(last modified 01/03/06)
[This document serves as the Syllabus for students who are enrolled in both GMBA791 and IBUS382. Any changes that have been made since the printing of the version of this document that is contained in the Initial Bundle are to be highlighted.]
Classroom: A. J. Palumbo Center (PC), Room 3208, which is a tiered, multimedia classroom equipped with the capability of projecting onto a retractable screen at the front of the classroom images from a slide projector, transparency, print material (via a copy stand that contains an overhead camera), VCR, a built in computer [which is a PC equipped with MS OFFICE (which includes PowerPoint), Internet Explorer, Real Player, Internet access, a floppy disk drive, a CD-ROM/DVD drive, and a USB port which may be used with a jump drive], or an auxiliary (portable) computer, as well as audio capabilities.
Class meeting day and time: Tuesday 6:00 – 8:50 PM. There is to be a total of at least 11 class meetings. The first class meeting is scheduled for 10 January, 2006. A tentative schedule of the other classes is provided below.
Instructor: Gary P. Mahan, Ph.D.
Instructor’s Health Issue: Due to severe allergies and multiple chemical sensitivities that affect his throat, the instructor greatly appreciates it if perfume, cologne, hair gel, hair spray, scented hand lotion and other fragrances are not applied on class days and days of office visits. If heavy fragrances are used at other times they may be absorbed by clothing, including outerwear, so that even if they are not applied to the person, they may still be introduced into the classroom via the clothing. Please do not wear clothing that may have been exposed to fragrances and leave outerwear with absorbed fragrances in PC 3206, which is located two doors down the hall from the classroom. If one uses fragrances it is difficult to smell the fragrances on clothing. Reminders may occasionally be Emailed. The last three rows of seats are not to be used unless necessary.
Instructor's Office: A. J. Palumbo Center (PC), Room 2212, which is located on the Northwest side of the second floor near the exit to the roof of the parking deck, and in the vicinity of the offices of the Foreign Language instructors.
Instructor's Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday, 3:00 – 5:30 PM; Tuesday and Thursday, 3:00 – 5:00 PM (on Tuesdays when there is a DSB meeting scheduled, Noon – 5:00 PM), and by appointment. Since meetings may be scheduled during office hours, appointments are advised.
Instructor's Office Phone Number: (814) 871-7588. If there is no answer when called, allow to ring six times in order to leave a message on the voice mailbox answering (VMX) system. If a student wishes a call to be returned, they should state their name and telephone number s-l-o-w-l-y and the purpose of the call. Voice mail is checked less frequently than E-mail, usually in the early afternoon on weekdays.
Instructor’s E-mail Address: mahan001@gannon.edu. E-mail is checked and responses are provided at least three times per day, including weekends. Responses to E-mail received after 7 PM on Mon and Wed, and 5 PM on other days may not be provided until the following morning.
Splendid
Course description: The purpose of this course is to study in
depth the effect on all elements of an international business firm’s external
environment if it were to do business in
Learning outcomes: At the completion of this course, the
student is expected to have an understanding of the external environment of a
firm doing business in
CD ROM: “Contemporary Chinese Societies: Continuity and Change” [ISBN: 0231123841] (which may be referred to as the China CD). This CD has been ordered and is available at the Gannon Bookstore at a price of $60.00. It is located behind the check out counter near the front door.
At a price of $60.00 plus $5.95 for shipping and handling, this CD is also available for purchase from Columbia University Press, the Web site for which is: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cup/ . On the first page, enter the title of the CD in parentheses in the search box, or go directly to:
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cup/catalog/data/023112/0231123841.HTM
The CD may also be available for purchase from http://www.amazon.com. On the home page, enter just the title of the CD, without parentheses, in the search box, or go directly to: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0231123841/qid=1135186724/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/104-8671861-3271918?n=507846&s=books&v=glance
The price of a new one is $60.00 and ships free with super
saver shipping. Used ones may also be
available. On 21 December 2005, four
used copies were available from $45.67.
In the past, used
versions were also available at: http://www.half.ebay.com/textbooks
If there are insufficient copies of the CD available at the Gannon bookstore, the instructor may have a few extra copies that he can loan to students until they arrive.
·
Ambler,
Tim and Morgen Witzel. Doing Business in
·
Seligman, Scott D., and Edward J. Trenn. Chinese Business Etiquette : A Guide to
Protocol, Manners, and Culture in the People's Republic of
·
Clissold,
Tim. Mr.
·
Shenkar,
Oded. The Chinese Century: The Rising Chinese Economy and Its Impact on
the Global Economy, the Balance of Power, and Your Job.
·
Fishman,
Ted C. China Inc.: How the Rise of the Next Superpower
Challenges
[Those students who are enrolled in GMBA 791are encouraged to read one
of the above three]
Historical background
· Schirokauer, Conrad. A Brief History of Chinese Civilization. Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1991. ISBN: 0155055682
·
Moise, Edwin E.
Modern
·
Spence, Jonathan. The Search for Modern
·
Hsu, Immanuel.
The Rise of Modern
·
Roberts, J.A.G.
A Concise History of
·
Shaughnessy, Edward L.
· Encountering the Chinese: A Guide for Americans. 2E. Intercultural Press, 1999. ISBN: 1-877864-58-7
· The Suggested Readings section contained at the end of each segment of the China CD provides additional readings
In preparation for the field trip, it is highly recommended that the student obtain a tour guide book, such as one of the following, and read those sections pertaining to the sites to be visited plus general information regarding the culture, history and other aspects of the country:
· Fodor's Exploring China, 5E (available new from amazon.com for $14.96; used from $12 as of 21 December 2005)
· Fodor's China, 4E (available new from amazon.com for $16.96; used from $12.50 as of 21 December 2005)
· Fodor’s Pocket Beijing, 3E (in the past was available from amazon.com but no longer appears to be)
Fodor’s and other tour guides, such as Frommer’s, are also available at local bookstores, such as Barnes & Nobles and Borders.
