UNST 421 EFFECTING CHANGE (Russian)

UNST 421 EFFECTING CHANGE (Russian)

Fall 2011

Instructor: Anna Yatsenko

E-mail:

Office phone: (503) 725-5282

Office: Neuberger Hall 313

Office hours: by appointment

Countries:Russia, the U.S.A.

Cities in Russia: St. Petersburg, Nizhnii Novgorod

Eligibility:Students should be enrolled in the PSU Russian Language Flagship Partner Program

Credits: 2 credits (St.Petersburg group); 6 credits (Nizhnii Novgorod group).

Language:Russian

Course Description: Intercultural competence is an important skill that one needs to acquire to be a successful and contributing member of modern global society. This course is the concluding component of the Portland State University Russian Language Flagship Partner Program that focuses on the preparation of global professionals. The course provides students the opportunity to explore working environments related to their professional interests particularly in Russia. While in Russia, students will participate in internships in different types of the organizations (internships setup through the Overseas Russian Flagship Program based in St. Petersburg State University and two state universities located in Nizhnii Novgorod). Discussions, reading, writing assignments, and final projects (all will be done in Russian) will be arranged to help students explore the meaning of cross-cultural communication and the position of the professions that students selected in the modern society. The final assignment will be a collective research project integrating students’ internship experiences and related to American-Russian cross-cultural communication. The projects are intended to serve both the Russian-speaking community in Portland and Russian language learners in the U.S.A.

Course Materials: The syllabus, course resources, and the tasks will be available and provided online in D2L. Students must have a PSU “odin” account to log in.

The course objectives address both course content and the Universities Studies’ goals: critical thinking, communication, respect for the diversity of human experience and social responsibility, and are as follows:

–to foster the ability to apply classroom knowledge and skills to real-world settings, to new and unusual life and working conditions;

–to encourage students to help build functional relationships within social-cultural differences between Russia and America and to identify the skills needed to make effective change in the relationship between the two countries;

–to developteamwork skills;

–to develop communication skills (orally and in writing);

–to enhance students understanding of Russian culture, as well as current social, political, economic and environmental issues in order to develop a comparative approach to the socio-cultural situation in Russia and America;

–to support students in achieving a superior level of fluency in Russian.

Course Outcomes: Students have to create a project that integrates students’ internship experience and relates to American-Russian cross-cultural communication; by the end of this course, the project has to be completed.

Community Partner (Internship Sites): The sites for internship are arranged through the Overseas Russian Flagship Program (St. Petersburg State University, Volgo-Viatskaia Academy of Government Service ( and Linguistics University of Nizhnii Novgorod ( Cooperating organizations are based in St. Petersburgand Nizhnii Novgorod and include Russian government institutions, businesses and NGO, Russian-American organizations. Russian language is the main language of operation.

Students with Disabilities:Students requiring accommodations for disabilities should contact the instructor during the first week of class. The instructor will work with the Disability Resource Center to arrange support (e-mail: ).

PSU Code of Conduct: Students are strongly encouraged to readthe Student Conduct Code( It details individual rights andresponsibilities as a student and as amember of the Portland StateCommunity.

Course Expectations: Since students will be enrolled in the Russian language overseas programs and the main venue for class commutation will be the online space it will be necessary to create between all parties of the course a positive, cooperative learning environment. Students must understand that the achievement of the course objectives and outcomes will require their active participation and a high level of responsibility. A cooperative approach to class work is the key component for this course’s success. Communication with the instructor, participation in online discussions and group activities, and completion of assignments should be done at scheduled time (note the 12 hour time difference between Portland and the western time zone of Russia).

Course Assignments: A grade in the course will be based on student work as an individual, and as a team/class member.

Grading:

Class participation – 20 points

Reflective writings (8 total, 5 points each)– 40 points

Reading summaries (8 total, 5 points each) – 40 points

Online discussion (question + summary – 10 points; answer – 10 points) – 80 points (10 points for leading discussion and 70 points for answers in other discussions)

Final project (Nizhnii Novgorod) / final essay (St.Petersburg) – 30 points

Portfolio – 40 points

Total: 250 points

The following grading scale will be used:

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A = 250 – 230 points

B = 225 – 205 points

C = 200 – 180 points

D = 175 – 155 point

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Class attendance (through the web) is an essential part of the course. It is important not to miss the scheduled dates/time for class-work.

