• Class Discussion Board Postings:

Students will participate in five online discussions, which will be posted under the course Discussion Board Tab. These five discussions will carry a maximum of 20 points each for a total of 100 points for the semester. The discussions are to be addressed in order and should be completed on an average of one every week throughout the semester. I have posted the assignment in the form of a forum prompt and each student is required to respond to the prompt by posting a thread of their own on the discussion board. Remember, this discussion activity requires you to login, read all other students’ threads, reply to those threads that most interest you and then to post a thread of your own. You have the ability to edit or remove any thread you post on the discussion board.

The first discussion board is an introduction to the class. Discussion boards 2-5 relate to the four articles available within our course documents tab of eCampus. After reading the article from the documents section that relates to the specific discussion board, write and post a discussion thread of a minimum of three paragraphs. Summarize the key points you consider most important. Cite two key facts or ideas in the form of direct quotes from the reading. Explain why these points are significant. Then add what I call a (1+) statement to your thread in the discussion. A (1+) statement demonstrates your critical thinking by going beyond what the author has already told us and adding some new “twist, or take” on the information. The best ways to demonstrate critical thinking and that you are leaning the terms and concepts from the test book is to utilize those terms and concepts in your response section. Be creative, critical thinking requires thinking “outside of the box”

FOLLOW THE ABOVE FORMAT FOR EACH OF THE READINGS FOR DISCUSSIONS 2-5.

In these personal responses, you will demonstrate what you have learned from the articles in light of your new knowledge base acquired from reading the text chapters. Always read your fellow classmates’ postings and comment when you have any additional ideas to share. This is part of your contribution to the collaborative learning.

The class discussions are mandatory. The five discussion activities are detailed in the course syllabus. Go to the discussion tab from the main class website and read each of the activities. When you are ready start to participate in the discussion, select “add a thread” to post your ideas. Everyone in the class can see that a new thread has been posted and can respond to your thread.

The five discussion activities are:

1) Class Discussion ONE – Introductions – tell the class about yourself (part of Course Orientation assignments)

2) Class Discussion TWO – Bonobos Sex & Society (Part of Unit 1 assignments)

3) Class Discussion THREE – The Five Sexes Revisited (Part of Unit 2 assignments)

4) Class Discussion FOUR – Great Expectations (Part of Unit 3 assignments)

5) Class Discussion FIVE – In Search of Erotic Intelligence (Part of Unit 4 assignments)

Discussion Board entries x 20 = 100 points max.

IMPORTANT: Students MUST actively participate in all five (20-POINT) discussion forums for a final course grade. A student’s final course grade may be dropped by a full grade point for lack of discussion participation in a timely manner. In addition to posting your entries, responding to other student writings is a required aspect of your contribution to the collaborative learning in this course.

I would ask that each of you try to get these done along through the course. I have set actual timelines for these, but since I do read all of the threads and respond to some of them via private e-mail and in some cases via the public bulletin board, please be timely in your postings. The idea is that this discussion is for the entire class, so do not bunch them up at the end of the term, as doing so would make it impossible for others to interact with you in the way planned.

D.B#1

The remaining four discussion boards involve you reading articles that are posted in the documents section of this website. Bonobo Sex and Society.pdf

For this second discussion board read the article with the link above entitled Bonobos Sex & Society by Frans de Waal. After reading the article post a thread of a minimum of two paragraphs. Summarize the key points you consider most important. Cite two or three key facts or ideas from the reading and underline them or put them in quotation marks. Explain why these points are significant. Then add, what I call, a (1+) statement to your thread in the discussion. A (1+) statement demonstrates your critical thinking by going beyond what the author has already told us and adding some new “twist, or “take” on the information. Examples might include any of the following:

Agree/disagree & why (some reason not previously discussed in the reading)….or

A question not yet raised is………….or

A prescription / solution not yet proposed is……or

A related or contributing problem not yet discussed is…..ETC.

Be creative, critical thinking requires thinking “outside of the box”

FOLLOW THE ABOVE FORMAT FOR EACH OF THE READINGS FOR DISCUSSIONS 2-5.

Please note carefully: A total of five class discussion/participation activities worth 20 points each – I grade them as I read them. Students MUST actively participate in all five discussion forums for a final course grade. A student’s final course grade may be dropped by one full letter for lack of discussion participation in a timely manner.
D.B#2

After reading Chapter five in your text, also read: The Five Sexes, Revisited, Anne Fausto-Sterling, The Sciences, July/August 2000. at the link here The Five Sexes.PDF

Summarize some of the most intriguing key points and present your comments and/or questions following the same essay format as used in discussion #2. This time keeping in mind that you should use the terms and concepts from the text chapter in your analysis of the Fausto-Sterling article. This is a chance to demonstrate critical thinking and your ability to synthesize all the material you are learning.

Please note carefully: A total of five class discussion/participation activities worth 20 points each – I grade them as I read them. Students MUST actively participate in all five discussion forums for a final course grade. A student’s final course grade may be dropped by one full letter for lack of discussion participation in a timely manner.

D.B#3

This discussion is part of Unit 3 assignments are due with the Unit 3 deadline.After reading Chapters seven and nine also read: Great Expectations by Frank Pittman & Diana Stollee. at the link here GREAT EXPECTATIONS.pdf. Summarize some of the most intriguing points and present your comments and/or questions following the same writing guidelines as in discussion #2. Keep in mind that you should use the terms and concepts from these text chapters in your analysis of the Stollee article. This is a chance to demonstrate critical thinking and your ability to synthesize all the material you are learning.

Please note carefully: A total of five class discussion/participation activities worth 20 points each – I grade them as I read them. Students MUST actively participate in all five discussion forums for a final course grade. A student’s final course grade may be dropped by one full letter for lack of discussion participation in a timely manner.

D.B#4

After reading chapter fourteen also read: In Search of Erotic Intelligence by Esther Perel, at the link here In Search of Erotic Intelligence.PDF

Summarize some of the most intriguing key points and present your comments and/or questions following the same writing guidelines as in discussion #2. keep in mind that you should use the terms and concepts from the text chapter in your analysis of the article. This is a chance to demonstrate critical thinking and your ability to synthesize all the material you are learning.

Please note carefully: A total of five class discussion/participation activities worth 20 points each – I grade them as I read them. Students MUST actively participate in all five discussion forums for a final course grade. A student’s final course grade may be dropped by one full letter for lack of discussion participation in a timely manner.