HIST 140:  The World Since 1945

Why a Web Course?

Welcome to our class on The World Since 1945. I have been teaching this class since 1997. During this time, the Web has changed dramatically, and the sources available to us on the Web and through electronic reserves has exploded. Current technology and ready access to information through the Web present distinct advantages to students and instructors whether they are in a physical or virtual classroom setting. Both students and instructors have greater diversity of resources in terms of the information providers and types of sources (text, pictures, other documentary materials, for example).

Web-based learning redistributes some of the power of a classroom in a healthy, dynamic fashion. The major advantage, I believe, is that students will recognize through experience the utility and benefits of controlling information. Previously, students depended almost exclusively upon texts (selected by instructors) and information shared by the instructor to draw conclusions that, through the screening of information, almost inevitably led students to the same conclusion as the instructors. The Web presents the opportunity for students to explore additional and/or alternative resources more easily and comprehensively.

As always, the best learning depends on student motivation, active thought processes, and hard work. I think this is even more true of Web-based learning, where the checks of attendance, body language, and the hearing of arguments cannot be duplicated. One danger is being seduced by Web sites. In the past, the editors of books or the instructor monitored your access to ideas and information. With the Web some of the thrill and responsibility of evaluation rests increasingly with you. This, however, helps one develop the most important tool of education—evaluation! Not all of the Web sites you visit will have been scrutinized for accuracy of content or balance of perspective. You will need to learn how to discriminate between good Web sites and bad ones. Some students find this disconcerting, for the student must take a more active role in evaluating sources. What I challenge you to do is to use the discussion forum to test your ideas with your fellow students and the instructor. Regular participation (at least two original posts per week) is a requirement of this class. This is one way for me to know that you are engaging with the material, and it also helps each of us sort our way through rather complex international topics.

Another reason that I am excited about Web-based teaching is the Web provides us with good tools for discussion and the ability to share written work. We will make extensive use of writing and discussion because I believe these exercises lead to the most effective learning. When a New York Times writer was asked what he thought about a particular issue, he responded, "I do not know. I haven't written on that yet." My personal experience supports the value of careful reflection and judgment required by the experience of writing.

I hope you accept that I have not assumed this responsibility of learning lightly nor opted for Web teaching for reasons other than sound pedagogy and learning opportunities. In this light I sincerely hope that you will share favorite Web sites and films with me and other students. I hope that you will share information you have acquired that supports or challenges our ideas. This is the thrill of discovery and learning. Your active participation in this class is essential.

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Course Objectives

The purpose of this class is to learn about historical developments in the post World War II era and appreciate the historical roots of these issues. The class materials are designed to:

1. develop your understanding of the issues we confront daily, and
2. improve your critical thinking and ability to present and defend a position.

Consequently, you are required to use the discussion forum to raise questions and to respond to issues raised by the instructor and other class participants. Some of our work will be structured to facilitate a comparison of our assumptions and experiences with those of other cultures.

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How the Course Works

My approach to this class is to provide you with some guidelines for reading and research for each unit, and then to "turn you loose" with your reference materials so that you can find out more about the subject and pursue lines of personal interest. I recommend that you begin each unit by reading through the "Guidelines for Reading and Research" sections found on the Web page for that unit. Then begin to work through your resource materials, searching for relevant information that answers the questions I've posed or that relates to the themes or topics I've outlined. You will need to know something about each item I've listed, although you are not expected to become an expert on each one. As you read, keep in mind the general themes of the course as well as the themes identified for each unit to help you determine the significance of the topics. Keep your focus on the broad analytical questions. As you read, think about the evidence that will help you answer these questions. That is a primary way for you to discriminate between the most important information and other bits of information that will become secondary to your analysis of events. When you practice this process, you will be developing your skills as an historian and as an informed citizen.

Visit the discussion forum and post your questions and observations at least twice each week. Read your classmates' comments and offer your responses to their thoughts. As noted earlier, participation in the discussion forum is expected of all students, will count toward your final course grade, and is an important way to keep you engaged in the class.  

