Dr. Lawrence F. Glatz

• Objectives | Required Texts | Student Evaluation | Attendance | Course Calendar | Lesetexte | Course Wiki | Deutsche Welle | Cyberreise | German Resources 

Please read the content of this syllabus carefully. It contains most of the general information which you will need for this course.

The semester is broken into the topics and assignments which we will cover, but the exact pace is subject to change. You will find here information on the objectives and student outcomes of the course, texts and materials, student evaluation, attendance, and examinations.

To contact me outside of class or office hours, you can also make arrangements by phone or Email. In order to contact all students individually and as a group, please check your MetroConnect account regularly.

Please also review the policies of the Modern Languages Department at: http://www.mscd.edu/mdl/about/policies.shtml.

The NC (No Credit) option is available online until the Monday after the 10th week of the semester. For Spring 2010, the last day for indicating an NC is April 5, 2010.

Prerequisite: One year of college German or equivalent or permission of instructor.

The goal of this course is to become familiar with many aspects of the culture and civilization of the German-speaking countries. Both historical and present-day topics will be explored. The course will involve a survey of highlights in the development of the civilization of the German-speaking countries. 

We will also explore aspects of the current political, economic, social and cultural situation of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Students have the opportunity to discuss issues, ideas and opinions in German on selected topics. 

Many class periods will spotlight points of culture difference, drawing on brief dialogs to stimulate class discussion. Short written homework assignments will be required, which will help prepare students for oral discussions. Class time will also be devoted to important historical topics as presented through the reading texts (with sound files), videos, pictures and in class lectures. 

Students will acquire important vocabulary and a strong historical perspective for all further study. One project is required. Each student will develop a three week trip through the German speaking countries, researched through the World-Wide Web (WWW) of the Internet, which we will also discuss.

This course emphasizes the broadening of reading and conversational skills. It introduces the student to various aspects of German civilization, from its geography and history to its philosophical and political thought, arts, music, and modern living.

Specific, Measurable Student Behavioral Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course the student should be able to:

1.  Demonstrate and be able to discuss various aspects of German life and culture

2.  Demonstrate an ability to understand and appreciate social customs and etiquette different from his/her own

3.  Demonstrate and ability to understand the unique historical development of Germany from its beginnings to today.

4. Demonstrate level-appropriate language ability in German in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

5. Use appropriate terminology and techniques to approach texts in German, both orally and in writing.

6. Demonstrate comprehension of short texts of moderate difficulty in German.

7. Demonstrate the ability to use ancillary materials and tools in order to gain linguistic and content comprehension of various texts in German.

8. Demonstrate a level-appropriate acculturation to the historical development of German society via short texts.

9. Manifest the ability to comment upon the history, geography, social customs, and language differentials that contribute to texts.

10. Demonstrate the ability to compare modern cultural norms to the historic phases of German culture studied.

11. Work effectively in a group to discuss and analyze short texts in German for content.

12. Use technology to interact with the learning community and to pursue increasingly profound comprehension of written German.

Teaching Goals

I strive to:

Kulturelle Begegnungen: Cross-Cultural Mini-Dramas by Robert K. Shirer,

Second Edition, National Textbook Company. (Abbreviation: KB)

Important texts and materials (including sound files) are at the URL: http://www.lawrenceglatz.com/germ2120/lesetexte.htm

Deutsche Welle video assignments from: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,,12165,00.html

The ones selected are listed in the course calendar: http://www.lawrenceglatz.com/germ2120/2120cc2010.htm

Links to various German resources in the World Wide Web are available at http://www.mscd.edu/~mdl/gerresources.
 

Access to a good English-German / German-English dictionary is also necessary. An excellent online one is at: http://dict.leo.org.

Students will have a final course grade based on the following work:

 

Short written homework assignments: 21% (21 @ 0.5% for Deutsche Welle Homework; 21 @ 0.5% for Lesetexte Homework)

Participation: 14%

Individual Trip Report ( aka die Cyberreise ) with all URL's as hot links and pictures, etc: 20%

Short Examinations (2 @ 10%): 20%

Oral Examination (5-10 Minutes): 05%

Final Examination: 20%

MDL Departmental Grading Scale:

Letter Grade = Numeric Range

A = 90% to 100%
B = 80% to 89%
C = 70% to 79%
D = 60% to 69%
F =   0% to 59%

Calculations with a decimal ending in .01 to .49 are rounded down to the whole number;
Calculations with a decimal ending in .50 to .99 are rounded up to the whole number.

Attendance is a must!

Attendance is very important owing to participation in the discussions and learning from the interactive portion of classes.

We will be using the excellent video materials, including scripts and exercises from Deutsche Welle; all topics will be on the Course Calendar.

Deutsche Welle videos are at: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,,12165,00.html