The following
instructional methods are to be utilized in this course:
·
· Lectures by instructor
· Guest lectures
· Field trip
· Student presentations
· Videos, slides, digital images, and films
· Texts
· Web sites
· Email distribution list
· GU Share
· Current news articles
As a result of the many different instructional methods
used, this may be somewhat of a unique course.
Much of the learning is to be self-directed. The role of the instructor is more that of a
guide on the side than a sage on the stage.
Each of the above instructional
methods is described below.
The foundation of the course is the use of a cutting edge CD
– ROM entitled “Contemporary Chinese Societies:
Continuity and Change,” which may be referred to as the China CD. It is a multidisciplinary, multimedia presentation of the diversity of modern
The CD consists of the following six thematic modules or units, which collectively incorporate the perspectives of economics, politics, history, sociology, literature, the visual and performing arts, anthropology, religion, and education:
· Unity in Diversity
· Views of Time and Space
· The Individual and the Collectivity
· Adapting to a Changing World
· Shaping Conformity and Dissent
· Political Culture
Each of the above six modules or units consists of several topics or segments, for a total of 64. Each unit consists of a video introduction and each topic/segment contains text, which contains links to photos, video clips, and sound clips. The CD is supposed to integrate 28 hours of digital video, but seems to be less. Each topic/segment concludes with the following sections:
· Review, which consists of review questions in the form of an interactive quiz,
· Assignments, some of which are to be assigned as homework questions, as explained below,
·
Additional Suggested
· Web links.
Note that the alternative system for organizing the material, called Pathways, is not to be used.
The topics covered
most thoroughly in the CD include the following:
·
Geography
·
Culture
(language, religion, education, concept of family, food, clothing, importance
of individual vs. collectivism, concept of time)
·
Political
system
·
Economic
system
·
International
business
·
Human
rights
History and the business
environment are covered less thoroughly.
A demonstration on
the use of the CD is to be provided during the first class.
Suggestions for using the China CD are as follows:
·
Information on the use of this CD can be found
at the
·
Included in the Initial Bundle to be distributed
the first day of class is a document entitled “China CD Use Instructions,” which provides additional instructions
on the use of the CD that are intended to make the experience more
enjoyable. It is strongly suggested
that this information be reviewed prior to use.
· In the past there was a difficulty with using the CD on the computers that are located in the various computer labs that are available on campus. Apparently the CD attempts to install something on the machine and the security of the lab machines was such that it was not permitted. With the updated computers this apparently is no longer the case. On 23 December, 2005, the disk worked properly with the machines in both PC 2248 and Zurn 122. In order to hear the audio when using the CD with one of the machines in a lab, personal headphones are required.
Lectures during classes are to be presented by the
instructor on such topics as the economic system, level of economic development,
some aspects of culture, and the importance of the economy. Most, however, are to be by guest lectures on
such topics as doing business in
Notes on the guest lecture presentations are to be taken by students and included in the selected class notes that are to be submitted by students, as explained below.
Videos that may be viewed in class and, following which, are to be placed on reserve in the Media Room of the Nash library, which is located in the basement, include the following:
·
·
·
·
Big Emerging Market:
· Frontline: Dangerous Straits (in the past a new VHS was available from http://www.shop.pbs.org for $19.98, but no longer appears to be)
·
In Search of
·
Families of
·
Frontline: Is Wal-Mart Good for
After a video that has been viewed in class has been placed on reserve in the Media Room, which is located in the basement of the Gannon Nash Library, an announcement is to be made in class and/or via Email. The Media Room is not the same as the Circulation Desk, which is located on the first floor, and has different hours than the library. In the past, the videos have been placed on the top of the cabinet that is located behind the counter. These videos may not be removed from the library but may be viewed in the Media Room.
Synopses of the above listed videos are contained in a document entitled “Synopses of China Videos,” which is included in the Initial Bundle to be distributed the first class and is also to be posted to the instructor’s GU Share folder, which is explained below.
Notes on videos viewed in class are to be taken by students and included in the selected class notes that are to be submitted, as explained below.
The
instructor has over 2,000 slides and digital images that he has taken or
purchased on his seven previous trips to
The following are some contemporary films, most of which provide a historical background.
The following films, all in VHS format, are to be placed on reserve at the Circulation Desk, which is located on the first floor of the Gannon Nash Library, prior to the first class.
· Red Sorghum (1987)
· Ju-Dou (1990)
· Shanghai Triad (1995)
· The Story of Qiu Ju (1992)
· Yellow Earth (1988)
· To Live (1994) [If there is one other than the one assigned to view, this is it]
· Farewell, My Concubine (1993)
· Rise the Red Lantern (1991)
· The Last Emperor (1987)
·
The Emperor And The Assassin
(1999)
· Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
· Blue Kite (1994)
· Temptress Moon (1997)
· Not One Less (1999)
· The Road Home (2000)
The following are other films that were ordered on 22 December 2005, in DVD format, and are to be placed on reserve in the Nash library when they arrive:
· Joy Luck Club (1993)
·
· Hero (2004)
· House of Flying Daggers (2004)
·
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
(2002)
Students are encouraged to view as many of these films as possible, as they are all critically acclaimed and quite good. With the exception of “The Last Emperor” and “Joy Luck Club,” all of the above are Chinese films made by the fifth generation of directors, are in Mandarin with English subtitles, and are different from US made films. A background in Chinese history is useful for understanding the content of most of these films.