The course includes four writing assignments. You will be expected to complete these assignments and maintain an active presence on the discussion forum. You will also take a quiz, a midterm test, and a final examination, all of which will be administered on the Web.

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Themes

The course material will be divided into these thematic segments:

1. The Cold War and its Legacies
2. Lesser Developed Countries: Independence, Decolonization, and Legitimacy
3. The Middle East: Resources, Religions and Globalization

The lessons in the course will ask you to evaluate themes like:

• structures or individuals as primary causes of events
• components of decision making
• the differences between perception and reality
• the role of culture in domestic and international relations
• compatibility of tolerance and ideology
• tension between the rights of individuals and society
• globalization and its challenges
• the relationship between technology and policy
• appeals and weaknesses of mono-causal arguments
• components of nationalism
• the applicability of stereotypes

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Text and Materials

Although the Web will be an important component of this class, other items will serve as resources. Required texts are available from Higher Grounds at The Friday Center. You can order the books online, or you can print out the book order form to fax or mail with payment for texts as indicated on the form.

The following text is required:

• Michael H. Hunt, The World Transformed: 1945 to the Present

Having a text helps structure the class; please make good use of it. Professor Hunt is a US diplomatic historian at UNC-Chapel Hill and has taught this class for many years. I am certain we will benefit from his insights and his desire to make this critical period of our history comprehensible.

Portions of the following books will be required reading to establish some common ground and points of departure for discussions:

• Slavenka Drakulic, Café Europa
• Jung Chang, Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China
• Le Ly Hayslip, When Heaven and Earth Changed Places: A Vietnamese Woman's Journey from War to Peace

Each of these books offers social-cultural history of a region that I hope will help personalize the account for you and help you to understand the region better. The authors are writing from personal experiences. As with any book, I want you to be aware of the strengths, weaknesses, and bias of the author.

You might also find it helpful to obtain a copy of Encarta Deluxe Edition Encyclopedia, a CD-ROM that should be available at most bookstores. One caveat, however, is due. Encarta is good in the sense that it will provide you with factual information. As an encyclopedia, Encarta usually does not give you much of an interpretation of the events. In other words, you must be able to think about why these people or events are significant to us.

I recommend that you read a newspaper with good international reporting. The New York Times and the Christian Science Monitor are available at reduced rates for students. Another option is to read a newspaper from the country we are studying. Try OnlineNewspapers to access a paper in the native language; many are available in English as well. I also recommend purchasing an inexpensive historical atlas like Hammond's Historical Atlas of the World. Use the atlas to think about a country's neighbors, topography, strategic considerations, access to international trade, relative size, and disputed boundaries, among other things. Often a visual approach to the information will help you understand the perspectives of others.

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Web Resources

Each unit will have links to resources on the World Wide Web, but the following Web resources will be helpful to you as you work through the units:

• CIA Factbook
• CNN Interactive
• New York Times
• Christian Science Monitor
• OnlineNewspapers
• Library of Congress Country Studies
• When looking for information on the current economic status within a country, I would suggest using the World Bank data; search for your country of interest.
• United Nations CyberSchoolBus (particularly the InfoNation and GlobalTrends links on this site)
• Much like the Library of Congress, the Economist has country links, although not for every nation.
• If you would like to read what a non-governmental organization may report on a region or country, try Amnesty International.

In addition, students enrolled in Carolina Courses Online can access online library resources from the UNC Library System by linking to Library Services for Distance Education Students. This site includes information on using general online reference works as well as accessing e-reserves and e-journals. If you are off-campus, when you click on a restricted library resource (such as e-reserves), you will be prompted to enter your UNC-Onyen. If you are unable to access the library's licensed resources, please contact the proxy team for further assistance.

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Grading Process

Final grades will be determined as follows:

• discussions: 30%—participation on the discussion forum and four 2-3 page writing assignments
• quiz: 10%
• midterm: 25%
• final exam: 35%

Your papers, quiz and exams will be submitted using the Assignments button in Blackboard. Discussions are an essential part of the course. You are expected to participate several times each week. To help you understand your discussion grade, I will indicate your "current discussion grade" after the quiz and midterm exam. When you submit your work to me, always keep a personal copy. Please submit your work as a Word document. I will use the "track changes" feature of Word to comment on your work and return it to you.

