Outline and objectives: excavate, attend, document, respond.

Welcome to the dig.  We are explorers, immigrants, pioneers I know, this part is hokey.  We are leaving our known intellectual territories.  We need no classroom, we will pay no lab fees, we will not buy textbooks or supplies.   We are excavating the available intellectual resources of the university for stimulation, expansion and surprises.   Learning in this class will be self-directed.  The syllabus is self-created.  You assemble this experience, and the quality and depth of the class is totally up to you.

Each week you will attend a lecture or event outside of your major.  To be more specific, if you are an art major, lectures or events sponsored by the school of art and design or KAM, Japan House, etc. DO NOT qualify for credit in this class.  If you are a Math major, you may not post or attend any lecture/event from the Math department, etc., etc., etc.  That being said, it is assumed that you will still avail yourself of those opportunities because they are part of your 4 year study.  For THIS class, you will excavate, search for and share two events per week from outside your major program, anywhere on the UIUC campus, or within campus bus service.   You will attend minimum one lecture per week OUTSIDE the School of Art and Design or your major program but within the Champaign-Urbana area.  Entertainment events do not count for credit rock concerts, Hollywood movies, openings, parties unless you can make a case for the expansion of your intellectual awareness and knowledge bank.  Any event that stimulates growth from outside your expected intellectual neighborhood your major will work.  Step outside the box as you define events.

  

Each week I will open an entry for up to two weeks in the future.  When the week entry is posted, you may then post your excavations.  Make sure you have a self portrait attached to your name when you post. look at mine, it’s pink!

You are required to excavate and post 1-2 events or lectures per week on this blog edited by me if necessary. This must be posted no later than midnight each Sunday comment to the blog post I create for each week with your events.  No duplications are allowed.  If you find that someone has already posted the same event you were about to post, then you must find another to post.  Each post should have a short description  of the event what is it about? so that others might consider going, and must include times and locations.  Links would be great if available.   

From this list, you will choose one event or lecture to attend.  You do not have to attend the lecture/event that you excavated/posted.  You may attend alone or with friends from inside or outside of class, but you must also document your attendance in two ways:  a photograph, video, recording, ?????? that proves you attended the lecture or event insert creativity here combined with a written response as a reply to the excavation post you chose not another blogger’s reply.  Write about the event; what you thought was interesting or boring, what surprised you, disappointed you, or connections to your own work you might or might not have expected .  Discussions with friends immediately after events are obviously encouraged.  If you find the event a disappointment, you must find something worthwhile from the experience, and communicate that. 

Class requirements summary:

-signature portrait attached to your name when posting replies.

-Excavate and post 1-2 unique events or lectures per week by midnight each Sunday evening.

-Choose minimum one event to attend each week.

-Document your attendance.

-Respond to it along with attendance documentation as a written reply to the original excavation post.

-Written semester summary of what you have gained, posted at end of semester.

Grading: 

excavations minimum two per week 25% of final grade 

30 = A  

28 = A-                

26 = B+                    

24= B                       

22= B-                      

20= C+                     

18 = C                        

16= C-                       

14= D+                      

12= D                        

10= D-                       

8  = F                         

attend/document/write response minimum one per week  50% of final grade

15 = A

14= A-

13= B+

12 = B

11 = B-  

10 = C+

9   = C

8   = C-

7   = D+

6   = D

5   = D-   

4   = F         

Quality abundant and true 12.5% of final grade

the quality of these posts and excavations (how creative are your documentations?  are your excavations interesting, obviously available or obligatory?  Are you showing patterns of interest?  Are you attending any of your own excavations or simply posting anything just to post?)

Summary a singleton 12/5% of your final grade

your written and posted summary of your experience stepping outside your major. 

there will be no excuses accepted for the lack of a post.  Excuses for missing lectures/events must come from emergency dean or mcKinley stating you are out of commission for the entire week.  Don’t even think of asking for any other excuse.