Synopses and editorial reviews of all of the above listed films are contained in the document entitled “Chinese Film Synopses,” which is included in the Initial Bundle to be distributed the first class and is also to be posted to the instructor’s GU Share folder, which is explained below.
Each student is to provide a review of one of the above movies, as explained below.
The films are to be placed on reserve at the Circulation Desk which is located on the first floor of the Gannon Nash Library. They are to be located on a shelf listed under Mahan. Only students in this class and community members who are participating in the tour, whose names have been provided to the library, may check them out. An ID may be required to check out a film. The video tapes/DVDs are to be returned as soon as possible so that others may enjoy them. Students who reside locally are encouraged to return a film within 3 days; those living out of town within one week. A film that is scheduled for a presentation is not to be checked out within 1 ½ weeks prior to the presentation date.
Some of the above listed films may also be available from the Nash Library’s collection that is available at the Circulation Desk and/or the Erie County Library. Many of these films may be rented from places such as Blockbusters. When last checked in Dec, 2003, all of the films in the first group above were available for purchase from amazon.com.
Having students provide oral presentations in class is a powerful technique for developing an ability in students to organize material, to master the full meaning of the subject matter, and to mature in their ability to speak before groups. Each student is to be provided with the opportunity to do three class presentations, each of which is described below.
Film review
One of the presentations is to be a review of one of the films listed in the previous section of this document. Each student is to be assigned one of the films to view and provide to the class a short overview/review that is to consist of a plot summary, critique, an indication of the course topics to which the film relates, and what was learned. Also to be included may be such information as the date of release, director, and stars. A detailed scene-by-scene plot summary is NOT to be provided, just a synopsis. Not so much of the plot, including any surprise ending, should be disclosed as to adversely affect the viewing pleasure of others. An attempt to stimulate interest in others to view the film should be made. For each class meeting one or two film review presentations are to be scheduled. The flim presentation assignments and tentative schedule for the first few classes is contained in a document entitled “Film Review Assignments,” that is included in the Initial Bundle to be distributed the first class and is to be posted to the instructor’s GU Share folder, which is explained below. The presentation(s) scheduled for each class and for the following class are also to be included in the Email to be sent prior to each class.
Although the film review presentation is to be informal, the presenter is to stand at the front of the class and face their classmates. PowerPoint slides and film clips, are NOT to be used in this presentation. These presentations are intended to be only around five (5) minutes, not including any discussion. Following the presentation, in appreciation, it is traditional for the class to provide the presenter with a nice round of applause.
In the event that the presenter is not present when scheduled, if it is not possible to reschedule, the presenter may be asked to Email a written report to the instructor who will forward it to the class via the Email Distribution List. Otherwise, a written report is not required.
Assessment of the presentation by the instructor is a component of the course grade, as explained below.
Current event
Throughout the semester students are encouraged to keep
informed of current events related to
The current event presentation is to include a summary of the news item and an analysis, if possible. When presenting a current event, the student should avoid reading too much of the article; instead, the presenter should summarize it in their own words, indicate the course topic to which it is related, and, if appropriate, analyze the effect of the event on business, and/or report on something that they found to be interesting. The presenter should be prepared to answer questions.
Although the presentation is informal, the presenter is to stand at the front of the class and face their classmates. The presenter should feel free to make use of the copy stand and Internet access, which are described below. PowerPoint slides are not to be used. These presentations are to be around five (5) minutes in length, not including any discussion. If the news item is from a print source, the student may wish to provide each student, as well as the instructor, with a copy of the article. Following the presentation, in appreciation, it is traditional for the class to provide the presenter with a nice round of applause.
If it is not possible to reschedule a current event presentation in the event that the presenter is not present when scheduled, the presenter may be asked to Email a written report to the instructor who will forward it to the class via the Email Distribution List. Otherwise, a written report is not required.
Many current event articles are to be emailed to the class during the semester, as explained below. Although a different topic is preferable, the same subject as included in one of these Emailed articles may be reported on if a different source is used and if the subject has not been discussed previously in class. The instructor may ask the presenter to consider presenting an article that has been provided to the class.
Assessment of the presentation by the instructor is a component of the course grade, as explained below.
Sources of news items specific to
Some general news Web sites that the instructor has come across that may be useful are the following (which have not been updated recently):
Domestic newspapers
WSJ: http://wsj.com Requires subscription
New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com - News, weather, sports, features
Digest of The New York Times: http://nytimesfax.com.
LA Times: http://www.latimes.com/
The New Times
http://www.c3f.com/ntytoday.html
Investor’s Business Daily: http://www.investors.com
Other domestic news media
CNN interactive site: http://www.cnn.com/ - great place to check latest headlines. Includes lots of video clips. News, sports, business, and weather
CNN Custom News: http://customnewscnn.com - can customize content rec’d - select to receive news on specific countries in the World News section
MSNBC site: http://www.msnbc.com - frustrating to use
ABC News: http://www.abcnews.com - let viewers tune in to hear, feel, and interact w/ the news
NPR: http://www.npr.org - Programming schedules and previews, order transcripts of any program, if have speaker, sound card, and real audio player can listen to current newscasts, or search the NPR archives to hear programs from the past two years.
