SUMMARIES + REACTIONS: Weekly, you will summarize the readings, reflect and then react to these, following what compels you, what interests you, what may confuse you. The formula is as follows: SUMMARY + REACTIONS/REFLECTIONS = IDEAS. I see these summaries as being about a page, or so. You will receive comments suggesting how in-depth your readings have been.

SIM CITIES: You will build cities following the game's directions; however, the thinking behind the cities--the purpose--will come from the readings and our discussions. Your task will be to synthesize the game's capabilities with your vision.

ESSAYS: There will be approximately 4 - 6 major essays. Each essay will pertain to one built city. The essence of the essay will be an argument that accounts for the reasoning behind your city's environment. In essence, then, you will be putting the readings, discussions and the course conference into action: you'll have to prove what you know by designing it!

FINAL PRESENTATION: In a comprehensive, reflective and final essay, you will describe what you have achieved throughout the course. You will be your own source: drawing from your own work, you will then develop a discussion describing and characterizing your learning in the course, then, ultimately, argue for the grade you believe you deserve.

GRADING POLICY: You will not be graded for your ongoing work. You will receive appropriate comments suggesting how well you've done, how in-depthly you've engaged your work and how imaginative you've been at confronting obstacles. You'll have a pretty good idea of how well you're doing. BUT, this is your course and you'll work much better if you're deeply committed to what you're doing. It's up to you, then, to determine how well you're going to do and what you wish to achieve. Grades get in the way, so it's best that you determine these for yourselves.

ATTENDANCE: THREE ABSENCES can constitute failure in the course.