Course description
Spanish 336 is designed to promote students' oral abilities in Spanish as well as their critical understanding of Spanish culture through the discussion and analysis of different social web-based sources. SPAN 336 will make extensive use of technology to support oral and written activities. Your grade will be determined as follows:
Class participation and preparation 15%
Oral class projects 15%
Wiki-based forums and discussions 20%
Final group project 25%
Final oral interview based on your semester photo calendar 25%
Course objectives
The aim of this course is to enable you to acquire new vocabulary, grammar structures and pragmatics in order to improve your conversational skills. Discussions and activities will be based on current events as they are portrayed in the social media (blogs, digital repositories, twitter, YouTube videos, digital newspapers discussions, etc.).
Course materials
· Blackboard materials and calendar. Readings, links to videos and any other course materials will be posted on Blackboard. Please check regularly the course calendar on Blackboard for specific information on activities and deadlines. (https://courses.gmu.edu) · SPAN 336 Wiki. The wiki is SPAN 336’s working space. Discussions, class activities and group work will be carried out on the wiki. (http://span336sp10.wikispaces.com/) · El País de los Estudiantes account. This is an online tool from the newspaper El País that will be used to create the electronic newspaper for your final group project. (http://estudiantes.elpais.com/) · Shuttercal account. This is an online tool to create calendars that will be used for your final individual project. (http://shuttercal.com/) · GMU email account. Students must activate their GMU email accounts to receive important University information, including messages related to this class. · Please keep track of your login and password information for all these websites on a safe, accessible file so you can retrieve it if you forget it..
In-class participation and preparation
This is primarily a conversation class and you must be present to participate. Attendance is crucial. No make-up work will be accepted for lost class time. Late assignments won’t be accepted, unless there is a medical reason or any other justified emergency. Check Blackboard for all materials (course materials) and scheduled assignments (calendar). The attached tentative schedule does not contain details, as it is just an overview of the whole course.
Oral class projects
As part of Spanish 336 you will be carrying out different oral assignments based on audiovisual (songs, videos and movies) and written information (readings) throughout the semester. On the days devoted to DEBATES, oral performance will be formally assessed, and grades will be used for this course category.
Final Group project
Depending on enrollment, groups of 4 or 5 students will be working on publishing a newspaper for El País de los Estudiantes (http://estudiantes.elpais.com/) as final project. Each newspaper has five mandatory categories (title page, environment, society and culture, your world and sports). In addition each newspaper will have a special report on one of the following topics:
A trial edition will be issued as midterm assignment, and the final edition will be the basis for your group presentation at the end of the semester. Directions on how to register will be distributed on the first day of classes. Class time will be regularly devoted to this project as well.
Wiki-based forums and discussions
As part of this course, you will be required to participate in the on-line forums and discussions that will be set up specifically for this course on the wiki (http://span336sp10.wikispaces.com/), which is password-protected. Only members of this class have access to it. Directions on how to register for this service will be given during the first day of classes. Topics of discussion will be determined according to the weekly news as they become available on TV. Audiovisual information for these assignments will be accessible via http://www.rtve.es/mediateca/videos/ (For news, look for Noticias, Telediario, Telediario matinal). Make sure you watch the right video for the assignments. Videos on this website are not accessible after 10 days of having been broadcasted.
Semester photo calendar and final oral interview
For each week, you will be required to post on your Shuttercal calendar (http://shuttercal.com/) at least two entries with pictures related to the topics discussed in class or to events that happened in Spain (or in the US but that were discussed in the Spanish media). Each picture will also have a comment explaining why you chose that picture. The final oral interview will be based on the pictures and comments you made during the whole semester. Your global performance in the course will be also discussed. Directions on how to register for this service will be given during the first day of classes. Remember that you are not allowed to post copyrighted pictures and that all information you will post online on Shuttercall will be accessible by any Internet user, so use caution and common sense for all your online work with these and other tools. You are welcome to share your calendar with your peers and required to send the address to your instructor.
OFFICE OF DISABILITY SERVICES If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please see me and contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS) at 993-2474. All academic accommodations must be arranged through the ODS. http://ods.gmu.edu ACADEMIC INTEGRITY GMU is an Honor Code university; please see the University Catalog, http://catalog.gmu.edu, for a full description of the code and the honor committee process. The principle of academic integrity is taken very seriously and violations are treated gravely. Academic integrity means essentially this: when you are responsible for a task, you will perform that task. When you rely on someone else’s work in an aspect of the performance of that task, you will give full credit in the proper, accepted form. Another aspect of academic integrity is the free play of ideas. Vigorous discussion and debate are encouraged in this course, with the firm expectation that all aspects of the class will be conducted with civility and respect for differing ideas, perspectives, and traditions. When in doubt (of any kind) please ask for guidance and clarification.
UNIVERSITY POLICIES The University Catalog, http://catalog.gmu.edu, is the central resource for university policies affecting student, faculty, and staff conduct in university affairs. You are responsible for being aware of all policies that affect you and your studies at GMU.