Domestic news weeklies
The Economist: http://www.economist.com/
Business Week: http://www.businessweek.com/
http://www.pathfinder.com - links to Money, Time, Fortune, and other Time Warner publications
Forbes: http://www.forbes.com
Fortune: http://www.pathfinder.com/fortune
National Public Radio (NPR) and American Public Media
programs often contain items related to
· An excellent source of international radio news is that provided by National Public Radio (NPR), which is broadcast locally on WQLN (91.3 FM) on the following programs:
· “Morning Edition”, weekdays, from 5:00 - 9:00 AM (the 5:00 - 7:00 AM and 7:00 - 9:00 AM segments are essentially the same);
· “All Things Considered,” weekdays, from 4:00 - 6:00 PM and 6:30 – 7:00 PM (the 6:30 – 7:00 PM segment is a repeat of the 4:00 - 4:30 PM portion) and 5:00 - 6:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays;
· “Weekend Edition,” from 8:00 - 10:00 AM on Saturday, and 8:00 AM – Noon on Sunday (the 8:00 – 10:00 AM and 10:00 AM – Noon segments are essentially the same).
NPR’s Web site is located at: http://www.npr.org/. A link to audio archives is located at the top of the home page.
·
Also, on weekdays, from 6:00 - 6:30 PM, WQLN FM
broadcasts American Public Media’s award-winning global business and economics
program called “Marketplace,” which has a Web site located at: http://www.marketplace.org.
A link to archives is located at the top of the home page. Marketplace also provides a Morning Report
that is a part of NPR’s “Morning Edition.”
From 09 – 20 January 2006,
Marketplace is to be broadcasting live from
·
· WQLN TV’s broadcast of BBC World News weekdays at 7:30 – 8:00 PM is to provide an international perspective on the events and issues of the day.
Issue
During the last
two classes (more if necessary), each student is to have an opportunity to provide
a presentation on a current
Some of the current issues to be selected or assigned as presentations include the following [Note that each numbered item represents a separate presentation and * indicates issues that are particularly important to have presented]:
Other topics may be added, in which case(s) students are to be informed via Email and/or in class. If a student has another topic of interest that is not listed, Email the instructor with a request. For example, in Sp02 a student had an interest in doing a presentation on feng shui, in Sp04 a student did a presentation on HRM practices in China, and in Sp05 an MPA student did a presentation on urban development.
Students are to Email the instructor with their first and
second preferred topic choices from the above list by 17 Feb 2006. Students enrolled in GMBA791 are encouraged to
select from those issues topics that are more related to business. Others may wish to select a topic that is in
line with their major or interests.
Those students who have not selected a topic by 17 Feb 2006, are to be assigned one. After all assignments have been made, a presentation schedule is to be provided via Email, and the instructor may provide suggestions as to what may be included in the presentation. He may also be able to provide sources for articles related to some of the topics. A few weeks prior to the presentation the instructor may ask that an outline of the presentation be submitted so that suggestions may be made.
Issue presentation procedure
The presenter is to stand at the front of the class and face their classmates. Tentatively, each of these issue presentations is to be approximately 15 minutes in length, not including discussion. For this presentation, the presenter is strongly encouraged to make use of available media devices, such as PowerPoint, and other supplements, which are described below. At the end of the presentation, the presenter should ask the audience if there are any questions, which the presenter should be prepared to answer. Following the presentation, in appreciation, it is traditional for the class to provide the presenter with a nice round of applause.
During and after the presentation, if necessary, the other students are to complete a Student Presentation Evaluation Instrument, a copy of which is contained in the Initial Bundle to be distributed the first day of class and is to be posted to the instructor’s GU Share folder, which is explained below. The instrument is to be collected after sufficient time has been provided for its completion.
It is not necessary to submit a written copy of the presentation, but any PowerPoint slides that are used are to be provided to the instructor, as explained below.
Presentation media/supplements
The student is encouraged to supplement the issue presentation with the use of one or more of the following media devices:
· The copy stand, which is a part of the equipment contained in the consol located at the front of the classroom. To use the copy stand after it has been opened, place the material to be displayed on the copy stand, and then on the consol control panel press the button corresponding to Copy Stand. The copy stand includes a zoom feature which is controlled by < (decrease size) and > (increase size) arrow buttons, which are located at the bottom of the stand.
· MS PowerPoint (PPT) slide show. To present a PPT slide show, the presenter should either bring the file stored on a floppy disk, CD-ROM, or jump drive, or access the file in GU network storage, which is described below. See below instructions for accessing a file located in network storage. To display what appears on the computer screen, on the consol control panel press the button corresponding to PC. If PPT slides are used in a presentation, they are to be copied to the desktop of the computer that is located in the consol at the front of the class. If this is not done, then they are to be Emailed as an attachment to the instructor at mahan001@gannon.edu. He will then Email them to the class and /or post them to his GUShare account.
· Display of a Web site(s) using the computer with Internet access that is built into the consol. To display what is on the computer screen; on the consol control panel press the button corresponding to PC.
· Display of a short VHS video. To do so, insert a video into the drive of the VCR machine, which is located on the left hand side the consol, and then, on the consol control panel, press the button corresponding to VHS in the upper section and then Play in the lower section.
· A handout containing useful information. Any handouts should contain the name of the presenter, title of presentation and date of presentation at the top. If a handout is used, provide the instructor with any extras that there may be. For use in providing the correct number of handouts, on 22 December 2005, the number of students registered for the class was 14, but this could change. In addition, some community member tour participants may be in attendance.
· The use of the instructor’s remote for advancing PPT slides and laser pointer is available upon request.
Instructor’s issue presentation suggestions:
·
If notes have been prepared, they are NOT to
be read. Instead, the material is to
be presented, as it is very difficult to absorb material that is read.
·
If doing a PowerPoint (PPT) presentation, the
slides are not to be read, instead additional information is to be provided.
