K-12 Blended and Online LearningSyllabus Outline for an Online Unit of Instruction

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Course Information

African Studies: The Continent and DiasporaInstructor:Kali AlfordOffice Hours: Before school by appointment

Room: 607Did you include course title, instructor information, grade level, subject area, office hours and required textbooks or resources?

YESThe information included in this box contains the course title as well as, my office hours, and room number

Expected Student Audience

Students who are eligible to take this course are junior or senior students who have successful passed all Social Studies courses and are seeking the Magnet Seal which requires an extra Social Studies credit.Is the expected student audience described? (Are your students in the USA?)

Yes! The demographic information is based upon the course eligibility requirements per the school registrar.

Teacher Communication

Email: alfordk@fultonschools.orgTwitter: @mrkalfordDid you provide at least two forms of communication are included in the syllabus?Contact information included is accurate and checked regularly.

Course Description

For many centuries the study of Africa has been shrouded in a cloud of misconception, insensitivity, and discord. Much of Africas history has been excluded from World History or is only taught as a part of the European colonial conquest creating an ethnocentric view of an otherwise rich history. This interdisciplinary course seeks to examine Africas history and culture from the time preceding European contact to now and emphasize Africas impact on the world. Through analysis of a variety of artifacts and primary sources, students will be introduced to the diverse cultural, religious, and historical matters relating to the African continent and those of African descent.

Does this clearly identify the broad goals or topics to be covered? Does it outline the general topics, concepts and skills to be covered?All goals and broad topics are addressed.

Learning Outcomes

1. The student will investigate the misconceptions and perceptions of the African continent and the cultures therein and will be able to identify their origins between the 15th century and modern day.

2. The student will identify the political structures and most notable African Empires that existed prior to major European contact.

3. The student will explain and examine the spread of Christianity and Islam into Africa and the lasting impacts these religions had on African culture.

4. The student will analyze and examine the establishment of the Trans-Saharan, Trans-Atlantic, and Indian Ocean mass slave trade systems and compare them to the prior institutions of servitude present in Africa.

5. The student will examine various destinations of Africans in the slave trade, the cultural exchanges that have taken place, and the cultures that have developed.

6. The student will analyze the period of European colonization of Africa by examining the various perspectives of the colonizing powers and the colonized peoples of Africa.

7. The student will learn about Africas relevance in both World Wars and the impact of the wars on various regions of Africa.

8. The student will explore various freedom movements throughout Africa that contributed to decolonization.

9. The student will examine the remnants of colonialism and investigate the roles of Soviet Russia and the United States in post-colonial Africa.

10. The student will examine the remnants of colonialism and investigate the roles of Soviet Russia and the United States in post-colonial Africa.

Are these measurable and/or observable? Do they describe what students must know and be able to do? Do they involve some cognitive challenge and active learning?

All standards are not measurable, but those that are not are qualitative and can be observed.

