Pol Sci 321

Democracy & Citizenship II

(2 credits)

Pols 322

Public Achievement II

(1 credit)

Spring 2007

Dr. Joe Kunkel                                                                                                                                                                                         Phone: 389-6930    

222B Morris Hall                                                                                                                                                                                                FAX: 389-6377 joseph.kunkel@mnsu.edu                                                                                             http:krypton.mnsu.edu/~jak3

 

OFFICE HOURS

Mon

10:00-11:00 am

 

Tue

 

3:00-4:00 pm

Wed

10:00 a m -12:00 pm

2:00-3:30 pm

Thurs

11:00 am - 12:00 pm

 

Fri

10:00 a m -12:00 pm

2:00-3:30 pm

 

OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSES

1. Motivation: Students should develop an increased sense of civic responsibility and want to be more involved in public activity.

2. Empowerment: Students should feel more powerful and effective. They should become more optimistic about their potential to influence public events.

3.  Skill: Students should improve their political skills and be more able to influence public affairs.

4. Understanding: Students should better understand and appreciate democracy and related concepts.

 

READING TO PURCHASE

Dahl, Robert A. 1998. On Democracy. Yale University Press.

Robert Putnam. Bowling Alone. 2000. Touchstone Books.

 

REQUIREMENTS

Pols 381

Democracy & Citizenship

 

Points

 

Pols 382

Public Achievement

 

Points

Papers on readings
11 of 12 readings  10  points each.

110

 

 

10PA Reports in Journal

5 points each. Write on 10 of 12 events

50

Discussions on reading

8 of 10 Discussions, 5 points each

40

 

Attend 12 PA Events

5 points each. 11 meetings, 1 assembly

60

 

 

 

Good PA Coaching Practice

25

Final Report

50

 

Email Paragraph on team

25

TOTAL

200

 

TOTAL

10

EXTRA CREDIT

Additional chapters
10 points each

10

 

 

Additional PA Reports in Journal

10

 

Additional discussion

10

 

 

 

 

 

LATE PENALTIES

Late penalties can be excused at professor's discretion. You should discuss circumstances with him.

Late papers

-4 points per chapter anytime after class due.

 

-4

 

PA Reports in Journal

Full credit if signed off in class.
3 points if completed when collected.

- 2

Late Final Report

- 5 points per day. Penalty begins at time due

- 5

per day

 

 

 

 

GRADING

You will receive a separate grade for POLS 321 and for POLS 322.

Grades will  follow these percentages of the total points.

                       A = 90-100    B = 80-89    C = 70-79    D = 60 - 69    F = below 60

 

We will assess your learning from reading using short writing assignments and class discussions.  For most weeks the whole class will read one of the chapters and different parts of the class will divide up the other chapters. Skim all the chapters each week. Read your particular parts most closely.

 

PAPERS

Your paper should be based on your particular chapters. You should be prepared to discuss what you learned. This paper should include an outline of at least one to one and one-half pages, and a paragraph of about one-half page. The outline should summarize and organize the main points. The paragraph should express your reaction. Reaction includes your opinion of the value of the reading, what you learned, what was important or not, any criticisms. The first assignment, Dahl 1-3 can be considered one chapter. I.e. one page outline, one-half page reaction.

 

DISCUSSIONS

Class discussions will allow assessment, sharing and enhancement of your learning and that of the professor and class.  Sometimes these may be whole class discussions. Sometimes these may be simultaneous small groups, Sometimes these may be small groups taking turns before the rest of the class.

 

FINAL REPORT  

The final report is intended to help you integrate and record your learning from both POLS 381 and 382 from both semesters. The report should be typed, double-spaced, 10 or 12 point font, one inch margins, five pages in length. Think about the course objectives, the four types of writing you did for the journals and the Social Studies standards relevant to your portfolio. In writing discuss and evaluate both

a. What you experienced and learned and how you were changed.

b. What your Public Achievement team experienced, learned, attempted and accomplished.

c. What went well/not so well? What you might do differently.

Also include a one page letter addressed to an MSU,M student who will be a PA coach next year. Tell them what should they expect from these courses and PA in particular. What advice do you have?

 

POLS 382 Public Achievement


PA REPORT JOURNAL

The PA Reports should be placed in the journal. Continue with your reports from fall semester.

Your writing should address all of these four areas in identified sections.

1)      Experiences /Descriptions
What did you (and/or your team) experience? What happened? What did you do?

2)      Reflections /Evaluations
What is the meaning of the experiences? Evaluate: What's going well?  What needs improvement? How do you (and/or your team) feel?

3)      Connections/Generalizations
What are you/your team thinking and learning about democratic citizenship? Use core concepts. Mention your reading for PA or the more academic reading for Democracy and Citizenship.

4)      Applications/Experiments/Strategies
What are your plans and strategies? What skills are you and your team developing?

 

Required Details:

·        All PA reports should be typed/word processed.

·        Write your name clearly on the front cover. If you use a dark color binder your name must be easily legible.

·        Pages must be bound together. No loose pages accepted.