· If doing a PowerPoint presentation using a floppy disk, it is important to provide a backup, such as a backup disk, CD-ROM, jump drive, backing up to the student’s network storage, which is described below, or Emailing the file to oneself (which can then be accessed at http://www.gannon.edu/mail). Remember, every floppy disk works the time before it goes bad. If the student’s network storage is to be the source of a PPT presentation, a back up plan is recommended in case there should be no access to network storage.
· Presenters are welcome to access a PPT file to be used and save it to the Desktop of the computer that is installed in the consol at the front of the class before class begins.
· Hats and chewing gum are to be removed.
·
Practice the presentation to ensure that it
confirms to the time requirements.
· Take time, do not rush, be relaxed
· In case a Web site is not available at the time of the presentation due to the performance of maintenance at the Web site, etc., a backup plan is advisable.
· If photos are to be exhibited, identify each. It is also suggested that the copy stand be used for exhibiting photos so that those at the back of the room may better be able to view them. On the bottom of the copy stand there is a zoom feature that may be useful.
·
If hot links are included in PPT, don’t minimize
the browser after opening one, but instead close it after each use. Otherwise subsequent hot links won’t work.
· If doing a PowerPoint presentation, be familiar with the software, which all undergraduate business students should have been provided with an introduction to in CIS 150 – Business Technology I, a required business core course.
·
If doing a PPT presentation, the window should be
maximized and View Show selected from the Slide Show menu.
·
If doing a PPT
presentation, the first slide should contain the title of the presentation,
presenter’s name and date of presentation, and the last slide should contain
the references used.
· If doing a PowerPoint presentation, check slides for typos and misspellings.
·
The use
of sounds in a PowerPoint presentation is strongly discouraged.
· Set up PowerPoint slides so that all the info on each slide appears with just one mouse click.
·
Check on
pronunciations of foreign language words, if used.
·
If a handout is used, keep in mind that those
containing detailed information are more useful than those with just
outlines.
·
Don’t use the computer’s mouse cursor to follow
along on a screen displaying a PPT slide.
Instead use the instructor’s laser pointer which is available upon
request.
The following are some comments and suggestions for improvement made by students on presentations by fellow students in this course as well as in other courses that may be helpful:
· Don’t speak so fast, slow down
·
Don’t read from notes
·
Add info that isn’t on PPT slides
· Fill allotted time, too short, should be longer
·
Don’t
stand behind the computer monitor
· Watch “ums” and “uhs”, less “ums”
· Speak louder/clearer, hard to hear
· Check PPT slides for readability, i.e., font size, and background color
· Add more content to PPT slides, break it up a bit
· Too much info on each slide
· Maintain/provide more eye contact with class, look up more
·
Don’t look at computer monitor / look away from
computer
·
Look at the class not just the instructor
·
Talk to your audience
· Don’t sit on front table nor lean against consol
· Show more enthusiasm
· Provide more/better preparation, be more informed
· Provide more specifics/details/examples/depth/content
· Provide better organization
· Provide smoother transition between topics/slides
· Provide a clearer introduction
· A handout would have been beneficial
· Smile
· Relax, don’t be nervous
· Be more formal
· Avoid use of “like,” “you guys,” and “stuff like that”
· Don’t move around so much
· Use the mouse scroll wheel or the Enter key to advance slides instead of right clicking
·
Don’t let voice trail off at end of each statement,
voice trails sometimes
·
Have the text appear at one time instead of
clicking to bring each one up
·
Text over images is difficult to read
·
Don’t put hands in pockets
·
Have the website ready
·
Add some of the figures to PowerPoint
·
Know your website and check for any changes right
before presentation
Mary Carol Gensheimer’s 10 Commandments for doing PowerPoint presentations (which were obtained from a Sp00 presentation and may be available on her network storage folder) are as follows:
Assessment
Assessment of the
Samples of handouts used in
Student Network storage
Students are allotted a limited amount of network storage space, which, in the past, has been 400MB, for academic use. This storage drive is to be automatically mapped at login when using a computer that is directly connected to the Gannon network. To access it, click on the My Computer icon, which is usually located on the desktop. The drive may be indicated as “Student’s NEWID on ‘beyer’ (S)”. Open the folder by double-clicking on it.
A student’s folder could be used as the source of a PowerPoint file that is to be used in an issue presentation, or as a backup for a floppy disk to be used in such a presentation, which is described above. Although it rarely happens, be aware that a network folder may not be accessible if it is not possible to establish a connection to the server at the time of a presentation. A student’s folder could also be used to store information obtained in researching the issue.
To access a network folder for use in a presentation
using the PC which is built into the consol located at the front of the class
DO NOT log on to the network as this will remove all the files that the
instructor or others may have loaded.
Instead, go to one of the following Web sites: http://beyer.gannon.edu/
or http://www.gannon.edu/RemoteAccess/. Scroll down and click on Student FTP Site
and, when prompted for username and password, enter the username as: gannon.edu\username, where username
is the student’s NEWID. Then open
the appropriate student folder. After selecting a PPT file from network
storage, it may be necessary to first copy it to the computer’s desktop before
it may be opened, which should be done anyway.
If a student should receive a Quota Server message or a message to the effect that their directory has become Read Only, it may be a result of having reached the quota limit on their folder, which in the past has been 400MB. In such a case, files must be deleted until the size is under the limit.
Gannon network storage is accessible from an external computer, i.e., one not connected directly to the Gannon network, if it is equipped with Internet Explorer (5.0 or better, preferably IE 6.0 Service Pack 1 or higher). To access network storage, go to the following Web site: http://www.gannon.edu/RemoteAccess/. Make sure that IE is open in expanded view. Then, scroll down and click on Student FTP Site and, when prompted for username and password, enter the username as: gannon.edu\username, where username is the student’s NEWID. Click on Log on and then open the appropriate student folder
Network storage is also available from the Gannon Portal at My.Gannon.edu by clicking on the student resources
tab after logging on.
