GENERAL EDUCATION ASSESSMENT AND REVIEW FORM
ETHICS AND HUMAN VALUES (GROUP VIII, E) 5/15
Please attach/ submit additional documents as needed to fully complete each section of the form.
COURSE INFORMATION
Department:
Native American Studies
Course Number: NASX 304
Course Title: American India Beliefs and Philosophy
Type of Request:
Rationale:
New
One-time Only
Renew*
Change
Remove
This course serves as an investigation of ethics as viewed through 1) Native American belief systems, by comparing more than one
belief system and by comparisons with non-Native religions and 2) Historical actions of empire that have worked to constrain and
reshape American Indian belief systems and their ethical foundations.
*If course has not changed since the last review and is taught by the same tenure-track faculty member, you may skip sections III-V.
JUSTIFICATION FOR COURSE LEVEL
Normally, general education courses will not carry pre-requisites, will carry at least 3 credits, and will be numbered at the 100-200
level. If the course has more than one pre-requisite, carries fewer than three credits, or is upper division (numbered at the 300 level
or above ), provide rationale for exception(s).
Although this is an upper division course it is our department’s introduction to belief systems and their ethical foundations. The
course provides both a broad perspective and depth in its analysis and understanding of ethical systems and issues. There are no
pre-requisites.
II. ENDORSEMENT / APPROVALS
* Instructor:
Dave Beck and Wade Davies
Signature _______________________ Date____________
Phone / Email: 5835/wade.davies@mso.umt.edu
Program Chair: Wade Davies
Signature _______________________ Date____________
Dean: Jenny McNultry
Signature _______________________ Date____________
*Form must be completed by the instructor who will be teaching the course. If the instructor of the course changes before the next
review, the new instructor must be provided with a copy of the form prior to teaching the course.
III. DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE
General Education courses must be introductory and foundational within the offering department or within the General Education
Group. They must emphasize breadth, context, and connectedness; and relate course content to students’ future lives: See
Preamble
Skip
IV. CRITERIA
BRIEFLY EXPLAIN HOW THIS COURSE MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR THE GROUP.
1.
Courses focus on one or more of the specific traditions of ethical thought (either Western or non-Western), on basic ethical
topics such as justice or the good life as seen through the lens of one or more traditions of ethical thought, or on a professional
practice within a particular tradition of ethical thought.
SKIP
2.
Courses provide a rigorous analysis of the basic concepts and forms of reasoning which define the traditions, the ethical topics,
or the professional practices that are being studied.
SKIP
V. STUDENT LEARNING GOALS
BRIEFLY EXPLAIN HOW THIS COURSE WILL MEET THE APPLICABLE LEARNING GOALS.
1.
Correctly apply the basic concepts and forms of reasoning from the tradition or professional practice they studied to ethical
issues that arise within those traditions or practices.
SKIP
2.
Analyze and critically evaluate the basic concepts and forms of reasoning from the tradition or professional practice they
studied
SKIP
VI. ASSESSMENT
A. HOW ARE THE LEARNING GOALS ABOVE MEASURED ? Describe the measurement(s) used, such as a rubric or specific test
questions that directly measure the General Education learning goals. Please attach or provide a web link to the rubric, test
questions, or other measurements used.
1. Short papers written based on specific questions for each book
Popol Vuh paper topic: What are the most important ethical values in Quiche Mayan society? Provide supporting evidence.
Manitous paper topic: What are the most important ethical values in Ojibway society as shown in The Manitous? Provide supporting
evidence.
Ceremony paper topic: Analyze the role of religion in Ceremony.
Repatriation Reader paper topic: Who should have the right to American Indian human remains?
2. Essay and Identification exams. Attached with syllabus
3. Class discussion based on paper topics. Class discussion based on lectures.
A General Education Assessment Report will be due on a four-year rotating cycle. You will be notified in advance of the due date.
This will serve to fulfill the University’s accreditation requirements to assess general education and will provide an opportunity to
connect with your colleagues across campus and share teaching strategies. Items VI.B- D will be helpful in compiling the report.
B. ACHIEVEMENT TARGETS
[This section is optional. Achievement targets can be reported if they have been established.]
Describe the desirable level of performance for your students, and the percentage of students you expected to achieve this:
1.
2.
3.
C. ASSESSMENT FINDINGS
[This section is optional. Assessment findings can be reported if they are available.]
What were the results/findings, and what is your interpretation/analysis of the data? (Please be detailed, using specific
numbers/percentages when possible. Qualitative discussion of themes provided in student feedback can also be reported. Do NOT
use course grades or overall scores on a test/essay. The most useful data indicates where students’ performance was stronger and
where it was weaker. Feel free to attach charts/tables if desired.)
D. ASSESSMENT FEEDBACK
Given your students’ performance the last time the course was offered, how will you modify the course to enhance learning? You
can also address how the course could be improved, and what changes in the course content or pedagogy you plan to make, based
upon on the findings. Please include a timeframe for the changes.
I have taught this course at UM for 16 years and previous to that, in various forms, at a tribal college for 8 years. Most of the kinks
have been worked out. As I learn more I modify lectures/powerpoints on an ongoing basis. Students get more out of the course
when it is related to current issues. Therefore we see short video clips and read newspaper articles. Since these are on current
events, I usually find these within the last 48 hours before any given class. These vary from term to term as new issues arise and old
issues are settled.
