VINNIE LINARES
English 257
Office Kupa'a 205
Office Hours:
By appointment and or one hour prior to class.Phone: 808.984.3316
E-mail: linares@hawaii.edu
Aloha
English 257e is a journey through some of the written literary history
of Hawaii, beginning first with a look at oral chants and legends, and
then examining novels, short stories, poems, and plays written in the
vernaculars of the islands. Of importance is how all these materials
explore ideas about Hawaii, its history, languages, people, and cultures
as seen through the eyes and pens of the kama'aina, keiki o' ka aina,
and malihini.
English 257 Course Syllabus:
COURSE SYLLABUS
In this course, you will take a journey through some of the written literary history of Hawaii, beginning first with a look at oral chants and legends, and then examining novels, short stories, poems, and plays written in the vernaculars of the islands. Of importance is how all these materials explore ideas about Hawaii, its history, languages, people, and cultures as seen through the eyes and pens of the kama'aina, keiki o' ka aina and malihini.
Upon completion of the course you will:
- Summarize, analyze, and question ideas found in literature
- Share, and present information and ideas appropriate to audience, purpose, using documentation when appropriate
- Interpret and discuss a writer�s inferential and literal meaning
- Demonstrate how literature enriches life
- Demonstrate how themes of literature are connected to your life
- Gather information from sources and use to formulate, develop, and support ideas in essays and oral presentations
- Illustrate knowledge of the development of literary traditions
- Reflect upon, compare, and evaluate thought processes, value systems, and world views�universals found in literature
- Work collaboratively on projects and presentations
- Revise, edit, and proofread essays for corrections, clarity, and effectiveness
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Required Textbooks and Materials
Please purchase the following required books and materials. I would suggest that you get them from using an online provider like Amazon. Com.
A Hawaiian Reader: Volumes I and II ISBN 0-935180-07-9 & ISBN 1-56647-205-5
The Tattoo, Chris McKinney ISBN 1-56647-319-5
The Water of Kane, O.A. Bushnell ISBN 1-56647-230-X
Please also choose 1 text from the list below to read and review Guidelines will be provided
Growing Up Local, Eric Chock, James Harstad, Darrell Lum and Peter Teter
Myths & Legends of Hawaii, Westervelt
When the Shark Bites, Rodney Morales
Pau Hana, Takai
How Natives Think, Sahlins
Rice Paper Airplanes, Pak
The Holy Man of Molokai, Gavin Daws
The Shoals of Time, Gavin Daws
Any other book by O.E. Bushnell
Shave Ice, Tom Stevens
False Confessions, Paul Woods
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Recommended materials
A grammar reference book like, The Writer�s Reference, Diane Hacker
A good college dictionary
Library card for MCC and or your community college
In addition to your books, I will provide numerous online materials to supplement the textbooks. There will also be video streamed lectures, Power Point presentations, and audio streamed files.
Important Note
Since this is an Online course, it is expected that you have a fairly skilled working knowledge of how to use a computer and various software programs: WORD, Real Player, Windows Media, Quick Time, Acrobat Reader, and Power Point.
Web Resources:
The following webpages are important class references to be used as background and resources materials. Please copy and bookmark on your computer for ease of use. The first page translates English words into Hawaiian!
Hawaiian Dictionary/LinguisticsPpage:
http://wehewehe.olelo.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/hdict?e=q-0hdict--00-0-
Hawaiian Links
Historical Hawaii
Extreme Hawaii
O'iwi
Course Components
Achieving course outcomes will be accomplished through course components: assigned readings and freewrites, attendance, Internet searches, Dialectics, timed writings, essays, web-based class presentations, class chats, video/audio streaming, quizzes, mid-term and final Portfolio
Assigned Readings/Analysis/Critical Freewrite Responses: �you will submit/post freewrite responses to your readings and to questions I post�these will be approximately 300 or more words each. Your responses for the most case will be credit/no credit until mid-term�with credit given on the basis of your creative and insightful answers and questions. Guidelines will be provided.
NOTE: Late homework is not accepted without a valid excuse as most work is posted well advance in the Webct class calendar
ATTENDANCE: How often and how engaged you are online is essential for successful completion of course objectives. The expectation is that you spend at least 5-6 hours a week on this class, reading, writing, reviewing and posting work.
Internet Searches: For most class texts, themes, and authors, you will do GOGGLE Internet search, finding materials and background reference materials to use as resources. These will be posted in an appropriate WebCt folder. Also use the Web resources listed above.
Dialectics: Dialectic will be written for each major piece of literature. See the format/model provided at the end of the syllabus.
You will complete a Dialectic for some of the major class readings prior to a class discussion on that work. The information will be posted on the WebCt course page using the following as a guide: You will receive full credit for the work if it truly reflects evidence of being a serious attempt at answering the questions and completing an analysis:
Title of Work
Author
Type of Work
Historical period if known
Characters
Your Questions
Your Reactions
Comments
Analysis
New Vocabulary and Definitions
Important notes taken while reading
Pr�cis: This is a 2-3-sentence summary of the entire piece
Significant lines and passages and why
Timed Writings: 4-5 times throughout the terms, there will be specific timed writings focusing on specific topics and issues---in a sense they are mini-quizzes. These will be posted periodically and based upon the class� need to examine important issues that are raised from the readings and discussions.
Essays: 4-6 pages. There will be 3 graded essays. These are formal discussions of the readings, with a thoughtful thesis and a well-developed argument. We will collectively create topics for these essays. Guidelines will be provided.