ITS information for using network storage is available at: http://www.gannon.edu/depts/comptel/labs/storage.ihtml.
Another instructional component of the course is Internet Web sites that are to be used for obtaining additional information on specific topics, particularly those not covered well in the CD and elsewhere, and in researching presentations.
A file containing Internet Web sites related to
An Email Distribution List is to be used as the primary means of providing course information to students, as course management software, such as Blackboard, is not used. For the students who are enrolled in the course, an Email Distribution List containing their Gannon E-mail addresses, as well as external Email addresses that the instructor is aware of, is to be created. Prior to each class, each student is to be sent an Email regarding the assignment for that class, the agenda, the presentations scheduled for that class and the following class, as well as other information. Email is also to be used to provide course documents and articles. An individual student’s Email address is to be used to communicate with that student. Thus, students should check their E-mail regularly and delete messages as needed to avoid boxes from becoming so full that new messages may not be received.
If a student wishes to receive Email at an address in addition to the Gannon address and those external addresses that the instructor is aware of, they should send an Email containing the address to the instructor and/or include this address on the Student Info form to be distributed the first day of class.
Since much course material is to be provided via Email, it is suggested that a separate Email folder be created to save this material. These Emails should not be deleted. It is also suggested that the material be printed out as it is received and stored in a binder along with other course material.
Since August, 2000, the recommended access tool for students
to check Gannon E-mail has been a Web browser, such as Netscape or Internet
Explorer. This method is referred to as
IMail. The URL for the Web site to
access Gannon Email is: http://www.Gannon.edu/mail. E-mail may also be accessed from the Gannon
portal at My.Gannon.edu. Complete instructions for using IMail
to retrieve and send E-mail are available at the following Gannon Web
site: http://www.gannon.edu/RESOURCE/compctr/imail/index.html.
Gannon ITS’s Web Email Tips are available at:
http://www.gannon.edu/resource/compctr/imail/webemailtips.html
The advantages of using IMail to obtain Gannon E-mail are as follows:
· it is accessible from anywhere via the Internet,
· a separate E-mail client, such as Eudora, isn’t needed, and
· all mail, read and unread, remains on the Gannon server unless deleted, so there is no issue of downloading to one PC and then not being able to access those messages from another PC
Since only a limited amount of space, which in the past has been 50 MB, may be provided, if large attachments are received and saved to the server, and this limit is reached, mail must be removed from the server before any new mail can be received.
It is possible to have all incoming Gannon E-mail messages forwarded to an external E-mail address. Information for doing so is available under Account options, which is located at the top of the page.
All of the documents contained in the Initial Bundle are to be placed in the instructor’s GU Share folder. Other documents may be posted as well. To access GU Share from a computer connected directly to the Gannon network, go to \\beyer\gushare and open the folder for mahan001. To access this folder from an external computer, i.e., one not connected directly to the Gannon network, which is equipped with Internet Explorer (5.0 or better, preferably IE 6.0 Service Pack 1 or higher) go to the following Web site: http://www.gannon.edu/RemoteAccess/. Make sure that IE is open in expanded view. Then, scroll down and click on GU Share, which is located on the bottom right hand side, and, when prompted for username and password, enter the username as: gannon.edu\username, where username is the student’s NEWID. Click on Log on and then open the folder for mahan001. There is to be a subfolder entitled China Studies 06. Note that there may also be subfolders for China Studies 04 and 05. Within the China Studies 06 subfolder there is to be a separate folder entitled “Initial Bundle “ that is to contain the documents contained in the Initial Bundle.
GU Share is also available from the Gannon Portal at My.Gannon.edu by clicking on the student resources tab after logging on.
If there are any problems with receiving the Email or accessing GU share or network storage contact ITS [helpline at (814) 871-7501, toll free at (877) 482-4333, E-Mail at helpdesk@gannon.edu, through the Web at http://www.gannon.edu/helpdesk/, or walk into Zurn 123. The hours of operation are 8:00 AM to 9:30 PM, Monday through Friday. All calls placed during these times are to be answered immediately or called back within two hours. Limited coverage is also available after 9:30 PM on weekday evenings, from Noon to 4:30PM on Saturdays and from Noon to 9:30 PM on Sundays, depending on staff availability. Leave a message during limited coverage times and if the Helpdesk is not staffed, your call is to be returned the next business day.]
Current articles related to China, obtained primarily from the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, are to be provided by the instructor to each student via Email. Usually the text of an article will be cut and pasted into the body of an Email note. If the article contains any graphic(s), it (they) may be provided in the body as well, or the actual article may be attached as an HTML file or a hotlink to the actual article may be provided. The student is expected to read the articles provided and be prepared to discuss them in class. Students who come across interesting articles are encouraged to Email them to the instructor so that they may be forwarded to the class. As there may be quite a few of these articles, they are to be numbered. In Sp05 there were 88 such articles. During each class, the articles that were provided during the previous week are to be contained in the PPT slides displayed during that class. They may also be contained on the Email to be sent prior to each class.
Other particularly good articles of a more general nature related to business and the economy that have been published prior to the start of the semester may be posted to the instructor’s GU Share folder, which is described above. Some of these articles may be assigned for reading.