Reflective writing (300 – 400 words):

Reflective writing is based on questions that are designed to help students think about their experience as time progresses and also to learn more about themselves as people having to deal with cross-cultural situations (See the questions for this activity at the end of the syllabus) . Directions for the reflections will be posted in D2L each week. Reflections will be due every Tuesday.

Grading rubrics for reflecting writing:

1)Text is well-organized and has less than 10 grammar mistakes – 10 points.

2)Text builds on other course components (reading, class discussion, internship) – 20 points.

3)Text demonstrates critical analysis and thoughtfulness – 20 points.

Reading summaries:

Reading material (relating to the cross-cultural issues) will be provided online in D2L (video material might be posted instead of readings). The sets of questions and directions for each reading (or video) will be posted online each week. Summaries will be due every Tuesday.

Grading for reading summaries:

Summary is complete – 10 points.

Online discussions:

Each student will lead oneonline discussionper term. A student posts a question, givesclassmates three days to answer, and then summarizes the answers and winds up discussion. The questions and responses should be posted online in D2L (Monday is the day for posting a question, and Friday is the day for posting a response summary). All should be done in Russian. There will be total 8 discussions.

Grading rubrics for online discussions:

1)Posting (question and response) is clear and substantial (you really have something to say) – 20 points.

2)Posting is original – 10 points.

3)Posting demonstrates connection with other course components (internship/life experience, readings, class discussions) – 20 points.

Final (class) project:

The goal of class project is to develop a product that will benefit both students and Russian-speaking/Russian-learning community and will promote positive change for the community. At the course beginning, students will be organized into small groups to take on certain responsibilities. Nearer to the course's end, the small groups will work together towards completing the project. During the course there will be Project Brainstorm, Project Decision Making and Project Progress Review sessions.

Grading rubrics for final project:

1)Brainstorming the idea – 5 points.

2)Effort during process – 25 points.

Portfolio:

This assignment helps students to reflect on their life and work experience. Portfolios will be due by the end of the term (final exams week). It should include

1)Portfolio summary (approximately 4 pages);

2)Reflective writings;

3)Final project or its description (including an explanation of project selection, planning, process, and project evaluation).

Portfolio summaries should provide a thoughtful reflection on the study and work experience over the course, and it should include the following components:

-Brief description of the internship organization (Niznii Novgorod group);

-The duties and responsibilities of your work (Niznii Novgorod group);

-The challenges or successes you faced in the internship; how did you react to them (Niznii Novgorod group);

-The greatest contribution, in your opinion, you made to your internship organization (Niznii Novgorod group);

-Connection between your study and work experiences (drawn from course readings, discussions, experience with the internship organization);

-The challenges or successes you come across when you worked on the course project side by side with your peers from PSU;

-Your final reflective thoughts: What did you learn from your experience in Russia? What from this experience differed from your academic and service experience in America? What surprised you? What was difficult? What would you do differently? What new questions did this experience raise for you?

Grading rubrics for portfolio:

1)Portfolio includes all required components – 20 points.

2)Portfolio summary provides a thoughtful reflection on study and work experience – 30 points.

Schedule: As this course is a pioneering effort, during the term the level of work and the assignments are subject to revision. Reading assignments (as well other possible items such as video clips, writing, and skill-building exercises) will be added as the course moves through the term.