Topics by Week

Unit 1Perceptions/ Misconceptions One Weeka. Assess modern media, movies, and textbooks for bias and Ethnocentrism.b. Compare and contrast the European depictions of Africans before and after the Renaissance.c. Evaluate the importance of maps and the role of cartographers in the historical inaccuracies of the African continent.d. Determine the purpose behind the creation RACE and identify the effects it had on the African continent.Unit 2 Empires/ Contact with EuropeTwo Weeksa. Explain and examine people without Empire in pre-colonial Africa.b. Describe and explain the empires of Ghana, Mali, Songhai and their culture, political structure, and patterns of growth.c. Investigate the remnants of Great Zimbabwe and what evaluate the validity of current theories about the empire.d. Distinguish and compare the various Swahili Kingdoms.Unit 3 Religion and Gender in Africa One Weeka. Indentify and compare characteristics of various indigenous religions present in Africa.b. Trace and tabulate the spread of Christianity and Islam throughout African from Southwest Asia.c. Evaluate the effects Christianity and Islam had on indigenous African religions and the roles of women.Unit 4 Captivity and Slave Trades Two Weeksa. Examine specific examples and practices of indigenous servitude systems present in Africa prior to mass slave systemsb. Describe the transition from gold and spices to humans as the main commodities in the Trans-Saharan trade system.c. Examine the origins of the Trans Atlantic slave systems and evaluate the various roles that Europeans and Africans played in the system as well as describe the practices of slave traders and the treatment of slaves in relation to the Middle Passage.d. Describe the economic relations between the Swahili kingdoms of East Africa and nations in Indian Ocean and South Asia.Unit 5 African Diaspora Two Weeksa. Examine the North American plantation system and the role of enslaved Africans.b. Investigate various case studies of slave systems in Brazil and the Caribbean and the African response. c. Examine the motivations of the various ethno-political divides that were created in Brazil and the Caribbean. d. Identify and explain Africanisms present in Indian Ocean and South Asian culturesUnit 6ColonialismTwo WeeksThe student will analyze the period of European colonization of Africa by examining the various perspectives of the colonizing powers and the colonized peoples of Africa.a. Describe the provisions and parameters for the partitioning of Africa during the Berlin Conference.b. Examine the political, social, and economic motivations behind the European colonization of Africa.c. Identify the various types of colonization practiced in African and investigate their role in the current state of various African nations.d. Describe the treatment African people by colonizing powers and methods of subjugation.Unit 7Africa and the World Wars__ One Weeka. Describe the methods of recruitment by the various colonial powers during World War I.b. Examine the allocation of Germanys colonies following the conclusion of World War I.c. Explain the significance and strategic relevance of World War II battles in Africa.d. Investigate the ties of service in the World Wars to decolonization and colonization resistance movements.Unit 8 Decolonization/ Freedom Movements Two Weeksa. Consider African Nationalism by examining the writings and perspectives of Kwame Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta, and Hastings Banda.b. Compare and contrast the Pan African ideologies of the Eight African State African Conference, Casablanca Group, and the Monrovia Groupc. Investigate the motivations behind, implementation, and response to the institution of apartheid in South Africa.Unit 9 Cold War & Contemporary Issues Two Weeksa. Investigate the Congo crisis (1960-1965) and United States response to Soviet involvement in the Congo.b. Explore the influences and interest of Cuba, the Soviet Union, South Africa, and the United States in the Angolan Civil WarUnit 10 Africas Contribution to the Global Community One Weeka. Canvass African movements of art, music, and literature, present on the global stage and examine their continental influences.b. Reflect upon Africas place in World History and infer about the economic, social, and political future of the continent.

Did you list the topics to be covered each week?

Topics are broken down by elements and include the time frame it is expected to teach.

Expectations of Student Participation

Since there is no main text for the course the students will rely heavily on readings and primary source documents during this study of Africa. Using these documents, students will participate in small group discussions in class as well as online discussions outside of class. This class will be taught as an upper level course. In similar fashion to many college courses, the instructor will employ Socratic discussions which make class participation a key method not only for students to gain better understanding of the content, but also as an observable medium of assessment for the instructor. Reading quizzes will also be given to insure students are completing assigned readings.

Did you outline class participation with descriptions of how it is measured (expectations for discussion forums, number and frequency of logins, amount of time in online class, group project participation, synchronous sessions, etc.)?

The course will be taught in blended format. Online and in-person participation are addressed.

Student Communication Expectations

When students are communicating online the same rules of the classroom apply. All exchanges should be with respect regardless of whether you find the point asserted to agreeable or not. It my hope that through our online discussions you learn to be critical, but also learn to be wise enough to know when to offer criticism how to do so constructively.Did you describe the expectations for student behavior when communicating online?

The expectations for amiable communication are clearly addressed.

Late Work Policy

Late work is unacceptable. However, in the event a student plans on turning in an assignment late, the expectation is that the student contacts the instructor beforehand to explain why the work is late. Accepting work from students who repeatedly turn in assignments late will be up to the discretion of the teacher.Did you explain the consequences for not submitting assignments on time?

The expectation for late work has been explained.

