled it out, please do so as soon as possible. Thank you. Looking forward to a great class with you.
