ANTHR1, Section 10205

Fall 2008

Course address: http://ilearn.gavilan.edu/

Instructor: Dr. Debbie Klein

Office hours: via email, dklein@gavilan.edu

login info.:

http://gavilan.edu/disted/index_tour/tutorial_moodle_02.html

Online Details

This course is completely online. You will need to purchase 2 text books for the course:  Biological Anthropology by Michael Park (ISBN 0-07-353097-2) and Dancing Skeletons: Life and Death in West Africa by Katherine Dettwyler (ISBN 0-88133-748-X).  Additionally, an important part of the course includes 3 documentary films which you will need to view by week 6 in order to pass the course! All of the text books and films are available at the reserve desk of the Gavilan library.  The videos are also available at your local and online video stores. Please make sure you access these films before the assignments based on them are due. They are all from the 2001 PBS series called Evolution. The 3 films required for this course are: 1) Darwin’s Dangerous Idea; 2) The Evolutionary Arms Race; and 3) Great Transformations. 

For more information about online classes, as well as tips for success, see Gavilan's Distance Education webpage. The Gavilan Library will offer several orientations to online courses during the first two weeks of the semester. If you have never taken an online course, this orientation will provide critical information to help you be successful in this class. If you are unable to attend an orientation on campus, an online tutorial will be available. Visit the Library Homepage for more details and a schedule of orientations.

Course Description

What does it mean to be human?  How did we become human?  We will explore these core questions through our introduction to physical anthropology, a branch of anthropology that seeks to understand, from a biological point of view, what it means to be a human being.  More specifically, biological anthropology examines these questions:

In addition to reading our text book, we will spend the first half of our course reading an ethnography (book written by an anthropologist based on on-site field research) written by biocultural anthropologist Katherine Dettwyler about her fieldwork among malnourished children in Mali, West Africa. Reading an ethnography will offer us the opportunity to experience what an anthropologist actually does in the field.  We will discuss the challenges of conducting research in another culture and how such challenges become part of anthropological method and knowledge.

Course Learning Outcomes

Course Organization

This course is divided into 3 parts, following your text book:

1.   We start with a survey of the principles of evolution and biological inheritance, so that we can understand how the idea of human evolution has taken shape.  Because the evolutionary processes that have produced modern humans are the same processes that have produced every single species that has ever inhabited this planet, evolution and its application to the human species is a central theme of biological anthropology.

2.   The second part of the course looks at the anatomy, behavior and evolution of our nearest relatives, the non-human primates.  Although we often think of ourselves as quite different from other animals, we can learn much about ourselves by studying the genes, bodies and behavior of our closest living relatives, and apply this knowledge to help answer questions about the origins and development of early human behavior.

3.   The third part of the course examines the human fossil and archaeological record, which is made up of the physical remains of our ancestors and the traces of their behavior.  We will look at evidence revealing:

Texts

Texts and videos are available at the Gavilan College Bookstore and on reserve at the library.

Required:

Park, Michael.  2007.    Biological Anthropology.

Dettwyler, Katherine.  1994.    Dancing Skeletons: Life and Death in West Africa. 

Course Requirements

Assignments (90 points)

Completetion of all class ASSIGNMENTS, including discussions, is REQUIRED. If you miss 4 assignments, you will be dropped from the course. Although I will make an effort to send you a courtesy email if you have missed 4 assignments, it is your responsibility to contact me regarding missed assignments. It is my policy to drop any student who has missed 4 assignments. Be prepared to read about 40 to 60 pages a week! Please read critically and take notes, making sure you understand the authors’ main points. Also, I encourage you to keep a personal reading journal in which you write down your reflections and questions for discussion.

Pease note that your reading and written assignments are usually due every Thursday of the course, so pace yourself accordingly.  There are a few exceptions, however.  I suggest that you access this course site at least 4-5 times a week to keep up with regular announcements & to become a part of our course “culture.”

Quizzes & Response Papers (100 points total)

Several multiple choice and short answer quizzes based on course readings and lectures will be given throughout the semester.  Response papers based on specific readings or films will be assigned in advance.  Please note that your quizzes take place on Mondays and Fridays.

A response paper is 280-560 words (1-2 pages).  While it is a relatively open format, your response paper should deal with one or a few of the main points made by the author or film. I am interested in your critical thinking here: tell me what you think about the piece.  While some summary is fine, I do not want a summary paper.  Each response paper should refer to at least 3 specific examples from the text or film. When getting started, you might consider these questions: Given what the author or film was trying to convey, do you agree or disagree?  Why or why not?  Do you have lingering questions about the material presented?  Did you appreciate the piece?  Why or why not?

Exams (350 points total: 200 for midterms and 150 for final)

The 2 Midterm and Final Exams will consist of multiple choice and short answer questions.  Questions will be based on assigned readings, topics covered in lectures, and videos.

Research Presentation (60 points)

Each student is required to prepare one project for her or his final assignment.  Use your curiosity and creativity to think up an exciting project addressing any topic in biological anthropology.  You will share your project with the whole class by attaching it to a group email.  Then, the class will have the opportunity to respond to each presentation. 

After doing your research, you will put together a brief power point presentation (or website, if you have the skills) about a topic of your choice.  Like my power point presentations throughout the semester, your presentation should contain graphics, text (your own words!), and links (where appropriate).  Observational, descriptive, and analytic projects are all possible.  While I will help you with various leads for finding relevant information, the bulk of the research is left up to you! Use at least 3 sources for your research.  At least 1 source should come from a "peer-reviewed" (scholarly) book or journal such as Scientific American.  Be sure to cite your sources on the last slide.

I have made several Scientific American articles available at http://hhh.gavilan.edu/dklein/scientific_american_links.html.  For ideas, please check these out.  You will need your Gavilan library card number to access the articles.

Zoo Extra Credit (25 points maximum)

If you would like to earn extra credit, you can take a trip to the San Francisco Zoo to observe and document the behavior of human and nonhuman primates.  However, you must wait until we reach the second part of the course and consult with me before you go.  I will give you an observation packet upon which to record your data.

Supplemental Books or Videos Extra Credit (20 points maximum)

You can also write a 2 page response paper to an article, book, or video that is relevant to our course content.  Throughout our syllabus, I recommend several videos to supplement this course.  They are all excellent and will undoubtedly enhance your understanding of the course content.  You can earn up to 10 points for each response.  You can submit up to 2 response papers for extra credit for a total of 20 points.

Semester Grade

YOU MUST COMPLETE ALL OF THE ABOVE IN ORDER TO PASS THE COURSE.  Your semester grade is based upon the total number of points you accumulate (assignments + quizzes&response papers + exams + research presentation + extra credit):

Total Possible Points = 600 points (minus extra credit)

537 + points = A,   477-536 = B,   417-476 = C,   416-356 = D,   below 360 = No Pass

Important Notes

Students requiring special services or arrangements because of hearing, visual, or other disabilities should contact their instructor, counselor, or the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 848-4865.

Students are expected to exercise academic honesty and integrity.  Violations such as cheating and plagiarism will result in disciplinary action which may include recommendation for dismissal.

Lecture notes are in PowerPoint format.  If you do not have Microsoft PowerPoint, you can still access my lectures by using the PowerPoint Viewer, downloadable for free at the Microsoft Download Center at:  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/.  Once you are there, search for PowerPoint Viewer 2007.