ANTH 202/4B – Introduction to Culture

Meeting 1 – January 4, 2010

Alexandre Enkerli

(Alex)

“Intro to Culture”

What do you think culture is? What do you expect from this course? Did you take similar courses?

Culture Ideas

Raised Hand “Poll”: How Many of You...

Are anthropology/sociology majors? Are in their first year of university studies? Are in their first year at Concordia? Took other anthro courses? Arrived in Montreal within the last five years?

• Within the last year? Arrived in Canada within the last five years?

•Within the last year? Speak another language besides English and

French?

Alex

Anthro background Ethnographic disciplines Outside Ivory Tower Informal alex@informalethnographer.com Geek culture Social Media

Approach to Teaching

Varied contexts Flexibility “Learning happens despite teaching” Constructivism Treat as adults You're seeking out something

Basic Terms

Course: ANTH 202/4B – Introduction to Culture Class: All of us Class Meetings: Mondays and Wednesdays,

13:15-14:30 (1:15p to 2:30p) Classroom: JMSB (MB) S2.330 Office: H-1125-28 (Hall Building, 11th Floor) Resource Lab: H-1132 Moodle site for the course:

https://moodle.concordia.ca/moodle/course/view.php?id=30196

Class Meetings

No break New chapter on Wednesdays Classroom exercises on Mondays

Course Requirements

Contributions (20%) Exercises (20%) Exams (60%)

Policies

Contributions No extra credit Prewrite

Commitment

Time Ratio• Variation

Registering for a gym Working with textbook Exercises

Exams

“Thinking” Questions No T/F No “All/None of the above” Multiple choice Matching Short answers (sentence or two) Open Questions (paragraph or two) Mid-Term (March 3)

• Through chapter 6 (pp. Xiii-231) Final (exam period)

• Chapters 7-AW (pp. 232-410)

• Some “comprehensive” questions

“Contributions”

What each of you brings to the course• Would we miss you?

• Background

• Bring course outside All on the same boat

• Everyone can contribute

• Diverse roles Advice: Keep Journal

History of that Grade

“Attendance” “Participation” “Engagement” “Contribution”

• Now with exercises Self-Assessment (February 28) Graded (end of semester) Replaces “extra credit”

Exercises

Practical approach Varied

• Scope

• Procedure

• Difficulty

• Time commitment Individual exercises (voluntary, ungraded) Team exercises (graded)

Team Exercises

Replace semester-long project One in-class Four homework (two before mid-term) May assign weeks May be combined Change teams at midterm Weighed by difficulty/effort

• You can help me assess

Teamwork

Tuckman's Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing

Internal dynamic Diverse roles Relatively low stakes Peer-assessment Learning team

Team Formation

Icebreakers• Need at most six teams

• First in-class exercises Randomized (A-Z)

• After Drop/Add (January 16-17)

• Might tweak

Online

Currently public access Blended learning Way to contribute Online exercises Forums

Forums

Initially subscribed May rate posts “News” “General” Weekly forums Exam preparation Teamwork “Anthro Café”

The Book

Thinking Like an Anthropologist (83$/62$) Practical Approach Ethnographic Exercise-based

For Wednesday

“Who Are You? A Cultural Self-Survey” Book

• UTB: Using This Book

• Also Preface

• Good opportunity to look at book as a whole Journal