The student may wish to subscribe to the New York Times’ on
line version (it’s free!) and set it up so that items related to
Another important instructional component of the course is the Splendid China Study Tour, which is to take place 24 Feb – 03 March, 2006. This 8 day tour, which provides a large number of contact hours, is intended to provide an additional understanding of the history and culture of the country and may include school and business visits. Tuition is not included in the cost of the tour. The tentative tour itinerary is as follows:
Day 01
Your exciting journey begins early as you board a Boeing 737
at
Day 02
After crossing the International Date Line, arrive late
afternoon in
Day 03
In the morning stroll on
Day 04
The highlight today is a full day excursion to the Great
Wall. This landmark of
Day 05
In the morning visit the
Day 06
In the morning you go on a special pedicab tour of the
Hutong, the “old city” neighborhood of narrow alleyways and authentic courtyard
houses where locals have lived for centuries.
Visit the Drum or
Day 07
In the morning, visit the US Commercial Service for a
briefing on doing business in
Day 08
As the return flight does not depart until late afternoon,
you have most of the day to enjoy the city on your own. Your fascinating journey comes to an end as
you board a non stop flight to either
Attendance is required at all events that are included on the itinerary. It is especially important to focus on the explanations of sites that are provided by the local tour guide.
Additional information on the tour is available at the tour
Web site which is located at: https://chinastudytour.tripod.com/
The class is to meet at least 11
times. The first class meeting is
scheduled for Tuesday, 10 January, 2006, 6:00-8:50 PM in PC 3208. Topics to be covered during that class include
the following: instructor and student
introductions, introduction to course content and learning tools, a
demonstration of the use of the China CD, and an explanation of some of the
items contained in the course syllabus.
Also, the class will begin viewing the video entitled “
Following the first class, tentatively, the class is to meet on the following Tuesdays from 6:00 – 8:50 PM in PC 3208:
Prior to the trip:
#2 17 Jan
#3 24 Jan
#4 31 Jan
#5 07 Feb
#6 14 Feb
#7 21 Feb
After the trip:
21 Mar
28 Mar
11 Apr
25 Apr
Guest
lecturers are tentatively scheduled for at least three of the above
classes. The viewing of the six (6) hour
three part video series, “
Since the field trip component of the class counts for a large number of contact hours, class is tentatively not scheduled to meet on the following Tuesdays: 07 Mar, 14 Mar, nor 04 Apr, 2006.
The Pre Departure Briefing is tentatively scheduled for Sat, either 04 or 11 Feb, 2006 at Noon at a local Chinese restaurant. For those students who are participating in the trip, attendance is mandatory.
The tour is to take place 24 Feb – 03 March, 2006.
· Students are expected to attend each and every class. Those students who are participating in the tour are also to attend the Pre Departure Briefing meeting, as well as all events included on the tour itinerary.
· E-mail should be checked regularly for posts, particularly before each class. In addition to the uses explained above, E-mail is the primary means of communicating with an individual student.
· Each student is to select a classmate to serve as a contact person who, in the event that the student is absent from class, can inform the student regarding the material covered that class, assignments for the next class, and any special announcements that may have been made. Such a contact person can also pick up for and get to the student any material, such as handouts, that may have been distributed in that class, and submit for the student any homework assignments that may be due that class. Obtain the telephone number(s) of the contact person.
·
As current events are an integral part of the
course, the student should attempt to keep up with current
The course grade is to be determined on the basis of the student's performance on the following components (with the weight indicated in parentheses), each of which is described in detail below:
There are neither exams nor quizzes in this course.
The grading scale used to determine course letter grades based upon the course average is as follows: A+ (95% and above); A (90 - 94%), A - (88-89%), B+ (85-87%), B (80-84%), B- (77-79%), C+ (75-76%), C (70 -74%), D (below 70%). Note that minus grades are not available for undergraduates. In order for the grading process to remain objective, impartial, consistent, fair to all students, and for grades to be reflective of a student's knowledge of the material, no other factors, such as participation in athletic programs, personal problems, language problems, work conflicts, the necessity of obtaining a certain grade in order to receive reimbursement from an employer, the necessity of being registered for a certain number of credit hours in order to receive financial assistance, the necessity of obtaining a certain grade in order to graduate, nor some other reason, can be considered in determining grades. There are no extra credit projects, such as doing papers or reports, available to bring up one's grade. The expectations for graduate students are different and more stringent than those for undergraduates.
If a student would like to be informed of their course grade before it is received via mail from the Registrar's Office, they may wish to check Gannon’s GUXpress after course grades are posted, which students are to be informed of via a post to the course Email Distribution List. Grades are to be posted sometime after the last day to submit material, which is Friday, 05 May 2006, at Noon. To access GUXpress, point a browser to the Gannon portal, which is located at: My.Gannon.edu. After entering a user name and password and clinking on Login, select GUXpress from the menu at the top on the next page. On the next page to appear, click on Login. On the next page, click on Access Student Menu. On the next page, under Academic Profile, click on Grades.
A student who stops attending class and does not properly withdraw from the course by submitting a Change of Schedule form to the Registrar’s Office, may receive a grade of F for the course.
20 January 2006 is the last day that courses dropped are removed from the student’s transcript.
20 March 2006 is the last day to withdrawn from a course.
The last day for
submitted material to be considered before grades are to be submitted to the
Registrar’s Office is Friday, 05 May 2006, at Noon.
Resolution of Concern
with an Instructor: The Dean, CHBE,
suggests that if a student has a concern with an instructor or a course, the
resolution begins by speaking with the instructor. If the concern continues after this
conversation, the student is to speak with the chair/director of the
instructor’s department. Any continuing
concerns should be taken to the Dean’s Office in the
Academic integrity:
Scholastic dishonesty is not to be tolerated. The full consequences of scholastic dishonesty are to be pursued consistent with the university’s Code of Academic Integrity, which is described on pp. 43-46 of the 2005-2006 Gannon Undergraduate Catalog.
