Frames Fall 2004 IDS 2202-116: MWF 1:00-2:50, LLR 421 Humanities / CD Dr. Derek Stanovsky Office: LLA 125  Office Phone: 262-2441 Office Hours: MWF 12:00-2:00, TR 10:45-11:30 and by appointment E-mail: stanovskydj@appstate.edu Home page: www.appstate.edu/~stanovskydj

Course Description:
Frames asks students to fit together and build on the elements from their first year of courses in Watauga College, and to produce and present collaboratively an original project reflecting these studies to the students, faculty, and staff of Watauga College. The course begins from the Watauga 100 list developed during the students' first year in Watauga College and frames, explores, integrates, connects, and pursues issues and elements on this list. Faculty help frame these elements through selected readings, guided discussion, and focused research. Students then work at developing and producing an original project, performance, publication, or other event. These projects are then presented to the entire College at the end of the semester and may take the form of a theatrical production, literary magazine, service-learning event, community research project, experiential education, travel opportunity, video, fine art, landscape design, Web project, or some other type of performance, publication, or event. Frames emphasizes creative, independent, and collaborative learning; explores performative communication; and develops skills in research and creative synthesis. Frames classes typically meet MWF 2:00-2:50 but includes 1:00-1:50 for Common Time. This section of Frames will be facilitated by Dr. Derek Stanovsky and students will receive Humanities and Cross-Disciplinary credit. Derek Stanovsky is a philosopher whose interests include political philosophy, computer technology, and feminist theory, and his writings cover topics ranging from Virtual Reality and Marxism, to African music and Princess Diana. He is also the Director of the new Internet Studies program at ASU, a member of the Women's Studies faculty and, in addition to teaching in Watauga College, regularly offers courses on Internet Studies and Marxism. Together, and combined with the interests, talents, and knowledge of the students in the class, we will creatively explore and connect the diverse facts, people, places, and events collected in our 2003-2004 Watauga 100 culminating in the design, implementation, and presentation of a project, performance, or event emerging from our explorations.

Textbooks:
Our principle text for this class will be the 2003-2004 Watauga 100. This list will be supplemented with additional readings as needed.

Course Requirements:
The most important requirements for this course are regular class attendance, and your active and creative participation. Keeping this in mind, the formal grading requirements are:

Class Participation 25%
Quizzes / Papers 25%
Common Time Events  25%
Final Class Project 25%

Two absences are allowed during the semester. Each additional absence will lower your class participation grade by one letter grade. More than six absences and/or failure to complete any of the graded assignments are grounds for failing the course.

There will be periodic quizzes and papers leading up to the final project.

You will be asked to find creative ways to make information available about selected items from the Watauga 100 to the rest of Watauga College. These may take place during Common Time or be staged in other ways as appropriate. Our class is responsible for publicizing at least some of the following items: 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34, 37, 40, 43, 46, 49, 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, 76, 79, 82, 85, 88, 91, 94, 97, 100.

The final class project will be be a substantial semester long group projects of your own devising. It must be ready to be presented to the College by December 1.

More information on these assignments will be handed out later in the semester. 

With regard to all assignments for this course, you are expected to know and follow the current ASU code of academic integrity.

Tentative Course Schedule and Dates to Remember:
This class will typically meet MWF 2:00-2:50. However, some of our class meetings will take place during Common Time from 1:00-1:50. Whenever this happens, a corresponding number of our 2:00-2:50 meeting times will be canceled (often our Friday classes). The Common Time class meetings will be announced in class, but it is very important that you keep your schedule open so that your will be able to attend ALL of our Common Time meetings.

F 8/27 Go to the library and research 5 items from the Watauga 100 that you currently know nothing about (1 from the first 20, 1 from the second twenty, etc.). Write up a brief paragraph on each, and a jeopardy question on each. You will present your findings to to class.
W 9/8 Common Time. Meet in Great Hall for Watauga 100 Jeopardy!
M 9/13 Common Time. Meet in Great Hall to hear group project proposals of all Frames classes.
W 12/1 Common Time. Final Group Projects presented to the College in the Great Hall.

A final paper reflecting on the group project and on the interdisciplinary aspects of the topic, design, media, and methods used in the course will be due during our regularly scheduled final exam period: Monday, December 13, 12:00-2:30 p.m.