LIT 2955- Holocaust
Study Abroad Trip Syllabus
Professor Richard A. Gair
Summer School Session ______, Year_________
Course-Trip Leader- Professor Richard A. Gair
Valencia Community College, East Campus, Building 8, Office 132
Direct Phone- 407-582-2641, Home- 407-260-2893, Cell- 609-744-6516
Office Hours
(TBA):__________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
rgair@valenciacc.edu
http://home.cfl.rr.com/rgair
My web site will be a valuable resource during the LIT 2174 course as well as in
preparation for the trip and completion of projects required after the trip. On the home
page just click on the navigation bar where it says HOLOCAUST RESOURCES.
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Educational Materials:
Prior to the trip students will be required to attend a number of preplanning meetings and
classes. At these classes they will be instructed and engaged in the logistics of the trip as
well as academic content relating the LIT 2174 course with the upcoming trip. These
hours will count as part of the 37 ½ hours of “Instructional Contact Hours.” Students will
receive a packet during those classes which will prepare for them for the trip and spell out
the specific activities, essays, projects and other requirements to be done before, during
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Course Description:
LIT 2174 or LIT 2174H “Multimedia-Literature of the Holocaust”, will be a pre-or corequisite for this course. Students will be required to have already completed that course
in order to be eligible for the Holocaust Study Abroad trip (LIT 2955). With departmental
approval a student may take the course (trip) during a summer semester if they also sign
up for the course LIT 2174 or LIT 2174 H for the upcoming Fall term at the same time.
The trip will vary in length depending upon the cost in any given year. It will include
onsite visits to key sites associated with the Holocaust (e.g. the Warsaw Ghetto,
Treblinka, Majdanek, and Krakow, Auschwitz-Birkeneau and possibly the city of Praque
and Terezin Concentration Camp). The students will receive 3 (three) elective credits
after satisfactory completion of the trip and the academic requirements of the trip. The
trip will be coordinated with the Valencia Study Abroad Office and the Communications
Department. It will be listed in the Atlas registration system as LIT 2955 as the course
identification number. The course will involve at least 37 ½ of what Valencia considers
“Instructional Contact Hours” to qualify for the three credits.
and after the trip. All academic and trip related materials will be designed by Professor
Gair in coordination with the Study Abroad Office. Students will be required to take
along a notebook, journal, the activity booklet issued by the professor and adequate
writing instruments. A backpack and good walking shoes for day tips is strongly
suggested.
Learning Outcomes Expected From Students:
The following Learning Outcomes combine the LIT 2174 / H course outcomes as well as
those of the Study Abroad Office.
 Learners will demonstrate their understanding of the significant Holocaust-related
sites through.
 Learners will identify the significance of preserving Holocaust-related sites and
the creation of memorials to educate future generations.
 Learners will interpret, analyze and reflect on the Holocaust as viewed through
multiple forms of media.
 Learners will express personal reactions to the Holocaust as an example of the
human capacity for evil and survival.
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Evaluation-Assessment:
Through pre-trip meetings, debriefing sessions after each visit to a concentration camp,
post-trip meetings and assignments and projects detailed in the Activity Packet the
teacher will design for the trip, students will be graded on the normal Valencia grading
scale of A, B, C, D, F. (90-100 –A, 80-89- B, 70-79- C, 60-69- D, and below 60- F). Evaluation will be based on the following types of assessment activities:
 Behavioral observation by the professor
 Conversations between professor and student
 Group participation and contributions
 Essays
 Focus group discussions
 Journal writing
 Performance or demonstration
 Projects
 Classroom assessment techniques used by the professor
All written reports and assignments are to follow the standard college format of Times
New Roman, 12 point font, double spaced. Research must have the required MLA
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Valencia Core Competencies:
As part of Valencia’s philosophy students will be expected to further develop their skills
in what Valencia calls “Core Competencies”. These will be developed through
instruction, discussion, essays, projects, sharing of experiences, and other means deemed
appropriate by the professor-trip leader. These are:
 THINK
 VALUE
 COMMUNICATE
 ACT
references. There will be times however when you will be required to write directly in
the student activity book during the trip. Those handwritten entries must be neat and
legible. Two copies will be provided to each student. One will be for use during the trip;
the other which will be left home will be used to neatly transcribe the notes taken onsite
into the clean and final copy that will be turned in for evaluation by the professor.
Classroom Policies:
All work related to the trip must be original. Plagiarism is a serious offense. Students are
expected to adhere to the Valencia Academic Honesty and Code of Conduct as described
in the Valencia Student Handbook. In addition, students will be expected to sign
contracts with the Student Development Office, the Study Abroad Office and any other
sponsoring agent (including the travel provider) to adhere to the rules described in their
respective documents. At all times during the time out of the classroom the students will
conduct themselves in a mature manner as public representatives of Valencia community
College and the United States. Consumption of alcohol is expressly forbidden during the
trip. Students will be required to turn in copies of all related trip forms, applications, and
passport by the required due dates. In addition, payment of money for the trip will be
made directly to the travel provider chosen by Valencia and those deadlines must be
adhered to as detailed in their trip application.
Disclaimer:
Changes to this syllabus and program may be made at the discretion of the professor and
the Study Abroad Office.
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***** OSD Students
Regarding students with disabilities- Students with disabilities who qualify for academic
accommodations must provide a notification from the Office for Students with
Disabilities (OSD) and discuss specific needs with the professor before the trip takes
place. The Office for Students with Disabilities will determine needed accommodations
based upon appropriate documentation of disabilities.