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Page Description

The following page is a three column layout with a header that contains a quicklinks jump menu and the search CSUN function. Page sections are identified with headers. The footer contains update, contact and emergency information.

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Contact Information

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Prof Pat Swenson

Sierra Tower 812

Phone: 818.677.3410

Office Hours: Tuesday 12:30pm-1:30pm

Campus Email: pat.swenson@csun.edu

ProfPat's Main Page

ProfPat's Education Links

Please "like" my new book on Facebook!



Course Links


Course Assignments

Lectures

Major Assignments
(To be posted on Turnitin)


Accessibility

It is the policy of the CSU to make information technology resources and services accessible to all CSU students, faculty, staff and the general public regardless of disability. The California State University System is undertaking an unprecedented and coordinated effort to bring the CSU into compliance with federal and state laws pertaining to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Under Section 508, agencies must give disabled employees and members of the public access to information that is comparable to the access available to others.

Students concerned with accessibility to digital course materials should contact the Center on Disabilities (COD) for assistance.

Required Materials

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1. MORE STORIES WE TELL: THE BEST CONTEMPORARY SHORT STORIES BY AMERICAN WOMEN

by Wendy Martin, Editor

2. RED BIRD: POEMS

by Mary Oliver

3. ROSE

by Li-Young Lee

4. THE LARAMIE PROJECT

A Film by Moises Kaufman (2001)

5. HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE

by J.K. Rowling

6. THE PIANO LESSON

by August Wilson


Course Policies

Late Work

Please post your responses by the due dates in our schedule. Since this online class is "time arranged," you may post your work early, but remember to re-visit the whole-class forums to read/respond to your peers. Please note that late posts will be marked down one full grade per week. You will not receive credit for assignments posted more than 3 weeks late.

Grading

Your final grade will be determined as follows:

1. Response to Anthology Stories & Online Poems: 25%

2. Red Bird Analysis: 15%

3. Rose Poetry Analysis: 15%

4. Sorcerer's Stone Analysis: 15%

5. Laramie Project Film Analysis: 15%

6. Piano Lesson Analysis: 15%

NOTE: Whole-class forum postings will be graded 'A' for effort and thoughtfulness. Please leave yourself enough time to read and respond to your peers. You will receive a letter grade for each assignment posted on our Turnitin page.

Note that each Whole-Class Forum has its own question and posting instructions - please click on the discussion link listed on our Moodle page. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me.

Academic Dishonesty

According to the CSUN catalogue, plagiarism is the act of “intentionally or knowingly representing the words, ideas, or works of another as one’s own in any academic exercise,” and will result in a failing grade for the assignment. In addition, it may result in a failing grade for the course and disciplinary action on the part of the university. Internet software is available to assist CSUN faculty to scan student writing. ALL student assignments will be scanned for plagiarism.

Please adhere to the CSUN Student Conduct Code for all course activities, including email, forum and chat discussions, and written and oral analyses.

Course Description & Requirements

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English 300OL - Contemporary Literature - Spring 2013

Course Number: 13125

Online - Time Arranged



Course Prerequisites:

Completion of the lower-division writing requirement and upper division standing. Not allowed for credit in the English major and minor.


Enrollment Procedures

CSUN regularly enrolled students register for online courses in the same manner as they register for any course. If you wish to add the course after the semester begins, you must email the course Professor for a permission number.

Students from other CSU Campuses who wish to enroll, must submit the Concurrent Enrollment Form to their home Campus. Anyone in the world may take the Online Courses through CSUN's Open University!


Student Learning Objectives

During the semester, you will learn to:

1. identify the elements of fiction, poetry, and drama (film);

2. trace different attitudes as seen in literature during the contemporary period;

3. evaluate style and thematic ideas;

4. discuss theoretical approaches to literature;

5. successfully navigate the Internet;

6. engage in asynchronous (bulletin board forum) discussions.


Course Requirements

Welcome to English 300OL, an upper division general education course in Contemporary Literature! In this discussion-based course, we will study and analyze selected major works of fiction, poetry, and drama and major authors since approximately the end of World War II in England and America.

NOTE: This class will NOT meet live; All homework must be completed by midngiht EVERY Saturday. Please disregard the class time listed on the Portal!

Since this is mostly a discussion class, the success of this course depends on active participation. We will apply "Reader Response Theory" to all forum discussions. In other words, I want to hear how you, the reader, interact with the readings. All thoughtful opinions and insights are valued and welcomed -- just be prepared to explain your theories!

NOTE: CSUN's GE Upper Division Writing Policy states that all upper-division required GE courses be designated writing-intensive. In each such course, students will be required to complete writing assignments totaling a minimum of 2,500 words. To fulfill the GE Upper Division Writing Policy, you will be required to post responses to our readings in a variety of ways.


Technical Requirements

Students will need to have access to the Internet - either Microsoft Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, or Safari - and an active CSUN email account to access the Moodle system. To activate your CSUN e-mail address or reset its password use the account utility page.

Can't login? If you see the main Moodle login screen repeatedly, despite entering a valid e-mail address and password, then you may need to enable cookies in your web browser's options or preferences area. Moodle requires access to cookies and will not allow a successful log-in until and unless your web browser has them enabled.

Instructions will be provided for all computer activities; you may visit CSUN's IT for Students site for information on technical requirements and applications. CSUN also provides information on computer resources and availability. Please be familiar with CSUN's online applications, particularly Moodle, prior to our first meeting.

NOTE: Please install Java before using Moodle!!! Because of a legal dispute between Microsoft and Sun, recent versions of Internet Explorer / Windows do not come bundled with Java, a program that Moodle relies on. If you try to use a Java-based program and Java has not been installed on your system, you will see a message indicating that you need to download "JAVA Virtual Machine." You may download and install Java directly from Sun at http://www.java.com/en/index.jsp (click the big yellow Get It Now button on that page). Follow the directions for installation, closing your web browser and/or restarting your system as it suggests. Once Java has been installed you should encounter no further trouble with Moodle.