Course Syllabus

CSP 105 Reading & Writing Seminar “Insiders/Outsiders” SYLLABUS

CSP / University of Michigan

Dr. Michael L. Naylor / Email: mailto:mnayl@umich.edu

Class Day/Time: M/W 2-4 p.m.     Class Room: Remote     Course Number: CSP 105-001

Office Hrs.: M 1–2 AND 4-5 p.m. / Wed’s: 1-4p.m. (and Fri’s arranged)  

ZOOM Meeting ID: 996 5060 9607 / https://umich.zoom.us/j/99650609607

"People of different religions & cultures live side by side in almost every part of the world, and most of us have overlapping identities which unite us with very different groups. We can love what we are, without hating what – and who... we are not. We can thrive in our own tradition, even as we learn from others, and come to respect their teachings." —Kofi Annan, Former Secretary-General of the United Nations

Overview:

“Insiders/Outsiders” Reading and Writing Seminar examines both the perspectives of those within and exterior to racial and ethnic cultural groups, where we may find ourselves on the cultural competency continuum (based on experiences, education, and exposures), and the causes and effects of historically evolved hierarchies of discrimination, culture biases, racism, privilege and ethnic/religious/gender identity definition in a pluralistic society (today ALL societies are largely pluralistic, but a large focus will be on that of America).

• Course readings include scholarly and literary writings and media as determined relevant to nurture student cultural competency, including (but not limited to): Native American/Indigenous, African/African American, Latino/Latina, Arabic/Middle Eastern, Jewish/Romani & intersectional demographics and orientations including: religion, gender, LGBTQ and ability diversity.
• Students will read (view/observe/listen) and write (actual or in creative Media) through an assortment of expressive activities, including: Academic discourse (scholarly and non-scholarly research-based writing and documentary film/TedTalks), and Literary: (fiction prose, short stories, poetry, song lyrics and spoken word, films, and creative videos etc.), increasing the capacity to engage and share experiences in the most diverse and controversial settings, with thoughtfulness and dignity.

This course meets the LS&A Race & Ethnicity and Humanities requirements.

PRIMARY Course Outcomes:

Increasing Cultural Competency & Proficiency: Recognizing &"healing" implicit biases and evaluating information, based on cultural self-determination. Since the entire course evolves around you both “knowing yourself” (in what way you are an “Insider”) as well as where your experiences and knowledge fall on the cultural literacy or competency continuum to others (“Outsiders”), the key to success in this course will reside in the student’s willingness and motivation to grow and expand their respect for others (on their terms) giving all cultures/identities the right of self-determination. 

• Students will examine ways by which racial and ethnic identities, hierarchies, and histories affect communities, educational institutions, families, and interpersonal relationships.
• This seminar will also encourage the student to examine their own position on the cultural competency continuum and how they might increase their experiences and knowledge in the interest of moving ever-further towards cultural literacy or proficiency in order to become more “globally literate”.
• We will develop the necessary mind and skill-sets to embrace, recognize and overcome biases (implicit & explicit) This includes minimally: Racial/Cultural/Ethnic, Assumptions of Intelligence/literacy, Generational/Age, Religious/Purpose Identity, Historical evolution of Morality/Values/Purpose, Gender/Sexual, Ability, and Wealth/Poverty.

Learning over time: BUILDING QUALITY WORK – over the WHOLE SEMESTER (and carrying it beyond the class…)

Another course goal is to encourage you to BUILD quality and lasting contributions to the world in the manner by which you work over the course of the semester.

• We encourage you to do ALL work for beyond the classroom. This includes creating  your own bibliographic/citation-ready support (for use throughout your career), writing personally motivated reflections (scholarly and literary) in response to the readings or media, with the goal: to put something into the world that has value, insight, merit, and worth -- motivated not by the grade, the credit, or academic outcome (exam, paper, etc.), but by your genuine concern for justice/equity and creating something of value… increasingly sensitive and “proficient” to the topic or culture being addressed. 