Copying another student’s homework assignments or other material to be submitted is considered to be a violation of academic integrity.
The components of performance assessment are explained as follows:
The document entitled “China CD Reading & Homework Assignments,” which is contained in the Initial Bundle distributed the first class and is to be posted to the instructor’s GU Share folder, which is described above, indicates the China CD topics/segments that are to be worked through, the suggested week for doing so, the assigned homework (h/w) problems, and the dates that the assigned h/w problems are to be submitted. Any changes are to be announced in class and/or via Email
For each of the topics/segments assigned in the CD, the quizzes, which are referred to as Reviews on the CD, are to be self administered. For each Review question missed, the corresponding portion of the CD is to be reviewed.
The selected homework problems (which are referred to as Assignments on the CD) assigned are to be submitted and count for a portion of the final grade as indicated above. For some of the topics/segments that contain sub categories, which are denoted by i, ii, iii, etc., there are not separate Assignment questions for each sub category. If there is a vertical bar along the right hand side of a screen containing Assignment questions, it may be necessary to click on the down arrow at the bottom of the screen to scroll to the bottom of the last question.
For a particular topic/segment, another Assignment question that is not assigned within that topic/segment may be substituted for one of those assigned. Not all segments assigned as reading contain assigned h/w questions. None of the Assignment questions that involve other readings have been assigned as h/w.
The length of the answer for each h/w question assigned varies, but is expected to be ½ - 1.5 pages. The responses to the questions assigned are not to consist of a cut and paste of material contained in the CD, but rather the text material is to be processed and put in the student’s own words.
General instructions for doing the homework are as follows:
· Do the questions in exactly the same order as listed on the China CD Reading & Homework Assignments document, clearly indicating the unit, segment, and question number;
· Fasten all papers together using something other than a paper clip;
· Word processed responses are naturally preferred, but handwritten material is acceptable as long as it is legible.
· Neither E-mailed nor faxed homework is acceptable, only hard copies.
The Email to be sent before each class is to contain a reminder regarding the units that students should be working on.
The h/w problems for each unit are graded on the basis of the completeness, quantity, quality, and presentation of the answers, relative to others, using a 0 to 5.0 grading scale (from assignment not turned in to unsatisfactory to satisfactory to outstanding). Grades on assignments submitted late are reduced by 0.1 points (out of 5) for each weekday past the due date. As the late penalty applies to each day late, it is best to not wait until the next class to submit late h/w, but rather to submit it as soon after the due date as possible.
Samples of homework submitted in previous years are to be made available in one of the classes.
3. Critique of the
When working through the CD, make a note of any
questions that may arise so that they may be presented to guest lecturers and/or
the local tour guides. Also, make a note
of errors, thoughts on the usefulness of the CD, opinion on Review questions,
and suggestions for improvement to the CD, as a 1.5 - 2 page review/critique
is to be submitted on or before 25 April, 2006. Grades on critiques submitted late are
reduced by by 0.1 points (out of 5) for each weekday past the due date. The reviews are to be forwarded to Michele
Ferrier at the
In developing their critique, the student may wish to address questions contained in the “Survey of Contemporary Chinese Societies: Continuity and Change,” which is to be distributed in class and/or posted to the instructor’s GU Share folder.
4. Presentations on an issue, current event and movie review, as explained above.
5. China Tour Project which includes the following components:
a) An overview and impression of each of the following highlights of the tour, each of which is expected to be 0.5 to 1.5 pages in length and prepared with a word processor:
·
·
·
·
· Great Wall
·
·
· Hu Tong tour
· Beijing Duck dinner
· Acrobatic Show
· All school and business visits
b) Journal of field trip. Students are to prepare and submit a comprehensive journal containing entries for each day of the tour. Each journal entry is to be 30 minutes in length and contain daily thoughts regarding the experience, perceptions of China, and perhaps observed differences between the US and China. A handwritten journal is acceptable as long as it is legible.
A small notebook or recording device is highly recommended for taking notes during the tour.
The overview of the highlights of the tour may be combined with the journal into one document.
c)
Summary essay on the educational value of the
experience. A separate 3-4 page paper addressing the educational value of the
experience to the student, what was learned, and perhaps indicating observed
differences in the culture, history, economic system, level of economic development,
political system between
The materials to be included in the China Tour project should not be submitted in a loose fashion. All papers should be attached with something other than a paper clip, binder clip, or those plastic things that slide along the edges of the papers. Small binders or folders with three clips for attaching 3 hole punched paper are recommended.
Samples of China Tour Projects submitted in previous years are to be made available in one of the classes.
Tentatively, the
6. Selected class notes
The videos viewed during class, the
guest lecture presentations and student issue presentations are an important
learning opportunity. Notes on these class activities are to be
submitted on 25 April, 2006. Handwritten
material is perfectly acceptable as long as it is legible. It is not necessary to submit other class
notes. Grades on notes submitted late are
reduced by by 0.1 points (out of 5) for each weekday past the due date.
Although it is hoped that each student who enrolls in the course would also participate in the Splendid China Tour, this may not always be the case. Those students who are not participating in the field trip are to have the following additional responsibilities:
· Obtain and read each of the following texts:
·
Obtain and read one of the following (which may be assigned):
· Present to the class an overview of one or more of the above texts. Specific assignments are forthcoming. These presentations are to be longer than and in addition to an issue presentations. They are tentatively to be scheduled for the third from last class. A written report is to accompany the presentation.
The expectations for graduate students are more stringent
than for undergraduates. They are
encouraged to read the Business supplemental material indicated above and visit
the Web sites pertaining to doing business in