DISCUSSION FORUM, TOPIC, and the THREAD

The most dynamic point of contact between your thinking and that of the instructor is the THREAD. Go to CONTENT in D2L. Click on the relevant Discussion Forum. Next to the forum’s title is a drop-down arrow for VIEW TOPIC. Click on that topic for an opportunity to start a THREAD.

A THREAD is a paragraph (or more than one) that you draft for input from the instructor. You can copy and paste from your own document. NOTE: do NOT use the attachment feature. Put the paragraph(s) directly into the text box for the THREAD. When you submit the THREAD, D2L notifies the instructor who replies with input about your paragraph. Students can OPEN anyone’s THREAD.

The THREAD is optional; it is for those who want input before submitting their assignment to the drop box for a grade. The THREAD is only useful if the submitter does so in a timely fashion.

If students submit a paragraph (or even a whole PowerPoint) by email attachment, the instructor will examine it for the most obvious concerns. If the student then feels confident, he or she can submit the word-content to the THREAD for closer word-for-word inspection and specific suggestions.

SUBMISSION TO THE DROP BOX

Students must submit their PowerPoints and Essay as documents to the DROP BOX in order for them to be evaluated (by feedback box and attached rubric) and graded. The PowerPoints cannot simply be a link or URL. I do NOT have permission to open password-protected links in Google.

The DROP BOX for an assignment opens on a Friday at 12 AM. It closes on a Monday evening at 11 PM. If you are late or, for some reason, locked out, please contact me by your regular email and ask for SPECIAL ACCESS. The penalty for late submission is 10 points.

Tentative Schedule & Due Dates for the Drop Box

January 11-15 Week 1

Discussion Forum and Topic for POWERPOINT 1: The RSC Tempest and Forbidden Planet.

Follow along in our Arden book as you watch the RSC Tempest. Find the 2016 RSC Tempest (directed by Gregory Doran) in the library database Digital Theatre Plus. You need ONE description paragraph for RSC Tempest. Start a thread with a descriptionparagraph.

January 18 MLK Holiday

January 19-22

Find the 1956 film (directed by Fred Wilcox) in the library database SWANK. Start a thread with a description paragraph for a moment in Forbidden Planet.

January 25-29 Week 3

Start a thread with a SECOND description paragraph for a different moment in Forbidden Planet.

February 1-5 Week 4

For PowerPoint 1, google search terms and the word “images” for 2016 RSC Tempest (Doran). Then do the same for Forbidden Planet. Try to get images from the films that are close to what you are describing.

February 8-12 Week 5

This is the last week for a THREAD for input into your description paragraphs for PowerPoint 1.

February 15-19 Week 6

The DROP BOX for PowerPoint 1 (RSC Tempest & FP) opens 12 AM Friday morning (Feb 19) and closes 11 PM, Monday evening (Feb 22).

February 22-26 Week 7

Discussion Forum and Topic for PowerPoint 2: Taymor’s The Tempest & Miyazaki’s Kiki’s Delivery Service. Follow along in our Arden as you watch Julie Taymor’s THE TEMPEST (2010) with Helen Mirren as Prospera (instead of Prospero). Find the movie in the library database SWANK. Start a thread for a description paragraph. Google search terms and images for Taymor’s Tempest.

March 1-5 Week 8

You need to purchase and watch the 1989 English version (Disney) of Miyazaki’s Kiki’s Delivery Service. The voice director is Jack Fletcher. The voice for Kiki is a very young Kirsten Dunst. Phil Hartman voices her cat Jiji. Start a thread for a description paragraph. Google search terms and images for Kiki.

March 8-12 Week 9

Start another thread for a SECOND description paragraph for Taymor’s Tempest; then start a SECOND description paragraph for Kiki’s Delivery Service.

March 15-19 Week 10

Last week for THREADS for PowerPoint 2!

March 22-26 Week 11

The DROP BOX for PowerPoint 2 (Taymor & Miyazaki) opens 12 AM Friday morning (March 26) and closes 11 PM, Monday evening (March 29).

March 29-April 2 Week 12

Discussion Forum and Topic for ESSAY: Comparison with RSC Tempest

Start a thread for Supporting Paragraphs (pars. 4 and 5) of the Essay.

April 5-9 Week 13

Start a thread for introductory paragraph and conclusion for the Essay.

April 12-16 Week 14

Last week for THREADS for ESSAY.

April 19-23 Week 15

The DROP BOX for the Essay opens 12 AM Friday morning (April 23) and closes 11 PM Monday evening (April 26).

April 26-29 Finals Week

We do NOT have a Final Exam. The Essay serves as our Final. The closing time for the drop box is Monday evening (April 26) at 11 PM.

Required books:

The Arden Shakespeare: The Tempest. Revised Edition: Bloomsbury. Paperback. ISBN 978-1-4081-3347-7. Please get as soon as possible.

