Nassau in the Bahamas; the modern world!

ps.  I am always looking for photographs, images, slides, artifacts, etc. that I can use in my courses.  If you have anything that you think might be of use or interesting to me, please let me know.  I credit all images/materials that I use in the course.

This is the HIS 135 course website. On this page, you will find important information about the course and the links to the course assignment schedules (see below).

• Check your specific Critical Course Deadlines. These dates can be found on the ELI home page, and they are also indicated on your course schedule (See the links below). Please make a note of these dates.
  • You must withdraw before the Last Refund Date to receive a refund.
  • You must submit your introduction paragraph or complete the Course Introduction Check quiz (see unit 1) by your First Assignment Due Date to avoid being administratively deleted from the course without a refund.
  • You must complete your Midterm Exam by your Midterm Exam Due Date or you will be withdrawn from the course.  (No Exceptions; No excuses accepted.) For your exact midterm exam due date, see your course assignment schedule linked below on this page.
  • Your Last Withdrawal Date is the last date on which you can withdraw yourself from the course using Novaconnect, without grade penalty.
  • Finally, remember, you must complete all course assignments by your official course End Date.
   
• Check Novaconnect to verify your instructor's name.  
• Please note that your enrollment in this course is subject to the general ELI rules and regulations.  Please be sure to review these procedural matters now.  For an Incomplete grade in the course, a student must earn 500 points, pass the midterm exam and explain the extenuating circumstances for the incomplete request.  
• Take appropriate action now if you will need proctored examinations. 
• Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments or accommodations is encouraged to contact a counselor for disability services. Contact information can be found online on the college web page.  For additional information, please contact an ELI counselor at elicounselors@nvcc.edu or 703.323.2425.  All information is kept confidential.  
• You must submit all of your assignments and extra credit through Blackboard according to the Submitting Assignments and Using Email in Your ELI History Course instructions.  (No more than one submission per calendar day will be accepted.)   Feedback on your work will be returned via e-mail, usually within 24-72 hours.  
• Please review the information on Using Blackboard for instructions on how to submit assignments, access the online discussions and view your gradebook.

• To begin the course, review this page, click on your course assignment schedule (below), check out the information on all of the course assignments and exams and begin with unit 1 of the course.  
• Finally, please remember that you must pass the final exam with a grade of "C" (140/200) or better to earn a passing grade of "C" or better in this course.

Required book
As of fall 2011, the new text for the course is William Keylor, A World of Nations: The International Order since 1945, 2nd ed. (Oxford University Press, 2009, isbn 9780195337570).  Please check the distance learning bookstore website for information on where and how you can purchase your textbooks.  If you are wondering about my choice of this particular textbook, please see my comments on alternative textbooks. If you are wondering whether you must buy the textbook, then please watch this short video. In unit 12, I have an optional assignment based on the book by Lawrence Scott Sheets, 8 Pieces of Empire (Crown Publishers, isbn 978-0-307-39582-5; any edition is acceptable).

For those students who are interested, I have also approved the use of an online etext. Daniel R. Brower, The World since 1945: A Brief History (Pearson, 2005, isbn 9780131288164). I do not believe that the etext is compatible with a Kindle or a Nook. You can purchase the book at www.coursesmart.com (use the isbn to find the book). You may also be able to find this textbook available as a used book. Please note that the Brower book is much shorter than the Keylor book.

• Define the importance of key individuals and events in world history since 1945.
• Understand the general chronology and geography of world history since 1945.
• Understand the forces at work in the development of the contemporary world.
• Develop an ability to analyze historical sources, reach conclusions based on that analysis and compose critical essays that explain the importance of certain historical events in the world.
• Improve your use of technology.

• It is expected that students possess college-level reading and writing skills.
• You should also have relatively good technology and web-use skills.  Please check ELI's Smartmeasure to see if you are ready for distance learning. You can also check out our short quiz, Is A Web Course for Me?
• I would recommend that you allot at least three hours a week of study time for this course.
  

• 1,000-900:  A
•    899-800:  B
•    799-700:  C
•    699-600:  D
•    599-000:  F

Course assignment schedule and deadlines

• sixteen-week that begins 22 August
• eight-week that begins 26 September

• twelve-week that begins 16 May
• eight-week that begins 30 May

• sixteen-week that begins 9 January
• eight-week that begins 20 February

There are specific assignment deadlines in this course, and these are listed on the course schedule. You may not submit late extra credit work from a course unit. You may submit any of the course assignments, or optional course assignments late, but the maximum point value will then be reduced by one-half.

You are expected to make regular and steady progress in completing your assignments and examinations.  Please check your Blackboard online gradebook for your grades.  Once you begin this course, it is your responsibility to withdraw if you do not intend to finish it.  If you do not withdraw and if do not finish your course assignments, then you will receive a grade based upon the work that you have submitted.  Usually, this grade is an "F."
You can earn extra credit in the course by finding typos or broken links on the course web pages.  You can also suggest additional websites that would be useful in the course.