HSTK 360-125-Spring 2017-1

Texas AM University – Central Texas

HSTK 360-125: Asian Civilizations

Spring 2017, Second Session

Online

Instructor:Luke A. Nichter, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of History

Office:217Q Founder’s Hall

Phone:(254) 519-5735

Email:

Website:

Office Hours:

By appointment. Email is the easiest way to reach me. Your message will be returned promptly even during weekends, evenings, holidays, and university break periods.

Mode of Instruction and Course Access:

This course is 100% online and uses TAMUCT’s Blackboard system (

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Course Description (from the TAMUCT course catalog):

This course is an interdisciplinary survey of Asian civilizations with a primary focus on the history and cultures of India, China, and Japan. The course examines general trends in the political, economic, social, and intellectual history of Asia, highlighted by discussions and consideration of selected cultural elements, such as art, literature, and film.

Learning Objectives of Course:

Knowledge:

  • Students will improve their ability to identify connections between historical issues and life outside the classroom

Comprehension:

  • Students will demonstrate how to think historically about the past by identifying and critiquing historical interpretation and analyzing issues in historical context

Application:

  • Students will select and use evidence from a variety of sources, including primary sources

Analysis:

  • Students will examine current issues from a historical perspective

Synthesis:

  • Students will compare the historical development of their own and other cultures

Evaluation:

  • Students will complete assignments that prompt them to argue effectively and critically

Course Unit Learning Objectives:

Week 1: Identify the origins of ancient Asian societies

Week 2: Examine why societies developed the way they did

Week 3: Debate the factors that led to the rise of medieval dynasties

Week 4: Assess why Asian empires succeeded and failed

Week 5: Evaluate how different societies dealt with the Western intruders

Week 6: Critique the lasting impact that Western ways had on Asian societies

Week 7: Explain how Asian societies established modern identities

Week 8: Distinguish between modernity and tradition in Asian societies

Instructor Responsibilities:

  • Select and present course content;
  • Identify themes to be emphasized;
  • Evaluate student historical understanding and skills;
  • Communicate evaluations to students in a timely manner;
  • Assist students in improving their skills.

Student Responsibilities:

  • Complete all required readings;
  • Attend class regularly;
  • Participate in all class activities and discussions;
  • Communicate with instructor, as appropriate;
  • Complete all assignments on time.

Required Text(s):

Rhoads Murphey. A History of Asia. 7th Ed. New York: Pearson, 2013.

  • ISBN: 978-0-2051-6855-2

Note about required text: Either the 6th edition or the 7th edition are acceptable. Earlier editions are not, since they lack some content of the newer editions. There are many used copies of this book, so it pays to check around. Also, this text is part of Amazon’s textbook rental program, which gives you unlimited access to the e-text for the entire semester at a fraction of the cost of buying a printed copy. A copy of the printed version is also on reserve at the TAMUCT Library for the duration of our course.

Additional readings may be assigned and distributed at the discretion of the instructor.

Course Requirements:

The course grade will be determined by Quizzes (35%), Blackboard Questions (BBQs) (35%), and a Final Exam (30%).

Also, there are extra credit opportunities worth up to 10% added on to your final course grade. See page 8 for more information.

Grading Criteria Rubric and Conversion:

Quizzes:35%

BBQs:35%

Final Exam:30%

100%

Final grades will be computed according to the following scale:

A = 90-100%

B = 80-89%

C = 70-79%

D = 60-69%

F = 59-0%

Posting of Grades:

All grades will be posted in the Blackboard grade book. Students should regularly monitor their grades and address any questions or concerns promptly to the instructor. Throughout the course, the grade book will be updated at the end of each week to include all work completed up to that point in the course.

Quizzes:

There will be seven quizzes, at the end of weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. The purpose of the quizzes is to give you an example of the types of subjects you will encounter on the final exam, as well as to make sure you are staying current on the weekly readings. Ordinarily, each week’s quiz will be ten questions over the current week’s readings. The quizzes will each be ten minutes in length.

Final Exam:

The final exam will be a take home, open book, open notes essay exam over the major themes presented in the required reading and the BBQs. Your performance on the final exam will be based equally on substance – that is, how well you answer the final exam question based on the course readings – and style, including presentation, professionalism, clarity, coherence, grammar, and spelling. The final exam will be distributed at least one week before it is due and will include thorough directions.

Late Policy:

Any assignment submitted after the due date and time will be subject to a penalty of ten percent per twenty-four hour period late. If a specific assignment carries its own late policy, the specific assignment’s late policy takes precedence over this general late policy.

Exam Make-up Policy:

Due to the short – and online – nature of this course, there will be no opportunity to complete any quizzes or exams other than at the assigned date and time. If you are unable to complete a quiz or exam as scheduled, you will not receive a grade.

