Student Handout: Guidelines for Asynchronous Online Discussion
From Session 5 of my class we will have a Blackbord discussion on the topic, "Why do you think the American and French revolutions, while based on the same philsophical ideas, went in such different directions?" This will be asynchronous, so you may reply any time, as long as you reply twice: once to my topic question, and once on another student's comment, before the Sunday midnight deadline. Dr. Leh will set up a Blackboard account for this purpose. I would like Noemi, Eman, and Amal to respond.
Learning Objective: to try and take the evolving ideas of the Social Contract and the Natural Rights of Citizens and make a historical comparison. Also, since these ideas are still comtemporary, I would like the students to make comparisons of recent revolutionary events, such as in Egypt and Libya, and see if what is happening there corresponds to the ideals of Locke and Rousseau.
You will do the following:
Read the material on Locke and Rousseau in Session 5 (I will try to expand it soon).
Watch the PowerPoint on the French Revolution, and investigate the links found in it.
Go to Blackboard>Discussion Board>Asynchronous Online Discussion, Poli. Sci 10.
Reply to the topic I will put on the Board.
Reply again to another student's comments by the deadline.
(Rubric coming soon)
The topic replys need only to be a few sentences, and do not require a PhD in Political Science to write, and I will not grade them in that fashion. The replys do, however, need to be a thoughful opinion given the world situation then, and now, such as: the distance between the American colonies and England, versus the same-country revolution in France; how Americans viewed themselves and the world; the state of the economy in France; and, in a contemporary thought, the reasons why Egyptians view their rights as natural, if they do, and the proximity of Libya to Egypt and what that means in terms of revolutionary activity. Feel free to investigate wikis such as Wikipedia or any other source that will give you a better backround on any of this. Do autocrats and dictators repect natural rights? Do they contract with their people, or do they declare that the people freely love and enter into a social contract with a leader who is more than willing to kill them with his army to show how he returns their respect? I, and I think the rest of the class, would be very interested in the personal experiences of others in their own place of origin.
I also realize that political discussions are often heated and can please get disrespectful, so please observe proper netquette, such no caps as if shouting, and no personal slurs. I reserve the right as the sole monitor to edit or delete comments that violate these rules.
Bob, this is very well-conceived and will stimulate critical thinking about the topic. I would love to follow the discussion if you approve and give me access to the Blackboard account. I won't interfer, just follow the comments. Good luck with your delivery.
Posted by: Etec648shea.wordpress.com | 03/03/2011 at 11:53 PM
Donna, thanks for the compliment, although I'm not sure how well-conceived or stimulating this will be. I don't know if anybody has to be granted access; I don't even know how that works. I thought everybody could see it...? But sure, whatever you want to do. B.
Posted by: Bob | 03/08/2011 at 11:44 PM