A General Education Assessment Report will be due on a four-year rotating cycle. You will be notified in advance of the due date.
This will serve to fulfill the University’s accreditation requirements to assess general education and will provide an opportunity to
connect with your colleagues across campus and share teaching strategies.
VII. SYLLABUS AND SUBMISSION
Please submit syllabus in a separate file with the completed and signed form to the Faculty Senate Office, UH 221. The learning
goals for the Ethics Group must be included on the syllabus. An electronic copy of the original signed form is acceptable.
Fall Semester, 2015
David Beck
University of Montana
Office: PFNAC 112
NAC 105
Phone: 243-6097
3 Semester Credits
Hours: TTh 9-10
TTh 11:10-12:30
& by appointment
david.beck@umontana.edu
AMERICAN INDIAN BELIEFS AND PHILOSOPHY
NASX 304E SECTION 01A SYLLABUS
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
“A study of selected ethical systems; origins, world views; religious ceremonies and the way they have been
affected by western civilization.” Native philosophy and world view differs markedly from Euro-American or
western philosophy and world view, providing a spiritual grounding for Native societies, in contrast to the
secular basis of contemporary American culture. This grounding forms the basis of many of the key differences
in core cultural values between Native society and non-Indian society. This course is intended to provide the
student with a foundation of knowledge to understand ways in which world view and spirituality shape the
contemporary Indian world, and ways in which that compares to the contemporary American culture in general.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The course will provide the student with an understanding of the historical and contemporary basis of Native
philosophy and world view, how that is expressed in various societal contexts, including everyday life, social
institutions and ritual, and how that has both changed and remained consistent from pre-Columbian through
modern times. Both continuity and change, and the forces guiding each, will be the focus of study.
The course will also provide the student with an understanding of ethical traditions, with the ability to
distinguish one tradition from another, and will provide the student with the ability to identify ethical issues in
human experience.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Ability to analytically discuss philosophy and world view from an intercultural context
Understanding of roles of spirituality and religion in Native American Life
Understanding of Western Impacts on Native American world view
Understanding of Modern Issues related to spirituality and world view
Understanding of various ethical issues.
REQUIRED READINGS
Johnston, Basil H., The Manitous. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2001
Mihesuah, Devon A. ed., Repatriation Reader: Who Owns American Indian Remains? Lincoln: University of
Nebraska Press, 2000
Silko, Leslie Marmon, Ceremony. New York: The Viking Press, 1977
Tedlock, Dennis, translator, Popol Vuh: The Mayan Book of the Dawn of Life Touchstone Books, 1996
WEEKLY SCHEDULE:
Week 1, September 1, 3: Introduction/Religion and Ethics
Week 2, September 8, 10 Religion and Ethics/Latin American World View systems
Week 3, September 15, 17: Latin American World View systems
Tedlock, Book Report 1 due Thursday
Week 4, September 22, 24: North American World View systems
WEEK 5, SEPTEMBER 29, OCTOBER 1: INVASION I
Johnston, Book Report 2 due Thursday
Week 6, October 6, 8: Invasion II
Week 7, October 13, 15: Invasion III
Silko, Book Report 3 due Thursday
WEEK 8, OCTOBER 20, 22: INVASION IV
WEEK 9, OCTOBER 27, 29: NATIVE RELIGION AND CHRISTIANITY
Midterm Tuesday
Week 10, November 3, 5: Native American Church
Week 11, November 10, 12 TBA
Week 12, November 17, 19: Traditional Expression of Native Religion
Week 13, November 24, 26: Modern Issues I
Term Paper Due Tuesday
November 26: No School: Thanksgiving recess
Week 14, December 1, 3: Modern Issues II
Mihesuah, Book Report 5 due Thursday
Week 15, December 8, 10: Modern Issues III
Week 16, Week of December 14: Final Examination Thursday December 17, 10:10-12:10
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS:
Book Reports: 1-2 page (500 words maximum) analysis of the reading assignment for Tedlock, Silko, Johnston,
and Mihesuah books. Use assigned questions. 5 points each. Must be typed or computer generated, double
spaced. INCLUDE WORD COUNT. 2 point deduction for every late paper. 20 points total.
Term Paper Assignment: Write a book review essay comparing Tedlock with Johnston. What key themes in the
two works are similar and what do they teach us about Native American religion? 1250-1750 words, typed
double spaced, 12 point font. 25 points.
Midterm and Final Exams consist of both essay questions and short answer questions. Study questions and
lists of terms will be distributed before examinations. 20 and 25 points each
Class Participation and Attendance: 10 points
Points
Grading
Book Reports
20
93-100: A
MIDTERM
20
87-89:
B+
Term Paper
25
77-79: C+
73-76: C
70-72: C-
Final Exam
25
67-69: D+
63-66: D
60-62: D-
Class Attendance
10
 60:
83-86:
F
90-92: AB
80-82:
B-
All students must practice academic honesty. Academic misconduct is subject to an academic penalty by the
course instructor and/or a disciplinary sanction by the University. All students must be familiar with the
University of Montana Student Conduct Code: http://www.umt.edu/vpsa/policies/student_conduct.php
This course is accessible to and usable by otherwise qualified students with disabilities. To request reasonable
program modifications, please consult with the instructor. Disability Services for Students will assist the
instructor and student in the modification process. For more information, visit the Disability Services website at
www.umt.edu/disability