Course description
Spanish 336 is designed to promote students' oral abilities in Spanish as well as their critical understanding of Spanish culture through the discussion and analysis of different social web-based sources. SPAN 336 will make extensive use of technology to support oral and written activities. Your grade will be determined as follows:
Class participation and preparation 15%
Oral class projects 15%
Wiki-based forums and discussions 20%
Final group project 25%
Final oral interview based on your semester photo calendar 25%
Course objectives
The aim of this course is to enable you to acquire new vocabulary, grammar structures and pragmatics in order to improve your conversational skills. Discussions and activities will be based on current events as they are portrayed in the social media (blogs, digital repositories, twitter, YouTube videos, digital newspapers discussions, etc.).Course materials
· Blackboard materials and calendar. Readings, links to videos and any other course materials will be posted on Blackboard. Please check regularly the course calendar on Blackboard for specific information on activities and deadlines. (https://courses.gmu.edu)· SPAN 336 Wiki. The wiki is SPAN 336’s working space. Discussions, class activities and group work will be carried out on the wiki. (http://span336sp10.wikispaces.com/)
· El País de los Estudiantes account. This is an online tool from the newspaper El País that will be used to create the electronic newspaper for your final group project. (http://estudiantes.elpais.com/)
· Shuttercal account. This is an online tool to create calendars that will be used for your final individual project. (http://shuttercal.com/)
· GMU email account. Students must activate their GMU email accounts to receive important University information, including messages related to this class.
· Please keep track of your login and password information for all these websites on a safe, accessible file so you can retrieve it if you forget it..
In-class participation and preparation
This is primarily a conversation class and you must be present to participate. Attendance is crucial. No make-up work will be accepted for lost class time. Late assignments won’t be accepted, unless there is a medical reason or any other justified emergency. Check Blackboard for all materials (course materials) and scheduled assignments (calendar). The attached tentative schedule does not contain details, as it is just an overview of the whole course.Oral class projects
As part of Spanish 336 you will be carrying out different oral assignments based on audiovisual (songs, videos and movies) and written information (readings) throughout the semester. On the days devoted to DEBATES, oral performance will be formally assessed, and grades will be used for this course category.Final Group project
Depending on enrollment, groups of 4 or 5 students will be working on publishing a newspaper for El País de los Estudiantes (http://estudiantes.elpais.com/) as final project. Each newspaper has five mandatory categories (title page, environment, society and culture, your world and sports). In addition each newspaper will have a special report on one of the following topics:1. Immigration
2. Gender violence
3. Unemployment
4. Independence movements
5. Drug addiction
A trial edition will be issued as midterm assignment, and the final edition will be the basis for your group presentation at the end of the semester. Directions on how to register will be distributed on the first day of classes. Class time will be regularly devoted to this project as well.
Wiki-based forums and discussions
As part of this course, you will be required to participate in the on-line forums and discussions that will be set up specifically for this course on the wiki (http://span336sp10.wikispaces.com/), which is password-protected. Only members of this class have access to it. Directions on how to register for this service will be given during the first day of classes. Topics of discussion will be determined according to the weekly news as they become available on TV. Audiovisual information for these assignments will be accessible via http://www.rtve.es/mediateca/videos/ (For news, look for Noticias, Telediario, Telediario matinal). Make sure you watch the right video for the assignments. Videos on this website are not accessible after 10 days of having been broadcasted.Semester photo calendar and final oral interview
For each week, you will be required to post on your Shuttercal calendar (http://shuttercal.com/) at least two entries with pictures related to the topics discussed in class or to events that happened in Spain (or in the US but that were discussed in the Spanish media). Each picture will also have a comment explaining why you chose that picture. The final oral interview will be based on the pictures and comments you made during the whole semester. Your global performance in the course will be also discussed. Directions on how to register for this service will be given during the first day of classes. Remember that you are not allowed to post copyrighted pictures and that all information you will post online on Shuttercall will be accessible by any Internet user, so use caution and common sense for all your online work with these and other tools. You are welcome to share your calendar with your peers and required to send the address to your instructor.OFFICE OF DISABILITY SERVICES
If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please see me and contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS) at 993-2474. All academic accommodations must be arranged through the ODS. http://ods.gmu.edu
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
GMU is an Honor Code university; please see the University Catalog, http://catalog.gmu.edu, for a full description of the code and the honor committee process. The principle of academic integrity is taken very seriously and violations are treated gravely. Academic integrity means essentially this: when you are responsible for a task, you will perform that task. When you rely on someone else’s work in an aspect of the performance of that task, you will give full credit in the proper, accepted form. Another aspect of academic integrity is the free play of ideas. Vigorous discussion and debate are encouraged in this course, with the firm expectation that all aspects of the class will be conducted with civility and respect for differing ideas, perspectives, and traditions. When in doubt (of any kind) please ask for guidance and clarification.
UNIVERSITY POLICIES
The University Catalog, http://catalog.gmu.edu, is the central resource for university policies affecting student, faculty, and staff conduct in university affairs. You are responsible for being aware of all policies that affect you and your studies at GMU.
OTHER USEFUL CAMPUS RESOURCES
Writing Center: http://writingcenter.gmu.edu
University Libraries “Ask a Librarian”: http://library.gmu.edu/mudge/IM/IMRef.html
Career Services: http://careers.gmu.edu/
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): http://caps.gmu.edu
La cuesta de enero. Desempleo. Fin de mes
La vivienda: ¿un derecho para todos?
Debate I
Discusión película
Preparación trabajo periódico online
Debate II
Los jóvenes
Relaciones con EE.UU.
Debate III
Jueves 8/4
Debate IV
Escucha Canciones III
Martes 13/4
Mira Noticias 5-9/4. Escribe Foro X
Debate V
Discusión película
Grupos III y IV (Presentación en grupo)
Grupos V y VI (Presentación en grupo)
Jueves 6/5
10:30 to 1:15Final individual interview with instructor