Post Secondary Teaching and Learning - PSTL

Description:  This course addresses the major political, economic, social and diplomatic issues in early American History from a variety of multicultural perspectives. The historical roots of our cultural diversity, the effects of various cultures on our national development, the cultural contributions of our various citizens, and our shared struggle as a nation are examined by focusing on three themes: Creating the American People, Establishing the American Nation, and the Crisis of American Slavery. The assigned textbook and readings have been selected to provide the historical knowledge and multicultural perspectives to support the examination of those historical themes. Classroom simulations are used in the course to place the student in the role of a political or diplomatic decision maker. Documents providing multicultural perspectives are examined to stimulate class discussion while issues and events are discussed and critiqued from a variety of historical perspectives. The dynamic nature of history as a discipline will also be addressed.

Class Time: 50% Lecture, 10% Film/Video, 20% Discussion, 20% Small Group Activities.

Work Load: 25 pages reading per week, 4 pages writing per term, 5 exams, 1 papers.

Grade: 25% final exam, 25% reports/papers, 50% additional semester exams. Four semester exams each worth 50 points and each covering three chapters. Final exam has a 50 point section covering the last three chapters plus a long (50 point) essay focusing on the second half of the course.

Exam Format: Multiple choice worth 25 points and short essays worth 25 points. The final exam also has a long essay worth 50 points.

Instructor:  Ghere,David Lynn