Syllabus
German 402 - Advanced Composition II (3)
Term 4, Academic Year 2000/2001
02 April - 20 July 2001
I am a German instructor with the UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND,
EUROPEAN DIVISION. Presently I teach face-to-face classes in the
Rhein-Main area, Germany.
In the past I have taught a large number of upper level
classes on German Literature, German Language, and Cultural
Topics. This tradition at UMUC is now being transformed to
include Distance Education courses on these topics. The new
program was started some terms ago with a course on "GERMAN
FAIRY TALES", and is now 're-formatted' into global cyber-dimensions by using the WebTycho platform.
In term 04 - 2000/2001 a language class
is being offered
***You can enroll for this class without having taken
German 401***
The objectives of this class are
Prerequisite: GERM 300-level course or equivalent.
Credit: Three
(3) semester hours via Distance Education
Instructor: Dr.
Gerhard Schulz
Dates: Terms
IV - V, 02 April - 20 July 2001
Requirements: Email, Internet
Access, Web Browser
Schedule:
WEEK #
|
Dates
|
Action
|
Details
|
01 |
02
April - 08 April 2001 |
Introductory
Activities |
Getting
to know WebTycho |
02 |
09
April - 15 April 2001 |
Introductory
Activities |
Using
the WebTycho platform |
03 |
17
April - 22 April 2001 |
Modal
Auxiliary Verbs |
Tenses
and Idiomatic Usage |
04 |
23
April - 29 April 2001 |
Future
Tense |
Using
the non-grammatical functions of Future I and II |
05 |
30
April - 06 May 2001 |
Future
Tense (continued) |
Using
the non-grammatical functions of Future I and II |
06 |
07
May - 13 May 2001 |
Conjunctions
I |
Enhancing
Expression through advanced usage of main clause
conjunctions |
07 |
14
May - 18 May 2001 |
Conjunctions
II |
Enhancing
Expression through advanced usage of dependent clause
conjunctions |
- |
20
May -
03 June 2001 |
Break |
|
08 |
04 June
- 10 June
2001 |
Review
& MT Exam |
Online
exam |
09 |
11
June - 17 June 2001 |
Passive
Voice I |
Improving
Text by adequate use/avoidance of Passive Voice
Constructions |
10 |
18
June - 24 June 2001 |
Passive
Voice II |
Improving
Text by adequate use/avoidance of Passive Voice
Constructions (considerably different from English usage!) |
11 |
25
June - 30 June 2001 |
Relative
Clauses |
Using
Relative Pronouns beyond the standard format |
12 |
02
July - 08 July 2001 |
"False
Friends"
+ Review |
Special
Problems with English-German vocabulary evoking wrong
associations; Review for Final Exam |
13 |
09
July - 15 July 2001 |
Final Exam | |
14 |
16
July - 20 July 2001 |
Summation |
|
The main emphasis in this course will be on writing many shorter and some longer texts in order to become more proficient with written (narrative) expression, which - according to experience - has a very positive effect on your oral proficiency. My ambition is to correct and discuss your 'papers' in such a way that you understand the reasons WHY you should give it another try. The indications on the above SCHEDULE just describe the TOOLS that we need to acquire for this purpose.
STUDENT AND TEACHER RESPONSIBILITIES :
You are expected to participate on a regular basis. Logging
on twice a week is considered a minimum.
I have set up a schedule, however, there will be enough
time to follow sidelines that develop as the course progresses. I
shall insert short grammatical discussions when I see a need for
them, - you should indicate topics that you wish to be integrated
into the course. One of the biggest advantages of the WebTycho
platform is that the contributions which we make are always
available for 'inspection', - they don't wind up on individual
PCs; it's like having a large classroom wall where our ideas find
a public place to 'reside'. This is our great chance to interact,
communicate, and learn from each other.
Grading your work will of course be done privately, i. e.
via email. Basically the WT platform is the medium for
discussions, email is the electronic medium for one-on-one
contact. I am under obligation to respond promptly to work and
questions that you send in.
A NOTE ON USING RESOURCES:
Scholarly (and scientific) research is characterized by
utilizing the results of other scholars. Progress in the field of
research means adding something to the stock of knowledge that so
far has been accumulated. From this point of view drawing on
resources is a normal process when formulating one's own
thoughts. It is, however, mandatory to name the source of
information you are using (to give credit to the author).
Omitting to name your sources will cause you to be accused of
plagiarism and will - in a college course - have an adverse
effect on your grade. See the Maryland in Europe Catalog
for UMUC policy on plagiarism and academic dishonesty.
COURSE MATERIALS:
There will be no textbook.
Most of the materials will be made available to you in the
'classroom' or by email. Some German newspapers publish articles
on the Net. I will point out such materials as we need them.
GRADING INFORMATION:
The component parts of your Final Grade will be:
I will use the standard 100 point scale:
A: 100-90, B: 89-80; C: 79-70; D:
69-60; F(a): below 60 / F(n) - unexcused
non-participation/ non attendance
Biographical Note:
Gerhard Schulz was born and raised in Berlin, Germany. He
spent four years in the US and Canada, teaching at a Physical
School of Education in Kentucky, and taking a degree as an
Elementary School teacher in Ontario, Can. Upon returning to
Germany he studied Philosophy, German & English Literature,
and Art History at the Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt, receiving
his Ph.D. in 1982. He and his wife Christina live near Frankfurt
in a friendly small town where they bought (and renovated) an old
farmhouse. Both, Gerhard and Christina, like to do things with
their hands to balance out their professional life as teachers.
Gerhard (after having learned how to solder, to do masonry work,
and to install electrical systems) has built quite a number of
special pinhole cameras. He takes odd looking photographs with them.
If you have any questions
feel free to contact me at
Send me a note!