English 2213: World Literature to 1650
Course Information for Web-Based Course

About Taking a Web-Based Course

Because self-directed courses are different from traditional, face-to-face classes, certain types of students do better in them than others. Before you commit to taking a self-directed course, you need to ask yourself the following questions:

Can I set and complete goals on my own and on time?

Will I contact my instructor regularly to ask questions and find out about my progress?

Does the subject matter of this class interest and motivate me?

Can I organize my time effectively so I can spend at least 4-5 hours a week studying for this class even if my schedule is a busy one?

Will I show up for tests and meetings when they are scheduled?

Will I use the resources available to me?

If your answer to two or more of these questions is no, then you need to reconsider whether this is the type of course for you. Students who are unable to motivate and organize themselves on their own, and especially those who don’t communicate with their instructors, tend to be unsuccessful in self-directed courses.

Because this is a web-based course, you are responsible for securing access to the Internet, checking email regularly, and learning how to use technology effectively to meet the expectations of this course.

About the Course

World Literature to 1650 is intended to introduce students to literary masterpieces in translation from the Ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance periods. Besides being introduced to these masterpieces, you will also be developing skills in communication, writing, and especially reading, as well as in close reading of texts, analytical and critical thinking, evaluation and logical thinking, and the use of evidence to support statements.

One set of books is required for this course. All of the readings will come from The Bedford Anthology of World Literature (there are three books in the set, and they come boxed together) which will be available at the NWACC bookstore. It is important that all students use the same textbook.

This course does not require any on-campus meetings, though I will be happy to meet personally with any student who requests to do so. The orientation will be online and is essential for understanding and using WebCT, the web-based technology we use to communicate in this course.

Because this is a literature course, there is a substantial amount of reading each week of the semester. In addition, students will have homework assignments and activities, consisting mostly of questions related specifically to the text, to complete after each reading and which must be turned in on a weekly basis by email attachment. Part of the weekly assignments is participation in an online bulletin board discussion of each reading assignment. This course will include three exams covering the three major thematic units we cover in the reading.

Grading for this course is different than conventional grading in that you will have the opportunity to determine your own grade at the beginning of the semester. The grade you want--an A, B, or C--will determine the amount and type of work you do in the course. Your final grade will be determined by the total number of assignments you choose to do:

To earn a C in the course, all of your reading and homework assignments, bulletin board discussions, and reading exams must be considered satisfactory. Those that are not satisfactory can be revised.

To earn a B in the course, you must meet the criteria for a C, plus submit a film essay. You will be given an opportunity to revise this essay once if it does not receive a satisfactory grade upon its original submission.

To earn an A in the course, you must meet the criteria for both the C and B, plus complete a research assignment, which must receive a satisfactory grade also. You will be given an opportunity to revise the research assignment once if it does not receive a satisfactory grade upon its original submission.

Please feel free to contact me at any time for more information or to ask questions:

Angie Albright, English Instructor
Burns Hall 1055
Office phone/voice mail: 619-4303
Email: aalbrigh@nwacc.edu