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Course Mechanics

Blackboard

Course discussion forums are accessed through a software package called Blackboard, and you will need to login to Blackboard using a unique identifier known as your UNC Onyen (Only Name You'll Ever Need) and Onyen password.

There is a link to the Blackboard site in the gray navigation bar at the top of every page in this course. Click on that link, and then use your Onyen to log in to Blackboard. Click on the "HIST 140" link, and you will see navigation buttons on the left taking you to the Discussion Forums.

If you experience problems accessing Blackboard, this is what you should do:

• If you do not already have a UNC Onyen, go to the Onyen Web site and follow the instructions for creating an Onyen.

• If you have an Onyen but have forgotten it (or the password), visit the Onyen Web site.

• If you have your Onyen but can't log in to Blackboard, contact Janice Durham at the Friday Center.

• If you can log in to Blackboard but can't find this course listed, contact Janice Durham at the Friday Center.

• If you can't locate an exam or discussion forum in Blackboard, contact the Instructional Designer.

• If you have other technical problems while using Blackboard, contact Blackboard Help (use the Help button in Blackboard, or call 919-962-HELP).

Library Services and E-reserves

Students enrolled in Carolina Courses Online can access online library resources from the UNC Library System by linking to Library Services for Distance Education Students. This site includes information on using general online reference works as well as accessing e-reserves and e-journals. If you are off-campus, when you click on a restricted library resource (such as e-reserves), you will be prompted to enter your UNC-Chapel Hill Onyen. If you are unable to access the library's licensed resources, please contact the proxy team for further assistance.

E-mail

E-mails regarding the course will go to your UNC Onyen e-mail address (the one that appears when you post to the discussion forum). Off-campus users can access their UNC mail using Webmail. You can have your Onyen e-mail forwarded to a different e-mail address by clicking “Forward email” at the Onyen Web site. Please also notify Janice Durham at the Friday Center of the change.

If you use a filter on your e-mail account, you are responsible for ensuring that it does not prevent you from receiving messages from me, the course listserv, or Friday Center staff.

Hotmail users should be aware that Hotmail will block messages sent from within Blackboard because Blackboard uses “blind carbon copy” to protect privacy. We recommend that you use your UNC Onyen e-mail account rather than forwarding to Hotmail for this course.

Submitting Assignments

It is extremely important for you to save copies of any work you send to your instructor via e-mail. If your instructor doesn't receive your work, you must have a duplicate copy, indicating the date sent, to prove that you submitted the assignment on time. It is your responsibility to maintain copies of your sent e-mails, as there is no way to guarantee that any e-mail message will be delivered.

Please check your e-mail software to see how it manages sent and saved messages. Some software automatically deletes messages one month after they have been sent; others only save messages if they are filed in folders; others save messages received but not those sent. You may need to send yourself a copy of your e-mailed assignment at the same time you send it to your instructor, or you may need to print a copy of the e-mail message and any attachments to keep in your paper files. No matter how your system works, make sure you know how to save a copy of all work that you submit to your instructor and that you save the copy for several months beyond the end of the course.

Other Questions

Contact your instructor with questions regarding the content of the course and your progress. There is an e-mail link to your instructor at the top of every lesson page. Please include "HIST 140" in the subject line of your e-mail.

Contact your Instructional Designer at the Friday Center about problems with this Web site, including bad links.

If you have any logistical questions as you work through the course (enrollment, Onyen, credits, withdrawal, and so on), contact the Student Services staff at the Friday Center for Continuing Education (phone 919-962-1134 or 800-862-5669).

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Lessons and Schedule

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Honor Code

Remember that as a student of UNC-Chapel Hill, you are bound by the University's Honor Code: "It shall be the responsibility of every student at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to obey and support the enforcement of the Honor Code, which prohibits lying, cheating, or stealing when these actions involve academic processes or University students or academic personnel acting in an official capacity." An especially serious Honor Code violation is plagiarism. If you are uncertain about what is considered plagiarism, please talk to your course instructor.

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