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The Vietnam War: A Television
History
HST 195 - 3 credits - CRN 32212
Winter Term 2007
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Lane Community College
4000 East 30th Avenue
Eugene, OR 97405
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PLEASE NOTE
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The course syllabus is a contract between
instructor and student. It is the student's responsibility to
read, understand, and comply with every academic requirement listed
herein. Contact the instructor directly if you have any questions
regarding the information in this syllabus or the course in general.
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Special Codes "OHm"
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NOTE "OHm" in the LCC Class Schedule -
O...Some Distance Learning courses have orientations. See http://www.lanecc.edu/distance.
There is NO face-to-face orientation for this course. An internet audio orientation is available on the class website. Login to http://moodle.lanecc.edu to access class materials
H...Students must be willing to use (not necessarily own) a computer to participate in this class.
This is an online course.
You will have to use an internet connected computer to
participate. Although you don't have to own your own computer, it
would certainly be more convenient.
Students will use an internet-capable computer to:
- Send messages to the instructor
- Post comments to the class forums
- Turn in written assignments
- Complete proctored exams in an approved LCC Computer Testing Lab (CEN456)
Enrolled students will be able to
checkout the entire set of videotapes for the course to keep during the
11 week term. Although you will discover that there is a DVD set
of this series available, footage from of the original video tapes has
been deleted. The video cassettes available to students include
all 13 episodes, which amount to 780 minutes. The newly edited DVD
version has only 660 minutes. That is 2 hours of information you
will be missing if you view the DVD's only. You will be responsible for
knowing the entire 780 minutes worth of material.
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| Instructional
Department |
Social Science Department - http://www.lanecc.edu/socsci
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| Are Distance Learning Courses for You? |
Recommended Links for Students:
• Online Learning Assessment - Are Online Classes Right for Me?
http://cf.linnbenton.edu/disted/de_survey.cfm
• 25 Survival Tips
http://www.kctcs.edu/distancelearning/surviving.htm |
Distance Learning Department
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http://www.lanecc.edu/distance |
| Instructor Information |
Joe Escobar
website - http://teach.lanecc.edu/escobarj
escobarj@lanecc.edu
Office - Center Building, 4th Floor, 419J
(541) 463-5581
Office Hours - by appointment
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| Required
Texts |
- Vietnam: A History
by Stanley Karnow
Published 1997
# ISBN: 0140265473
ISBN-13: 9780140265477
Format: Paperback, 784pp
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) - $15 new or $7 used (shipping additional) from Amazon.com
- Patriots: The Vietnam War Remembered from All Sides
by Christian G. Appy
Published 2004
# ISBN: 0142004499
ISBN-13: 9780142004494
Format: Paperback, 574pp
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) - $11 new or $4 used (shipping additional) from Amazon.com
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| Course
Description |
Called by the New York Times "one of the most
ambitious
public affairs projects in the history of public television",
Vietnam: A Television History is the first comprehensive effort to
present thte full chronology of the conflict (1945-1975), to explore
the varied experiences and perspectives of all the major parties
involved, and to put the war into historical perspective for the
American public. (From the Preface in the Telecourse
Manual)
This Telecourse is an integrated instructional program consisting of
a thirteen (hour-long) episode video series, two
examinations, and various written assignments. In addition
to the videos, students are required to read 2 textbooks.
(784, and 574 pages respectively) |
| Course Learning
Objectives |
Upon completion of this course, students should:
- Grasp the political, social, and economic realities of the
Vietnam War.
- Know the chronology of the key events in the Vietnam War.
- Appreciate that the Vietnam War was a milestone in American
history that has shaped the American character and helped to change
political, economic, military, and social institutions.
- Realize that the Vietnam War left numerous issues
unresolved, many which will continue to challenge this nation and
the world into the 21st century.
- Comprehend the war and its aftermath from multiple
perspectives, from hawk to dove, American to Vietnamese, soldier to
civilian.
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VERY
IMPORTANT
INFORMATION
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Deadlines are sacred in this course.
No late work is accepted. All assignments
(including optional extra credit opportunities) are due, for all students, by the due dates and times listed in this syllabus and course website. Since all
assignments
are turned in via the internet, students will have to plan accordingly.
