De Anza College – Fall 2015
(ONLINE)
HUMI 16 – Arts, Ideas & Values
Leslie Berry
berryleslie@fhda.edu
https://catalyst.deanza.edu
Office hours are held online inside the Catalyst classroom on Thursdays at 11AM.
Course Description:
Interdisciplinary introduction to artistic cultural studies. A critical analysis of the dynamic process through which
contemporary social constructions of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, social class, religion and globalization
shape and have been shaped by artistic expression. Special emphasis is placed on art as a tool for social
change.
Advisory: This is an ONLINE class - students must use course materials inside Catalyst.
Required Materials:
Gloria Fiero
The Humanistic Tradition, 6th Edition
(Vol. 6 – Modernism, Globalism and the Information Age)
New York: McGraw Hill Publishers, Inc., 2010.
ISBN #978-0077346256 or #0077346254
Instructor Availability:
The instructor will check in daily and be online at various times during the week. I respond to emails and
messages within 24 hours. Assignments are graded and returned within 48-72 hours of deadline unless
otherwise noted. It is best to e-mail through Catalyst but you can direct e-mail me at the address listed above.
If you receive no response within 24 hours, assume your e-mail was not received and resend it.
Student Learning Outcome Statements (SLO):
1. Students synthesize their critical thinking, imaginative, cooperative, and empathetic abilities as whole
persons in order to contextualize knowledge, interpret and communicate meaning, and cultivate their
capacity for personal, as well as social change.
2. Students will analyze the dynamic relationship between contemporary culture, artistic expression, and
individual assumptions, beliefs and values.
Course Objectives:
At the termination of the course, the student will be able to:
A. Critically examine the prevailing values and attendant ideas of contemporary society,
recognizing the diverse cultural and historical origins of these values and ideas.
B. Distinguish the subtlety and complexity with which cultural ideas are reinforced and values
reflected in art through analysis of examples.
C. Develop correlations between historical milieu and artistic mediums.
D. Explore the potential political and social relevancies of artistic discourse.
E. Apply criteria of cultural and aesthetic analysis to unfamiliar art works.
F. Identify and evaluate aesthetic experiences and formulate reactions to these experiences.
G. Integrate a sense of the personal relevance of art, both as consumer and practitioner.
Attendance:
Class attendance is important. Even in an online environment, courses are seldom self-paced. Check in
regularly and complete work along with the cohort. Follow due dates. Missed assignments affect grades.
De Anza College – Fall 2015
(ONLINE)
American Disabilities Act (ADA):
Individuals needing accommodation under ADA should contact campus coordinators and be screened for
appropriate accommodations.
Standards of Behavior:
Any student disrupting class may be asked to leave. De Anza College will enforce all
procedures set forth in the Student Standards of Conduct (see class schedule), and the
appropriate remedial and/or disciplinary steps will be taken when violations occur.
Academic Honesty:
Students are expected to be honest and ethical in their academic work. Academic
dishonesty includes cheating and plagiarism – including doing the work of others. Consciously or unknowingly
presenting the ideas or writings of others as your own will result in academic sanctions, including suspension
or expulsion. It's acceptable to paraphrase or quote other people’s views provided you offer the source of the
information. I recommend the APA format but any acceptable writing guide is sufficient.
Instructional Reminders:
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There are no make-ups for missed work.
Late work is not accepted – you have access to course materials 24hrs a day.
Do NOT e-mail assignments without prior instructional approval.
Information about grades will be discussed only through the Catalyst system.
If you stop attending class it is YOUR responsibility to DROP the course.
Exam dates/times will NOT be adjusted to accommodate student travel schedules.
Make copies of all online course materials for your personal files.
Check that files uploaded or quizzes submitted before deadlines.
Deadlines exist for a reason - complete assignments on time.
An "F” grade will not be awarded at the end of class unless it was earned.
Accessing the Catalyst System:
As an online course, we never meet in the classroom. Instead, we utilize Catalyst, the course management
system, to meet online throughout the session. It is important that all students understand how to access
online course materials.
Access the online segment of the course at:
https://catalyst.deanza.edu
1. Log-in to the site using your username and password.
2. Once you’ve logged in, find the link for the course and open the course environment.
3. Follow the instructions for each week of the session.
There are first-time user guides on the log-in page, as well as additional resources to make the online segment
of the class easier to navigate. Contact the instructor with any additional needs.
Reminder:
No students can log into the system until noon of the first day of the quarter. If you ADD the class after the
quarter begins, it may take up to one (1) full business day from the time you officially enroll, for your account to
be created (please be patient). If you cannot log-in by noon on the next business day after your ADD was
processed, contact technical support at:
http://catalysthelp.deanza.edu/?pg=contact
“What distinguishes modern art from the art of other ages is criticism.”
~ Octavio Paz
De Anza College – Fall 2015
(ONLINE)
Assessment and Grading:
Grades are based on a point system – the greater the number of points accumulated, the better the course
grade earned. Final grades are calculated on a percentage basis of the points possible. Students can chart
their progress inside the Catalyst environment.
100%-90%
=
“A”
(1000-900 points)
89%-80%
=
“B”
(899-800 points)
79%-70%
=
“C”
(799-700 points)
69%-60%
=
“D”
(699-600 points)
59% and below
=
“F”
(599-0 points)
Exceptions to the late work policy
are made only at the discretion of
the instructor. Do not expect time
extensions unless prior
arrangements have been made. I
want to work with you but there are
limits to what I can manage.
Course Assignments & Point Distribution:
Assignments
& Activities
600 points
(60% of grade)
The student will participate in exercises that include: review and analysis of video
material; experiential activities for synthesis of course content; forum discussions
and/or debates; virtual chat sessions; quizzes, crossword puzzles, matching exercises,
and/or collaborative evaluative summaries to demonstrate mastery of course readings;
may include completion of other additional content-related activities as announced
such as museum visits, virtual events and exhibits.
Artist Profile
Project
100 points
(10% of grade)
The student will complete a biographical study of a specific artist, providing details
about place of residence, vital statistics, educational background, professional
achievements, marriages, children and employment. The focus is to use that
information to reflect on the events and obstacles experienced in the artist’s life which
influenced their body of work and potentially went on to influence the production of
subsequent generations. Results will be presented in a 10-page written profile.
Exams
300 points
(30% of grade)
The student will complete three evenly-weighted exams. The format may include any
combination of true/false, multiple choice, matching, short answer, or essay questions,
including evaluation of video and film content if applicable.
A Note about the Final Exam Schedule:
Beginning Fall quarter 2015 the college has adopted a new final exam schedule – check this link to confirm
when you exams will be held (http://www.deanza.edu/calendar/finalexams.html). In this class the final exam is
available the entire week that final exams are scheduled.
A Note about Extra Credit:
Students may earn a maximum of 100 points extra credit by completing approved assignments.
Options are posted inside Catalyst – read and follow instructions carefully.
A Note about Office Hours:
I hold online office hours every week. The day and time is posted under each week of the
course materials. You can always email and/or post to the Ask the Instructor Forum. I can also
schedule a time to hold a chat session if the scheduled times don’t work for you – but you must
communicate that information to me.
All DEADLINES are posted in Catalyst - submit assignments on time!