GROUP &/or FINAL PROJECT for Beyond the Class: Pay it FORWARD

• Immersion Learning (learning by immersing ourselves in other cultures or in diverse groups on their terms) and creating scholarly or refined “writing” or informed, expressive projects, will be done both individually and in a group setting. In groups, we will practice the skillsets of competency by working with those who differ in their backgrounds to create well-thought-out and supported work, using the sum of the group’s academic and creative abilities (maximizing group/community efficacy to tell a story or put something of value "into" the world).

Required Texts: ALL Readings will be PDF articles located in Canvas: SEE LIST in Canvas Files  - Students will need access to Internet for YouTube videos or to access films through Netflix of Xfinity.

Students may choose to  purchase or check out (from Library):

Films: Outside Class  -- Note: ALL film nights – will be determined by class consensus.  Film viewing and discussion will be given credit based on attendance and discussion participation. NOTE: This list MAY change as we solicit more insights and ideas from students and faculty in each culture group.

Optional: (Extra Credit: 2-5 pts. based on participation)  ANYONE may sponsor a film night for class and friends – for extra credit.

Chocolat, a tale of community, bias, and courage -Roma "outsiders"- 2 hrs.

Bend it like Beckham, a cross-cultural comedy/drama of fusion and conflict depicting a Punjabi Sikh’s family living in West London - 1 hr. 52 min.;

Straight Outa Compton, bio of NWA and the fight for freedom and honestly of expression – 2 hrs.27 minutes OR Blackkklansman – a Spike Lee film that highlights the abuse of racism as undercover police infiltrate the klan– 2 hrs. 15 min.’s or UNLIKELY a film about the urgent need for change in Higher Education…2 hrs.

The Kite Runner, based on the novel by Khaled Hosseini - 2 hrs. 8 min’s

Spirit Game, documentary about Native Nation La Crosse in the International Competitions - 1hr. 55 min’s

Course Requirements/Assignments: INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION: 45 pts.

• Attendance & Participation: (including: required office hour and advisor visit during the semester) 15pts at Midterm / 25 pts Final = 40 pts. + 5 pt. final assessment: 45 pts.
• Attendance/Participation includes: class attendance (on time), submission of all work (on time), and a "growth/learning" mindset as applies to all class and group work (being present & respectful: no texting or use of computers during class, respectful language, etc.  Points will be deducted per incident/missed class or tardy/late attendance or work (unless excused);
• Office Hr./Advisor meeting/ and GROUP MEETINGS: You MUST schedule at least THREE 20 minute Individual office hrs. (min.) with your instructor AND (TWO with your advisor (AND (min.) TWO 20-30 minute GROUP Discussions.  MORE are invited – this is the minimum for participation credit. My email: mnayl@umich.edu
• On-GOING: Throughout the semester – you will be asked to “extract” the most important / relevant content/quotes and citation material – as may be used by you throughout your career:
• Mid-Term: Create an Annotated Bibliography/Journal: this is the way you collect bib. Info, citations, and ideas for use later in your degree, career, or life.  See: 0-Naylor “Seeing the end…” (20 pts – see below) Note: [if students do NOT score 16 pts. or better, they must resubmit their Bibliography at end of semester with improvements]
• In-Class Presentations: Each person will be placed in a groups.  Collectively you may be asked to lead class discussions with your observations.  The goals: learn to develop working communities, practice empathetic and equitable consultation, and negotiate presentations with others (those different from you).
• FINAL Class Reflection Post: Canvas = 5 pts. Each individual will submit an individual class and project reflection report.  This report is an account of the struggles, challenges and how you coped with each, and individual/group processes,  and overall how you felt about what you learned in the class and group project process. We are also looking for ways we can improve or diversity our instruction on these critical topics.   Submitted on Canvas.

