Welcome Letter / Course Orientation
Welcome to cultural anthropology ANT 1002 online. This course will, as described in the catalog, explore the abundance of diversity throughout the world. Students will discuss key concepts, terms, methodologies, and theories relevant to anthropology. The course will also examine cultural aspects such as; marriage, and kinship systems, subsistence patterns, political systems, gender & gender socialization, ethnicity & race, religion, language, and art using those key concepts, terms, methodologies, and theories. Finally, the course will emphasize the importance of cross-functional comparison, such as the need to be culturally relative when examining cultures outside of your own.
I hope you will find this course enlightening. Just as is true of face-to-face courses, the course will be more productive and rewarding if we work together utilizing each other’s knowledge and insights. The online format should not eliminate classroom student/instructor or student/student interaction.
Classroom interaction will be conducted in the “discussion board” area of the blackboard shell. There is a forum on the discussion board labeled “introduce yourself” set up for you to get to know other students. This should not be confused with the portfolio introduction, which is a graded assignment. You may also send me an e-mail with information about yourself that you may not want to share with everyone.
Course Information, including course materials, components, objectives, and expectations are presented in blackboard.
Any student who is unable to access blackboard should seek assistance through the Computer Resource Center at (815)224-0318 or crc@ivcc.edu.
Once you have entered blackboard, I suggest perusing through all of the links in the blackboard shell to get an overview of the course. Also note that there are often important notes to students at the end of the documents. Scroll down to catch these tips and comments before beginning. I also suggest reading the questions at the end of the lectures prior to reading the lecture.
Assignments must be turned in weekly, as delineated on the course outline. The due dates indicate the latest an assignment may be submitted, however, all assignment may be submitted early. When students begin posting on the discussion forums early in the week, the discussions tend to reach a much greater depth.
I cannot emphasize strongly enough that I feel interaction with classmates is an invaluable learning tool that should not be sacrificed in a course simply because it is administered online as opposed to face-to-face. This belief is reflected in the courses participation requirement.
I have posted a discussion forum labeled “Questions and Comments” where students may talk “in front of the class.” Questions that pertain to the course should be addressed here to avoid redundancy. However students who have personal comment or questions that do not pertain to other students should use e-mail to communicate with me.
Illinois Valley Community College has a website page dedicated to distance learning that contains valuable information for students in online courses, be sure to check it out.
“See” You In Class……
Christine D. Reed