My goal is that throughout this course you develop your knowledge of Minnesota histories by practicing the key skills of analysis, inquiry, and reflection on your learning. This course is organized into weekly Modules organized around a particular theme and historical period.
Consistency around expectations—both yours and mine—will be key for our success this semester. Each Module will follow the same pattern and each kind of assignment will be due regularly on that day.
I’ve spaced out assignments to be due consistently on specific days to keep everyone moving along together and to give me time to review and give feedback. But life happens.
Automatic 24 hour grace period: you can submit work up to 24 hours after the due date for evaluation and feedback if the need arises. It can be easy to fall behind and have things snowball, so try to use the buffer when needed vs. counting on it for every assignment.
<aside> ⏰ If you need additional time to finish an assignment, fill out the Due Date Adjustment Form (linked in D2L) before the original due date. You’ll receive an email from me either approving the new due date or following-up with additional questions or considerations. Generally, I approve almost all requests that are done in the way I outlined above! Exceptions tend to be when an assignment is time-sensitive, such as peer feedback workshops.
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There will be designated times during the semester where you will be able to revise or complete for the first time previous assignments. I’ll provide more information when we get to these points about how to proceed.
<aside> 📅 Also, I’m a human who sometimes fails to calendar well. I may shift deadlines during the semester, but this will be in consultation with the class and only to give more time to complete an activity. If I make a mistake that cuts into your time to complete an assignment, I will adjust the deadlines to ensure you have the originally scheduled amount of time.
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I understand that it can be daunting to reach out for clarification or to check-in on your progress. But, this is key to success in this class and in many situations beyond. I am happy to meet or chat with you about your own learning and your thoughts on the topics and materials we cover and to answer questions big and small about the assignments.
If life gets overwhelming during the semester (as it easily can these days), it can be tempting to drift away from a survey course like this. I’m no stranger to procrastination (I default to cleaning or cooking when trying to avoid things), having classes go sideways on me, and scrambling to survive. I won’t judge you for this, or think less of you as a student and person. The more we communicate, the more options there are for us to work together toward your success in this class.
You are welcome to share what’s going on with me if you wish, but you never need to disclose personal information with me to try to convince me that your circumstances are worth considering.
This class invites you to take an active role in your learning. You will have the chance to take what you learn both about Minnesota history and digital literacy and research skills and practice putting them to use in a range of different activities. This class emphasizes building knowledge and skills through practice and giving/receiving feedback on places to improve. This is not a class where I ask you to only memorize and repeat back to me what I or the assignment materials said.
*These learning outcomes are the standard outcomes for the course that establish the overall goals and align them with transfer goals.