THE WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY

ANTH 250 - 80

VISUAL ANTHROPOLOGY

 

 

 

WELCOME

 

Hello.  I’m Dr. Anita M. Barrow, your professor for this anthropology course taught fully online.  My office is located in the Science Building, 307 B.  Contact me via email at barrowa@wpunj.edu or on my direct office line, 973 720-2377.  

 

 

Campus E Mail

 

Students must use the Campus address assigned to them for all email communication in this course.  Check your Campus e-mail regularly and delete old messages.  Campus e-mail addresses have limited space.  A full box will block your ability to receive e-mails.

 

Communicate in Microsoft Word

 

All files submitted in this course must be in Microsoft Word.  No exceptions.  Files that are not sent in Microsoft Word cannot be opened and will not be graded.

 

Blackboard:  How Students Log On To An On-Line Course

 

While there are no face- to- face meetings, students are required to work with student technology consultants (STC’S) www.wpunj.edu/stc/  in the Atrium during the first week of classes for orientation in Blackboard if this is their first on-line course.  Students already familiar with on-line course formats are encouraged to work with STC’s to improve their skills or review Blackboard usage.  

 

On-line instructions for logging on to the course and getting started on Blackboard may be found at www.wpunj.edu/irt/teambb/student/student_getting_started.htm

 

 

Student  www.wpunj.edu/stc/services/worshops/wswsdes.htm training workshops in computer technology and multimedia applications are held in the Atrium,

Room 121, and at the Valley Road Campus, Room 104.  Blackboard’s homepage www.bb.wpunj.edu contains several other features designed to assist students with reporting problems, help files and using e-mail. 

 

Students need to log onto the course and check their e-mail with regularity.   Weekly assignments including reading, journal work, projects, group work, discussion boards and/or tests are posted on the syllabus.   

 

Students assume full responsibility for technical difficulties when they elect to submit work from off Campus computers.       

 

Course Description 

 

This course will cover the same material as a classroom-based Anthropology course in an on-line format. Students must be able to work largely independently keeping up with weekly reading and course work.  A detailed syllabus will be posted on the first day of classes, Wednesday, September 2, 2009.  Announcements may be posted daily or weekly and will notify students of any changes/additions to the syllabus     

 

Anth250: Visual Anthropology examines image, behavior and society within a holistic context. The course focuses on human diversity and ways of seeing and interpreting reality through cultural visualization.  Expressive culture (i.e. gestures, style, technique, symbols, art, and dance) as well as other forms of visual communication, from pre-historic to contemporary times, will be reviewed.     

 

 

Course Objectives

 

The primary goal of this course is to examine image and culture from a holistic and cross-cultural perspective.  Perception and various forms of visual expression will be examined in various societies and within a global context.     Students should have developed an understanding of the following by the end of the course.

 

  1. The meaning and function of visualization in culture and society. 
  2. Differences and commonalities of styles and means of visual communication.
  3. How to utilize and analyze photographic/film media for the purpose of collecting and presenting visual data for anthropological analysis. 

 

 

Text

 

The text and video for this course is available for purchase in the William Paterson University bookstore.   

 

 

Karl G. Heider.  Seeing Anthropology:  Cultural Anthropology Through Film.   

2004                     (Third edition).   Pearson Education Inc.:   Allyn and Beacon Press, Boston, Mass.                      .

 

A video of ethnographic film selections comes with the text.

 

 

Course Requirements

 

BLACKBOARD

 

The course utilizes Blackboard as a major tool for communication and learning. 

 

First and foremost, students must have the proper equipment and software. 

 

  1. A Pentium or MAC comparable with a connection speed of 56bps
  2. A Windows 95/98 NT or MAC operating system.
  3. An account with your own internet service provider (ISP), with a browser and e-mail.
  4. MS Office (Word)

 

Secondly, before taking this course you should know how to:

 

  1. Use Microsoft word
  2. Web the Internet and use e-mail
  3. “Paste” assignments into your email and exams into indicated boxes during a test
  4. Know how to access (log onto) and use Blackboard features
  5. Know how to access your Campus email address http://ww2.wpunj.edu/directories/stud_email.cfm
  6. Know how (or be willing to learn) to use powerpoint.
  7. Know how to access the Digital Drop Box for submitting work and receiving feedback and postings from me. 
  8. Have access to a digital camera and know how, or be willing to learn, to use it.

 

 

Attendance

 

Attendance, online presence, is required.  Students must actively log on, complete weekly assignments and discussion boards as instructed and within the prescribed time period.  Students will fail the course if they do not actively log on and participate in reading, assignments and discussion boards. 

 

Post thoughtful and substantive contributions to class discussions.  More than a mere “hi”, “okay”, “I agree or disagree.”  Students must generally add to the discussion when they log on and support their opinions with documentation from, for example, assigned readings.

 

Students  are also required to actively contribute to their group and submit work according to posted instructions, guidelines and time frames established by their group for completion of group assignments/anthologies

 

Powerpoint Anthologies

 

We interact weekly and sometimes daily with each other on-line in class and/or group discussion boards.  Collaborating in on-line groups, students design and analyze photographic anthologies about culture. Group discussion boards are set up to allow daily discourse, file exchanges, e-mail and virtual classroom as needed by each group.  Group anthologies must be submitted in a powerpoint format.

 

STC’s provide individual help and on-site classes in power point for students.  Log onto http://www.wpunj.edu/stc/tws/ for information about student workshops.

 

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Assessment

 

Student Grades are based on the following:

 

A. Class Discussion Boards worth 50% of a student’s grade

 

B.  Photographic Anthologies worth 40% of a student’s grade.

 

C.  Class participation, participation in FAQ  and Projects worth 10%                                

      of each student’s grade

 

Extraordinary performance in any area of the course results in extra-credit.

 

 

FAQ:  Questions About The Class, Course Content and Assignments?

 

FAQ allows for frequent on-line communication among students and faculty.  Post all questions about the class, course content, and assignments in the discussion board forum marked FAQ.  Students are encouraged to respond to each other.  I will address questions three times a week—generally  on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.     

 

Office Hours:  Office Hours are posted online (Professor Barrow) 

‘Netiquette’ 

 

 


            Remember to use good ‘netiquette’ in any online communication.  A good source about netiquette is Arlene H. Rinaldi’s “The Net Users Guidelines and Netiquette,” Florida Atlantic University, 1994 available from Net.com. 

Jane Hutchison from William Paterson University offers the following suggestions adapted from Ms. Rinaldi.

 

1.            Check the discussion frequently and respond appropriately on subject.

2.            Focus on one subject per message and use pertinent subject titles.

3.            Capitalize words only to highlight a point or a title.  Capitalizing otherwise is generally viewed as SHOUTING!

4.            Be courteous, professional and careful with your online interaction.

5.            Avoid Plagiarism:  cite all quotes, references, and sources.

6.            Don’t forward someone else’s message without their permission.

7.            Use humor carefully.  Let others know you are being humorous. 

8.            Be careful not to include offensive, angry, or inflammatory materials. 

 

I look forward to teaching you online in Anth 250-Visual Anthropology.  I hope you will enjoy learning about Anthropology and some of its practical applications.  “See you” online after University Day on Wednesday, September  2, 2009.