Policy on late essays: For each day your essay is late, the grade will be dropped one full letter grade. So, if a paper was to be an A and was late, it would receive a B. Furthermore, late papers cannot be revised for a higher grade. If not submitted after one week from the due date, an F grade will be given
1. Each essay must be at least 650 words�use of graphics is highly recommended
2. Each essay must use a minimum of 3 separate citation sources
3. Essays will follow MLA format
4. Appropriate literary terms and vocabulary are to be usedWeb-based Presentations: Either alone and or in a small group, students will make presentations. These will concern either the topics and or authors of our class materials and will offer the class something interesting/puzzling/disgusting/inspiring about the texts/materials/authors. Format can be in Powerpoint, a posted narrative, mixed media, audio files�whatever best suits your technical skills�Guidelines will be provided.
Class chats: There will be weekly, voluntary chat sessions on Webct for class discussions. Students can also set chats up on their own.
Personal history narrative- 3-5 pages. This assignment is a formal assignment, but less so than the formal essays. You will tell of a personal history in Hawaii. There are two ways to achieve this:
- Interview family members and relate how your family got to Hawaii�when, how, and why? Dates are very important, why the family came, and why they decided to stay. Once you gather the information, you will write a narrative about your family history, making sure you reflect on how your own existence is shaped or influenced by their lives and their stories. If you are a recent arrival, you still need to answer the above questions as well. If you are part Hawaiian, you may want to explore your family tree and see how it then connects with other ethic groups.
- Research a person who has made Hawaii their home�write a short biography of that person, exploring the motivations for their coming here and making Hawaii his/her home.
Mid-term & Final Portfolio: The timed mid-term will be Essay 2. Your final exam will be submitted in a Portfolio format, containing Essay 3 and selected pieces of your favorite writing from the entire term. Guidelines will be provided.
Extra Credit Option: There are excellent and not so good movies about the Islands�and seeing either type or writing about why they are good or bad is something you may wish to consider for extra credit. There are also live local performances of plays that reflect upon the islands.
By seeing either, a movie or play, you have an opportunity to demonstrate how the class themes and issues are portrayed in another medium. How the movie/play reflects the reality of Hawaii is something to evaluate. This can be fun as well.
Movies/Videos
50 First Dates-movie
All in the Ohana: Andy Bumatai video
Beyond Paradise, movie
Blue Crush, movie
Blue Hawaii�Elvis movie
From Here to Eternity�not to be missed-the 1958 movie
Hawaii, movie
Lilo and Stitch, movie
Pearl Harbor, movie
Picture Bride, movie
Tora, Tora, Tora, movie
Diamond Head, movie
Hawaii 50 videos
Magnum videos
Rap Replinger videos
Webct and Computer Use
- The class is Webct based and all Webct tools will be used as the primary means by which work will be assigned and posted.
- To best access Webct and all class materials requires that your computer browser be up-to-date. This means you have to have Windows Explorer 5.5 or higher, and/or Netscape 6.1 or higher�otherwise you will have difficulty-opening files. Upgrades are free for both.
- Of equal importance is how you access and connect to the Internet, for that determines how quickly and in what manner your computer downloads class files.
- The fastest connection and most efficient is a cable connection like Roadrunner. It enables you to download, read, and review in real time.
- Dial-up is the slowest and most inefficient, and in most cases does not work well for the class
If your home computer is not up to the above standards, you will experience difficulty with easy access to WebCt and course materials. However, all MCC campus computers, and most computers in local public libraries are capable of fully accessing course materials-so you may need to use computers other than your own.
Video-streamed materials:
The following webpage contains important videos to use for the class. Bookmark and or place this important page on your desktop for convenient use, as you need to preview and then review the appropriate videos.
http://mccac03.mauicc.hawaii.edu/tegrity/Grading
Your final grade is determined by the following:
- Satisfactory completion of all course components
- Consistent online presence
- Collaborative participation
- Points acquired
Important Thoughts
The course operates quite simply�you access your Webct course page, check the weekly calendar and mail, and then complete whatever assignments are required for the week. Most assignments and their directions are posted in specific assignment folders, as well as posted on the calendar. Much of your work is public and shared with your classmates.
I send work to you and communicate with you in several ways:
- Webct Calendar
- Webct Private Mail
- Webct Assignment Folders
In most cases, you send all work to me and to each other using WebCt Discussion Assignment Folder and WebCt Private mail.
Attendance and Participation
Online attendance is extremely important for several reasons: It is required to pass the course and be part of the discussion and critical analysis; Your contribution, when coupled with that of your classmates, insures that we will have a lively, interesting, and challenging semester; A writing intensive course utilizing computer technology and on-line interchange is not a textbook, content centered course; therefore, your full participation and presence is essential. Rule of thumb is to be online reading, reviewing, sharing, and posting your work for a minimum of 3 hours a week
In order to succeed in this class you need to be properly prepared weekly. If you procrastinate or do not complete the work assigned, you will be unable to participate in the numerous activities planned, and or write effective analysis. A typical week will involve some or all of the following activities:
1. A reflective freewrite analyzing an assigned reading
2. A collective class freewrite answering a particular question
3. �Talk Time�: Group/individual readings
4. Internet searches
5. Essay drafts
Assignments in almost every case will be posted prior to any particular class along with the following week's work; therefore, you can always know what is to done and what work is forthcoming. Furthermore, the topics in the WebCt Discussion folders, lay out in a chronological order, work to be done over the semester week by week. Work is also posted in the WebCt Calendar
english 257 syllabus