Before participating in this discussion, please make sure you have completed the readings and have comprehensively analyzed “The Raise” interactive scenario to ensure you can fully address the prompt.

In “The Raise” scenario, you were asked to construct arguments in favor of getting a raise. Using the knowledge you gained from the “The Raise” scenario, pick something that you are passionate about and create an argument, either inductive or deductive, to present your strongest position on that issue. Present your argument in premise-conclusion form. View the following human rights videos listed under this week’s required multimedia:

• Gem Slaves: Tanzanite’s child labour – Part – 1
• Why women count video clip collection: Southeast Asia, Pacific, Caribbean, Latin America
• Children and human rights, part 1: Rights & wrongs – Human rights television
• Child labor, part 1: Rights & wrongs – Human rights television

Focus your analysis on a specific contemporary human rights issue. You can use an issue from these videos or use what you learn in these videos to address another specific issue that is of interest to you.

Use the “Steps for Evaluating an Argument” template to help you structure your response. After you have completed the argument template, you will then be able to use that template to write out a narrative response in which you cover all the elements that were included in the argument template.

You must post to this discussion on at least four separate days of the week and your posts must total at least 600 words as you address the questions noted above. Your first post must be completed by Day 3 (Thursday) and the remainder of your posts must be completed by Day 7 (Monday).  You must answer all aspects of the prompt at some point during the week.  Also, be sure to reply to your classmates and instructor.  Try to attempt to take the conversation further by examining their claims or arguments in more depth or responding to the posts that they make to you.  Keep the discussion on target and try to analyze things in as much detail as you can.
Guided Response: Read the reflections of your classmates and analyze the issues that they identified. You might consider playing devil’s advocate to bring out more detail in the issue. You might also fill in areas that you felt your classmate missed. Did your classmate present a convincing argument? Why, or why not? Which part of the argument do you dispute (premise, conclusion, structure, etc.)? How might the argument be strengthened?

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Students, please view the “Submit a Clickable Rubric Assignment” in the Student Center.

Instructors, training on how to grade is within the Instructor Center.

Assignment 3: Cultural Activity Report
Due Week 10 and worth 100 points

As a way of experiencing the Humanities beyond your classroom, computer, and textbook, you are asked to do a certain type of “cultural activity” that fits well with our course and then report on your experience.   Your instructor will require you to propose an activity and get instructor approval before you do it and report on it (students should look for any instructions in that respect).  Every effort should be made to ensure that this is a hands-on experience (not a virtual one), that this activity fits the HUM111 class well, and that the activity is of sufficient quality for this university course. The two key types of activities are a museum visit or a performance. NOTE:  This must not be a report on the same activity (and certainly not the same report) as done for another class, like HUM112.  For instance, one might go to the same museum as done for HUM112, but this HUM111 report will focus on entirely different works and displays.

Note: Submit your cultural activity choice to the instructor for approval before the end of Week 5 (earlier is even better). Look for guidance from the instructor for how or where to make your proposal.  You may also seek advice from your instructor (provide your town/state or zip code) for a good activity in your general area.

Visiting a Museum

• It makes sense to approach a museum the way a seasoned traveler approaches visiting a city for the first time. Find out what there is available to see. In the museum, find out what sort of exhibitions are currently housed in the museum and start with the exhibits that interest you.
• If there is a travelling exhibition, it’s always a good idea to see it while you have the chance. Then, if you have time, you can look at other things in the museum.
• Every effort should be made ahead of time to identify a museum that has items and works one can easily connect to our HUM111 class and book.  Since HUM111 covers from ancient times to the 1500s AD, it makes more sense to focus on items from that time frame. In general, museums with artistic cultural artifacts and fine arts work better than history museums.
• Any questions about whether a museum-visit activity fits the course and assignment well enough will be decided by the instructor when the student seeks approval for the activity.  Any alternative activity  outside the normal ones listed here, such as for those limited by disability or distance, will be determined by the instructor. Normally we do not expect students to travel over an hour to get to an approved activity.
• Make notes as you go through the museum and accept any handouts or pamphlets that the museum staff gives you. While you should not quote anything from the printed material when you do your report, the handouts may help to refresh your memory later.
• The quality of your experience is not measured by the amount of time you spend in the galleries or the number of works of art that you actually see. The most rewarding experiences can come from finding two or three pieces of art or exhibits which intrigue you and then considering those works in leisurely contemplation. Most museums even have benches where you can sit and study a particular piece.
• If you are having a difficult time deciding which pieces to write about, ask yourself these questions: (1) If the museum you are visiting suddenly caught fire, which two (2) pieces of art or exhibits would you most want to see saved from the fire? (2) Why would you choose those two (2) particular pieces?