The Little Seagull Handbook with Exercises. W.W. Norton and Company. Third Edition. ISBN 978-0-393-60264-7. Comments in rubric will refer to chapters and pages in the Little Seagull.

Required adaptations and performances related to Shakespeare’s The Tempest:

The RSC The Tempest (2016; directed by Gregory Doran), Forbidden Planet (1956; directed by Fred Wilcox), and The Tempest (2010; directed by Julie Taymor) are available for free any time in the library databases. The RSC Tempest is in DIGITAL THEATRE PLUS; Forbidden Planet and Taymor’s 2010 Tempest is in SWANK. Start at MSU Portal (user name & password); on the left in the TAKE ME TO list, click on LIBRARY DATABASES; then look under “D” and “S.”

Students have to purchase their own copy of Disney’s1998 English Language version of Hayao Miyazaki’s Kiki’s Delivery Service, which features Kirsten Dunst as the voice of Kiki and Phil Hartman as the voice of Jiji.

Course goals

      Read Shakespeare’s The Tempest in our Arden book.

      For PowerPoints, each paragraph describes a key moment in a scene.

      For the Essay, compare RSC Tempest with one of our other films. 

      Engage in a writing process that includes invention, drafting, and revision.

      Utilize credible supporting sources in our essays.

      Use our models for MLA citing.

      Demonstrate proficient use of Standard Written English.

ENGL 1153 Power Point Rubric (tentative/approximate model)

                                                                       ENGL 1153 Essay Rubric - Comparison (tentative/approximate)                       

Attendance

In D2L the class list (under communication) indicates the most recent date the students have logged into the course. I will use D2L to track attendance.

Submission to the Drop Box/Special Access

All assignments must be submitted to the drop box in order to be graded and counted. If you are locked out of the drop box, you need to email the instructor and ask for SPECIAL ACCESS. The late penalty for missing a due date’s 11 PM closing of the drop box is 10 points out of 100.

Note: You may not submit a paper for a grade in this class that already has been (or will be) submitted for a grade in another course, unless you obtain the explicit written permission of me and the other instructor involved in advance.

Plagiarism is the use of someone else's thoughts, words, ideas, or lines of argument in your own work without appropriate documentation (a parenthetical citation at the end and a listing in "Works Cited")-whether you use that material in a quote, paraphrase, or summary. It is a theft of intellectual property and will not be tolerated, whether intentional or not.

Student Honor Creed

As an MSU Student, I pledge not to lie, cheat, steal, or help anyone else do so."

As students at MSU, we recognize that any great society must be composed of empowered, responsible citizens. We also recognize universities play an important role in helping mold these responsible citizens. We believe students themselves play an important part in developing responsible citizenship by maintaining a community where integrity and honorable character are the norm, not the exception.

Thus, We, the Students of Midwestern State University, resolve to uphold the honor of the University by affirming our commitment to complete academic honesty. We resolve not only to be honest but also to hold our peers accountable for complete honesty in all university matters.

We consider it dishonest to ask for, give, or receive help in examinations or quizzes, to use any unauthorized material in examinations, or to present, as one's own, work or ideas which are not entirely one's own. We recognize that any instructor has the right to expect that all student work is honest, original work. We accept and acknowledge that responsibility for lying, cheating, stealing, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty fundamentally rests within each individual student.

We expect of ourselves academic integrity, personal professionalism, and ethical character. We appreciate steps taken by University officials to protect the honor of the University against any who would disgrace the MSU student body by violating the spirit of this creed.

Written and adopted by the 2002-2003 MSU Student Senate.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Disability Support Services in Room 168 of the Clark Student Center, (940) 397-4140.

The professor considers this classroom to be a place where you will be treated with respect as a human being - regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, political beliefs, age, or ability. Additionally, diversity of thought is appreciated and encouraged, provided you can agree to disagree. It is the professor's expectation that ALL students consider the classroom a safe environment.

All instructors in the Department have voicemail in their offices and MSUTexas e-mail addresses. Make sure you add your instructor's phone number and e-mail address to both email and cell phone lists of contacts.

All students seeking a Bachelor's degree from Midwestern State University must satisfy a writing proficiency requirement once they've 1) passed the 6 hours of Communication Core and 2) earned 60 hours. Students may meet this requirement in one of three ways: by passing the Writing Proficiency Exam, passing two Writing Intensive Courses (only one can be in the core), or passing English 2113. If you have any questions about the exam, visit the Writing Proficiency Office website at https://msutexas.edu/academics/wpr, or call 397-4131.

Senate Bill 11 passed by the 84th Texas Legislature allows licensed handgun holders to carry concealed handguns on campus, effective August 1, 2016. Areas excluded from concealed carry are appropriately marked, in accordance with state law. For more information regarding campus carry, please refer to the University’s webpage at https://msutexas.edu/campus-carry/rules-policies.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact MSU Chief of Police at police@msutexas.edu.