Social Media Policy:

Due to the proliferation of social media and the need to keep professional distance between vocation and avocation, no Facebook friend requests will be accepted from current students. However, you are welcome to follow me on Twitter (@lukenic).

Blackboard Access and Course Participation:

The most important prerequisite is that you have access to TAMUCT’s Blackboard portal, at If you are logging in the first time, your username is your MyCT username and password. If you have forgotten your username or password, follow the link provided on the login page.

If you do not have login credentials for Blackboard you must resolve this immediately. No one—including your instructor—can do this for you. Failure to do so will result in failure of the course, since assignments are due beginning at the end of the first week of the course. While many of you are already familiar with Blackboard, because such a large percentage of your final grade depends on Blackboard participation these details bear repeating.

Be sure to look around the Blackboard course shell. Perhaps you have used Blackboard before, but not this version. If this is your first time using Blackboard, or if you need a re-fresher, visit the “Online Learning” section. There, you will find options such as: “Blackboard Help,” “Are you Ready for Online Learning?,” and “Blackboard Student Orientation.”

The following are the Blackboard modules used:

  • “Course Information” is where you will find Instructor Information, Textbook information, and the Course Syllabus.
  • “Announcements” is where you will find instructor announcements, which will also be emailed to you when they are posted.
  • “Weekly Podcasts” is where you will find the weekly podcasts and other information you may need for each week of class.
  • “Quizzes” is where you will find the weekly Quizzes.
  • “BBQs” is where you will post your answers to the Blackboard Questions (BBQs). As a reminder, when you post your answers to the BBQs, for each question you are required to submit three posts. The first should be a longer post—in a new “thread”—that thoroughly answers the question and demonstrates that you mastered the reading for that week. The second and third posts are shorter comments on your classmates’ posts.
  • “Gradebook” is where you can monitor your course grades.

If, at any point during the semester, you need technical assistance related to Blackboard contact:

Help Desk Central

Online Chat:

Phone: (254) 519-4266

Complete Course Calendar

Week One:Asian Philosophies and Religions

Objective: Identify the origins of ancient Asian societies

3/20:Listen to Week 1 Podcast

Read: Murphey, Introduction, Chapters 1-2

3/25:Quiz 1 (available 3/24, 12:30 a.m. to 3/25, 11:59 p.m.)

BBQs 1 due by 11:59 p.m.

Week Two:Traditional Societies in Asia

Objective: Examine why societies developed the way they did

3/27:Listen to Week 2 Podcast

Read: Murphey, Chapters 3-5

4/1:Quiz 2 (available 3/31, 12:30 a.m. to 4/1, 11:59 p.m.)

BBQs 2 due by 11:59 p.m.

Week Three:Medieval Civilizations of Asia

Objective: Debate the factors that led to the rise of medieval dynasties

4/3:Listen to Week 3 Podcast

Read: Murphey, Chapters 6-8

4/8:Quiz 3 (available 4/7, 12:30 a.m. to 4/8, 11:59 p.m.)

BBQs 3 due by 11:59 p.m.

Week Four:Asian Empires and Dynasties

Objective: Assess why Asian empires succeeded and failed

4/10:Listen to Week 4 Podcast

Read: Murphey, Chapters 9-11

4/15:Quiz 4 (available 4/14, 12:30 a.m. to 4/15, 11:59 p.m.)

BBQs 4 due by 11:59 p.m.

Week Five:The Arrival of the West

Objective: Evaluate how different societies dealt with the Western intruders

4/17:Listen to Week 5 Podcast

Read: Murphey, Chapters 12-14

4/22:Quiz 5 (available 4/21, 12:30 a.m. to 4/22, 11:59 p.m.)

BBQs 5 due by 11:59 p.m.

Week Six: Imperialism and Revolution in Asia

Objective: Critique the lasting impact that Western ways had on Asian societies

4/24:Listen to Week 6 Podcast

Read: Murphey, Chapters 15-17

4/29:Quiz 6 (available 4/28, 12:30 a.m. to 4/29, 11:59 p.m.)

BBQs 6 due by 11:59 p.m.

Week Seven:Asia and the Modern World

Objective: Explain how Asian societies established modern identities

5/1:Listen to Week 7 Podcast

Read: Murphey, Chapters 18-21

5/6:Quiz 7 (available 5/5, 12:30 a.m. to 5/6, 11:59 p.m.)

BBQs 7 due by 11:59 p.m.

Week Eight:Wrap-Up and Final Exam

Objective: Distinguish between modernity and tradition in Asian societies

5/8:Listen to Week 8 Podcast

5/13:Final Exam due by 11:59p.m. (by Microsoft Word email attachment to )

Drop Policy:

If you discover that you need to drop this class, you must go to the Records Office and ask for the necessary paperwork. Professors cannot drop students. This is always the responsibility of the student. The Records Office will provide a deadline by which the form must be returned, completed and signed. Once you return the signed form to the Records Office and wait 24 hours, you must go into Duck Trax and confirm that you are no longer enrolled. Should you still be enrolled, follow-up with the records officeimmediately. You are to attend class until the procedure is complete to avoid penalty for absence. Should you miss the deadline or fail to follow the procedure, you will receive an F in the course.