Weekly Schedule

Week / Class Content / Assignment Due
Week 1 / Tuesday, September 27
CourseIntroduction: Review syllabus. Logistics.
Thursday, September 29
Discussion: Group work issues
Week 2 / Monday, October 3
Post# 1 question for online discussion
Summarize the answers and wind up discussion – Due Friday, Oct. 7
Tuesday, October 4
Intercultural communication
Due 9 p.m.: Reflection # 1
Thursday, October 6
Intercultural communication
Due 9 p.m.: Reading # 1
Week 3 / Monday, October 10
Post # 2 question for online discussion
Summarize the answers and wind up discussion – Due Friday, Oct. 14
Tuesday, October 11
Project Brainstorm
Due 9 p.m.: Reflection # 2
Thursday, October 13
Project Decision Making
Due 9 p.m.: Reading # 2
Week 4 / Monday, October 17
Post # 3 question for online discussion
Summarize the answers and wind up discussion – Due Friday, Oct. 21
Tuesday, October 18
Urgent social issues in modern Russia
Due 9 p.m.: Reflection # 3
Thursday, October 20
Urgent social issues in modern Russia
Due 9 p.m.: Reading # 3
Week 5 / Monday, October 24
Post # 4 question for online discussion
Summarize the answers and wind up discussion – Due Friday, Oct. 28
Tuesday, October 25
Urgent social issues in modern Russia
Due 9 p.m.: Reflection # 4
Thursday, October 27
Urgent social issues in modern Russia
Due 9 p.m.: Reading # 4
Week 6 / Monday, October 31
Post # 5 question for online discussion
Summarize the answers and wind up discussion – Due Friday, Nov. 4
Tuesday, November 1
Russian cultural values
Due 9 p.m.: Reflection # 5
Thursday, November 3
Project progress review
Due 9 p.m.: Reading # 5
Week 7 / Monday, November 7
Post # 6 question for online discussion
Summarize the answers and wind up discussion – Due Friday, Nov.11.
Tuesday, November 8
Russian style of communication at the workplace
Due 9 p.m.: Reflection # 6
Thursday, November 3
Russian style of communication at the workplace
Due 9 p.m.: Reading # 6
Week 8 / Monday, November 14
Post # 7 question for online discussion
Summarize the answers and wind up discussion – Due Friday, Nov.18.
Tuesday, November 15
Place of Internship in the Russian education system
Due 9 p.m.: Reflection # 7
Thursday, November 17
Project progress review
Due 9 p.m.: Reading # 7
Week 9 / Monday, November 21
Post # 8 question for online discussion
Summarize the answers and wind up discussion – Due Mond, Nov.28
Tuesday, November 22
Volunteering opportunities in Russia
Due 9 p.m.: Reflection # 8
Thursday, November 24 – Thanksgiving
No class
Week10 / Monday, November 28
Volunteering opportunities in Russia
Due 9 p.m.: Reading # 8
Tuesday, November 29
Project presentation – Nizhnii Novgorod group
Final essay (Reflection on one of the University Studies Goals) – St. Petersburg group
Thursday, November 30
Discussion: Class reflection and evaluation
Week11 / Tuesday, December 6
Portfolio Due

The questions for reflective writing:

The questions will be posted online in D2L each week. They will be written in Russian, and the writing should be done in Russian as well.

Entry # 1 (week 2): What does the notion of border mean for you? Describe a time when you have crossed a border (literally and figuratively) in your life. What happened? What challenges and successes did you experience? What did you learn from this?

Entry # 2 (week 3): What, in your opinion, preconceived expectations and notions might your Russian hosts have of you as a visitor from the U.S.A.? What can you do on your part to develop meaningful connections and relations with your internship partner?

Entry # 3 (week 4):To the best of your ability describe the Russians with whom you work, their lives, their views, and their goals in life. Include some personal reactions to the social and cultural environment in which you are working.

Entry # 4 (week 5): Would you agree with the following: "In modern society, socio-cultural differences are less important than the attitude toward these differences"? Explain your opinion.

Entry # 5 (week 6): How do the Russians with whom you work react to you? Provide some specific samples. How do their reactions make you feel? What stereotypes of Russian culture did your experience reinforce or negate?

Entry # 6 (week 7): How do you understand the saying: “When in Rome, do as Romans do” (Russians say: “Вчужоймонастырьсосвоимуставомнеходят” ~ you cannot to go to a foreign monastery with your own regulations)? Do you follow the rule that the saying proclaims? Is this saying important today? What has changed in the modern world?

Entry # 7 (week 8): After being in Russia for several weeks, what do you miss from American life (in everyday life, gender /social relations or in other spheres?). What would you like to see changed or different in Russia?

Entry # 8 (week 9): What did you learn from your work and study experience in Russia? Choose one (and only one) of the University Studies goals and write how your understanding of this goal has deepened as a result of this experience (critical thinking, communication, respect for the diversity of human experience and social responsibility).

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