·        Please label the PA reports following these examples:

PA  Report #1.0  Orientations

PA Report #5.3 Team Meeting #3

 

Scoring of PA Reports

 

ATTENDANCE AT DMMS EVENTS

You must attend and participate in fourteen PA team meetings and the final assembly, unless excused.

 

GOOD PA COACHING PRACTICE

The professor and your mentor will visit your team meetings nearly every week. We will be trying to discuss what we observe with you in order to be helpful. We presume that if you meet with your team and give your best effort you will get the points for good coaching practice. You must be on time for your PA meetings. You must let the professor know as soon as possible if you must be absent. Absences happen only very rarely if at all. Your PA students will be depending on you and the professor and mentors may not be able to effectively arrange for a substitution.

 

Your grade does NOT depend on the success of your PA team in accomplishing any particular goals. We recognize that your efforts are important, but are only part of the equation. But YOU are the part of the equation that YOU CAN CONTROL

1)      Conduct yourself in a professional manner.
Observe all school rules. Be a good role model and the adult authority in the group.

2)      Be reliable, prepared, active and show initiative.

3)      Make a consistent effort to use the essential elements of PA.
Follow directions and respond to feedback.

4)      Your team should write in the weekly log reports and keep other records.

 

EMAIL PARAGRAPH FOR WEBSITE AND SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

Submit a short update on your PA team. You may write this or have your team write it with your supervision. These should be well written paragraphs of 150 -250 words. These should tell a public audience about the mission and activities of the team. These will be posted on our PA website and send home in the school newsletter to families. See our PA website for examples from past teams.

ASSISTANCE TO STUDENTS
The professor is here to help students learn. All students are encouraged to visit with the professor if they need help. Students with disabilities are particularly invited to meet with the professor to discuss any special instructional needs they may have, or to contact the office of Disability Services.

 

CALENDAR

TUESDAY   POLS 381

at University

THURSDAY    POLS 382

at Middle School

January 16

Introduction

Public Achievement Discussion

January 18

PA Team Meeting  #7


 January 23

Origins of Democracy

Reading  #1  One

Everyone read and write one outline  on

     Dahl, On Democracy chs. 1 - 3

 

Jan 25

PA Team Meeting  #8

January 30

Ideal Democracy

Reading  #2

Everyone skim all and write one outline on your assigned chapters of
     Dahl, On Democracy chs. 4-7

February 1            

PA Team Meeting  #9

February 6

Actual Democracy

Reading  #3

Everyone skim all and write one outline on your assigned chapters of
     Dahl, On Democracy chs. 8, 10, 11

 

February 8

PA Team Meeting  #10

February 13

Democracy: Large and Small

Reading  #4

Everyone read and write one outline  on

     Dahl, On Democracy chs. 9 and

     Gastil, Democracy in Small Groups.  1-3

 

February 15

PA Team Meeting  #11

February 20

Democracy in Small Groups

Conditions for Democracy

Reading  #5

Everyone skim all and write one outline on your assigned chapter of


Dahl, On Democracy chs. 12, 13, 14, 15

 

February 22

No PA - DMMS Break

February 27

 

Public Achievement Discussion

 

March 1           

PA Team Meeting  #12

 

March 6

Social Change in America

Reading  #6

Everyone read and write one outline on

     Putnam Bowling Alone. 2000 Book. 15-28

 

PA Report Journal Due

PA Reports 7-12

 

March 8             

PA Team Meeting  #13

 

 

March 14

 

No Class MSU Spring Break

March 15 

 

No PA - MSU Spring Break

 

 

March 20

Trends in Engagement

Reading  #7

One outline on your assigned chapter of

     Putnam. Bowling Alone. Trends (ch. 2, 3, 4, 5)

 

March 22

PA Team Meeting  #14

March 27

Trends in Engagement
Reading  #8

One outline on your assigned chapter of

     Putnam. Bowling Alone.  (ch.  6, 7, 8, 9)

 

March 29         

PA Team Meeting  #15

 

 Choir Rehearsal

April 3

Causes of Engagement Trends

Reading  #9

Everyone skim all.
One outline on your assigned chapters of

     Putnam. (Chs 10, 11, 12)

 

April 5

NO PA   DMMS break

April 10

Causes of Engagement Trends

Reading  #10
One outline on your assigned chapters of

     Putnam. (Chs  13. 14, 15)

 

April 12    

PA Team Meeting  #16

April 17

So What?

Reading  #11

One outline on your assigned chapters of
     Putnam. Bowling Alone. (chs. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)

 

April19

PA Team Meeting  #17

 

April 24

Democracy and the Dark Side

What is to be done?

Readingn  #12

One outlines on your assigned chapters of

Putnam. (chs. 21, 22, 23, 24))

 

April   26                     

SHORT PERIODS - MCA TESTING

8th grade/7th period 1:50 to 2:20

7th grade/8th period 2:25-2:55

 

 

EMAIL PARAGRAPH# 2 DUE

 

May 1

PA Journals Due

PA Reports 13 -19

 

FINAL REPORT DUE

 

May 3                                

 

PA Assemblies

May 8   Finals Week

 

 

May 11