Attending a Performance

• Check your local colleges to see if there are any free or low-cost performances or student recitals. Student performances are generally of almost the same quality as professional performances, but typically cost much less.  However, performances of high school level or lower will not meet this requirement.
• A performance that is relevant to a HUM111 course is more difficult to find than a performance that would be relevant to HUM112 (which covers from 1600 to the present).  But, our course does cover Shakespeare and Greek tragedy and drama, so any performances of those will work. One can sometimes find music performances of music from the Renaissance or Reformation period, or even earlier.
• Any questions about whether a performance activity fits the course and assignment well enough will be decided by the instructor when the student seeks approval for an activity.  Any alternative activity  outside the normal ones listed here, such as for those limited by disability or distance, will be determined by the instructor. Normally we do not expect students to travel over an hour to get to an approved activity.
• Unlike visiting a museum, where you can wear almost anything, people attending performances are often expected to “dress up” a bit.
• Take a pen or pencil with you and accept the program you are offered by the usher; you will probably want to make notes on it during or after the performance.
• Turn off your cell phone before entering the auditorium. Do not use your phone to record the music or to take pictures or videos. To play it safe, turn the phone off.
• Most long musical performances have at least one (1) intermission. If the lights start blinking, it is a sign that the performance is about to begin.
• Look for very specific things (such as a particular piece of music or the way certain instruments sounded at a specific time) which tend to stand out as either enjoyable or not enjoyable. Be sure to make notes of the things which you find enjoyable as well as the things which are not enjoyable.

If a student is unable to attend a cultural event in person due to circumstances beyond the student’s control, then the instructor will recommend an alternate event/activity for the student to “attend” online. The “virtual” event/activity is usually only for students who, due to their physical location, cannot possibly attend an event/activity in person; typically, these students are stationed overseas or have no means of transportation. Experience shows most museums and activities are modest in cost and manageable for students, and you will often see students from other universities there on similar course projects. If you are facing financial hardship, keep in mind that many museums have a free day each week and performance discounts are often available for students and veterans, among others. Feel free to ask your instructor to help with finding low-cost options. If you believe that you have a legitimate reason for attending a “virtual” activity, you must contact the instructor no later than Week 5 for your request to be considered. 

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; references must follow APA Style format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. (Note: Students can find APA style materials located in the course shell for reference)

• Include a cover page containing the tile of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

 

• Explain the importance of situating a society’s cultural and artistic expressions within a historical context.
• Examine the influences of intellectual, religious, political, and socio-economic forces on social, cultural, and artistic expressions
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in the study of world cultures.
• Write clearly and concisely about world cultures using proper writing mechanics.

Assignment 2: Preparation for Generating a Policy Proposal

Although some states and cities have passed laws to ban texting and using handheld phones while driving, there is no current law to ban all cell phone use while driving. However, according to the National Safety Council (2009), 28 percent of all crashes—1.6 million per year—are caused by cell phone use and texting by drivers. The mission of a new national nonprofit organization called FocusDriven, patterned after Mothers Against Drunk Driving, is to make phone use while driving as illegal and socially unacceptable as drunk driving. US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood supports FocusDriven and its efforts.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, LaHood said that this movement would become “an army of people traveling the countryside” to push for bans on cell-phone use and tough enforcement (Schmitz, 2010). As a political advocate interested in this issue, you will be writing a policy proposal that utilizes the current research to propose a solution to the issue and submitting it in Module 5.

Annotated Bibliography: Effect of Cell Phone Use

Before you can write this proposal research, you will need to conduct initial research on the science behind this initiative. For this assignment, use the Argosy University online library resources to locate research reports from peer-reviewed journals that discuss the effects of cell phone use on vision, attention, perception, or memory. In selecting at least five research reports from peer-reviewed journals relevant to the topic, make sure they address one or more of the following issues:

• How do texting, handheld phones, and hands-free phones compare with each other in their effects on driving?
• How do other, traditional distractions compare to cell phone use in their effects on driving (such as eating, attending to children, talking to passengers, listening to music/news, etc.)?
• Can cell phone use while driving be compared with drunk driving? Why or why not?
• What other variables (such as age) can affect driving while using a cell phone?

Based on your reading of the five articles, create an annotated bibliography for each of the five sources. Each annotation should consist of the APA reference entry followed by a paragraph-long summary of the articles. In your summary, provide answers for the questions below. For the last question, think about how the research results could be generalized to fit other environments or not be generalized.

• Summarize the main ideas in the reference. What were they investigating?
• How were the studies conducted? What was the sample size? Is it appropriate?
• Were the studies conducted in the real world or was a simulated environment used?
• How might these methodological considerations affect the research findings and the conclusions drawn from them? How does this article fit in with your paper? How did it influence your own ideas about your paper?

Your annotated bibliography should be at 3–4 pages in length. Go to the Doc Sharing area for sample-annotated bibliography. This document will help you complete your paper more successfully.

Be sure to include a title page and reference page listing your articles.