Communication in this course will take place via Canvas Inbox. 

Check out the Canvas Conversations Tutorial to learn how to communicate with your instructor and peers using Announcements, Discussions, and the Inbox.

Discussion Postings/Responses - 5 prompts, lowest grade will be dropped. 5% per prompt, totaling 20% of final grade

In this course, we will be discussing cultural change in the wide Jewish world over time and across different geographical regions.  Periodic discussion assignments will assist students in communicating with fellow classmates and sharing and exchanging ideas about Jewish cultures and their conflicts and contradictions.  Each discussion topic is open for UP TO two weeks: students must post initially by the end of the first week in each period, allowing UP TO a second week for responses and additional posts.

Please refer to the Discussions: Guidelines and Tips for Success page for more important information about the Discussion assignments.

(10% for each exercise, totaling 30% of final grade)

This assignment tests student knowledge of essential terms and provides a vehicle to further student understanding of course materials.

Students are required to complete three term identification exercises.  In each exercise 20 terms will be randomly drawn from the module glossaries that have been supplied for each module of the course: glossaries for modules 1-4, inclusive, apply to the first exercise, glossaries for modules 5-7, inclusive, apply to the second exercise, and glossaries for modules 8-10, inclusive, apply to the third exercise.  In each case you will have 60 minutes to complete all 20 term identifications according to a specific format.

This exercise requires you to write at least two sentences for each answer: in the first sentence (or more), you will define the term, and in the second sentence (or more), you will put the term in context and display your additional knowledge of the term.  The first sentence you will write can be drawn from the definition of the term that has been supplied to you in the module glossary; regularly studying each module’s terms and their definitions will greatly assist you in preparing for this part of the exercise.  The second sentence you will write for this exam will require you to go back to your notes on the lectures and readings and to the textbooks in order to display your knowledge of the term in context.  You may not use the Internet while taking this exam!  Using any outside sources while taking this exam is not permitted and will be considered cheating.

Each sentence in each answer is worth 0-2 points; each total answer will be worth up to 4 points, for a total of 80 points for each exercise; partial credit will be awarded wherever possible.

Please refer to the following example as a model 4-point answer:
Example: Definition: Goy [term provided in module 1 glossary] literally means “nation” and is usually used to refer to a non-Jew [definition supplied in module 1 glossary].  Context: According to David Biale, the conceptual category “goy” developed alongside the category “Jew,” since Jewish identity cannot be separated from the power relations between Jews and their neighbors.

STUDY TIPS: Study the glossary of terms for each module every week, and annotate it as you move through the course materials, noting the context for each term as it arises in the readings and lectures.  The information provided in the glossary for each module will be the basis for the first part of your answer on this exam, while the notes you make on each term provided will be the basis for the second part of each answer on this exam.  Remember that it is not permitted for you to use the Internet or any other outside sources of information while you are taking this exam. 

In order to mitigate any issues with your computer and online assessments, it is very important that you take the Practice Quiz from each computer you will be using to take your graded quizzes and exams. Please review the important information about quizzes page.

Respondus Lockdown Browser will be required for these exercises, please review How to take a Quiz or Exam with the Respondus Lockdown Browser page. 

Students will complete three essays in this course.  Essays will provide opportunities for students to display knowledge about Jewish cultures in broader context, in dialogue with surrounding cultures.

Essay Rubric:

(Essay 1 and 2, 15% each; essay 3, 20%; totaling 50% of final grade)

• Discussion postings and comments are expected to be regular and ongoing; each discussion prompt encourages students to focus on a particular issue; grading depends in part on the quantity and timeliness of posts and replies (plus other criteria) from when the discussion opens until it closes—UP TO a two-week period, during which students are expected to participate several times in the discussion forum (NOTE: some of the discussion periods extend into the time frame for the next module topic).  Students must post initially by the end of the first week in each period, allowing up to a second week for responses and additional posts.  Students failing to post and/or reply during any discussion period will receive a 0 for that discussion.

• All Other Assignments are due in Canvas by 11:59pm on SATURDAYS at the conclusion of each module unless otherwise indicated. As a courtesy, all assignments will stay open for 24 hours, one day past the posted due date, to allow for late submissions with no late penalty. This grace period will not be extended. Students who are unable to submit assignments by the conclusion of the grace period, for any reason, must contact the instructor prior to the deadline; late assignments will be accepted on a case-by-case basis, with a penalty, at the discretion of the instructor.

Plagiarism Policy

PLAGIARISM and any and all forms of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated.  Plagiarism is stealing someone else’s words or original ideas.  Plagiarism occurs in two forms: (1) uncredited quotations (including words copied from elsewhere but not bracketed by quotation marks and quotations without proper citations and documentation) and (2) uncredited paraphrases.  In both cases, to avoid plagiarism, students must properly cite the source material.  Only commonly known facts and concepts, general material learned in the course of research and study, and students’ original ideas do not require citation.  Students found violating standards will fail the course and will be reported directly to the Office of Academic Affairs.  For useful guidelines, go to the Plagiarism Prevention section on the FIU Library’s website.

• Except in cases of emergency and Jewish holidays, the professor will reply to student emails within 48 hours during the week and 72 hours over the weekend (emails sent between 5 pm Friday and 12:01 am Monday). 
• Except in cases of emergency and Jewish holidays, the professor will grade student assignments within 7 days of their due date.