Grading Policy

Grading Scale: 90-100 A 80-89 B 70-79 C 69 and below FGrading Percentages:Major Assessments: 40%Projects and TestMinor Assessments: 40%Classwork, Online Discussions, and QuizzesFinal Exam: 20%

Is a grading policy defined with point distribution or weighting scheme? Is the grading scale is included?

Grading scale and weights are clearly stated.

Assessments

Students will be assessed using a variety of methods. All quizzes with be administered online and will be given in short answer formats. Major assessments will include in person exams, projects, and group presentations.Area a variety of assessment types included? Is at least one assessment requiring either applying, analyzing, evaluating, or creating?A diverse array of assessments are described.

Academic Honesty

The Social Studies Mission Statement provides that teachers develop the whole person by nurturing in students a sense of responsibility. Students need to be cognizant of what is right and what is wrong. Honesty is one of our highest values. If we are to develop students as contributing citizens of society, we as teachers need to ensure the moral honesty of our students and instill academic integrity. We define a lack of academic integrity to be dishonest or deceitful behavior shown by students who gain an unfair academic advantage through, but not limited to, some of the following methods; plagiarism; copying another's work when it is not explicitly encouraged by the teacher; providing details of a specific test or quiz before, during, or after the event; after the event; the use of unauthorized aids on tests, such as cheat sheets or programmed calculators; or recycling/reusing a previous paper or project of one's own or another's without the explicit consent of the teacher. Do conduct and academic honesty requirements clearly explain the policy on cheating and plagiarism. Are consequences for inappropriate behavior included?

The school Social Studies Department mission statement address the academic integrity policy in place at the school

Acceptable Use Policy

Fulton County Schools: Acceptable Use Policy for Students

This computer and network are the property of the Fulton County Board of Education and is for authorized use only. The use of this computer or any device connected to the network is governed by an Acceptable Use Agreement. Using this computer or connecting to the school system network in any way constitutes your acceptance of this agreement and willingness to adhere to all of the guidelines contained within it. Users of this computer system or associated network (authorized or unauthorized) have no explicit or implicit expectation of privacy. Any or all uses of this system and all data stored or transmitted over the network may be intercepted, monitored, recorded, copied, audited, inspected, and disclosed to authorized personnel and law enforcement. By using this system, the user consents to such interception, monitoring, recording, copying, auditing, inspection, and disclosure at the discretion of authorized personnel. Failure to comply with the Acceptable Use Agreement and all applicable laws will result in disciplinary actions, up to and including expulsion from school and criminal prosecution.

(Source: Fulton County Schools)Is the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) described or linked? Are consequences for noncompliance described?

County acceptable use policy is included

Student Right to Privacy

For information on your students right to privacy as it relates to this online course please click here.Did you include the conditions for sharing or not sharing student information?

Link to DOE statement on Privacy in Online Education included.

Technology Requirements

Students will be utilizing Canvas by Instructure and must have access to a computer with the following basic requirements: Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with support for PAE, NX, and SSE2 (more info) RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit) Hard disk space: 16 GB (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit) Graphics card: Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver.Please refer to this support link for assistance with the Canvas Platform.

Do the technology requirements outline technical specifications for student computers? Did you describe the procedures to follow when technical problems occur?

System requirements and Support Link are included

Copyright Statement

Course materials created and owned by Kali Alford.Course content organized with permission of Michigan Student University African Studies Department and School Outreach Program.Did you provide a copyright statement and disclaimer that identifies the owner of the course?

Statement is included

Students with Disabilities

Any student with a disability, who has concerns related to the format or requirements of this course, should contact your teacher privately to discuss your specific needs and to ensure your full participation in the course. If you determine that formal, disability-related accommodations are necessary, it is very important that you be registered with the Special Needs Coordinator and provide that office with documentation of your disability. That office will then notify your teacher of your eligibility for reasonable accommodations. Then, you and your teacher can plan how best to coordinate your accommodationsDid you indicate your willingness to provide reasonable accommodations to a student with a disability?

School disability/504 compliance statement included.

*This document pairs with Designing a Syllabus for an Online Unit of Instruction (Peer Evaluation Checklist) by Lokey-Vega (2014).

2Lokey-Vega (2014)