No make up exams are given. Students will have a 4 or 5
day
period of time during which they must complete the midterm and final
exams. These dates and times are listed below.
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| Instructor
Contact |
I am accessible via Moodle messaging, email, voicemail, or in person
at scheduled appointments. Moodle messaging is the preferred method since I
check the course multiple times each day, weekends included. Since this
is an online course, I encourage you to utilize this technology.
LCC requires that all students provide an
email
address to the college. You should be certain that your email address
in ExpressLane/Moodle is correct. If you do not have an email address,
contact the student help desk (the SHeD) in 4/201, shed@lanecc.edu,
463-3333 and they will show you how to get one at no cost to you.
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| Grading Criteria |
Grades
Your grade in this course will be based on points according to the following breakdown and scale:
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Journal 4 entries @ 25 points each = 100 pts
Forum Posts 5 @ 20 points each = 100 pts
Midterm Exam = 100 pts
Final Exam = 100 pts
TOTAL 400 points
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Letter Grades will be as follows:
A+ 100% (400 or more)
A 93% (372 -399)
A- 90% 360-371)
B+ 87% (348-359)
B 83% (332-347)
B- 80% (320-331)
C+ 77% (308-319)
C 73% (292-307)
C- 70% (280-291)
D+ 67% (268-279)
D 63% (252-267)
D- 60% (240-251)
F <60% (<=239)
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Pass/No Pass
Some students will be able to take the class for a Pass/No
Pass grade. This option will not positively or negatively affect
your GPA. Check with your counselor to see of this option will
work for your own academic situation. You have until the end of
the
8th week of the term to change from a grade to a Pass/No Pass option,
or
to drop the course altogether, without it ever appearing on your
transcripts. Of course, full tuition refunds only apply to those
students who drop classes before the end of the FIRST week of the term.
Getting Your Grades
Students grades will be available in Moodle. |
| Exams |
Students will take two non-comprehensive exams which will only be administered by computer at approved testing locations. You will NOT take your exams at home from your own computers. This requirement may cause some of you to have to make special arrangments to come to campus. Read on.
The objective exams consist of multiple choice questions,
true/false, matching, maps, etc. Each objective exam will have
between 50 and 100 questions. Most students will complete an exam in
one hour, although you may have as much time as you need. Exams must
be completed by 5:00 pm on the last testing day. You will have
a 3 or 4 day window in which to take each exam. See below for deadlines. There are no make-up exams.
The actual exams must be taken on LCC's Main Campus in CEN456,
the Social Science Computer Testing Lab. Be sure to bring a photo ID
with you on exam day.
IMPORTANT - Exams may also be taken in the LCC Outreach
Centers in Florence or Cottage Grove. Students will need to contact
the learning center coordinator at least one week in advance of
their exam. Hours of operation vary from location
to location. The exam deadlines are absolute.
VERY IMPORTANT - I realize some students may be taking this class from outside the Willamette Valley in Oregon. If this is the case, be certain to contact the instructor AND the LCC Distance Learning Department immediately to make arrangements for a proctored test at a remote site. Again, the exam deadlines are absolute, no matter where you live.
To familiarize yourself with the testing
system, you are encouraged take a sample practice test, from any
computer connected to the internet, by clicking the Practice Exam link.
Before each exam, a study guide will be posted on the
Moodle website under the Handouts link. I will post a class
announcement (and you should receive an email notification) when this
review list has
been added to the class Handouts section.
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Journal Assignment
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Students will write four (4) entries in an ongoing journal during the
course of the term. These will be based on the Patriots text by Christian Appy.
Each entry will occur after a different series of readings and will have a unique prompt. Students will complete an entry approximately once every two weeks. See the list of deadlines below.