AcademicIntegrity:

Texas A&M University - Central Texas expects all students to maintain high standards of honor in personal and scholarly conduct. Any deviation from this expectation may result in a minimum of a failing grade for the assignment and potentially a failing grade for the course. All academic dishonesty concerns will be reported to the university's Office of Student Conduct. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work, plagiarism and improper citation of sources, using another student's work, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials. When in doubt on collaboration, citation, or any issue, please contact me before taking a course of action. More information can be found at

Disability Support Services:
If you have or believe you have a disability and wish toself-identify, you can do so by providing documentation to theDisability Support Coordinator. Students are encouraged to seekinformation about accommodations to help assure success in theircourses. Please call (254) 501-5836 or visit 212 Warrior Hall. Additional information can be found at

Tutoring:

Tutoring is available to all TAMUCT students, both on-campus and online. Subjects tutored include Accounting, Finance, Statistics, Mathematics, and Writing. Tutors are available at the Tutoring Center in 212 Warrior Hall. Visit click "Tutoring Support" for tutor schedules and contact info. If you have questions, need to schedule a tutoring session, or if you're interested in becoming a tutor, contact Academic Support Programs at 254-501-5836 or by emailing .

Chat live with a tutor 24/7 for almost any subject on your computer! Tutor.com is an online tutoring platform that enables TAMUCT students to log-in and receive FREE online tutoring and writing support. This tool provides tutoring in Mathematics, Writing, Career Writing, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Spanish, Calculus, and Statistics. To access Tutor.com,log into your Blackboard account and click "Online Tutoring."

University Writing Center:

The University Writing Center is a free workspace open to all TAMUCT students. The UWC is located in 416 Warrior Hall. Check the posted opening hours, which can vary each semester. Students may work independently in the UWC by checking out a laptop that runs Microsoft Office suite and connects to wifi, or by consulting our resources on writing, including all of the relevant style guides. Students may also arrange a one-on-one session with a trained and experienced writing tutor. Tutorials can be arranged by visiting the UWC. Tutors are prepared to help writers of all levels and abilities at any stage of the writing process. Sessions typically last between 20-30 minutes. While tutors will not write, edit, or grade papers, they will help students develop more effective invention and revision strategies.

Library Services:

Information literacy focuses on research skills which prepare individuals to live and work in an information-centered society. Librarians will work with students in the development of critical reasoning, ethical use of information, and the appropriate use of secondary research techniques. Help may include, yet is not limited to: exploration of information resources such as library collections and services, identification of subject databases and scholarly journals, and execution of effective search strategies. Library Resources are outlined and accessed at:

Instructor reserves the right to amend this syllabus at any time.

Extra Credit

You can earn up to 10% added on to your final course grade by watching selected films having to do with topics of Asian Civilizations and writing a film response about each film. Since there are a total of five films, each extra credit assignment is worth 2%. This assignment can be repeated five times, for a total of 10% in extra credit. The following are the films eligible for this assignment. The TAMUCT Library owns copies of each, and they are on reserve for the duration of our course:

  • Seven Samurai (Japan, 1954, 207 mins.)
  • Silsila (India, 1981, 182 mins.)
  • Rhapsody in August (USA, 1991, 98 mins.)
  • Indochine (France, 1992, 159 mins.)
  • Ashoka (India, 2001, 176 mins.)

To complete the assignment, go to the TAMUCT Library to view the film. Since the films are on reserve, you must watch them in the TAMUCT Library – either using a Library computer or your own. Make sure to bring headphones. Then, write a film response based on what you sawand how you reflected upon the themes presented in the film.

Questions you should consider when preparing your Film Responses:

  • What did you learn from the film that you did not already know?
  • How was the film related to what you read in our course readings?
  • How was the subject matter presented—lighthearted, dark, serious, etc.?
  • What were the values, opinions, and biases presented in the film, either overtly or more subtly?
  • Who were the heroes and the villains, and how were they presented?
  • What was the struggle or issue presented in the film, and how was it resolved?
  • Consider when, where, and by whom the film was produced—how do you think that affected the presentation of the themes depicted?
  • What do you think the filmmakers wanted viewers to remember about the film?
  • Did you enjoy the film? Why or why not?

A few other pointers:

  • The length should be a minimum of 500 words.
  • No bibliography or works cited page is necessary.
  • No outside sources are needed to complete this assignment, and no internet sources are permitted. Any papers based on internet sources will receive a zero.
  • Proofread carefully.
  • A standard font type, size, and margins should be used.

A few administrative notes:

  • Email completed Film Responses to as a Microsoft Word email attachment