CLASS WORK/ASSIGNMENTS:  325 pts

• “Reaction” Essays, Talks, or Discussion Boards (to class readings & discussions) multiple diverse Writing Projects in addition to In-Class presentations, your Mid-term Paper and your FINAL Group Project will be required
• Reading assessment (“Quizzes”) these are simple assessments on key points – just to check  your concentration and comprehension--- with the goal: to use the ideas later in your life… 10 pts. each X 5 = 50 PTS.
• Reading-Writing assignments will include:

• SIX reflective (citation supported) Discussion Boards (20 pts. ea. = 120 pts),
• TWO Reflective Narrative - Podcast or NPR - 1-2 page written narrative transferred to mp3 Audio-recorded Stories with Group “partner” (25 pts ea. = 50 pts.),
• ONE Scholarly Research “Flow/Plan” Writing Proposal (1-2 pages abstract, main points, quotes/citation support, and “what’s next” – conclusion/proposal) (20 pts), Note: leads to Midterm Research Paper/Production
• ONE Research Project: Option 1: 4-5 pg. paper, OR 10-15 minute Video Recorded Presentations: Option 2: Ted Talk or Option 3: 10-15 minute Narrated PowerPoint Pts: 25 pts (extra credit: if quality meets CSP YouTube or publication standards)

• ONE Annotated Bibliography “Complete Class” (readings/class discussions and research) Submission: Collected quotes, statistics, and extractions in Journal / Bibliography Including: Class notes and Quotes/citations from Readings/Films and research  (20 pts),
• General: Submission: ALL assignments will be posted on Canvas. 
• Reading Depth: your “reading” (concentrated observation of text/media) will be evaluated in three formats: 1) Your Journal/Bibliography: maintained throughout the class for use beyond the class, 2) In-class presentations and Discussions: your ability to engage the topics with support orally/visually in class (individually and in groups) and 3) as support for ALL of the Writing projects above.

GROUP PROJECT (All Phases): 40 pts.

Group Projects are built through the entire semester as follows: a) Group class discussions and “break out” (designed to get you working as group and build trust and friendships with your group members; b) Individual research (group discussions, data base research, discussion board, & individual midterm paper); c) Collaboration on full resources/talents in group – creation of project plan, and d) completion of group process stages:

• Stage 1 Planning: 5 pts.  Include: 1) What will be your end-product (A. Documentary style film with interviews, B. audio narrative with images & interviews, or C. Narrated and recorded (video edited) PowerPoint recording with video interviews.  Includes: 1) UofM community resources (‘experts’) for video interviews) 2) What roles/responsibilities each student will assume (try to divide efforts “nearly” equally), 3) Target dates, meeting day/times, due dates for each phase, Submitted on Canvas - 1 per group
• Stage 2 Template (Script): 10 pts After completing the Project Plan and interview recording, each group will complete a production Template  or script with intro, segue and closing narratives, including: scripted transition narratives, location of images, music, etc), and a list of ALL research/quotes/statistics, as well as proposed creative ideas [use of music, B-roll images/animations, etc,] A schedule of all group production meetings: to complete production (using dates/class times as guides), roles and responsibilities of each group member, is essential – ONE  per Group.
• Stage 3: Final Group Presentation: 25 pts Final presentation of Group project to CSP/College, including a planned and well-presented demonstration of all stages of the project process. Oral Presentation (Summary: individual research, group evolution of topic/project, roles, acknowledgement of “experts” and presentation of final work for CSP/University (Optional: to be posted on YouTube/CSP web platform).

 

Grading - Total Points: 370 pts                    

Grades will be posted in CANVAS.  Point to % Grade Conversions (Canvas automatically converts scores to % and grades).  Follow them through the semester… but know: you will get a good grade if you do “good work” – that simple.  Standard grading by % in University is as follows:

Grade Distribution
A+ A	97-100% 93-97%	B	83-86%	C	73-76%	D	63-66%
A-	90-92%	B-	80-82%	C-	70-72%	D-	60-62%
B+	87-89%	C+	77-79%	D+	67-69%

   

Grades: try not to let these be acceptable to you: B- = 80%, C+ = 77%, C =74%, C- =70%

[Consider: ALL grades the result of “ mindset” and effort (grit) -- NOT your talent / abilities or teachers]

Follow your grading percentages in Canvas as you go, stay in touch with your instructor and advisor, and use office hours EARLY if you have any concerns or questions. Grading note: work for YOU and for growth & GRADES will follow!