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Forum Posts and Replies
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Students will post a number of comments and constructive replies to other students in five different forums. These posts will require students to in incorporate textbook and video
information into their responses and answer ALL questions and
sub-questions (in an integrated manner) to receive a decent grade. Each entry will occur after a different series of videos and textbook chapters and will
have a unique prompt. Students will complete an entry approximately
once every two weeks. See the list of deadlines below. |
A Note On Students and Written Assignments
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The most difficult task required of any instructor is that of
grading student writing. Although the purpose of these journal and forum assignments is not to
grade based on spelling and grammar, problems in these areas can
only detract from the readability and enjoyment of the information presented, not to
mention the lack of care or proofreading they illustrate. You do not
want me to be proofreading your journal entries and forum posts. You
want me (and in the case of forum posts, other students) to be reading
your best work and best effort. Therefore, I urge you to seek
assistance if writing is not one of your strengths. For more help,
other than your instructor, you should contact the Counseling/Advising
Center, the Study Skills Learning Center, The
Writing Center, the English Department, and/or the Library staff.
Combined, these assignments are one half of your grade in
this class (50%), more than each individual exams. Consider what you are
required to do in order to adequately prepare for just one of these
exams, such as reading hundreds of pages of text and watching several
hours of video. This should give you an indication of the effort I am
looking for in these assignments.
In summary:
- Proofread your writing
- Do not plagiarize. Violators will be punished to the fullest extent of LCC's academic honesty code
IMPORTANT - Students will have nearly two weeks to complete each writing;
therefore, no late assignments will be accepted. See the list of deadlines below. |
| Extra Credit |
A failing student cannot pass the course by doing extra
credit
work. Extra credit may ONLY increase a single exam by one letter grade.
This may have an influence on a borderline final class grade.
For example, students may use extra credit to go from a D+ to a C- or
from a B+ to an A-. Students interested in extra credit may complete ONE
glossary term each week. See the class website in Moodle for more information. |
| Environment for
View Video Tapes |
- Videos are available for term-long loan from the LCC
Library.
- You may also view the videos while at the library in their
media section. Check with the Reference Desk in the Library for
additional information
All videos must be viewed thoughtfully and critically. You may
find yourself pausing the videos and rewinding in certain places to
hear and see something again. You may consider watching them a number
of times. Do not expect that a casual viewing of the tapes will
prepare you for the expectations of this course.
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| Withdrawal
Procedure |
The last day to receive a tuition refund is by the end of the FIRST week of the term. The last day to make any schedule changes (grade, pass/no
pass,
drop) is the end of the 8th week of the term. This includes changing from a
grade
to a pass/no pass option or dropping the class without it appearing on
your transcript.
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| Students With
Disabilities |
If you need support or assistance because of a disability, you may be eligible for academic accommodations through Disability Services. For more information, contact Disability Services at (541) 463-5150 (voice) or 463-3079 (TTY), or stop by Building 1, Room 218. |
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List of Deadlines
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Week 1
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Listen to the Class Orientation (audio file in Moodle)
Patriots Journal entry due by 5pm, Saturday, January 13
LAST DAY FOR FULL TUITION REFUND - End of Week 1
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Week 2
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Episode 2 Forum post due by 5pm, Wednesday, January 17
All forum replies are due by 5pm, Saturday, January 20
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Week 3
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Patriots Journal entry due by 5pm, Saturday, January 27 |
Week 4
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Episode 4 Forum post due by 5pm, Wednesday, January 31
All forum replies are due by 5pm, Saturday, February 3 |
Week 5
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Midterm Exam
Start 9am Wednesday, February 7
Due by 5pm, Friday, February 9
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Week 6
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Episode 6 Forum post due by 5pm, Wednesday, February 14
All forum replies are due by 5pm, Saturday, February 17 |
Week 7
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Patriots Journal entry due by 5pm, Saturday, February 24 |
Week 8
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Episode 7 Forum post due by 5pm, Wednesday, February 28
All forum replies are due by 5pm, Saturday, March 3
LAST DAY FOR SCHEDULE CHANGES - End of Week 8
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Week 9
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Patriots Journal entry due by 5pm, Saturday, March 10 |
Week 10
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Episode 12 & 13 Forum post due by 5pm, Wednesday, March 14
All forum replies are due by 5pm, Saturday, March 17 |
Finals
Week
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Final Exam
Start 9am Monday, March 19
Due by 5pm, THURSDAY, March 22 |
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Moodle Docs for this page