Office: Kruegel 322
Office phone: (33)5-1151 E-mail: psmith@wsu.edu
Course Objectives/Approaches:
My version of the course emphasizes creating a memorable history of
the last 500 years by encouraging students to personalize and
customize the material of the course, focusing on their individual
interests and linking these to larger themes that I have developed to
present information. The sections are limited to 50 to encourage
discussion and interaction with the material. This approach downplays
memorization of a standardized list of names, dates, and terms, but
requires that students take the initative in developing their own
version of the course, which would include their own set of important
ideas, names, dates, terms, etc. There is constant use of multimedia
presenting art, music, architecture, food, etc.
Texts: Duiker & Spielvogel, World History, vol. 2 (comprehensive edition) Brians, et al. (eds.), Reading about the World, vol. 2
Assignments:
The major components of the course are two exams that consist of two
essay questions, chosen by the student from a selection of five or
so, and a research project instead of a final. The project is kind of
journal in which the student proposes a topic that could be taught in
class, and compiles a list of sources necessary to present the topic,
which must be linked to a current international news story. There are
also map quizzes, reading responses and quizzes, and a short paper
discussing a live performance, lecture, or museum exhibit.
Grading procedures:
EXAMS: 25 + 25 = 50 points
MAP QUIZZES (average score) 10 points
READING, etc. QUIZZES AND READING RESPONSES (worst score thrown out,
average score of those remaining) 10 points
CULTURAL ASSIGNMENT 10 points
RESEARCH PROJECT 20 points